This Facet Hustle Highlight Q&A options Dylan Zajac, 21, a senior at Babson Faculty. At 15, Zajac had a facet hustle thrifting and fixing computer systems. The gig impressed Zajac to discovered his nonprofit Computer systems 4 Folks, which gives refurbished computer systems to individuals in want. Responses have been edited for size and readability.
Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Computer systems 4 Folks
When did you begin your facet hustle, and the place did you discover the inspiration for it?I began out by going to thrift shops round Brooklyn, New York, with my highschool associates, simply as a enjoyable pastime. We might take the PATH practice from Hoboken after which skate from thrift retailer to thrift retailer, usually hitting three or extra in a single day. At these retailers, we might sift by way of piles of previous electronics, looking for hidden gems. Once we discovered one thing worthwhile, we might negotiate laborious to get a deal. Some days we purchased so many computer systems we needed to stack them on our skateboards to roll them house.
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As soon as we bought the computer systems again, we might clear them up, repair them and promote them on Fb Market or eBay. Earlier than lengthy, this pastime became an actual enterprise. At one level, my whole bed room was full of random desktops and Apple PowerBooks. The margins have been insane, generally as excessive as 80%!
What have been among the first steps you took to get your facet hustle off the bottom? How did it evolve into the nonprofit you run now? One of many key issues that made it doable for me to begin my facet hustle was accessing a laptop computer and the web after I was in center college. I would spend hours watching YouTube tutorials on how one can refurbish computer systems and studying the ins and outs of ecommerce platforms, which helped me attain lots of of shoppers, all from my bed room.
However as I bought deeper into this, I began noticing an enormous drawback. On my journeys to Brooklyn, I noticed mountains of e-waste — computer systems tossed away by individuals and firms who had no concept how one can get rid of them correctly. On the similar time, I noticed simply how many individuals on the earth (2.6 billion to be precise) haven’t got entry to the digital world. That is when the concept for Computer systems 4 Folks hit me.
I made a decision to show what I would realized right into a nonprofit. Utilizing on-line tutorials, I discovered how one can incorporate, file for 501(c)(3) standing, create bylaws and get all the pieces up and working. The plan was easy: Acquire used computer systems from people and firms, refurbish them and donate them to individuals and organizations in want. In February 2019, as a 15-year-old highschool sophomore, I formally started my mission to eradicate the digital divide. I have been at it ever since.
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What have been among the largest challenges you confronted whereas constructing Computer systems 4 Folks, and the way did you navigate them?One of many hardest challenges was ensuring Computer systems 4 Folks might run sustainably with out me. Balancing college with working the nonprofit taught me that there is actually no such factor as stability; you simply need to make it work. Many individuals assumed Computer systems 4 Folks would crumble as soon as I went to varsity, as most small initiatives like this do. To show them fallacious, I targeted on making a strong construction the place duties like accounting, HR and program administration have been clearly outlined. I constructed proprietary methods to automate stock, shopper administration, donor administration and federal/state grant reporting, which helped us scale and run effectively.
Securing sufficient funding and pc donations stays an ongoing problem as we work to fulfill the overwhelming demand for our companies. With lots of of people on our ready record, the necessity usually outpaces provide. To deal with this, we have been diversifying our funding sources, leveraging authorities grants, basis grants, particular person giving and earned income. Moreover, we’re partnering with among the largest Fortune 100 and 500 corporations to gather their used computer systems, guaranteeing we will proceed successfully bridging the digital divide.
What do the group’s development and success metrics appear like right this moment? Up to now, we now have donated 3,668 computer systems to people in want, diverting over 55,000 kilos of digital waste from landfills. Our applications have empowered 1000’s to entry schooling, safe employment and thrive within the digital world. We have raised over $1.6 million by way of awarded grants and donations, permitting us to scale quickly and develop our crew to over a dozen full-time employees members.
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What do you take pleasure in most about engaged on this nonprofit? I like fixing powerful issues, constructing expertise to streamline processes and dealing with a crew of mission-driven individuals all targeted on the identical objective. It is also extremely rewarding to obtain messages on daily basis in regards to the life-changing impacts of our applications and to see these outcomes mirrored in our knowledge.
What’s your recommendation for others hoping to begin a company that makes an affect? Let neighborhood insights drive your options; do not begin one thing simply because it appears impactful. Guarantee your efforts create a internet constructive for the world, particularly within the nonprofit house. To start with, do not depend on others to deal with the necessities. Discover ways to handle incorporation, taxes, accounting, operations, expertise, HR and establishing a board of administrators your self. It is important to grasp your small business and trade in and out. After you have a strong basis, construct a crew that enhances your abilities and consists of individuals who excel in areas like fundraising, accrual accounting or group. Lastly, do not overthink each step: Act quick, make selections rapidly and hold transferring ahead.
This text is a part of our ongoing Younger Entrepreneur® sequence highlighting the tales, challenges and triumphs of being a younger enterprise proprietor.
