About the Mobile Chamber
The Mobile Chamber is a private business organization with more than 1,700 members and the economic developer for the City of Mobile and Mobile County. The Mobile Chamber’s focus is to provide members with networking, marketing and professional development opportunities, expand jobs in the area, develop the local workforce, advocate legislative priorities and offer resources to help small businesses grow. Additional information is on the Chamber’s website, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.
MOUNT MAN OF MOBILE SPECIALIZES IN INSTALLATION
Business View – March 2021 / Small Business of the Month
Mount Man of Mobile is the Mobile Area Chamber’s Small Business of the Month. Pictured above from left to right are: Nathan McDuffie, Owner Keith Turner, Tori Thomas, Kurstin West, Rayford Mose and Michael Daniels. Not pictured is Kenneth Minor. Photo by Chad Riley Photography
Eight years ago, while working as a security system installer for a local company, Keith Turner Jr. used to dream of owning his own business. And then fate dealt him a fresh card when he was laid off. His response was to work through the understandable fears and doubts and do what he’d long considered. That’s how Mount Man of Mobile – the Mobile Area Chamber’s Small Business of the Month – was born. In addition to security installations, the company also mounts commercial and residential TVs and surround sound systems, as well as recessed interior and exterior lighting and installation of video doorbells and surveillance equipment.
Mount Man has even expanded into the realm of “honey-dos,” finding significant opportunity performing small tasks like hanging pictures, assembling furniture and other tasks that seem to linger in households.
“I’ve realized how much of a need there is for that,” Turner said. Mount Man recently received its certification from the Alabama Electronic Security Board of Licensure, a long-term goal of Turner’s made more difficult by scheduling issues related to the coronavirus pandemic.
He has pride in his company’s technical acumen, but Turner equally values customer relations. He spends a lot of his time in people’s most secure and intimate spaces.
“It’s important to be genuine and polite with customers and create a relationship,” he said. “Once you get in the client’s home and you’re smiling and having a conversation that doesn’t feel awkward, in my opinion that creates a customer for life.”
Mount Man developed its one-on-one employee training with those things in mind. Each new employee starts in the office with Chief of Operations Tori Thomas before heading into the field with Turner for up to four days. During that time, he breaks down every type of installation from a variety of jobs.
Turner also supports a wide range of initiatives within the community. A member of the Chamber’s Growth Alliance Task Force in support of minority businesses and mentorship, Mount Man is also a Partner in Education with Prichard’s Ella Grant Elementary School, helping 4th and 5th grade students reach their Accelerated Reader, or AR, reading goals.
“It’s important to create opportunities for others at the local level,” he said.
MALL BUSINESS
COMPANY NAME: Mount Man of Mobile
LOCATION: 1956-J University Blvd. S. #195, Mobile
WEBSITE: mountmanofmobile.com
PHONE: 251.295.3085
OWNER: Keith Turner Jr.
LENGTH OF CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP: 1 year
Click here to read the Business View – March 2021
Additional information is on the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce’s website at mobilechamber.com, on Facebook at @MobileChamber, Instagram at @mobile-area-chamber and Twitter at @MobileChamber.