Not Shutting Down After All: Reinventing My Home Business
I’m going to focus on computer repair services, and I'm shifting to a simpler model for the website. Here's what is changing for paid subscribers as well.
Earlier this week, I announced that I was shutting down my home business. At the time, I honestly meant it. I honestly felt like I had to. My health puts me in a difficult position with what I need to do in my life going forward.
Trying to keep things going strictly through paid subscriptions just wasn’t working. There wasn’t enough interest, and I wasn’t willing to keep producing content at a pace that just isn’t sustainable given the amount of work involved.
Looking back, what I should have done was announce a hiatus. That gives me time to process things properly and make a decision with some distance from the frustration I was feeling in that moment. I needed to step back, not shut the door entirely. I’m sorry for that.
So here’s where I’ve landed after taking a breath and reconsidering what’s actually possible.
Keeping Repair Services Going
My focus is now on computer repair work. not just on the website itself. I’m not chasing growth or reach. I’m keeping things simple, clear, and manageable.
A new website isn’t feasible at this point. Substack lets the website exist without the overhead and chaos of running a full website. WordPress is complete overkill for my needs, and other solutions lock you in.
This lets me stay connected with people who need my help, and offers an easy, low-maintenance way to support the work I’m doing.
What Paid Subscribers Will Get for $5/Month
I will offer a paid tier again, but this time it’s built around what I can realistically maintain, and what people might pay a mere $5 per month for.
Monthly Paid Subscriber Newsletter
Each month, I’ll send out a brief email newsletter with actual problems I’ve encountered and resolved. This isn’t tech advice pulled from Google. It’s specific, recent, and based on real-world systems I’ve worked on.
I will also include quick takeaways and solutions I have found. There will be no customer interviews or private information shared. The focus is solely on the problems and the solutions. I will also mention tech news and other relevant tips I feel the need to share. No more lengthy blog posts. I’ll link to what I find elsewhere.
Monthly Video Q&A
I’ll also post a short, paid subscriber-only video each month. It’ll just be me answering a few questions, issues that have stood out to me, or useful fixes I’ve come across. Little editing will be involved.
Occasional Extras
If there’s something worth showing, such as an app I really like, a tool I trust, or a fix I find myself using repeatedly, I’ll share that as well. These will be occasional, not scheduled.
Repair Services Are Still Available
If you’re in Red Deer and need computer help, I’m still here for you, and you’re my primary focus now.
A Shift in Focus
Going forward, I won’t be publishing blog posts at the same pace I was before. I am scaling back deliberately so I can focus on the repair work itself, as well as the paid subscription content mentioned above.
I’ll still write public posts from time to time. The same goes for short videos, but there won’t be a regular schedule. What I offer now is limited by design.
Closing Thoughts
This is the last thing I’m going to try to keep my home business alive. As I shared in my previous blog post (now deleted), I’m navigating some difficult health decisions right now, including the possibility of MAID, and I’m also exploring the idea of a career change if certain medical steps allow me to move in that direction.
In the meantime, let’s give this a try and see how this goes, for however long it makes sense to do it.
Sorry for the rollercoaster this week. I’ll announce any future changes here with notice.