We continue where we left off two weeks ago with Part IV of our interview with Randy Williamson. We resume it at the point where Mr. Williamson tells us what led to the establishment of his Internet provider business:
Williamson: So in 1993, I prayed and I said, "Oh, God, HELP...what'll I do? Oh, God...oh, God of my salvation - what am I going to do?" And God spoke real softly to me and said, "Go into business for yourself." I said, "But, oh, God, I don't have any customers." Then the Lord said, "I have cattle on a thousand hills." (Williamson laughs.)
So I did - I went into business for myself...I had some business cards printed up. And I went to Gary Garrison of Garrison Oil Co. and I told Gary, "I'm a computer technician - and I need a job." And Gary said, "Well, I can't hire you full time; but I've got a little bit of work for you to do if you don't mind traveling." So I traveled - and he's got operations in eight different cities - and in the course of two months, he paid me about $4,000 - which was better money than I had even made working for the Wal-Marts and the Aztecas and the Excels of the world. So for over 30 years of my life, I worked for the other guy; I'd worked for the other companies; I've punched the time clock - and I always paid my bills, but I never ever, ever really got ahead.
In 1993, when I said, "Oh, Lord, what can I do?" - the Lord said, "Go into business for yourself." I saw no sign that I could succeed - and yet it was a step of faith. I had to trust the Lord to point me in the right direction to go get the jobs that would make me money so I could support Rosie and myself. In 1993, when I first started the business, we were living in a studio apartment. So when I started tiny, tiny, tiny [like that]...the Garrison job gave me credibility and a good reference and the Lord began to draw people to me with computers and they wanted me to work on them.
And I've always done one thing - and that's [that] I'm 100% honest with my computer customers. I don't cheat my customers - because I made a vow to God that if He would bless me with customers that I would never cheat them. And I never have and I never will because it works to be honest with the Lord and it works to be honest with the people you service.
