We are back with another round of our new series, “One thing I can’t live without.” This week, we bring you Jack Kiefer, Founder & President, Babyage.com. His opinions on technology are clear: it’s a necessity. And if you don’t agree or don’t get it, then you might be in the wrong biz. Hear him get into tech below.

Our “One Thing” series is business related, but we hope it will still be something to look forward to as it reveals one thing someone in your industry (who you may even know), can’t work without. We’re talking about anything that you and your colleagues, as retailers or multi-channel retail solution providers, cannot do your jobs without. And we’re taking that beyond the obvious.

Our aim is to bring you some tactical tips straight from the experts’ mouths. Hopefully one or two of them will help you out in unexpected ways. And without further adieu, we bring you Jack’s, “One Thing I can’t Live Without…”

Jack Kiefer

1. As an online marketer and retailer, what’s something you can’t live without? And we don’t mean coffee. We mean anything from a technology tool to a partner, to an employee or a team, to a cool trick you do on Excel to a shortcut you take in your programs. Anything you think your job would be impossible to do without.

A go-to, non-self-centered great technologist.

2. Can you explain what this is – if necessary?

As a marketer, speed to market and implementing new ideas and partnerships is a primary key for success. The Internet is no place for latency, and as a marketer, I have seen way too many awesome ideas never make it past the whiteboard because of weak tech.

3. Why can you NOT live without this?

Have you ever tried to build a house without nails? It can be done, but it’s a long, slow process. I don’t have the patience to wait for two quarters to implement a new idea. When our team has an idea, we want a plan for launch within 30 days.

4. How often do you use it and how long have you been using it?

I started using good technologists back in the mid ’90s when I sold my first book in Gopher space; a task that I would not have been able to do without a programmer.

5. If lightning struck tomorrow and you suddenly didn’t have this one thing, what would you do to improvise?

I would most likely shut down the business, buy a boat and begin to sail around the world without any link to the web (…oops, that was win the lottery answer). In the past I have worked in business where technology was not a focus. These places are not for me. BAU (business as usual) is boring.

6. How can other people get this too?

Organizations either get this philosophy or they don’t. If you really want to experiment with Internet marketing, you need technical resources. So if you are unfortunate to work in a business that doesn’t understand technology, and innovation is important to you, then I suggest you get a new job.

BONUS: And what’s the non-work related thing you can’t do your job without? This is where the coffee, or anything else comes in…

I couldn’t live without my family and my farm. The best stress relief for me is to jump on my backhoe on a Saturday afternoon, and dig a big hole.