At times, every entrepreneur feels like a phony. Everything isbusiness as usual on the outside-but on the inside, you can'thelp but wonder "Am I the real thing? Could I wake up to findthis has all disappeared?"
Then comes that moment. Something clicks. You get a huge order,garner some solid press coverage or carry off a successful publicoffering. That feeling of shakiness subsides. You realize you are,in spite of your hidden doubts, a success.
We asked some successful entrepreneurs to share their turningpoints. Some of these moments were as dramatic as a record stockmarket recovery. Some were as quiet as a look of satisfaction on acustomer's face. Some were not moments at all but rather agradual alignment of vision and reality.
It may come as a surprise to you that some of these big-shotbusiness owners ever faced obstacles and battled withentrepreneurial insecurity before they experienced their bigbreakthroughs. Perhaps you'll detect some surprisingsimilarities between their stories andyours . . . or encounter a foreshadowing ofyour great moment to come.
Sue Scott
Primal Lite Inc.
Novelty lights
Richmond, California
Founded: 1987
Start-up costs: $25,000
1997 estimated earnings: $5 million
"I don't think you ever get past the fear of it allgoing away. The business environment is too competitive andinterdependent. As an entrepreneur, there is never a comfortablespace. Each time you cross a hurdle, you prepare for the next. Onlywith my 10th anniversary in business have I felt a sense offoundation or position in the industry. Now that the stage isbuilt, I am open to write more creative scripts and open up todifferent opportunities."
Bernard Howroyd
APPLEONE EMPLOYMENT SERVICES INC.
Job placement service
Glendale, California
Founded: 1964
Start-up costs: $3,500
1997 estimated earnings: $350 million
"As strange as it may sound, the realization that AppleOnewould succeed first hit me when I had less than $5 left to myname.
"I started AppleOne with zero experience in the employmentservices industry, so it took me a little while to learn the insand outs of the field. Everyone expected me to fail, and for awhile it looked like that dour prediction would come true. But thenI made my first placement and saw the look of relief and gratitudeon the face of the woman for whom I had found a position. Watchingthe relief wash over her face, I made a vow to myself to accepttotal responsibility for my business.
"There are no bad businesses, only people who do businessbadly, and with that first success, I realized how important mycompany could be. The knowledge that my business could make apositive impact on the quality of someone's life empowered meto move forward, improvising when necessary to ensure success. OnceI had a clear vision for AppleOne and saw how it could improve thelives of so many, success naturally followed. Centering my effortsaround the needs of others has continued to be my guidingprinciple."
Kenneth Seiff
PIVOT RULES
Sportswear
New York City
Founded: 1991
Start-up costs: $5,000
1997 estimated earnings: $10 million plus
"It's a difficult task to point to a moment, a meetingor even a sale and say 'That's it; that marks the turningpoint in our business.' I started Pivot Rules in 1991 with a$5,000 investment. Last year, we grew the business more than 35percent to more than $9 million in revenues. This year wesuccessfully went public on Nasdaq. Even with the capital providedby the initial public offering and with what I think is the bestteam in the business, I try not to feel secure. I know if thathappens, a company just like ours is going to come along and seethat security as complacency and try to take us for everythingwe've got."
William Williams
GLORY FOODS INC.
Southern-style canned vegetables
Columbus, Ohio
Founded: 1989
Start-up costs: $20,000
1997 estimated earnings: $12 million
"Customer reaction was the turning point for Glory Foods.Our 1992 introductory launch in Atlanta in Kroger supermarkets andsubsequent sample testing at Black Expo events around the countryprovided the positive feedback we needed from consumers to moveforward. Consumer loyalty and interest has been, and continues tobe, our strength."
Todd Holmes & Louis Amoroso II
BEER ACROSS AMERICA
Mail order beer-of-the-month club
Lake Bluff, Illinois
Founded: 1991
Start-up costs: $20,000
1997 estimated earnings: $30 million
Says Louis Amoroso (r.), "We were fortunate enough to havea segment that ran on the 'Today Show' during the 1993holiday season.
"When I got home after a long day, they reran the piece onthe 'NBC Nightly News,' and Tom Brokaw was talking aboutthe future of American business with a still shot of our warehousein the background. That's when I knew we were heading in theright direction."
Scott Adams
DILBERT COMIC STRIP, BOOKS, PRODUCTS
Danville, California
Syndicated: 1989
Start-up costs: $25
1997 estimated earnings: not available
"When The Wall Street Journal did a front-page storyabout Dilbert in 1994, the noise level moved from a low rumble to aboom. Suddenly it was news. The phone hasn't stopped ringingsince."
Rachel Perry
RACHEL PERRY INC.
Natural skin care and makeup products
Chatsworth, California
Founded: 1976
Start-up costs: $1,200
1997 estimated earnings: $5 million
"A certain segment of people became diehard Rachel Perryfans and loved the products and packaging I had created. I thenbecame aware that I had my own loyal niche market. I was veryfortunate to enter an industry that was in the process oftremendous growth-that was the health-food industry. As theindustry grew, my company, being a part of that industry, grewalong with it. No one thing put me securely on the road to success.It was my own tenacity that kept the company going."
Vicki DeArmon
FOGHORN PRESS INC.
Outdoor recreation guidebook publisher
Petaluma, California
Founded: 1985
Start-up costs: $25,000
1997 estimated earnings: $1.5 million
"In our second year, when Foghorn was still getting afoothold in publishing and trying to decide just what we were inbusiness to publish, I called Tom Stienstra, syndicated outdoorscolumnist for the San Francisco Examiner, about doing acamping book for our spring list. We met and together created theguidebook concept for California Camping. He later said hewas persuaded to sign with us by the fire in my eyes and his beliefthat I would make it happen. Twelve years later, CaliforniaCamping is now in its 10th edition, having sold 500,000 copies,and Tom Stienstra has seven guidebooks with us. That book and thatauthor were the turning points. Now we are one of the premieroutdoor recreation publishers in the country."
Kenneth Cole
KENNETH COLE PRODUCTIONS INC.
Footwear, accessories and men's clothing
New York City
Founded: 1982
Start-up costs: $200,000
1997 estimated earnings: $300 million
"When I realized the road to success was long and rocky andattempted by many-few barefoot."
Contact Sources
Scott Adams, ScottAdams@aol.com
Apple & Eve Inc., (516) 621-1122
AppleOne Employment Services Inc., (818) 240-8688
Beer Across America, (847) 604-8008
EarthLink Network Inc., (800) 395-8425, http://www.earthlink.net
Foghorn Press Inc., (707) 773-4260
Glory Foods Inc., http://www.gloryfoods.com
Kenneth Cole Productions, (212) 265-1500
Laracris Inc., (773) 445-8891
Pivot Rules, (212) 944-8000
Primal Lite Inc., (510) 234-1000
R.J. Groux Corp., (714) 557-5722
Rachel Perry Inc., (818) 886-0202
Staples Inc., (508) 370-8727
Zooth Inc., (940) 855-9035
Research compiled by Natasha Emmons and ConnieCousins
