This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Dylan Zajac, 21, a Babson College graduate. At the age of 15, Zajac began saving and repairing computers as a part-time job. The performance inspired Zajac to begin his nonprofit organization Computer 4 peoplewhich provides refurbished computers to people in need. Answers have been edited for length and clarity.
Image source: Courtesy of Computers 4 People
When did you begin your side business and where did you discover the inspiration for it?
I began visiting thrift stores in Brooklyn, New York with my highschool friends just as a fun hobby. We took the PATH train from Hoboken after which walked from thrift store to thrift store, often hitting three or more in a single day. In these stores we sifted through stacks of old electronics on the lookout for hidden treasures. When we found something invaluable, we negotiated hard to get a deal. Some days we bought so many computers that we needed to pile them on our skateboards to roll them home.
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Once we got the computers back, we cleaned them, repaired them, and sold them on Facebook Marketplace or eBay. This hobby soon became an actual business. At one point, my entire bedroom was full of random desktops and Apple PowerBooks. The margins were insane, sometimes even as much as 80%!
What were a number of the first steps you took to get your side business off the bottom? How did that evolve into the nonprofit you now lead?
One of a very powerful things that enabled me to begin my side hustle was getting access to a laptop and the web once I was in middle school. I spent hours watching YouTube tutorials on renovating computers and learning the ins and outs of e-commerce platforms, which helped me reach a whole lot of consumers, all from my bedroom.
But as I dug deeper, I noticed a serious problem. On my trips to Brooklyn, I saw mountains of e-waste – computers thrown away by people and corporations that had no idea methods to properly get rid of them. At the identical time, I spotted how many individuals on this planet (2.6 billion to be precise) shouldn’t have access to the digital world. That’s once I got here up with the thought for Computers 4 People.
I made a decision to show what I learned right into a nonprofit organization. Using online tutorials, I discovered methods to incorporate a business, apply for 501(c)(3) status, create articles of incorporation, and get the whole lot up and running. The plan was easy: collect used computers from private individuals and corporations, refurbish them and donate them to people and organizations in need. In February 2019, as a 15-year-old sophomore, I officially began my mission to eliminate the digital divide. I’ve been there ever since.
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What were a number of the biggest challenges you faced while constructing Computers 4 People and the way did you overcome them?
One of the most important challenges was ensuring that Computers 4 People could function sustainably without me. Balancing school and running a nonprofit taught me that there really isn’t any such thing as balance; You just must make it work. Many people assumed that Computers 4 People would collapse once I went to varsity, as is the case with most small projects like this. To prove them mistaken, I focused on making a solid structure where responsibilities resembling accounting, human resources, and program management are clearly defined. I developed proprietary systems to automate inventory, customer management, donor management, and federal and state grant reporting, which helped us scale and operate efficiently.
Securing sufficient funding and computer donations stays an ongoing challenge as we work to fulfill the overwhelming demand for our services. With a whole lot of individuals on our waiting list, the necessity often exceeds the availability. To address this issue, we have now diversified our funding sources, leveraging government grants, foundation grants, individual donations and earned income. Additionally, we work with a number of the largest Fortune 100 and 500 firms to gather their used computers to make sure we are able to proceed to effectively bridge the digital divide.
What are the organization’s growth and success metrics today?
To date, we have now donated 3,668 computers to people in need, keeping over 55,000 kilos of e-waste out of landfills. Our programs have empowered hundreds to access education, find employment and thrive within the digital world. We’ve raised over $1.6 million through grants and donations, allowing us to quickly scale and expand our team to over a dozen full-time employees.
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What do you enjoy most about working for this nonprofit?
I like solving difficult problems, developing technology to streamline processes, and dealing with a team of mission-driven people all focused on the identical goal. It’s also incredibly rewarding to receive news day by day concerning the life-changing impact of our programs and to see those results reflected in our data.
What advice do you’ve got for others who want to begin a corporation that makes a difference?
Let community insights drive your solutions. Don’t start something simply because it seems effective. Make sure your efforts create a net profit for the world, especially within the nonprofit sector. In the start, don’t depend on others to do the essentials. Learn methods to manage your personal incorporation, taxes, accounting, operations, technology, human resources, and board formation. It’s necessary to grasp your organization and industry in and out. Once you’ve got a solid foundation, put together a team that enhances your skills and includes individuals who excel in areas resembling fundraising, accrual accounting, or organization. Finally, don’t overthink every step: act quickly, make decisions quickly and move on.
This article is an element of our ongoing Young Entrepreneur® series, where we highlight the stories, challenges and successes of entrepreneurship young entrepreneur.
