What Business Should I Start?. Rhonda Abrams

       E-Type: Technologist/Engineer

       Overview

      Were you figuring out computers, cars, or engines when you were still a kid? Does the idea of learning a new computer program excite you? Do you wonder why anyone ever needs instruction manuals? If so, then you’re likely to be a Technologist/Engineer E-Type.

      To some people, Technologist/Engineer E-Types seem like geeks; in fact, this E-Type is characterized by people who want to figure things out and learn how things work. They are naturally curious and capable.

      Technologist/Engineers are a varied group—non-geeks as well as geeks, women as well as men. In fact, being a “normal” person who’s able to relate to other “normal” people will give you a significant advantage in running a technology-related business.

       The Technologist/Engineer is the person who designs, makes, sells, or services all those gadgets the rest of need but can’t figure out. They, of course, are paid well, but competition is getting fiercer.

      Don’t be distracted by the term “Engineer” in this category. You don’t necessarily need to have an engineering degree to fall into this E-Type. In fact, while a college degree might be required if you were looking for a technology-related job, they may not be necessary if you’re setting up your own business. When acquiring and serving clients, you’ll find it’s the skill—not the credential—that customers care about. This is one area in which the self-taught, motivated individual can still excel.

      Of course, many business opportunities for those in this E-Type do require education and certification, especially in some of the engineering and scientific fields. That shouldn’t scare you off; many certification programs for technology-related businesses can be completed in a reasonable period of time and have few or no entrance requirements.

      Many people who fall into this E-Type are innovators. Because they are curious, creative, and fascinated by things that are new, they are often inventors or technology visionaries.

      This E-Type covers areas including technology (computers, software, telecommunications), consumer electronics (audio, video, telephones), scientific equipment, business and industrial equipment (whether electronic, electric, mechanical) and all related support services (such as networking, maintenance, and repairs).

      If you’re a Technologist/Engineer E-Type, you’ve got lots of options. Not only are the choices for this E-Type quite diverse, but there’s lots of business opportunities. Even if some of these fields experience short-term setbacks, the need for Technologist/E-Types is burgeoning.

       Options for this E-Type

      Consultant: Many self-employed Technologist/Engineer E-Types use the title “consultant.” While that’s a catch-all word, these consultants actually do consult—they’re brought in to solve specific problems for a client. Most highly paid technical consultants specialize in a narrowly focused field. While you can certainly make a living helping companies install and maintain their PCs, you’ll do far better specializing in, say, identifying security vulnerabilities on corporate websites or providing stress analyses for bridge designs. Of course, you’ll need the relevant experience and training in your area of specialization, but you may find that your niche emerges over time.

      Let’s say, for instance, that you have worked as a general networking engineer in the past—hooking up computers to servers, installing the necessary routers, software, etc. Now you’re starting your consulting practice but find that networking professionals are a dime a dozen. Nevertheless, you manage to land a client who happens to need secure wireless networking between their office building and the warehouse a block away.

      You’ll spend some extra time learning about the equipment and software necessary to set up this type of high-speed wireless network, but now you’ve got a skill and experience that sets you apart from many of the other networking consultants out there. So from here on out, you might actively seek out clients who need wireless building-to-building connections, and over time you’ll become known in your region as the go-to expert on that type of installation—and you’ll be able to command higher fees on every job you do.

      Seem unlikely? It’s not—in fact it’s quite common for consultants.

      Many self-employed consultants might also work on long-term contracts. You might serve a number of clients—maintaining their networks, equipment, processes, and the like—or work for one client exclusively on a long-term basis. In that case, however, be careful not to run afoul of Internal Revenue Service rules; they may determine that you’re actually an employee, and both you and your client could end up in hot water.

      Designer/Developer: Do you have the next great idea? Or just a way to improve on something that already exists? You don’t have to be a Thomas Edison, inventing entirely new types of products to succeed as an independent designer or developer. In fact, it’s often quite difficult to make money with an entirely new product, but there are many opportunities to be retained by companies to help them design their products or processes.

      According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly one-third of all designers were self-employed—five times the proportion of all other professional and related occupations. While this includes designers who might fall into other E-Types, especially graphic designers, there’s still a large number of commercial and industrial designers, as well as computer software developers.

      A few types of designer/developers include computer software developers who customize or create software programs to meet the specific needs of their customers, website developers who plan and manage the technology behind a client’s website (rather than just design the graphics), industrial designers who engineer machines and processes especially in manufacturing settings, and product designers who take other people’s ideas and turn them into actual products.

      Value-added reseller: A value-added reseller literally takes a product from a manufacturer (say, a computer), adds value to it in the form of additional hardware, software, or training, then resells it to a customer. VARs have traditionally been one of technology manufacturers’ most important channels for selling products. The reason for this is that much of the big-ticket technology purchased by businesses (and even some consumers) is highly complex and customizable and needs to be tailored for the end-user.

      Think, for instance, of the computerized dispensing system used at your pharmacy, or the new digital sound system at your local movie theater, or the computer system at your local restaurant. Chances are, each of these systems was sold and installed not by the manufacturer, but a value-added reseller who specializes in those specific products and that specific industry.

      VARs, like consultants, often choose a particular market niche based on past experience with the industry. If, for instance, you used to work for a printing company, you probably have inside knowledge about the various technologies used at modern printing presses. So you might decide to become a VAR of high-end drum scanners (used by print shops for preparing photographs for press).

      You’ll contact a number of different