TMO Background Mode Interview with Other World Computing Founder Larry O’Connor
Larry O’Connor is the founder and CEO of Other World Computing. Also known as MacSales, it’s one of the most respected suppliers of Apple product upgrades and accessories. OWC started when Larry was in high school. Frustrated with the high prices of Apple II memory expansion, he found his own source and started selling on-line. His small company just kept growing. As growth continued, Larry resisted controlling partners or buyouts and stayed true to his vision: create a profitable, fun place to work for his employees, and take great care of his customers. I asked Larry about the challenges of managing a modern company with hundreds of employees. We also chatted about his concern that Apple has steered away from easily upgradable Macs. If you’ve thought about starting your own company, this episode is a must.
Show Notes
My Background Mode interview with Larry O'Connor
- Larry on Twitter.
- His company: MacSales.
- Rocket Yard — The MacSales tech blog.
- OWC Digital.
- TMO feature story: The Making of Other World Computing (2008).
- Support TMO when you buy your Apple gear from Apple.
- The story of my Background Mode podcast.
- TMO Background Mode Twitter feed.
- Archive of all Background Mode Shows.
- Background Mode at iTunes.
- Send your comments to [email protected] or [email protected]
Larry in his office in Austin, TX[/caption]
I’ll vouch for the “take great care of customers” part. I have only had two issues with all the hardware I’ve bought from OWC over the decades, one DOA RAM module and one replacement battery that swelled up inside my iPod. In the first case they sent me an advance exchange replacement and in the second case they refunded my money and gave me a very fair “weregild” for my dead iPod; in both cases there was zero hassle. It’s easy to have good customer service when things are going smoothly; my loyalty to a business is cemented when there are problems and they are handled well! I look forward to buying external hardware from OWC for a long time to come, even as Apple makes it impossible for a mid-range user like me to replace internal hardware any more.