Young Millionaires

By Talicia A. Flint

When David Delgado and David Wirig decided to leave their sales jobs in search of new challenges and start their own medical equipment company in February 1997, they expected an easy transition. But when their Minneapolis company, Medical Solutions Inc., suffered a loss of $12,000 the first year, it was time for a reality check.

"There was a lot of trial and error, and educating ourselves created a longer learning curve," explains Delgado, who admits he and Wirig knew nothing about medical equipment when they started.

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Profit margins were slim due to market competition and the high cost of selling new equipment, and doubt was beginning to creep in when inspiration struck. One customer, after purchasing a new EKG machine, wanted to sell his old machine to Medical Solutions. Delgado and Wirig seized on the idea, cleaned and tested the used machine, and resold it for more than 10 times their initial investment.

After that, sales increased in 1999 to $1.1 million, and 2000 projections are at $1.9 million, with plans to expand into hospital, dental and veterinarian markets. And the best part about running their own business? Says Wirig, "We get to golf on Fridays."

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