Jacob Vincent, owner of Digital Surgeons, stands ready to help in his new store.
By Ryan Boeke
When trying to open a business during the middle of a pandemic, Digital Surgeons owner Jacob Vincent knew that it would not be an easy challenge.
Opening a technology store was something he had always wanted to do, so even with the Covid-19 restrictions in place, he embraced it and knew his customers would prevail as well.
“I’ve always been an entrepreneur and I’ve always wanted to own my own business,” Vincent said.
Digital Surgeons LLC, is a new business located at 292 West Street that specializes in iPhone repair as well as other experienced forms of computer and electronic repair.
Sign on West Street welcomes customers to new tech fix-it shop in Rutland.
According to the Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region, Digital Services does “screen repair to battery changes, all the way to micro-soldering logic boards for data recovery.”
Vincent always knew that technology was something he found special.
“Ever since I was a kid I can remember that I was taking apart things, putting them back together to see how they worked and see if I could upgrade them or make them better,” said Vincent. “I just always liked technology, working with computers, working with my hands. So I decided to make a career out of it.”
But like many new business owners, Vincent knew he’d eventually have to commit himself full time to his new career. And that meant letting go of other commitments.
“I developed the company while I was still working as a carpenter. I was managing luxury condos in West Lebanon, overseeing them being built. And I was saving up my money — and was earning my degree,” said Vincent.
When the business launched in September 2020, it originally started out of his house. It was good but it wasn’t the best, he said. By November, Vincet found the small store on West Street.
“And then once we found the spot here I decided to leave my job and give it my all to be here full time and it’s awesome,” Vincent said.
But the main goal for the business is to educate the community. Vincent said that teaching and interacting with his clients is the best part of the job. “I would say dealing with customers, educating the community on the benefits of repairing devices as opposed to buying new all the time and always upgrading,” Vincent said. “When you own something you own it and you should be able to repair it. I like educating the community on these benefits, how they don’t void your warranty and how it’s better for the environment as well.”
Vincent talked about e-waste in the community — how all the technology that we throw out contributes to more and more waste. Vincent was excited to show clients how to minimize that waste by improving their devices instead of just tossing them.
Due to the global pandemic, Digital Surgeons has had to adjust its business a bit.
“We sanitize all the devices when they come in,” Vincent said. “I have a UV ray for the phone that you set the phone in and I blast it with UV rays for I think 15 minutes, completely sanitizes it. All the bigger computers we rub down with an alcohol swab. We use disinfecting wipes before we touch them and before we give them back to the clients.”
Even though Vincent admitted that getting the business to grow to a second location would be great, focusing on the present and taking it one step at a time is where the majority of his focus lies.
“I would love to just keep offering people reasonable electronic repairs and good services as well as educating the community,” Vincent said of this future goals.
Ryan Boeke is a junior at Castleton University participating in the UVM Community News collaborative through the Community Journalism course.
