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 – Peter Gillham originally purchased a small vitamin company in 1977 which was operating out of a closet. He opened a store front in East Hollywood and over the years expanded the company into a multimillion dollar business. At the age of 80 years old, he sold the majority of the company, which is now owned by Clorox, but kept the store front which is located 3 doors down from the location it had for over 40 years – Peter Gillham’s Nutrition Center. Despite Peter having passed away December 2020 at the age of 93, the business is still in operation under the brand of Peter Gillham’s Life Essentials. It is now operated by Peter’s youngest daughter, Janis Gillham Grady.
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 – My work experience has been mostly in the mortgage industry for the last 32 years having moved up the ranks to owning my own mortgage company, holding the position of President and Treasurer for the Nevada Mortgage Association for several years and also being on the Mortgage Advisory Council for the State of Nevada for 10 plus years, resigning about three years ago, (shortly before the death of my father) in order to spend more time picking up and managing his business.
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 – While I do not have a formal education in nutrition, I grew up with a father as a nutritionist, married a nutritionist and my son also became a nutritionist and continues to work in the field, so of Peter’s four children, I was the most likely to take over running the business for him.
Q – 4) What three pieces of advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs?
Ans – Follow your heart
Do what you enjoy
Treat others how you wish to be treated.
Q – 5) What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
Ans – Common sense
Foresight
Being fair
Q – 6) How many hours do you work a day on average?
Ans – It varies on what I have going on. I not only run Peter’s Choice but also keep busy with my own nutrition company, Outback Naturals and also continue working in the mortgage industry. So I keep my self well occupied.
Q – 7) To what do you most attribute your success?
Ans – Determination and discipline.
Q – 8) How do you go about marketing your business? What has been your most successful form of marketing?
Ans – Keeping in touch with customers over the years, so they know we are still around. We have also found success selling on Amazon so customers find out products, use them, find their work, so become repeat customers.
Q – 9) Where did your organizations funding/capital come from and how did you go about getting it? How did you obtain investors for your venture?
Ans – Self funded over the years.
Q – 10) What is the best way to achieve long-term success?
Ans – Quality of products and persistence
Q – 11) Where you see yourself and your business in 5 – 10 years?
Ans – I will be retired and my son will be running the business.
Q – 12) Excluding yours, what company or business do you admire the most?
Ans – Amazon
Q – 12) How important have good employees been to your success?
Ans – Very. Employees can make or break a company.
Q – 13) How long do you stick with an idea before giving up?
Ans – I rarely give up and try to persist.
Q – 14) What motivates you?
Ans – Success. I hate the thought of failure.
Q – 14) What are your ideals?
Ans – Healthy customers who are proud to use and talk about the results of our products
Q – 15) How do you generate new ideas?
Ans – Reading, listening
Q – 16) How do you define success?
Ans – Healthy customers who support an expanding business
Q – 17) How do you build a successful customer base?
Ans – Quality products which get results
Q – 18) What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
Ans – Being able to do my own thing to help others.
Q – 19) What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
Ans – Success stories from customers as a result of products I helped create.
Q – 20) What do you feel is the major difference between entrepreneurs and those who work for someone else?
Ans – Belief in oneself
Q – 21) What kind of culture exists in your organization? How did you establish this tone and why did you institute this particular type of culture?
And – I try to treat people right and appreciate what they do for the company or myself.
Q – 22) If you had the chance to start your career over again, what would you do differently?
Ans – Start younger.
Q – 23) How has being an entrepreneur affected your family life?
Ans – It has made it better. Not only financially but has allowed me to set my own schedule and attend school and sports functions as my children grew
Q – 24) What is your greatest fear, and how do you manage fear?
Ans – Failure – I manage it by persisting so I don’t fail and telling myself I can do it to the point of belief!
Q – 25) How did you decide on the location for your business?
Ans – My father decided on it 40 years ago, as it was a busy area with a lot of foot traffic.
Q – 26) Do you believe there is some sort of pattern or formula to becoming a successful entrepreneur?
Ans – I believe its more of a belief on if one can do it and the follow through
Q – 27) Who has been your greatest inspiration?
Ans – My desire to help others
Q – 28) What are some of the biggest mistakes you’ve made?
Ans – Doubting myself, not following my gut.
Q – 29) How can you prevent mistakes or do damage control?
Ans – Find out what is wanted/needed by customers and test products for their efficiency
Q – 30) What are your hobbies? What do you do in your non-work time?
Ans – Ride my horse, work out like doing cross fit or Zumba, play with my grandchild or hang out with family and friends.
Q – 31) What makes you happy?
Ans – Helping people