Hartford Business Journal

HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | AUGUST 11, 2025 21 FOCUS | PRIVATELY - HELD COMPANIES He spent his last two years of high school in Newington. He paid his way through Manchester Community College, then Central Connecticut State University. He holds associate, bachelor's and master's degrees in computer and IT services. At 18, Barros worked for Best Buy's "Geek Squad" tech support arm. Two years later, he joined East Hartford component and tooling manufacturer HORST Engineering, providing tech- nical and IT support. As Barros transferred to Central Connecticut State University as a junior, he also launched a one-man IT services and support business, KB IT — short for Kevin Barros Information Technology. Clients paid "a few hundred dollars" for a college kid to perform IT tasks that otherwise would cost many times more, Barros recalled. That extra cash, plus his HORST salary covered tuition, rent and other bills. "It was my way not to take out student debt and start saving for a house," Barros said. "I did it for pennies on the dollar, not that I knew it back then." Barros landed his first clients through HORST. Heads of other companies would visit to see the latest innovations, then enlisted Barros — with his boss' blessing — to help them upgrade their own technology. Many of these owners and execu- tives became strong mentors. While they didn't know computers as well as Barros, they offered lessons on finance, hiring, contracts and other aspects of business. After a 17-month stint at ESPN, Barros in 2013 went to work for The Computer Co. as a data center manager. He kept KB IT going and grew its book of business by acquiring another company in 2017. By 2019, Barros was working 100-hour weeks and something had to give. Either he was going to have to give up his side business, or commit to it fully. As fate would have it, Barros' boss at The Computer Co. was looking to retire. Barros ended up buying the company in July 2020. At 33, he was in charge of 12 employees. "I said this is perfect, I know the company, I know the employees, you are looking to retire — we can make this work," Barros said. Today, The Computer Co. has more than 300 clients, including medical offices, law firms, manufacturers, nonprofits and others. It provides services ranging from computer repair and cybersecurity to security compliance and website design. A large share of Barros' planned investment in the Glastonbury office will fund a new cloud-based data storage center for clients. "We joke that we have a client in every industry," Barros said. "Every- body wants security. The way you secure a law firm is the same way you protect manufacturers." Standing out Barros has been an enthusiastic marketer in pursuit of growth. His strategy has included making cold calls, attending professional events and offering in-office workshops for existing and prospective clients. He recently added a full-time marketer and is leaning into social media — sometimes with lighthearted skits carrying a cybersecurity message. The new location will include a media production office. "We want to have costumes and props," Barros said. "We want to take it to the extreme. A lot of our competitors have podcasts, but you can't make waves if you are following the crowd. You have to stand out." Kevin Barros inside the Glastonbury office building that will be the new home of his growing IT services firm, The Computer Co. HBJ Photo | Michael Puffer In order to maintain the integrity of City parks and provide a safe experience for residents and visitors, the City Council has approved a change to municipal ordinance to allow for the HPA to enforce parking regulations within City parks, open spaces, and green spaces, including a citation for unauthorized vehicles parking on the grass. Learn more at www.hartfordparking.com CITY OF HARTFORD Parking Authority Municipal Code Update

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