How I Got Started in the Microscope Business
By Chad Potts | Microscope Marketplace
If you had told me back in 2010 that I’d spend the next 15 years building a company around microscopes, I would’ve laughed and told you no way. At the time, I had my sights set on being an investment banker. I was working as a bank teller at Four Oaks Bank and picking up shifts in my family’s restaurant, always juggling at least two jobs. The microscope business was nowhere on my radar.
But life has a funny way of steering you down unexpected roads.
The Minimal Deposits That Changed Everything
My stepdad, Scott Munday, and my mom, Terri Munday, had started a little business called Munday Scientific. My mom, a histologist (that’s a lab professional who studies the microscopic structure of tissues—so microscopes were naturally part of her world), helped with the books whenever she could. Scott was running service calls solo.
I still remember them driving through my teller line at the bank, dropping off what I jokingly call very minimal deposits from their early days. One day, Scott leaned out and said, “Hey man, I need some help with this microscope business.”
At first, my answer was simple: Hell no. I wanted to sell financial services, not fiddly lab equipment. But Scott kept asking, and eventually—after a couple of passed-over promotions at the bank—I thought, “Why not? I’ll give it a try a couple of days a week.”
The Early Days: A Garage, a Bedroom, and a Big Idea
So, at the tail end of 2010 and into early 2011, I joined Scott. The “office” was a spare bedroom. The “warehouse” was a single-car garage. My mornings started at 4 a.m. baking cakes for the restaurant (something I’d done since high school), then I’d squeeze in a workout, shower, and head out on microscope service calls with Scott.
We were mostly hitting UNC, Duke, NC State, and a handful of clients in Research Triangle Park. Sometimes, service took us as far as Charleston, South Carolina, or the mountains of North Carolina. It was scrappy, exhausting, and definitely not glamorous—but it was a start.
I spent afternoons working on QuickBooks, filing, and dabbling in online marketing. I’d always had an interest in marketing, and eBay became our first real sales platform. I still remember the rush of selling something for $50 or $100 and high-fiving Scott so hard we nearly broke skin.
From Garage to Growth
In time, two days a week turned into three, then four. We built a garage apartment—1,800 square feet with the office and warehouse downstairs. My brother Walker helped after school. Our first official employee, Brandon Maness, joined the team. Soon, my cousin Alex and brother-in-law Cody came on board.
We kept growing, building another warehouse in between the house and the shop. UPS, FedEx, DHL, and postal trucks were arriving daily. Tractor trailers rolled up with loads of microscopes. It was clear: the farm could no longer contain us.
Moving Into Lee Avenue
In 2020, right in the middle of COVID, we bought our first real building: 2800 Lee Avenue, the old Nissan dealership in Sanford. We gutted it, renovated it, and finally had a professional space to house our growing company. That’s when we launched Microscope Marketplace, the site you’re reading this on today.
The Team Behind the Mission
Along the way, we’ve built an incredible team. People like:
- Danny Duncan of Triangle Instruments, one of the best microscope repairmen in the country, who merged with us in 2017.
- Maria Morales, Melissa Tate, Michael Bos, and many more who bring their skills and passion every day.
- Industry partners like Mike Phillips at Spectra Services, Bobby Martin at Martin Microscope, Dewey Rainey at Southern Microscope, and Brian Taub up north at Accu-Scope / Unitron.
- Mentors like John Oren at Vermont Optics, who influenced Scott early on.
We’ve also achieved authorized service status with Olympus and Nikon, further cementing our reputation as trusted service providers.
Where We Are Today
It’s now 2025. I’m still up before dawn baking cakes at the family restaurant. I still get my workouts in. And I still pour my energy into building this company alongside an amazing team and with the full support of my wife, Samantha.
What started in a bedroom and a garage has become one of the largest refurbished microscope inventories in the country. We’ve gone from making minimal deposits to serving customers worldwide.
Final Thoughts
My journey into the microscope business wasn’t planned, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It’s been built on family, persistence, teamwork, and a whole lot of high-fives over small victories.
This industry is special—not just because of the equipment, but because of the people. And we’re not done yet.
Here’s to the next chapter of Microscope Marketplace and Munday Scientific.
— Chad Potts