My first 100 dollar service job happened a long time ago.
So long ago, I don’t have the exact date handy….but somebody will probably call me on it someday!
How long ago?
HMMM…. I think it 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 it cost me 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 work 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 are those you might wonder?
Online business of course!
Web sites, Internet marketing services and data processing services is 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!