Those of us who are not high-tech just want our computers to work. We don’t care what goes on in the guts of our devices, but we’ve come to rely on them for information — right now.

PC Fix is all about making things work.

“If you’ve got a computer problem, we can fix it,” said owner and founder Todd Blair.

Blair started the company in Issaquah 12 years ago. Before that he traveled extensively as an IT executive with IT solutions company GCSI, but when his first daughter was born, he was determined to get off the road to be with his family.

Starting as the Computer Dr., PC Fix has grown by leaps and bounds. Blair has seven stores now: Issaquah, Bothell, the U-District, Lake City, Ballard, Edmonds and Mercer Island. He acquired the latter four just this year. While he licensed his name to the stores he acquired, his plan is to franchise.

Blair grew up far from the high-tech world on a cattle farm in South Dakota. When he graduated from high school in 1987, computers were the new buzz. He left the ranch to join the army where he witnessed the first PC introduced to the military in 1990. Stationed at Ft. Lewis, he studied computer technology, before jumping into working in IT.

“I enjoy the people,” Blair said. “I enjoy fixing things for people.”

His philosophy is to provide 100 percent satisfaction when it comes to customer service.

He also is a proponent for small businesses and budding entrepreneurs. In fact, against the advice of financial advisors, he would like to give away free franchises to people with IT backgrounds who have been out of work.

“It would be a great opportunity to help,” he said. “We got hit by the recession as well, but we hope to expand throughout the Puget Sound area by franchising.”

He does not think the unemployment rate will improve anytime soon, so he wants to help people become business owners.

Blair has 12 employees. People can bring their computers to them, or they will come to your home, or work on your computer remotely. PC Fix also works on Macs.

“They’re not so different,” Blair said. “The chips and operating systems are different.”

What PC Fix doesn’t do is build web sites or develop products.

Blair is also big on re-use or re-fixed computers. He donates refurbished computers to Compassion House, which provides transitional housing for families who have sought shelter while coming out of abusive relationships, or assisting families in need.

Blair’s future plans are to focus even more on recycle, re-use next year.