Business Spotlight: Tech Training with a Twist

In 2004, Nick Sanders purchased the Springfield franchise of New Horizons Computer Learning Centers, a Microsoft-certified computer and technology training school.

Six years later, he’s still focusing on technology – now as TXK Technology Center – and with an equipment installation component, Avashare, added to the mix.

Sanders dropped the New Horizons franchise in late 2008 because of what he felt was lack of attention to markets the size of Springfield.

TXK is a fully certified Microsoft partner, Sanders notes, so losing brand recognition of the franchise name wasn’t an issue. For more than a year prior to the change, he polled clients about the importance of the New Horizons name.

“The value of the New Horizon brand really was not why they were coming to us,” he says. “They were coming to us because of the quality of training we were providing.”

As part of the rebranding, Sanders moved in December 2008 to a 9,000-square-foot facility at 1304 E. Kingsley St. from the New Horizons’ site on South National Avenue.

At the same time, Sanders and partner Todd Carter noticed that many of TXK’s clients either had purchased or planned to buy audiovisual equipment.

Seeing a gap in the market, Sanders and Carter decided to spin off Avashare as a separate company to sell and install the equipment themselves. Avashare utilizes TXK’s seven employees. Sanders declined to disclose either company’s revenues.

TXK offers training in the entire line of Microsoft products, Cisco, VMware, and other areas of media and design, as well as for the products that Avashare installs. Avashare is a high-definition audiovisual product vendor, handling products such as flat screens, Smart Technologies and Crestron Electronics integrated systems for venues that range from a single meeting room to large arenas.

Sanders says Avashare and TXK complement each other by offering two halves of the same media solution: selling the equipment through Avashare, and then training clients on it through TXK.

“People would get audiovisual and spend a lot of money on doing that to sort of get the ‘sizzle’ and the very cool look that they would want for their business, but then they really didn’t know how to fully utilize it,” he says. “We come back in and train all of the people in how to fully get the (return on investment) from their audiovisual purchases.”

Fees range from $195 for application classes to $3,495 for high-end technical training.
Avashare is capturing market share as the audiovisual technology vendor for Paul Mitchell Schools, setting up equipment in the cosmetology school’s locations in Wichita, Kan., Oklahoma City and Jacksonville, Fla., in the last year.

The company recently installed audiovisual equipment for Springfield Catholic Schools. That classroom equipment was covered by a $379,000 donation from David O’Reilly of the O’Reilly Automotive family.

While Sanders’ children are students at Springfield Catholic Schools, Director of Development Jean Gruetzenmacher says Avashare and TXK also were brought to school leaders’ attention by word-of-mouth. A full bidding process for the project was performed, with Sanders’ selection based on offering the best price.

“Avashare and TXK both were excellent to work with, very understanding of (using) every dollar to make sure that we get the most bang for the buck,” Gruetzenmacher says.

The schools are now equipped with Smart boards – interactive, touch-sensitive video displays that replace chalkboards and white boards – Elmo Co. overhead document cameras and mobile computer labs.

With the technology, students can take quizzes or answer teacher questions by using instant response handheld devices, much like TV remotes.

SCS Director Amy DeMelo says Avashare’s installation took about three weeks.

“They were willing to do installation on nights and weekends so they would not disrupt learning, and that was real important to us,” she says.

As TXK and Avashare move forward, Sanders is considering expanding in the St. Louis area this fall.

“We can do training and consulting as far and wide as we would like,” he says.[[In-content Ad]]