Unpopular opinion: I used to think volunteer repairs were pointless, but a family's gratitude shifted my view.

I always charged for every repair, thinking free work devalued my skills. Then a guy brought in a rusty old bike, saying it was for his kid who couldn't afford one. I fixed it up on the spot, no charge. Seeing the kid's face when he got it was worth more than any payment. Now I do a free fix day each month for the community. It actually brings in more paying customers who appreciate the goodwill.

3 comments

3 Comments

river_johnson1d ago

Feel guilty that free work boosts business?

aaron_gonzalez1d ago

Robert makes a great point about the irony, but it really does work that way sometimes. I helped a neighbor fix their porch light for free last year when they were tight on cash, and now their whole family calls me for every electrical job. It never started as some plan, but people remember when you help them out.

robert_butler111d ago

Since when did being a decent human become a business strategy? It's pretty ironic that the free fixes ended up boosting your paid work. Nice to see a feel-good story that actually pays the bills.