Enraptured in his earliest years by technology, MemFi Networks Founder/CEO and Tech901 instructor, Aaron Lamey, attributes his passion for the IT field to his father.
“My dad built computers from spare parts and sold them in the newspaper,” Lamey said. “He would get parts from corporate surpluses, clean them up and reassemble them before listing them in ads. He was my inspiration.”
After building his first computer in 1994, Aaron first found companionship in early AOL chatrooms. Through these chatrooms, he became immersed in tech-lingo from a young age and developed a compulsion for problem-solving that remains with him today.
In his middle and high school years, his teachers often asked him for help in computer classes.
“My teacher would ask me to help with their Apple II issues, and that’s one way I learned how to troubleshoot,” Lamey said. “The satisfaction I got from troubleshooting and finding solutions just stuck with me.”
Aaron studied English and Business communications at Christian Brothers University and achieved his master’s degree in business at the University of Memphis in college. IT never left him, however, as he worked his way from teaching at CBHS to becoming the Director of Networking at CBU.
In 2017, Aaron came across an ad from Tech901 calling for IT instructors to join their exciting program, still in its infancy but hitting an exciting growth period with the recent move to our current home of Crosstown Concourse. Excited by our mission of filling in the gaps in Memphis’ IT community, Aaron applied at the same time as Blair Perry, who is now a lead instructor in our program.
“We had recently jumped from 100 students a year on average to 300 in my first year as an instructor,” Lamey said. “The greatest difficulty was teaching night classes four days a week. But it remained fulfilling work. There was a period where I had the same group of students through each of my classes over 9 months,” Lamey continued. “It was encouraging to see their growth and play a key role in equipping them for their career pursuits."
“I had a lingering desire to start my own business, probably stemming from my father’s multiple small businesses and my parent-in-law’s businesses,” - Aaron Lamey
In the Fall of 2019, Aaron felt compelled to do something he had long dreamed of: starting his own IT business. His desire to do so was fueled by his frustration with the Memphis IT job market, as well as growing up and watching his father run multiple small businesses.
“I had a lingering desire to start my own business, probably stemming from my father’s multiple small businesses and my parent-in-law’s businesses,” Lamey said. “My other reasoning was attempting to bridge the gap many of my students at Tech901 faced: the lack of entry-level positions that did not require experience.”
At MemFi, Aaron decided to hire Tech901 graduates exclusively. As a current adjunct instructor, he can help students network and introduce them to the opportunities MemFi provides, often writing letters of recommendation to places he feels may be a better fit.
“It’s all about helping these students get through the door,” Lamey said. “Going through the extra work that it takes to get through a Tech901 course is a form of self-selection as those certification tests are hard, and those who commit to mastering them truly want to change their career. Tech901 is full of people primed to burst into this field.”
Created near the end of 2019, Aaron’s MemFi was quickly thrust into a vital role within the Memphis community. Founded as an IT support system catered to small businesses and non-profits, the COVID-19 pandemic brought about a massive increase in IT support needs throughout the Memphis community - especially within the Memphis school system.
“I planned to start full time at MemFi in January of 2020 by teaching one morning class at Tech901. Suddenly, everything shut down,” Aaron said. “Very quickly, most schools in Memphis and across the country were faced with the same problem. How can we adapt to remote learning?”
Most schools in Memphis at the time, save for a few private schools, did not send laptops home with students, relying instead on in-class instruction and lab hours. They were now faced with the sudden need for every student to have a computer that worked with the school’s network. This is where MemFi came in.
“Kids of all ages needed laptops, meaning school networks needed massive improvements,” Lamey said. “Content filtering, asset tracking, signing away liability, etc., all suddenly became issues. Instead of issues being housed in one location, you had thousands.”
MemFi created an online ticket system for schools (and businesses) they partnered with. Because most issues could be handled remotely, this became an invaluable tool for MemFi clients and the Memphis school system at large.
"Getting certified at Tech901 was important to me because of my daughter. I felt like I owed her a better life than what I was giving her. I also knew this is what I wanted to do for my career." - Zack Dabbous
Currently, Aaron and MemFi are continuing their mission of better equipping new Tech901 grads and establishments across Memphis with the tools they need to elevate themselves long-term.
Aaron has never regretted his decision to hire Tech901 graduates. We’re incredibly appreciative of his continued commitment to serving this program and the greater-Memphis era as we push together to change the IT community.
“By hiring Tech901 students, I know they’ve recently gotten their certifications and likely have a desire to break through that ‘first job’ wall of the IT industry,” Lamey said. “I consider MemFi a stepping stone for students looking to make a long career in IT. We refer our employees to help them secure more long-term, higher-paying positions across the city and country. My team and Tech901’s students constantly motivate and inspire me as a leader.”
With people like Aaron helping lead the charge here at Tech901 and MemFi, the future of IT is bright in Memphis. MemFi Networks is located on Poplar Avenue in the Grove Park Center in front of the Oak Court Mall. You can reach the team by visiting their website at https://www.memfi.net.