You don't need a $50,000 buildout to start fixing computers and phones. I've seen techs launch successful shops out of spare bedrooms, shared office spaces, and 200-square-foot storefronts.

Here's what actually matters on day one.

1. A clean workspace

Not a fancy workspace — a clean one. You need:

A bench with good lighting
An ESD mat (seriously, $15 and it saves you from frying boards)
Organized parts storage (even a tackle box works)
A dedicated area for customer devices waiting for pickup

The biggest mistake new shops make is mixing up customer devices with personal projects. Label everything. Keep intake separate from completed work.

2. A basic toolkit

You don't need every tool on iFixit's website. Start with:

Precision screwdriver set (pentalobe, tri-wing, Y000, etc.)
Spudgers and pry tools
Suction cups for screen removal
Multimeter
Hot air station (once you're doing board-level work)
USB drives with diagnostic tools

Buy quality on the things you use every day. Cheap screwdrivers strip heads and cost you more in the long run.

3. A way to track jobs

This is where most new shops fail. They start with a notebook or whiteboard, and within a month they've lost track of a customer's device.

You need a system — even a simple one — that tracks:

Who the customer is
What device they brought in
What's wrong with it
What you did to fix it
What you charged

techsbox does all of this for $15/month, but even a spreadsheet is better than nothing. The point is: write it down, every time, no exceptions.

4. Clear pricing

Before your first customer walks in, know what you charge for common repairs:

Screen replacement (by device)
Battery replacement
Data recovery
Virus removal / OS reinstall
Diagnostic fee

Post your prices or at least have them ready to quote. Nothing kills trust faster than making up prices on the spot.

5. A way to get found

You don't need a marketing budget on day one, but you need to exist online:

Google Business Profile — free, and it's how most people find local repair shops
A basic website — even a single page with your name, location, hours, and services
A phone number that you actually answer

Word of mouth will be your best channel for the first year. Do good work, be honest about timelines, and follow up when the repair is done. That's your marketing strategy.

What you DON'T need on day one

A fancy POS system
Business cards (seriously, nobody uses them)
A social media strategy
An LLC (talk to an accountant, but a sole proprietorship is fine to start)
An employee (you're the employee)

Start lean. Add things as you need them. The repair techs who survive year one are the ones who kept overhead low and focused on doing great work.

Robert Dale Smith ran a computer repair shop before founding techsbox. This is the advice he wishes he'd gotten on day one.

5 Things Every Repair Shop Needs on Day One