Mike:
Hi, I’m Mike Sullivan. Thanks for joining us today on M.O, where we feature entrepreneurs and small business owners and then bring you hints, tips, insights, and perspectives on what it takes to be successful.

Joining us today is Jim Patton. Jim’s got a very interesting background. He started out as an HVAC repairman, and he since built up his company KPAC Solutions. He learned how to do mergers and acquisitions on his own, and today his company buys and turns around distressed manufacturing companies. Jim also wrote a book, “Life in the Turn Lane.”

Jim thanks for joining us today. Can you start by telling us a little bit about your background and maybe leading up to your first failure, or your first major failure, what you learned from that, and tell us a little bit about your first success as well?

Jim:
Yeah, you know I wish I could do that in a simple sentence. But like a lot of people it’s almost a road that you can’t backtrack and get to. I did have an entrepreneur heart though, as a youngster. I chose not to attend a university. I went to a two year heating and air conditioning school, thinking that everybody was going to need heating and air conditioning at that time. I was 18 years old, or almost 18. I graduated from high school early, because my father was in the air force. So once I got out of the school, after working a few months, the owner of the business came up and he put his arm around me and said, “Jim I’m going to fire you. I’ll tell you right now, because you are terrible at fixing air conditioners.”