This article is part of our ongoing Young Entrepreneur® series highlighting the stories, challenges and triumphs of being a new business owner.
This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Dylan Zajac, 21, a senior at Babson College. By age 15, Zajac had a side hustle saving and fixing computers. The concert inspired Zajac to found his own non-profit organization Computer 4 Peoplewhich provides refurbished computers to people in need. Answers have been edited for length and clarity.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Computers 4 People
When you started yours side hustleand where did you find the inspiration for it?
I started going to thrift stores in Brooklyn, New York with my high school friends, just as a fun hobby. We would take the PATH train from Hoboken and then skate from SAVING thrift store after store, often hitting three or more in a single day. In these stores, we would sift through piles of old electronics, looking for hidden gems. When we found something valuable, we would negotiate hard to reach a deal. Some days we bought so many computers that we had to put them on skateboards to get them home.
Once we got the computers back, we would clean them up, fix them up and sell them Facebook Market or eBay. Before long, this hobby turned into a real business. At one point, my entire bedroom was filled with random desktops and Apple PowerBooks. The margins were crazy, sometimes up to 80%!
What were some of the first steps you took to get yours side hustle from the ground? How did it evolve into the nonprofit you now run?
One of the main things that made it possible for me to start my side hustle was having access to a laptop and the internet when I was in high school. I would spend hours watching to YouTube instructions on how to refurbish computers and learning the ins and outs of e-commerce platforms that helped me reach hundreds of customers, all from my bedroom.
But as I got deeper into this, I started to notice a big problem. In my travels to Brooklyn, I saw mountains of e-waste—computers thrown away by people and companies who had no idea how to dispose of them properly. At the same time, I realized how many people in the world (2.6 billion to be exact) do not have access to the digital world. That's when the idea for Computers 4 People hit me.
I decided to turn what I had learned into a non-profit organization. Using online tutorials, I figured out how to incorporate, file for 501(c)(3) status, create bylaws, and get everything up and running. The plan was simple: Collect used computers from individuals and companies, refurbish them and donate them to people and organizations in need. In February 2019, as a 15-year-old high school sophomore, I officially began my mission to eliminate the digital divide. I've been at it ever since.
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What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while building Computers 4 People and how did you navigate them?
One of the most difficult challenges was making sure that Computers 4 People could run sustainably without me. Balancing the school with the direction of PROFIT taught me that there really is no such thing as balance; you just have to make it work. Many people assumed that Computers 4 People would fall apart once I went to college, as most small projects like this do. To prove them wrong, I focused on creating a solid structure where responsibilities such as accounting, HR and program management were clearly defined. I built proprietary systems for it automate inventory, client management, donor management, and federal/state grant reporting, which helped us scale and operate efficiently.
Ensuring sufficient funds and computer donations remain an ongoing challenge as we work to meet the overwhelming demand for our services. With hundreds of individuals on our waiting list, need often exceeds supply. To address this, we have diversified our funding sources, utilizing government grants, foundation grants, individual giving and earned income. Additionally, we partner with some of the largest Fortune 100 and 500 companies to collect their used computers, ensuring that we can continue to effectively bridge the digital divide.
What do the organization's growth and success metrics look like today?
To date, we have donated 3,668 computers to individuals in need, diverting over 55,000 pounds of e-waste from landfills. Our programs have empowered thousands to access education, secure employment and thrive the digital world. We have raised over $1.6 million in grants and donations, allowing us to grow rapidly and grow our team to over a dozen full-time staff members.
What do you like most about working at this nonprofit?
I enjoy solving difficult problems, building technology to improve processes, and working with a team mission driven people all focused on the same goal. It's also incredibly rewarding to receive messages every day about the life-changing impacts of our programs and to see those results reflected in our data.
What is your advice to others hoping to create an organization that makes an impact?
Let the community's knowledge guide your solutions; don't start something just because it seems influential. Make sure your efforts create a net positive for the world, especially in the nonprofit space. At first, don't rely on others to handle the essentials. Learn how to manage incorporation, taxes, accounting, operations, technology, human resources, and startup the board of directors myself. It is important to understand your business and industry inside and out. Once you have a solid foundation, build a team that complements your skills and includes people who excel in areas like fundraisingaccrual accounting or organization. Finally, don't overdo it: Act quickly, make decisions quickly, and keep moving forward.