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International E-Waste Day. The WEEE Forum's 2026 theme is Fast Tech: "Don't bin it, bring it!" For whole devices, go one step further: keep it, repair it, reuse it, recycle it last. wheretorepair.org/2026/10/05/what-t…

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Tuesday 10/13, 11 AM ET: the Second Life Sessions finale. 19 conversations from Mobile Disrupt on repair, reuse and what happens to our devices after we're done with them. Catch up on the first 18: techcareassociation.org/2026/08/03/…

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Free one-page worksheet: the true parts cost calculation, the minimum contribution from your floor rate, a three-tier matrix, counter scripts, and a five-line parts policy. Monday morning starts here: techcareassociation.org/2026/10/07/…

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

18 episodes in, one to go. This week: Alberto Delgadillo of Mannapov on where old phones should go youtu.be/HtjHqynqD-Q and Sandy Zimmerman & Jodi Ortiz of VT Services on the in-between youtu.be/QRWqH9Chu-w Finale Tuesday, 11 AM ET.

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

A Tech Cleanout is not about getting rid of things. It is about getting them moving again. Half of end-of-life smartphones are just left unused at home. Yours could be someone's phone. wheretorepair.org/2026/10/05/what-t…

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Double a $12 part: it contributes about $9 toward a ticket that needs about $104. Double a $140 part: it collects the whole ticket twice. One rule fails at both ends. Illustrative. Part 5 of Fix the Shop First: techcareassociation.org/2026/10/07/…

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Weekend plan: a Tech Cleanout. Gather every retired device in the house (the drawer, the closet, the basement bin), ask of each one "is it done, or am I done with it," then send it to the right place. The checklist: wheretorepair.org/2026/10/05/what-t…

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Catch up on Week 10 of Second Life Sessions: Alberto Delgadillo, Mannapov youtu.be/HtjHqynqD-Q and Sandy Zimmerman & Jodi Ortiz, VT Services youtu.be/QRWqH9Chu-w 🤝 Work in repair? Join the TCA: techcareassociation.org/become-a-tc…

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Two pockets, one floor. Parts pocket plus labor pocket has to reach what the part really cost plus what the bench hour has to earn. "Part plus $100" ran about $8 short on the example shop. Illustrative. techcareassociation.org/2026/10/07/…

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Skip the bin. Loose battery? Turn it in, per the National Waste & Recycling Foundation's campaign with Woodsy Owl. Battery still inside a phone or laptop? Ask first: can it be used, repaired, or reused? wheretorepair.org/2026/10/05/what-t…

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Week 10 wrap. Alberto Delgadillo, Mannapov: not in the garbage, not in the closet. youtu.be/HtjHqynqD-Q Sandy Zimmerman & Jodi Ortiz, VT Services: "there's an in between." youtu.be/QRWqH9Chu-w ♻️ In the DMV? Donate: ewastewarriors.org

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Sandy Zimmerman, VT Services: "Everything is sort of just tossed. When it's no longer functional, it gets tossed. There's so many alternate options to keeping the device running longer. And so that's where we come in." Ep. 18: youtu.be/QRWqH9Chu-w

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

One Number From Repair: $47.09. What a part with a $43.33 invoice really costs once warranty replacements and shipping both ways are counted. Illustrative, not a benchmark. The formula: techcareassociation.org/2026/10/07/…

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Ep. 18: Sandy Zimmerman & Jodi Ortiz, VT Services. "Let's get it fixed. Or let's toss it, let's recycle it... There's an in between." Board repair for school Chromebooks. youtu.be/QRWqH9Chu-w 🔧 Find a repair shop: wheretorepair.org

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Before an old phone leaves your hands: back it up, move your authenticator, sign out, turn off find-my-device, pull the SIM, erase. 15 minutes. 1 in 5 resold phones still held the previous owner's data. wheretorepair.org/2026/10/05/what-t…

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Tue: don't put old phones in the garbage or the closet. Thu: Sandy Zimmerman & Jodi Ortiz of VT Services on fixing the boards inside school Chromebooks instead of replacing them. Ep. 18, Thursday 11 AM ET. 🤝 Join the TCA: techcareassociation.org/become-a-tc…

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

A working device holds two kinds of value: it is still a phone, and it contains copper, gold, and lithium. Recycling recovers only the second. Do not turn a product back into materials while it can still be a product. wheretorepair.org/2026/10/05/what-t…

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Why do people hang on to old phones? Usually it's data. Alberto Delgadillo of Mannapov: "If they find a responsible recycler — if they do their work, they know that they'll erase the data. They'll be fine." Ep. 17: youtu.be/HtjHqynqD-Q

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Is it done, or are you done with it? EU researchers found more than half of smartphone replacements happen with no device failure at all. Before the drawer gets another phone, read this: wheretorepair.org/2026/10/05/what-t…

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Ep. 17: Alberto Delgadillo, Mannapov, on the one thing he wishes people understood about e-waste: "Not to throw them into the garbage, and not to save them in their closets." youtu.be/HtjHqynqD-Q ♻️ In the DMV? Donate: ewastewarriors.org

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Week 10 of Second Life Sessions. Tue: Alberto Delgadillo, Mannapov, on where old phones should go. Thu: Sandy Zimmerman & Jodi Ortiz, VT Services, on fixing the boards inside school Chromebooks. 11 AM ET, both days. 🔧 Find a repair shop: wheretorepair.org

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

International Repair Day is Oct 17. Twelve days. Pick one thing your shop will do and tell us so the TCA can point people to it. techcareassociation.org/events #RepairPeople

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Week 10 of Second Life Sessions starts Tuesday. Alberto Delgadillo of Mannapov on where your old phone should actually go, then Sandy Zimmerman & Jodi Ortiz of VT Services on fixing the boards inside school Chromebooks. Tue & Thu, 11 AM ET on the TCA YouTube channel. 🔁

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

"I'm not in sales. I'm in the relationship business." Shannon Fertitta, Ep. 15: youtu.be/Gfxd_b4hdRs "Take care of your customers. Sell great products. Fair pricing." Michael Leiberman, Ep. 16: youtu.be/9UHuRkXJ17o

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Featured Member: NXT LVL Phone Repairs, Price, UT. Fernando Funes, Main Street since 2022, and the only micro-soldering bench in town as far as he knows. First Utah feature. wheretorepair.org/about/tech-repair… #RepairPeople

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Weekend watching from Second Life Sessions: Shannon Fertitta, RIOS: youtu.be/Gfxd_b4hdRs Michael Leiberman, Aeris Protective Packaging: youtu.be/9UHuRkXJ17o Something need a fix? wheretorepair.org

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

This week on Second Life Sessions: Ep. 15, Shannon Fertitta, RIOS: youtu.be/Gfxd_b4hdRs Ep. 16, Michael Leiberman, Aeris Protective Packaging: youtu.be/9UHuRkXJ17o Working device in a drawer? In the DMV, donate it: ewastewarriors.org

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

New Tech Repair Tidbits: quotes are free, diagnosis is work. Can't price it without opening it? That's a diagnostic. Free script PDF inside. mailchi.mp/techcareassociation.org/… #TechRepair

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

New Tech Repair Tidbits: quotes are free, diagnosis is work. Can't price it without opening it? That's a diagnostic. Free script PDF inside. mailchi.mp/techcareassociation.org/… #TechRepair

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

A guitar company told Michael Leiberman: "We love your packaging, we hate your packaging." Why? No more damaged guitars to sell as seconds. Second Life Sessions Ep. 16, on why sustainability starts with a product that arrives intact 🎙️ youtu.be/9UHuRkXJ17o

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Tomorrow in Tech Repair Tidbits: the diagnostic fee. Build your labor rate first, free calculator in this week's issue. mailchi.mp/techcareassociation.org/… #TechRepair

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

The most sustainable device is the one that keeps working. Before you replace a cracked screen or a tired battery, find an independent repair shop near you: wheretorepair.org Tomorrow on Second Life Sessions: Michael Leiberman of Aeris Protective Packaging.

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

TCA ShopCheck: a free shop health score from the TCA, a nonprofit. A few minutes, a clear report, the next three things worth fixing. No sales pitch. techcareassociation.org/shopcheck #TechRepair

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

"How do you prove that you are a business of high integrity? Certification." Shannon Fertitta of RIOS spent 22 years running a recycling facility. Her ask for recyclers: set one box aside for donation. Second Life Sessions Ep. 15 🎙️ youtu.be/Gfxd_b4hdRs

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

This week on Second Life Sessions 🔁 Tue: Shannon Fertitta of RIOS on why every recycler should set a box aside for donation. Thu: Michael Leiberman of Aeris Protective Packaging 11 AM ET 🎙️ techcareassociation.org/2026/08/03/…

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Featured Member: HAILaGEEK, Houston, TX. 22 years in small business IT, now on-site tech help as easy as hailing a ride. wheretorepair.org/about/tech-repair… #RepairPeople

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Last week we ran the wrong photo of Mark Gibbs of BrainWave Computers. 😅 Here's the real Mark, saving a $1,500 gaming laptop from a blown capacitor. It works. mailchi.mp/techcareassociation.org/… #RepairPeople

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Missed this week's Second Life Sessions? Two guests from All Things Circular on why the first sale isn't the end of a device's story. Peter C. Evans: youtu.be/Y-OLSlal15Y Rich Bulger: youtu.be/fkQuEoeLlmw New eps Tue & Thu, 11 AM ET.

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

When a battery fails, 62% of people replace the whole device. Only 29% replace the battery (Consumer Reports, 2024). You don't have to upgrade just because something broke. If you like the one you have, keep it. wheretorepair.org/2026/09/21/repair…

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Week 8, wrapped. Two guests from All Things Circular, one idea: the first sale isn't the end of the story. Ep. 13 Peter C. Evans: youtu.be/Y-OLSlal15Y Ep. 14 Rich Bulger: youtu.be/fkQuEoeLlmw Device done with its first life? DMV: ewastewarriors.org

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

New Tech Repair Tidbits: your labor rate is probably too low. Most shops divide by paid hours, not billable ones. Free calculator inside, plus iPhone 18 Pro bench notes. mailchi.mp/techcareassociation.org/… #TechRepair

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Which box does your device land in? Start with repair. Four questions find the exceptions. From our new consumer guide on WhereToRepair.org. Repair pros: it's yours to share with customers.

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Your phone isn't done. You're done with it. Those are different things. Slow, full, and short on battery are often maintenance, not the end. Our new consumer guide on WhereToRepair.org explains the difference. Repair pros, please share it. wheretorepair.org/2026/09/21/repair…

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Two more Second Life Sessions this week — Tuesday and Thursday, 11 AM ET on the TCA YouTube channel. 19 conversations from Mobile Disrupt about repair, reuse and what happens to your devices after you're done with them. About the series: wp.me/pcZ0sS-3aR

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Last week on Second Life Sessions: the people who wrote the playbook when there wasn't one. Ep. 11 — Frank Pipolo, FutureDial: youtu.be/1nvTopELiLM Ep. 12 — Tony Sciarrotta, Reverse Logistics Association: youtu.be/jtNYdyUa1ng

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Missed this week's Second Life Sessions? Two people who wrote the playbook when there wasn't one. Ep. 11 — Frank Pipolo, FutureDial: youtu.be/1nvTopELiLM Ep. 12 — Tony Sciarrotta, Reverse Logistics Association: youtu.be/jtNYdyUa1ng New eps Tue & Thu, 11 AM ET.

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

One number from repair: close to 30% of independent tech repair shops fail in year one (TCA estimate), vs 15.8% for retail overall (BLS via Commerce Institute). Busy is not profitable. Five numbers tell the difference. Free worksheet: wp.me/pcZ0sS-3dd #TechRepair

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Monday: microsoldering gear. Tuesday: becoming an MSP. Wednesday: flipping phones. Thursday: laser machines. Friday: a second location. Meanwhile the phone rings out and tickets age. Sound familiar? techcareassociation.org/2026/09/01/…

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Broaden your repair capability. Don't dilute your business model. Repairing more devices is one business. Running repair, resale, IT services, and insurance from one counter may be four mediocre ones. Part 1: techcareassociation.org/2026/09/01/…

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The TCA @thetca.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

This week's Tech Repair Tidbits is out: your shop's score out of 100, Apple's September 9 reveal, Right to Repair goes global, and more. mailchi.mp/techcareasso... #TechRepair #RepairPeople

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