JosephLeo
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My Business Blueprint: Foundation
This is the first in a three-part series of my adventure as a self-employed computer repair technician and how I am setting up my business. This is a real-time story which means when I am finished, or near finished with one stage I will make the next article. Currently I am nearing the completion of my Foundation stage and entering my Framework stage and after which I will enter my "Brick & Mortar" stage with a bit of hard work and a lot of luck.
The reason I am writing this article is for future techs who wish to have an idea of how I setup my business. This is not the only way, and probably not even the best way to setup, but it is my way and I feel like I should share it with everyone. So lets begin shall we!
How I got started
Since I was a child I have always been into computers. While most people would play their Nintendo Entertainment Systems or Sega Genesis and think "This game is really fun" I would say "What makes this game work". I believe it was around the time I got my favorite childhood game of all time, Super Mario World. One day I decided to open up my Super Nintendo to see "what makes it work". My childish imagination thought it must be some sort of wonderful and exciting device inside pumping out the colorful sprites and beautifully choreographed music. What I found inside was a rather interesting piece of technology that I had never seen before- a circuit board.
Inch by inch I looked at it, thought about it and wondered what makes it tick- why does it work and that's when I finally found a book in my school library titled "How Computers Work". It was packed with information all of which was exciting to me. Bytes and Bits, Pixels and Pallettes, the terms I was learning were endless. Shortly after I read this book I became hungry for more- I kept borrowing books from the library to delve deeper and deeper into this mysterious world of computers and it wasn't until 1996 that my family decided to buy our first home computer. I was excstatic! To tell the truth I can't remember the specifications of the computer, but I finally got to use a computer with "DOS" and boy was I happy.
An entire 4 years passed and by now I knew my way around the command line like it was plain English to me. (On a side note, say a command today and I'd think you're speaking Chinese) but, sadly the computer had finally broken. It was truly one of the worst days of my life. I thought that there MUST be a way to fix it. I opened up the tower, flashing back to my run in with my Super Nintendo and remember reading something about "dust". So, I got a fork (heh) and started removing all the dust from the computer, getting into every crack and crevice, analyzing every part and wire but to my dismay it was broken and I couldn't do nothing about it.
A week later we bought two new computers. One for my father, and one for me. MY OWN COMPUTER! My first computer- and my favorite computer. It was that same day that we finally got "internet" as well. Now, we didn't have any convenience like routers in my house so if I ever wanted to see this "Information Superhighway" I would have to ask permission from Mom and Dad. So one day while using my computer I popped in a diskette my friend gave me to play "Pokemon Green" but little did I know it was infected with a virus. I never seen a "virus" before, but I knew it was something bad because it kept closing my programs and shutting down my computer.
So I ran downstairs to the internet enabled computer and looked around on lycos dogpile and some webrings for some information. I typed in "slow computer" and "automatically closing" and this is where I got started into the computer repair world. Back then a virus removal just meant uninstalling a program- very different from today with our rootkits, trojans and other malware. However it got me interested in the actual business itself. You see because after this I decided to purposely infect the internet computer- big mistake. This virus did some calling home and well- lets just say that's when I discovered pornography. Anyway, to continue on this is also when I met my first computer technician. His name was Steve and he was our neighbor.
He looked at the computer, checked the symptoms looked at the floppy drive and then smiled at me. "Pokemon Green" he said with a smirk. He took the virus out in a matter of an hour and told me that it's wrong to copy games. You should pay for your games like everyone else because things like this can happen when you do. From then on I never knowingly downloaded illegal material again. This guy was a fantastic source for my future and without which I would never be where I am right now. He taught me all the basics- what hardware is what, where it goes, why it goes there, how it should properly work and the such.
So thanks Steve for all the help and R.I.P. (Sorry, forgot to mention he died in 2003)
My First Repair and my first customer
Flash foreward to 2002 and by now I knew a lot about computers thanks to my neighbor. He let me hang out in his garage and watch him fix computers, ask him questions and even tinker around a bit with his spare computers- he was lucky too since his home had internet EVERYWHERE with a "Wired Router".
One day I asked if I can fix one of his clients computers. He hesitantly said yes and I knew that it was going to be a good learning day that day. I didn't diagnose the problem but he told me to remove the CPU, Memory, and Power Supply- then replace them all with specific parts from his cabinet ALL without his help and only his watching eye. I opened the case, and found the memory first- took it out and put it to the side. Next was a tough one for me- the power supply. All those cables! But I did it. Finally was the CPU- snapped open the Pentium II Slot and took it out. Now it was a matter of finding the parts and replacing them. So, I grabbed my CPU, Power Supply and Memory with only one error- the memory! No biggie though, he corrected me. I put it all together closed the case and fired it up and it worked perfectly! He was very proud with me, so much so that he introduced me to his client...his co-worker.
Soon after I began working on my families computers and friends computers. Everyday I learned something new and interesting about computers. I was proud of myself- but all good stories have a little heartbreak in them. It was later in the year that my friend, my teacher died. I stopped messing with computer for a good 6 months- but then his co-worker came up to me and asked me to fix his computer again. So I knew this was a sign to not give up, that computers were my future and that Steve would be so proud to see what I am doing today.
So- I had my first regular customer...well, I wasn't into it for money yet, but you know.
Going for Business
About 4 years ago I felt that it was time I start taking this more serious. I worked in my fathers scrap yard and I began to hate it more and more. The heavy lifting, the cuts, the oil, all that grinding- it was nerve wrecking. So I began to study more seriously reading more intense books and tinkering with computers more and more. I began getting into things like overclocking, hacking and the such- some things of which I wish I can undo, but can't erase the past.
Around 3 years ago I felt that I was good enough to start going around and doing computers for some cash. I was right- I charged $40 per computer, but it was all family and friends anyway so most of the time I never got paid- but I didn't mind since I was hanging out with friends anyway. But it gave me the skills I needed to set myself up as a professional.
More and more my knowledge grew and I got better and better. By 2007 I had an excellent client base- I was doing a family members or friends computer at least once a week. Not bad for someone with zero-bills, a job and I'm hanging out with my friends at the same time. But I wanted more. I come from a long line of entrepreneurs and I knew that this is what I was going to do for the rest of my life but I had to be smart. I can't just abandon my fathers business for my own, so patiently I planned.
I looked in my area to see who I was going to compete with. I was a little devious with this because I would walk into their stores, or call them up and act like a complete computer illiterate who couldn't tell the difference between a mouse and a power button, or a screen from their tower. I asked questions like "How much does x cost?" and "How long will it take to get done" as well as even things like "What do you guys use? I don't trust some people on my computers". Occasionally I got real answers, but other times I got outright lies. But that didn't matter because I was learning how to handle a customer.
An entire year went by- it's now 2008 and my knowledge of the computer world is immense, probably equivalent to that of a person with a certification or two. I began messing around in Linux and discovered a plethora of tools that will help me in the computer repair business, but I didn't study it too much as I didn't like it for a full time desktop. My price still remained the same at $40 per computer, but I was started to get sick of it I wanted more. I knew I had to do something about it so I decided to bump my price up a bit to $60 per computer...no one seemed to care and I loved the extra couple bucks I was making.
2008 was a relatively flat year, I hit a platuea from the beginning to the middle of the year and thought that I couldn't learn anymore. I was dead wrong of course, but I still got a little bored. So I dropped my business and went back to the scrap yard. However, by the end of the year I wanted to get back into my old swing- I realized how miserable I was without computers and I needed to get my happy face back on.
Now lets fast forward to early 2009. This is where I started planning my business for real. It wasn't my first business as I used to do web designs and graphic design. But this time I wanted to make it a permanent business. I stopped taking friends and families computers for pay and started doing them 100% pro-bono just as experience alone and in the mean time try to learn what my limits are and try to reduce my time taken on a project.
By early July I started writing down ideas for advertising and plotting my ultimate goals which will be revealed in the next part of this series. I began working out my prices and searching for some communities to join to further my knowledge, I also sketched out a few logos and website designs, business cards and even asked my lawyer a few questions and then I found TechNibble...yes, you guys- I found you. Without you I wouldn't be where I am in my business right now.
So, I began lurking this website for tips on how to run my business. Not joining, but just lurking. I found this place to be very interesting indeed. So many tips, tricks, and ideas. I applied as many as I could to myself and began charging almost my current full prices. I set myself an artificial "work time" since I don't have an office. This was necessary because I would often get stuck into my work and lose track of time. But, 7:00 sharp was my quit time so now I knew what it's like to work under a time limit.
Now finally September 28th came around and I decided to join TechNibble. It was around now that I began actually working on my business model and seriously analyzing my competition. I was greeted by many members of the forum with the third highest topic in the "Introductions" forum and was an instant hit with the community. The more I posted the more I learned, the more I learned, the more I posted. Without a doubt I would say that the 2 months I have been a member of this community I have learned more than I have in the past 2 years. So now I learned that Collaboration is a good thing.
So then- lets zoom forward to today.
Foundation Almost Done
I would say that I am almost done with my foundation stage. I will consider myself fully out of this stage once I register my company as a legal entity. But for now I feel I have a little more to learn and a little more to do before I go that final step. I still need to complete my website, properly layout my entire future plan (Very near, Near, Mid-Range, Long Term, Very Long Term and Ultimate Goal) and I think I still need to get a better understanding of the proper advertising methods. For example, my best idea right now is to simply print out some business cards, knock on peoples doors and not sell anything to them- but just introduce myself and leave.
So there you have it- this is the first article in a three part series, you can probably expect the next part in a few months from now. I've been waiting a long time to post this but the timing just didn't seem right. I am more than confident in posting this now and I hope you've enjoyed it, or even read it. It's a pretty long forum post if I do say so myself.
Thank you all, and God bless.
- Joseph Leo
This is the first in a three-part series of my adventure as a self-employed computer repair technician and how I am setting up my business. This is a real-time story which means when I am finished, or near finished with one stage I will make the next article. Currently I am nearing the completion of my Foundation stage and entering my Framework stage and after which I will enter my "Brick & Mortar" stage with a bit of hard work and a lot of luck.
The reason I am writing this article is for future techs who wish to have an idea of how I setup my business. This is not the only way, and probably not even the best way to setup, but it is my way and I feel like I should share it with everyone. So lets begin shall we!
How I got started
Since I was a child I have always been into computers. While most people would play their Nintendo Entertainment Systems or Sega Genesis and think "This game is really fun" I would say "What makes this game work". I believe it was around the time I got my favorite childhood game of all time, Super Mario World. One day I decided to open up my Super Nintendo to see "what makes it work". My childish imagination thought it must be some sort of wonderful and exciting device inside pumping out the colorful sprites and beautifully choreographed music. What I found inside was a rather interesting piece of technology that I had never seen before- a circuit board.
Inch by inch I looked at it, thought about it and wondered what makes it tick- why does it work and that's when I finally found a book in my school library titled "How Computers Work". It was packed with information all of which was exciting to me. Bytes and Bits, Pixels and Pallettes, the terms I was learning were endless. Shortly after I read this book I became hungry for more- I kept borrowing books from the library to delve deeper and deeper into this mysterious world of computers and it wasn't until 1996 that my family decided to buy our first home computer. I was excstatic! To tell the truth I can't remember the specifications of the computer, but I finally got to use a computer with "DOS" and boy was I happy.
An entire 4 years passed and by now I knew my way around the command line like it was plain English to me. (On a side note, say a command today and I'd think you're speaking Chinese) but, sadly the computer had finally broken. It was truly one of the worst days of my life. I thought that there MUST be a way to fix it. I opened up the tower, flashing back to my run in with my Super Nintendo and remember reading something about "dust". So, I got a fork (heh) and started removing all the dust from the computer, getting into every crack and crevice, analyzing every part and wire but to my dismay it was broken and I couldn't do nothing about it.
A week later we bought two new computers. One for my father, and one for me. MY OWN COMPUTER! My first computer- and my favorite computer. It was that same day that we finally got "internet" as well. Now, we didn't have any convenience like routers in my house so if I ever wanted to see this "Information Superhighway" I would have to ask permission from Mom and Dad. So one day while using my computer I popped in a diskette my friend gave me to play "Pokemon Green" but little did I know it was infected with a virus. I never seen a "virus" before, but I knew it was something bad because it kept closing my programs and shutting down my computer.
So I ran downstairs to the internet enabled computer and looked around on lycos dogpile and some webrings for some information. I typed in "slow computer" and "automatically closing" and this is where I got started into the computer repair world. Back then a virus removal just meant uninstalling a program- very different from today with our rootkits, trojans and other malware. However it got me interested in the actual business itself. You see because after this I decided to purposely infect the internet computer- big mistake. This virus did some calling home and well- lets just say that's when I discovered pornography. Anyway, to continue on this is also when I met my first computer technician. His name was Steve and he was our neighbor.
He looked at the computer, checked the symptoms looked at the floppy drive and then smiled at me. "Pokemon Green" he said with a smirk. He took the virus out in a matter of an hour and told me that it's wrong to copy games. You should pay for your games like everyone else because things like this can happen when you do. From then on I never knowingly downloaded illegal material again. This guy was a fantastic source for my future and without which I would never be where I am right now. He taught me all the basics- what hardware is what, where it goes, why it goes there, how it should properly work and the such.
So thanks Steve for all the help and R.I.P. (Sorry, forgot to mention he died in 2003)
My First Repair and my first customer
Flash foreward to 2002 and by now I knew a lot about computers thanks to my neighbor. He let me hang out in his garage and watch him fix computers, ask him questions and even tinker around a bit with his spare computers- he was lucky too since his home had internet EVERYWHERE with a "Wired Router".
One day I asked if I can fix one of his clients computers. He hesitantly said yes and I knew that it was going to be a good learning day that day. I didn't diagnose the problem but he told me to remove the CPU, Memory, and Power Supply- then replace them all with specific parts from his cabinet ALL without his help and only his watching eye. I opened the case, and found the memory first- took it out and put it to the side. Next was a tough one for me- the power supply. All those cables! But I did it. Finally was the CPU- snapped open the Pentium II Slot and took it out. Now it was a matter of finding the parts and replacing them. So, I grabbed my CPU, Power Supply and Memory with only one error- the memory! No biggie though, he corrected me. I put it all together closed the case and fired it up and it worked perfectly! He was very proud with me, so much so that he introduced me to his client...his co-worker.
Soon after I began working on my families computers and friends computers. Everyday I learned something new and interesting about computers. I was proud of myself- but all good stories have a little heartbreak in them. It was later in the year that my friend, my teacher died. I stopped messing with computer for a good 6 months- but then his co-worker came up to me and asked me to fix his computer again. So I knew this was a sign to not give up, that computers were my future and that Steve would be so proud to see what I am doing today.
So- I had my first regular customer...well, I wasn't into it for money yet, but you know.
Going for Business
About 4 years ago I felt that it was time I start taking this more serious. I worked in my fathers scrap yard and I began to hate it more and more. The heavy lifting, the cuts, the oil, all that grinding- it was nerve wrecking. So I began to study more seriously reading more intense books and tinkering with computers more and more. I began getting into things like overclocking, hacking and the such- some things of which I wish I can undo, but can't erase the past.
Around 3 years ago I felt that I was good enough to start going around and doing computers for some cash. I was right- I charged $40 per computer, but it was all family and friends anyway so most of the time I never got paid- but I didn't mind since I was hanging out with friends anyway. But it gave me the skills I needed to set myself up as a professional.
More and more my knowledge grew and I got better and better. By 2007 I had an excellent client base- I was doing a family members or friends computer at least once a week. Not bad for someone with zero-bills, a job and I'm hanging out with my friends at the same time. But I wanted more. I come from a long line of entrepreneurs and I knew that this is what I was going to do for the rest of my life but I had to be smart. I can't just abandon my fathers business for my own, so patiently I planned.
I looked in my area to see who I was going to compete with. I was a little devious with this because I would walk into their stores, or call them up and act like a complete computer illiterate who couldn't tell the difference between a mouse and a power button, or a screen from their tower. I asked questions like "How much does x cost?" and "How long will it take to get done" as well as even things like "What do you guys use? I don't trust some people on my computers". Occasionally I got real answers, but other times I got outright lies. But that didn't matter because I was learning how to handle a customer.
An entire year went by- it's now 2008 and my knowledge of the computer world is immense, probably equivalent to that of a person with a certification or two. I began messing around in Linux and discovered a plethora of tools that will help me in the computer repair business, but I didn't study it too much as I didn't like it for a full time desktop. My price still remained the same at $40 per computer, but I was started to get sick of it I wanted more. I knew I had to do something about it so I decided to bump my price up a bit to $60 per computer...no one seemed to care and I loved the extra couple bucks I was making.
2008 was a relatively flat year, I hit a platuea from the beginning to the middle of the year and thought that I couldn't learn anymore. I was dead wrong of course, but I still got a little bored. So I dropped my business and went back to the scrap yard. However, by the end of the year I wanted to get back into my old swing- I realized how miserable I was without computers and I needed to get my happy face back on.
Now lets fast forward to early 2009. This is where I started planning my business for real. It wasn't my first business as I used to do web designs and graphic design. But this time I wanted to make it a permanent business. I stopped taking friends and families computers for pay and started doing them 100% pro-bono just as experience alone and in the mean time try to learn what my limits are and try to reduce my time taken on a project.
By early July I started writing down ideas for advertising and plotting my ultimate goals which will be revealed in the next part of this series. I began working out my prices and searching for some communities to join to further my knowledge, I also sketched out a few logos and website designs, business cards and even asked my lawyer a few questions and then I found TechNibble...yes, you guys- I found you. Without you I wouldn't be where I am in my business right now.
So, I began lurking this website for tips on how to run my business. Not joining, but just lurking. I found this place to be very interesting indeed. So many tips, tricks, and ideas. I applied as many as I could to myself and began charging almost my current full prices. I set myself an artificial "work time" since I don't have an office. This was necessary because I would often get stuck into my work and lose track of time. But, 7:00 sharp was my quit time so now I knew what it's like to work under a time limit.
Now finally September 28th came around and I decided to join TechNibble. It was around now that I began actually working on my business model and seriously analyzing my competition. I was greeted by many members of the forum with the third highest topic in the "Introductions" forum and was an instant hit with the community. The more I posted the more I learned, the more I learned, the more I posted. Without a doubt I would say that the 2 months I have been a member of this community I have learned more than I have in the past 2 years. So now I learned that Collaboration is a good thing.
So then- lets zoom forward to today.
Foundation Almost Done
I would say that I am almost done with my foundation stage. I will consider myself fully out of this stage once I register my company as a legal entity. But for now I feel I have a little more to learn and a little more to do before I go that final step. I still need to complete my website, properly layout my entire future plan (Very near, Near, Mid-Range, Long Term, Very Long Term and Ultimate Goal) and I think I still need to get a better understanding of the proper advertising methods. For example, my best idea right now is to simply print out some business cards, knock on peoples doors and not sell anything to them- but just introduce myself and leave.
So there you have it- this is the first article in a three part series, you can probably expect the next part in a few months from now. I've been waiting a long time to post this but the timing just didn't seem right. I am more than confident in posting this now and I hope you've enjoyed it, or even read it. It's a pretty long forum post if I do say so myself.
Thank you all, and God bless.
- Joseph Leo
