Read the rest of this entry »

As I had mentioned in my previous blog post, I treated this Saturday as if it were a work day, scheduling my time  on research and planning for my computer support business. Even more importantly, the day was meant to be an experiment to see how well I could handle working from home on a self-paced schedule, which is something I’ve never done before.

In part one of this two part series, I’ll take a look at the work-from-home productivity aspect of my day at the home office.

So how did it go? Read the rest of this entry »

I’m going to spend all day tomorrow, Saturday, researching items for my small business.  I intend to wake up MUCH earlier than I normally do on weekends and follow a schedule of activities devoted to nothing but furthering my upcoming computer-support business.  Since I work a typical 9 to 5 job Monday through Friday, I don’t have much time during the week to get good momentum going on my business planning.

However this is more than just a planning day for me; this is the first of many experiments I will conduct on myself to see if and how I’ll be able to handle working on my own. 

Read the rest of this entry »

I’m about 42.75% ready to start a business according to the Smart Start Assessment tool provided by the Maryland Small Business Development Center’s website.  It’s a great resource for anyone interested in starting a small business and I’m thrilled that something like this is available.  I took this assessment a few weeks ago, let’s see how I did…  Read the rest of this entry »

There’s a blog that I subscribed to called Life Reboot.  It chronicles the “thoughts and experiences of Shaun Boyd”, a young man who decided to quit his job in IT and restart his life in pursuit of his dream to become a writer.  He’s had mixed success and is now looking for a job again, but his posts are insightful and well written and one of his posts from 2006 really stuck a chord with me. Read the rest of this entry »

“With time and patience the mulberry leaf becomes a silk gown.” -Chinese Proverb

I’ve recently decided that I am going to take my time with this whole starting-a-business thing.  My overall timeline is going to be simple.  The initial goal for my business is to be a part-time extra-income generator for me starting sometime before the end of this year. This blog, and the filing of my DBA paperwork, have already set the gears in motion for that. Then, in about 5 years, I’ll decide if I will make the leap to running this thing full-time. This is slightly contrary to the more aggressive timeline I originally had, and I’ve changed my “About” page to reflect this accordingly.

Five years is a long time. Why am I setting this goal so far ahead? Read the rest of this entry »

Want to try your hand at fixing computers in your spare time, but don’t have the time or resources to find customers yourself?  The answer you’re looking for may be to become a service provider. Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve stumbled upon a lot of articles recently about computer techs using their powers for evil.  Here are some of my favorites: Read the rest of this entry »

A while back I was thinking it would be smart to consult with a lawyer to see what kind of things need to be done to set-up my business and trademark my business name.  I was pretty sure, at the least, that I’d need to file for trademark protection for my company name and file a DBA (Doing Business As) which will allow me to start a bank account under the name of my business.

So I called a local lawyer who specializes in helping small businesses.  You’d think that, being someone who is supporting the cause of the small business owner, she’d charge fees that small business start-ups can afford.  Boy was I wrong.  Here are some of her fees: Read the rest of this entry »

Starting my new Computer Support Business is truly a grass-roots effort.  I have no previous business experience.  I’ve only taken one class in community college relating to business.  I don’t have any immediate relatives who own a business.  Also, I’m going to attempt to make this business completely self-funded, meaning I’m going to avoid using my own money and instead use money I make from the business and put it back into the business.  I’m really starting from scratch here.

So in order to set some goals, ensure forward movement, and to help you all keep me in line, I’m listing the first steps I’ve taken, or will take, in these early days of business development.  Read the rest of this entry »