High School Side Hustle Leads to Over $1.6 Million Raised

[ad_1] This Facet Hustle Highlight Q&A options Dylan Zajac, 21, a senior at Babson School. At 15, Zajac had a aspect hustle thrifting and fixing computer systems. The gig impressed Zajac to discovered his nonprofit Computer systems 4 Individuals, which supplies refurbished computer systems to folks in want. Responses have been edited for size and readability.

Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Computer systems 4 Individuals

When did you begin your aspect 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 pals, simply as a enjoyable pastime. We would take the PATH prepare from Hoboken after which skate from thrift retailer to thrift retailer, typically hitting three or extra in a single day. At these retailers, we would sift via piles of outdated electronics, looking for hidden gems. Once we discovered one thing beneficial, we would negotiate onerous to get a deal. Some days we purchased so many computer systems we needed to stack them on our skateboards to roll them residence.

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As soon as we bought the computer systems again, we would 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 stuffed with random desktops and Apple PowerBooks. The margins have been insane, typically as excessive as 80%!

What have been among the first steps you took to get your aspect hustle off the bottom? How did it evolve into the nonprofit you run now? One of many key issues that made it attainable for me to start out my aspect hustle was gaining access to a laptop computer and the web after I was in center faculty. I might spend hours watching YouTube tutorials on the right way to refurbish computer systems and studying the ins and outs of ecommerce platforms, which helped me attain a whole bunch of consumers, 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 folks and firms who had no thought the right way to get rid of them correctly. On the similar time, I noticed simply how many individuals on the earth (2.6 billion to be precise) do not have entry to the digital world. That is when the concept for Computer systems 4 Individuals hit me.

I made a decision to show what I might realized right into a nonprofit. Utilizing on-line tutorials, I found out the right way to incorporate, file for 501(c)(3) standing, create bylaws and get all the things up and operating. The plan was easy: Gather used computer systems from people and firms, refurbish them and donate them to folks and organizations in want. In February 2019, as a 15-year-old highschool sophomore, I formally started my mission to get rid of 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 Individuals, and the way did you navigate them?One of many hardest challenges was ensuring Computer systems 4 Individuals might run sustainably with out me. Balancing faculty with operating the nonprofit taught me that there is actually no such factor as steadiness; you simply need to make it work. Many individuals assumed Computer systems 4 Individuals would crumble as soon as I went to varsity, as most small tasks like this do. To show them improper, I targeted on making a stable construction the place duties like accounting, HR and program administration have been clearly outlined. I constructed proprietary techniques to automate stock, consumer administration, donor administration and federal/state grant reporting, which helped us scale and run effectively.

Securing sufficient funding and laptop donations stays an ongoing problem as we work to fulfill the overwhelming demand for our providers. With a whole bunch of people on our ready listing, the necessity typically 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 firms to gather their used computer systems, making certain we are able to proceed successfully bridging the digital divide.

What do the group's progress and success metrics appear like in the present day? 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 packages have empowered 1000's to entry training, safe employment and thrive within the digital world. We have raised over $1.6 million via awarded grants and donations, permitting us to scale quickly and develop our crew to over a dozen full-time workers members.

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What do you take pleasure in most about engaged on this nonprofit? I really like fixing powerful issues, constructing expertise to streamline processes and dealing with a crew of mission-driven folks all targeted on the identical purpose. It is also extremely rewarding to obtain messages daily concerning the life-changing impacts of our packages and to see these outcomes mirrored in our information.

What's your recommendation for others hoping to start out a company that makes an impression? Let group insights drive your options; do not begin one thing simply because it appears impactful. Guarantee your efforts create a internet optimistic for the world, particularly within the nonprofit area. To start with, do not depend on others to deal with the necessities. Discover ways to handle incorporation, taxes, accounting, operations, expertise, HR and organising a board of administrators your self. It's vital to know what you are promoting and business inside and outside. After getting a stable basis, construct a crew that enhances your abilities and contains individuals who excel in areas like fundraising, accrual accounting or group. Lastly, do not overthink each step: Act quick, make selections shortly 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.