With many people being laid off and limited availability of jobs, self employment is increasing as people are finding it nearly impossible to find work. Even with limited financial resources, one person companies and service organizations are on the rise. No matter if the company is a small eBay business or motorcycle repair shop, all require computers and internet access. I hope to offer at least some basic suggestions on how to start a business with a limited technology budget.
Computer’ s are necessary in business. Even for the most basic of business models, it is almost impossible to run a business without a computer and some basic networking. Many entrepreneurs I work with have budgeted outrageous amounts of money for computers and equipment when it simply is not necessary.
Deploying a basic infrastructure for small business doesn’t have to be expensive and implementing the technology is fairly easy. Many see technology as a necessary expense and set aside large technology budgets to start their business. Budgets can be overwhelming and nearly impossible to meet. The reality is that many business applications simply do not require the capabilities of current computer technology.
Some basic applications a startup may need are accounting software, basic photo editing applications and an office suite which includes a word processor and spreadsheet. None of these are substantially taxing on computers and all of them can be run on computers built within the last five years. Though technology has evolved substantially, most of the changes were mandated by Windows Vista and 7 (the newest in the Microsoft sequence).
One way of saving large amounts of money when starting up a business is to recycle older computers. Computers manufactured within the last five years with Windows XP can – for the most part – easily handle modern business applications. Some of the older systems may require slight upgrades, but none of them should be too costly. Windows XP runs best on systems with 512MB or memory or higher. Many of the existing businesses we serve rely on Windows XP and don’t plan to change in the near future.
Networking can be a daunting task for anyone. Businesses requiring more than one computer, wireless connections, or a networked printer will require a network. Basic small office networking doesn’t have to be grueling and most applications don’t require a professional. In fact, most of the time standard home routers offer enough functionality for most. Modern routers which cost between $40.00 and $80.00 include automatic installation software provided on CD. Once online, there are plenty of free tutorials to guide you.
Internet requirements for most businesses are fairly minimal. For the most part, the slowest DSL service is more than adequate to handle e-mail and small business internet. DSL travels over existing telephone lines and works at a different frequency than voice phones. It is one of the least expensive means of efficiently connecting to the world wide web.
Last week I was called to Marco’s Motorsports to look at a job the owner had done himself. Marco’s is a custom motorcycle and hot rod shop located on Main St. in Gardner. Mark Russell asked me to give him a few pointers on his setup. He had the benefit of wiring left behind by the prior tenant as well as basic networking equipment which was provided by his internet provider.
Initially, Marco’s needs two computers. I suggested he do crucial business transactions on a newer used computer and rework an older computer from his house as a second machine. Because Mark was able to recycle older equipment, he was able to save several thousand dollars. For less than $500.00 Marco’s Motorsports will run as efficiently as companies budgeting ten times as much.
(Jeromy Patriquin is the President of Laptop & Computer Repair, Inc. located at 509 Main St. in Gardner. You can e-mail him at Jeromy@LocalComputerWiz.com.)