Meet Ken Carnesi of Anaptyx in Watertown

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ken Carnesi.

Ken, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Sure – I attended Boston College. While attending college, I had an internship turned job at Prudential Equity Group in Institutional Equity Sales and Trading. One day we came into work and the entire division of the company was shut down without warning. We were all out of jobs.

Luckily, I had been working on a side project, where I installed a wireless router on the roof of my apartment building and began selling internet for several blocks nearby. I got a few dozen customers, and the next summer when I applied for an internship at Wachovia I attracted the attention of my boss. I got the internship, but ended up quitting (and so did he).

We started the company in 2007 with $2,500 each. Our first major project was for the City of Boston. I somehow got introduced to Mayor Menino’s newly formed innovation office. I was asked to make a proposal to provide wi-fi to a one square mile area of Dorchester. I created the proposal and presented it with a few of my friends from college (who also couldn’t find a worthwhile job). We didn’t know what we were doing, but we got the job. We delivered, and then we also got a job to provide Wi-Fi to Harvard Square, the RFK Greenway, Boston Common.

Later that year we participated in the Cupid’s Cup business competition at University of Maryland Smith School (where my co-founder was getting his MBA). We won, and we got some money from Kevin Plank (Owner of Underarmour). From there, the rest was history.

I ended up splitting up with my partner in 2011 or 2012 and acquired a failing wireless ISP in South Carolina. Long story short, in 4-5 years I turned it from a business losing ten or twenty thousand per month into a successful business employing about 10 people and bringing in several million per year. We now operate about 150 networks. We deploy large wi-fi networks for resorts/hotels and Government. Our revenue is split almost 50/50 between the resorts and about one dozen County and Federal contracts for the likes of the US Army and Navy.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Absolutely not – even five or six years ago I literally had to borrow money from my Mom to make the rent one month.

I have had literally every imaginable roadblock around the way and have had to learn the business inside and out. You can imagine that a small startup business coming fresh out of Boston College in the middle of the worst recession in recent history was not easy to do.

However, it certainly beats the alternative – searching for and working at a job that I hate (much like what a lot of my friends had to do). I always took pride in the fact that I created value and jobs for my Country rather than profit merely off others ideas.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Anaptyx – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
We build large-scale wi-fi networks for Government and resorts/hotels. I think what’s set us apart is our attention to detail and our ability to be upfront. fair and deliver consistently. We are a hard-working group and I don’t believe it goes unnoticed.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
We have been rapidly expanding with regards to the procurement of Federal contracts. We see this as the next area of expansion for Anaptyx. It’s very easy to compete against the large businesses who rip off our Government.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.anaptyx.com
• Phone: 800.454.5202
• Email: sales@anaptyx.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Anaptyx/

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