This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Dylan Zajac, 21, a senior at Babson College. At age 15, Zajac had a side job saving money and repairing computers. The gig inspired Zajac to found Computers 4 People, a nonprofit organization that provides refurbished computers to people in need. Answers have been edited for length and clarity.
Image credit: Provided by Computers 4 People
When did you start your side hustle and where did you get the inspiration for it?
My high school friends and I started going to thrift stores around Brooklyn, New York, just as a fun hobby. I would take the Path Train from Hoboken and skate from thrift store to thrift store, often visiting three or more thrift stores in a day. At these stores, we sifted through piles of old electronics for hidden gems. When I found something of value, I negotiated hard to get a deal. There were days when I bought so many computers that I had to load them onto my skateboard to roll them home.
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When you get your computer back, clean it, repair it, and sell it on Facebook Marketplace or eBay. Over time, this hobby became a real business. At one point, my entire bedroom was filled with random desktops and Apple PowerBooks. Profit margins were very high, sometimes reaching 80%.
What were the first steps you took to get your side hustle off the ground and how did it evolve into the nonprofit you run today?
One of the key factors that allowed me to start my side hustle was having access to a laptop and the internet when I was in middle school. I spent hours watching YouTube tutorials on how to renovate computers and learning the ins and outs of e-commerce platforms. This allowed us to reach hundreds of customers, all from our bedrooms.
However, as I deepened my understanding of this issue, I began to notice a major problem. On a trip to Brooklyn, I saw mountains of e-waste. It’s computers that have been thrown away by people and companies who don’t know how to properly dispose of them. At the same time, I realized how many people in the world (2.6 billion to be exact) don’t have access to the digital world. That’s when the idea for Computers 4 People came to me.
I decided to take what I learned and turn it into a nonprofit organization. Using online tutorials, you learned how to incorporate, apply for 501(c)(3) status, write bylaws, and get everything up and running. The plan was simple: collect used computers from individuals and businesses, refurbish 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 close the digital divide. I’ve been working on it ever since.
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What were the biggest challenges you faced building Computers 4 People and how did you overcome them?
One of the most difficult challenges was making sure Computers 4 People could operate sustainably without me. Balancing school and running a nonprofit has taught me that there really is no such thing as balance. Just need to make it work. As with many small projects like this, many people thought Computers 4 People would collapse once I went to college. To prove that wrong, I focused on building a solid structure where responsibilities such as accounting, human resources, and program management were clearly defined. We built our own system to automate inventory, customer management, donor management, and federal/state grant reporting. This allowed us to scale up and operate more efficiently.
Securing sufficient funding and computer donations to meet the overwhelming demand for our services remains an ongoing challenge. There are hundreds of people on the waiting list, and demand often exceeds supply. To address this, we have diversified our funding sources by leveraging government grants, foundation grants, private donations and earnings. Additionally, we partner with some of the largest Fortune 100 and 500 companies to recover used computers so we can continue to effectively bridge the digital divide.
What are the current indicators of growth and success for your organization?
To date, we have donated 3,668 computers to individuals in need and diverted over 55,000 pounds of electronic waste from landfills. Our programs have enabled thousands of people to obtain education, secure employment, and succeed in the digital world. We raised over $1.6 million through grants and donations, allowing us to rapidly scale and grow our team to over 10 full-time staff.
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What do you enjoy most about working at this nonprofit?
I love solving tough problems, building technology to streamline processes, and working with mission-driven teams of people focused on the same goals. It’s also very rewarding to receive messages every day about the life-changing impact of our programs and see those results reflected in the data.
What advice would you give to people who want to start an organization that makes an impact?
Let community insights power your solutions. Don’t start something just because you think it will have an impact. Make sure your efforts create a net positive for the world, especially in the nonprofit field. At first, don’t rely on others to take care of your needs. Learn how to manage company formation, taxes, accounting, operations, technology, human resources, and form your own board of directors. It’s important to have a thorough understanding of your business and industry. Once you have a solid foundation, build a team that complements your skills, including talent in areas such as fundraising, accrual accounting, and organization. Finally, don’t overthink every step. Act fast, make decisions quickly, and keep moving forward.
This article is part of our ongoing Young Entrepreneur® series, highlighting the stories, challenges, and successes of being a young business owner.