How Enoch Purnell Built A Six-Figure AV Business
At MegaServices, we see pro AV techs experience explosive career growth every year. Although the average AV technician earns just $44,144 a year, we regularly see technicians make six figures by partnering with MegaServices.
We want to share their stories to show aspiring and professional AV techs what is possible with freelancing.
Two weeks after becoming a new father, moving into a house, and purchasing a vehicle for his wife, Enoch Purnell learned he was losing his job. The company he worked for closed, and he was left trying to find a new way to support his family.
Enoch knew he wanted to own his own business but didn’t have a clear path forward. Leaning on his faith and learning through struggles, Enoch learned about MegaServices and started partnering with us in 2007. Thanks to MegaServices’ connections and support, Enoch grew his business and learned more about being a successful AV tech.
Today, Enoch is one of our MegaElite techs. He earns well over $100,000 a year and gets to travel all across America doing what he loves. Plus, he gets to focus on his hobbies, including a passion for photography, because he controls his own schedule.
Here is what he had to say about working as a freelance pro AV tech with MegaServices.
I was originally working in computer sales and doing a lot of B2B sales. I figured that one day I would own my own business. One day, an old lady approached me and said, “God is trying to tell you that you need to have your own business and that you will be successful. You’ll struggle for a little while, but give it time, and people will feel the need to follow you.”
I kid you not; the first week after she said this, a man came up to me named Perry. He started as a customer coming into my work to buy a computer, became my friend, and started working with me at the store. Perry says, “Enoch, I’ll follow you anywhere, whatever you want to do.” And I replied, “Okay, you want to follow me? I have no idea where I’m going.”
That conversation made me think maybe there’s some truth to what that lady said. But I still had no clue what I was supposed to be doing. So I thought that maybe I’d start to figure it out.
Then I found out that the store I was working for was closing, and we had just moved into a house. I had just got my wife a car. We had just had a baby three days before moving in, and, bingo, the job was gone two weeks later.
All I was thinking was, “What am I going to do?” I decided I would have to trust in God and put my money where my mouth is because I always talk about my faith. So that’s when I started the business and brought Perry along with me.
A month or so after starting our business, Perry started talking to Mike, the owner of MegaServices. They struck a bond, and Perry told me, “Hey, we’re going to be doing some work.”
I said, “What are we doing?”
“We’re doing Blockbuster,” he said.
“Okay!” I replied.
I had no idea what I was doing! I was just along for the ride. That was my beginning.
But then it became my dream and my vision to help as many people as possible. To get up daily and encourage one person, tell them they can make it. And that’s my every day. That’s my reality.
I went through typical business struggles where I did dumb things because I didn’t know. As I said, I didn’t have a plan. It was just winging it and trusting God to do the rest.
And so, I’m here.
My background, before working with computers, was actually AV.
Back in the ‘80s, in my congregation at church, I was the AV guy. I was the audio and video person—the computer guy. I was everything.
Like I said, I tend to fall into things. It was more or less, “I think I can do this.” I didn’t understand all the inner workings when I first started, but I caught on pretty quickly.
In the beginning, it was my business partner, Perry. He had struck this bond, and he was smarter than me at the time. I was just going, “Okay. Well, I’m just going to follow along and see how this works.” And we were doing it as a partnership, and it was cool.
It was actually a lot of fun because I got to be somewhere different every day, which was outside of what I was used to. And I love to travel, so being able to get up when I want and say no, if I don’t want to go to work is very fun. I don’t have to take it, or I can choose which date I want to take, and hopefully, it works out with the schedule.
With Mega, there are tons of them.
For example, we did Bank of America down in Maryland, where we had to install TVs and Creston systems and things like that. It was new to me then, so it was something different. And I’m not a programmer. But I did enjoy the idea of putting things together that I had no idea.
I’m a puzzle-type person, so I loved that it was something new, something interesting and that I got to work with my hands. That was great because I got to learn, I got to use my brain, and I got to use my hands. So it’s like being ambidextrous all at once.
I love everything. You can do everything at once. Even the one I’m about to go on, I’m looking forward to it. I’m going to LA on Sunday for two projects. So once again, this will be a new adventure, something different.
It’s great being able to watch Mega grow as I’m growing. Mega is like family, which is why I like dealing with them. It’s not even so much the projects; it’s just that we all know each other’s business. Everybody knows everybody.
They’ve helped me expand and allowed me to grow. Over the last three months, I’ve grown exponentially because of the need that they have.
They’ve allowed me to grow by trusting me to do the jobs they want to be done. It’s caused me to have to go and push myself a little bit harder. I’ve met a lot of new people because of them, but also, on the educational side, I’ve received great support. For example, my fellow technician John Pierce is a force to be dealt with if you need a good education! I’ve gotten so used to calling him as, like I said, it’s like calling family. And if he can’t do it, then he sets you up for success.
It’s very rare when I leave a space where I don’t know how to do that job once I leave. So I may walk in blind, but I walk out with a vision.
That’s a good one.
I had to learn how to get better at work-life balance. Last year, I spent a lot of time working on myself to be better balanced. And then, this year, I felt like it was a lot better.
I wouldn’t say Mega gave me work-life balance; I had to do that on my own. But because I have the right of first denial and I can say, “No, I don’t want to do that,” or “Yes, I can do this job.” So it’s up to me.
As for lifestyle, mine has improved, especially since we’ve been so busy. [laughter]
It’s gotten better. It’s helped me to do some things outside of work. Because I’m also a photographer, a piano player, and more, it’s helped me focus more than just my IT. When I shoot photos, I’m just shooting for fun. I’m not really shooting because it’s my job.
I didn’t have expectations of money; that wasn’t my absolute goal. I’m glad it’s happening, but I was more concerned about fulfilling a need. When somebody is on the phone and needs a tech, I’m all about seeing if I can get someone to help. That’s my goal. And the synergy from that is amazing.
Working with Mega is more like family than employee-employer. I’ve gotten to know pretty much everyone on the phone in one way or another, which has been fruitful in many ways. Because if there’s one thing you have to learn, it’s relationships. And you’re building a relationship, and then you’re building trust.
If there are problems, then we circle the wagons around each other. We’re not throwing anyone under the bus, and we’re doing everything together. We defend each other, which is very rare in business. People that you can call friends that’s rare. You call them associates because that’s all you’re doing: associating.
Over this 16, 17-year journey with everyone, a lot of them are praying for each other’s families. I know their husbands, I know their wives, just over the phone. It gives you the vibe of “Hey, let’s grow together.”
One, trust your instincts. Go hard for your dream, and don’t settle.
Also, if this is your first time, understand that Mega will walk you through a lot of things. There’s a lot of support. Be intentional about being honest. Be intentional about having your morals be on the better side.
And don’t make it all about just you. Be willing to help other people outside of yourself. As an entrepreneur, the bigger dream is not about me. The bigger dream is about us.
Be passionate about what you’re doing. If this is your passion, go for it, and you’ll succeed.
Constant growth and success. Like I said, it’s always about the bigger picture for everyone. So, those who work with me need to be successful and growing as well.
I have no plans of retiring because I love what I do!
The name of my company is Prescient, which means to be able to see ahead. So I’m always looking ahead to see what’s coming down the pike, what’s happening in the future. What knowledge should I have of AI coming? How does that affect me? How does it affect those that are around me? And then educating those that are in my circle as well.
We’re always trying to be ahead of the game.