I was forced to go out on my own in mid-2002. I had gotten fired from an IT Help Desk job, but had already been doing private PC repairs on the side.
I simply grew my business (had already incorporated as an S-corp) one client at a time.
Yes, "the business owns you." I have LESS free time to myself, because I'm still doing all of the work by myself, roughly seven days a week.
But, I'm doing better financially than as a salaried worker, I have generally really cool clients who have made for some really interesting (in a good way) experiences, and I really can't be "fired" - at least not by one individual person.
The previous concern about liability was dead-on. The thing I'm most afraid of is working on a shaky, decrepit PC that someone counts heavily on for business or personal use, and it decides to die as I am working on it.
None of my good clients would try to hurt me for something like that, but someone that got to me through an ad, and doesn't know of my good rep might convince themselves that it was my fault, and go after me.
There are insurance policies that you can buy... I believe that the type of insurance that most directly addresses this sort of problem is called "E&O" - errors and omissions.
It might not hurt either if you think you're working on a shaky machine or if the client seems like they've got a litigious itch, to have them sign some sort of waiver saying, "I understand that so and so (tech's name) is repairing my computer on a 'best effort' basis, and that unexpected problems and failures can occur during and shortly after the troubleshooting process."
Some general hints:
1. Always pick up the phone or return calls promptly if they go to voicemail. Have a good phone voice... I can't tell you how many clients who weren't referrals told me that they 'just liked the way I sounded." And I can't tell you how many businesses (and clients) I've refused to deal with because they muttered/mumbled or just 'sounded weird.'
2. Charge somewhere between the cheapest and most expensive. I see guys advertising on Craigslist and other venues for $20/hr for computer repairs. No one uses them, except the stingiest of people, because that's WAY below market rate for independent techs. A super low rate screams "I'm a newbie to PC repair, and can't charge any more than that" or "I'm desperate to grab business from the established players in this market." The most expensive ones charge upwards of $150 an hour, and are simply out to make a quick buck. Always give a fair estimate, and stick to it. Explain what you are doing, and why. If they say, "I don't need an explanation, just fix it" then fine... as a corollary, let them watch what you are doing if they want. Not allowing this will make them wonder if you're peeking through their stuff, or perhaps doing "quick fixes" rather than addressing the problem correctly. And don't charge more than half of the cost of a new, value priced PC. I can't tell you how many clients have told me horror stories of paying hundreds of dollars to have a few viruses removed from a PC. Sure, they reluctantly wrote that check, but they called me instead of that other person. Sacrifice a little money upfront to build long-term trust and referrals.
3. Be thoughtful - if you are walking toward someone's house and their morning paper is on the front walk, grab it and hand it to them when they open the door. Take your shoes off... toilet seat down if using their restroom, etc. Don't engage in a lot of small talk... If they "open" you, then fine, get into a convo, but remember that the best experience for the vast majority of homeowners is one in which the service person shows up on time, does the job quietly and efficiently, and leaves upon completion.
4. I think the idea of a mobile repair van is an excellent one. I ofthen think that if I ever run into serious financial problems, I'd sell my apt and buy a van or small box truck, and set it up with all of the storage and outlets I'd need to do my work, plus a small sleeping area. Then I'd take it all over the country, earning fuel and food money doing repairs.
5. Build up a small inventory of parts - NIC cards, video cards, hard drives, cables, etc. Buy them cheap on Ebay, Newegg, etc and then re-sell them at 95 - 105% of retail when you do a repair. You CAN make a profit on hardware if you buy inexpensively to begin with.
