Hidden Gems: Meet Anthony Zuber of Point Electric LLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Anthony Zuber.

Hi Anthony, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
At age 18, I was living in New York, where I was born and raised, and was in my first semester of college. Somewhere early in the first semester, I realized that college wasn’t the right path for me. I always wanted to be my own boss and have my own business in the trades. Electrical seemed interesting. So, I dropped out of college and started looking for electrical jobs. After a few months, I got hired as an entry-level solar installer. Within the first few months, I quickly moved up in the company, expanded into a leadership role, and learned leadership skills and basic electrical knowledge. 

I wasn’t happy with the job opportunities in New York, so I decided to move to North Carolina after a year of working in the electrical field. My parents own a house near Lake Gaston so I was familiar with the area and decided to move to Raleigh. During my start here, I focused on getting my electrical license and starting my own business with the goal of opening within five years. While working a full-time job at a local solar company in Cary, NC, I was able to teach myself more about electrical work after my regular work hours. 

For the next two years, I continued learning about electrical work and eventually obtained my electrical license. My plan was to start my own electrical company slowly, part-time, while still working my regular job. However, things changed quickly (within the first few months) when a larger solar contractor offered me consistent projects and work. I saw this as an opportunity and left my regular job to take on these projects. 

As the business grew, I realized I needed help. Initially, I hired a part-time laborer for a month, but they ended up going back to school. So, I ended up hiring someone else with electrical experience as a full-time employee. Over the next three years, I expanded the company to have six full-time employees and two crews. The company was completing around 10 projects each week, generating monthly revenue ranging from $60,000 to $80,000. 

Unfortunately, due to my lack of understanding of running a business from an administrative perspective, I had to close down the company 3 years later. After the company closed, I reached back out to my old boss to see how his business was running. After speaking with him I recognized there was an opportunity for me there and became their Operations Manager. With the previous experience I had with the other solar company, I was able to use my skills and help them become more successful. Over the next year and a half, I focused on learning how to successfully operate a business financially, working closely with my boss. 

During this time, I still knew I wanted to be a business owner, and being able to take my past experiences and newfound learnings, I was able to start a new electrical company, Point Electric LLC. Except this time, it would be different. My focus is now on residential and commercial electrical services, not solar. With a deeper understanding of how to operate the company.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The journey hasn’t been easy. As a young entrepreneur and business owner, I faced numerous challenges with my first business, which I started at the age of 23. I made some poor decisions, such as hiring the wrong people to help grow the business and maintain the level of quality I desired. Additionally, the subcontracting company I worked with wasn’t the best fit for my goals. They always pushed to do the most amount of jobs in the fastest time possible, which does not allow you to produce the highest quality of work for maximum customer satisfaction. They also only cared about their bottom line, which led me to bid on jobs with lower margins than was necessary to sustain a healthy growing business. I ended up getting stuck in a situation where all of my work was at the mercy of one company I was contracting with, and I did not diversify my work to remain stable. 

I was solely focused on working as an electrician in the business, I neglected the crucial task of working on the business itself. This led to cash flow issues and eventually caused the business to fizzle out. I found myself working tirelessly seven days a week, feeling stressed, sleep-deprived, making no progress growing the business. I neglected all back-end admin duties that are critical to operating a successful business. 

On top of that I didn’t pay sufficient attention to my inexperienced accountant, which resulted in unexpected business debts that continued to burden me for a year after closing the business. Despite these hardships, they served as valuable lessons that taught me the importance of learning from mistakes and overcoming challenges.

These experiences have equipped me with valuable knowledge and insights, enabling me to start a new business the right way, armed with the lessons I’ve learned along the way. 

As you know, we’re big fans of Point Electric LLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
At Point Electric LLC, we specialize in delivering top-notch electrical services to both residential and commercial, ensuring their homes and workplaces are safe and secure. Our comprehensive range of services covers various needs, including minor repairs, lighting solutions, additional outlets, switches, and fixtures, panel upgrades, outdoor lighting, ceiling fan installations, and correction of electrical code violations. We also handle the installation of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, install surge protectors, electric vehicle chargers, home generators, and more. You can find an extensive list of our services on our website at www.pointelectricnc.com 

What sets us apart is our commitment to providing exceptional quality and customer experience. We prioritize delivering the highest level of service and satisfaction to our customers. As a younger-generation electrical company, we are dedicated to establishing a long-term presence in the industry. With a significant number of older-generation licensed electricians nearing retirement, we recognize the impending shortage of skilled professionals in the future. As part of our mission, we not only strive to offer superior service, but as the business expands, we actively seek to mentor and employ young individuals, ensuring a continued supply of talented electricians to fill the upcoming void. 

At Point Electric LLC, we bring together more than 8 years of industry experience, combining our expertise and quality workmanship in all areas of electrical. We strive to exceed our customer’s expectations and are dedicated to educating the next generation of electricians, for continued excellence in our industry. 

We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Our business was not open at the time of the COVID pandemic; however, I think anyone who has lived through that time period has learned to adapt and be there for customers when they need it most. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.pointelectricnc.com
• Instagram: @pointelectricllc
• Linkedin: Anthony Zuber
• Other: Find us on Nextdoor and PublicSq under Point Electric LLC. You can also reach our office at 919-407-0932