TJ Hartung

Owner

Well… after 28 years as an IT Manager, I’ve officially turned in my ticket queue for tool belts. Almost a year ago to the day, I lost my job. I spent months applying, interviewing, and hearing a whole lot of “you’re a great fit, but…” (translation: you’re too experienced, aka too old). After about 8 months of banging my head against the job boards, I called it: ageism won that round. So instead of waiting for another “we went with someone else” email, I decided to hire myself. Over the last 4 months I’ve looked at everything from gas fireplace repair to running a pizza joint to owning a liquor store (yes, I was serious about that one). In the end, I landed on something that makes a lot of sense. Apparently, I’ve gone from managing networks and servers to managing plumbers, carpenters, and electricians. Different kind of patching, but still patching. The truth is, this last year has been a humbling ride—but also a reminder that reinvention is possible at any age. So here’s to fixing more than just broken printers and servers… now it’s drywall, decks, and doors!🔨🔧🛠🧰🪛