Relaxed Atmosphere, Personal Touch Attract Bill Langan To Home Business
Business: ProTek Electronics Service and Repair
Owner: Bill Langan
Former occupation: Electronics engineer
When Bill Langan takes a break from work, he gazes out the window to his backyard and watches robins hop around on the rocks surrounding his fish pond.
Langan’s office walls are lined with model rockets, and above his work table are pictures of his two daughters.
Car stereos, VCRs and televisions are neatly arranged in rows, waiting to be picked up.
After a decade of working as an electronics engineer for other companies, the Spokane Valley man started his own electronics repair business three years ago.
He likes working from home because it’s more personal. The atmosphere is relaxed, and he can take the time to explain problems to his customers and show them what he did to fix their equipment.
A compact, wiry man who vibrates with energy and determination, Langan is convinced it’s that extra effort that keeps customers coming back.
“They come out with a better understanding of what the problem is and they feel more satisfied,” he said.
In his first year of business, Langan said he made between $200 and $500 per week. Now his earnings are between $500 and $1,000 per week.
Ironically, Langan said he has more of a sense of security working for himself than he did in “corporate America.”
Working for a large company, he said, “you’re a tool. When a tool gets old, it’s thrown out or upgraded.”
Now that he works for himself, Langan said, “I don’t have to depend on someone else to help me meet an end goal. That’s what makes me happy.”
, DataTimes MEMO: See main story under headline: Home work gains popularity