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Student Insights for Entrepreneur Interviews

Entrepreneur insights and perceptions related to their businesses were obtained through interviews conducted by students. Student insights and reflections regarding the interview process are shown on this page.

Simply scroll down the page to view. They are shown with the most recent reflections appearing first.


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Records 741 to 750 of 1253
The most meaningful thing about this project to me was the ability to meet an acutal business owner and get great advice on how to not only run a business, but how to start a new business. This interview was very important to me because I have some ideas about starting a restaurant business with a close friend of mine and the insight from this business owner has shown me that there is still more for me to learn. The restaurant business will you eat alive if you are too green when entering it, and this interview really showed me in-depth how to run one. I know now the hardships involved with not only starting a restaurant business, but also the continueing hardships of keeping up with competitors in the same field.
This interview also gave me the great opportunity to network with an acutal business owner, so that in the future if I ever need more advice I have a contact in the business currently. It was great being exposed to the business aspects of networking, because if I open my own restaurant I will have to network with vendors who will provide either groceries or beverages for me. And after hearing a success story like the gentlement that I interview, I have more energy and enthusiasm to start a business of my own and find my own financial security to take care of my family. This project was incredible and it acutally is giving me ideas of interviewing more business owners and entrepreneurs in order to gain more knowledge of how to run a business.
Date Submitted: 2014-04-24 23:56:49
The most meaningful aspect of this project has been actually seeing what is really involved from the beginning. There is so much more that goes into it other that just being your own boss. All of the codes and regulations that must be followed in order to be even allowed to operate a business alone was an eye opener. Learning how fast situations can change not even from just the business standpoint but from the customers as well. Running a business that involves customers that changes the game completely. Not only would I have to worry about the state and city regulations but I would also have to put as much emphasis into the product or goods being offered. Customer satisfaction is key.
Starting my own business would mean that I am on the clock 24/7. There is no break or day off as long as my business is running. I have to take that into consideration. I have to completely understand all of the liabilities that are involved in any business venture I make. I would be responsible for the safety and livelihood of all of my employees and the satisfaction of my customers.
Date Submitted: 2014-04-24 23:58:58
I have learned a lot from this interview. First, I learn a lot by understanding how [Name Removed] started his business with his partner using methods that share lower risk, and how successful he expand his company by proper and strategic marketing. Different approach with certain demographic, and even different gender in worldwide countries to global expansion. I have learnt how to use some of these strategies to my current business and improve sales and marketing. I can also reduce the cost of operating my business by using updated technology.

On the other hand, when it comes to some other areas that I am not good at, I can find a good fit partner to compensate what I don't have and what I am weak at. I have learnt always to be ahead of your competitors, and undercut them. I can beat them by service or volume discount, adaption to the market, seeking for new territory and new markets. After research and finding a new area, I have learnt to use the same method to generate the business and continue to expand for even more incentive from vendors. Moreover, after this project I have realized that every entrepreneur has their own kind of vision, working style, preferences, and the reason of starting their businesses. Yet, all of the entrepreneurs have one thing in common, that is, the strong ambition to succeed in his or her business. He will act as my role model in operating my business because he is persistent and he has the motivation to succeed.
Date Submitted: 2014-04-29 03:02:38
What I learned from this experience is you must be passionate about what you do so that you can never lose interest or give up. Its imperative that passion is there because it develops integrity, pride, and to pursue higher goals in your career. Another note I learned is to work for the good of others as well as yourself in the end if you were able to help the people that are important to you and your community you can help others grow and they will do the same.
Date Submitted: 2014-04-29 20:05:01
What I have taking from this interview is that you have to follow your passion. Do your research to stay current with what the industry is doing. Know your product and business so you can promote and market your business for success. Social media can be major plus into the success of your business. Stay figuring out what the consumer needs to provide them with there needs.
Date Submitted: 2014-04-30 01:35:56
The most meaningful thing I took from this interview was making and keeping connections, and pursuing something that you really want. From what my understanding is, is that knowing the right people can drastically improve business. Having connections can gain a lot of positive attention drawn to your business as well as credibility in ways you yourself might not be able to get .
Lastly, this is one of those true stories where if you want it bad enough and you are persistent about going out and getting it done then and only then is it possible. knowing that "dreams" come true to those who don't sit and wait, yet they go after and chase it down. this to me is motivation, to keep at it in the pursuit to my goal to one day owning my own business.
Date Submitted: 2014-04-30 21:18:11
The most meaningful thing about this project was the fact that the person I interviewed was my grandfather. If I would take anyone's advice, it would be his. Not only do I know I can trust him because he is family, but also because I know, personally, how he runs his business, as well as how he does or does not profit from it. Also, just like my grandfather, I am big on providing great customer service, because, let's face it, without customers you do not have a business. I have noticed that a lot of businesses forget the importance of the customer, and instead, spend most of their time trying to figure out how to make more money. There is no problem with making more money; however, you tend to lose the honest, innovative ideas and passion that your business originated from. I am glad I was able to interview somebody who has been in the business for so long and has not lost that passion, that honesty, and that desire to truly provide people with quality service.

Another thing that I found to be very meaningful was the fact that my grandfather unintentionally gave me the advice that I feel is most important to me and my future business. Like I had mentioned, my number one priority would be customer service. He made me realize that while that is a great thing to focus on, I need to remember to balance my time between that and the business itself. He encouraged me to look at locations outside of California, which I already considered doing, but I had thought it would make my start-up that much harder. He also made me realize that although I know what I want for myself and my business, there is so much I need to do to prepare for a start-up. In other words, I know about fifteen percent of what I should know before I even think of starting up, and about two percent of what I will need to know about things relating to my business throughout the lifespan of the business. Finally, he taught me that you can still be successful, despite any challenges you may face.
Date Submitted: 2014-04-30 21:47:56
I really had a great time interviewing my business professional. For starters he was always prompt in responding to any communications I left him whether through email, text or telephone. He also needed to meet with me during his office hours and even though I didn't want to meet him at his office because I was forewarned that he may be distracted; I did and he was distracted; however, he was early for the appointment as was I so we were off to an early start. The overall meeting took about an hour but he was very prepared having even prewrote most of his answers to assist me in my notes. I opted to record the meeting but it was a very kind gesture on his part.
One of the things that were most meaningful to me is that I felt he was very open, honest and at some points even emotional about his shortcomings in his business and even his ability to run his business. He often referred back to a man that he clearly had a lot of respect for and deeply missed and that was his father whose business he took over in 1989. He continued to convey that how you treat people is better than any amount of money you can even dream about having for yourselves. And that relationship with your clients goes along way when times in your business are hard. Even pointing out that when his business was at a low point he called Zachery Farms and they created work for him just so they could help him out financially.
He spoke to me about the importance of having a financial plan for my money. He said that no one taught him how to spend his money and even though he’s learned through the school of hard knots he’s still struggling with just seeing something and buying it because he wants it. His cost of living is way beyond what it has to be and people in his life just expect to be given things instead of working for them like he did. He knows that he should have so much more in retirement but he has lived his life for the moment and been quite generous. He is just now slowing down and starting to count up the cost and money wasted down through the years. He recommends that I make financial investments and begin saving for retirement.
Lastly, it was very surprising to me when he said he had no formal business training or even schooling for that matter. His business has the experience of being a well oiled machine he just gave me the honor of knowing some of the internal struggles. It was easy for me to see how having a positive personality, skill set and genuine concern for the well beings of others can open the doors for you without any business skills to becoming a company that grosses over five million a year. He made me to realize that he had his father to thank for all of those qualities and that’s what he valued the most. He encouraged me to look at my life and see who that person is that brings out the best qualities in me.
Date Submitted: 2014-10-19 19:56:46
I learned a lot of things while doing this project. The most important things among them to me is I know more about how to start my own business and what type of mentality I will need to have in order to be successful when starting my own business. He told me a lot of his experience during the interview such as some of the major decisions he had made and the hardships he went through in the process to become an entrepreneur. Other than that, he also provided me a lot of good advices and opinions which I think helps me a lot in terms of planning and making decisions.

During the interview, I am also able to know what tools and sources to prepare if I want to become an entrepreneur myself in the future. By asking those questions and some additional ones, I was able to gain some information and knowledge related to the car accessories industry since I am interested in this industry and had planned to be in the import and export business. Through this interview, I was also able to know more about his experiences in his entrepreneurship, and be able to form a closer friendship than before as we exchange opinions and thoughts including the current economy and future of becoming an entrepreneur. He also recommended some suppliers and forwarders to me. Overall, I benefit a lot from this project as this whole interview process had broadened my knowledge and allows me to think further for my future.
Date Submitted: 2014-10-19 23:57:07
The most meaningful to me about this project is that I am able to learn, from someone that came from the same background as I and actually made it. From growing up in Boyle Heights in the Ramona Gardens Housing Projects, to becoming a successful business owner; also being able to be mentored by my Sisters ex-husband was good, we both have a good relationship and I believe this will help me out very much as I decide on starting up my own Home Inspection Business one day. As a Student I am like a sponge soaking it all in. I believe the information that I received was very good and, on point and coming from a professional in the real estate business it was very helpful. I am looking forward to a great start in home inspection and I have found a great mentor.
I also loved this project because, I love writing and being able to do an interview was something I enjoyed because; I was able to go deep and even able to record this information that will later defiantly be very helpful to me, look back to. I also was able to learn how important it is to have good credit, because when I was younger I never gave much thought to this. Also on how to get a Government State Loan and how to kick start my business, if I need to; this is helpful because I have somewhere to turn to if I need help outside of my own personal assets. I also learned on how joining a partner ship you are still the owner of your own business and is a good idea to partner or partners with the right people, because then I can be a business owner and I wont have to carry all the burden.
Date Submitted: 2014-10-20 07:55:56
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