Very Short Interview, Part 2

Revisiting a Friend

Picture by Hackfish "Seattle Skyline"

Impression of Initial Interview:

                A lot of my questions I asked John were vague, but a good insight for future expectations. He answered my questions with complete honesty, and I can relate them to what I know now. In the beginning, I didn’t know what to expect. I thought entrepreneurship was about taking a giant leap of faith. However, nearing the end, it became so much more. Truthfully, I didn’t realize how much I could learn from an entrepreneur class. I thought it was how to start a business from scratch. Maybe not literally, but a point in the right direction. John was right. He knew I would learn more than how to get started in the right direction. I also took on new skills, and surfaced the ones I forgot I had. The time I was given to reflect on assignments and as an individual will help me with future job interviews.   

Interview Questions:

1)      What are your growth expectations for your business?

“I’m at the level of growth I want. I don’t plan on adding any employees and expanding. I could. However, that defeats one of the main reasons why I went into business for myself. I want to just manage, and keep track of everything. I would be working more to grow, and manage my business. I would also not be able to work at home. Adding employees means adding office space. Right now, I take off whenever I want in the comfort of being at home. I’d say, I’m exactly where I want to be.”

2)      You have taken on a vast amount of loyal vendors from Optical Illusions. When you retire, what is your exit strategy?

“I will probably liquidate my business. That is the easiest for me. I had two sons who helped me when they were younger. Now, they are off doing their own thing. There is no point to hand it over to them, unless they wanted a career change.”

3)      For a “one person business”, how do you stay organized? Do you get overwhelmed? If so, how do you handle it?

“I’m a pack rat, and keep everything. I stay organized by keeping paperwork in binders and totes. Labels are important. Sometimes I get overwhelmed. Especially with deadlines. I handle this by keeping a calendar to keep my priorities in check. If I need to work overtime, I will. Even on the weekends. Time management is key. Being busy is a good thing. That means I’m making money.”

Reflection of Progression:

                I asked these interview questions, because I was really curious on how John handled his business. Especially on his own. It’s pretty impressive. My comfort level has changed drastically. I was really nervous in the beginning. Interviewing people feels like I’m interrogating them. Now, I feel like I’m just having a regular conversation. John definitely saw a difference in my progress. He was surprised at the questions I asked him, because they were more direct than last time. I’m glad to have John in my network. He is a reliable resource for entrepreneur advice.