MicroAge: A Phoenix Rising In Phoenix

Years of upheaval put McKeever's company in bankruptcy. Down but not defeated, McKeever recently formed a new company, which will do business as "MicroAge," now that he again owns the name. With 40 employees onboard,most from the old company,McKeever is quietly rebuilding. He's back in the same office, using the same computers and the same phone number. This time, however, he's focused on the midmarket. I recently caught up with McKeever to see whether a phoenix was close to rising in the Arizona desert.

VB: MicroAge filed Chapter 11 in April 2000. You stayed on and proceeded to sell off various parts of the business. Anything that you regret [doing from the final days that you can apply going forward?

McKeever: It's very easy to draw yourself into what-if [discussions. There were lots of what-ifs. We'll really never know, if I had done something different, what the outcome might have been. But it was best said by the Arizona Diamondbacks coach in his series against the New York Yankees: Coach [Bob Brenly was asked, "Why did you put in the same pitcher, [Byung-Hyun Kim, that you put in the night before, only to have him get blown out two nights in a row? Why do that?" He said, "It's not about what-if, it's about what's-next." And when he said that, it really resonated with me. I knew what I had to focus on. I'm now playing out the "what's-next."

VB: Who is funding you guys? Self funded?

McKeever: I'm funding it.

VB: Really?

McKeever: Uh-huh.

VB: Is there something you want to prove head and shoulders above building a business?

McKeever: I don't think there's anything I want to prove. Been there. I have achieved all the business goals I want to achieve from a historic perspective.

I think even people who have retired will tell you they miss being involved with something that's vital, like a business.

I certainly am a lot happier being involved in a business. My historic skillset has been creating business models that work, and the opportunity is just as great as ever before. Besides, you can only play so much golf so many days a week, and you can fly your airplane [only so many days a week.

VB: By the way, what did your golf score get down to?

McKeever: It didn't get that good; I have too many other hobbies. I like photography and flying, and I've done a lot of great aerial photography. I was also involved in helping MicroAge Inc. wind down. I was involved in that until Aug. 1. And then we started this business on Oct. 8. There wasn't a lot of time [in between.

VB: It's got to be a nice feeling to see the MicroAge logo, banner, sign or letterhead resurface, no? What's the reputation? What's brand equity these days?

McKeever: That was a big question mark. You just never know until you get out there. I best know from our sales associates. They are out there talking to people.

Most people,it turns out,didn't know we were in Chapter 11. Most of the clients they called knew we kind of disappeared, but they didn't know [why. So there was more than a strong willingness to embrace [us.

They tell me that 95 times out of 100, it's not even something that's asked about.