Very Short Interview No. 1

The entrepreneur I chose to interview was Kim Harrell. Her and her husband created two of their own companies which they owned each for 20 years. One company they had sold hunting and fishing sporting goods and the other was selling ATVs. Below is the interview I held with Kim.

What does it mean to be an entrepreneur?

"Being an entrepreneur is someone who is looking for alternate forms of income or making money."

What do you think I should learn in an entrepreneurship course?

"You should learn creative thinking, money managing skills, dealing with the public, state and federal tax guidelines and rules for running business (small or large), and financial planning for present and future endeavors."

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

"I started these companies in my twenties and I wish someone had told me how to create a more diverse financial portfolio, like stocks, bonds, and savings accounts. I wish someone taught me to take more risks with my money earlier on in life and not keep all my eggs in one basket. It is easier to come back from a smaller financial loss when you're younger rather than when you are older and have a family to support and retirement to be saving for."

From this interview, I was surprised that there is so much you need to learn before you open a business in regards to taxes and rules from the government. I expected it to be a lot easier than it actually is. It takes a lot of risk and planning to be an entrepreneur and open your own business, that is something else I learned when I interviewed Kim.