Interview With an Entrepreneur and Other Fun Stuff

Interview with Christopher Barry of Desert Design Solutions

A Company Get its Start at Home

   Christopher Barry graduated in 1994 with a Bachelor degree in business. Soon after graduating, he got a job at a local tech company. After a few years, he was promoted to Project Manager. During the economic downturn in 2009, Chris was downsized from that position. Fortunately he was given a great severance package, which allowed time to think about what he wanted to do. He decided to open a computer repair business, and named it Desert Computer Solutions.

                Chris first ran the business out of his home. He hired an office manager and did the repair work himself.  After a few months, he needed to hire a computer repair tech to come in everyday and work full time. His business soon overtook his 2400 SF home. His office took up half his bedroom. Customers were in and out of his home all day long, and he would have six to eight cars parked in front of his house at a time. His home is located in an HOA, and the neighbors started complaining. After 18 months, he was compelled to find office space.

Business Moves to Office Space

                He found a roomy office in complex located by main cross streets. It is in a centralized location that is easy to find. He laid out each area, and set up shop. His reliable office manager is still with him. He said that it is most difficult financially to make the transition between being a technician, as well as doing the other necessary operating procedures, to having enough business to comfortably pay for the people he needs to hire to replace himself.           
               The whole operation is incredibly neat, clean and organized. He has an area for repairing macs and PC's. The computers are lined up in order of oldest to newest intake, with a nice big table with tools and components organized nearby for the repairs. He has an area especially for I-pads, with all necessary repair components hung up in a neat and orderly fashion. He has an area set up to show reconditioned computers ready for sell.

                What if a computer cannot be saved? He has two solutions for that. One is to sell its individual components. An area is set up with a computer for researching and photographing the computer components. An employee goes online to research components to find out their value, then posts them on the web site to maximize their salability, typically either E-bay or Craig's list.

                Any computer components that are not salable are separated and put in recycling. Chris has a big storage facility next to his place of business. In it are several large crates, of a specific size, pile two deep, in which the defunct computer parts are separated. Precious metals are in computers, among other things. Periodically a truck will come by and take the parts for recycling. Over the year, the amount that the business earns from this simple but effective practice really adds up. He uses it for his yearly bonus check.

Owner Focuses on Running Business and Driving Business

                From almost the beginning, Christopher stopped being a technician for his business. He focuses on two main jobs. The first is to oversee the business. He uses his project management background to keep everything running smoothly. As intimated earlier in this report he uses many systems that are periodically re-evaluated and improved on.

                The second is to drive business. When asked about how he does this, Chris said that he relies mainly on networking. I met him through the Chandler Chamber of Commerce, in a lunch leads group. We give 30 second commercials about our businesses, and his is always clear and concise about what his business has to offer. He will often warn about current viruses, and occasionally tell horror stories about people he knows who lost all their data. It is very effective.

                Chris gave me great information about networking in our chamber. He said that there are about 200-300 people who are key players. He said it should be my mission to get to know every one of those people. He prioritizes his own time to go to as many networking activities as possible. He said at first, people don't know you, so they don't send you business. But if you keep showing up, they begin to know and trust you, and you become part of the referral network.

Future Business Expansion

                Chris has been working hard, and after 6 years, Desert Computer Solutions is becoming very successful. He has worked at it a step at a time. He is currently making decisions about how to manage the growth of his company, and hopes to expand to a larger space in the future. He is looking forward to working with an architect to plan his next space exactly how he wants it. He is considering what would be the best way to expand, and has not yet decided. I look forward to continuing to learn from him as well as seeing what he does next.

Other Fun Stuff

                My boss, my design colleague, and I met with our metalwork artist today. I recently designed a metal  fireplace surround for a client. I used a picture of an industrial style lighting fixture-- that the client gave me-- for inspiration. We met to show the metal artist our other materials for the space. We wanted him to have visual context for what will be happening so all the design components will flow together.  In discussing my design elevation with the metal artist, he felt that my design is actually quite different from the inspiration. 

                My lead designer was really excited when she saw my design a couple of weeks ago, and said I should enter it into the design competition.  However after she saw the design inspiration photo, she became worried that it was not original enough. However, I  believed that my design stands on its own, and it was really great that the metal artist-- very experienced-- agrees with me. We talked about how most art is referential, and he said the only way you can not be affected by what is around us is if you live in a box. (Some contemporary art is not referential but that is about it)

                I hope the client moves forward with it!  Everything was designed and selected based on her own personal taste and preferences, and I think she will love it.