Good Afternoon Folks,
This week we are going to visit our old friend Tom Burgeson for our second very short interview. Unfortunately I was unable to see him in person so I had to do it over the phone. With that, lets get started!
My first interview gave me a good mindset coming into this class. I really took Tom's advice and I think it helped me get the most out of this class. I have tried to take what I can from this class and I cannot believe how far I have come. I went from an idea to something I actually want to pursue. After this class, I now understand what it takes to run your own company. I have thought of my company from all aspects and I feel like I am ready to get started.
Question 1: In our class, we just recently talked about our exit strategy for our venture concept. What is your exit strategy for your company?
Answer 1: "Well, I have dedicated nearly my whole life to this business so there is definitely no price I can sell it for. I love my business and there is no way I can get rid of it. I plan on passing the business down to my son when I believe he is ready. I want to keep Hallmark Emblems in the family for generations to come."
Question 2: Is there any advice you can give me as I continue forward with my venture concept?
Answer 2: "Keep working and don't get discouraged. There are going to be times that you want to give up, but don't. If you keep your head up and keep working the results are eventually going to come. Believe in yourself."
Question 3: How do you manage a work life balance as an entrepreneur?
Answer: "You don't. I can be on vacation or out to dinner, and I have to constantly be ready to work. It is one of the down sides of being an entrepreneur. You just have to learn to live with it. Sometimes I get some alone time to relax but it is very rare."
Hi Travis!
ReplyDeleteI like that you mentioned that your first interview put you into sort of a mindset for the class, so it was nice to revisit again and see how far you’ve come. I also particularly enjoyed that you asked questions related to what we did in class, such as what is his personal exit strategy. This gives a more realistic view of what we could possibly be doing in a few years. In addition, I thought it was unique that you mentioned that it started as simply an idea, and now you actually are interested in pursuing it. Great job overall!
Unfortunately, I did not complete this exercise, but here is a link to my overall page if you’re interested in checking my blog out: http://michellekelleyuf.blogspot.it
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Travis,
ReplyDeleteIt's great that you were able to take up your idea, and work through it so well that you actually want to do it now. I also liked that you asked him about things we specifically learned about in this class, as you can have a much better conversation with him when you discuss things that you know well enough to talk about.
Here's a link to my blog post. http://natehooper.blogspot.com/2016/04/very-short-interview-part-2.html
I really liked the feedback and advice you were able to get from your questions. Many people think that being an entrepreneur means setting your own hours and having abundant free time. It sounds like the dedication to the business, has certainly contributed to Tom’s success. I commend his desire to keep it in the family. Good luck in the pursuit of your idea! Unfortunately I was unable to complete the second interview with my entrepreneur, but if you would like to check out my blog, here is the link http://mrufent.blogspot.com/.
ReplyDelete