In the vibrant city of Chandigarh, Punjab, India, a young boy named Sonny Chabra spent his early days contemplating the possibilities that lay ahead. As the eldest male child, he felt a deep sense of responsibility for his younger brother, Narinder, and two sisters. Sonny took on the personal responsibility of being a family figurehead, ensuring his siblings were always provided for. Fueled by this determination, he dedicated himself to his studies, ultimately achieving a mechanical engineering degree in India. As his family responsibilities continued to grow, he got right to work with Escort Tractors in India.
The job market in India in the late 70s and early 80s were a distant cry from the opportunities to which Sonny aspired. Setting sights westward, he moved to Kuwait where Sonny worked as fleet manager at Kuwait Oil Company (KOC). Coincidentally, after having lived in Iraq, Narinder also moved to Kuwait and worked building bridges as a civil engineer. Sonny remained in Kuwait and Narinder went on to Bahrain. However, the brothers reunited in India where they met and married their wives in 1984. Sonny married Parvinder, and Narinder married Arvind. In 1985, Sonny and Parvinder moved to the United States with a baby on the way. Narinder and Arvind headed to Canada in 1986.
Once stateside, Sonny found a humble apartment in New York, which became the Chabra home. He wasted no time and diligently pursued work, quickly securing a job selling cars. It was an unexpected career move, but a steppingstone toward building a better future. Working in car sales, Sonny honed the foundations of successful selling—building customer relationships, attentive listening, and delivering exceptional service experiences. Sonny boldly staked his claim in creating the life he had only dreamed of and worked tirelessly toward it every single day. However, with another child on the way, Sonny knew it was time for another big change. Drawing upon his knowledge of the American market, engineering, and sales, he took a calculated risk and set his sights on the technology sector.
In 1987, Sonny joined American Mini Computer, a job that truly excited him. The fast-paced B2B market and the high demand for minicomputers ignited his passion and challenged him in new ways. Deal after deal, he excelled and soon became the company's top-performing account executive. Sonny felt on top of the world, but his triumphs were about to be tested. Internal organizational struggles arose in 1990, and there was growing uncertainty around the company’s future. Rather than despairing, Sonny saw an opportunity. He believed in the company so fervently that, despite lacking the financial means and experience in business ownership, he began discussions around buying the business, working it out of debt, and breathing new life into it.
The next call was to his brother, Narinder, who had been living in Canada since 1986. He had completed a masters in engineering and was working as Operations Director for Frontnac Industries in Montreal. Narinder was excited by his brother’s entrepreneurial ideas and carefully considered this new business venture. Together, Sonny and Narinder devised a plan. Narinder and Arvind agreed to move from Canada to New York in 1990, where they shared Sonny's modest apartment, dividing the space with a hanging sheet. Emptying their savings accounts and seeking help from family, friends, and business partners, over time they raised the necessary funds. And slowly the business ownership began to transfer to the Chabra brothers in 1991.
In 1992, Sonny and Narinder Chabra assumed 100% ownership of American Mini Computer. Sonny took on the role of CEO, leading the business, while Narinder became the second-in-command as COO, overseeing operations. Both engineers during the computer boom, it was an exciting time to be in technology. Their first order of business was to redefine their sales focus. Recognizing that the market was shifting towards end-user PC devices, they rebranded as AMC Computer Corporation—a prominent PC VAR.
Assembling a team of top-performing sales professionals, the company quickly became profitable within its first month. Sonny and Narinder took minimal withdrawals, using the funds primarily for rent and food while reinvesting anything they had to pay off the company's legacy debts. By the end of 1992, AMC Computer Corporation boasted $2 million in revenue. Over the next years, they achieved 34 consecutive profitable quarters, reaching a remarkable $125 million in revenue by 2000.
In 2000, as the industry underwent rapid changes, and Sonny & Narinder turned their sights toward services, they made the decision to sell AMC Computer Corporation and its VAR model. They negotiated an agreement to remain on the leadership team for five years. Their timing couldn't have been better. The domino effect of 9.11.01, the end of the dotcom era, and the subsequent recession had similar VARs vanishing overnight. The year after it was sold, AMC's revenue plummeted by over 50%.
It was a time for the Chabra brothers to regroup, reassess their strategy, and consider their next steps. Recognizing that the traditional VAR model was no longer sustainable, Sonny began conceptualizing new emerging IT business services and exploring potential career moves. In 2002, Sonny relocated his family to Long Island, and not long after, Narinder and his family followed suit. In fact, they lived next door to each other for the next ten years, creating a close-knit family upbringing reminiscent of their own childhood in India.
In 2005, Sonny and Narinder concluded their agreement with AMC and embarked on a new business venture centered around providing IT services and solutions: ASI System Integration, Inc.
