| Not everybody has the right personality or character | | | | when I went down to the Dominican Republic on a |
| traits to successfully run their own computer support | | | | missions trip and worked on fixing up their network. It |
| company. There are a few questions you should ask | | | | was one of the most rewarding experiences I have |
| yourself: | | | | ever had, and it helped give me the skills that I use to |
| - Are you patient? | | | | make money today. |
| - Do you have discipline? | | | | Some basic skills that you should have: |
| - Are you an analytical thinker? | | | | - Windows XP & Vista - Computers loaded with |
| - Do you have an entrepreneurial spirit? | | | | XP & Vista is what the majority of your |
| If you answered no to all of the above questions you | | | | customers will be using. You should know your way |
| might want to think of doing something else. However, | | | | around XP & Vista like they are the back of your |
| answering no to just one or two doesn't mean that | | | | hand. |
| you aren't cut out to go into computer support as a | | | | - Be able to remove malware - More than likely the |
| business. I personally have all of these traits (or at least | | | | majority of your clients will have some sort of |
| I think I do), and I have seen how important they have | | | | malware that they want removed. You should know |
| been for my own success in the business. | | | | how to remove them. |
| Patience is required because often troubleshooting | | | | - Networking - You don't need to be a network |
| with users is done over the phone, and there is not | | | | engineer, but understanding the basics of computer |
| much else in the world that I know of that tries | | | | networking is important. You should be able to setup |
| patience more than when the customer says | | | | and secure wireless networks, create a Cat-5 |
| something along the lines of, "It is telling me to press | | | | ethernet cable, and understand what some of the big |
| the Any key, which one is that?". Patience also comes | | | | protocols do (TCP, IP, RDP etc.) |
| into play when you are waiting for someone to call, it | | | | - Understand and know how to use the basic |
| takes a fair amount of work to get to the point where | | | | applications - There are some applications that are |
| a complete stranger will call you up for help with their | | | | close to universal, such as Microsoft Office, Adobe |
| computer. | | | | Reader, AIM, iTunes etc. You should at least know the |
| Discipline is needed because, if you are starting this | | | | basics of all of this software and be able to provide |
| business up by yourself, there is no boss to look over | | | | support for things like how to get music to from the |
| your shoulder to ensure that you are doing your work. | | | | computer to the iPod. |
| All of the deadlines are on you, and there is no one to | | | | That certainly does not cover all of the skills that could |
| blame if something goes wrong besides yourself. | | | | be required or useful on the job, but if you have all of |
| Troubleshooting computer problems requires analytical | | | | the listed skills you should feel confident that you will be |
| thinking. You don't need to be Einstein, but being able to | | | | able to help a majority of customers with their |
| think logically about an issue you have never seen | | | | computer or network issues. You may find it |
| before is absolutely necessary. Getting to the bottom | | | | worthwhile to also pick up some skills and experience |
| of a complex issue is mostly done by taking educated | | | | in areas that are not quite as popular as the Windows |
| guesses and gradually removing possible causes. As | | | | and networking world. There are a lot of people with |
| far as being a good technician, thinking logically is the | | | | experience in Windows and networking, and you may |
| most important trait to have. If you don't think logically | | | | find it hard to stand out from the crowd. If you know |
| now, it may be possible to learn this trait. But it | | | | Mac's well, you may want to focus on developing |
| probably won't be easy, as it involves changing the | | | | those skills and marketing your experience to a smaller |
| way you think. | | | | subset of users. |
| The entrepreneurial spirit is needed because you are | | | | Create A Basic Business Plan |
| starting a business, and more than likely it won't be | | | | When many people hear "business plan" they freeze |
| easy. You need to have a vision for what you want | | | | up. I know I almost did. I thought, "Why do I need a |
| your business to be, and see what steps need to be | | | | business plan? This is just a little side business for me, |
| taken to get there. | | | | what is the point? Besides, I don't know how to even |
| I do want to emphasize that compared to many | | | | start on a business plan!". If you really want to do start |
| businesses, starting a computer support company is | | | | up a business, some sort of written plan is essential. |
| easy. The startup and overhead costs are low, the | | | | Having a plan written down shows you what you are |
| only employee needed to start is yourself and you | | | | aiming for and some of the basic steps to get there. It |
| don't need a retail location (Costs a lot of money). | | | | allows you to go back and look at it and keep yourself |
| Do You Have The Skills Needed | | | | disciplined. Don't worry about writing a 100 page plan, |
| Beyond the basic character traits such as logical | | | | that is overkill. It only has to be a page or two long if |
| thinking, having the skills needed to fix computers are | | | | you are keeping things basic. It should cover some |
| essential. You should probably have a year or two of | | | | basic concepts, such as: |
| supporting computers underneath your belt before you | | | | - What service am I offering? |
| start the business. If you don't have that kind of time | | | | - Who are the people that I am looking to offer my |
| supporting computers yet, I would recommend | | | | services to? |
| volunteering your time to friends and family and maybe | | | | - What differentiates me from everyone else that is |
| with a non profit organization. Non-profits are always | | | | offering similar services? |
| looking for volunteers, and I am willing to bet that a | | | | - What is my revenue goal after 1 year? |
| larger one would have a fulltime computer guy who | | | | - What will my costs be? |
| would love an extra set of hands. | | | | Putting this all down in writing should make you really |
| A lot of my experience/skills were learned both at | | | | think about what you are doing, why you are doing it, |
| school (special thanks go to one of the best teachers | | | | and how you can succeed. I am going to emphasize |
| of all time, Mr. Houtman!) and doing volunteer jobs. I | | | | this one more time - if you want to start up a |
| learned a lot about old hardware and crappy ISP's | | | | computer support business, then write a business plan! |