Very Short Interview, Part 2

Looking back on my first interview with Kim from Hip Pops, I really did not know anything about becoming an entrepreneur and everything was very new to me. I did not know what to expect from this class and I looked to her for some answers. I think I now have a better idea of what it takes to be successful as a entrepreneur and I hope to use that wherever the future takes me. 

I was not able to get in contact with Kim on the phone (her business is in Athens, Ga.), but she got back to me via email and answered the questions I had asked perfectly. She is very busy running her own business and taking care of three kids so I am very gracious that she got back to me. Here are the questions that I asked her and her responses. 

1) What was the hardest challenge you have faced up to this point in your entrepreneurial career?

• To be honest with you, starting Hip Pops was the hardest part for me. I did not know if the business idea was necessarily going to be successful in Athens and I had to invest a lot of my own money to help with the initial start up costs. If my idea was not successful, I would have lost a lot of money in the process and would have to move onto plan B (which I really did not have yet). Luckily, I had some great help from employees and support from family and friends and I was able to get the business off the ground and running from the start. 

2) If you could do anything different, what would it be and why?

• I really try not to look back because I cannot control the past, but if I had to pick something I would have waited a couple of years to start my business. All of my children are in elementary and middle school, and I wish I would have been able to participate a little more in their everyday lives. I am always home for breakfast and dinner, but the times in between is what I feel like I have missed out on. Lucky for me, my husband and children have been nothing but supportive through this entire process and now that the business is off the ground I can take some more time off and enjoy time with my family. 

3) What is one piece of advice you wish you had before starting your own business?

• The one piece of advice I wish I would have received is that speed bumps are part of the process. You cannot panic when something does not go exactly to the point, adjusting on the run is part of the job and some of your best decisions can come in a quick impulse without much thought process. Just keep your goals in mind and work hard and nothing can hold you back. 

Later on in the email, Kim said she could tell by the questions that I was asking that I had come a long way since January and that she wanted to know more about my business idea that I have developed. I am looking forward to telling her about my idea and seeing her opinion. I am also going to continue to pick her brain because she has experienced the ups and downs of becoming an entrepreneur.