There are partnerships that are made in boardrooms. Others are made in much more ambivalent locations that require listening to speak and flexibility to control. In the case of Steven R. Baxendale and Alan Vargas, it was the South of France, where they were way out of their usual systems, language, and habitual practices. What began as a semester abroad in Marseille quietly was a silent start of a professional collaboration on the basis of clarity, discipline and a profound respect of how people actually work.
A few years later, as co-founders of ColPR Software Consultants, Steven and Alan would retrace their steps and go back to the same lessons, make things simpler, speak with accuracy, and create systems that benefit people.
A Foundation Formed Beyond Comfort
In 2015, both Steven and Alan found themselves navigating everyday life in a foreign country where even simple tasks required intentional communication. With no shared language and no shortcuts, they learned quickly that progress depended on structure, patience, and the ability to truly understand context before acting.
That experience did more than shape their personal growth. It introduced a mindset that would later define their professional work: clarity is not optional; it is essential. Misalignment, they learned, creates friction. Precision creates momentum.
Corporate Worlds and Real-World Exposure
Upon returning to the United States, both founders stepped into high-performing corporate environments, gaining firsthand exposure to how large organizations scale successfully.
Alan Vargas built a strong foundation in investment advisory, financial analysis, and requirements planning. His work demanded clear frameworks, disciplined decision-making, and an ability to translate complex financial and operational needs into actionable strategies.
Steven R. Baxendale spent nearly a decade immersed in software-as-a-service environments, leading operations, implementation strategy, and cross-functional teams. Working across the United States, Europe, and Asia, Steven saw what sustainable growth really looks like from inside large, distributed organizations, predictable workflows, aligned teams, and technology that supports execution instead of slowing it down.
Together, they witnessed a consistent truth: successful companies do not rely on chaos or heroics. They rely on systems that scale.
The Gap No One Was Addressing
But while large enterprises had access to structure, expertise, and resources, small and mid-sized businesses were playing a very different game.
Steven and Alan repeatedly encountered companies burdened by outdated tools, disconnected software, and processes that grew without intention. These businesses knew they needed modernization, but the path forward felt fragmented and overwhelming. Vendors often added noise instead of clarity, pushing tools without understanding the business beneath them.
What was missing was not ambition or intelligence, it was guidance grounded in operational reality.
The Birth of ColPR Software Consultants
That realization led to the creation of ColPR Software Consultants, based in Jacksonville, Florida. The mission was simple but ambitious: give small and growing organizations access to the same structural thinking and technical capability that large companies depend on.
ColPR was never about chasing trends. Steven and Alan built the firm around one core belief, innovation works only when it is intentional. Technology should remove friction, not create it. Strategy should clarify, not complicate.
Every client engagement begins the same way: not with software, but with understanding. Bottlenecks are identified. Manual processes are exposed. Workflows are mapped honestly. Only then does the solution take shape, whether that involves custom software, intelligent automation, AI-supported processes, or modern digital platforms.
A Model Designed for Real Growth
One of ColPR’s defining strengths lies in its blended delivery model. Clients work directly with U.S.-based project managers, ensuring clarity, accountability, and strategic alignment. At the same time, ColPR leverages an experienced offshore engineering team to execute with consistency and cost efficiency.
This structure allows clients to access enterprise-level capability without the overhead or complexity of traditional agencies. The result is predictable delivery, tighter feedback loops, and solutions that are built to evolve as the business grows.
Leadership Rooted in Communication
The lessons Steven and Alan learned in France still guide how they lead today. They prioritize open communication, realistic timelines, and solutions that respect the day-to-day realities of business owners and internal teams.
Steven brings systems thinking and operational discipline shaped by years in distributed software environments. Alan contributes analytical depth and financial clarity, ensuring every recommendation aligns with measurable outcomes.
Together, their leadership reflects balance, strategic yet practical, disciplined yet adaptable. It is a partnership built on trust, shared standards, and a clear sense of purpose.
Preparing Businesses for What Comes Next
As automation, AI-enabled workflows, and screenless digital interactions reshape how companies operate, ColPR positions itself as a steady guide through change. Steven and Alan do not promise transformation overnight. Instead, they focus on building foundations capable of supporting long-term growth.
Whether untangling overloaded tech stacks, modernizing internal systems, or designing new digital capabilities from scratch, ColPR delivers with one question always in mind: Does this make the business stronger tomorrow than it is today?
Systems That Strengthen Communities
Steven R. Baxendale and Alan Vargas share, “Technology should create clarity, not complexity.” When a company that once felt behind begins operating with clarity, confidence, and tools that finally match how its people work, the change is immediate, and lasting.
They believe stronger systems lead to stronger businesses, and stronger businesses, in turn, strengthen the communities they serve. That belief continues to define ColPR’s work and its future.
In a world where complexity often feels unavoidable, Steven and Alan have built their careers on proving the opposite: with the right thinking, the right structure, and the right intent, clarity can scale.
