What It Takes To Be A Computer Consultant

August 30, 2011 By 9 Comments

I was thinking the other day about how it takes an equal blend of different skills in order to be a good, effective computer consultant.  I drafted a simple Venn Diagram to really visualize for myself, and others, how those different skills work together to create the different facets of a computer consultant.

starting a computer repair business

 

If you are weak in any of these three skills, then being a computer consultant might not be the right job for you.  Lets take a deeper look at each of the facets mentioned in the picture.
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Filed Under: Computer Tech Culture, Growing a Computer Business, Starting a Computer Business Tagged With: , , , ,

Should I Charge Now or Later?

May 10, 2011 By 5 Comments

starting a computer repair businessIf you do onsite work for your clients you have two choices when it comes time to settle the tab: collect money on the spot or send them an invoice.

When I first started doing in-home consulting work, I would ask for money as soon as I was completed with my work.  I did this because I didn’t have any other mechanism in place to receive money from client.  Recently, however, I’ve had customers start asking me to invoice them.  This forced my to look into how invoicing works and if it’s a viable option for me going forward.

As I have done in the past, I always like to weigh the pros and cons of two choices to best decide which is right for me.
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Filed Under: Growing a Computer Business Tagged With: , , , , ,

Finding a Niche: Stay at Home Parents

May 05, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Advertising your computer repair business can be a bit overwhelming.  68.7% of American homes have internet access, and the number rises sharply in more densely populated areas.  That means you have over half of your community, town, city, or county as possible customers.

You could take a generalist approach and randomly advertise to as many people as possible and hope you appeal to some of those people.  That works for well-established companies with large advertising budgets.  But there is a much cheaper and more effective method of advertising that involves targeting a small niche of your potential customer base.

In the Finding a Niche series of blog posts I will profile different possible customer niches that you can target for your computer consulting business.

Today we will focus on the unique needs of stay at home parents.  I’ve had some success with this niche in the past, and I feel if targeted properly, it can be a lucrative subsection of your business.
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Filed Under: Growing a Computer Business Tagged With: , , ,

Attack of the iPad: The Future of Computer Consulting

May 02, 2011 By 9 Comments

how to start a computer business

A YFNCG reader submitted an interesting question the other day via the contact page:

How have you found the new “iPad/iPhone era” affecting your support business as more people use these mobile computing devices vs. PCs/laptops?

It’s a great question and one that I thought deserved a blog post, since I’m sure the issue has been on the minds of other consultants lately as well.  I’ve heard questions similar to this asked of me by friends and family. It also has a tenancy to pop up on discussion forums from time to time. It’s no wonder this is on our minds as the answer to this question has implications for the very future of our livelihoods.

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Filed Under: Computer Tech Culture, Growing a Computer Business, Stories from the Trenches Tagged With: , , ,

5 Myths of Computer Consulting

January 25, 2011 By 6 Comments

So you want to be a computer consultant?  You have dreams of starting your own business so you can work on your own, make lots of money, and be your own boss?

That’s excellent!

Computer consulting is a great field to be in, and will be in demand for the foreseeable future.  But setting realistic expectations is a key component to getting your business started on the right foot.

I spend a decent amount of time browsing forums related to the computer consulting business and I find that many people who are just starting out can have similar misconceptions about exactly what it takes to be in this line of work.

Here are some of the myths I see most often, in no particular order:

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Filed Under: Computer Tech Culture, Starting a Computer Business Tagged With: , , ,

Never Stop Learning: An Interview With Bryce Whitty Of Technibble.com

February 20, 2009 By 4 Comments

It wasn’t until after I started this blog that I came across the website Technibble.com. I wish I would have found it sooner, because it’s proven to be the single best resource I’ve found for people like me who are just starting to forge their own path in the computer support/repair business field.

The man who started Technibble, Bryce Whitty, created the site because he saw a need for an online resource for independent computer consultants. Not a general “techie” website or a “how to fix windows errors” message board, but a community dedicated specifically to the nerd entrepreneur trying to start his own business.

Technibble offers great resources like an extremely helpful and friendly forum, a blog, and the Computer Business Kit, which is a collection of documents and forms that you’ll need when starting a computer business.  I plan on purchasing the CBK for review here on this site in the future.

Bryce himself runs his own one-man computer consulting business which gives him the inspiration for his website.  I decided to pick his brain a little and see what approach he took to starting his business.  Check out his responses below.

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What’s In Store For 2009?: You Tell Me!

December 23, 2008 By 12 Comments

Well it’s that time of year again.  Time to take stock of what’s been accomplished this year and plan for the next big thing.

This has been an exciting year for me.  I officially started my own business and began blogging about my experiences.  These were two big milestones in my life and I’m glad I was able to share them with you all and the world.

I thought I’d let you all in on what I have planned for next year and then ask for your input as to what you’d like to see here at Y.F.N.C.G. in the future.

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10 Affordable Gifts For The Computer Tech On Your List

December 11, 2008 By 12 Comments

If you’re anything like me, you’ve got those hard-to-buy-for folks on your Christmas list that take some extra shopping time on your part. Well if one of those people happens to be a computer repair technician or consultant, worry no longer!

I’ve compiled a list of some wonderfully cheap (under $100) and practical items that your cherished geek will adore! Each item includes a picture and title that link straight to Amazon, or similar online store, where you can order it.

If you are a computer tech, forward this post to your friends and loved ones to give them some good ideas. Happy Holidays and happy shopping!

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Filed Under: Computer Tech Culture Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

How Much Are You Worth?: The Process Of Setting A Price

November 25, 2008 By 4 Comments

I’m at the point in my business planning where I need to start thinking about setting the prices I charge for my services.  It’s been a struggle for me to decide how much I feel my services should be worth.  Reading books, blogs, and forums on the subject, the general consensus seems to be that there is a happy medium between undercutting the major competition without shooting so low that people wont take you seriously.

I’ll take you through the process I used in order to come up with my prices.  Although this process is specifically for my business as a computer consultant, I’ve tried to make the ideas broad enough that they can apply to almost any business in the service industry.

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Filed Under: Starting a Computer Business Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Book Review: Computer Repair Business Lessons Learned

November 17, 2008 By 5 Comments

computer repair businessWelcome to another book review from Your Friendly Neighborhood Computer Guy.  I try to keep these reviews simple to read and concise in delivery so you can quickly find out if the book being reviewed is right for you.  I focus on books specifically about starting a computer business and I hope to tailor my reviews to folks who are in the early stages of starting a computer consulting business.  The thing you’ll need to keep in mind is that I’m still in the process of learning as I read and review these books, so my reviews are from a start-up perspective.  I think that fact may benefit those who are in my situation more than if these books were reviewed by a “seasoned pro”.

The book I’m reviewing this time around is Computer Business Lessons Learned by Daniel Hand. I found this book while searching online for information about starting a computer business. One thing that grabbed my attention about this book were the words “Lessons Learned”. That tells me that the author has already had his trial by fire and he’s ready to share his insights. The website says that CBLL is “a true book that reveals exactly how to be successful in the Computer Repair Business.” Does the book live up to the hype? Lets find out…
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