Review / 01Google verified
“David makes it so easy to understand how things work on the computer. He is patient and never makes you feel dumb.”
Computer guidance customer
Potent /Ames, IowaIndependent by design.
IT supportComputer repairCustom apps
Fix what is broken. Build what is missing.
Need a computer fixed, a business network sorted out, or an app that fits how you work? Potent provides practical IT support, repair, and custom software from Ames, Iowa, with a clear next step before work begins.
01 / ScopeUnderstand the problem
02 / ApproveNo surprise extras
03 / ResolveUseful follow-through
Prefer a person right away?
Potent / Field notesIndex No. 001
The work / from question to answer
Less theater.More things working.
A clear path from your technology problem to an approved, practical next step.
01 / INPUTThe problem
02 / PROCESSFind a way
03 / OUTPUTA clear next step
01Repair & supportComputers / Wi-Fi / Security02Business technologyMicrosoft 365 / Networks / Planning03Software built hereKivo / Custom apps / Automation
Clear scope / approval firstThe Potent Standard
Potent / What we do
Support when you need it. Better tools when you do not have them yet.
Repair, business IT, software, and straight answers. Start with what needs to work, not a package you have to buy.
Four ways in / one standard of care
01/ 04
Residential
Make home tech feel easy again.Computers, Wi-Fi, printers, smart devices, email, malware removal, backups, and the everyday technology that should just work.
RepairWi-FiSetupExplore home support
02/ 04
Small Business
Serious IT without enterprise theater.Day-to-day support, Microsoft 365, networking, cybersecurity, new locations, assessments, projects, and practical technology planning.
Microsoft 365NetworkSecurityExplore business technology
03/ 04
Custom Apps & Automation
If the right tool does not exist, build it.Turn an annoying workflow, repeated task, family problem, event process, form, list, reminder, or tracking headache into software that fits the way you actually work.
AppsAutomationAIBring Potent an idea
04/ 04
Consulting
Make the next technology decision count.AI adoption, automation, cybersecurity planning, infrastructure reviews, purchasing decisions, and technology strategy grounded in what will actually help.
StrategyAIPlanningExplore consulting
Not sure which service fits? That is fine. Tell us the problem first.
Start with the problemPotent / In their words
Verified Google reviews
The technology matters. So does how you are treated.
5.0★★★★★
5.0 on Google · 4 reviews
Verified November 2, 2026
Google verified
“He should have a cape because he saves you from your computer problems. Honestly great prices too. 6 stars.”
Home technology customer
Google verified
“He fixed a laptop I thought was a goner in less than 24 hours.”
Computer repair customer
Google verified
“Potent was able to do some updates and everything is running great now.”
Support customer
Potent / How we work
Buying technology help should not feel like gambling.
We recommend the right fix, explain what it costs, ask before spending more, and document what actually changed.
Read the full standardFlat Fee First
When the work can be scoped, you get the price before the repair or project starts.
Repair or Replace Honestly
If the simpler, less expensive, refurbished, warranty, or replacement path fits you better, Potent will say so.
Approval Before Spending
No surprise parts, subscriptions, or expanded work without your approval first.
Clear Closeout
When the case is done, you get a useful record of what was found, fixed, and tested.
Decision example / 001
The right answer can be the smaller sale.
Consider someone who only needs a dependable computer for web, email and printing. The goal is to meet the need, not maximize the hardware price.
An illustrative decision, not a customer testimonial
- 01
The need
Web, email, printing
Everyday use. Nothing about the job called for a high-end machine.
- 02
The easy upsell
Sell a brand-new PC
More expensive for the customer and more revenue for the seller.
- 03
The Potent call
Reliable refurbished PC
Then simplify the desktop around the way the customer actually uses it.
No contract requiredRight fit over bigger saleHuman approval stays in the loop
Potent / In the field
Need Potent to help with the technology itself?
From opening a business to untangling a restaurant network, start with the real-world situation. We can help with setup, connectivity, vendor coordination, devices, and practical IT projects.
FIELD / 01
Opening or expanding a business
Internet, Wi-Fi, computers, Microsoft 365, printers, phones, and vendor coordination before opening day.
See service details →FIELD / 02
Restaurant & bar technology
Guest Wi-Fi, TVs, music, printers, connected devices, network troubleshooting, and vendor coordination.
See service details →FIELD / 03
Food truck & event technology
Ordering workflows, connectivity, devices, kitchen routing, event setup, and practical support around the systems you use.
See service details →FIELD / 04
Senior living technology programs
Resident technology Q&A, office hours, scam-awareness sessions, and practical technology help for communities.
See service details →Potent / Software that has a job to do
Useful first. Interesting second.
01 / Kivo · Built by Potent · Free to use
Your home remembers.
Shopping, household inventory, storage locations, home care, expiration dates and reminders. Fewer little details for one person to carry around all day.
Kivo Cart is built into Kivo.
Build a store-organized plan and set item-by-item substitution rules before you shop.
Kivo is free to use. No app-store download required. Create a household in your browser and add it to your phone Home Screen.
Household notes / example
Sample, not live data01
KITCHEN
Milk
Two left
02
UTILITY
Air filter
Next change coming up
03
SHOPPING
Paper towels
Add one to the list
The point is not another dashboard. It is finding what you need.
02 / PotentONE · Software platform
One place for Potent apps.
Open Kivo and Blarkus from PotentONE, the home for Potent's live apps. Explore demos separately to see the working software being built for organizations.
Open PotentONE →Explore a demo
PotentONE Auctions
One auction workflow for people in the room and people bidding from somewhere else. This is a working demo, not a public event.
- 01
Organize
Bring donated items and event details into one place.
- 02
Bid
Give room and remote bidders one shared experience.
- 03
Close
Track winning bids and the pickup handoff.
Potent / Behind the work
Pacesetter in Technology
Local enough to answer the phone. Technical enough to go much further than repair.
Potent Technology is a locally owned computer support and technology services business in Ames, Iowa. We help homes, home offices, and small businesses across Central Iowa. No managed IT contract is required. One job might be a stubborn laptop; another might be a workflow that needs its own software.
“I wanted to get out of my shell and be able to address people's problems with my own approach and my own gut instincts instead of someone else telling me what I had to do.”
Being a pacesetter is not about chasing every new piece of tech. It means knowing what works, what can be simplified, and when something better genuinely deserves to be built.
Technical range / Index
Built for the messy middle.
- 01Windows + Linux
- 02Microsoft 365
- 03Networking
- 04Cloud platforms
- 05Security
- 06Automation + AI
Repair, infrastructure, cloud, security, and automation do not exist in separate universes. Potent can look across the whole problem instead of forcing it into one service bucket.
What you need
Details
Contact
Start Here
What do you need help with?
Pick what sounds closest. Potent will ask only the details needed for that request.
Your initial request is free. You approve the scope and price before paid work begins.
Almost there: Choose the type of help you need.