American Document Services: Rick Jackson’s Second Career in Storage and Destruction

Originally published 2021. Company details and product names reflect the business and the O'Neil platform as of that date.

Rick Jackson retired from the Army after twenty-five years as a Post Sergeant Major at White Sands Missile Range, went into banking to run document destruction, and discovered he wanted to run his own business instead.

American Document Services now holds around 150,000 containers for more than 1,750 customers across southern New Mexico. The split is roughly seventy per cent storage, thirty per cent destruction — and the destruction side is growing faster.

After a 25-year career in the Army, rising to the rank of Post Sergeant Major at White Sands Missile Range, Richard "Rick" Jackson retired from the military. He then began a career in the banking industry, in charge of document destruction, where he discovered his true passion - entrepreneurship. His vision and expertise, in dealing with high security issues in both the military and the banking business, became the foundation for his new venture - American Document Services.

ADS is a family-operated business, located in Las Cruces, New Mexico and stores office records and tapes. Additionally, the facility provides customer information security, document destruction and the imaging/scanning of historical and current business information.

ADS was founded in 2001. It stores approximately 150,000 containers and has over 1750 customers throughout southern New Mexico. Additionally, ADS is expanding now by adding franchises in Albuquerque, Richmond, VA., Houston and Phoenix.

"We're about 70% storage and 30% destruction, but that fluctuates. We're on our way to destroying 2 million pounds of paper this year, up from 1.5 million last year and everything we destroy we recycle."

Rick Jackson, American Document Services

Not only has Rick Jackson grown his company from a startup in 2001 to 18 employees, he also employs individuals from Tresco, Inc., a nonprofit company that works with people with developmental delay and disabilities.

He has also been selected by DACC SBDC as its "Star Client" for four years, and was also named the 2015 New Mexico Small Business Person of the Year by the Small Business Development Centers. Then he went on to be one of only six finalists for the Business Person of the Year Award, selected from throughout the nation for their superior business and leadership skills. This was presented May 8th, 2015 by the U.S. Small Business Administration and so he was invited to a ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Starting in an industry he did not know

Two things Rick carried out of the Army turned out to matter more than the rest.

The first was asking for help early rather than late — which mattered, because he started ADS knowing almost nothing about the business he was entering.

The second was an assumption that a small, well-drilled team can outperform a much larger and better-resourced one. ADS runs on eighteen people.

"Starting a business was difficult and I had no real knowledge of what was involved in being responsible for critical documents belonging to someone else. I also didn't know how to sell my records information management (RIM) services, or what I needed to offer," Rick explains." He continues: "So I started by researching numerous companies that provided record management software. O'Neil had everything I needed and more. Their training, customer service and technical support were outstanding."

"They walked me through the software; showed me what it could do; and were patient and took the time to listen and understand. Then they proceeded to assist and would stay with me until I felt comfortable. Lastly, when a change was needed, they would find a way to implement my request, or show me how their software already provided the support that I needed."

Rick notes: "I purchased another record center in 2008, that was using a competitor's software. After working with that technology, it was obvious that O'Neil was the leader in record management software and I had made the right decision choosing them. They worked to import the information I needed and made it seamless to the customer and our front office."

What he tells people starting out

Rick's advice to people starting their small business?

"Make sure whatever you want to do is something that is beneficial, a service and is needed. Provide excellent customer service, follow up on your promises and if you are doing well, don't forget where you came from and who got you where you are."

He concludes: "I wouldn't be where I am today without family support (three of his children are working with him), great technology and I also credit my customers for helping me improve. So no matter where you are in your business venture, above all - value the journey."