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: Welcome to Windsor at Walhalla, located in Walhalla, SC. Our vision is to have the best-looking golf course in the upstate with the best customer service. We have a beautiful 18 hole golf course in the foothills with a full-service restaurant, land development, and upcoming venue space.
From the website: Windsor at Walhalla is a challenging, 6800 yard, 18 hole track, that offers both a practice facility and restaurant. Set in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Oconee County, SC, the Robert Harry Bowers design makes for one unique test of golf as its location is punctuated by the Blue Ridge escarpment, an area of transition between the mountains and the piedmont. With picturesque waterfalls, mountain ranges, and elevation changes abundantly found in and around the 180 acres of the Windsor footprint, Walhalla has all the necessary components for quintessential southern charm. Located off HWY 11 and only minutes from Lake Keowee, Lake Hartwell, and Clemson University. Join us to play and eat at the Windsor at Walhalla.
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: Owners, Kathy and Ryan Calhoun and Gary and Melanie Yeatts are co-owners of the Windsor at Walhalla. The Calhoun’s have lived in the upstate for 20 years and are raising four children. Ryan has been a doctor of chiropractic for 20 years and has been in the healthcare marketing industry for 5 years. Gary Yeatts is a retired veteran that served the US Army for 23 years. Afterward, they created Yeatt’s Group Development and a family-owned staffing company. They have three children and five grandchildren.
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: To be honest, we weren’t looking for one. It just came up during dinner with friends and we heard about golf courses and land that became available. The four of us knew something exciting was going to happen. From there we had dinner talks and made it happen.
4. What three pieces of advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs?
- Do your diligence
- Be a risk-taker
- Work really hard with a great team
5. What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
- Integrity
- Trustworthy
- compassion
6. To what do you most attribute your success?
- My upbringing
- My wife and kids
- Hard Work
7. How do you go about marketing your business? What has been your most successful form of marketing?
Ans: Facebook, Instagram, Google, and word of mouth
8. 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: The Calhoun’s and the Yeatt’s invested together.
9. What is the best way to achieve long-term success?
Ans: Have good systems and great people working with you.
10. Where do you see yourself and your business in 5 – 10 years?
Ans: The land is fully developed and self-sustaining with a great team.
11. Excluding yours, what company or business do you admire the most?
Ans: The church.