Meet Rob Cota | Printer Repair Technician
We had the good fortune of connecting with Rob Cota and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Rob, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I was born in Santa Monica. My family was not wealthy so I became self taught in repairing broken things at a very early age. I was repairing my own bicycles and things around the house. I knew early on that I had a natural talent. My grandmother also recognized this and gave me broken items to try to fix and if I couldn’t fix them, I would take them all the way apart and try to put them back together.
As I got older and more environmentally conscious I recognized the tremendous waste of our disposable society. Electronics, appliances and office equipment was being discarded at an alarming volume and often for minor issues that were often easily repairable.
A friend introduced me to someone who had a start up printer repair business when I was in my mid 20’s. It was the perfect fit. I was doing what I loved and helping save the environment at the same time. After a few years I started my own repair business: WeFixPrinters.com and have been going strong for over 25 years now.
What should our readers know about your business?
I believe I am most proud that we have managed to remain in touch with our customer base. Many of them have been with us for nearly 30 years and still call me on my cel phone directly and they know that’s ok, I love to hear from them. I consider many of my customers as friends, we know about each others lives, families, pets and careers. We are instrumental in each others success.
I would guess that very few entrepreneurs would claim that growing a business is easy, but I’d bet that if they had a chance to do it again, they would give a hearty yes! We’ve faced challenges with staffing, supply chain issues, cash flow, accounting and inventory processes, advertising and growth to name a few. We’ve taken these hurdles on as they came up and they only made us stronger.
We’ve learned a lot over the many years, probably the most important lesson is to stay focused on what you do. It’s easy to get distracted from your goals and get off path. I think we have done a pretty good job at realizing that pretty early on. I have turned down many business opportunities during my journey that would have changed the trajectory of our business. If you stay focused on what you do and do it the best you can, you will reach your goals, it won’t always be easy, but you will get there.
If I were to pick one thing that I would want to know about WeFixPrinters.Com is that we are first and foremost a resource. The best way to promote yourself and be relevant is to have an educational mindset, not a sales mindset. When we get a phone call, the question we get most often is “ Should I fix my printer or get another one?” Well, that’s not an easy question for most people. My wife, Tracy, who answers many of the phone calls, jokingly describes what we do as “Printer Therapy”.
Some of the questions we ask when we get calls are: How old is the printer? Do you have a stockpile of toner/ink for it? Will a new printer work with your current operating system? What are you looking to do with your printer? We then let them know what a repair might cost and what a comparable replacement printer would cost and we help them decide what the right choice is. We do carry a variety of options in case they decide to replace it. We want them to feel comfortable with their decision and have all the answers before deciding.
In the end, bringing broken items back to life is beneficial to the environment, I am involved with a local organization that strives to do just that. The Makers Hub, (themakershub.org) is a non profit organization that has several programs that benefit the community. They house a tool library, where people can check out tools like a library book. They also host several craft shops, studios, and labs. The Makers Hub also hosts free repair clinics. Members of the community are invited to brings broken items into these scheduled clinics where a variety of skilled volunteers are available to troubleshoot and repair them. I am one of the repair clinic volunteers for the Makers Hub where my technical experience transfers over pretty well into these clinics. It is a very fulfilling when someone brings in a favorite blender or vacuum cleaner that has plenty of life left, but no longer works due to something as simple as a loose connection or frayed power cord and they leave with it working. Not everybody has the resources or income to replace broken or damaged items, I am glad to be giving back to the community and helping the environment at the same time.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’ve been in Los Angeles all my life, I’m still discovering new places. When I get a visitor from out of town, I try to give them a variety of some of the iconic places and some off the beaten path.
Having been born in Santa Monica very first memory is walking under the bridge, holding my parents hands as we approached Tito’s Tacos in Culver City, so that’s on my list.
After that I’d probably take them to the Watts Towers, the structure and story has always fascinated me. I always like to take visitors on a drive around the Palos Verses Peninsula and over to the Korean Friendship Bell in San Pedro. The Queen Mary is also a favorite of mine as are some of the South Bay Beach Cities and Piers, such as Hermosa, Manhattan and Redondo. The Getty Museum and the Peterson Auto Museum are also on my list as well as Alvarado Street in Downtown LA.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Without a doubt, my family has been the greatest supporters and the reason for the growth and longevity of my business. My wife, Tracy, recognized the potential of the business and quit her career in Journalism and Freelance Writing to join WeFixPrinters.Com in 2010. She came in and basically became the Director of Operations, giving myself and the other technicians the organization and efficiency to get to the next level.
I also have to mention my two kids, Shayla and Finn who are now both in College and worked part time during summer vacations in the business during their teen years. I always put the family first, but they understood that being a business owner means that sometimes working late or weekends to get the job done is necessary. My family has been very supportive of my work ethic and I want to thank them for that.
Website: https://WeFixPrinters.com
Instagram: WeFixPrinters
Twitter: WeFixPrinters
Facebook: WeFixPrinters
Yelp: WeFixPrinters
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