My first 100 dollar service job happened a long time ago.
So long ago, I don’t even remember the exact date!
How long ago?
HMMM…. I think my first service job was sometime after 1993, when I established SLZ and Associates as a sole proprietorship, but it could have been as early as 1990, when I was making a lot less money.
Anyway the point is, it was my first 100 dollar service job
Wow, 100 dollars, helping people with services so long ago….but there was caveat.
The service I sold required me to troubleshoot, recover and repair a personal computer system. Back then I think the newest system on the market may have been a 386 platform.
Anyway, I was really excited about my first 100 dollars. So excited, in fact, I did not care about how much money it cost to make that 100 dollars.
To sell the 100 dollar service cost me 300 dollars up front.
What….300 dollars? Why would I pay 300 dollars, that is stupid!
No it was not stupid,…… because the three hundred dollars was acquiring a tool I could use over and over again to make another 100 dollars or more providing the same service to other customers.
That tool saved me a ton of time, troubleshooting and servicing my computer systems as well as any customer systems, so the 300 dollar cost of the tool was a justified expense for the problem solving situation I was presented with!
As a side note, I already was using and studying how computers and software worked as early as 1987 and found it to be fascinating.
Having a tool to help me was a given at the point in time.
Yeah okay, I made my first 100 dollars a long time ago but there is still more to the point of it all.
Thirty plus years ago, I was able to convince someone to willingly give me money because they could see value in the service I was providing to help them solve their problem.
Thirty plus years ago, I already realized helping people with their problems, related to computers and software was where it was at for me and my business.
Today, I am just a data processing consultant who still helps people but my business focus or mission has changed over the years.
Today, I rarely troubleshoot and repair computer systems for customers.
Systems today are inexpensive, easy to maintain, duplicate, and replaceable. These days most people do not need a personal tech….and most computers and software have their own support systems and personnel.
Luckily though, people still need help at home and in their business, so I keep polishing my services to help people when they need it.
What services do I offer today?
Online business services of course!
Web sites, Internet marketing services and data processing services are still and will probably stay for a while, a large field of interest to service.
Someday soon though, I will be fully retired and will not be helping anyone in business anymore.
Until then, I will listen to you and help you, if I can!
All you have to do is ask!