Meet Wes Harper of LightWire

Today we’d like to introduce you to Wes Harper.

Wes, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
After college (Virginia Tech) I got a job as a telephone system broker where I learned how to sell and install business telephone systems. Since I was young and naive, I decided to pick up my young family and move from Northern Virginia to Raleigh, NC. to start my own technology business. Times were very tough starting out and we semi-jokingly call them the mac and cheese years. Through hard work, persistence, mental fortitude, and a bit of luck, LightWire, Inc. is alive and well 25 years later. Today, thanks to the continual evolution of Information Technology, we are a Managed Service Provider (IT Services) employing 15 brilliant team members and providing service to hundreds of businesses across the United States and in 5 different countries. Oddly enough, I still enjoy mac and cheese.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As with the plight of many small businesses, there were not only bumps in the road but downright boulders at times. The dot.com bubble that burst in 2000 threw everyone for a loop as well as the Real-estate crash in 2008. Billions of dollars were lost and even locally, 10’s of thousands of people were out of work. And, as tough as that was, the smaller struggles seemed to be the ones that required an even stronger mindset to overcome. A work truck that’s involved in an accident or an employee that quits mid-week with no explanation, or a client who decides that instead of using your professional services is turning over his IT to his cousin in law to save a couple bucks are all weekly events that really test a small business. These events were actual and made up only a small portion of the struggles along the way.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about LightWire, Inc.?
We are an IT Services firm commonly referred to as a Managed Service Provider (MSP). Companies will outsource their IT needs to us instead of hiring a full-time salaried engineer. We specialize in customer service, and we also happen to be really smart with IT. We set ourselves apart from other companies by being super responsive, very communicative, and by staffing our company with Engineers who can have a real conversation with a client, without making them feel embarrassed by their lack of knowledge in IT. We firmly believe that ANYONE can be an engineer if they study hard and take the appropriate classes, but to be great at customer service, you have to be born and raised with that skill. Our clients depend on us for everything related to IT. If you can plug it in, we can support it.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
If an individual wants to work with us, collaborate or support us, it all starts with a conversation. IT is a ‘trust’ business. From passwords to protecting valuable information, a client must have faith in you. We believe that too many people get lost in email, text, and social media. There is still great value looking someone in the eye when they are speaking.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://lightwireinc.com/
• Instagram: @lightwireinc
• Facebook: @LightwireRaleigh