Career Paths Are Rarely Linear

 

The path for most careers is rarely straight. It twists and turns, depending on many factors. That’s the story of Jimmy Jack, Carolinas Sales Lead, Critical Components Inc. Jack’s work history has a lot of deviations. Still, he said key relationships with colleagues, mentors, and customers have made all the difference.

“After about 20 years of automotive electronics and car customization, I wanted to make a career change. Computers were a natural transition, so I went back to school,” Jack said. He then found his way into the mission-critical data center world, working for Greg Crumpton, who served as a mentor for him.

“When he interviewed me, shook my hand, and looked me in the eyes, he said, ‘What I like about you is you’ve don’t al lot of stuff,’ and I felt really appreciated for my skillset,” Jack commented.

He admitted when he started, he was a bit green, but the more he learned about the industry, the more intrigued he was. He spent late nights at projects to see completions and believes that experience set him up for his current role. He noted, “It’s a bit of tribal knowledge and being the same consistent person. Customers I cut my teeth on the industry still remember me.”

He shared one anecdote of a data center build that almost didn’t happen because they were being outbid. “It was looking like they were going to go with another company, so I went line by line through the proposal and removed about $40,000 they didn’t really need. He respected that and cut us a PO,” Jack shared.

Relationships and trust are integral to Jack’s success, and he’s appreciated every opportunity to serve customers, support colleagues, and teach others.

Make sure to follow along for more episodes of Straight Outta Crumpton!

Straight Outta Crumpton with Greg Crumpton

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

whole health index
Whole Health Index
May 22, 2025

Dr. Sam Ambewadikar returns to break down Anthem’s Whole Health Index (WHI)—a powerful tool that distills medical, social, environmental, and behavioral data into a single score (0–100) to identify members most at risk. By surfacing factors like transportation deserts, housing instability, or food insecurity, WHI enables Anthem care managers and advocates to proactively match members…

Read More
pcp
PCP Attribution Analysis
May 22, 2025

Dr. Sam Ambewadikar, RVP and Medical Director at Anthem National Accounts, joins Brent to unpack the power of primary care attribution analysis—a tool he helped pioneer to spotlight the clinical and financial impact of members not having an established PCP. Drawing from his background as a practicing pediatrician and claims analytics leader, Dr. Sam shares…

Read More
sydney health
Sydney Health Demo
May 22, 2025

In this episode, Christina Firouztash, Executive Advisor of Digital Solutions at Anthem, gives a dynamic walkthrough of the Sydney Health app—Anthem’s flagship digital member experience. Christina showcases how Sydney delivers personalized, simple, and equitable navigation across benefits, including virtual care, pharmacy, financial transparency, and social services access. From contextual chatbots and ID card access to…

Read More
pharmacy
Pharmacy Part 1
May 22, 2025

In this episode, Brent chats with Katie Brennan, National Sales Director at CarelonRx, about making pharmacy benefits more accessible, consistent, and member-friendly. Katie spotlights Carelon new advanced home delivery model, which brings the pharmacy counter—and the pharmacist—into the member’s home. With fewer retail pharmacies offering extended hours and many patients lacking reliable transportation, CarelonRx is…

Read More