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

mentorship
WAVIT’s Mentorship Program: Cyndie Nelson on Building Careers Through Guidance
July 19, 2025

The AV industry, like many others in tech, often thrives on innovation—but it’s mentorship that sustains it. Behind every successful professional is often a mentor who provided guidance, shared hard-earned lessons, and opened doors that might have otherwise stayed shut. Programs like WAVIT (Women in AV/IT) bring this spirit of mentorship into focus by intentionally…

Read More
mentorship
Empowering Innovation: Kim Porter’s Role in the WAVIT Mentorship Program
July 19, 2025

In an industry where innovation often hinges on experience, mentorship is the bridge that connects the wisdom of the past with the promise of the future. Engineering, especially in the mechanical domain, is traditionally seen as a discipline of precision, but its culture is just as vital as its calculations. That’s why programs like WAVIT’s…

Read More
mentorship
Passion, Power, and the Mentorship Paradigm Shift in Tech
July 19, 2025

In today’s rapidly evolving tech world, mentorship has emerged as more than a professional development tool—it’s a powerful human connection that fosters resilience, purpose, and authenticity. Particularly for women in engineering and STEM, mentorship isn’t just about career guidance; it’s a lifeline to navigating environments where their voices may still fight to be heard. While…

Read More
AV
Lessons in Leadership: Mitek’s Cyndie Nelson on the Power of Mentoring Women in AV Technology
July 19, 2025

Mentorship has long been considered a cornerstone of professional development, but in the fast-evolving world of AV technology and sales, its value has never been more evident. The unspoken nuances of tradecraft—those bits of wisdom not found in textbooks—are often only accessible through the lived experience of mentors. Particularly for women in traditionally male-dominated industries,…

Read More