1,308 entrepreneurs were asked: "How did you decide to get into this type of business, and what was your initial goal?" These were their responses, which can help us to try to figure out what type of business we might like to start.
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| Records 221 to 230 of 1253 | |||
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NAICS: 812 Personal and Laundry Services Description: Custom Quality Tattooing |
| I got into tattooing as a way to achieve some type of freedom, I never really liked the corporate world and I've been an artist for as long as I can remember. My initial goal was to have a job that I enjoyed and gave me freedom from being a part of the 9 to 5 standard. Once I reached that, I saw that there was potential for financial freedom as well. When I first decided that wanted to start tattooing, I was so over working a regular job for little pay, and just felt that I was destined for much more and much better. I knew I was sort of ballsy and ambitious enough to take a risk and try something new, I thought, “I am capable of doing this and I'll just figure it out as I go along,” and I know a lot of people have trouble with that and are too afraid to take a chance and take risks, but if you think that you can't do something, then you won't. |
| Date Submitted:
2018-04-26 12:10:04 |
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NAICS: 531 Real Estate Description: Real estate developer |
| My dad was an engineer and at the same time a builder. Back in 1960s, he built one of the biggest bridge in Shanghai. He also built my childhood house on his own. He is my hero. His experience inspired me that real estate is an immortal business. Once you own a piece of land, you will always own it. This is yours forever. Today’s environment is a whole different story, but back in the old days, developers really earned a lot from real estate business. There was a boom in China’s economy in the 1990s and 2000s, and people’s demand for living quality also went up incredibly. Houses were so popular. The demand was very high and the supply had some hard time to catch up. I won my first pot of gold in real estate. My path to become a developer was not a plain sailing. I started from a builder just like my dad, but I was a lucky guy. I guess I used my skills pretty well so my old boss put a heavy load on me. He was the one guided me to become a developer from an insignificant builder. My initial goal was for my family. I had my first son in 1985. Life was not easy at that time and I was also a little overwhelmed by stress. One thing I knew was that hard-working always paid. I did not go to high school, so hard-working was the only chip I had to bet in my life. I had my second son in 1995, and it was also the time that things were looking up. I love my sons so much and I do not want my sons to experience what I experienced when I was young, so I wanted to give them a brighter future. This was my initial goal. |
| Date Submitted:
2018-04-26 09:05:52 |
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NAICS: 812 Personal and Laundry Services Description: Specializes in Men’s and Women’s Hairstyles |
| I first started off as cutting my family’s hair in my native country where my mom taught me the basics. I would practice on my brothers and sisters and it didn’t take long for me to find a passion for it. My goal was not to open my own beauty salon at first as I saw cutting hair as more of a hobby instead of a potential profession. When I moved over to the United States I had no choice but to find whatever job I could in order to make a living. I would only cut and style hair as a side hobby and only to my family members still. After almost a decade of cutting my family’s hair and the encouragement from friends and family I decided to go to cosmetology school part time to one day open my own beauty shop. After two years I completed the cosmetology program and obtained my license to finally open my own shop. |
| Date Submitted:
2018-04-26 08:24:18 |
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NAICS: 445 Food and Beverage Stores Description: Vietnamese Sandwiches |
| My partner and I decided to become franchisees of restaurants. When we first started we lived in Chino Hills so we decided to franchise an Arby’s. We then moved to Rowland and we were pretty successful with the Arby’s so we decided to franchise another restaurant as a side business. After observing the area we decided that Vietnamese Sandwiches would sell well so we decided to franchise a Lee’s Sandwiches. Our initial goal was for it to be a side business for us to make a little more money and to have Arby’s as our main attention. Despite it being a side business we are still pretty successful and we have been open for 8 years now. It was a small investment that has gone good for us. |
| Date Submitted:
2018-04-26 07:19:28 |
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NAICS: 811 Repair and Maintenance Description: Home Maintenance- Big and Small |
| My initial goal when starting my business was money. I had two kids and I saw a niche in my community that needed to be filled. I decided that I had the experience and the know how to do the job so why shouldn’t I. I also had a passion for the work which was really important during the first few years. It took me about four years to start seeing a significant profit from my business and when it got rough remembering why I started in the first place really helped. That is why I think it is really important to have passion for the work you do because that is what will get you through the tough times. So before you decide what you want to do, make sure you love it. |
| Date Submitted:
2018-04-26 06:29:55 |
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NAICS: 722 Food Services and Drinking Places Description: Coffee Shop |
| My parents and my wife's parents are business owners so I've always known that I've wanted to start up a business because I've grown up helping my dad run his business. Initially I didn't know anything about coffee or how to own a coffee shop but I knew I wanted to own a business in general. We also got lucky because the space in which we opened our business landed in our lap. Everything was built from scratch. |
| Date Submitted:
2018-04-26 05:30:51 |
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NAICS: 522 Credit Intermediation and Related Activities Description: Apparel and appliances export |
| My husband and I studied International Business in Mexico couple of years ago. Once we graduated, we got a nice job in the international airport of Mexico city in the import-export area. We learned a lot, got a lot of experience there and made connections with important business people. There, we learned that clothes, electronics, and appliances were the most imported items. Once our contract ended at the airport, a lot of companies such as FedEx and UPS offered us a nice job in their company, but we decided not to take them because we already had experience and connections with people who would help us establish our own business, so we took the risk and opened our business. Fist we started in Mexico City, we imported electronics and appliances for about three years. Couple of years later my husband and I decided to expand our business outside the country; we moved to Los Angeles area and it was the best decision we would have ever made. Even though we started from the bottom and do not have a fiscally company established yet, our company has significantly grown. Now we export mostly clothes to different countries such as Africa and South and Central America and our main goal is to open a warehouse. |
| Date Submitted:
2018-04-26 05:29:29 |
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NAICS: 711 Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries Description: Fine Dining and Musical Theater |
| My father was the one who started this business. He was originally the head of the music department at Citrus college, and held the position for some forty years. His talent for training performers and his desire to work despite being almost ready for retirement caught the attention of one of his friends, an entrepreneur, who asked my father if he wanted to go into business with him. After a lengthy discussion, the two of them agreed to use an old abandoned gymnasium as the location for their theater. My father would provide the show, where as his friend would provide the food and management. The ticket prices would be split evenly between the two. Eventually my father’s friend decided to retire and my family bought out the entire place and kept it running ever since. As for me I went to college for a sociology degree, and later transferred to USC with a recording arts minor due to a change of interest. Later I moved back to my old original home town to attend Cal Poly in restaurant management. After I graduated I went to work with my dad as a buss boy. I originally thought that I had deserved a higher position given my background but dad wanted me to start from the ground up, presumably so that if I proved to be someone worthy of inheriting the place, I would know how all of the available positions at the business worked. Over time I would also become a waiter, and all other positions, and eventually I became the manager. Thinking back I find my story somewhat ironic. Even though I was a long time music fan due to my family background, I never wanted to perform or even intend to get involved in this industry, yet somehow it became a lifetime commitment that I very much enjoy doing. |
| Date Submitted:
2018-04-26 04:45:30 |
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NAICS: 722 Food Services and Drinking Places Description: Ice Cream Shop |
| Ever since I was seventeen, I worked as a part-time at different places till I was twenty-five. I would go to school in the morning and commute to work right after till late at night. I go through this routine about four to five times a week and at that time; I enjoyed working a lot more than I did in school. After my third past-time job, I realized with the different experiences that I have. I am able to take care of a store by myself and very enjoy it. That was when I found my passion in my career. Even, I was exhausted after school and still had an eight hour work shift. I was not tired mentally at all. That was when I knew, I had to open up a store in the future. That being me to where I am now, with the dessert shop. My goal is to franchise my brand to everyone would be able to enjoy it. |
| Date Submitted:
2018-04-26 04:04:45 |
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NAICS: 448 Clothing and Clothing Accessories Stores Description: Handmade Accessories |
| I love creating, it is my passion. The idea for my business came one day while I was creating clothes for myself. I have been creating my own clothing and accessories for some time now so I thought that it would be a great idea to share my creations with others. That’s how my store came to life, then I went to my first art walk and opened my online store and it was a hit. I plan on eventually opening my own storefront, but for now online and art walks is where you can find me and it works for me. My shop is still not where I want it to be, It is still a work in progress. I have to expand into other areas before I actually open the storefront and take that big step. |
| Date Submitted:
2018-04-26 03:21:50 |
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