Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Edgar,

Really sorry to hear about this.  I hope that through your misfortune, a lot of us are picking up the phone and calling our insurance agents today!!!  Like someone said, it`s only computers, but it appears the computers are your bread and butter.  I wish I had a solution on how to replace them, give the financial constraints.  You seem to have a good attitude though, and like you said, you`ve come too far to let this ruin your business.

Did you check and see if any of this could be considered a loss under your homeowners policy.  I doubt it since it didn`t occur at your home, but it can`t hurt to try.  What about a warranty on the broken computer?  I`m probably grasping at straws, but I`m trying to use all angles here.

I know it doesn`t seem like it now, but this may be one of those "in the trenches" stories you tell years from now when your business is fabulously successful

Take care,

ModJulie

No one would wish misfortune on another business owner.

On another front, it is clear that Edgar`s web work is a long way from professional, as we discussed previously. And the worst part is that he never took the critiques of other, more seasoned web designers as constructive - he just attacked their own work and showed he really didn`t know all that much about web standards.

Why the laundry list of stolen items? Is that supposed to impress us? I can assure you that most of us have more firepower than that, and we don`t even do web design!

The warning about the need for business insurance, sure, we get that.

Maybe this is a wakeup call to get into a new line of work.

I`m just sayin`...

Edgar, I would look close to home on this one.

As someone who has dropped many a laptop, it takes a serious amount of force to smash one up in that manner.

My guess is that this was something personal, and not a random crime at all.

To be honest with you, I don`t think it was personal... I think it was more on the Let`s take everything and break something to throw the cops off. What I don`t get is that "the security on the front door is good"... from what I can recall, I had someone come in last month asking me for a web site. Through out the conversation he seemed more interested on what was on the top corners of the office, the windows, and asking weird questions such as : So I see you fix computes too, if I drop off my computer, how do I know that it`s going to be protected? Once, again he might have been concerned, about his computer but it did leave me thinking. No one walks into a business and is more concerned about your windows, or doors.

I don`t think it was personal since I am well known here in the community. I support many Non-profits and put alot of time into the community. I live in a small historic town so we try to preserve it.

You know what NIKOLE, I really don`t have any problems with my customers I have 54 customers and we are all in good terms, I visit them once a month and we are on the same level.
According to the Police, the smashing the laptop was just to throw them off.
As for breaking a Laptop.. MAC`s may take alot But not a DELL. I had to replace the mother-board several times because I dropped it.


-------------------------

Edgar Monroy
Web Developer / Owner / Consultant
When starting your own business the need to "know-how" is greater than money!
http://www.nuevolution.net

Like I said, the list is not to show off, I don`t care whether you have more firepower The issue was not about "My Computer is better than yours" hate to say it but I`m pretty sure that you don`t even own a DUO CORE2 Quad. You don`t even know what that is unless you hit google and look it up.
This topic was to show others that even in the best communities someone is lurking. According to the cops, there`s been a wave of random hits in the area.

As for being photogenic? Well (let me apologize to everyone) the only people that use the word photogenic or think they are photogenic are women [which is normal] and gay people, which I don`t fit under, so unless you are trying to tell me that you`re ......I`m cool with that,  I accept you.... I don`t discriminate anyone because of religion, creed, race,  or sexual orientation.
It`s OK brandAlchemy, I still care about you... Go On skipper! I`ll listen to your frustrations... You`re frustrations are more important than mine..

Anyways, back to the topic... PLEASE GO OUT AND GET INSURANCE!!!


-------------------------

Edgar Monroy
Web Developer / Owner / Consultant
When starting your own business the need to "know-how" is greater than money!
http://www.nuevolution.net

Well, what I`m going to do is add camera`s at the office that I can monitor through the intenet from the house, I live 4 minutes away from the office so I can basically run there if something is going on.
I spoke with a security company here in town and I might even add the "Computer Lojack to all the computers" this way they can be recovered.


-------------------------

Edgar Monroy
Web Developer / Owner / Consultant
When starting your own business the need to "know-how" is greater than money!
http://www.nuevolution.net

Maybe this is a lesson in your setup?

If you have people coming into the office like that, and you are a small office without CompUSA-level-security ... I would not have all my equipment out in the open. Perhaps you can install some sort of dividing mechanism so that you consult with clients in one area and the `back office` is hidden from view? I don`t know what part of LA you are in, and it doesn`t matter anyway because I haven`t been there in a few decades ... but it`s a big city and there`s always bad people.

Heck, I work from home, do not have clients over, live in a safe neighborhood, and have 160 lbs of dog ... but I still slide my laptop in a safe place before I leave the house because they can have the other PC and the crappy TV, but not my MacBook.

`Smashing a laptop to pieces` is still not `replacing a motherboard`. I would have seriously needed a large brick or a hammer or a really hard kick to crack up the casing on a computer like that. I would just consider it, that is all.

Anyway, you seem to not be taking suggestions again, so I will leave it at that. I didn`t mean harm, just that I would be investigating this thoroughly if I were in this situation ... and this is where I would start. That is a lot of computer equipment - way more than I ever have on hand - and if you have that much, you may want more than just cameras.

Houseofjerkey,
Oh yeah they have them. you can see it here LOJACK
I heard good and bad stories about it but for most of the part they are good.


-------------------------

Edgar Monroy
Web Developer / Owner / Consultant
When starting your own business the need to "know-how" is greater than money!
http://www.nuevolution.net

NIKOLE,
I think it did have alot with my setup and alothough I did contemplate cubicles, I didn`t want to have my employees caved in. I was moving away from that, so the set up was open space sord of like a studio (LOFT) instead of  your typical  office with cubicles where everyone is goffer-heading when someone walks in the office. I think what I want to do now is create a reception area and then perhaps a key-pad entrance lock or something that I can monitor who was the first person in and the last person out.
Now I wonder if I can build a wall inside? gotta ask.... But either that or Move to a more secure space. But then again I live in a quiet town (Monrovia) it`s a small historic/ high tech town. most of the people around here work for NASA/JPL  let`s see Monrovia is 10 minutes away from the Rose Bowl stadium. CHECK OUT THE LINK



-------------------------

Edgar Monroy
Web Developer / Owner / Consultant
When starting your own business the need to "know-how" is greater than money!
http://www.nuevolution.net