Meet Travis Street, President and CEO of Complete Technology Solutions!
Tell us a little about your MSP…
Complete Technology Solutions (CTS) was founded in 2001 in Muncie, Indiana. I ‘accidentally’ started the company when I was finishing my bachelor’s degree at Ball State University. I was working at Staples at the time and a customer (an elderly lady in her 70s) asked if I would come to her house and setup a computer I sold her. I didn’t see the value of my skills at the time so I traded my labor for a home-cooked meal lol. After I was finished with my work, she gave me a $20 tip and asked if she could give my number out to some of her friends. I didn’t realize how connected she was in the community. The next week I had 10 elderly ladies calling me for computer help! And that was how CTS was started. Since our humble beginning as a one-man break/fix shop, CTS has evolved and grown over the years to a fully-managed IT department service with over 50 staff members, and offering nationwide IT support and consulting services exclusively to the multifamily industry.
How long have you been a member of The 20?
We joined The 20 in the spring of 2018.
Why did your MSP originally look to partner with The 20?
Prior to joining, our company had hit a revenue ceiling for over 5 years that we could not overcome. At the time we did not have a vertical focus. And although we had been working with multifamily companies for close to 15 years, we still supported other local businesses and were competing with many IT companies locally. I wanted to change our direction and offer a service with a vertical focus that was unique and would give us a competitive advantage. I accidentally discovered The 20 while attending a ChannelPro conference in Dallas. After a ‘colorful’ keynote speech by Tim Conkle, I immediately recognized The 20 model was the way to succeed and allow CTS to scale up and grow. I signed up the next day! It was the best business decision I have ever made.
Tell us about the biggest change in your business since joining The 20.
The biggest change in our business since we joined is that we are now 100% vertically-focused. The tools and nationwide footprint of the 20 has given us the freedom to focus on our multifamily specialty and deliver superior all-inclusive service and support to our clients for a predictable, flat monthly fee.
What do you like most about being a member of The 20?
The best thing about The 20 is the camaraderie between the partners. Every member is a great resource and has unique talents and skills they share with the group as a whole.
What do you think is the most important quality necessary for success?
In order to succeed, you gotta put in the work. Hard work, discipline, and determination.
What are your biggest business challenges?
I think I speak for most of the companies out there in saying sales and marketing is always a challenge for an IT company. One of the biggest advantages of joining The 20 is that they became my marketing and sales department and handle it all. This way I can focus on business development and on our vertical.
What are your areas of focus for 2020?
We are focused 100% on multifamily and student housing moving forward. This is a vertical we have been working with for over 15 years and have a wealth of experience. We truly understand the unique needs of property management and development companies which allows us to provide superior service and consulting services to this market.
What advice would you share with an MSP looking to scale their business?
Focus on at least 2 or 3 vertical markets and tailor your service delivery around them.
What book are you currently reading?
I switch between business development books and science fiction books. Currently I’m reading Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman, and Bears Discover Fire and Other Stories by Terry Bison (one of my favorite science fiction writers).
Favorite blogs / podcasts
Multifamily Matter Radio Show. I love listening to this show to stay on top of the latest trend and information in the multifamily industry.
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