|
Entrepreneur Interview with Bryan Wyant (5/2/12)
I sat down to do this interview with Bryan Wyant, who is the owner of Wyant Electric here in Boonville. I went to his house on Wednesday night and interviewed him in his living room. Our interview lasted about thirty minutes. I learned a lot from him about being an entrepreneur and having your own business.
2. Have you always had a passion for what you do now? A: No, I fist discovered my passion for working with electricity while working at Retech. I worked for Retech as an assemblyman and one day the electric department was short on men and needed help. They asked me for my help and I said yes. I began to help them on a regular basis just as a hobby. What they were doing interested me. So I began to work in the electric field, and eventually started my own company. 3. What was hard about starting your own business? What was easy about it? A: The most challenging part of starting my business was being new to the electric trade and not being able to find work. The easiest part about starting my business was doing quality work. I did my best work for a reasonable price and got a good reputation for it. People began to refer me to their friends and family members for electric work. 4. Do you have a bookkeeper or a secretary, or do you do it all yourself? A: I have a bookkeeper. She takes care of all of my financial business and bookwork. 5. Have you ever had a bad employee? A: No, but I have had employees that didn’t do their work to my standards. 6. How many employees do you have? A: Currently I have no employees. Most of the jobs I do don’t require two people, but in the near future I will probably hire someone. 7. How do you let people know about your business? Do you advertise it? A: I used to put ads in the local newspaper and yearbooks. I also used to hand out brochures at the fair. Now I only have my ad in the Redwood Classic program and the local phone book. My business is pretty well known around Anderson Valley now that I don’t really have to advertise. 8. Do you have any local competition? If so, how does it affect your business? A: I have two local competitors. They don’t really affect my business because I always do high-quality work and my best work. 9. Do you make a good profit after you buy the materials and do your work? A: Yes, I usually make a reasonable profit off of the materials I purchase for each job. I charge a little more for each product that what it actually costs, plus labor. 10. What sort of tax ride-offs do you have? A: I can deduct fuel, vehicles, advertising, my bookkeeper, office supplies, and tools from my taxes. 11. What have you learned from having your own business? A: I have learned people skills, reliability, responsibility, time management, and to keep steady rates. 12. What has been successful about your business? A: Being able to do quality work for a good price. Also, getting several calls from different clients daily. I always have a lot of work all of the time, which is fantastic. 13. Would you rather work for yourself or for someone else? A: I would much rather work for myself because I wouldn’t want to have to go to the same place and see the same people every day. This way I can do something different every day and my job never gets old. 14. What is the hardest part of your job? A: The hardest part of my job would probably be scheduling my work. I always have several clients that need jobs done. On top of that, if someone has an emergency like a broken water heater I would have to drop whatever I am doing at the moment to go fix the emergency. I learned a lot from interviewing my uncle Bryan. He seems to love his job and the benefits that come from working for yourself. I learned how he became his own boss, what was hard about starting his business, what was easy about it, and much more. Most of his answers were very thorough but some were quite brief. He answered all of my questions to my expectations and the interview went well. Doing this interview was a great experience for me. |
Interview
For my interview, I decided that I would interview my Dad. He started his own taco business and I am hoping to help expand it. It is called Tacos Alvarez. I decided to interview him because I have always wanted to learn about why he started this business. 1. When did you start your business? Answer: In 2009 officially, but I had been making tacos for small family parties before then. 2. Why did you decide to start your business? Answer: I have always liked to cook. I figured it was good money and we needed to start saving for college. Also, because there was no one here in the valley who catered tacos at that time. 3. What are your goals for your company? Answer: My goals are mainly to save the money I make to help pay for your college. 4.Would you like to expand your business? Answers: Maybe in the future, but at this point I don’t have enough time and energy to do more than I am right now. 5. How do you advertise and get your name out there for the people to know who you are? Answer: Showing good customer service to the people that hire us. So that other guests at the parties see how good we are. So mostly by word of mouth. But we also have business cards that we hand out at every party. 6. What did you initially risk for your business? Answer: Well the main thing that I risked was the money that I invested in making the cart. And I risked not knowing if the business would be successful or not. 7. Was it hard to start your business? Answer: No not really, since we had already started small, it wasn’t that hard to go bigger. I was mostly just worried that it wouldn’t work. 8. What do you feel your competition is like? Answer: I honestly don’t feel that I have competition, our food is different, unique, it tasted different than everyone else’s. Maybe even better. 9. How do you manage your time with all the things you need to do? Answer: It’s hard, I work a lot. Sometimes 12 hours a day, then go home and do more work. I usually wake up very early, and go to bed very late. I do worry sometimes about not being able to get all the things I need to do done, but somehow it all works out in the end. 10. Do you feel that you have been successful? Answer: Yes I do. It’s better than I have ever expected. It has gotten bigger than I have ever expected. 11. How many people do you employ? Answer: Right now only one paid employee, Genaro my nephew. But all of us in the family have a part in getting everything ready for a party. 12. Do you have any advice for people who want to start a business like this? Answer: Mostly I would just give financial advice if they wanted it. And I would tell them that it is hard, but if they are determined to do it, to go for it. But that’s the only advice I would give. I’m not giving up the secret ingredients or secret recipes if that’s what you’re asking. After interviewing my Dad, I learned a lot more than I expected. I honestly didn’t know that the main reason he has this business to save money so that I can go to college. I also didn’t know how overwhelmed he feels sometimes, with all the things he needs to do. |
Name of interviewee: Maria Lourdes Sanchez
Introduction: Maria Sanchez is a director of sales for Mary Kay cosmetics. Most of the people in Boonville like to buy good make-up products. She is very friendly and knows how treat her costumers. Most of her clients like to buy a lot of their cosmetics from her since they are of good quality. Maria is a kind person and likes to meet new people every day. Maria Sanchez is very good at her job. I am impressed by the amount of make-up that she sells even though it is expensive. What is your profession? I am a director of sales for Mary Kay. How long have you been working in this profession? I have been working in this profession for approximately four years. What do you like the most about your job? What is the hardest part of your job? What I like best about my job is that every day I get to meet new people. For me it is not difficult because I like everything about skincare and I also like to help others look their best. What made you decide to go into this field? I decided to go into this field because I like all Mary Kay products. I started using these products and they helped me with my skincare. I used a set called Time Wise that contains a lotion for expression lines, an exfoliating wash to clean the skin, and a sunscreen. Another reason I decided to do this was that many people need help finding good products. God helped me with my complexion and the principals of Mary Kay have helped me too. The people who advised me were Evalina Sánchez, Martha Cuevas, and Verónica Camacho. These women are the best professional make-up artists in the business. Did you receive any training? Where? Yes, I went to school in Ukiah, Santa Rosa, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas. I studied the art of skincare and make-up for ten months. Then I took classes at beauty shows in Ukiah, Santa Rosa, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas where I learned new techniques. What classes did you take? First, I took classes on skincare. After completing my first class I took a class on how to apply make-up, depending on the age of the person, the personality, or the event they were attending. What types of things did you learn? I learned the precautions that a person has to take before applying make-up products. Did you take extra classes? Sure, now I am taking extra classes in Ukiah and Santa Rosa every two weeks because I want to learn more about my profession. Tell me about the classes? Did you learn from books, or live on a model? My classes were fun and creative. I practiced with live models ages 15 to 18 years old. I used all the new products and did complete makeovers on these models. How much money did it cost to get your schooling? I did not have to spend a lot of money because the principals of Mary Kay helped me reached my goal. I invested approximately $600.00, but later it was easy for me to earn it back from sales. The money that I invested was not a loss because I can earn money everyday by selling products. How old were you when you decided to do this? I was 37 years old. How long did it take for you to complete your studies? Was it months or years? I dedicated approximately four months, seven days a week to my training. I completed this training really fast because before I decided to go in to this field, I had a lot of practice with my sister who showed me many things. Do you still take classes to learn new techniques? Yes, because you never stop learning new professional things and new products are coming out every day. Would you recommended this profession to someone like me? Yes, because it is a very interesting job. In this job you are your own boss and you don’t have someone looking over your shoulder. You can put in as much time as you want and you will be rewarded for your work. If I don’t go out to work I will not earn any money. Is there anything you like to add? Yes, I love my job a lot. It has changed my life and it lets me be independent, personally and economically. Conclusion: I learned a lot from this lady. It is obvious that she is a hard worker and works very hard to accomplish her goals. I learned how to take care of skin properly and the precautions that beauticians use before applying make-up. Another important detail that I learned from her was that she is her own boss and doesn’t have to worry about a salary because in this profession you can earn want you want. This interview impressed me. |
An Interview Between Olivia Allen and Her Mother Nancy
I have spoken with my mother almost everyday of my life, but it is interesting how legitimate interviews can have such a different atmosphere than a casual conversation. It is more formal, I suppose. I enjoyed interviewing my mother, however, about her experience as an entrepreneur and learned some valuable information. O: So, what motivated you to begin your business? N: Mostly what motivated me was that I wanted to be my own boss. I loved sewing, so I never really thought about it, just of course! My father was self-employed, my grandfather was self-employed, so I just remember thinking “I’ll go to Beverly Hills and sell clothes.” And I did. O: What obstacles did you encounter? N: If I hadn’t expanded, it would have been a lot better. Before that, the obstacle was marketing, but after expansion it was making enough money to pay for employees and the utilities. O: What did you learn from having your own business? N: Oh gosh, tons. To be outgoing and friendly. I was already disciplined and hardworking but this made me even more so. And I learned I love being self-employed. I also learned that what is right for one business or individual is not always right for another business or individual. O: Was your business successful and lucrative? N: Yeah, until I expanded. Well, it was successful after I expanded, but before that I had a lot of money for myself and paid the bills. After I expanded, I paid the bills. O: What is the best part of being your own boss? N: Everything. But mostly being able to do what you want to do when you want to do it and not having to answer to anyone else. O: What aspects made having your own business difficult? N: Marketing and having a deceitful employee haha. Know your employees for a while before. O: Do you have any advice for new entrepreneurs? N: Be prepared to work really hard, and if you get advice from someone, discuss that advice with other people. O: Did you go to college and study what your business was about? N: I went to college, but I didn’t study sewing. I studied art. But I put myself through college with my business. O: How big did your business get? N: It was better when it was smaller. Way better. O: Would you do it over again? N: Oh yeah, but I’d do it differently. I wouldn’t get big, I wouldn’t expand. But yes, I would certainly do it again. I enjoyed this interview with my mother, and I even learned several different concepts than what I had learned when she spoke to the class during the panel discussion. Her advice to get advice and then discuss that advice with others before you act on it, I found to be invaluable. I feel this way because what someone may believe is necessarily what is best for you and your business. It may take the opinions of several of your friend or family members to realize this, however, and that is why it is wise to ponder advice deeply. |
Entrepreneur Interview: Ken Montgomery
I had the opportunity to interview Ken Montgomery from Anderson Valley Nursery. He has been in the botany business for several years. After the interview I learned many things about how to manage a business and the obstacles you may encounter. 1. What was your childhood life? Where did you live? Ken Montgomery was raised in Southern California where he lived his childhood and also his teenage years. Like many other children, he had a passion for sports. He played basketball and baseball in high school. Ken studied at Cal Poly where he majored in biology due to his struggle with math. He also played the guitar as a freshman in college and to this day he plays it in his spare time. 2. How did your love for plants begin? After working different part-time jobs, Ken began to work as a teacher at Los Angeles Arboretum. He did research and published papers on specific plants. This was his first actual job and also served as a way for him to become more interested in plants. In 1977, he decided to bring his wife and two children to live in northern California. 3. What previous jobs have you had? Apart from his job at the arboretum, Ken began his business in 1978, just a year after arriving in the Valley. He focused on growing California natives. His business was just a part-time job for him. He had been working at the Botanical Garden near Fort Bragg. However, in 1996 he decided to have his business be full-time. 4. What made you decide to start your own business? Ken Montgomery had always been an academic worker. When he began his business, it was with the purpose to make a living since in the Valley at this time the main employment was logging. He somehow felt connected to nature even more and therefore decided to develop his business. 5. What obstacles have you encountered? “Running a farm is no easy task and is very risky.” Ken sees his business similar to that of a farm. He said this taking in consideration that Mother Nature can’t be controlled. The temperatures from vary time to time. In the winter of 1990, his business had a huge decrease in production because of its extremely low temperatures. It was the coldest winter in the history of Anderson Valley. Another obstacle with cold temperatures is the freezing and rupture of water pipes. 6. What forms of advertisements do you use or are the most effective towards customers? In his early years, Ken used to have articles or ads on the Anderson Valley Advertiser and even some announcements on KZYX, the local radio station. However, the most effective way for him is word of mouth. People spread the word of his business whenever there are occasions or events where he lends his trees or donates them for a good cause. 7. What’s your stance on expanding your business? As a child, his dad would tell Ken to decide what he wanted to be and how big to make it at an early age. He decided to stay in the realm of a small manageable business with three employees. At this point, expanding is not a choice for him because everything would need to change. Currently, Ken grows about 10,000 plants per year on just an acre of land. Expansion means that the business would have to change the infrastructure and build more shades and greenhouses. Also, the number of employees would need to increase. 8. How profitable has your business been? Last year, the total overall profit of the business surpassed the one million dollars. This doesn’t mean that he is now a millionaire. Out of 35-40 thousand dollars in gross income, after subtracting expenses and employee’s salaries, the profit for him is of approximately $5,000 per year. It is not much but it has been enough to support a family. 9. What aspect do you enjoy the most about your business? The activity that Ken is fascinated by the most and really enjoys about his business is propagating new seeds and cuttings from other plants. It truly makes him happy and joyful to know that such a small thing can grow so fast. He also enjoys talking to people and customers about the different plants and share the knowledge he has acquired for so long. 10. What advice would you give young adults or people in general who have in mind starting their own business? Ken Montgomery’s words of advice for those thinking of starting their own business are to treat it as if you were working for someone else. 90-95% of small businesses fail because the person doesn’t take it seriously and is always putting work off for later. They have to stay on top of stuff all the time. Conclusion: Whenever a new business is started, there needs to be complete dedication to that business and be responsible. I have a clear view of what I want to do in the future and how to make it a success. |
Ramon Jimenez
For my interview, I asked Ramon Jimenez some questions regarding his new company Fresh Start. Ramon Jimenez is currently attending UC Davis, and majoring in business economics. Mr. Jimenez’s headquarter is located in Davis, California, where he advertises and sells his products to a variety of people. His company is only a year old, but it has been expanding since then. 1. Why did you start your own company? - It has always been a dream. I have always been into fashion and there is no better feeling to wear something you created and see other people appreciate it as well. Before I would dream of people wearing clothing I created, and now it became a reality. 2. What made you choose a between making shirts and not shoes? - Making shoes is way more complicated than making shirts. It is also a lot more money to invest and more complicated since you need to create shoes in each size and are harder to sell since there are so many competitors. Plus, if I were to have invested in shoes, it would have been more of a gamble because if people didn’t like my shoe design, then I would have lost a lot of money. 3. How did you come up with the name Fresh Start? - After coming up with a list of possibilities a friend had the idea and I liked it. Since my clothing brand is targeted for young teenagers and young adults the title seemed to be perfect. Plus, “Everyone needs a Fresh Start now and then.” 4. How did you register your company? - Having a clothing brand registered takes months and it’s an expensive procedure. What small start-up clothing lines do, is they make their company a trade mark first, and then after some time they register it. There’s a website online where you trade mark your company, and that’s where I went. You can also visit special agencies that will make it a trade mark for you, but the online way is much faster and efficient. 5. What are some challenges you have faced while running your own business? - Marketing is the hardest part. Trying to reach a bigger fan base is hard, but with the use of social websites and blogs such as Facebook, Tumblr and Instagram people all over the United States have heard about it. Also, finding suppliers for certain products with low minimum orders is tough, but with the right research it is possible. It’s also very hard to create a design that both females and males would like and wear. 6. What are your plans for the future of this company? - Attending college and having a clothing company is no easy task. So the progress is slow but steady. Hopefully in the near future it becomes more popular and I begin to see people I have never met wearing it. I just want this company to expand and become more known across the nation. 7. Do you want to expand and make it a huge company, or do you plan on staying small? - I plan on making it popular, but limited. Meaning there are only a certain amount of shirts created and are never restocked. This makes people want it more and is a good marketing strategy I have learned to do. In a sense, each shirt will be “limited edition.” 8. How do you advertise your products? - I have a Facebook page (facebook.com/freshstartclothing), a website (freshstartclothing.com), a blog (freshstartclothing.tumblr.com), and an Instagram (@freshstartclothing) where people check out our products. I also talk to many people about it, and my friends advertise for me as well. Plus, I make posters and put them up across the UC Davis campus. 9. What group of people are your products made for? - Mostly for people in their teenage years and early 20's. Those tend to be the people mostly into urban clothing and street wear. However, it would be nice if all people would wear it because that way I would get more customers and more people advertising my product at the same time. 10. Do you think it’s possible for anyone to start their own business? - It is possible for anyone to start it, but it is not possible for anyone to maintain it. It takes a lot of time, money and thought to be successful. You can’t just create sloppy designs and expect for everybody to buy them. You need to be creative, patient, and very determined. Overall, Ramon Jimenez is very satisfied with how his company is progressing. He hopes that in the future his company will expand and be known nationwide. For now, Mr. Jimenez is just focusing on selling his products countywide, but in a few years he plans on taking the risk of expanding and making his company larger. |
Interview: Rodolfo Arias, Fine Woodworking
I pick up the phone and dial the number that I’m so used to calling everyday. My dad picks up and I say, “Ready for your interview?.” He responds, “Anything for you my little.” I tell him we’ll begin with his history, and move on from there. Q: What happened in your life that led up to you starting your own business? A: When he first came to the US, to Chicago, David Arias, his brother, worked for a woodworking company and offered him work there to get Rudy started and on his feet. During that time, Rudy was meeting a lot of new people and met a guy who wanted to start his own shop. This guy, Mike, was “an aggressive guy” and really wanted Rudy to help him build the new shop. After a lot of hassling from Mike, Rudy accepted and became Mike’s right hand guy. He got paid $24 dollars an hour, more than double what he was making with his brother. But their relationship tensed up and after two years, Rudy left the job there. He decided that he “wanted to be his own boss,” and started his own shop right out of his garage. “It started out rough, but with you and your brother’s help, it has turned into a great success!” Q: Did you ever think this was going to become your career? A: “Not at all, you know that!” Rudy says he always knew that eventually he would work on his own and not for someone else, but never thought it would be as a woodworker. “I barely knew the business when we got here, but it has turned out to be one of my greatest skills. I only know a few people that do this job better than myself. And I have job after job after job. I’m very lucky.” Q: Is woodworking and carpentry your passion? A: “Look, I’m good at it and that’s different. But it’s hard labor, as you have learned from before. I would much rather have a job where all I need are my brain skills and no use of ever putting my hands to work. But then I think about it and feel like I would feel useless.” Q: How hard has it been to be your own boss? A: Extremely hard. But then very easy. Rudy says he’s always been one to need to be doing something constantly, that he needs to be productive. Therefore, time management has never been a problem for him and he’s always gotten his work done when he needed to. He asks, “You know when it becomes hard?” I ask when and he says, “When you have bills to pay and people to take care of, and no work to get that with. It’s not like a regular job and know you have constant pay. Doing this, you rely on yourself, and only yourself.” Q: Have you always made the profits that you expected? A: “Actually, I have. It’s a hard job, and people realize it. So they generally don’t try to lower our prices too much. It works out.” Q: What kind of marketing do you use? A: His main source is word of mouth. He does a good job for someone, and they tell their friends. That’s always what’s best. Rudy also says that a good personality is a marketing strategy, and that he definitely has. “I also do door hangers and business cards. But the key to marketing is yourself and your appearance.” Q: What else about your job worries you besides the economic aspect? A: “My body! You’ve seen your Tio Conejo; I don’t want to be walking around with only two fingers on one hand for the rest of my life, like he is. It’s dangerous and you have to constantly be on your toes. Small errors can cost you a lot.” Q: Where do you see your business in the next few years? A: “In you and your brother’s hands... No, just kidding,” he says with laughter. “I’m still young, look at me! But in the next years, I hope to just be the boss and have my own workers. Who knows...” Q: What do you recommend for those that want to do woodworking as a profession? A: “Get smart! Go to school, or don’t. But do something where you only have to use your brain. Woodworking is fun and innovative, but I’d rather anyone get a less dangerous job.” Q: What does a regular day look like for you? A: I wake up at 6AM, and go to the garage. I start working. I’m there until 8PM, and I go back in to the house to have dinner and sleep. Oh, that’s weekends also [hahahaha].” Rudy works most of the time. Recently, he’s had many jobs coming, and has even had to give some to other woodworkers who need more work than he does. Q: Anything else you want to say? A: Yes. Thank you for thinking of me for your interview. This is a difficult job that not many people take the time to know about. I already knew much about my dad’s work before the interview. I worked with him all the time when I was younger or when I would go visit him in Chicago. The subject we touched on that surprised me the most was his fears in regards to woodworking. The job is a dangerous one, anyone can figure that out, but being careful had always been obvious, not something he regularly needed to remind us to do. Once we’re done, my dad and I continue on our normal conversations. But I know he is very pleased to be a part of this assignment. We hang up, and he goes back to work. |
Interview
I recently interviewed Roberto Amezquita, a member of my family, regarding the experience of starting his own business. Roberto immigrated to the United States at the age of 22. He started working in Chicago in cabbage fields. However, 3 years later there were staff cuts and he was part of these people, so he decided to sell food on the outskirts of the fields with more workers. Why did you decide to start your own business? He started his own business because he was fired from his job. The necessity to pay off his bills and the desire to follow the American dream were what caused him to start his own business. What was your business based on? His business was based on the selling of food on the outskirts of fields with more workers. He sold tortas and tacos. He decided to sell these because they are easy to prepare, eat, and Latino people love them. He sold his food truck that had a small grill. Did you start it by yourself or did someone else support you? He started it by himself, but as time passed he turned his food truck into a restaurant. He needed people to prepare food or take orders because the restaurants grew quickly. How much did you invest at the beginning of your business? He invested one-thousand dollars at the beginning because he thought that his idea would probably not work well because having a food truck near the fields was very rare. Did your perspectives change after you saw the results at the end? Since he started with a low amount of food, people gave a good response. He sold all the food that he had. The response from his clients gave him many more reasons to continue his business for a longer period of time than what he had planned. How did you decide to organize your business? Like all businesses he would need to earn back what he invested and he needed to reach a weekly profit. This would be complicated because people usually changed fields every week. Another obstacle that he faced was reaching his profit goal. Many people would not buy from him everyday to avoid unnecessary expenses. Did you have problems at the beginning? He presented some problems such as the possibility that the police could get him in trouble. He was afraid to be deported, but that did not stop him. He just thought about his family. His family gave him the strength to overcome any obstacles. What were the benefits of your business? Did you face any harmful situations? The benefits that he gained from his business were that he met new people and shared with others his experience of being unemployed. He felt comfortable with himself because he had the opportunity to prepare food for the people he had worked with. Did you learn anything about it? He went through a lot of experiences. The most important and interesting were that before he began his own business he was just a simple employee. As an illegal alien, he knew his life would only be based on working under hard conditions. He was impressed because he never thought that a food truck would soon change into a big restaurant. Now he has more than 5 employees; two cookers, a dishwasher, waitress, and a bartender. Many people think that only rich people can climb to a high position or have their own business. Now many restaurants are Latino owned. Many people have the dream of becoming business owners. However, accomplishing this goal is not easy, but we all can do it if we put our minds to it. This situation motivates many of us because legal and illegal people who have immigrated to the United States have accomplished their dream of being business owners. These people motivate us to look for a better future and to continue with our dreams. |
Alicia
I interviewed Alicia who has a restaurant in Boonville CA. She came to the United States from Mexico when she was little. She came to Los Angeles to visit some of her family and then came to Boonville. She didn’t have the idea of staying in the United Sates but she did. She always wanted to have a restaurant because in Mexico her grandmother had one, and she helped since she was really little. 1. What did it take you to get your business started? It took me a long time to get my business because I didn’t have as much money to start my business as I wanted but I started like all of the people, little by little. 2.What are some of the risks with running your business? The risks that I have running my business are that there are more restaurants than there used to be before and also during winter time there are not a lot of customers. 3. What are some of the benefits of owning your own business? Some of the benefits I have because of owning my own business is that I don’t have a boss, I’m my own boss. Also I earn money to feed my children. 4. How long did it take you to make profits? It took me a long time because at first I didn’t know that much about taxes and I didn’t know how to manage things well, and also I had to pay workers, and rent. 5. What are your responsibilities? I have to know how to manage my time, help my workers and leave customers with a good view of my restaurant. 6. Do you enjoy your business? I do enjoy my business because it’s something that I like to do, and also because that’s what I wanted, to own a business. 7. What do you sell? Well, I sell almost all kinds of Mexican food but I started selling burritos because no one else sold burritos before. 8. How do you manage your time? I manage my time by thinking the activities that I have to do for the next day. When I’m not going to be at the restaurant I tell my workers what they need to do for that day. I try to make a schedule of the things that I have to do. 9. Do you want to expand your business? Right now, I don’t have that much time to open another restaurant because I have the restaurant and the Floodgate and I can’t work on both of them. 10. Is it hard for you to have two businesses? Yes it is hard for me because I have to wake up really early to set up the things that I have to make. Also I need to be in both places checking how the things are going, sometimes I can’t be at both of my business. By interviewing Alicia it made me to realize that it is very hard to manage a business when you don’t have the education required. Also that sometimes it is very risky because you don’t make profits you were thinking you would make. I also learned that if you want to start a business it needs to be something that you really enjoy doing. |
Pilar
For my entrepreneur interview, I interviewed Pilar Echeverria. She is the owner of Mosswood Café. She worked at Mosswood for eleven years before she became the owner. She stopped working there five years ago because she got pregnant and she decided to quit her job to take care of her baby. I decided to interview Pilar Echeverria because I was interested in how she manages her business since she didn’t attend school to learn English. 1. When did you start your business? I started to manage this café two years ago. I wasn’t the owner until two years ago. Getting the opportunity to manage this café was something that I always wanted to do. 2. Why did you decide to start this business? I decided to start this business because I had been working 11 years here and I really enjoyed it. My boss also proposed to sell me her business two years ago. 3. Was it difficult to start your business? It was at the beginning because I didn’t have the experience required to manage a business like this, but I have always tried my best and I try to learn from my mistakes. 4. What are some of the advantages you have received from having this business? Some of the advantages are that my English has improved and also I have learned many new skills by working in the kitchen. My socializing skills have also improved. 5.What are some disadvantages of your business? One of the disadvantages is that I don’t spend much time with my family anymore. Also that sometimes we start working really early in the morning. It is also hard because when someone gets sick you have to replace them. 6. Do you plan to expend your business? Yes, I plan on having another business in the future. First I plan to establish myself in Boonville and then open a new café like this one in Fort Bragg. 7. What types of foods do you sell? We sell sandwiches, café, and breakfast. We don’t sell too much food because all of our food is homemade and it is very hard to have a large variety. 8. How many employees do you have working in your cafe? At this moment I have six employees working for me, but I might hire two more because it gets very busy during summer. 9. What types of clients frequently come and purchase from your business? There are mostly locals in the morning and in the afternoon most of the people that come are tourists. Sometimes is very hard to deal with them, but, like I said, it is my job and I love it. 10. What satisfaction do you get out of running/having this business? My biggest satisfaction is to watch my customers leave satisfied. By interviewing Pilar I learned that if you are interested in something you should follow your dream until it comes true. You should never give up. I also learned that if you are really interested in doing something you should commit yourself to always doing your best. |