WiGoMan Blog - Tech Care (Repair, Reuse, Recycle) Industry Leader

This year the brilliant minds that have led the Electronic Reuse Conference (ERC) and E-Scrap Conference (ESC) decided to combine forces in Chicago and put on one combined show. Can I just say, yes please!   Combining the resources of these two organizations was a great move and something that should become permanent for years to come. I attended all three days of the show (Mon/Tue/Wed.) and was able to sit in on multiple sessions and networking events while also meeting many of the exhibitors in the exhibition hall.  First Enjoy this video overview of our visit to ERC/ESC 2021 Most of the conference sessions I would grade an A+ with experienced speakers and thoughtful moderators. The sessions were broken down into specific segments of the industry, joint sessions, and App only sessions. Like most conferences it's tough to get to everything, so it was nice that some of the sessions were recorded App only sessions you could watch later. I got into town late Mon...

Congratulations to everyone who has been fighting for the right to repair. Yesterday (June 10, 2021) the NY state Senate had a floor vote that was 51-12 in favor of right to repair. This is big in three ways; 1) It's the first bill to make it out of committee and actually get a floor vote, 2) It was also the first bill to win a floor vote, and 3) 51-12 is a healthy margin -- sounds like the Buccaneers vs. Lions last year.  If you're not familiar with how a bill becomes a law now is a good time to review the School House Rock video on the subject. I'm Just a Bill (Schoolhouse Rock!) So a hardy congratulations to everyone at Repair.org, iFixit, US PIRG, and the newly formed Fight for Repair organization.  This is a hard fought victory and these good people deserve all of the credit for continuing the fight. If you care about the right to repair then they also deserve your financial support! Gamechanger, Right? Yea, sure it is. A win is a win is a win. This wi...

I love this industry and I am passionate about seeing it prosper, especially the independent small businesspeople that make up most of its members. I started, like many of you, with an idea and a dream. I started my first tech repair business at the same time that Justin Wetherill, Eddie Trujillo, and David Reiff started uBreakiFix -- obviously they did a little bit better than I did. I realized, a little too late, that I needed help. I needed someone to help champion my business. Our industry is taking care of tech after it's sold (repair, support, reuse & recycle)  and is a relatively new industry that is still finding its way. There are a lot of great companies within the industry doing some wonderful things, including UBIF, to help people take care of their tech after it's purchased. The "Tech Care" industry has helped many creative small businesspeople get into business while also helping a unique set of people find jobs that they can excel in. Truly the Amer...

...the trade route. It effects every aspect of the tech care industry and the existing trade route needs to be broken in order for everyone in the industry to thrive. Right to Repair is an important issue but it is unlikely to move forward or help the industry until we overcome this stumbling block. Just like the Silk Road (pictured above) trade routes have been around a long time and once established they become almost unbreakable. Trade routes still exist on a macro and micro level as an established route that traders follow all over our world. When disrupted it can cause lots of problems -- like the Ever Given that was recently stuck in the Suez Canal. The fact is trade routes often become taken for granted as the way business is done. Modern consumers establish trade routes as well. How many of you "have" to pick up your Starbucks before work? And big, huge corporations like Starbucks or McDonalds put a lot of planning into where a location goes. They know how to find t...