Meet Erik Ocheltree of I Global Asset Management in LA County

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erik Ocheltree.

Erik, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I Global was started in 2009 by a friend and I. We entered into the eCommerce industry initially as an office equipment supplier selling products online. After about 4 years, the market had become very saturated and competitive. At this point, we had to decide whether to close up shop or make a big transition. We opted for the latter. At this point, the friend who started the company with me had finished his masters and was offered a teaching position which he took. I spent countless hours researching expanding markets in the US and found few interesting changes across the country. The first being that there was growing need for the disposal of old electronic equipment. This exponential excess of electronics was growing across every industry as nearly every business now requires some type of electronic equipment from computers and servers to much more advanced machinery. The industry that showed the most potential was healthcare. The US has an ever expanding need for hospitals and medical integrated labs and coincidentally there were no companies at the time addressing this issue. So in 2013, I rewrote the business plan to direct our efforts to managing assets for these companies. The owner at the time agreed with my vision at which point we reincorporated and I took over operations of the company. We re-branded our entire image and company structure. I spent countless hours studying the inner-workings of these large hospital and lab chains as well as the equipment they use. We upgraded to a much larger facility and became certified by the state as a certified electronics recycler as well as receiving our certifications from the EPA and the department of toxic substance control. With our certifications and new plan, we began approaching large hospitals and labs. As we acquired large, legitimate clientele the ball started rolling downhill. We began to offer top to bottom asset management services for these industries. This includes asset disposition (remarketing and resale of their old equipment which still retained value), electronic waste recycling, data destruction, and product destruction. Our main goal is to help labs and hospitals stay HIPAA compliant, safely dispose of hazardous electronics and increase their ROI. We had found not only that we were helping these large organizations here but we were connected with doctors and hospitals worldwide who did not have the budget or the same access to medical equipment. We currently now service hundreds of hospitals, labs, and corporations all across the US managing their excess equipment by providing them environmentally safe alternatives to disposing of old electronics as well getting them a return on other equipment. We have also donated lots of equipment and supplies to clinics all across the globe giving better healthcare options to those who never had it available.

Has it been a smooth road?
The biggest road bump came in 2013 which was transitioning from an office equipment dealer to managing assets for some of the largest health chains in the world. We were feeling discouraged from tight margins and daily struggle to keep our heads above water. We had decided to enter into an industry that I had no experience in but we knew a market existed there. There were many sleepless nights and even more cups of coffee as I learned as much as I could about hospital’s corporate structure and internal workings. Beyond that, I had to become highly familiarized with all different types of medical, surgical and lab equipment they were using as well as all rules & regulations to be able to speak their language.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with I Global Asset Management – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I Global Asset Management specializes in asset management and HIPAA compliance for hospitals, labs, and medical equipment manufacturers nationwide. Our services range from certified disposal of old electronics that no longer work or have value in the current market place. We safely dismantle and recycle these electronics which are down-streamed to companies in the US. In an effort to increase our customers ROI, we offer consignment and asset disposition services which includes the refurbishing and resale of their working equipment that still holds value in a used equipment market. We offer certified data destruction on hard drives, cell phones, and any device that may contain privileged customer/client information. Finally, we offer product destruction on FDA recalled on items or old equipment that our customer does not want re-released into the used market. What we are most proud of is being able to work with doctors, hospitals, and clinics worldwide by giving them access to equipment they would have no opportunity to acquire or use. We estimate that nearly 20% of the medical we sell or donate leaves the country providing people around the globe access to modern equipment and supplies. As far as we know, we are the only company currently operating that offers a suite of tailored services the healthcare industry.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
What we like best about being located in Los Angeles is we are centrally located to a very large population of people who are in need of our services because the industry here is large and ever growing. We work with everyone from small private practice doctors who are on tight budgets all the way to the largest health chains in the world.

As far as what I like least, it’s hard to come up with a reasoning. We live in one of the most beautiful places in the world with fantastic weather. The city is a melting pot of people from all over the world and all walks of life. Our company employee people from many different countries as well military veterans. We are proud to be a company that exemplifies the diversity represented in the city of LA.

Contact Info:

• Address: I Global Asset Management
  1291 N Sunshine Way
  Anaheim, CA 92806
• Website: www.igAssetManagement.com
• Phone: 800-332-6615
• Email: info@igassetmanagement.com
• Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/company/i-global-asset-management
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/igassetmanagement/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/iglobal_itam?lang=en
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/i-global-asset-management-anaheim-4
• Other: https://www.dotmed.com/virtual-trade-show/booth/134590_I_Global_Services,_Inc

Image Credit:
James Saras
Erik Ocheltree

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