As we prepare for our next Grosvenor Business Club event on April 25th, we’re showing our appreciation for our clients and networking attendees. We’ve already shed light on the brilliant work of Clover HR and the Flyer Watch Company – today, we’re delving into the tech sector with our client Repair Wins who have been with us for almost one year.
We spoke to Callum Faulds, the founder of Repair Wins about his experience in the Birmingham technology sector, his goals and challenges, and how Grosvenor House has helped their business flourish.
First, we asked Callum about his journey in founding Repair Wins and the importance of his technology services…
Tell us a bit about your story – where you’ve come from to where you are now.
The business is called Repair Wins, we provide electronics repair services. I run the business as a Sole Trader and I can fix almost anything you put power into; I’m willing to take on devices that others won’t. I’ve run Repair Wins since December 2021. It made sense to enter this industry as I’ve always had an interest in how things work, how they go together, and so on. Fixing them was a natural progression.
During Sixth Form, I used to buy 2nd hand game consoles and fix them. I sold them online and funded many a night out before Covid came and I grew up. During that time, I decided to have a go at fixing other devices from laptops to TVs to microwaves.
In late 2021 and throughout 2022, I ran Repair Wins out of my bedroom at my mothers’ house. I would buy pallets of broken laptops, repair them and sell them online individually. It was tough work and it didn’t pay well but it was very rewarding. I spent hours every week packing parcels.
In early 2023 I left home and moved to Birmingham. I continued running Repair Wins in the same way until August where I decided to change how I ran the business. Instead of buying pallets of goods to fix and sell, I would instead market my repair services. They are what Repair Wins provides now. Customers drop off goods, I fix them and drop them back for collection.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m very willing to fix things I’ve found dumped outside and I have done so before. At school, my favourite subject wasn’t electronics. I didn’t even take electronics. It was woodworking.
What is your daily routine?
I usually get up early and read for 30 or so minutes. If it’s a gym day, I get ready and go there. Otherwise, I make breakfast. I aim to start working at 9am and finish working at 5pm but that doesn’t always happen. Sometimes I start late and finish late. Other times I start early and finish early. I try to get outside at lunch time as staying indoors for too long is draining and my productivity suffers as a result. When my work is done, I make dinner and the rest of the evening is my own. I usually spend that time networking. There are a number of tech focused meetups in and around Birmingham, most of which I attend. If there are no meetups, my evenings are same as everyone else’s.
One of the very best practices you can institute as a business in any sector is goal-setting, which is why we asked Callum about his aims for the future and how he has overcome previous obstacles in his career.
What are your biggest goals and what do you want to achieve in 2024?
I would like to double my turnover by this time next year. It would also make sense to register as a limited company and become VAT-registered since I want to deal with more businesses. More than half of my work comes from private individuals currently. It would be great to get some contracts in place to do repairs for schools, hospitals and care facilities, charities and so on.
What are the biggest challenges you have faced?
The time I spent at home wasn’t fun – I left home much earlier than I would have otherwise. For that reason, I struggled greatly to earn money and pay my bills for the first 6 months after moving out.
On a lighter note, I was recently tasked with supplying a computer to an estate agent. Everything you could think of and more went wrong with that job but I was eventually able to supply the machine I’d promised. The customer was very happy in the end and still provides work for me. It reaffirmed that not everything that is “tested and working” has actually been tested.
What is the best piece of advice you have been given?
When you make a mistake, learn from it.
What would you tell yourself if you could go back 5 years?
Talent is a myth and the reason why you can’t do a lot of things is simply down to not having practiced enough. Mastery takes years if not decades of hard work to accomplish.
What’s the one piece of kit/software you couldn’t live without?
My screwdriver kit. It has paid for itself again and again. I couldn’t do 95% of my repairs without it.
Callum has been utilising Grosvenor House’s services for almost one year, and we are delighted to hear that he has found our virtual office capabilities to be of great service to Repair Wins.
What services do you have with Grosvenor House and would you recommend the services to other businesses?
I heard of Grosvenor House through word of mouth, and I currently use their mail handling service, registered address service and call handling capabilities as of recently. I would (and have) highly recommend Grosvenor House to others.
Find out more about Repair Wins
Boasting the ability to repair practically anything you can put power into, Repair Wins are able to bring your old or broken technology back to life. With a focus on sustainability thanks to their efforts to repair, re-use and repurpose old technology rather than purchasing new items, Grosvenor House are proud to have Callum as one of our virtual office clients. If you want to learn more about Repair Wins, explore their story here, or fill out the form below to register for our next Grosvenor Business Club!