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So the 20-year-old Raimondi set out to prove him wrong. In January, with $500 in his pocket, he launched Raimondi Consulting Group from his parent’s home in west-central Edmonton.

It’s another of life’s challenges to be overcome for Raimondi, who has faced physical challenges all his life. As an infant, Raimondi had a double mid-knee amputation because of segmented bones. He was also born with just a thumb and index finger on both hands.

“People say I can’t do it. I’ll show them their wrong,” says Raimondi.

Physical limitations have pushed Raimondi to work harder all his life, whether on the playground, in gym class or now, starting his own business. Work harder, or get left behind, says Raimondi.

“If you don’t have the confidence to succeed, you won’t. Simple as that,” he says. “If I don’t try, it’s not going to succeed.”

Raimondi graduated from St. Joseph’s high school in 1998. Working as the manager of a web design team after graduation gave him a taste for being the boss.

Last year, he took a Microsoft Certified computer program training course, fast tracking his classes and finishing his diploma in six-months. He looked for work in the field, but was turned down because he lacked experience.

“I just thought, ‘I’m going to go for it myself and take the bull by the horns,” recalls Raimondi.

With $500 in savings, Raimondi incorporated his business ($300), bought business cards ($100) and took out an ad in the Examiner in early January ($89, plus tax).

Then he sat back and waited for the phone to ring. “Luckily, I had a full tank of gas when I started,” he laughs.

Calls began coming in the day after the ad appeared, about a dozen in total. By the next week, he had a contract to build a computer network.

After three months, the business now has about 10 regular clients, three websites under construction, is an official developer of wireless software for the Palm Pilot and is branching out to develop network engineer training software.

Some clients were surprised by Raimondi’s age. “I would say a lot of people are skeptical at first. They look at the age and they’re like, well...,” says Raimondi.

D+ P Heavy Truck Repairs in the westend hired Raimondi to fix problems with its computer network. His age and physical challenges weren’t an issue.

“You look beyond the disability. If they’ve got the talent and they have the will, the disability means nothing,” says service manager William Drane.

Raimondi doesn’t want his disability to be an issue – he wants people to notice his skills on the computer, not his hands or legs.

For the most part, his physical disabilities don’t affect his work.. He can type 40-words a minute, although getting inside a small computer tower can be difficult, especially navigating around delicate pieces of hardware with a screwdriver.

Travelling around town to clients can also be tiring for Raimondi, who carries around an extra 16 pounds with his prosthetic limbs. He’s proud of his accomplishment.

“A lot of people with a lot less problems go out and fail,” he notes.

While he’s starting off small, Raimondi has big plans. Hanging on his office wall, next to his Microsoft diploma, is a map of the world.

One day, he plans to cover the map with pins, marking the locations of his customers around the globe.

“Who knows. Maybe one day there’ll be tacs all over the place,” he ponders.

Raimondi Consulting Group can be reached by calling 425-6140, or visit www.raimondiconsulting.com.