What's New?

Achieve Participant Starts Disc Repair Business

There is nothing new about going into business for yourself. Likewise, the idea of people with disabilities having careers and working at real jobs is concept that most people are familiar with. Combine the two, however, and you do have something cutting edge.

Meet Kevin Carlson, an Achieve participant, entrepreneur and cutting edge type of guy.

Carlson recently opened his own business, called KC’s Disc Repair. He is able to repair CD’s, DVD’s and game system discs that are scratched or damaged.

Carlson operates a machine called a Disc-Go-Pod, which uses a special cleaning solution as well as rotation to resurface the shiny part of discs. Carlson can repair discs with light damage, such as small hairline scratches to heavy damage that runs deep from something like a knife or screwdriver.
The machine uses a special cleaning solution along with the rotation of the disc to resurface the shiny part of the discs, allowing them to work like new.

“There are actually four layers to discs,” explained Jim Rooker, program manager and member of the CEO group. “The digitalized information is on the layer closest to the top, allowing the Disc-Go-Pod to polish the damaged bottom layer to remove scratches and return the disc to working condition.”

KC’s Disc Repair is the first business to come out of Achieve’s Creative Employment Options committee
(CEO for short), which explores work and employment options for participants who don’t fit into the typical employment model. “One option that the committee came up with was to develop businesses for participant that would be flexible to the needs and individual interests of each participant,” said Jim Rooker, program manager and member of the CEO group.

Rooker explained that Achieve staff recently attended training about creating micro-enterprises and self-employment opportunities for people with disabilities, and were anxious to put their new information to use.

“The disc repair seemed like a good venture to try first because it doesn’t have a lot of overhead,” Rooker commented. “There isn’t a time schedule that needs to be followed, making the work fairly flexible.”

“The business is a good match for Kevin because he likes music and can activate electric devices using a switch,” said Rooker. “That way he can make the machine run and listen to music from any CD’s repaired to make sure they work okay. He’ll get the added benefit of hearing a wide variety of music,” Rooker added.

Carlson is currently looking into a website, email and other ways to advertise his new business.

If you have scratched discs (and who doesn’t) you may want to get a spot in Carlson’s repair schedule. Once word gets out that this entrepreneur is on the job, spots are sure to fill up fast. Carlson charges just $3.00 for each disc repaired. For more information, or to schedule disc repairs, contact Jim Rooker at Achieve: 763-783-4909.

Send mail to webmaster@achieveservicesinc.org with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2008 Achieve Services, Inc.
Last modified: 05/08/08