Looking for advice

[timwulf75]

Good evening, I am a 17 year old high school student looking for advice from someone with more experience than me. To get straight to the point, I am looking into getting [back] into computer repair, and possibly selling custom build desktops. No, I don't have a degree or any official education, but have spent a lot of time taking online courses and trainings; also with countless amounts of time working on family/friends computers. Last year I had somewhat of a repair business for a few months. I served a few customers, made about $25, then nothing. The only other repair shop in the area shutdown, and haven't really did much more since. I've been wanting to get back into it, by either doing repairs to making and selling custom builds. Any suggestions on how to start out (or alternative ideas) would be great, thanks!

 

[Ralston18]

This:

"To get straight to the point, I am looking into getting [back] into computer repair, and possibly selling custom build desktops."

Operative word being "[back]".

How did you do it the first time?

Not at all uncommon to start a business or service and quickly have things go flat as you run out of friends and family. Perhaps along with a few good references that brought in "strangers".

Key is to find a market. That means finding people (and lots of them) who need some service or product that is otherwise not available.

And then being sure that you can truly provide that service or product at a price acceptable to those people as potential customers. And make money doing so.

Repair business are tough because so many products are not made to be repaired or the costs of doing so are greater than buying new.

You could and should ask family/friends for feedback on what you have done for them so far. Learn what they liked and did not like.

Be interesting to know why the other repair shop went out of business. See what you can learn about the contributing problems and reasons.

May provide some insight as to how you might proceed.

 

[timwulf75]

The first time I did it, it went okay... But as I said, ran out of a market.

Being where I am, I live quite a ways into the country, not much around for large amounts of people. The hardest part in this area is trying to find a market.

Thanks for the input.