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When Tony Jackson (right) was introduced to Mike McDonald a year ago, little did he know he’d become a partner in Arlington Computers in Arlington, Tenn. “It’s something about Tony,” said McDonald, who credits Jackson with spiking sales three-fold. (Photo by Wiley Henry)
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When Tony Jackson met Mike McDonald a year ago, Jackson was looking for an apprenticeship in the computer industry and McDonald was trying to build a business.
“He offered to work just for the experience,” said McDonald, who was refurbishing a 1,800 sq. ft. office in Arlington, Tenn., for the March 20, 2008, grand opening of Arlington Computers.
A friendship blossomed and right away McDonald offered to bring Jackson onboard as his business partner. It didn’t take long, however, for McDonald to realize he’d made the right decision.
“Things started happening when Tony came around,” said McDonald, 54, a former Memphis City Schools employee who worked eight of 20 years in the IT department.
“Sales started tripling,” said McDonald, praising Jackson for the influx. “People would call for Tony. They trust him because of his personality, and they would move forward (to buy or repair a computer) because of his recommendation. It’s something about Tony.”
A former manager of Pizza Hut, the 24-year-old is savvy and understands business, said McDonald, and how important it is to satisfy the customer.
“I have a desire to learn,” Jackson added.
Q: What does Arlington Computers offer?
McDonald: Computer sales and repair and we specialize in custom-built PC’s, parts and peripherals.
Jackson: We also offer onsite repair and remote assistance.
Q: Who is your clientele?
McDonald: Most of our business comes from Arlington and the surrounding area.
Jackson: We do business with the Arlington administration, the libraries, senior citizens and many other commercial accounts.
Q: What are your future goals?
McDonald: We have a 17-year-old technician who would make a good manager. In three years, we hope to expand to another location.
Jackson: We want to be the type of company that goes the extra mile. We’re going to give the customer what they need and nothing less.
Q: What is the company philosophy?
McDonald: We want to build trust. It is very important to us, to try to provide the best service for the fairest price.
Jackson: To treat the customer like he is the only customer. I value customer interaction.
Q: Were there stumbling blocks to getting started in business?
McDonald: My faith in Jesus Christ has made me realize that God has open up this store and opportunities. He doesn’t want us to be afraid. Moving to this location and having $10,000 in overhead is scary. Sometimes I wonder if I made the right decision.
Jackson: We didn’t have the finance and it sort of hurt us. We even went two weeks without selling anything. It was tough.
Q: What advice would you give to young entrepreneurs?
McDonald: Make up your mind to stick with it. It isn’t going to happen over night. Don’t be quick to throw in the towel when things get difficult. Hopefully, the payoff down the road will be worth it.
Jackson: Be ready to go after it (your dreams). Keep your eyes on where you want to go.
Business address: Arlington Computers, 11125 Highway 70, Suite 116, Arlington, Tenn. 38002.
Hours of operation: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Telephone: (901) 867-9262. Web site: www.arlingtontncomputers.com.
Number of employees: Four, including two technicians: Nick Lyons and Austin Vineyard.
Gross sales: Half a million annually.
Personal: Mike McDonald. Married seven years to Susan McDonald, a legal and real estate coordinator. They have two Yorkshires.
Personal: Tony Jackson. Married 10 months to Monica R. Jackson, a transportation security officer for Homeland Security. They have two Yorkshires.
