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The History behind A to Z Mini Billboards
In 2001 I was permanently laid off from Lucent Technologies, now named Tyco Electronics which resulted in divorce, losing my home and cars a few years later. Believe me it was a rough time and only my friends and family kept me sane. I did find a new position but in 2004 I was laid off again for the 2nd time.
My side web design business named Business In The Black was just starting and I had to rely on it more and more to just have food to eat so what started out as a retirement plan became a full time job.
 In 2005 with no home, no car of my own and no leads on a new job, some friends of mine took me in and I lived with them until I could get on my feet. This family became my own family and even helped me with day to day life. One morning while waiting for my turn for a hair cut, I noticed that all the people in the shop were focused on the TV hanging on the wall with no sound. There were books, paperbacks, magazines and advertisements in the waiting area but no one was interested in reading. Even the kids were glued to the soundless TV on the wall.
Right then it came to me like never before that people are lazy even about information and would rather see images then read words. I thought to myself, “If my resume was on that TV screen I bet I could get a job”.
So that day I went back to where I was staying which was now living with some friends since I had no home any longer. Went to my room and looked into how much it would take to make a system that would work like the large $30,000 billboard systems but be cheap enough for a broke person like me to have access to. What I found was no good and if there was to be a system like that, I would have to invent it and use already available technology to pull it off.
After 2 days of pulling together some old computer parts and writing some software, the first prototype of A to Z Mini “Electronic” Billboards was born. I got ideas from the people I was staying with for the name and you should have seen the first systems. I did have a head start since two years before I had created systems that used memory cards and placed them in Trolley Cars in Canton Texas but it flopped.
These new internet based systems weighed over 35 to 40 lbs, 4 foot long and made of wood.
It took 2 people to hang on a wall and looked terrible to my friends even though I tried to copy an old community cork board design.
For the next 2 years I built and tested systems in real paces to work out the bugs and the look of the system. My friends that helped me out with lodging and a car even helped me by being the first to invest money into an idea just because they believed in my idea. This family who did not know me from Adam stood by me and will always be a benifactor of the sucess os A to Z Mini Billboards.
I tested and redesigned the system a few times before the final design you see today. Along the way I had offers of partnerships and promises of millions for my great idea but they never materialized so I just worked on the system in my own time.
All was put on hold while I tried to keep making my web design business stronger and earn some kind of income to just stay alive.
The Mini Billboard system was awakened again when I redesigned the business model by having people all over the US share in creating a network of Electronic Billboards like selling AVON or Mary Kay products.
With the help of more friends that understood marketing, affiliate structures and revenue sharing I created the A to Z Mini Billboard system powered and backed by the people with 70% of the profits going back to the people.
With all that said, in February 2009 I opened the system to the world and in 4 months it spread to 7 states and 4 countries with about 1 new Entrepreneur joining the A to Z Team every week. These new team members have started their own businesses earning income from a little idea that started in the local barbershop.
If you want to talk to me personal about how the business works, just give me a call anytime at 972-279-0747 or shoot me an email at info@atozminibillboards.com
Sincerely,
Darnell Smith CEO and Founder of A to Z Mini Billboards
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