Michael LeBlanc, a 34-year-old computer consultant from Norwalk,
Connecticut, never dreamed when he started his homebased business
in 1993 that one day it would hit sales of $1.4 million. But the
demand for computer consultants continues to increase as more
businesses install computers or upgrade their current systems, and
healthy sales exist for those with some technical savvy and an
entrepreneurial drive.
As the demand for consultants intensifies, so does the
competition, so independent computer consultants need to find a
niche before they go out on their own. LeBlanc's business,
LeBlanc Communications Group Inc., provides something none of its
competitors can: In addition to installing, supporting and
maintaining computers, the eight-person firm also installs phone
systems and develops custom computer-telephony applications.
"Computers are telephone-intensive," he says, "so it
makes sense to provide both."
LeBlanc doesn't have extensive experience in the field;
he's a self-taught computer whiz who worked at a software
company by day and helped a few of his own clients after hours.
When he was ready to fly solo, he set up shop in his living room. A
year later, he moved into traditional office space.
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According to the Independent Computer Consultants Association,
80 percent of computer consulting businesses operate from home.
That doesn't mean stingy profits, however. Twenty-nine percent
of independent computer consultants gross between $100,000 and
$150,000 a year, while 16 percent report sales of $150,000 to
$500,000 annually.
But money isn't the only reason LeBlanc enjoys his field:
"I like the business because I help solve problems and make
people happy."