Danbury High School sophomore Nate Mahler has jumped into the business world with iQuick Mobile, a repair service specializing in cellular phones and laptop computers. (Photo by D’Arcy Patrick Egan)

BY YANEEK SMITH

Nate Mahler has opened a business from the most humble of origins.

The 15-year-old Marblehead resident, a sophomore at Danbury High School, owns a company called iQuick Mobile and specializes in phone repair, photography and information technology (IT) support. He can also repair iPads and computers. He has a small “office” at Erie Food Market, which is located at 398 Erie Beach Road.

In addition to those three services, Mahler, who has been in business for two years and charges $25-27 per hour, also sells iPhone cases, iPhone chargers and iPhone screen protectors.

He talked about how he started working on phones and computers.

“I started with computer repair at the school. We have Chromebooks, and when they would break, I had a class where we would fix them. We worked on batteries, mousepads and screens, and I would fix them, too. Then I just bought a phone, took it apart, fixed it up and sold it. I saw the potential in repairing smartphones,” Mahler said. “I learned how static electricity can be transferred — I started with that and got the basics down. YouTube is where I started to learn online. iFixit is a website and it breaks everything down; that has been a great help. I’ve also learned through trial and error. I always try to help people.

“I think I like it better than a normal job. I like meeting people and being able to help them.”

Dick Heller, the career readiness coach, helped in allowing Mahler to go to school for half the day.

“I didn’t want to do school this year, I wanted to do online classes,” said Mahler. “Mr. Heller set me up for internship classes, that allows me to leave school.”

Mahler works from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday by appointment. He accepts cash and credit cards, but not checks.

Mahler can be reached by phone at (419) 318-9581 or by email at natemahler7@gmail.com.