UNCONVENTIONAL GEEK

A marriage of talents and experience

by John Downs, Sr.

Shawn and Tamara Collins have combined their many talents and experience to form their new company.

Imagine this: two young people searching for their own identities.

After Tamara Watson graduated from high school in Wakefield, Rhode Island, she worked for four years as a legal secretary, with her eye on becoming, first, a paralegal and, ultimately, an attorney. When the legal partners dissolved their firm, Tamara decided to join the Navy in order to eventually have the money to continue her education. That decision, in 1986, would turn into a 24-year career that took her around the world  and involved her in high-level technology and communications, deciphering and protecting classified information for the Navy and our country.

Half way across the country, in Cleveland, Ohio, Shawn Collins was embarking on the earliest stages of what would become his own successful career.

As a young teen, he was already nurturing a fascination with the developing world of computers. As fate sometimes dictates, a forward-thinking librarian at Shawn’s middle school recognized his talent and encouraged him to continue with his passion for computers.

His parents bought him his first computer.

“It was an Altair,” Shawn recalls fondly. “It came as a kit and I was in heaven putting it together with my dad. To be honest, it bore no resemblance whatsoever to today’s models, but at the time it was state-of-the art for a home computer. I learned later that a young computer whiz had written software for it. His name was Bill Gates.”

Shawn’s identity was now beginning to blossom. He was a “geek” and he could not have been happier.

Fast forward to 2002. The locale was the Cocoa Beach area of Florida, and Shawn and Tamara were out on the town one night with their own individual friends.

“I was in town for a training course,” Tamara remembers. “Shawn and I met totally by accident but our relationship really took off. Six months later he packed up his website development business and moved to Virginia to be with me.”

“I knew Tamara and I had something special and I didn’t want to lose it,” Shawn adds, gazing fondly at his wife.

They married on January 8, 2005.

The formation of Unconventional Geek seemed to come about as naturally their relationship and marriage.

“Shawn knows as much about computer technology as anyone I’ve ever known. He was in on the ground floor when today’s computers were being developed and he has remained on top of all the latest technology,” Tamara says with admiration.

“Tamara’s no slouch when it comes to computers either,” Shawn says, sharing the credit. “She has an IT background and has worked on some of the most sophisticated computers in the world. She also has a Bachelor’s of Science in Management and Administration, great business sense and has developed the guidelines under which Unconventional Geek operates. Like our marriage, we really are a team in business also.”

Those guidelines form a firm foundation for this fledgling business. As computers are now a necessity and a vital part of our personal and professional lives, the need for a competent, affordable and friendly company to assist both the seasoned user and the novice is greater than ever.

“We really are a full service company when it comes to computers, software, networking, and troubleshooting,” Tamara explains. “But with Unconventional Geek, there is one big difference: our approach to customer service. As a new company, we certainly want to succeed. We know we must rely on satisfied customers and their referrals and recommendations.

“He was very professional and I was impressed with his knowledge and work ethic.  The problem was fixed in a very short time and the fee was
very reasonable. I would definitely
recommend Unconventional Geek.”

— Client Robert Frost

“At this stage, turning a profit is secondary. Right now, Shawn and I are emphasizing the building of our customer base. We are going to do that by offering exceptional service at very reasonable rates. And earning the trust of our customers.”

Robert Frost, a machinist with United States Gypsum, is one of many clients whose trust has already been earned. Robert suffered one of the most common and frustrating computer problems — an attack by a virus.

"Shawn immediately identified the problem and came out and fixed it. He was very professional and I was impressed with his knowledge and work ethic,” he says. “The problem was fixed in a very short time and the fee was very reasonable. I would definitely recommend Unconventional Geek. In fact, I have already passed around a number of their business cards to my friends and co-workers."

Unconventional Geek might seem to be an unusual but memorable name. The expertise and experience, however, of its owners is solid and extensive.

Tamara looks back on an expansive career of achievement and honors in the Navy.

She served aboard the guided missile cruiser USS Normandy on which she was  the first  female sailor to be transitioned into the Chief Petty Officer ranks and also the first woman on that ship to earn the Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist Designation.

Throughout her career she served under the direction of the National Security Agency/Central Security Service (NSA/CSS) and the Naval Network Warfare Command.

She was designated Cryptologic Technician of the Year, and other honors include the Navy Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal and the Marine Corps Achievement Medal.

Shawn  also has an impressive listing of professional credentials. He is a Microsoft Certified Professional, a Microsoft Certified Solutions Provider, and a member of the Microsoft Partner Network. He also holds A+ certifications in every aspect of PCs including a number of other IT certifications.

Shawn and Tamara have four sons, Nolan, Austin, Ryan and Connor. Their busy household also includes two dogs — a Bavarian Bear Rottweiler and a German Shepherd —  and a gray tabby cat.

“We’re so excited to be starting this business of our own, to be expanding our partnership in life,” Shawn says.

“And,” Tamara concludes, “to establish ourselves as the ‘go-to’ company for superior, affordable computer service.”