You are walking down the street, talking to friends, when your iPhone falls out of your hands and lands smack dab on the asphalt. You cracked your iPhone screen; now what? Well, Asher Smale can help.
The sophomore in graphic design learned this summer to repair the cracks and began fixing iPhone screens a month ago.
"I started out with iPhones, because I figured everyone has an iPhone on campus," Smale said. "It's been really fun so far, and everyone that I have been able to fix phones for has been really happy. I like helping people out."
He said he is saving money for a business license and will have a website running soon. He is also working to revamp his Facebook page, The Phone Repair Place.
"Last year, I taught myself to crochet because I saw a hat that I wanted and it cost like $30," Smale said. "And so I started making hats and selling them on campus to people."
Smale said he made around $200 making and selling the crocheted hats, but he said the time spent making the hats was not worth the $11 he charged for them.
"It was a really cool way to make money, but it wasn't making me nearly as much for as much work as I had to put into it," Smale said. "I would spend like four hours on a hat. I started doing it for myself, and then people said they wanted to buy some."
Smale said he enjoyed crocheting hats as a hobby, but he wanted to figure out a way to make more money on campus.
Smale said he charges $90 for iPhone screen repairs, which covers the cost of a new screen and installation. Smale said he charges $20 for labor, and the remainder of the money goes toward the parts. According to The Phone Repair Place's Facebook page, iPad 2 screen repairs are $120.
"If anything goes wrong, I try to smooth it over and make it cool with people," Smale said. "Everyone has been happy so far."
Smale said he used his background in graphic design to create business cards, fliers and a logo.
"It's all getting done well versus some guy doing phones," Smale said.
He said the repair usually takes two hours, and he will meet the customer where they are. He said he understands people do not want to be without their phone for too long.
"If they had any issue with their phone, I would help them for free; I wouldn't charge them for that," Smale said. "If I needed to open up the phone or order a part, then I would charge them."
Smale said his friends help him market his business. If his friends refer a customer to him, then Smale gives the friend $5 of the profit he makes.
Smale has only been repairing screens for a month, but he already has plans for the future.
"I would really like to be fixing seven phones a week; I would be really happy with that," Smale said. "And I'd like to save up and own a physical store one day and do repairs with an actual business."
Why repair iPhones? Smale said the answer was simple.
"People are breaking their phones all the time," Smale said. "I can do more than screens on the iPhones, it's just that iPhone screens are just easy to do and easy to market."
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
