From fixing computers for family to a thriving business

Darryn Romberg is living his best life – surrounded by everything computer, technology, and family.

His store, Tech X-Perience is in a community shopping centre in Benoni, and it’s formed a new base for him to spread his wings. And Romberg plans to soar as high as he can – and take his sister Amanda with him.

The pair are a solid team and have slowly been carving out a name for themselves in the information technology jungle. Because it is one, and he loves navigating it along with his customers, suppliers – and hell, just everyone.

Motherboards, modems and things that blink in the dark, are what he’s all about. “I just love technology, I love the fact that it is ever-changing, that it’s fast-paced and keeping up is a 24/7 preoccupation for me.”

He said things were changing so rapidly that Mohr’s law, which suggests that processing power doubles every two years, may not even be relevant anymore, as technological developments have incredible momentum right now.

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Romberg’s dream has been to have a shop where a good cup of coffee and a visit forms part of the experience. Even if people are not customers of his, he said that his door’s always open just for folks to come in and chat about technology.

And, like many tech fairy tales, his story started in his garage. “I started the business from home in 2006, fixing computers for family and friends – later clients.”

The business grew, and soon he had accumulated corporate clients and loyal private customers. And then, as with so many other small business owners, the pandemic brought about a full stop to everything he knew. But not in a negative manner.

“It forced me to rethink the business, where we are going and how to evolve in a changing world.

“I spent a long time reimagining the business, and examining how client’s needs would change as the world hurtled toward a more virtual reality, yet at the same time, desirous of a bricks and mortar presence.”

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Romberg took a leap of faith, defied convention at the time and invested in a retail store. It’s here, at his Benoni shop, that he does everything from building websites, fixing computers, through to consulting on large-scale business networks and digital connectivity. And it’s going well, very well.

He roped in his sister, an experienced marketer.

“Amanda has brought an incredible dimension to the company. While she’s learning about technology, I have taken a leaf from her book and became more familiar with marketing and getting the business out there. It has paid dividends.”

And contrary to the notion that siblings, let alone family, should never work together, Romberg said he would not have it any other way.

“The support system that we have extends from home to work, and because we love one another, and we love our respective roles in the company, it’s as easy to spend night and day working together as it is having fun at a family event.”

Beyond hardware and software, Romberg is keeping a close eye on artificial intelligence (AI).

While the media frenzy about job losses, gains and rapidly changing reality are underway, he reckons legislators and regulators will still stamp their influence on AI, and that companies will wrestle with its application for some time to come.

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