From installing car stereos to owning and operating his own technology company, Trinity Schaff’s story starts out like many others.
It was when he was working for another technology vendor that the idea for TrinSPIN came to him. As he gained experience, he began to refine his own career vision. What Trinity wanted was an ethical company that emphasized exemplary customer service, putting quality work before profit, enhanced small jobs, and made people’s lives easier. So, in 2011, Trinity followed his passion and started TrinSPIN right out of his Fargo home.
“I wanted to work somewhere where I didn’t have to answer to anybody…to be able to have my own company and grow it…to focus on what is best for the customer, as opposed to pushing what’s in stock and rushing to get the job done. All in all, I wanted to work someplace that really made me happy.”
For the past nine years, Trinity has been working to build TrinSPIN into the company he dreamt it to be, complete with thorough proposals that don’t contain any hidden costs, something of which he is proud. With a focus on simplifying, educating, and enhancing the client experience, TrinSPIN provides complete home and commercial solutions covering security, network infrastructure, audio and visual technology, all accompanied by meticulous attention to detail and staying within a client’s budget.
The concept has worked well; within one year of operation, TrinSPIN outgrew its home-based office and Trinity began searching for a larger facility to accommodate its growth.
To make this move more affordable, Trinity worked with Dakota Business Lending and Western State Bank bank to secure an SBA 504 business loan – a loan program that offers up to 25-year terms at a fixed, below-market interest rate. “Using the SBA 504 allowed us to go a little bigger up-front than we originally would have so we wouldn’t be redoing things later,” Trinity explained. Together, this lending team made it possible for Trinity to continue his business’s daily activities.
“The SBA 504 loan process was the smoothest process I’ve ever had in terms of financing. Dakota Business Lending really valued my time by bringing everything to our meetings, having me sign things, and getting me back to work. It allowed me to continue to put my full focus on being an entrepreneur and business owner.”
Having a brand-new, state-of-the-art facility helped solidify TrinSPIN, attract more customers, and put them on the map of being a legitimate company – just what Trinity’s vision had been from the start. “The new warehouse gave us the space we needed to house the products and be more organized,” explained Trinity. “Working out of the house, we had multiple locations and storage units to manage. This allowed us to put everything in one location and operate in a much smoother, organized fashion.”
“Although we’ve been in the area for a while, this expansion put an emphasis on the fact that we’re here, we’re serving our customers, and we will be doing so for a long time. It really put us on the map of being a legitimate company.”
Today, TrinSPIN has become one of the leading experts in the technology industry for North Dakota and Minnesota. Trinity celebrates his – and the success of his company – but also acknowledges the dedication, sacrifice, and hard work he (and others) put into making this happen.
What does he want novice entrepreneurs to know?
“It’s not just something you go and jump into, expecting to be working 8-5,” Trinity shared. “Realize how much time it’s going to take, be prepared for it, and get as much knowledge in your tank as you can.”
Trinity reassures, however, that its all worth it in the end.
To learn more about TrinSPIN and the services they provide, visit their website.
This article was written by Dakota Business Lending with permission from TrinSPIN and is not to be edited or redistributed without permission.