This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features 21-year-old Babson College student Dylan Zajac. At age 15, Zajac was thrifty and doing computer repair. The concert inspired Zajac to found the nonprofit Computers 4 peopleprovides refurbished computers to people in need. Answers have been edited for length and clarity.
Image credit: 4 people courtesy of Computers
When did you start your side hustle and where did you find the inspiration for it?
I started going to thrift stores around Brooklyn, New York with my high school friends as a fun hobby. We would take the PATH train from Hoboken and then skate from thrift store to thrift store, often hitting three or more in one day. In these shops, we sifted through piles of old electronics looking for hidden gems. When we found something of value, we would negotiate hard to get a deal. Some days we bought so many computers that we had to stack them on our skateboards to roll them home.
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After we got the computers back, we would clean them up, repair them, and sell them on Facebook Marketplace or eBay. Before long, this hobby turned into a real business. At one point, my entire bedroom was filled with random desktops and Apple PowerBooks. The margins were insane, sometimes reaching 80%!
What were some of the first steps you took to get your side hustle off the ground? How did it evolve into the nonprofit you now run?
When I was in high school, one of the main things that allowed me to build my side hustle was having access to a laptop and the internet. I would spend hours watching YouTube tutorials on how to upgrade computers and learn the ins and outs of e-commerce platforms, which helped me reach hundreds of clients from my bedroom.
But as I got deeper into this work, I began to notice a big problem. During my visits to Brooklyn, I saw mountains of e-waste – discarded by people and companies who had no idea how to properly dispose of computers. At the same time, I realized how many people in the world (2.6 billion to be exact) do not have access to the digital world. That’s when the idea of Computers 4 People hit me.
I decided to turn what I learned into a non-profit organization. Using online tutorials, I learned how to incorporate, file for 501(c)(3) status, create bylaws, and get everything up and running. The plan was simple: collect used computers from individuals and companies, repair them and donate them to people and organizations in need. In February 2019, as a 15-year-old high school sophomore, I officially began my mission to bridge the digital divide. I’ve been at it ever since.
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What were the biggest challenges you faced while building Computer 4 Human and how did you overcome them?
One of the most difficult challenges was making sure that Computer 4 People could continue to operate without me. Balancing school with a nonprofit has taught me that there really is no such thing as balance; you just have to turn it on. A lot of people assumed that Computer 4 would fall apart after I left for college, as most small projects like this do. To prove them wrong, I focused on creating a solid structure where responsibilities such as accounting, HR and program management were clearly defined. I built proprietary systems to automate inventory, customer management, donor management, and federal/state grant reporting, which helped us scale and operate efficiently.
Securing sufficient financial and computer donations remains an ongoing challenge as we work to meet the overwhelming demand for our services. With hundreds of people on our waiting list, need often exceeds supply. To address this, we diversify our funding sources, using government grants, foundation grants, individual donations and earned income. In addition, we partner with some of the largest Fortune 100 and 500 companies to collect their used computers, ensuring that we can continue to effectively bridge the digital divide.
What do the organization’s growth and success metrics look like today?
To date, we’ve donated 3,668 computers to people in need and diverted over £55,000 of e-waste from landfills. Our programs have enabled thousands of people to access education, gain secure employment and thrive in the digital world. We’ve raised more than $1.6 million in awarded grants and donations, which has allowed us to rapidly expand and grow our team to more than a dozen full-time staff members.
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What do you enjoy most about working for this non-profit organization?
I love solving difficult problems, building technology to streamline processes, and working with a mission-driven team of people focused on the same goal. It’s also incredibly rewarding to receive messages every day about the life-changing impact of our programs and see those results reflected in our data.
What advice do you have for those looking to start an impact organization?
Let community insights guide your solutions; don’t start something just because it seems effective. Ensure that your efforts create a net positive for the world, especially in the non-profit space. In the beginning, don’t rely on others to handle basic issues. Learn how to manage a corporation, taxes, accounting, operations, technology, HR and build your own board. Understanding your business and industry inside and out is critical. Once you have a solid foundation, build a team that includes people who complement your skills and excel in areas like fundraising, accounting, or organization. Finally, don’t overthink every step: Move fast, make quick decisions, and keep moving forward.
This article is part of our ongoing Young Entrepreneur® series, which highlights the stories, challenges and triumphs of being a young entrepreneur. young business owner.