1 – Q) 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.
A) We offer non-climate controlled, drive-way access storage units on a month-to-month basis. In addition, we have outdoor storage spaces available for lease. Our site is fully fenced with electronic gate access, and is professionally lit and surveilled.
2 – Q) Kindly give us a brief description about yourself (it should include your brief educational or entrepreneurial background and list some of your major achievements).
A) Originally, I am from New York and hold a bachelor’s degree in business- but I moved to California to pursue my career and entrepreneurial endeavors.
3 – Q) 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?
A) I always wanted to be entrepreneurial and work directly with customers. This business venture gave me the chance to do this. I’m most excited to be my own boss and offer the right solutions & support to my customers on a daily basis.
4 – Q) What three pieces of advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs?
A) 1) Take the risk and believe in yourself
2) Do not take “no” for an answer- there will be problems, and you need to solve them as they come
3) Pick something you enjoy doing
5 – Q) What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
A) 1) Risk Tolerance, but calculate the risk-reward and believe in yourself
2) Creativity
3) Persistence
6 – Q) How many hours do you work a day on average?
A) Between 10-12
7 – Q) To what do you most attribute your success?
A) God
8 – Q) How do you go about marketing your business? What has been your most successful form of marketing?
A) Although new to me and my businesses- I created a website and hope it to be the most successful of my marketing campaigns. In the past I’ve hung signs around town and posted on local listings.
9 – Q) Where did your organizations funding/capital come from and how did you go about getting it? How did you obtain investors for your venture?
A) I used a mix of friends & family capital as well as my own. The balance I financed.
10 – Q) What is the best way to achieve long-term success?
A) Although I believe I’ve yet to achieve long-term success- I believe persistence and doing what I love will be the key to it.
11 – Q) Where you see yourself and your business in 5 – 10 years?
A) I’d like to have 5-10 more locations open and a big happy family.
12 – Q) Excluding yours, what company or business do you admire the most?
A) I like family owned mid-sized real estate companies that started from nothing- I think that’s the American Dream and I hope to be there one day.
13 – Q) How long do you stick with an idea before giving up?
A) If I believe in it, I never let it die. And I don’t think I’d ever commit to something I didn’t think I’d go all the way with.
14 – Q) What motivates you?
A) My friends & family mostly, but when an idea excites me- the journey of figuring it out really gets me out of bed.
15 – Q) How do you generate new ideas?
A) I read and think a lot- I try to figure out what is needed and where- for a community to thrive.
16 – Q) How do you build a successful customer base?
A) Persistent support and quick response times!
17 – Q) What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
A) Being the one counted on- when you’re an entrepreneur- you are the one making the decisions and the result is what you and everyone has to live with.
18 – Q) What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
A) When you reach a big milestone of your business operations it feels really good and I hope there’s many more in store for me and my businesses.
19 – Q) What do you feel is the major difference between entrepreneurs and those who work for someone else?
A) Risk tolerance- I think a lot of people have good ideas and dreams but not many act out what their heart desires due to risk.
20 – Q) In one word, characterize your life as an entrepreneur.
A) Happy
21 – Q) What is your greatest fear, and how do you manage fear?
A) That my dreams and goals fall to the wayside and I stop pursuing them. I pray to God that this never happens.
22 – Q) Who has been your greatest inspiration?
A) My father and Donald Trump.
23 – Q) What book has inspired you the most? (OR what is your favorite book?)
A) Les Miserables and Atlas Shrugged have both been inspiring to me. Great stories and I think everyone should read them.
24 – Q) What are some of the biggest mistakes you’ve made?
A) I’d say not saying something when I really want to. I try not to let this happen anymore. When you don’t speak your mind you’re just lying to yourself.
25 – Q) How can you prevent mistakes or do damage control?
A) Everyone makes mistakes and I expect myself to make many more in the future- but the most important thing to do is to never give up. Get back to work and fix the problem. And without fail- take accountability for your mistakes.
26 – Q) What are your hobbies? What do you do in your non-work time?
A) I enjoy going to the gym, reading, and when possible- fishing with my brother.
27 – Q) What makes you happy?
A) Working hard on my projects makes me very happy- but I like spending time with family and friends. I try to be generous with my time and resources- I get a lot of happiness out of that too.
28 – Q) If you were conducting this interview, what question would you ask?
A) What’s your favorite beer?