Editor's note: This is one in a weekly series of profiles on locally owned and operated businesses in Southern Oregon.

What do you do and how long have you been doing it? (Scott speaking) We repair, upgrade, sell and custom-build computers around the Rogue Valley, providing on-site service with quick turnaround and response times. We've been operating four years.

How long have you lived in the Rogue Valley? I was promoted to a management position while working for Albertsons in 1996; that's when I moved to Medford from Eugene, and I've been here ever since. Matt grew up in Medford.

What inspired you to go into this line of work? We started the business because we love computers. Both of us had several years in at Albertsons, but we just avidly got into computers. It was a hobby at first, and one day we decided to go for it because we could see that there was a need for the service here.

What decision or action would you change if you could do it again? We would have started sooner. We would be closer to reaching our goal and further along as a business. We were just afraid to let go of the steady jobs we had.

What's the toughest business decision you've made? Leaving the job security of Albertsons to commit 100 percent of our effort to supporting our client base. We are glad we did though; it's been rewarding for us.

Who are your competitors? Any local business providing computer service and sales. Connecting Point is one I can think of, but I think we offer some unique qualities of service that other businesses around here don't.

What are your goals? To continue to grow our company. Also, to look at the possibility of getting a retail storefront. Although right now it's really not necessary, we see the potential for a store in the future. It would be a big step, and to grow to a certain level we will probably need one.

What training or education did you need? Both of us learned how to operate and run a successful business while we were managers with Albertsons. We learned computers through a lot of hands-on troubleshooting and extensive research. We didn't go to school for it; we are self-trained in tech support. You could call us the Eddie Van Halens of the IT world.

What's your advice for budding entrepreneurs? Make sure you start slow, and keep your overhead costs down. Go slow and steady, build on customer recommendations — they are the key. Also, establish and maintain a strong and happy client base you can continue to grow from.

To suggest ideas for this column, about businesses that are at least five years old, contact reporter Greg Stiles at 541-776-4463 or e-mail business@mailtribune.com.