The Tough Love of Entrepreneurship
Some entrepreneurs would describe starting their business like giving birth, while others see it like entering a marriage with an uncompromising tyrant. One business owner looks at his business as wrestling with a grizzly, happy at the end of each day that he did not get devoured. Regardless of the metaphor, all agree that it’s tough out there for small businesses, and no one survives on their own.
What advice would
you give to someone
looking to start their
own business?
Love it enough to go through
hell with it. —Terry Galloway, Mickee Faust Club, Tallahassee
I would strongly recommend
finding a strong mentor with business experience. Having two mentors myself has been invaluable. —Rebecca Beard, Niceville Tutoring, Niceville
Research the industry you desire to enter. Each one has unique opportunities to mine nuggets of gold outside the primary sales driver. Be prepared to invest in the countless hours needed to get you past the tipping point. And absolutely leave the excuses out of your vocabulary. There are only solutions that you haven’t found yet. —Michael Carro, SVN, Southland Commercial, Pensacola
Hope for the best but plan for the worst. Sometimes it will feel easy, but many times it will feel so frustratingly hard. Stick with it, believe in yourself, and believe in the passion you have for your business. —Jason McArthur, Argonaut Coffee, Tallahassee
Do your homework, and ask
a lot of questions. Talk to other people who are or have been in the business, and learn from them. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for and accept help. If people believe in what you’re doing,
they will offer it! —Carrie Hamby, Blue Tavern, Tallahassee
Work hard, don’t give up, and
give it your all. —Chef George Lazi,
Pearl & Horn, Pensacola
→ What are you most looking forward to
in your business?
I’m most looking forward to seeing where we go from here. Our business is relatively young, and if the next five years are anything like the first, then we
are in for an exciting ride.
—Jason McArthur
Creating a new future for ourselves now that Faust no longer has a permanent home. Instead of bemoaning or throwing in the towel after the twin tornados blew the roof off our Clubhouse, the
37 current members of Mickee Faust started looking for fun, new ways to make our kind of original, sometimes scandalous community theater in different places around Tallahassee.
—Terry Galloway
I absolutely love what I do. I advise others in buying, selling, or leasing commercial real estate. Some are investment opportunities, other clients are growing or shrinking their businesses, and some are selling their businesses after a lifetime of achievement. Each has a story of opportunity and success. —Michael Carro
I’m most looking forward to hearing more success stories from children who have achieved academic growth or earned top scholarships with our help. —Rebecca Beard
Staying consistent with
our quality and service, and to keep growing.
—Chef George Lazi
→ What is the most memorable moment from starting your business?
It had to be when we got our
first T-shirts, and I would see not just my friends and family wearing them but also regular customers. It meant a lot to me that someone would wear something with our logo on it for no other reason than they liked what we did. —Jason McArthur
I started my first business in high school selling seat covers on street corners in Arizona. Some people (usually in very beat-up cars) would honk and yell, “Get a real job.” I always laughed at what others consider real work. I was fortunate to own that company for seven years. We imported containers of seat covers from overseas, and I grew to nine locations with many fraternity brothers working corners as well. —Michael Carro
The most memorable moment was when I billed a school for the first time to teach a series of classes. It was a thrilling and new experience. —Rebecca Beard
It was the night 36 years ago when Mickee Faust made its debut on Gaines, and the place sold out within 10 minutes of opening its doors. We loved that audience just as much as they loved us. —Terry Galloway
The most memorable moment was when my wife and I first put up a banner with zip ties for George Artisan Bakery & Bistro on Garden Street. It was a special moment because everyone was now going to see my name, and I remember feeling excited, scared, and butterflies all at the same time. —Chef George Lazi
