"You have to figure out how to serve people. Figure out what a customer needs and serve them well." - Zak Horn, Metro Communications
Metro Communications has grown tremendously since the regional telecom provider was founded 25 years ago. And that growth continues, as Metro's focus remains on giving the people what they want.
"People want the internet to work, fair rates, someone to answer when they call... The best thing we can do is to not be seen," Horn says. Because, if everything is working properly, you won't need to see them out making repairs.
How has Metro grown since 2000?
- There were 35 cell towers in their original contact; now over 800.
- They are adding on to their downtown Sullivan building. Again. And they have spread into other buildings around Sullivan.
- They began with just a handful of employees, now they have 250.
- When they need capital, they have outgrown the local bank loans and now are in the bond market.
But, how? How did Metro grow from one struggling telecom in Missouri to a company servicing Verizon, AT&T, and many other major carriers?
"We were providing a solution that nobody else was," Horn says of their early focus on fiber.
Did Horn know how fiber worked? No. But he learned, as did everyone that worked at Metro.
"The first year was an unmitigated disaster. This is a telecomm provider ran by non-telecomm people."
And by coming into the industry with no prior knowledge or experience, Metro's people found more efficient ways to do what needed to be done.
"We ask a lot of questions," Horn says. And based on the books he recommended to us, he is a very curious person.
Horn's advice for us? "Find something that's growing. Find something that's hard to replicate with barrier to entry to create value." In other words, find what people need that no one else seems to be doing, and then serve the people.
Never, never forget the people, both the customers and your employees.
"The best thing we have in this enterprise is the people," Horn says of Metro employees.
Thank you, Zak Horn, for taking time to talk to us about our small business ideas, and to share how your small business has grown into the incredible success we see today.
