March 29, 2004
'Net gain | A chat with Debbie Kasper, owner of ElderConnection in Yarmouth.
By Brendan Hughes
Founded: March 2003
Revenues, year one:$12,000
Projected revenues, year two: $20,000
Address: 289 E. Main St., Yarmouth
Phone: 837-1590
Describe what your company does.
I work with senior citizens, teaching them to enhance their computer skills ˆ whatever it is they want to do. My motto is "All questions are good questions." I make house calls and will help clear up all those nagging computer questions. We set up e-mail accounts, work on Internet skills, talk about what to look for when buying a computer, troubleshoot troublesome computers, play with digital cameras, monitor bank accounts, buy prescription drugs, browse eBay, research and purchase books or just plain shop online.
How many employees do you have?
I'm on my own at the moment.
When did you first get the idea for the company?
My mother-in-law lives in The Highlands in Topsham. I was at her house one day visiting and her neighbor was saying that someone had just given her a computer and she hadn't a clue what to do with it, that she didn't know where to turn. I was teaching in the public schools at the time, and I just hated the discipline aspect of the whole thing, and I thought, I can do this, so I did it.
What was the biggest challenge going from idea to reality?
The marketing for me is still the biggest challenge. I'm not a strong advocate for myself. I don't get out there and convince people that they need me, even though I might see that they do.
How did you finance the launch of your business, and what did it cost?
I just started right out of my house. Marketing, flyers, that sort of thing ˆ probably about $50 worth. Those, plus a computer, are my biggest expenses.
What was your first day in business like?
It was great. My first client was very anxious because she had nowhere to turn, and she turned instantly grateful. I've met with her once a week for a year. She was so excited about it she did a lot of marketing for me [by word of mouth].
What have you achieved since then?
There is a lot of growth because every customer is a repeat customer, so as the customer base grows, I get busier and busier. They get going on a project, and then they have you over however long it takes them to do it. So as far as my customer base, it's there.
What could this company become?
A couple of things. I'm torn between whether or not I should hire someone else. I was just at a women's networking meeting, and their input was that I should franchise it. I'm going to see if I could expand the territory.
What could stop you?
Probably time management and marketing skills. There's plenty of potential out there in terms of finding clients because computers are not going to go away and people use them regularly, so as long as my customer base grows, I can do whatever I want with it.
What's the competition outlook?
I don't know of many others that deal [specifically] with seniors, except for [Portland-based] Cyber Seniors, but I don't run into them very much. Is the competition out there? Yes, but I don't feel it, though.
How are you different from competitors?
I think mostly because I am smaller and more personalized. I zero in on the senior citizen. I never touch the keyboard and I never touch the mouse. I type up notes for them, so there is something to leave behind. I let them lead the whole show, and I do whatever it is they want to do.
Describe a mistake you've made in your business, and what you learned from it.
I've missed lots of marketing opportunities through inexperience. I need to do more self-promotion.
If you were given $500,000 toward your business, what would you do with it?
Marketing, especially more advertising. I would advertise on the radio, I would advertise more in newspapers, I would buy more marketing tools.
What's the strangest question a client has asked you?
I told one lady to write in a website, and she wrote out the word "dot" and she asked, "why isn't it working?" It's a fun place to work.
Revenues, year one:$12,000
Projected revenues, year two: $20,000
Address: 289 E. Main St., Yarmouth
Phone: 837-1590
Describe what your company does.
I work with senior citizens, teaching them to enhance their computer skills ˆ whatever it is they want to do. My motto is "All questions are good questions." I make house calls and will help clear up all those nagging computer questions. We set up e-mail accounts, work on Internet skills, talk about what to look for when buying a computer, troubleshoot troublesome computers, play with digital cameras, monitor bank accounts, buy prescription drugs, browse eBay, research and purchase books or just plain shop online.
How many employees do you have?
I'm on my own at the moment.
When did you first get the idea for the company?
My mother-in-law lives in The Highlands in Topsham. I was at her house one day visiting and her neighbor was saying that someone had just given her a computer and she hadn't a clue what to do with it, that she didn't know where to turn. I was teaching in the public schools at the time, and I just hated the discipline aspect of the whole thing, and I thought, I can do this, so I did it.
What was the biggest challenge going from idea to reality?
The marketing for me is still the biggest challenge. I'm not a strong advocate for myself. I don't get out there and convince people that they need me, even though I might see that they do.
How did you finance the launch of your business, and what did it cost?
I just started right out of my house. Marketing, flyers, that sort of thing ˆ probably about $50 worth. Those, plus a computer, are my biggest expenses.
What was your first day in business like?
It was great. My first client was very anxious because she had nowhere to turn, and she turned instantly grateful. I've met with her once a week for a year. She was so excited about it she did a lot of marketing for me [by word of mouth].
What have you achieved since then?
There is a lot of growth because every customer is a repeat customer, so as the customer base grows, I get busier and busier. They get going on a project, and then they have you over however long it takes them to do it. So as far as my customer base, it's there.
What could this company become?
A couple of things. I'm torn between whether or not I should hire someone else. I was just at a women's networking meeting, and their input was that I should franchise it. I'm going to see if I could expand the territory.
What could stop you?
Probably time management and marketing skills. There's plenty of potential out there in terms of finding clients because computers are not going to go away and people use them regularly, so as long as my customer base grows, I can do whatever I want with it.
What's the competition outlook?
I don't know of many others that deal [specifically] with seniors, except for [Portland-based] Cyber Seniors, but I don't run into them very much. Is the competition out there? Yes, but I don't feel it, though.
How are you different from competitors?
I think mostly because I am smaller and more personalized. I zero in on the senior citizen. I never touch the keyboard and I never touch the mouse. I type up notes for them, so there is something to leave behind. I let them lead the whole show, and I do whatever it is they want to do.
Describe a mistake you've made in your business, and what you learned from it.
I've missed lots of marketing opportunities through inexperience. I need to do more self-promotion.
If you were given $500,000 toward your business, what would you do with it?
Marketing, especially more advertising. I would advertise on the radio, I would advertise more in newspapers, I would buy more marketing tools.
What's the strangest question a client has asked you?
I told one lady to write in a website, and she wrote out the word "dot" and she asked, "why isn't it working?" It's a fun place to work.
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