An “Exclusive” Lunch
Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to have lunch with Scott Smigler, owner of Exclusive Concepts, Inc.
Scott was one of the founders of the Bentley Entrepreneurship Society, and was instrumental in building the group during its early stages. Since graduating Bentley in 2004, Scott has worked tirelessly to grow his Internet Marketing company from their Waltham office.
Among other advice, one of the best things that Scott left with me was the assurance that all good things take time. One of my main concerns (and one that resonates with my fellow student entrepreneurs) is whether or not my business will grow to the point that it could financially support me, and eventually, my family. Everyone wants to work a job that they love doing, but security is a legitimate aspect of choosing a career. Scott explained that with the right mix of ambition and perseverance, often times one great lifelong customer can finance an entire start-up venture.
Another important suggestion that Scott offered was to find out what your company does best, and stick to it. One downfall to being a true entrepreneur is the tendency to always create new ideas and never fully realize them. By understanding what you're good at and completely investing yourself in that effort, the result is a purer and more recognizable solution for your clients.
Take advantage of any opportunity that you have to learn from people like Scott who have already crossed some of the obstacles that challenge you. You can never have too many mentors!
To learn more about Scott's company, and his advice to young entrepreneurs, check out his article in Entrepreneur Magazine.
July 19th, 2006 - 17:38
Thanks for the nice words! I found your post when I was doing my own. Let’s plan to do this again soon.