Independent PC Tech, Web Editor, and Graphic Designer

What Independent PC Tech, Web Editor, and Graphic Designer does

Gizmo Graphics & Technology is a sole proprietorship founded by John Gehring and based in Lansing, Illinois, operating in the Chicago metropolitan area. The business delivers three convergent service lines—computer repair and maintenance, graphic design, and web design/editing—to individual consumers, nonprofit and faith-based organizations, and small businesses. Named-customer anchors include Salem Baptist Church of Chicago and Family Christian Center (Munster, IN), both of which have received recurring graphics, web, and technology support over multiple years; Help Computer Doctor is referenced as a past collaborator, and the founder has himself been employed inside Salem Baptist's Graphics and Web Department since 2009.

Service delivery is manual and entirely owner-operated, covering Windows and Mac platforms. The computer services menu (priced à la carte at $55–$125 for system maintenance and cleanup, $75–$100 for virus removal, $55 for OS upgrades plus OS cost, $35–$75 for data backup, $40–$60 for memory upgrades, $45 plus parts for optical drive replacement, $35 plus parts for general parts installation) sits alongside general hourly labor at $35/hr for common services and $50/hr for labor-intensive jobs. Graphic design work covers logos, flyers, bulletins, and web graphics with project-based pricing initiated by a free consultation. The company's own web presence is a standard WordPress-hosted site publishing consumer-facing educational content (antivirus guidance, ransomware primers, Microsoft phone scam warnings, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 commentary, technology buying guides, hardware product reviews). Gizmo maintains no proprietary software platform, API, AI tooling, mobile application, or integrated product; the deliverable is the labor of the principal himself.

Revenue is generated on a fee-for-service basis at the rates above, with payments accepted via cash, check, or Zelle; in-home services are available in the Chicago metro on quote-based terms. Customer acquisition is direct and referral-driven—phone/text at 312-731-5412, email at [email protected], and word-of-mouth stemming from the owner's longstanding involvement with local churches and community organizations—supplemented by the SEO-oriented educational blog. There is no enterprise sales motion, no channel partner program beyond a single affiliate relationship with TECH DOCTOR, no recurring or contract-based revenue infrastructure, and no institutional investment in the business.

Name

Independent PC Tech, Web Editor, and Graphic Designer

Legal name

Gizmo Graphics & Technology

Website

https://gizmographicsntecnology.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sole-proprietor computer repair, graphic design, and web-editing service in Lansing, Illinois, serving individual consumers, faith-based nonprofits, and small businesses across the Chicago metropolitan area through hourly and project-based fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lansing

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Computer Services & Repair: Fee-for-service model providing computer repair, virus removal, system maintenance, memory upgrades, parts replacement, and data backup services. Labor rates of $35-50/hour depending on job complexity. Additional revenue from equipment recommendations and sales assistance.
2. Graphic Design Services: Custom graphic design services including logos, flyers, and web graphics. Pricing based on project size and time required. Free initial consultation offered.
3. Web Services: Web design and editing services, website updates and maintenance for clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Gizmo Graphics & Technology is a sole-proprietor service business that delivers computer repair, maintenance, and IT support (virus removal, OS upgrades, data backup, memory and parts installation, network setup) at hourly labor rates of $35–$50, alongside custom graphic design services (logos, flyers, web graphics) and WordPress-based web design, editing, and maintenance for individual consumers, small businesses, and nonprofit/church clients in the greater Chicago area.

Product overview

Gizmo Graphics & Technology is a small independent service business offering two core service lines: Computer Services and Graphic Design Services. The Computer Services offering covers system maintenance, virus removal, data backup, hardware upgrades, and parts replacement at hourly labor rates ($35–$50/hr). The Graphic Design Services offering provides logo design and broader graphic design projects, starting with a free consultation. These services are offered as independent offerings rather than a unified software platform; there are no product modules, no named product brands, and no SaaS or API products. The company also publishes technology tips, tricks, and product reviews as informational content.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Computer Services Technical support and repair services covering system maintenance and cleanup, virus removal, operating system restoration, data backup, memory upgrades, optical drive replacement, and general parts installation. Labor is billed at $35.00 per hour for common services and $50.00 per hour for labor-intensive jobs such as complete system rework. Targeted at individual consumers, small businesses, and nonprofit/church clients in the Chicago metropolitan area needing affordable PC repair and maintenance.
• Graphic Design Services Professional graphic design services beginning with a free consultation, covering project planning, budget assessment, and delivery of design assets ranging from basic logos to comprehensive design projects such as flyers, bulletins, and web graphics. Targeted at small businesses, nonprofits, churches, and individual consumers needing affordable design work, with a 100% satisfaction promise on all graphic design work.
• Web Services Web design and editing services including new website design, ongoing website updates, maintenance, and content edits for clients. Targeted at small businesses, churches, and nonprofits in the Chicago area that need an affordable local provider for both initial web design and ongoing site maintenance.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% satisfaction promise on all graphic design work

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• TECH DOCTORminorOthersAffiliated technology service provider. Listed as a recommended affiliate on the Our Links page. Collaboration on website maintenance and redesign projects for shared clients like Salem Baptist Church.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Emerging players

• HelloTech: On-demand in-home and remote tech support platform for consumers and small businesses, covering device setup, repairs, and smart-home installs. Comparable to Gizmo's in-home service model but with a centralized booking platform and a national technician network.

Others

• 99designs (by Vista): Crowdsourced logo, flyer, and brand-design marketplace. Competes for Gizmo's graphic design customers — particularly logos and one-off marketing collateral — using contest-based pricing that undercuts traditional freelance hourly rates.
• Fiverr: Global freelance marketplace for graphic design, web design, and related creative services. Reaches the same SMB and nonprofit graphic-design buyers that Gizmo serves, with dramatically larger talent pools and lower entry pricing.
• Canva: Self-serve DIY graphic design platform used by churches, nonprofits, and small businesses to create flyers, social graphics, and simple logos in-house. Represents the most direct substitute for Gizmo's entry-level graphic design billable work.

Broad incumbents

• Geek Squad (Best Buy): Best Buy's in-store and in-home PC repair, setup, and tech-support arm. Operates nationally with both walk-in and appointment-based services, making it the dominant broad incumbent against which a small local provider like Gizmo competes on price and personalization.
• Office Depot Tech Services: Tech support, repair, and small-business services offered through Office Depot retail locations. Competes for the same walk-in PC setup and repair customer as Gizmo, with brand recognition and store-based convenience Gizmo lacks.
• Apple Genius Bar: Apple's first-party in-store Mac support service — directly relevant to Gizmo's stated Mac/Mavericks-and-above support offering and a brand-trusted incumbent for the macOS portion of Gizmo's customer base.
• CompuCom: Enterprise-focused managed IT services and endpoint support provider. Operates much further up-market than Gizmo but competes for the same small-business 'we handle everything tech' wallet in the Chicago metro, particularly for nonprofits and SMBs evaluating in-house vs. outsourced IT.
• Micro Center In-Store Services: Tech retailer offering in-store PC build, repair, and support services bundled with hardware sales. Targets the same DIY-leaning, price-conscious consumer that Gizmo serves, including customers purchasing upgrades and memory.

Direct peers

• NerdsOnCall: Local/regional in-home and in-store computer repair, setup, and small-business IT support — functionally the closest large-scale analog to Gizmo's model (one-on-one technician visits, in-home service, repair-plus-setup bundle).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/salem-baptist-church-of-chicago

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Independent PC Tech, Web Editor, and Graphic Designer