Reid Calhoon

RunTitle.com, CEO

Reid Calhoon is an entrepreneur from Oklahoma, and founder of the oil and gas information services company, RunTitle. Reid may be the only person in the oil patch who also has a background in social media-related startups and online sales. That said, he is still a bonafide landman who isn’t afraid of a rural courthouse or two. Reid’s company, RunTitle, takes advantage of his expertise by providing the first and only marketplace for the exchange of oil and gas mineral ownership information. Reid relishes the opportunity to bring information technology to the world of land services and is excited about the future of his company.

When not crisscrossing the TX-OK border in pursuit of new ways to change the land industry, Reid resides in Houston where his business is a part of the 2013 SURGE Accelerator program.

We asked Reid:

The OGM: What does sustainability mean to you?

Reid: Embracing dynamic efficiencies.  The energy industry changes daily.  Truly sustainable businesses have to discard the static, waste-heavy solutions of the past in favor of the more forward-thinking, scalable solutions of the future.

The OGM: Have you had a mentor?

Reid: I’ve had a few.  That said, I can’t think of anyone in my life that has been more influential than my father. As a successful surgeon, oil and gas professional, and serial entrepreneur, he has been a great example of what hard work and a positive attitude can create.

The OGM: What does success mean to you?

Reid: I would consider myself successful if I had a career that interested me and challenged me every day. If what I did on a daily basis improved the quality of life of those around me, I would obviously consider that a plus.

The OGM: If you were to describe your career in three words what would they be?

Reid: Young, Challenging, Disruptive

The OGM: What advice would you give to someone looking for a career in the energy industry?

Reid: Start small.  Often times, young people begin their careers with huge companies. These companies assign them limited responsibilities and thus, give them a limited chance to learn diverse new skills.  Starting your career with a small company can give you a more holistic view of the industry and can help you identify both your strengths and your areas of interest.

The OGM: Describe a milestone in your career?

Reid: My company, RunTitle, being accepted into the 2013 class of the SURGE Accelerator.  After spending over a year in product development and research, acceptance into the program has given credibility to what was originally just an idea dreamt up over Thanksgiving Dinner. My hope is that participation in SURGE will lead to many more milestones, both personal and professional.

The OGM: Describe a challenge you faced in your career?

Reid: I’m attempting to build a company from the ground up.  I face challenges every day. Picking just one is impossible.

The OGM: What impact does technology have on your career?

Reid: My business depends on my ability to introduce technology into an industry that hasn’t changed in decades. Technology is the ultimate disruptor and I am driven by the belief that online efficiencies can facilitate high quality transactions for the long-term benefit of the oil and gas industry as a whole.

The OGM: What do the next five years look like in your career?

Reid: They look exciting.  I’m at the ground floor of something really special and I’m excited to see RunTitle grow and prosper. In five years I hope that RunTitle will have revolutionized the oil and gas title business and will have leveled the playing field for small land services firms and oil and gas production companies alike. Now, we’ve just got to get there.

The OGM: Were you always interested in a career in Energy?

Reid: No. Professional Basketball is probably my true calling. But, until they call me up, Energy is where I’ll be.

The OGM: What interests you to sustain a career in the Energy industry?

Reid: There are countless opportunities for new products in the Energy space.  The lack of sustainable, affordable energy is a global problem.  I think the industry realizes this and is looking for new solutions.

The OGM: Do you have a role model you look up to?

Reid: I’m lucky enough to have several role models right in my family. I’m the youngest of three brothers and both my older brothers are successful, hard-working, and willing to offer great advice as I build my business. My whole family encouraged me to take the risk to start RunTitle and they’ve been absolutely right: it was worth it.

The OGM: What does Energy mean to you?

Reid: Energy is the life-blood of business. More than just the fuel to power trucks or the electricity to turn on computers, Energy enables all work and is a prerequisite to progress.

The OGM: What is your favorite APP on your phone?

Reid: Highrise CRM – Highrise is an unbelievably easy to use program for managing business contacts, tasks, pending deals, and the sales workflow in general. It’s the single most helpful piece of software we use.

The OGM: What impact will the Millennial Generation have on the Energy industry?

Reid: I think our generation is the first to fully conceptualize the potential of open-source technology in Energy.  There are brilliant programmers across the globe creating business solutions using software and sharing those solutions freely and openly over the web.  Combining these technologies can create new business models and solve industry problems without the heavy costs of the past.

The OGM: What’s your take on Social Media and our ever changing digital world?

Reid: I’ve got mixed feelings on this one.  There are definitely useful social media outlets.  That said, there are far more useless social media outlets.  I think when it comes to social media it is important to remember that all good things should be used in moderation.

The OGM: What Social Medium do you use on a daily basis?

Reid: LinkedIn

The OGM: Do you use Social Media for work?

Reid: Absolutely.  LinkedIn is a great networking tool.  We have sourced a large amount of our customer base singularly from LinkedIn.

The OGM: What do you think of Social Recruiting?

Reid: Offline ‘Social Recruiting’ has been commonplace for some time. Recommendations and referrals are a staple of any effective recruiting process. Employers choosing to move online for their search are opened up to a larger applicant pool which I guess is a good thing.

The OGM: Why do you love what you do?

Reid: I like the idea of using technology to make processes more efficient.  It is something I have always been drawn to. At RunTitle, we think we have built one of these digital efficiencies and I’m just excited to be a part of it.

*Reid is wearing a Pal Zileri sport coat and Zanella slacks courtesy of A. Taghi, a men’s fine apparel boutique in Houston. Photos of Reid and Charlie were taken by Barbara-Ellen Bruin at Pondicheri Restaurant in Houston.