Q 1. Kindly give our readers an introduction to your business. Please include what your business is all about, in which city you are located and if you have offices in multiple locations/ cities.
Ans: GCK Products, LLC is the owner and distributor of GadgetKlip. GadgetKlip is a space-saving, chaos corralling organizational marvel designed to hug, not pinch all those tangled cables, cords, wires, plants and so much more we need organized. The stainless steel wings and special industrial strength plastic make GadgetKlip perfect for indoor and outdoor uses. GadgetKlip is designed with a patented unique inner curve to bundle items safely and securely whether it is at home, in the kitchen, bathroom, work area, in the office, out in the plant, garage, hobbies, garden, on vacation in the boat, RV, Airplane, wherever you are that you need organized items, GadgetKlip is a perfect fit. GadgetKlip comes in three sizes: small, medium and large as well as multiple colors; black, white, blue and green. GadgetKlip is made in the USA in West Michigan where GCK Products, LLC is located in Rockford, our only location.
Q 2. Kindly give us a brief description about yourself (it should include your brief educational or entrepreneurial background and list some of your major achievements).
Ans: GCK Products, LLC was founded by Sherryl and Michael Despres, owners of GCK Products, LLC. Sherryl is a professional actress and Michael is a Financial Advisor by day.
Q 3. What inspired you to (start a new business venture) or (to make significant changes in an existing business)? How did the idea for your business come about?
Ans: I (Michael) was looking for a product to help organize my cords, cables and wires. Looking on the internet and researching cord and cable organizers. I did not find a product that was satisfactory. So I decided to design something myself. I invented GadgetKlip through many prototypes to come up with the perfect product to become the most universal product to hit the market in years.
Q 4. What three pieces of advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs?
Ans: Do not underestimate the time it takes. Push, push, push. Ask for help – ask everyone and anyone and listen to their advice.
Q 5. What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
Ans: Organization, drive and open mindedness.
Q 6. How many hours do you work a day on average?
Ans: I say it averages 10 hours a day. My wife says all the time.
Q 7. To what do you most attribute your success?
Ans: Hard work, being open to others ideas, and being willing to adjust to the changing environment you may find yourself in.
Q 8. How do you go about marketing your business? What has been your most successful form of marketing?
Ans: We use a shotgun approach. That means we use all kinds of advertising. Right now there is not one working better than another. We have to be wide and varied in our advertising.
Q 9. Where did your organization’s funding/capital come from and how did you go about getting it? How did you obtain investors for your venture?
Ans: We have self funded the whole venture.
Q 10. What is the best way to achieve long-term success?
Ans: Continued hard word work and focus. You have to keep your mind on it all the time. Even when things are difficult and you may want to give up you have to plow forward and be willing to make changes in course and thought pattern.
Q 11. Where do you see yourself and your business in 5 – 10 years?
Ans: I hope doing a lot more than I am today. In ten years? GadgetKlip is a household name in the organizational world.
Q 12. Excluding yours, what company or business do you admire the most?
Ans: Apple, Microsoft, Netflix, Tesla – all entrepreneurial companies.
Q 13. How important have good employees been to your success?
Ans: Very important. We do not know everything. We have to rely on others to help move us forward. We all have our areas of knowledge and skills. All of that needs to be brought together to create success.
Q 14. How long do you stick with an idea before giving up?
Ans: Forever? That is hard. Every idea is different. Some you know are just a flash in the pan. Others you know need to be pushed along to get where you want and then there are ideas that are just great ideas right off the bat and don’t take much time at all.
Q 15. What motivates you?
Ans: Me. My drive.
Q 16. What are your ideals?
Ans: Treat others as they would want to be treated, be kind but firm. Always put others first and help all those you can.
Q 17. How do you generate new ideas?
Ans: My mind is always working. Sometimes it is dreaming, other times it is seeing a situation and analyzing what could make it better. Putting your mind to work is a great thing.
Q 18. How do you define success?
Ans: The definition of success is pride in what you have accomplished.
Q 19. How do you build a successful customer base?
Ans: Lots of work. You have to try all avenues to touch base with your prospective customer base. Find that vein and stick with it.
Q 20. What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
Ans: Freedom. However, being an entrepreneur comes with stress. That stress does not take a vacation even though you have freedom.
Q 21. What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
Ans: Creating marketing materials with Sherryl.
Q 22. What do you feel is the major difference between entrepreneurs and those who work for someone else?
Ans: Entrepreneurs take the chance. We all have ideas that would work and possibly make a lot of money. Unfortunately, you have to have the time, tenacity, funds, knowledge and courage to step out and try something. Entrepreneurs are lucky to have these characteristics.
Q 23. What kind of culture exists in your organization? How did you establish this tone and why did you institute this particular type of culture?
Ans: We are a husband and wife company utilizing the skill and knowledge of the people and team around us. We need to have a team to help us. It is important to listen to those people and use their expertise. They have the knowledge in the areas they are experts in. It only makes sense to follow their direction.
Q 24. In one word, characterize your life as an entrepreneur.
Ans: Work
Q 25. If you had the chance to start your career over again, what would you do differently?
Ans: Oh, there are too many things to decide. Each having a different outcome changing the direction of where I would have gone creating many different decisions and outcomes.
Q 26. How has being an entrepreneur affected your family life?
Ans: Keeps me very busy.
Q 27. What is your greatest fear, and how do you manage fear?
Ans: Failure – do not give up.
Q 28. How did you decide on the location for your business?
Ans: It is where we live and we wanted to manufacture and be based right here in the USA.
Q 29. Do you believe there is some sort of pattern or formula to becoming a successful
Entrepreneur?
Ans: Yes, hard work and listen to your team.
Q 30. If you could talk to one person from history, who would it be and why?
Ans: Ronald Reagan, he just seemed to be a guy who had it together. Second only to Jesus for the obvious reasons. But I can talk to him any time.
Q 31. Who has been your greatest inspiration?
Ans: Knowing that this is a product that can be used by and help almost everyone.
Q 32. What book has inspired you the most? (OR what is your favorite book?
Ans: The last one was Lori Greiner’s “Invent it, Sell it, Bank it!”
Q 33. What are some of the biggest mistakes you’ve made?
Ans: Probably moving forward on things too soon (putting the cart before the horse) when maybe there would have been a better decision.
Q 34. How can you prevent mistakes or do damage control?
Ans: You can’t prevent mistakes. If you could we all would be successful and then there would not be the sweet benefit of success. Damage control comes from recognizing there is a problem in the first place. Fires need to be dealt with immediately. Putting off damage control makes things worse.
Q 35. What are your hobbies? What do you do in your non-work time?
Ans: We are campers. We like to be outside: go to the lake, boat, ride ATVs, sing Karaoke, hang out with friends and have a few drinks.
Q 36. What makes you happy?
Ans: Friends, family, hugs, faith
Q 37. What sacrifices have you had to make to be a successful entrepreneur?
Ans: Time, time, time and money
Q 38. If you were conducting this interview, what question would you ask?
Ans: Who do you owe your success to?
Company Detail:
Company : Gck Products LLC
Contact : Michael Despres
Address : 5355 Northland Dr. NE Ste. C #113
City : Grand Rapids
State : MI
Country : USA
Zip : 49525
Phone : 616-326-1716
Email : michael@gadgetklip.com