Ten years ago today, Jeffrey Nesbitt founded Marshall Security LLC, now known as MSI Security. Taking the leap many talk about, and enduring the struggles many do not, Jeff and MSI Security have grown into a prominent leader in the private security industry in the state of Indiana.

With nearly 25 years of security experience, and a decade owning and operating MSI, Jeff Nesbitt’s industry knowledge runs deep. So, to truly understand MSI’s story, we must start before it existed.

At 22 years old, Jeff stood at a crossroads familiar to many young adults. While his path wasn’t fully clear, his purpose was: helping others. That mission led him to the United States Coast Guard, where he served in Search & Rescue and Law Enforcement operations.

Over nine years, Jeff worked in a variety of maritime safety and law enforcement capacities before exiting the service in 2006.

After returning to his home state of Colorado, Jeff enrolled in Colorado Mesa University’s graduate peace officer academy, putting him on track toward a career in law enforcement. Life, however, had another plan.

That plan ultimately brought him to Indiana, where he balanced pursuing a degree in Criminal Justice with part-time work as a bailiff. To supplement his income, he picked up a security officer role paying just $10 an hour. Anxious to create a better life for his young family, Jeff took a leap toward controlling his own future and founded MSI in 2016.

That leap, like many small business owners discover, landed him in the deep end of business ownership. The company scrapped together $17,000 in the first year, despite hungry efforts that included door-to-door sales and sleepless nights. Jeff discovered that the security industry was built on long-term contracts, and to get some of his own, he’d have to knock on new, untouched doors.

Rather than marking the year as a failure, Jeff treated it as a stepping stone. His persistence paid off soon after when he landed a contract with an apartment complex requiring oversight on a yearlong maintenance project. This victory grew the company to 25 team members and allowed Jeff to reinvest by purchasing much-needed vehicles and equipment.

And move forward he did. Jeff continued to leverage his experience while gaining new insight, building the foundation of the company we see today.  One of the most fundamental maxims to emerge was to build relationships, not transactions.

Many of these early relationships—such as the apartment complex mentioned earlier—remain strong today, exemplifying the commitment of both MSI and its clients. Read more about MSI’s commitment to the community in next week’s post on MSI’s Community Impact.