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DREXEL HILL - Ed Sullivan sees a gaping hole in the tapestry of American commerce.
"In general, billing systems are an afterthought in most businesses," he said.
While most people are unconcerned about the nuts and bolts of sending out invoices, Sullivan said these issues can be fundamental factors driving success.
"If all, your billing system can do is charge $19.95 for whatever product you are selling, guess how much you are charging for your product," he said. "If it can only work according to a flat-rate monthly billing system, guess what business rules will govern how you market your product?"
As CEO of Aria Systems, Sullivan has led the rapid growth of a business whose products aim to solve this problem. The company delivers powerful, readymade billing applications using the application service provider, or ASP, model, in which customers run the software on the Internet.
Sullivan launched the business with partners Edward Popow and Brendan O'Brien, who now serve as vice president of IP and chief software developer, respectively. Prior to setting up shop in 2002 Sullivan headed up LaserLink, an Internet service provider that eventually sold to Covad. While in the thick of the Internet excitement, he saw a common theme among the businesses that didn't make it."
"Some of these business were well funded and well execute& They just didn't put...