Looking back at my first very short interview with an entrepreneur, I actually still really like the three questions that I chose to ask him. I don't think I would change them if I had to do it all over again. I learned quite a bit about entrepreneurship and also about myself.
I could not record this interview because the entrepreneur, Juan Fernandez de Castro, lives in Miami and I did not have a chance to go down and meet up with him for this assignment. So I called him and I summarized the questions and answers.
1. What was the biggest failure that you had to overcome when starting your business?
When I first started out in my business (the business of selling shoes, especially boots), I tried to sell my shoes in big ticket retailers like Macy's and Dillards, after a while I found out the hard way that I had to sell the shoes on my own for a while and show the retailers that these shoes could actually turn a profit.
2. What has been your biggest accomplishment to date, regarding your entrepreneurial self?
Being able to make enough money to send my children off to college debt free.
3. What is your advice to a person who plans to become an entrepreneur in the future?
Learn how to weather the storm, through the ups and the downs, and just stay confident in yourself.
I felt more prepared and confident when asking the entrepreneur these questions. I felt like I could better understand the message he was trying to convey, and I think it'll have a lasting impact on my life.
I think this is all really good stuff. It's great to realize that you don't get to play in the big leagues right away. It's not easy to get in with the big guys. I think it's so important to start on your own and have a solid understanding of your business and how to run it before you sell it off to a larger retailer. I would say you can only get to that point with some passion, which is something that became apparent in my interview as well. Read all about it here: http://williamwright94.blogspot.com/2016/04/very-short-interview-part-2.html
ReplyDeleteTristan,
ReplyDeleteI think that you conducted a really good interview. Your interviewee gave you some insightful information on the struggles and rewards of entrepreneurship, and that's awesome that you have been able to get things out of this class that you will be able to carry with you for the rest of your life.
Here is the link to my post as well: http://marissaent3003.blogspot.com/2016/04/very-short-interview-no-2-with-teresa.html
Great job!
Marissa