Our Office

We are located at 24 S. Prospect Street in one of downtown Amherst's historic professional buildings near Amherst Cinema and the Jones Library. All service is by appointment.

Our Story

In the early 2000's, the owner of PeopleFirst, Zach Fried, founded Brooklyn-based NYC Mac Support, meeting the demands of busy professionals in both home and corporate environments.

He and his family moved to the Pioneer Valley in 2014, having founded Local Prosperity Partners, which combined technical services with a mission to help small businesses stay competitive, defend against online threats, and revitalize local economies.

We rebranded in 2018 as PeopleFirst, renewing an effort to bring human-focused support to our clients. Today, we implement tech solutions that encourage efficiency, keep sensitive data protected, and enable our clients to reach their customers using strategic online tools.

Zach lives with his wife and son in Amherst, MA and enjoys photography and music when he's not juggling home renovation projects.

Zach is great to work with and honest. He will not try and sell you something you do not need and is a good listener. I found him to be practical and very knowledgeable on all things technical with regards to computers and systems. I highly recommend him.”
Greg in Amherst (via Alignable)

Our Philosophy

PeopleFirst is a family-owned business. We were founded because people still experience too many pain points despite today’s advanced technology, and a better approach is needed. From security concerns to slow computers and sluggish workflows, we handle a wide variety of issues by concentrating on our clients' true goals.

Instead of tech-speak, we offer a bridge between unintuitive technology — and people simply trying to get their work done. We offer long term, time-saving solutions instead of a patchwork of work-arounds.

Phishing was the most common type of cybercrime in 2020 [Source: FBI], thus, we emphasize social engineering vulnerabilities when consulting with our clients on security. We relate core concepts to help our clients stay safe.

A people-based perspective understands that in an online world, productivity, security, and privacy are key drivers of a positive work-life balance. PeopleFirst is about helping our clients make the right choices to achieve their goals.

Thanks for all your good work…”
Academic institution, Northampton, MA