ISN Software Corporation Chairman and Co-Founder Speaks on Succeeding While Navigating Volatility

Joe Eastin, EMBA ’15, chairman and co-founder of ISN Software Corporation (ISN), is no stranger to uncertain times. He started his business in 2001, not long before September 11. Then experienced the Great Recession of 2008, and the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, tariffs and economic turbulence are business factors. But experience has given Eastin perspective, thanks to decades of hard-won success.

“Every time uncertainty came, we doubled down on the business,” said Eastin. “We continued to hire the right people and travel to see our customers and prospects. We looked internally to make sure we were running as efficiently as possible and took the opportunity to get better.”

“It’s like my track coach in high school said: ‘When running a lap, most people will start to slow down on the curve to rest. When they get to the straightaway, they pick up the pace again. On the curve is when you need to accelerate.’ And that’s how we look at these opportunities—it is the time to accelerate,” he added.

In April, Eastin sat down with Nelson Repenning, PhD ’96 (School of Management Distinguished Professor of System Dynamics and Organization Studies; Faculty Director, MIT Leadership Center), and students from across the Institute as a part of the iLead Speaker Series.

During his talk, Eastin discussed the growth and evolution of his business and highlighted takeaways that students and alumni can apply in their professional lives.

“I’m fascinated with the Leadership Center,” Eastin said of the MIT Leadership Center (MLC), where he serves as a member of the advisory board. Since 2005, the MLC has employed self-awareness and reflection, through coaching and coursework, to help students identify the right resources to solve complex problems at the individual, the team, and the organizational levels.

“What the MLC team has done is astonishing, from an employer’s perspective,” Eastin continued. “Students are getting the right tools. It is an accomplishment in itself to be at MIT.”

From two entrepreneurs to an international business

ISN is a global software as a service (SaaS) company based in Dallas, Texas. It is a subscription-based service that provides owner-operators information management services for the contractors and suppliers they manage to promote safety, health, and sustainability in the workplace. Currently, ISN works with 1,000 hiring client companies and 100,000 contractor and supplier companies, in addition to 15 million worker subscriptions in a myriad of industries.

It started with Eastin and Bill Addy, business partner and ISN co-founder, pitching their new software to companies in the energy sector, when the internet was in its infancy.

“We got up at 4:30 a.m. every Monday and drove to Houston,” remembered Eastin. “We stayed in one hotel room to save money. It was $59 a night next to the highway and served free breakfast, so we filled up on breakfast and didn’t eat for the rest of the day.”

The entrepreneurs were confident the uniqueness of the platform’s proposed solution and its subscription setup.

“We were constantly doubted or rejected. Our pitch at the time was: Let us track your people and training. We can address your pain points with our platform. You can put everything in one place and won’t need all of your clipboards or spreadsheets. We can provide one place for your information.”

After a year, the Department of Transportation (DOT) came to the companies with a requirement to track contractors working on natural gas and oil pipelines across the United States. Six months later, companies such as Shell, BP, and ExxonMobil subscribed to ISN to get support for these services.

“We immediately asked, ‘What else do you need as it relates to third party management or contractor-supplier management?’” Eastin said. From there, the business grew. Now ISN is in its 24th year, with 800 employees and 14 global offices.

Keep your eyes on the goal

To the students in the room, Eastin counseled patience, particularly after graduation. “Career paths and reaching your goals aren’t a straight line. They go in different directions and angles, so my main piece of advice is to keep your eyes on prize.”

He also extolled the value of the MIT network. “Be a sponge and make sure you’re absorbing information from the people and leadership around you, because you never know what might come about. And it may not be right after graduation.”

This has certainly been the case for his former MIT classmates. “We’re still on a WhatsApp group, 12 years later, swapping ideas. ‘Does anybody have expertise in this?’ ‘Hey, I’m looking for a CFO.’ ‘Oh, I know somebody!’”

In addition to the MLC Advisory Board, Eastin currently serves as a member of the MIT Sloan Americas Executive Board. He and his wife, Monica, established the Eastin Fellowship Fund and are supporters of the MLC, the MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy, and the MIT Sloan Annual Fund.

“The Institute and MIT Sloan have been such a blessing to me. I am honored to be a part of the continued success in education. The relationships I have with classmates in my year and beyond are truly valuable,” noted Eastin. “One of my best friends from class even joined ISN nearly 10 years ago.”

Eastin encourages students to practice open-mindedness and adaptability—drawing from a professional network and being willing to take on opportunities, even when they stray from an expected career path.

“I had many classmates who wanted to work at Google or Apple,” he remembered. “And that is a great goal, but there are other organizations that offer opportunities for them to use their skill set.”

“If you’re thinking about a specific role or position and there is an interview opportunity for a different role you are less familiar or comfortable with, I recommend you interview for it. Worst case, you’re going to learn something,” he added.

Let the path be open

These skills and the flexible mindset that goes with them are essential for students and recent alumni. But they already have a good foundation, Eastin noted. Even through the uncertain times ahead, the education and skills they gain at MIT will serve them well.

“We live in a great country, and a great world,” Eastin said. “I think we will continue to prosper. It’s not going to come easy, but we have an opportunity to continue to be better, to work with our partners around the world. I believe that people are good—and that’s what gives me hope.”

Held by the MIT Sloan Office of External Relations in partnership with the MIT Leadership Center, iLead showcases inspirational leaders who have made an impact on their organizations and communities through innovative management.