I was asked by Jay Dunn, the proprietor of 321 Printer Supply, LLC, to help with his company brand. Here's the conversation we had to find his story:
Lisa: Why start your own company?
Jay: When someone asks me "why did you start your own company", my answer, simply put is…I love what I do! Recently I had an opportunity to change "jobs," but after careful thought, I came to the realization that at some point over my past 30 years in the Printer industry, my "job" of selling Printers, Supplies and Spare Parts, had become my "career!" I didn’t want to stop what I was doing. I realized that I really enjoy helping my customers look for their spare part, or toner, to keep their 10 year old trusty Oki Printer running for another 10 years! I also enjoy helping my customers find that brand new Oki printer when it comes time for them to retire the Oki they’ve been using for the past 20 years! Starting my own company will not only allow me to continue to be that trusted advisor for my Oki customers, but also, it will allow me to do what I love to do, for many more years to come.
Lisa: Why the name 321 Printer Supply?
Jay: To the avid Oki customer, the name might look like a clever take on one of OkiData’s legacy Impact Printer models, the Oki ML321 Turbo. However, the name is actually derived from a more personal aspect of my life and is named in honor of my youngest of three children, Sam "the man" Dunn. Sam was born in April of 2009, with Trisomy 21, otherwise more commonly known as Down syndrome. Down syndrome is usually caused by an error in cell division, resulting in an embryo with three copies of chromosome 21, instead of the usual two. Since having Sam enter our lives, I have had the privilege of being a part of the amazing and inspiring Down syndrome community. Sam and the Down syndrome community have simply changed my life, and my family’s lives, in so many ways, all for the better, so much so that I wanted to find some small way to show my appreciation for that. All that said, this brings me to the creation of the company name, "321" which symbolizes the 3 (‘Tri’somy) 21 (21st chromosome). I thought this would be a small, yet effective way to show my support, and to also educate and advocate for Sam and the Down syndrome community.
Lisa: What is your experience in the printer industry?
Jay: My experience in the Printer industry began in 1989, when I got a job working in the warehouse, of an OkiData Printer Distributor, named Seneca Data Distributors in Syracuse, NY. After working about two years in the warehouse, shipping & receiving, I decided to move into a technician roll, of both repair of Oki printers, as well as desktop computers. Soon after that, I moved into the roll of Oki Printer Parts Sales and buyer. Ultimately settling in as the Printer Product Manager, as position I held at Seneca until December of 2019.
Lisa: Are you involved with any charities?
Jay: A charity I am involved in, for reasons that go back to back my company name, is a place called GiGi’s Playhouse. GiGi’s Playhouse was created in 2002 by Nancy Gianni and was named after her daughter, Gigi. With over 45 locations (as well as one in Syracuse) GiGi’s Playhouse is the ONLY network of Down Syndrome Achievement Centers, providing FREE, life changing therapeutic, educational and career training programs for 30.000+ individuals of all ages. Their mission is to change the way the world views Down syndrome and to send a global message of acceptance for all. My family and I were fortunate enough to have a GiGi’s location open here in Syracuse shortly after Sam was born. The support, acceptance and love we have felt from day one, is unlike anything we had experienced, are all reasons why this charity is so important to me and my family. https://gigisplayhouse.org/
Lisa: What does 321 Printer Supply, LLC do?
Jay: 321 Printer Supply, LLC, is one of only 2 OkiData Spare Parts Distributors in the US. Stocking all of the Oki spares, from the Impact printers, to the desktop LED Mono and Color Printers, to the high-end Multi-function units. 321 Printer Supply is also a Value-Added Reseller for the Oki Supplies, such as Toners, Ribbons and Image Drums, as well being your source for the whole Printer!
Lisa: How will your company differ from the competition?
Jay: I believe what sets us apart from the competition are two very important intangibles…the first is, my 30 relationship with the Oki Printer products. The second is throughout my 30 years in the industry, I’ve handled everything from shipping the Oki products, to repairing them, to buying and selling them. My unique experience allows me to evaluate every customers need, to help with finding them the most cost effective, quality solution, be it for business or the home.
Lisa: What does your company value the most?
Jay: I believe that in the business world, as well as my personal life, the common values I strive for in both, are honest and respectful relationships. I personally don’t believe one can succeed in "life" without those. Be it a customer, or a family member, or a friend, the trusted bond that is created with honesty and respectfulness, can truly make the world go around.
I have personally known Jay for over 14 years and I'm grateful to provide him his brand for a great company. Explore the site, have a conversation with Jay, and start a partnership that will last.
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