On August 23, 2011 Inc. magazine announced its fifth annual Inc. 5000, an exclusive ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. The list represents the most comprehensive look at the most important segment of the economy— America’s independent-minded entrepreneurs.
Nerds On Call is one of the fastest growing private companies in America for a third year in a row. This year NERDS was ranked 3,010 out of 5,000 companies. Rankings based on revenue figures from 2007 through 2010. NERDS’ growth from 2007 to 2010 was 68%! You can oogle over the official article.
And it all began on a dark and stormy night… OK, just kidding…
Our “Nerdstory” begins in 2004. Ryan & Andrea Eldridge had relocated from Orange County to Redding, California, leaving a successful internet billing services company in search of some trees, squirrels, and the occasional passing bear.
One day Andrea’s mother called, frustrated and discouraged. Her computer wasn’t working, could Ryan please come over and either fix it or kill it? A virus was wreaking havoc on her computer, and her sanity. After he cleaned up her problem, she turned to him and said, “Someone ought to start a company that sends people to your home to do this sort of thing. Kind of like a plumber for computers.”
That was it, the inspirational moment that brought Nerds On Call into the world. If mom needs this service, there must be other moms out there in need of a house call. Shortly thereafter, the first NERDS advertisements hit the local papers. Cautiously optimistic, yet trying to remain practical, they put Andrea’s cell phone number on the first flyer so as to be always available. How could they have imagined how well received the service would be?
Within a few days, the buzz of this new service began to hit a fevered pitch. Ryan was working from 7 am to midnight everyday; Andrea had a phone attached to her ear so often, they were kind of afraid the radiation would turn her into a comic book villain. (“You’re welcome” to Verizon for the next two months of thousand dollar cell phone bills!)
In a few short weeks, they began the hunt for qualified, friendly NERD employees: technologically savvy enough to build a computer from spare parts in the basement, but still able to “speak English” instead of “techno babble” to those of us not versed in NERD lingo. Within a few months, the first office on Market Street in Redding was opened, and we were well on our way towards Inc 5000.
Since 2004, Nerds On Call has opened offices throughout California, Oregon, Arizona, South Dakota, Maryland and Washington, serving more than 40,000 satisfied customers. Nerds On Call fixes nearly anything that can be plugged in: PCs and Macs, home and office networks, printers, iPods® and MP3 players, handheld devices and cell phones, home theaters and game systems, and virtually every other form of digital entertainment.
We definitely could not have done it without our amazing customers! One of our constant joys, is hearing feedback from happy computer owners. Customers, thank you so much! And to think, in High School NERDS were the underdogs?! No more…NERDS are finally bringing balance to the social order…no more getting stuffed in trash cans or major wedgies!
