A new business in Ironwood is taking off thanks to the drive and energy of three
Gogebic Community College computer students who decided there was a need for their services in the western U.P.
Next Day Computer Repair was founded this spring by Roger Kovach, Edward Thomas and Joshua Erickson, all computer students at the community college. It's an Ironwood-based computer repair business that also does web design, in-home repairs, phone consultations, computer upgrading, and custom computer building.
"When we first decided to start the business it was pretty much just something we would like to do, but not something we ever really truly considered as jobs," says Erickson. The guys had plenty of personal and some professional experience helping other people with a wide range of computer issues, and found they could parlay their skills into a growing business, he says.
"We realized later on though, that when people needed their computers fixed we knew how to do that." Erickson says. "We were just overestimating the jobs that we would most likely get and underestimating our own technical abilities. Once we got that through our heads we decided to officially get everything going."
The business took shape within the week, as the founders created the business April 5, and launched their website made by Erickson April 7.
They began service in just the Ironwood area, while they were in school, but for the summer, Next Day can offer repairs at three locations; Ironwood, L'Anse and Houghton.
Being so heavily computer-based, Next Day Computer Repair hasn't felt the need for a storefront yet, which also helps keep their business costs down. The computer technicians work from their homes or at customers' homes, if desired, on a wide range of services.
"What we want to do is help people who can't help themselves," Erickson says. The long-term plan for Next Day Computer Repair is still in the works, as the owners discuss future locations and hiring other technicians when the need arises.
"We have not had a need to hire any other technicians at the moment, and we are still deciding how far we should expand and what we should do about hiring more technicians in the future," says Erickson.
Writer: Sam EgglestonSource: Joshua Erickson, Next Day Computer Repair
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