work work work
.jpg/:/cr=t:0%25,l:12.57%25,w:74.86%25,h:100%25/rs=w:1209,h:909,cg:true)
In the late 80s, my brother, Claude and I, decided to moved from NC to Florida, looking to get out of the small town of New Bern. Looking for a job, I answered an ad for an assembly position, expecting it to be factory work like I had done back in NC.
That interview would turn out to be unique in every way and lives as the defining point in my life that would lead me to starting my own company that has now thrived for more than 35 years and still going.
The address for the interview, was at a Toys R Us and held in their breakroom. Confused but curious on how this might be an assembly line type job, I filled out the application anyway.
Then, this person sitting right next to me who was taking forever to fill out his application, was finally ready to sign his name. All of us at the interview were waiting on him to finish and when it was finally time for him to sign his paperwork, I noticed his signature. It was the brother of my former best friend in NC, Mitch.
Someone I knew from NC, who just happened to be looking for a job the same time I was in FL, who sat right beside me during the interview, that had to be more than coincidence.
Mitch and I became fast friends, just as his brother and I did in the past. He lived in Tampa, and I lived in St. Petersburg, and we both took the job…which was not a factory assembly line job but a product assembly job in which we would go to stores and build their un-assembled products.
Mitch and I teamed up as we lived on opposite ends of the Tampa Bay area. If he got work in Tampa, I would go help and the same if I got work in Pinellas. The company that hired us mostly tackled bike assemblies, but in times bikes were not available, we had permission to hit the local Home Depots, Scotties, Builders Square's, etc.
Largo HD was super happy that I started to show up, so much so they provided me with so much work I made them a weekly hit and even had to bring Mitch over to help with the amount of work they would give me.
After a few months in 1990, things took a turn when the assembly company we worked for did not like the arrangement that Mitch and I sat up. Instead of talking to us and asking us to stop, they just fired us.
Since we were fired, the Largo Home Depot ended up getting neglected again. Christian, the Largo HD garden supervisor at that time, and Bill, the store manager, reached out offering me the chance to provide assembly services for them directly.
They were left so neglected that they offered support until my former contract was satisfied, informed me on HD policies and vendor requirements and helped me register with their corporate office. I brought Mitch in as my partner because I knew I could not do this alone.
By 1991, Mitch and I had met all the HD vendor requirements and M&C Assemblies, Inc. was official. We started small, with just the Largo store as its first account, but by 1992, word of mouth led to rapid growth throughout the state so I had to convince my brother Claude to leave electrical, (which he was great at and loved doing), and jo
By 1991, Mitch and I had met all the HD vendor requirements and M&C Assemblies, Inc. was official. We started small, with just the Largo store as its first account, but by 1992, word of mouth led to rapid growth throughout the state so I had to convince my brother Claude to leave electrical, (which he was great at and loved doing), and join me.
Our success snowballed, and by 1993, M&C had expanded throughout Florida, reaching nearly 100 stores by 1995.
By 2002, Mitch wanted to sell. For a several reasons, but the main one being that he was looking for a more religious path. At first, I was onboard with the idea, but realized that even with the financial challenges that came with running it solo, I would not find another job that would fulfil me the way that M&C did.
So I convinced Mitch
By 2002, Mitch wanted to sell. For a several reasons, but the main one being that he was looking for a more religious path. At first, I was onboard with the idea, but realized that even with the financial challenges that came with running it solo, I would not find another job that would fulfil me the way that M&C did.
So I convinced Mitch to sell me his half of the company. After the transition to sole ownership the next several years had its up and downs but I was able to identify and apply solutions to our challenges and eliminated them.
It's also about this time I updated our logo to its current version. I'm very proud of this design.
The next year, I convince my wife, Dixie, to come onboard as M&C’s CEO, leveraging her corporate experience she built in her career.
She transformed the company’s management structure that introduced sales-focused models with performance benefits for the new leadership that threw our growth into high gear.
As of this posting, we are still growing due to her leadership, vision and direction.
Soon after, in 2013, I envisioned the need for custom-built assembly software to streamline our processes as the digital and paperless age was gaining popularity. I worked with a few various developers to help build this newly desired software which would eventually be the building blocks of what is now the Assembly Toolbox.
In 2015, we b
Soon after, in 2013, I envisioned the need for custom-built assembly software to streamline our processes as the digital and paperless age was gaining popularity. I worked with a few various developers to help build this newly desired software which would eventually be the building blocks of what is now the Assembly Toolbox.
In 2015, we bought our first office and warehouse, versus renting an office. This is pivotal as not only was it our first company owned property but the former office resident introduced us to a developer wiz kid who would become our CTO, who would build the software to such new heights that our 2 largest clients now require all their assembly providers to use.
In 2018 we decided to separate the software from the assembly side of the business launching officially, Third Party Solutions (3PS) and fully migrating the Assembly Toolbox under this new structure.
In the most recent years stand among our most transformative. M&C continues to dominate the product assembly industry and move into more and more states.
By 2023, M&C was able to acquired Assemblers Inc., our most aggressive competitor at that time. We absorbed their assembly service into M&C and rebranded their in-home assembly services
In the most recent years stand among our most transformative. M&C continues to dominate the product assembly industry and move into more and more states.
By 2023, M&C was able to acquired Assemblers Inc., our most aggressive competitor at that time. We absorbed their assembly service into M&C and rebranded their in-home assembly services as Assemblers International.
Soon after, a friendly competitor in the north asked us to acquire them as well.
With new regions and accounts under our belt and strategic personnel hires, M&C has become an undeniable leader in the product assembly service industry.
Looking back, it’s incredible how chance encounters and small decisions set the trajectory of my life.
From a Toys R Us breakroom to now leading a business spanning decades and reaching
With new regions and accounts under our belt and strategic personnel hires, M&C has become an undeniable leader in the product assembly service industry.
Looking back, it’s incredible how chance encounters and small decisions set the trajectory of my life.
From a Toys R Us breakroom to now leading a business spanning decades and reaching nationwide proportions...this journey has been anything but ordinary and I can hardly wait to see what is next.