Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
Computers: Most people either love 'em or hate 'em. Butwhichever side of the technological fence you happen to log in on,the fact remains that computers have become a vital tool in theday-to-day operations of modern business life. And like othertools, the computer provides those who are skilled in its operationthe opportunity to turn those resources into thriving incomes.
This month, we've explored four fields in the computerindustry where computer-friendly BIZ Experiencess continue to boot upnew business. So read up, plug in and start transforming thosemegabytes into megabucks.
Desktop Publishing
By Haidee Jezek
Ask anyone in the desktop publishing world, and they will tellyou that one of the constants in their business is keeping up withdeadlines. "Crazy deadlines," says Sherill Sutton,president of Sassy Graphics Inc., a graphic design studio based inBuffalo, New York. "It seems like every job has a tightdeadline. Someone might be starting a business and come to me for alogo, corporate identification and brochure, and expect it to bedone in one month, when it's really a two- to three-monthprocess," explains Sutton.
Despite the lack of hours in the day, Sutton credits her motivationto variety. "I don't specialize. I do brochures, corporateidentifications and logos. I get just as excited about doing a jobfor steel technology as for a winery. It's still designing andcreating," says Sutton.
Doing work for a roster of regular clients keeps Sutton busy withassignments. Although she receives referrals for new business fromthese clients, Sutton limits her direct advertising efforts to"the phone book, and that's all. Many people who call saythe name in the phone book caught their eye," she says.
Sutton received her bachelor's degree in graphic design with afocus on textiles from State University of New York College atBuffalo in 1976. She started Sassy Graphics out of a 900square-foot office in 1979, using $1,200 in savings and a $12,000bank loan for equipment, office space rental and sparsefurnishings. Since then, she's moved into a 2,000 square-footoffice, gained four employees and a bevy of new equipment. Thedesigning BIZ Experiences's computer hardware includes a PowerMacintosh 7100 and two Quadra 650s; for software, she usesQuarkXPress, Aldus FreeHand and Adobe Photoshop. Training ingraphic design, she says, is also a plus.
To begin a desktop publishing business with all this equipment,Sutton explains, can be expensive. The essentials, she notes,include a Power Mac with page layout and word processing programs,as well as a selection of classic font types-letters in differentsizes and styles, used to create specific looks in print. Aflat-bed scanner with Photoshop, for working with photos and logos,also tops her list of equipment must-haves.
One way to decrease start-up costs for a desktop publishingbusiness is to lease equipment,
which provides the opportunity to use the latest equipment withouttying up a lot of capital. Furthermore, after a leasing contract isfinished, the leased equipment can usually be purchased.
Info Source
The National Association of Desktop Publishing (NADTP) providesover 6,000 members with access to a software and hardware helpline,software discounts through their catalog and a monthly journal.Membership varies in price, ranging from a six-month individualtrial membership for $49, to corporate memberships (for companieswith up to six employees) for $295 annually. For furtherinformation, write to NADTP at 2121 Precinct Line Rd., #215, Hurst,TX 76054, or call (800) 492-1014.
Computer Training
The majority of people are computerphobic, says William Metcalf,a Santa Fe, New Mexico-based personal computer trainer who conductsbusiness under the alias "Computer Tutor."
"Computers are not yet user friendly and, quite frankly, mostpeople out there are lost and in need of a lot of help," saysMetcalf. But if you're in the minority-comfortably self-assuredwith computers, with a knack for instructing others-you could be inbusiness.
Providing on-site service to homes and small businesses in Santa Feand its surrounding communities, Metcalf helps his clients, mostlycomputer novices, gain familiarity with the use of their operatingsystems and software. He also assists with hardware, setting upprinters, modems and scanners for those still unfamiliar with theirnew computers' peripheral equipment.
Metcalf, who holds a degree in secondary education and has morethan a decade of self-taught personal computer experience, startedhis tutorial operation from his home in September 1995. "Theresponse has been great," he says. "I've tutoredpupils of all ages, including families with young children andsmall-business owners. One of my clients is 77 years old and justbought his first computer!" At $35 an hour, Metcalf'saverage visits last two hours, and clients sometimes hire theComputer Tutor for at least one return visit.
"Advertising is absolutely necessary in this field," saysMetcalf, who maintains a regular presence in his community byadvertising his services in local newspapers, magazines andcomputer trade show publications. "Although it's mygreatest expense, the fact that I continually advertise has helpedto distinguish me from my competitors, who really don'tadvertise."
In between tutoring sessions, Metcalf develops marketing andinstructional literature from his home office. "There's alot to do when I'm not teaching. I've come up with someprinted instructional materials to use in demonstration that Isometimes leave with my clients," he says.
Metcalf's background in teaching, however, didn'tnecessarily make for a seamless career transition. "Myoriginal plan was to develop a system to teach peoplestep-by-step," he explains, "but I've found thatclients usually want to learn specific things. My job is to teachthem what they want to know, rather than what I think they shouldknow."
Staying informed about current technological developments isanother important tutorial necessity. Sometimes, Metcalf admits,problems arise that the Computer Tutor is unable to fix on _site.When the problems are technically oriented, he usually refersclients to a hardware technician; When they're not, heresearches the answers himself. "I just turned 50 years oldand I feel like I've gone _back to college," exclaimsMetcalf, who spends hours studying lengthy software manuals eachweek. "But I like taking the mystery out of computing for myclients. So even though I'm studying these terrible 1,200 pagemanuals nobody wants to read, it's a satisfying feeling toleave a family whose once-alien machine has now become a usable andfun device."
Info Source
The Association of Computer Professionals (ACP), a computerindustry association created in 1983, promotes technologicalawareness and provides information about computer industryactivities. ACP is currently converting its operations to anexclusively online format. For more information, to join theassociation or for the upcoming Web site address, write to ACP at 9Forest Dr., Plainview, NY 11803, or call (516) 938-8223.
Internet Marketing Consulting
According to the Internet Society, an association devoted toInternet use and development, there are now more than 50,000computer networks, interconnected by the global Internet, in 90countries. As of the end of 1994, five million computers wereindicated as actually reachable on the Internet-with an estimated20 to 40 million users. But the development of the now ubiquitousInternet has not only created a new frontier for the distributionof information, it's also providing a thriving business venuefor BIZ Experiencess who can skillfully navigate its courses.
Marguerite Ellen is just such an BIZ Experiences. After 20 years ofexperience as a software engineer, Ellen started her own Internetconsulting business, Information Exchange, from her SatelliteBeach, Florida, home office in July 1995.
"Many people want to establish an online presence to markettheir products and services," explains Ellen, whose businesshas now created more than 40 customized World Wide Web sites forconsultants, regional artists, software developers, servicebusinesses and specialist researchers. These Web sites, whichdisplay text, graphic images and sound to supply information abouta company or association, have become a popular method ofadvertising on the Internet.
While the industry terminology and hypertext markup language (HTML)used to encode Web sites may sound convoluted to the unfamiliar ear(you'll be using "autoresponders," "links,""embedded graphics," etc.), Internet marketing allows forunique and varied assignments. "We can make Web sites ascomplicated or as intuitive as the client wants," explainsEllen, who charges a flat annual fee of $350 for the simpler sitesto around $2,000 for the more elaborate ones. "Many clientsmarket to different groups of customers, so we can customize theirinterface to the segment of the market they want toattract."
Despite the fact that she's had years of computer experience,Ellen insists that the job's not necessarily as hard as itlooks: "Learning how to create Web sites can really be quiteeasy," she admits, "but in this business, a good head formarketing is the most important thing."
For those unskilled in the ways of the Web, Ellen recommendsattending industry seminars, including those organized by DigitalConsultants Inc. in Andover, Massachusetts (508-470-3870) andGlobal BIZ Experiencess Network in Tampa, Florida (813-225-3005). Shealso suggests reading the Online Marketing Handbook, byDaniel S. Janal (Van Nostrand Reinhold, $24.95, 800-842-3636), andcontacting the Internet BIZ Experiences Support Service (see InfoSource box, below), for more information.
"You need, at the least, the eagerness to learn," saysEllen. "It's a challenging learning curve, and you have tokeep ahead of new developments. It's easy to create an onlinepresence, but to make it effective you have to know what will workfor each business."
Info Source
For more information about starting an online marketing consultingbusiness, write to Marguerite Ellen at P.O. Box 373229, SatelliteBeach, FL 32937, or call (407) 779-9161. Internet BIZ ExperiencesSupport Service (IESS) helps BIZ Experiencess learn about and conductbusiness on the Internet, Write to IESS at 4040 Towhee Dr.,Calabasas, CA 91302, call (818) 591-1170, or browse their Websiteat http://www.entrepreneurs.net/iess/iess.html.
Computer Repair
It's one of those inescapable facts of life: Mechanicalthings-cars, watches, VCRs-sometimes break down and need repair.The same goes for computers; although they can expedite ourworkloads and keep our files organized, they, too, need attentionwhen they're out of commission.
"We've seen it all," says 29-year-old Iris Glaser,who, with her husband, Greg, 36, operates Mobile Computer Repair inLincoln, Nebraska. "We've had crackers in CD-ROM drives,frozen systems and broken monitors. One man called after his 3year-old stuffed pens and toys into his floppy diskdrive."
With more than 200 established repair accounts, the Glasers makebetween 10 and 15 service calls a day, charging $45 per hour forthe visits. "The fact that we go on site for repairs gets us alot of clients," says Iris. "If people have to take theircomputer out to get it fixed, there's always a chancethey'll drop it. Most people will wait for repair service-eventwo days, if necessary-if it means they don't have to taketheir computer apart, load it in the car and bring it to theshop."
If you're interested in starting a computer repair business,the Glasers suggest taking courses in electronics and computerrepair, offered at most community colleges. "The inside of acomputer is just a nightmare of wires that cost literally hundredsof dollars," says Iris. "You really want to know whatyou're doing before you start tinkering."
Info Source
"We've got a bookshelf that's filled with computermanuals and texts," says Iris Glaser, who maintains a businessmembership to the Newbridge Book Club for PC Users (800-257-8345)."They send us their catalog and list every month, full oftitles about programming, software and hardware." Otherreference materials include Fix Your Own PC, by CoreySandler (MIS Press, $29.95, 800-488-5233) and Start Your OwnComputer Repair Business, by Linda Rohrbough and Michael F.Hordeski (McGraw Hill, $32.95, 800-338-3987).
