Bolt-On Wireless Provides Solutions for Chicago Businesses, Not Just Cell Phones

Stephen Bolton, the owner of Bolt-On Wireless, took his 20 years of retail experience and his U.S. Navy discipline into consideration to own his own company. Instead of retiring under someone else's name, he branched off with his expertise into early retirement from AT&T and shared his secrets to owning a business with AC Source Writer Shamontiel about what makes Bolt-On Wireless different than the rest of the Chicago cell phone company retail sellers.

Shamontiel Vaughn: Is Bolt-On Wireless a play on your last name Bolton, and why is there a hyphen between it?

Stephen Bolton: "Bolt-On" is wireless jargon. Basically it means add-on sales. I worked for AT&T, and during my time as a manager with AT&T, we would have sales meetings. In those sales meetings, people would get recognition, and one of the categories that we would give recognition in was "bolt-on," meaning features-text messaging packages, Internet plans. During my 10 years there as a manager, I generally would win or be recognized as one of the top one or two managers in performance in bolt-on sales. It was a running joke with the other managers to call me "Stephen Bolt-On" instead of "Stephen Bolton," so years later when I went into business for myself, I was trying to think of names for my company and I reflected back on my days of being called "The King of Bolt-On."

SV: Tell me a little bit about your background.

SB: I'm 37. I went to Morgan Park High School and graduated in 1990. I'm a Chicago native born and raised. I've been working in retail for quite some time-in high school at Foot Locker® as a part-time stock boy from '88 to '90. I then left and went to the U.S. Navy. And during that time we went to Poppa Bush's War, the Persian Gulf War from '90 to '92. After that I went back to Foot Locker® to become a full-time sales person and eventually a store manager. I've got a combined 20 years in retail experience and 16 years in management from Foot Locker® and then AT&T. I worked at AT&T from '99 to '05.

SV: What happened after '05?

SB: I went into business for myself. I started Bolt-On Wireless and went into early retirement from AT&T. (Bolt-On) started as a partnership in East Indiana at 3930 Main Street. That location is still there, and I just recently started this location in Chicago...in May of this year.

SV: You went from working at a cell phone company to owning one. What made you want to make that transition?

SB: After spending so many years with an organization and after getting all your plaques and certificates, you get to a point where it's hard to stay motivated. I wanted a bigger challenge. I wanted to take myself to the next income bracket, and you'll never get wealthy working for someone. That's my opinion.

SV: What made you pick this location after you left Indiana?

SB: I wanted to come into the city. I'm from Chicago, and a lot of people...my networking base...who would support my business wouldn't support it all the way in Indiana. You've got to pass I don't know how many cell phone companies before you get all the way to East Chicago, Indiana. I saw a rental sign for this location, and I'd inquired about several locations, and this one being on 95^th street, a very heavily traveled (area) down the street from Evergreen Plaza, I figured this would be the best location for it.

SV: What separates you from other cell phone companies, specifically the major markets?

SB: Bolt-On Wireless is not just a traditional cell phone company. If you look at my competitors, you would compare me to the ABCs, the 123 Wireless, the Platinum Wireless, those are some of the large players. What we do outside of the obvious at Bolt-On Wireless outside of the obvious selling cell phones, we are a solutions-based company. We actually go out and prospect businesses outside of the retail store. We do an analysis of how to operate their business more cost effective or sometimes more time effective. I'll give you an example. I had a construction company on a remote site. They had an issue with connectivity to the Internet. By it being a remote site, there was no AT&T, no Comcast, no WOW! By them needing the Internet, they had to come up with a wireless solution. They had two choices-one to pay AT&T an excess of $8,000 for hardwire technology to that trailer, which was a short-time project and not cost effective for their company. Bolt-On Wireless came in, did an analysis, and we came up with a solution with an AirCard®, like the one you would use in a laptop in conjunction with a router, which provided Internet service for one desktop and five laptops inside of this trailer. And the only upfront cost was about $150, and then they have a $59 a month bill. That's just on example.

SV: Is your service nationwide or local?

SB: I carry multiple carriers and plans. For that example, we used Sprint® Nextel.

SV: So you get commission based off other cell phone companies?

SB: I'm an authorized dealer of Boost® and Sprint®. I don't control towers and reception. But with that company (in the earlier example), prior to putting that solution in, I tested the connectivity in that area and made sure Sprint® had adequate service in the area that they needed it.

SV: In regard to discounts, you have some that maybe another major market doesn't have?

SB: I have the ability to provide every product that Sprint® Nextel sells so basically the difference between me and Sprint® Nextel is I can set my own prices. Generally I will offer on average $25 to $50 cheaper than Sprint® Nextel's Web site. It helps the company as a whole, but I compete with other retail stores.

SV: What are your specials now?

SB: I have a special with Boost Mobile® now where you get a free accessory with the purchase of any Boost Mobile® phone. You also get a free ringtone with any Boost Mobile® payment. With Sprint®, I have a $30 cash-back offer that expires in the month of October. And with Boost Mobile® if you make your payments at my location or at BoltonWireless.com, every fifth payment, I give a $15 discount. On the Web site, the only form of payment is PayPal (and we take credit card payments through PayPal). However, in store, you can use charge as well as cash. We take all major credit cards.

SV: What's going to be in your back room?

SB: In my back room, I plan on having an Internet café. I want to have desktop computers and Wifi, which will be free. I'll have a healthy meal of deli style food. That should be there by early 2010.