Meet John Wannamaker | President of 8Thirty Electric, Inc.

We had the good fortune of connecting with John Wannamaker and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi John, how do you think about risk?
Everything in life is a risk; driving, walking down the street, cooking, riding a bike, shopping in a store, or sitting on a park bench. If we focus on what could go wrong, we give life to that thought, but if we stay focused on the goal, we can usually attain what we are looking for.

All my life, I’ve been a risk taker. I think measured risks are acceptable for the pursuit of an expected end. If the risk can take your freedom, or force you to lose your life, that’s not a risk I want to take, but as an electrical contractor with 8Thirty Electric, Inc. we take electrical risks with the knowledge of what can go wrong and how to safely do what we want to know.

Knowledge circumvents risk. Risk can be minimized considerably with the right knowledge, so if you are focusing on the risk of a career, or life, focus on getting to know all there is to know about that career – to minimize or even eliminate the risk.

What should our readers know about your business?
8Thirty Electric was born out of the pandemic. I was working as an electrical contractor for a big company rebuilding a large Atlanta based hospital, but I wasn’t making much money. I’ve been a serial entrepreneur since the age of 14 and I know I could take my skills and start a business that was essential. After talking with my wife and my aunt, I made the decision and took the leap of faith.

During Covid-19 it was not popular to be an electrical contractor for residential and commercial in the city of Johns Creek, Georgia where we lived. I didn’t see any of the big electrical company trucks in my neighborhood and we started very simple by posting a note in the Next Door app that an electrician was available to help homeowners around their homes.

This leap of faith was not easy but it was worth it. Far too many times, we hold ourselves back from starting that next chapter of our lives because of fear. Not fear of what to do, but fear of what happens if it doesn’t work.

I heard something once that said, 9 out of 10 businesses fail, so be sure to start 10 businesses.

Also, there is nothing that beats a fail but a try.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We love the cities that make up what is called Atlanta, Georgia. If I could take friends, colleagues and others around, I would love for us to visit Papa’s and Beer in Roswell for brunch, lunch or dinner. Also, Rumi’s in Avalon is a great place for dinner any day of the week. For drinks, and seafood I would choose Juicy Crab off Pleasant hill Road. All of these places are exciting in their own way.

Other people places we like are Change Church, every Sunday. It’s an experience that will change your perception.

Lastly, we love Blaze Steak and Seafood, District III for Pho, and Lenox mall for shopping. We’re still exploring the city and taking suggestions for great places to visit and revisit.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I will forever be indebted to my parents (John and Marilyn Wannamaker) who taught me to be witty, smart, determined and aggressive. They taught me to care about my family and make friends. My Uncle Don was a master electrician and he was pivotal in helping me think inside and outside of the box to tackle technical topics from fixing cars, building science projects and fixing bikes. Lastly, it is my grandmother who instilled in me, my love of walking with God.

Website: www.8thirtyelectric.com

Instagram: instagram.com/8thirtyelectric

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/8thirtyelectric

Twitter: twitter.com/8thirtyelectric

Facebook: facebook.com/8thirtyelectric

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/8thirty-electric-johns-creek-2

Image Credits
John Wannamaker