After Yellowknifers were ordered to stay home last March, remote capabilities became essential as homes transitioned to offices and social gatherings went virtual. That meant technology moved to the top of priority lists, and for Talbot Technologies, business picked up.
Trey Talbot started Talbot Technologies In April 2018 after earning his computer information technology diploma from Lethbridge College.
The tech company offers full IT support in residential computer repairs, office setup as well as web development and management for businesses.
“Basically anything IT related,” Talbot said.
Growing up with two entrepreneurial parents and having seen their successes and their love of their work, Talbot didn’t bat an eye at the idea of launching a company in his early 20s.
At first, running his own enterprise brought challenges. Talbot manages his own books, does his own marketing and, on most projects, he’s a one-man team – though he says the technology aspect is the easy part.
Having lived in Yellowknife for most of his life, he said while the early days of his company were slow to get off the ground, word of mouth helped. Through friends, and friends of friends, Talbot Technology’s client list grew steadily. In almost three years of operation, he said the learning curve has been steep at times.
Talbot’s diploma is under Lethbridge college’s school of business. As such, he learned the fundamentals of accounting, finance and marketing, but continues to rely on trial and error as his company develops.
“A lot of my lessons are just trying to learn how to deal with companies and bettering my understanding of company-to-company relationships,” he said.
Having worked in sales and for the government, Talbot said his past experience has been more business to consumer. As an entrepreneur, he has come to learn what a dollar is worth to different companies and gained a better understanding of the value of his own time.
When the pandemic struck, Talbot Technologies became busy with requests for video equipment setup, at-home office installation and other such services for living in isolation.
Talbot estimates his company’s revenues were up 25 to 30 per cent in 2020 from 2019.
While he explained the business has had to pivot to uphold safety precautions for certain services – touchless pickup and dropoff, maintaining proper distances, ensuring masks are worn, etc.– for the company, the pandemic “hasn’t been terrible.”
In 2019, Talbot said he was still trying to get his “feet off the ground” as a new venture. This year, however, “I’ve been busy off my feet,” he said.
Talbot currently has an office in the Finn Hansen building on 50 Street, though he hopes to eventually have a proper storefront and a staff presence to relieve some of the burdens of being a sole-proprietor and only employee. He admits such changes won’t be in the near future. For now, he’ll continue to “go with the flow and see what happens and how long (he) can manage the ship.”
While circumstances have improved business for Talbot Technologies, he acknowledged that that hasn’t been the case for many companies in town.
“I just hope that all businesses manage to make it out of this pandemic successfully,” he said.
“It’s a very trying time and very difficult for a lot of people, and I just wish the best for everybody.”