Startups: 9 hot business ideas you can start now - iPhonerepair (5)

John Fry, 40: A steady hand helped him launch a lucrative iPhone repair business.

Searches by would-be customers: 9,043 in 2012, up from 2,698

Entrepreneurs listed: 456 in 2012, up from 133

Typical pay: $43 an hour

Fixing a broken iPhone, iPad, iTouch -- pretty much any of Apple's "i" products -- can be lucrativebusiness.

John Fry was a former government contractor on assignment in Kuwait three years ago when hebroke his iPhone. "I couldn't find anyone to repair it," he said. Frustrated, he took it apart himself,and with the help of YouTube, taught himself how to fix it.

After returning to Myrtle Beach, S.C., Fry started "working out of the car," making house calls torepair iPhones. With word-of-mouth referrals and advertisements on Craigslist, Facebook andThumbtack, his business grew quickly.

"People break these steps to starting a business products frequently," said Fry. "I have customerswho have come in three times in one week."

In 2010, Fry opened a repair store for computers and Apple products. He now has two techniciansworking for him. "You can make good money doing this because the margins are great," said Fry.

For example, he charges up to $65 to $100 to repair a broken glass screen on an iPhone but the partcosts him $7 low cost business ideas to $40, depending on the model. "The key to success is having asteady hand."

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http://money.cnn.com/gallery/smallbusiness/2012/09/25/startup-ideas/5.html