Today we’d like to introduce you to Kevin Fancher.
Kevin, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’m originally from Pittsburgh, PA and graduated from California University of Pennsylvania in 2007 with a Computer Engineering Degree. I had two interviews in my field that year. I passed on the first opportunity due to distance from the city. For the next three years, I worked every job you can imagine from Call Centers, Help Desk, Telemarketer, Pizza Delivery, Chef, Loan Processor, Security Guard, Health Teacher, and other odd jobs to keep my college skills relevant. One day after venting about my frustrations of finding my path to my father, who was living in Atlanta, he suggested that I make the move. I purchased a one way ticket and never looked back. I arrived in Atlanta February 18th, 2010. That following day I was at the Georgia World Congress center attending a job fair. I didn’t waste any time and was here to get my career on the right path. My first opportunity in Atlanta was at a barbecue restaurant. I got my first break in IT when I landed a temp job with an IT equipment reseller company working in a warehouse.
I started out as a warehouse worker and shortly after I advanced to a hardware engineer. This new position gave me the chance to learn everything about configuring servers, switches, routers, virtual machines and every piece of IT equipment you can think of. I was extremely determined to break into Software Development that I took to YouTube, book stores, and hackathons to continue building my skills. Time is opportunity, and every minute I had was devoted to studying. I ate, slept, and breathed software development. Finally another window of opportunity presented itself when a new tech company posted online that they wanted to train .net professionals with no experience. It was an unpaid position so I decided to pass it up. A week later, I was laid off. I reached back out and took the job knowing I could survive on unemployment.
That program lasted about three months and then I was able to get my first paid position as a developer in 2012. I knew at that moment I could not be stopped. By 2015 I realized that I did so many things in IT I’ve become a jack of all trades. I was an expert in technical support, hardware repair, software configurations, network configuration and installations, low voltage system Integration and cabling, security system installation, computer support and repair, server support and repair, web technologies, and micro controllers… There’s nothing in IT that I can’t do. I decided that small businesses need people like me so in 2016, I started Fancher Technologies. In 2017, I became a part of Asi Foundations a non-profit organization. They are dedicated to uplifting the community by teaching STEAM to future generations. I’ve played and coached sports my entire life and understood how to apply hard work and dedication to reach success, give back what you’ve been given, and to achieve you must endure.
Has it been a smooth road?
The road has been anything but smooth. I was diagnosed with ADD/ADHD in kindergarten and was placed in the special education program. By middle school, I went to alternative schools until the 10th grade. I earned my way back into the public education system by the 11th grade and didn’t have mainstream classes until the spring side of my senior year in high school. Being that my education was focused on behavior and not academics, college had a whole new set of challenges. I took six and ½ years to finish college for an undergraduate degree. I took a lot of classes twice. The first time understanding the verbiage, and the second understanding the work. You can’t solve a problem that you don’t understand. Professionally my greatest trouble was getting the first opportunity. Once moving to Atlanta the interviews came, but I was always short on skills. Interviewers would say “we love your passion, but we’re looking for someone with more experience”. These were junior positions and I didn’t understand how much experience a junior position needed. I started using the interviews as study guides and tests for the next interview. I would take notes and every lack of skill that disqualified me in the previous interview. I didn’t let that be the excuse in the next interview.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Fancher Technologies – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
I’m most proud of the journey. I’ve met talented people and been able to pull us all together to create a platform we can all do business with one another. being able to train others and give opportunities that I struggle with. Oftentimes I train people how to code just because they have the desire. I use those people in my projects and give them the real world experience that I didn’t have the opportunity to gain.
Fancher technologies is your one stop shop for IT. We have solutions for all IT business needs. Let us be IT for you.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love the vibe and atmosphere here. You can find black people everywhere at every level of professionalism and society. The opportunity is here for the taking. No place in the world like it. Moving here was the best decision I’ve ever made.
I hate the pollen and traffic.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.FancherTechnologies.com
- Phone: 6784594075
- Email: Support@fanchertechnologies.com
- Instagram: NerdJock_FancherTech
- Facebook: Fancher Technologies
Image Credit:
@visionsfromshaw on IG football coaching photos
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