Very Short Interview No. 1

This person is someone I briefly worked for, who I still see from time to time. He co-owns a popular bar downtown. He has started a few different businesses over the years that closed down but he and his partner opened this one several years ago, and it has been pretty successful.

• What does it mean to be an entrepreneur?

It means I can be my own boss, I don't have to work for anyone else again in my life. It also means it's my responsibility to make sure things get done and my employees are doing their job. 

• What do you wish you had been taught in school before setting out on your own path as an entrepreneur? 

That I didn't need my degree. I have a degree in business but I honestly never used it since I started my own business right away. I suppose it gave me some useful information on some aspects of the job. What they can't teach you in school is how much dedication it takes, and how to overcome failures. My first time around I really didn't know what I was getting into. Things went south and I had to reinvent my vision, and build from the ground up. I always knew giving up wasn't an option because I know that working for someone else is not for me. My job consumes my life most of the time, but I enjoy my work so it doesn't really feel like work to me.

How would you describe your daily role as a business owner?

It's a lot like babysitting. My partner does most of the paperwork and logistics, while I take care of the scheduling and managing of employees. In order to be a good manager, you have to be personable and well respected, but you also can't take sh*t from people. You have to know when to put your foot down, and I've had to fire people many times. You also have to be good at reading people because hiring the wrong person can harm your business.

My reflection of this interview is that I am not very surprised by his answers. When I worked for him I would sometimes ask him about what it was like opening his own business, since at the time I was very interested in becoming an entrepreneur myself someday. He would always tell me the hard truth and never sugar coated anything. I think seeing firsthand how this business was run made me realize that working in a bar or nightclub is exhausting and not something I would want to do for a long time. I think I have what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur but I would need to work in a field that I would enjoy.