business in the it industry

[jevjev]

hey! so i recently had an idea to set up a conputer repair/building workshop in my local community and thought id get some advice to get started.

there's one computer shop in my town and its pretty much run by the least tech knowhow people you could imagine, the youngest employee is 43 and when you ask for a pc the show you amazon prebuilts.

i would like to set up a place where i can make custom rigs and share my knowledge of computers with the community.

yes i am only 17 but i have the motovation to drive myself past what i think im capable of. if anyone has any advice on what i should do or where to find cheap but good quality parts that would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Mira Yurizaki]

Most of your money is going to come from servicing existing computers, not building custom ones unless you're willing to be tech support for those people.

 

There's almost no money for a mom & pop style computer shop to sell custom built. You can't get the prices for hardware that system builder companies get to make a decent enough profit.

[Otto_iii]

If you want to *try* to build custom systems for money, your best bet is having it as a 2nd job while utilizing core components from older, but capable bargain systems that usually offices, cooperation etc are wholesaling as lots.  You can buy some lots of ebay but ideally you are the guy who knows where these sales take place first hand in your own region.  I'd start out with seeing if it somehow is reasonable to get into the repair business, go from there if you can find means and are capable of running, or joining such a operation.  You can repurpose motherboards and CPUs into gaming rigs right now, but arguably its more important to have stable income as neither me, you, or anybody here knows how stable "custom tailored PC retailer" will be, sure its been a good gig over last few years with Fortnite (i dont mean this as a meme) bringing people into the market, but it may not remain so, whereas being any sort of repair guy, normal IT, will be. 

You may be interested in youtubers like TechYesCity, Louis Rossmann etc may interest you.  Louis being a more serious guy with a whole business, TechYesCity being more of the "2nd job" sort of hobby builder,bargain hunter, and reseller. 

[jevjev]

3 minutes ago, Mira Yurizaki said:

Most of your money is going to come from servicing existing computers, not building custom ones unless you're willing to be tech support for those people.

 

There's almost no money for a mom & pop style computer shop to sell custom built. You can't get the prices for hardware that system builder companies get to make a decent enough profit.

most of this i know of, and im not really looking into profile margins or anything like that. i just love computer systems as a whole and wont to share that knowledge with the community. i already have a job at a local bakery which earns a reasonable pay for under 18's but my passion is with computers even if its say £20 profit per computer thats enough to keep me motivated.

[jevjev]

1 minute ago, Otto_iii said:

If you want to *try* to build custom systems for money, your best bet is having it as a 2nd job while utilizing core components from older, but capable bargain systems that usually offices, cooperation etc are wholesaling.  I'd start out with seeing if it somehow is reasonable to get into the repair business, go from there if you can find means and are capable of running, or joining such a operation.

You may be interested in youtubers like TechYesCity

i already do that. i buy old computer systems with things such as core i5 2600's in and buy lower end gpus then flip them for a slightly higher price, ism not to fussed with profit margins as i do have a second job but computers are my passion so finding a luttle workshop just to store things and have a place people can go to for repairs or to get a pc built is a dream of mine due to being in foster care and my parents passing away i lack "mainstream knowledge" so am unable to get much more than gcse equivalents in college. which is why i want to prove what im capable of.

 

[Mira Yurizaki]

18 minutes ago, jevjev said:

most of this i know of, and im not really looking into profile margins or anything like that. i just love computer systems as a whole and wont to share that knowledge with the community. i already have a job at a local bakery which earns a reasonable pay for under 18's but my passion is with computers even if its say £20 profit per computer thats enough to keep me motivated.

Still, doing custom computers means you're the tech support. If you're not prepared for this, you're going to have a bad time.

 

If anything, start a blog, YouTube channel, or similar and regularly post content.

[Otto_iii]

1 hour ago, jevjev said:

i already do that. i buy old computer systems with things such as core i5 2600's in and buy lower end gpus then flip them for a slightly higher price, ism not to fussed with profit margins as i do have a second job but computers are my passion so finding a luttle workshop just to store things and have a place people can go to for repairs or to get a pc built is a dream of mine due to being in foster care and my parents passing away i lack "mainstream knowledge" so am unable to get much more than gcse equivalents in college. which is why i want to prove what im capable of.

As dumb and normal as this sounds, and by all means still feel free to pursue your dream but get some training, whether its uni or real life in actual business, something you can reference, +and or IT, ideally both.  People need to be able to look at you superficially and feel they can trust you even if they know nothing of your previous exploits on the 2nd hand market etc

[amdorintel]

4 hours ago, jevjev said:

.

 

How much money are you willing to invest in your idea?

Where will you be doing business?

Lots of people got started in basements and garages.

Do you have a retail space in mind?

What is the rent for said space, and what is the operational costs for said space, what about insurance, liability, what is your insurance rate.

 

lots of factors to contend with in starting a business, the actual setting up of a business is just paper work

who will be the directors, blah blah, there addresses, who are the investors if any, how many shares and for how much

name search, go ltd or inc or llc

 

its good to have a dream and pursue it

 

what about doing charity work for the less fortunate, get your name out there as a good human being, fix computers for charities

make up a business card and get going on a sole proprietorship