Charlie's story

I'm originally from a lower middle class family in Lynn, MA. My mother put herself through nursing school as a hairdresser while my dad made a living customizing van's and RV's. We didn't have a lot but we got by. I spent my childhood absorbing all manner of science fiction and fact. Books and computers filled my every thought. Star Trek, Star Wars, The Hobbit, NASA, etc. Essentially I've been a serious geek for as long as I can remember and have grown to embrace it. Currently I'm living in Arlington MA, just a short walk from our shop in Somerville. On the entrepreneur side I started my first tech support company as a teenager. I helped set up voice recognition in DOS for handicapped clients. My dad had started his own business selling and repairing handicap equipment at the time, so I did what I could. A few years ago I gave up a stable job with benefits and 6 weeks of vacation time to help found Boston TechCollective. It's been an amazing ride and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Thank you for considering our cooperative for this loan. Much like the first one in 2014, it will really go a long way to helping us continue to grow!