SP: Can you tell us a little about your background?

JF: I have been interested in electronics since I was a young kid. Instead of being a Police Officer or Fireman I wanted to be the guy that went to people`s homes and checked the tubes in their TV`s. Electronics has changed a lot since then but the in-home service hasn`t.

SP: Exactly what type of service does Computer Medics of America provide?

JF: We provide on-site service for small businesses and home computer users. The services includes virus, Trojan, spyware, adware removal and other software troubleshooting. One the hardware side we troubleshoot and install wired and wireless networks and recover data from hard drives, digital cameras, etc.

Just recently we began providing computer support over the Internet. Our franchise owners and their technicians can access a customer`s computer using a tool we`ve been developing since late last year. No longer is it necessary for a technician to even physically touch the computer in a lot of cases.

SP: What kind of work did you do before starting this company?

JF: I was a network administrator at a medium sized company. I got tired of the big city life and corporate politics and decided to go out on my own.

SP: What prompted you to start a business in computer technology?

JF: I have enjoyed working in this field for many years. It is a field that is always changing which makes it exciting. Every day brings new challenges, I love challenges!

SP: What type of business certifications\education did you need to start your company?

JF: Although I have my A+ and Network+ certifications, most of my knowledge has been gained through hands on experience. I have met many technicians over the years and have found that most of the really good one`s have learned the same way. Because the industry moves so quickly it is virtually impossible to teach it in a classroom.

SP: What were your start-up costs?

JF: Most of the equipment that I needed to run the business I already had, if I did have to purchase everything it would have added up to about $4,000. In addition to that working capital was needed to pay for advertising, parts, and software as needed.

SP: How did you fund your company?

JF: Most of the original funding came from the hard work of a very supportive wife. One of the things we look for when talking to a potential franchise owner is if they have a supportive spouse. It is very important.

SP: What was the most difficult part about transforming your company into a franchised business?

JF: We knew there would be some paperwork involved in starting a new franchise company but had no idea that it would continue forever. There are many States that required their own legal documents, renewals, etc. Then there are Trademark and Copyright laws. You almost need a full-time lawyer just to handle the legal paperwork involved.

We do believe that most of the laws and regulations are necessary to protect the public from unethical people attempting to create scams. Selling the first 5 franchises were also very difficult. I think what sold them was that these owners understood the vision that we had and they liked the freedom that we gave them in their business.

SP: Do you operate the business alone or do you have partners?

JF: The day to day operations are managed by my wife Cheri and myself. We do have attorneys and accountants that we consult with on a regular basis.

SP: When you began selling the franchise, why did you encourage the new franchise owners to market themselves as small local area business rather than a part of a large Nationwide Company

JF: Good question, we thought about this for about 5 minutes before making the decision to have each franchise appear to their communities as a small local business rather than part of a large nationwide corporation. It has been found, especially in this industry that the public has received very poor customer satisfaction from those large companies.

Computer Medics does however market itself as a larger company to those companies that require service on a large scale. We have service contracts with close to a dozen nationwide companies that use our franchise owners to provide services.

SP: What type of clients do you target?

JF: Most of our clients are small business or home users.

SP: What is the company`s marketing strategy to expand throughout the US and Canada?

JF: The franchises at this point are selling themselves. The challenge at this point is to learn new marketing techniques to spread the word faster to potential owners.

SP: Most entrepreneurs advise that you choose a business you love. Have you always loved technology, or is it all business that you stumbled upon?

JF:I have always loved this industry; technology is always changing making it exciting.

SP: What is your most successful form of advertisement?

JF: Getting the name out there on the internet where potential owners will see it.

SP: Roughly, how many franchises have you sold to date?

JF: 52

SP: What kind of business did you form officially? (Inc, S-Corp, LLC) Why did you choose this type of business entity?

JF: We Incorporated as a C-Corp to create an entity that manages the assets of the company.

SP: Share with us anything that a budding entrepreneur might need to know before starting his/her business based on your experiences: