Q 1. 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 family started Lamppost Globes Etc. 18 years ago with a small factory in Beaumont, California. With the rising popularity of the internet and e-commerce, we quickly realized that an web business would allow us to sell our high quality products to people around the world. From that small factory, we now sell products from 6 manufacturers from around the U.S.A.
Q 2. 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: Since our beginning, we have worked hard to offer the widest range of quality products, and provide the best customer service in the industry. We are consistently adding cutting edge products to are inventory, including LED lights and dark-sky reflectors.
Q 3. What three pieces of advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs?
Ans: 1. Don’t give up.
2. Don’t be afraid to fail
3. Have fun. If you’re not having fun, go do something else.
Q 4. What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
Ans: 1. Service -An entrepeneur has to want to help people. If your product or service helps people, the success will follow.
2. Perseverance. You will fail, but it’s getting back up and trying again that makes the difference.
3. A sense of humor.
Q 5. How many hours do you work a day on average?
Ans: We provide customer service via phone and chat 12 hours per day, from 8 am to 8 pm Eastern Time Zone
Q 6. To what do you most attribute your success?
Ans: Our great customers
Q 7. How do you go about marketing your business? What has been your most successful form of marketing?
Ans: We some marketing, but most of our customers have been purchasing our products for years.
Q 8. 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: Our company was built over the years through gaining the loyalty of our customers, and we’ve never had outside investors. Investors want to sell products for the highest possible amount, while we want to sell our customers the highest quality product at the lowest price possible.
Q 9. What is the best way to achieve long-term success?
Ans: We take pride in helping our customers find the products they need, whether its a globe with a custom opening, or a LED retrofit for older fixtures
Q 10. What motivates you?
Ans: Helping our customers. Most of our customers find us because they’re light fixtures have been damaged, and have spent a lot of time looking for replacement globes. Helping them find the right globe at a good price is what motivates us
Q 11. What are your ideals?
Ans: Helping our customers find high quality products, made in America, at the lowest price
Q 12. How do you generate new ideas?
Ans: We are constantly adding products that save energy, environment-friendly, and look great.
Q 13. How do you define success?
Ans: Every time we sell a product, that product was made in America by an American worker. We define our success by keeping manufacturing jobs in the U.S.A. and supporting American workers.
Q 14. How do you build a successful customer base?
Ans: We focus on superior customer service. When you go to our website, our 800 number, email, and chat link are at the top of the page. When you call, email, or chat, you will get the owner of the business on the line, not just a customer service agent or receptionist.