The following is an excerpt from a conversation with Mark Busby, principal auctioneer and founder of BidTender Auctions in Fairfax, VA

How Did You First Get into Auctions?

“Growing up as a young teen (mid 1980s) my parents would take me to The Eyler Stables in Thurmont, MD for their monthly Friday Night Horse & Tack Auction. It was my first exposure to auctions, and it quickly became one of my favorite things to do. It was wonderful place to buy a horse, farm equipment, a good truck, or just to hang out. When I was 16 years old, buying saddles, tack, and other cool things at Eyler, then reselling them locally was part of how I paid for my first car. And I’ve been buying and selling at one auction or another, ever since. Eventually, much later in life, I decided to start building my own auction company. And I still get just as excited about a cool auction today, as I did 40 years ago. Where else can you find the unique energy, excitement, and anticipation of a busy, well-run auction? It’s addictive. I attend every one I can… doesn’t matter to me what they’re selling, you just gotta love a good auction.”

You Sell a Lot of Restaurant Equipment at Auction… How Did You Get Involved with the Restaurant Industry?

“I’ve been involved with restaurants in some form, since I was a kid. I spent the youngest part of my childhood hanging around my father’s restaurants, and I ate more than my fair share of pancakes at his IHOP in Wheaton, MD. Then, while going to college in Northern Virginia, I worked as a server and bartender with some very recognizable concepts around DC. Eventually though, I found myself joining the Army at the recruiter’s office in Frederick, MD. But even in the Army I moonlighted at as a bartender whenever I was stationed state-side. Eventually I left the Army (I still miss it), and also the restaurant industry… got into real estate and new home sales in Northern Virginia. I enjoyed real estate very much, but got bit by the restaurant bug again, and ended up opened two of my own. There are two things in life that always have a way of roping me in… restaurants and auctions. But I wouldn’t have it any other way; I have reverence for both industries.”

Why Did You Choose Northern Virginia?

“I love it here, and it’s pretty much where I grew up. I was born in DC and spent my youngest days in Laurel, MD, but then my family moved to Lovettsville, VA. I went to middle and high school in Purcellville, and lived in Lovettsville up until the day I joined the Army. Though that was a long time ago… back when most of Northern Virginia was a corn field… especially Ashburn. I remember when Ashburn centered around the old Partlow Brothers store, and not much else. It was a wonderful part of NOVA. Thankfully, the building is still there… but now it’s a fabulous BBQ place (Carolina Brothers Pit Barbeque), and if you haven’t tried them, I highly recommend you do… they’re masters of their craft.”

“I absolutely loved growing up in Northern Virginia… the people were (and still are) wonderful… salt-of-the earth. My first job ever, and still one of my favorites, was working as a farmhand on Loudoun Valley Farms, a quarter-horse farm in Purcellville. It’s where I learned to appreciate the discipline of hard physical work. There’s nothing like throwing hay bales in a 120-degree barn full of wasps and bumble bees; it taught me a lot about work ethic. Sadly, the farm is long gone… it’s a lovely neighborhood now, and I get nostalgic whenever I drive past it. Heck, there’s nary a corner or street in Loudoun County or NOVA that doesn’t make me nostalgic. And wow has it changed! But despite all the explosions in growth and tech industries, miraculously, this area somehow managed to keep and protect a large part of what makes it a truly special place.”

How Do I Find Auctions Near Me?

“These days, the most effective way is through the internet… with a free, top-tier, national bidding platform, such as HiBid.com. It’s a powerful tool for anyone needing hard-to-find equipment for their business. HiBid lets you search any term, along with your zip code, then they show you all the auctions, by distance, from every auction company on the site. And you only need one account to bid in any of them. It’s pretty ingenious really, and it’s a big reason why we chose to partner with HiBid for our bidding platform. It’s also a good resource because they have a nation-wide reputation to protect, and they accomplish that by vetting and verifying any auction companies that want to partner with them.

Another useful tool would be a classifieds-style auction listing website such as auctionzip.com or gotoauction.com, which serve multiple auctioneers and companies, across the country, and also have proximity search features. Let’s say you have a pizza place, and you need an 80-quart Hobart mixer. That can be tough to find locally unless you want to pay retail, which can get pretty close to $10,000 for a good used unit. So rather than that, you can go to one of the websites I just mentioned, and find one at auction… either locally, or from a company that offers shipping. Now, instead of paying $10,000, you can get one for $2000-$3000… and sometimes less than that. Multiply this kind of savings, across every piece of equipment you need, and the results can be astronomical. It’s a great way to preserve your operating capital.”

What’s Your Favorite Thing to Buy at Auction?

“Honestly, I don’t have a favorite… for me it all depends on the deal. Here’s a strange, but accurate comparison. I’m also a bow hunter. And as any hunter will tell you, the moment your sight-picture sweeps onto a target, something comes over you… and your heart will try to beat its way out of your chest. I’m not exaggerating… your heart literally beats so heard it’s like someone is thumping on your chest. Thump-Thump… Thump-Thump… Thump-Thump. Well… this will sound crazy, but whenever I bid on an item that I’m especially excited about, my heart does the exact same thing. It’s an exhilarating feeling and is very much akin to hunting. There’s a reason they call it the thrill of the hunt.”

Got Any Funny Auction Stories?

“Absolutely, but we don’t want to embarrass anyone in particular… so that’s classified. But I can tell you this. If you ever find yourself attending a commercial equipment auction, or any auction with large, heavy items… stick around until after it closes and watch the high bidders remove their equipment. Most bidders know what they’re doing, or they hired a crew to get them loaded. But there’s always one or two bidders that are completely new, and that can be quite entertaining to behold. These folks are pretty easy to spot… when everyone else is in trucks, using come-along chains and ratchet straps, you’ll see the new folks in hatchbacks and minivans, using bailing twine and bungee cords. You try to help if you can, but if you’re not able to help, it’s worth watching. You’ll witness some crazy stuff, definitely worthy of a viral YouTube video. And you might just be impressed by their ingenuity, commitment, and attrition. I’ve even won a bet or two with the other auctioneers.”