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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 921 to 930 of 1253
The most meaningful part of this interview would be interviewing an entrepreneur who owns an e-juice company because the vape community intrigues me very much. I happen to be a fellow vaper too, and it is always a struggle finding a good juice to vape on without the taste getting old. I have always wanted to start a juice company for a few years now so meeting an owner, and creator of a juice company made it that much more of an inspiration. Not only did they provide wonderful information for my interview my business startup would probably have been delayed, but after meeting and interviewing my interviewee I feel that my business may actually start up sooner than I could have thought. I really appreciated the time that I got to interview my guest and talk with him on some side notes and business tips and tricks that I got off the record.
Date Submitted: 2015-10-28 23:42:23
This project was cool because I got to sit down and talk with a successful small business owner. He gave me his perspective on the industry he works in and advice on how to be a successful business owner. It taught me how to set up a meeting with someone and do follow up. It took me a while to find someone who said yes to an interview. I had to ask about four people before I got an interview. It helped me to learn that when one person says no, you have to find someone else. The guy I did interview was from an industry I didn’t know much about. He taught me some stuff about the muffler industry and how it is regulated.

One thing I really liked about the guy I was able to interview was that he comes from a family business. His father had a muffler shop and helped him get his start. Now he has sons that are learning how to work on cars and do muffler replacement. I suspect that someday he will transfer his shop over to his sons. Another thing I found interesting is that the owner never went to college. He says that he barely finished high school, yet he has a successful business that has been around for forty years. This showed me that even if you aren’t highly educated, with enough determination and hard work you can be successful. I enjoyed this project and found it helpful because it put me face to face with someone who had been through the small business process and had knowledge to share with me.

Date Submitted: 2015-10-29 23:55:47
I learned a lot of business operations and also on a personal level I learned more about my friend. I knew that her business was very time consuming, tedious at times because I see her constantly on her phone even when we are in a birthday party or a small vacation. I never realized how extensive management can be when running a small business. I even helped her before with writing those small thank you notes that she placed inside the boxes of boots. I asked her what the purpose was. She stated that the small gesture and personal touch can relate to the customers and it in turn forms a customer relationship. I now understand that fully with all the Business classes I am currently taking and especially in the Small Business and Management Class. Having that interpersonal connection with your customers may look small and tedious to others but it actually presents itself worth doing. That small gesture can generate a relationship with the customer who will then most likely buy back from your establishment or website.
Another thing that I found interesting was that it is true that the company is on the negative in making profits its first years. My friend has mentioned that her company was on the “red” for three years. I could just imagine how frustrating it is and how you can never lose hope and maintain your focus on your goals. Similar to the information from the lecture notes, her company hasn’t seen any profits because whatever net comes in, she puts it back into inventory to not lose momentum. A business owner has to be persistent to be successful. No matter what problems can occur, an owner shouldn’t lose focus. I do believe that she needs more man power or employees that can constantly keep an update on her inventory. From the stories that she mentions to me, the very problematic occurrence that arise is usually about her inventory. A customer would order a specific item in a specific size and it will show that they would have 3 of those products. But then when they start shipping, they figure out that none of the products are available. This in turn may become a negative customer feedback, and they have to email that customer and explain the situation and compensate somehow. Since this occurs frequently in her company I believe that hiring another person to do inventory check. Even by just by having a new system where it analyzes what goes in and out of the warehouse, this can take out some of the frustrations both from her and her company and the customer itself. Overall, I learned a lot from this project both academically and even personally.
Date Submitted: 2015-11-05 11:12:52
The most meaningful things about this project is that you really have to be willing to sacrifice to get ahead when opening a business. I know times when the owner of this company worked all night just to get a project done in the deadline frame he had promised his client. Seeing how he lost clients when he moved down to So. California shows that location is also very important when keeping a business viable. After 3 years down here he found that he didn’t have the kind of client base that he had before and he was actually losing money, in 2012 his business was at a stand-still. Moving back to the Silicon Valley has helped him to bring back some of his old clients but it has been an on-going battle. Trying to build a new client base is making it hard for his company to make a profit. Loyalty to your client base and making sure they are satisfied is a very important part of your business. You can’t just move and hope to hold on to your clients. Many of his clients were Walk-Ins and moving caused him to lose this. Depending on the type of business you are opening, location is a very important part and researching where to open is something you should do before picking where you want to start your business. Research your target market thoroughly to see if your business will thrive in your location. Don’t just jump into a business, make sure you research all aspects before beginning.

Date Submitted: 2015-11-08 09:17:18
The most meaningful thing to me about this project was the proof that the American Dream truly is still alive. I have delved into many different businesses and fields, I have worked with small business owners, I have owned my own business, I have seen businesses grow and others fail, but the common thread has been that the owner of the business had a goal. The hardest part for me in general is that I lack a focus and a goal for my life. My business failed because I did not have a goal for it, I was just working and rolling with whatever came, but if I had a goal, I could have failed and not met it, or achieved it. Janice showed me the importance of setting a goal for you. She came to America in the 90s with nothing, left her family in the Philippines, and new to get her family here she had to make $6,000 a month. She did it. She lived in her car, she lived in the hospital, but in a year, she did it. She continued to set higher goals and even now, her business is big, so she started another one. Even her new business endeavor has high goals and from what she's showed me, she will achieve it.

This project opened my eyes to more than I initially thought it would. The general questions were a given; information sources, what to do, what not to do, how to do it; the book covers that but actually sitting down with a successful business owner is tremendously influential. Janice told me to make a “dream board” I have seen them many times but never really thought much of them. I made my dream board and she called me to make sure I did it. She was disappointed with me! I was surprised but she explained to me why, “You set your dreams and goals, but you are doing the same thing you were doing the day before you made your board! You have the tools to achieve success but you need to use them!” I wasn’t working towards my goals! The greatest key to success in in school, at work, in business, in life, is to have a goal and focus on it! You cannot reach the finish line if you do not know where it is. You might pass by it, but if you aren’t aware of it, it won’t have any meaning. I really appreciate all of the information
Date Submitted: 2015-11-09 19:27:18
Through this project, I was able to have a discussion with existing entrepreneur and discover that there are many variables and unexpected factors that occur during the daily operations. But it is also through this process that an owner meets different kinds of people and learns how to utilize and manage all kinds of relationships, be it suppliers, employees or contractors. Through this interview, I also learned that it is crucial to have a detailed proposal in planning a business. Throughout the interview he kept telling me that integrity and profit-sharing are the two most important things for a small business to thrive. Integrity makes you trust worthy in the suppliers and customer’s eyes, resulting in a long and healthy working relationship that will ensure long-term financial sustainability. In other hand, sharing your profit maintains a healthy working relationship, allowing your employees and clients to develop more positive feedback
Date Submitted: 2015-11-11 20:22:00
In conclusion this hobby of mine of enjoying a latte, a lot more work goes into it than people realize. This project was an eye opener to the behind the scene business aspect and how a business operates. And I am thankful that Melanie took time out of her day to let me interview her because she really puts meaning into the saying “Time is Money.” And I’ve taken a better understating on how a small business runs. I’ve learned finding the funds to open a business which includes your own money, loans or/and investments. Finding the perfect spot for your business and making sure the lease terms are within your budget and knowing your city and permit rules. And finding the perfect team to work for, this business is your baby and you want to make sure the team can operate it the way you would want to when you are gone. A lot of time goes into starting your own small business and there will be bumps in the road but hopefully the small business will grow in what you want it to be.
Date Submitted: 2015-11-12 12:40:48
This project was meaningful to me because it gave me the insight and perspective of an actual entrepreneur and small business owner. It brought a real life perspective to what we have been learning this semester. Not being in a family that owns a business it is hard for me to know what it actually takes to own and run a business. It showed me that owning your own business is definitely not easy and there are times when it can be challenging even to continue to stay in business. When going into business you must be prepared for the fact that things will not always run smoothly and that you are the one that must make the decisions as to what to do and find the resources that will be best to help your business thrive. I see what a huge responsibility owning and running a business is compared to being employed by someone else.

This project has also shown me that the environment around us can have a big impact on business. There are many factors outside the company that may affect the way the business runs. Staying in touch with industry trends and others in the trade and gaining information from industry sources is vital to keeping your business alive and thriving. You must stay connected to what is going on not only in your industry, but also business, economic and consumer trends as a bigger picture of the environment your business is working in. In many businesses weather and seasons also have a great influence on business flow and operation. Whatever business a person is going into, they should analyze all of the factors that may affect the business operation or customer demand. Factors beyond a business’s control should be thought of carefully. Financial aspects of owning and running a business may be more difficult than expected. It is best to project and prepare and have enough money and cash flow for the business and yourself to survive for several months without seeing significant income.

In a highly competitive business it can be difficult to get and keep customers, so it is important to provide excellent service and quality to differentiate your business. I found it to be a really positive thing that this entrepreneur was so focused on honesty and providing great service and quality. It is good to see that small business owners really do feel that honesty is always important and a main component in doing good business. When people know that you are honest and have integrity they will want to do business with you and recommend you to others. High levels of service and quality are very important and if you make them the foundation of your business, it will be more likely to succeed and thrive. You also have the sense of fulfillment that comes with knowing you have done a good job and provided help to someone who needed it.
Date Submitted: 2015-11-12 15:44:20
Completing any project that requires a student to go out into the field and do work, is extremely valuable. Not only does the experience take us out of the and into the real world, but it forces us to this about how to apply the concepts we are learning in class. This particular project was incredibly helpful in learning from a friend who is successful in his truck repair shop. Not only did he provide insight on the questions that were posed for this project but he added other personal insight on beginning and establishing a business. The best part of the experience was that I was able to take some of the information from each chapter from the book to ask additional questions about how his business operated and how it was financially supported. These are critical aspects of launching a small business.
Secondly, the concepts learned in class and the experience of interviewing a successful business owner made me think of the details of starting a small business. I had begun the process but was running into the challenge and obstacles. Being able to interview a business owner allowed me to ask additional questions to shed light on doubts or uncertainties that I was coming across. Not only did I have a chance to ask an entrepeneur questions, but he was also able to shed light on other aspects of launching a business that I had not considered. It was a fascinating experience and a life-long lesson for those of us wishing to start our own business. And I have to say that as a result of this class, my husband and I are at the verge of taking possession of a restaurant we recently purchased. We are very excited.
Date Submitted: 2015-11-12 20:10:46
The most significant part about this project is interviewing a person that has a business in the landscape field. I, also, work in the same field as an account manager. My future goal is to start my own landscape company. By interviewing a businessman that started from the bottom, it helps me prepare myself by learning from his ideas. It helps me how to prepare myself to not fail, but at the same time know I will not always succeed. I learned failure is not always bad. In the business industry, failure sometimes helps you gain experience and learn from mistakes made.

Furthermore, I found it interesting how someone can make their landscape company succeed very quickly. In this case, he knew what his objective was since the beginning. He knew his dad was seeing the landscape as a chore and he was aware in order to run a business appropriately, he needed to love what he does. Adapting to the client’s needs is important to have the client happy and satisfied. Communication is key when it deals with business. Without communication, businesses would fail immediately.

In addition, I found it substantial that he mentioned preparation is never bad. Sometimes an extra class or seminar is important because you will learn a thing or two that you did not know. The landscape industry covers a lot of information. You as a businessman need to make sure to learn new things every day and stay with the new technologies that are coming out to be more effective and productive. This industry is revolutionizing quickly and we need to adapt to it. With the drought, people opening their small businesses, and costly materials, landscape is also getting complicated. It will be my job to get knowledge to be able to compete with such businessman that have experience that I may not have.
Date Submitted: 2015-11-12 23:46:20
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