Name of Business: ComNext ConneXtion LLc

Name of Entrepreneur: William Draft

Location: Los Angeles, CA

What does your business do?

We provide commercial & residential as well as Home office I.T. Support services, including desktop support, telephone (VoIP, PSTN, etc),wired & wireless networking, conference room technology, infrastructure cabling, mobile technology, office relocation, flat panel TV, Surround Sound, Installation, repair, and maintenance.

When and why did you start the biz?

12/2006 Was not fulfilled in the various industries that I was employeed. Aerospace & Investment banking as a telecomm professional & Process re-engineering. I had found throughout my career something was lacking and as fate would have it, owning my own business was what I needed to become focused. Also, what allowed me to take this giant step was that my kids had become adults, and I was better able to take the risks associated with owning my own business.

What's the toughest part of running your biz?

There are several aspects that came as a surprise which I feel aren't emphasized enough. I would say the biggest surprise is the time that is spent in running the business. Personally, that is all I do, which I love anyway. Secondly, is the amount of people who attempt to scam businesses. There are some who do this as a way of life, and it doesn't matter what their economic status is.

What's the most fun part? 

The ability to educate customers as there are a lot of big businesses who do what we do, and they tend to over charge customers as well a provide inferior services. In some instances, they do not provide the customers with the appropriate equipment, and we advise the customer of this and have them contact the vendor to get what they've paid for. But the best part is we advise the customer to call us if they give them a hard time and we'll handle the transaction for them free of charge. We don't charge a lot for our services and at times it makes a big difference for a lot of people. In fact, we have instituted what we call our "Sunday Jobs" and there is no certain criteria, but we perform services for people who are having a hard time financially who may require our services at low or no cost. We don't advertise this, so no one is really aware of it, we just do it when we feel it is appropriate. Just recently we did a job for a person who is gainfully employeed, however, he was young and was living in his first apartment and was saddled with college loan payments, so we cut him a break and did the job at half the cost.

What's next on the horizon for your biz?

We started this business when the economy was going down hill and we're hoping to maintain or have enough business to grow. We are currently looking into leasing bandwidth at affordable prices. We feel we've managed to develop the technical side of the industry where we can provide the assistance in one visit. Voice, video and data, now it's on to bandwidth, then we feel we will have the complete package.
 

What advice do you have for others?

Not to defer your feelings of "I can do it better". If you feel you can then do it. Prove it to yourself, because talk is cheap and there are a lot of experts sitting on the couch who say they can do this or that. But at the end of the day who is doing the job? To complain is not something we are born to do. If you complain about something then you are expecting too much. If there is a wall you either stand in front of it and complain about that wall being there, or you take it as a challenge and go around it or tunnel through it. But if you stop to complain then that wall did it's job and it kept you out or in whatever the case maybe.

Don't allow the negative experiences or the stereotypes keep you from being who you are. And never let them dictate who you are by fulfilling the characterizations.

Never allow anyone to make you feel inferior. Your economic position is life doesn't necessarily make you inferior to someone who has more money.

Don't think that where you are today is by accident or your lot in life. Things happen for a reason and there is no such things as random. We are where we've accepted to be. We have to see the patterns and be receptive to change of all kinds. If we attempt to force something then we are going against what has been given. You only get as much as you can handle or as much as you want to handle.
If you want something or desire something, you can not take a short cut to get it, that only leads to problems. There are lessons that must be learned in order to securely hold on to those things. Such as wanting a car. You may take the shortcut to ownership but if you don't learn to drive first, you're asking for trouble. As the saying goes, "you better check yourself before you wreck yourself". We can make a difference and never give up, never...

Prior jobs or business or education?

Several positions in Information technology as manager, tech in different fields. I also worked in the areospace industry as a Planner, Scheduler, Process Reengineer, when times were hard I've worked as a receiptionist, in warehouses, data entry clerk.

- Some College Courses (never completed degree), A lot of certifications in a lot of fields

Is there any one person or event in your life that led you to go into business for yourself?

Adrian Williamson - Who is an instructor at a city program. I also had been through several experiences while seeking employement in the private sector that made me get up and do it myself.

Contact Info:

310.753.5294

SupportSvcs@CallComNext.com

Website URL:

www.CallComNext.com