When Marcus Brown started Complete Computer Services, he had one goal in mind: provide a life and put food on the table for his family.
This veteran entrepreneur has done that and more.
An East High School graduate, Brown, attended Mary Holmes Junior College in West Point, Mississippi, before returning to Tennessee to attend Tennessee State University in Nashville, and later Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis). He studied computer science and worked at a subsidiary of Union Planters before embarking on his entrepreneurial journey.
“I was at a crossroads and had a major decision to make,” Brown said. “I chose to start my business.”
“When I talked to other successful business owners, they said ‘You’re guaranteed to do well if you do a service-oriented business,’ and I trusted them, so I went for it,” he said.
And so began a 40-plus year journey that Brown now shares with his wife, Sylvia, the chief financial officer; their son, Marcus Brown II, the chief operating officer and project manager; and their daughter, Brittany Horton, the social media manager.
The company provides computer services in-house at 3445 Poplar Ave., #10, and on-site at clients’ locations and for projects such as new builds.
Brown says one of his greatest blessings is being able to share his life’s work with his son, who will one day take his place at the helm.
“There is no greater feeling than to work beside your son, daughter or family. The family that not only prays together but works together also stays together,” said Brown.
“It’s a privilege to see the growth of your children,” he said. “But to watch them create their own lives, maintain their lifestyle and help you – there’s just no value you can put on that.”
Marcus Brown II officially joined the business in 2013.
“But from a young age, I was always around the business, and loved fixing things – taking them apart and putting them back together,” said Brown II.
“Then I started to learn the network side of things, then the customer service piece and loved the idea of owning (the company) one day,” he said.
Though Brown II followed a different path, graduating from Christian Brothers High School, continuing on to Southwest Community College and earning a certification in Cisco Networking and Computers, his commitment to his craft, industry and clients keeps him motivated.
“The challenge of figuring out a technical task or project, meeting people from different industries and providing amazing customer service motivates me every day,” said Brown II. “When a customer asks me about a computer system, that customer regards my answer as the law, so I have to know the industry, be great at what I do and grow every day.”
Growing with the times
In the computer science industry, keeping up with the latest technology and trends is paramount to success, as is providing exemplary customer service.
Brown says their business and offerings have changed throughout the years. For example, for 15 years they operated a training facility that helped people learn Microsoft products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) but don’t anymore.
“One of our biggest challenges is finding a niche, where you want the business to focus for a time,” said Brown. “And then when industries change, you have to be ready to meet clients’ new needs.”
Brown shared that technology in churches, for example, has evolved tremendously over the last 20 years. Golden Gate Cathedral Church is one of their long-time clients, along with Trust Marketing and The Carter Malone Group.
“We’ve worked with some of our clients for 30-plus years,” Brown said. “So much has changed in our industry. We must grow and evolve just as the industries and clients that we serve do.”
The father-son duo share a passion for customer service (and having fun while doing so) and professionalism. They believe that building a system that works for your business is what helps it become sustainable.
“We find out what our customers need, then create a system for it, perfect it and repeat it with new employees,” said Brown II.
Brown II suggests that entrepreneur hopefuls should glean knowledge and wisdom from those who have been where you’re trying to go.
“It’s always an honor and a privilege to tell someone my dad has been in tech for 40-plus years, and I’m taking over for him. It makes me so proud,” said Brown II.
Fun Fact: Marcus Brown believes in giving back and does so through mentorship. If he’s not at work or on the golf course, he’s mentoring young people and entrepreneurs.
Learn more about Complete Computer Services on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Website: completecomput.wpengine.com
