Friday, December 22, 2006

HARD TO MAKE MONEY IN THE BEGINNING
I started my business with $35.00 and some old XT computer that I bought from the Flee Market in 1996. That right. I was amazed with computers For first time I saw one, when I join the Navy in the 1973.  Back then computers could fix in one room . Well let me keep on track now. I would buy old computers and computer books , modems, sounds, ect… . I would learn by trail and error. I started reading lot of books on the subject .


Then one day some neighbors and I where chatting about every that was happening in the last few day. Until one neighbor mention he was having trouble with his computer. Well before I could open my mouth. One the guy that knew that I was into computers a lot mention ” why don’t you let Norris take a look at.  Well this would be the first computer I would work on that was not mine. what a great start. 

 I would be repairing someone else computer.  I fix the computer alright. It had a bad hard drive cable running from the hard drive to the mother board. Now This is the funny part.  I repair the computer and return it back to the neighbor. Computer ran great. Working like a charm. The neighbor turn around to me and asked "How much do I owe you".
 Shock by the words that came out of his mouth and a blank look on my face. I Did know what to say to him. Remember this was my first computer I ever repair for someone. Before I could say, I really have no idea what to charge him.  I spent a hour working on it. He reach into his pocket and pull out some money and handed $50.00.  Talking about a happy camper. That would be me..  I look at the money.  Then look up at him. Then back at the money.  As I glance over the  money a second time, The customer told me, he  Would have pay 4 time that with a tech coming to the house. Well after that he started sending all of the neighbors to my door to fix their computers.

Some need parts and some where looking for parts or software to place in their computer. With in 4 months I was averaging between $150. To $380 extra a month part time. Don’t get me wronged , their where bad days and weeks when I did not make anything. Remember I did this on the side, In the morning I up out of bed and out the door by 5am and some times I did not get home until 8 or 9 pm. I did temp work for 22 years after the Navy. Went to school part two or one or two days out of the week. And you know I don’t regret any of it. Good hard work.


I bought my first house working as a temp. And when I say that I was a temp worker. Not none of that behind the desk crap. I work in construction, form carrying bricks to digging ditches and drywall. Hard work on the go.