Sav-vy Solutions

Tyler Savage didn’t know it at the time, but a bad knee that cost him one career turned out to be the open door that led him to another. The owner and operator of Sav-vy Solutions was following in the family tradition of working in the construction industry, but a nagging knee problem forced him to consider another work option. “I stepped away from contracting and jumped into retail,” Tyler recalls. “That was when I fell in love with technology. I started working at Best Buy in Sarnia in 2016 and taught myself everything there is to know about technology." Tyler would later become the store manager for The Source until it closed in February 2021. "At that point, I took some time to figure out what I wanted. That’s when I decided to open my own business because it was something I always dreamed of.”

Tyler operates Sav-vy Solutions out of his home in Corunna and says his prime target for business is the Sarnia area. He never expected to be as busy as he has been in the first six months. “My vision for my business was to make sure people were comfortable with technology and that hopefully, I would become a staple in those people’s homes. You know how people have their go-to guy for different things whether it is contracting or renovations; I wanted to be the go-to guy for technology. People are busy and don’t have time to fall in love with technology on their own, so I wanted to be there for them.”

Sav-vy Solutions offers a multitude of services including structured cabling, new home pre-wiring, keyless entry and contactless testing, surveillance systems, networking, home theatre, whole-home audio, and outdoor entertainment. “When I started the business, I just wanted to focus on security systems, but between all the other competitors in the Sarnia area and the fact there isn’t another company besides Geek Squad that offers in-home assistance, I decided to shy away from focusing on just one area. It has allowed me to get into customers’ homes and build trust with them. I was able to show them over time the benefits of all kinds of technology.”

One of the biggest challenges the business faces is getting people to understand and trust that Tyler is in this business for the long haul. “A lot of businesses in this area open up and then shut down a few months later so people don’t have their warranties honoured. I have to make people understand when I come into your home, I am there to make you feel comfortable and I can get the technology in your house running.”

A huge bonus for Tyler running his own business is that he has more time to spend with his family which now includes his son, Jasper, who was born in January. “I’m not stuck working 40-60 hours a week for somebody else,” Tyler says. “I am able to be active in Jasper’s life because I set my own schedule.”