| The atmosphere is
casual, friendly, even playful -- but well organized, which is what
you'd expect from a man whose works have been used by such companies
as AT&T and Comcast. The four-time Business
Excellence winner and ambassador for the Monterey Chamber of
Commerce even came close to appearing on the hit TV show "The
Apprentice." After sending NBC a video of his accomplishments and
testimonials from myriad community leaders, Low made it into the top
10 percent of applicants and was one round away from meeting Donald
Trump.
Thirty-year-old Low --
jet black hair gelled straight up, clean white shirt with miniscule
pinstripes, eager brown eyes, never married, no children -- was
already in business when a majority of his peers were trying to
figure out what to do with their lives.
This upbeat man has already greatly enriched the community. He
recently donated/created the Community Feeds the Nation Web site and
assisted in raising nearly $11,000 for Hurricane Katrina relief. He
coaches fledgling business owners gratis, and in one year, Byte
contributed more than $25,000 to nonprofit organizations and
schools.
He's also just adopted
an abandoned cat that is his constant companion.
Why such a social
conscience? Perhaps it's his belief system.
"I do believe in
karma," he says, "and everything that you put out there will come
back to you, whether good or negative. I am a firm believer in the
yin and yang."
Q: You started your own
business quite young.
A: I knew what I wanted to do because I was passionate about it. I
didn't know how much money was involved in the industry. People I
meet say I'm very fortunate because they spent their whole life
doing something they don't want to do. Because I'm passionate and
enjoy my work, it doesn't seem like work.
Q: So, you started Byte
with your older brother and eventually bought out his half. Was
there sibling rivalry working together?
A: To my surprise, no. Because I handled my division and Clarence
handled his, we never touched into each others' boundaries and were,
basically, masters of our own domain. Plus, he's older than me by 10
years and he really gets to call the shots. Clarence and I didn't
have much of a relationship before. But we both ended up in tech
industry and, eventually, our paths merged. And that enabled us to
improve our relationship.
Q: You went through the
Silicon Valley's fall from grace. How was that for you?
A: It was a shock in reality. I was still young and hungry and I was
unable to find work. I'd been an online marketing director and Web
site designer for four years.
Q: What kept your
spirit afloat?
A: My family, my friends, those are generic answers. You know how
you look at a cup as half empty? Well, you flip the perspective by
saying, "How can I turn this around?" Basically, you leverage the
opportunity. That's exactly how Byte was started. It was created
because I was out of a job. The life lesson was: there's a lot of
good that comes out of everything.
Q: And your seed money?
A: We used our own money. I'm most proud that we never borrowed
money. We operated out of Clarence's home in Salinas, which
minimized overhead. Two months after we opened our doors we were in
the black.
Q: What technology
could you do without?
A: Cell phones. (Grins) I'll probably be ostracized for this but
it's intrusive... It's important to embrace the power of technology
but not let it take control of you... People have become so
comfortable with them they feel naked if they walk out of the house
without one.
Q: So, you don't have
one.
A: I got one six months ago and I'm regretting it... I actually
don't have a home phone. It allows me to read, go out and enjoy the
environment and be with friends.
Q: In what other ways
are you weird?
A: Oh boy! I think I have a geeky sense of humor. Back in high
school, and even to this day, I think I'm somewhat geeky. But other
people don't see me that way: a pimple-faced eyeglass-wearing kid in
the mirror. Another thing I think is strange... I purposely like to
do things differently.
Q: How did you crash
the Professional Women's Network?
A: (Laughs) I was invited by a member. There were a few mumbles here
and there, but nobody ever objected. I helped overcome this barrier
by becoming involved, fundraising, etc. It showed I'm a contributor
and not parasitic... There are two additional men now.
Q: So how well
developed is your feminine side?
A: I think very well developed. I've been told I'm a very good
listener and sensitive to their feelings. The network helped me
develop that side.
Q: What do you hope to
glean from your trip to the Middle East in the group study exchange
with The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International?
A: A better understanding of the world outside the United States.
The purpose of Rotary is to promote peace and global understanding,
and I'll be able to come back and touch other people's lives with my
experience.
Q: Trends in Web sites?
A: It's now more affordable and has a wider audience. And many have
shifted to high-speed Internet access, which has been
revolutionary... There's more interaction now, such as blogging,
message boards and chat rooms. When children ask questions now,
their parents say, "Just go Google it." The Internet has become the
information resource that everybody had hoped it would be -- for all
generations. It's not just a Gen X thing. My father will use it for
downloading sheet music or photos of his grandchildren; young people
use it for entertainment and research.
Q: Nelson Mandela said,
"Education is the most powerful weapon. You can use it to change the
world." Agreed?
A: I could not agree more... One ambition I have is an after-school
Web site design program for middle-school kids where they could find
inspiration and, perhaps, some direction.
Q: What's the key to
your success with Byte?
A: I believe it's being passionate in what you do, because that
energy comes through and my clients can see that.
Q: Craziest site you've
developed?
A: In San Jose, I created an automotive portal -- like a Yahoo! for
cars.
Q: So, the darling
silver Honda S2000 you have sitting outside -- do you race it?
A: Yes, at Laguna Seca... It's an adrenaline rush, a challenge. (He
shows me an online link for people with his type car.)
If you would like to
suggest a local personality for the "Quotable Notables" column, you
may contact Susan Cantrell at 646-4423 or write her at the Monterey
County Herald, P.O. Box 271, Monterey 93942.
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You know the kind:
slogging through a miserable job, furtively glancing at the clock,
living for the weekend. They are the workers who, after 30 years,
finally retire from the faceless company that rewards them with a
gold pin. They've got a nice little pension but no idea what to do
with it because if they ever did have a passion, they buried it long
ago with all the scary stuff reserved for dreamers.
We meet at the office of Byte Technology Web site design in Ryan
Ranch in Monterey, where there's a view of the surrounding
oak-studded hillsides. Low has recently moved the business he
founded five years ago, from downtown Monterey to the industrial
park.