interview small business owner essay

Entrepreneurship: Interview with Small Business Owner Report

Interview on entrepreneurship, analysis of entrepreneur’s characteristics, analysis of the business, entrepreneurial strategies used by the entrepreneur, analysis of the entrepreneur’s experience, list of references.

Roberto Natalle is a small business owner in the outskirts of Ravenna. He owns a grocery store that is popularly known as Natas Groceries. Roberto has been in business for the last nine years. The business is doing well in the area since there is a stable customer base. He started the business in 2005, after resigning from his job. Before venturing into business, Roberto was a truck driver for the retail chain giant Wal-Mart. He was a driver for the company for fifteen years. During the time, he managed to save enough money used as the initial capital in opening the business. Roberto is very popular among residents. We contacted Roberto about our intention to interview him and he invited us to the store for the interview. The main objective of this interview is to gather information about the state of entrepreneurship. The collected data would be used to ascertain the interview skills learned in class. The main skills learned in class, such as how to conduct background research, establishing the interview questions, carrying out the interview, and analysis (Kvale 2007, p. 6) would be applied in the interview. The interview will seek to answer some questions regarding the nature of the business and the overall entrepreneurship in the selected area.

During the interview, some characteristics common to successful entrepreneurs were evident in Roberto. These characteristics are the ones that have helped him to stay afloat for the years he has been running the business. The first characteristic that came out of our interaction with Roberto is his risk-taking nature. Roberto was daring enough to resign from his well paying job at Wal-Mart and start a business, yet he was not sure of the returns. This also involved him investing all the money he had saved during his working days in the new venture. The above characteristics make him qualify as a risk-taker since the business environment is uncertain. Optimism is another character that came out of the interview. The business has been subjected to some challenges several, but Roberto has always remained positive that he would make it despite the challenges.

While starting the business, it picked up slowly. A pessimistic person would have given up due to the slow progress, but Roberto managed to remain optimistic that in the long- run, it would pick up. Furthermore, he is always gregarious meaning that he is always excited about sharing ideas. This made him accept our request for an interview. The fourth quality is his passion for serving people at the store. According to him, one can never be successful in business or anything else if they lack passion. Observation also showed he had a great passion for what he was doing. Passion is the most important trait that builds the success of a business (Kuratko 2009, p. 20). Additionally, he was determined to achieve success even though the situation at times proved to be hard, especially during low seasons. He is determined to make this endeavor a success regardless of the challenges that may come up during the journey.

Most successful businesses are the ones that were established by starters. The grocery store was established from the money that he had saved from his working days. Moreover, he came up with the idea himself while working at Wal-Mart. He observed the sales turnovers of the retailer’s grocery section and vowed to start a grocery store. He then set out to implement the idea. This qualifies him as a self-starter since he undertook the major steps, especially mobilizing the required inputs. Another character we observed is that Roberto is a good planner. Good planning requires the entrepreneur to analyze business situations, do enough research, and analyze the data.

The entrepreneur should then make conclusions that would drive the business forward (Greene 2008, p. 50). These are some of the things that he has been doing to ensure that the company meets its objectives. Additionally, he has a well-planned schedule to replenish stock and pay his obligations. According to Greene (2008 p. 52), the lifeblood of any business is the cash flows generated. Poor management of cash flows leads to failed businesses while sound management, such as the one applied by Roberto, results in success. Roberto is strict on the management of money and he always aims at minimizing unnecessary costs. Entrepreneurship requires one to be an exemplary manager of resources, particularly money.

Organizations start-up as either profit-making or not-for-profit entities. In the case of Roberto, he started the company as a profit-making entity. In other words, he is in the business to make a profit. According to him, profits made by Wal-Mart were attractive. Business ventures are also characterized as either small scale or large scale. In the case of Roberto’s business, it could not be categorized as a large-scale entity. According to Greene (2008 p. 40), a small-scale business is an enterprise that has a small number of employees and does not have a high volume of sales. Roberto’s business qualifies to be categorized in this class since it has three employees, himself included.

The volume of sales cannot be compared to other well-established groceries in the market that have branches across various towns in the country. Entrepreneurial ventures can also be classified as either service providers or producers and retailers of goods. In the case of the grocery store, it is a retail point. The grocery obtains fruits from farmers through suppliers and sells them to customers. Additionally, the grocer is based on the traditional brick and mortar model. According to the owner, this model allows him to be associated with a particular locality, which is where the store is located. The people around the area can easily pop in the store and buy groceries at any time. Even though changes in technology have led to many companies embracing e-commerce, Roberto admits that he still cannot go online with the type of products he has.

According to Roberto, taking risks is the most critical strategy. He has never been afraid of taking risks, such as starting the business and introducing new products. Some of the products introduced gained success while others failed. The products that managed to get the customer’s appeal are the ones that are generating revenues for him. However, Roberto emphasized that every entrepreneur must take calculated risks to prevent losses that may lead to bankruptcy. There should be a careful consideration of the best-case scenario and the worst-case scenario. Furthermore, a consideration of the financial position of the firm should be made. Risk-taking is a critical aspect of any business since the level of returns in any business is directly proportional to the risk-taking levels (Kuratko 2009, p. 67).

Another strategy used by Roberto is maintaining a competitive edge in the market. For him to maintain a competitive edge, he has always been providing exemplary services to his customers. Additionally, he has built a reputation for selling fresh groceries, unlike some of his competitors. This has made him be ahead of his competitors. Furthermore, he has taught his staff to talk nicely to customers and always attend to their concerns in a polite manner. The grocery market around Ravenna is competitive. Therefore, Roberto identified marketing as one of the strategies that would make his store prominent. The main modes of marketing he uses are placing adverts in the local papers that circulate Ravenna and placing others on advert boards around the town. Additionally, in collaboration with the local mail office, he places banners in the mailboxes around the town randomly. The adverts and banners highlight the products available at the store and some of the benefits one may get from buying at the store. This has helped him in carving out a niche in the market.

The running of the grocery store has given Roberto some experience regarding the running of a business. According to him, the exposure has been great and he believes that based on what he knows currently, he can manage a bigger business or even a company. As indicated earlier, he recognizes cash flows as the lifeline of the business. Therefore, entrepreneurs should set realistic financial goals, which are to be achieved within a certain period for the business to be sustainable. Additionally, realistic goals should be set to cover specific periods and the entrepreneur should work towards achieving the goals.

For him, one of his goals is to expand to other towns in the next five years. Roberto claimed that success requires one to have perseverance. Perseverance is the ultimate key to success in the long haul. This helps the entrepreneur in overcoming the challenges that emerge every day in the course of business. Furthermore, he advised that one should always be a realistic optimist. This means that one should always set goals that are realistic and strategize from a realistic approach. Many businesses fail due to owners setting unrealistic goals, which lead to expensive risks that cost them the business.

Lastly, he emphasized that the reputation of the company and the brand name begin to develop from the first day the business opens its doors. The owners should not start concentrating on building the two along the way. Waiting for the right time means that the right time will never materialize. Additionally, he advised that good entrepreneurs should concentrate on the strengths of the business more than the weaknesses and they should know how to utilize the chances that come their way. The owner of the business should always utilize available chances before exploring new ones. His advice was that if an individual does not understand how to utilize available opportunities, he or she would not be in a position to apply new ones, even if they present themselves.

Greene, C 2008, Entrepreneurship : Ideas in Action, Cengage Learning, New York.

Kuratko, D 2009, Entrepreneurship Theory, Process, Practice, Cengage Learning, New York.

Kvale, S 2007, Doing Interviews, Sage Publications, London.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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20 Common Business Owner Interview Questions and Answers

Common Business Owner interview questions, how to answer them, and sample answers from a certified career coach.

Being a business owner is an exciting but challenging journey. You’re responsible for everything from hiring and managing employees to developing strategies that increase profits.

When you’re applying for a job as a business owner, your potential employer will want to know what makes you the right fit for the role. That means being prepared to answer questions about your experience, skills, and qualifications. To help you succeed in your interview, we’ve rounded up some of the most common business owner interview questions and provided advice on how to answer them.

• What inspired you to become a business owner?
• Describe your experience with developing and executing a successful business plan.
• How do you stay informed about the latest trends in your industry?
• What strategies do you use to attract new customers and retain existing ones?
• Explain how you handle difficult conversations with clients or vendors.
• Tell me about a time when you had to make a tough decision as a business owner.
• What is your approach to managing cash flow and budgeting for expenses?
• How do you ensure that your employees are motivated and engaged?
• Describe your experience with marketing and advertising campaigns.
• What strategies do you use to manage risk and protect your business from potential liabilities?
• How do you evaluate the performance of your team and provide feedback?
• What steps do you take to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations?
• Describe your experience with using technology to streamline operations and increase efficiency.
• How do you handle customer complaints and disputes?
• What strategies do you use to build relationships with key stakeholders such as investors, partners, and suppliers?
• How do you measure success and set goals for your business?
• What would you do if faced with an unexpected financial crisis?
• Do you have any experience working with venture capitalists or other investors?
• What strategies do you use to stay competitive in a crowded market?
• Describe your experience with developing and implementing strategic initiatives.

1. What inspired you to become a business owner?

Starting a business takes a lot of hard work, dedication, and risk. Interviewers want to get to the heart of why you chose to become a business owner. It could be a combination of factors, such as wanting to be your own boss or having a passion for a particular product or service. By getting to the core motivation behind your decision, the interviewer will have a better understanding of your character and work ethic.

How to Answer:

To answer this question, reflect on why you decided to become a business owner. Consider what inspired you and how that has impacted your journey so far. You can also talk about the challenges you’ve faced as an entrepreneur, such as finding investors or dealing with unexpected costs. Be sure to emphasize your commitment to growing the business and any successes you have had in doing so.

Example: “I decided to become a business owner because I was passionate about creating a product that could make people’s lives easier. I wanted to be able to take control of my career and have the freedom to innovate, create, and grow. Since starting my business, I’ve faced many challenges but I’ve also had some successes. I’ve been able to secure investments from investors who see potential in my product, and I’ve developed relationships with key partners that have helped me expand my reach. Despite the ups and downs, I remain committed to building my business and making it as successful as possible.”

2. Describe your experience with developing and executing a successful business plan.

This question is designed to get a sense of your ability to create and implement a plan that will help you achieve success. It’s important for a business owner to be able to analyze data, understand trends and market conditions, and make decisions that will help the business reach its goals. Being able to articulate your experience with developing and executing a successful plan will show the interviewer that you have the foresight, knowledge, and skills to make a successful business.

You should be prepared to discuss your experience with developing and executing a business plan. Be sure to include any successes you’ve had in the past, such as launching new products or services, growing an existing market share, or increasing customer satisfaction. You can also talk about how you identified potential opportunities for growth and how you took advantage of them. Finally, demonstrate that you have the necessary skills by providing examples of how you used data analysis and decision-making to make successful decisions.

Example: “I have extensive experience in developing and executing successful business plans. For example, when I was the owner of my own marketing agency, I identified a need for more comprehensive digital marketing services. As a result, I developed a plan to expand our offerings and hired additional staff with expertise in this area. Within six months, we had grown our client base by 25 percent and increased revenue by 10 percent. Additionally, I regularly analyze data and trends to help identify potential opportunities for growth and develop strategies to capitalize on them.”

3. How do you stay informed about the latest trends in your industry?

As a business owner, it’s important to stay up to date on the latest trends in your industry. This is especially critical if you’re launching a new product, entering a new market, or rebranding. The interviewer will want to know how you stay informed and what methods you use to stay up to date.

There are a variety of ways to stay informed about industry trends. You can read trade publications, attend conferences and seminars, join professional associations, or follow influencers on social media. Talk about the methods you use to stay up to date and how they have helped you make better business decisions. If you’ve ever used research or data to inform your decisions, be sure to mention that too!

Example: “I read trade publications like The Wall Street Journal and Harvard Business Review to stay informed on the latest industry news. I also attend conferences and seminars, as well as join professional associations in my industry to network with other business owners and get their perspectives on current trends. Additionally, I follow influencers on social media who are knowledgeable about the topics that interest me, and I use research from reliable sources to inform decisions for my business. This combination of methods has allowed me to stay ahead of the curve and make better decisions for my business.”

4. What strategies do you use to attract new customers and retain existing ones?

This question helps the interviewer understand how you think about attracting and retaining customers. It can also provide insight into your knowledge of marketing and customer service. The interviewer wants to know that you have a plan for growing your business, and that you have the ability to create and implement effective strategies. They’re also looking for insight into how you approach customer relationships, and what methods you use to keep customers engaged and coming back.

You should be prepared to discuss your strategies for both customer acquisition and retention. Talk about the methods you use to gain new customers, such as advertising, promotions, referrals, etc. You should also explain how you keep existing customers engaged and coming back, such as loyalty programs, special offers, customer service initiatives, etc. Be sure to provide specific examples of successful strategies that you have implemented in the past. Finally, make sure to emphasize the importance of measuring results so that you can adjust or refine your strategies as needed.

Example: “I use a multi-pronged approach to attract and retain customers. To acquire new customers, I focus on creating targeted advertising campaigns via social media, search engine optimization, and email marketing. I also leverage referrals from existing customers and take advantage of local events and networking opportunities. Once customers are acquired, I strive to keep them engaged by offering loyalty programs, special offers, and personalized customer service initiatives. I measure the results of my efforts using analytics tools, so that I can make adjustments as needed to ensure maximum success.”

5. Explain how you handle difficult conversations with clients or vendors.

As a business owner, you’re responsible for the success of your venture. That means having the ability to navigate difficult conversations with clients and vendors in a way that benefits your business. You need to be able to demonstrate that you can make tough decisions and handle difficult conversations in a professional and calm manner. This question gives the interviewer insight into your problem-solving skills and your ability to handle pressure.

Start by talking about how you approach difficult conversations. Do you take the time to research and prepare? Talk about how being prepared helps you stay calm and collected during a conversation, even when it’s heated. You can also talk about your ability to listen to different perspectives and consider them before making decisions. Finally, discuss any strategies or tactics you use to ensure that everyone is heard and respected in the conversation.

Example: “When I have difficult conversations with clients or vendors, I take the time to research and prepare. Being prepared helps me stay calm and collected during even heated conversations. I also make sure to listen to different perspectives before making decisions. I use active listening techniques to ensure that everyone is heard and respected in the conversation. Additionally, I always strive to find a solution that works for all parties involved. I believe this approach has allowed me to successfully navigate many challenging conversations over the years.”

6. Tell me about a time when you had to make a tough decision as a business owner.

Making tough decisions is a part of any business owner’s job. Interviewers want to know that you can think on your feet, weigh the pros and cons of a situation, and make a decision that will benefit the company in the long run. They also want to hear how you handle difficult situations, as these types of decisions often come with a lot of pressure.

Start by giving a brief overview of the situation and why it was difficult. Then, explain how you weighed your options and came to a conclusion. Talk about what factors you considered, such as cost/benefit analysis, customer feedback, or industry trends. Finally, discuss the outcome of your decision and how it impacted the business in the long run. Be sure to emphasize any positive results that occurred due to your decision-making skills.

Example: “A few years ago, I had to make a difficult decision about whether or not to invest in new technology for our business. On the one hand, it would be an expensive upfront cost that would require us to take out a loan. On the other hand, this technology could potentially increase our production and efficiency by 30%. After carefully considering all of the pros and cons, I decided that investing in the technology was worth the risk. We took out a loan and implemented the new system, and the results were even better than we expected—we saw a 40% increase in productivity and were able to process orders faster and more accurately. This decision allowed us to remain competitive in the market and position ourselves as a leader in our industry.”

7. What is your approach to managing cash flow and budgeting for expenses?

This question is designed to get a sense of how you manage the financial side of running a business. It’s important to show that you’re familiar with the financial aspects of running a business, from budgeting to cash flow to forecasting. You should be able to demonstrate that you have a good understanding of what it takes to make a business successful financially.

Start by talking about the strategies you use to manage cash flow, such as setting up a budget and tracking expenses. You should also be able to explain how you forecast future expenses and develop plans for unexpected costs. Additionally, it’s important to show that you understand the importance of monitoring financial performance on an ongoing basis, so you can make adjustments as needed. Finally, emphasize any experience you have in developing financial models or using financial software to track your business’s performance.

Example: “I’ve found that setting up a budget and tracking expenses is key to managing cash flow. I use financial software to track my business’s performance, and I regularly review the data to ensure that I’m staying on top of things. I also develop long-term plans for unexpected costs, such as emergency repairs or major investments in new equipment. Additionally, I take advantage of forecasting tools to predict future expenses and plan accordingly. All of this has enabled me to keep my business financially healthy, even when faced with unforeseen challenges.”

8. How do you ensure that your employees are motivated and engaged?

It’s important for business owners to have a good understanding of how to motivate and engage their employees. This question helps the interviewer gauge your ability to recognize the needs of your employees, create an environment in which they can thrive, and foster a culture of collaboration and success. It’s also a great way to get a better understanding of the kind of manager or leader you are.

Your answer to this question should focus on the strategies and tactics you use to ensure your team is motivated and engaged. Talk about how you create a positive work environment, provide feedback and recognition, set clear goals and expectations, offer rewards and incentives, and cultivate an atmosphere of open communication. Additionally, discuss any initiatives or programs that you’ve implemented to boost morale and engagement. Finally, be sure to emphasize how you measure success and track employee performance.

Example: “I believe that employee engagement and motivation is the key to success for any business. As such, I strive to create a positive work environment where each person feels valued and appreciated. I also provide regular feedback, set clear goals and expectations, and offer rewards and incentives for a job well done. Additionally, I make sure that everyone is in the loop with what’s happening and that communication is open and honest. I also have a program in place to recognize employees for their hard work and accomplishments. Lastly, I measure success through regular performance reviews and feedback surveys. All of these initiatives have helped to create a culture of collaboration and success, and I’m confident that I can continue to foster an engaging and motivating work environment.”

9. Describe your experience with marketing and advertising campaigns.

As a business owner, you’re expected to be familiar with marketing and advertising campaigns and how they can help you reach your goals. Interviewers want to know that you know how to create, execute, and measure campaigns to get the most out of your marketing budget. They’ll also want to know that you understand the importance of branding and messaging, and how to use these elements to get your message across and attract customers.

Begin by describing any campaigns you’ve been involved with in the past. Talk about how you created the campaign, what your goals were, and why you chose certain strategies over others. If you have any metrics or data to back up your success, be sure to mention that as well. Finally, discuss any challenges you faced while executing the campaign, and how you overcame them.

Example: “I’ve been involved with several marketing and advertising campaigns in my business. For example, I recently launched a campaign to promote my new product line. I created a comprehensive strategy that included using social media, email marketing, and print ads. I also worked with a marketing agency to create a series of videos and graphics for the campaign. I was able to measure the success of the campaign by tracking the number of website visits, sales, and customer feedback. Despite some challenges along the way, the campaign was a success and I was able to meet my goals.”

10. What strategies do you use to manage risk and protect your business from potential liabilities?

Owning a business comes with certain risks, and it’s important for any potential employer to know that you understand how to manage those risks. This question tests your knowledge of risk management strategies, as well as your ability to think ahead and plan for potential outcomes. It also shows how well you understand the legal and financial aspects of running a business.

As a business owner, it is important to understand the various risks and liabilities that can affect your business. I use a variety of strategies to manage risk and protect my business from potential liabilities. These include implementing policies and procedures to ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations; carrying appropriate insurance coverage for my industry; conducting regular internal audits and reviews; and establishing clear contracts with vendors and customers. Additionally, I stay up-to-date on industry trends and changes in the legal landscape so I can proactively identify potential risks and address them before they become an issue.

Example: “I understand that running a business involves taking calculated risks, and my goal is always to minimize those risks to protect my business from potential liabilities. To do this, I use a variety of strategies, including implementing policies and procedures to ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations, carrying appropriate insurance coverage for my industry, conducting regular internal audits and reviews, establishing clear contracts with vendors and customers, and staying up-to-date on industry trends and changes in the legal landscape. These strategies help me identify and address potential risks before they become an issue, allowing me to confidently manage my business and make informed decisions for the future.”

11. How do you evaluate the performance of your team and provide feedback?

This question is designed to assess how well you manage your team. The interviewer wants to know how you measure their performance, provide feedback, and take corrective action if necessary. It’s important to have a good understanding of the goals of your team and how you can help them reach those goals. It’s also important to be able to communicate clearly and effectively with your team to ensure they stay on track and are motivated to do their best work.

Start by talking about how you set goals for your team and how you measure their performance. Talk about the feedback process, such as how often you provide feedback, what type of feedback you give (positive or constructive), and how you ensure that everyone is on track to reach their goals. Finally, discuss how you take corrective action if someone isn’t meeting expectations. Explain how you work with them to help them improve their performance and get back on track.

Example: “I use a combination of metrics and feedback to evaluate the performance of my team. I set clear goals with each team member and we track progress against those goals on a weekly basis. I also provide feedback and coaching on a regular basis to ensure everyone is on track to reach their goals. I believe in providing both positive and constructive feedback in order to help my team grow and develop. If someone isn’t meeting expectations, I take corrective action and work with them to help them improve their performance. I also provide resources and support to help them get back on track.”

12. What steps do you take to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations?

Business owners must understand and comply with the laws and regulations of their state, city, and industry. This question is designed to gauge your understanding of the legal landscape and your commitment to following the rules. Interviewers want to know if you have the right processes in place to ensure your business is compliant, and if you understand the importance of staying up to date on changing regulations.

Your answer should demonstrate your commitment to staying compliant with laws and regulations. Talk about the steps you take to stay up-to-date on changing regulations, such as attending conferences or seminars, reading industry publications, and consulting with legal experts. You can also discuss any processes you have in place to ensure compliance, such as regular internal audits or employee training sessions. Finally, emphasize that you understand the importance of following the law and will always strive to do so.

Example: “I take compliance with applicable laws and regulations very seriously. I make sure to stay up-to-date on changes in the law by attending relevant conferences and seminars, reading industry publications, and consulting with legal experts. I also have a system in place to ensure compliance. I conduct regular internal audits and have employee training sessions to ensure everyone is aware of the regulations and is following them correctly. I understand the importance of staying compliant and will always strive to do so.”

13. Describe your experience with using technology to streamline operations and increase efficiency.

Technology can be a great tool for business owners to use as they strive to increase efficiency and streamline operations. This question is designed to test your knowledge and experience with technology to see if you are up-to-date with the latest trends and how you can use them to your advantage. It can also help the interviewer get a sense of what kind of investments you are willing to make in order to ensure that your business is running as smoothly as possible.

To answer this question, you should talk about any experience that you have had with using technology to streamline operations and increase efficiency. Be sure to mention any specific tools or software that you have used in the past, as well as how they helped your business. You should also describe any investments that you have made in order to keep up with the latest trends in technology. Finally, make sure to explain why you believe investing in technology is important for businesses.

Example: “I have extensive experience with using technology to streamline operations and increase efficiency. For example, I recently implemented a cloud-based accounting software that has allowed me to manage my business more efficiently. I also invested in a customer relationship management system that has helped me better track customer interactions and build stronger relationships. In addition, I have used a variety of other tools such as analytics software to gain insights into my customers and develop better products and services. I believe that investing in technology is essential for businesses, as it can help them stay competitive and increase their efficiency.”

14. How do you handle customer complaints and disputes?

Running a business involves dealing with customers and resolving disputes or complaints. Potential employers want to make sure you can handle these issues in a professional and efficient manner. They will be looking for an answer that demonstrates your customer service skills, problem-solving abilities, and ability to work with difficult customers.

To answer this question, you should explain how you handle customer complaints and disputes. Talk about how you listen to the customer’s concerns, assess the situation, and work towards a resolution. Explain how you use your problem-solving skills to find a solution that is mutually beneficial for both parties. Additionally, emphasize any strategies you have in place to prevent disputes from occurring in the first place. Finally, be sure to mention how you ensure customers feel heard and respected throughout the process.

Example: “I understand how important it is to maintain positive customer relationships, so I always strive to resolve any customer disputes or complaints quickly and efficiently. I start by listening to the customer’s concerns and taking the time to understand their perspective. Then I use my problem-solving skills to come up with a solution that is mutually beneficial for both parties. I also have strategies in place to prevent disputes from occurring in the first place, such as providing clear communication and instructions, and following up regularly with customers. Above all, I always make sure customers feel heard and respected throughout the process.”

15. What strategies do you use to build relationships with key stakeholders such as investors, partners, and suppliers?

Business owners need to build and maintain relationships with a variety of stakeholders. These relationships are essential for a successful business, as they can bring in investors, partners, and suppliers who will help the business grow. By asking this question, the interviewer is looking to see how you approach these relationships and how you handle the delicate balance between maintaining a mutually beneficial relationship and achieving the business’s goals.

When answering this question, it’s important to emphasize your ability to build relationships while also achieving the business’s goals. Talk about how you prioritize building strong relationships with stakeholders and how you have managed various stakeholder relationships in the past. You can also discuss strategies that you use to maintain these relationships, such as regular check-ins or setting up quarterly meetings. Additionally, talk about how you ensure that all parties are getting something out of the relationship and how you strive to create a win-win situation for everyone involved.

Example: “I believe in building strong relationships with key stakeholders such as investors, partners, and suppliers. I prioritize regular check-ins and make sure to take the time to really get to know the people I’m working with. I also strive to create a win-win situation for everyone involved. For example, when I’m negotiating terms with an investor or partner, I make sure that both parties are getting something out of the agreement. I also believe in being transparent and honest with all of my stakeholders, as this helps to build trust and create lasting relationships. I have found that these strategies have been successful in the past in helping me to build and maintain strong relationships with my stakeholders.”

16. How do you measure success and set goals for your business?

For business owners, success is often measured in terms of revenue, profits, and customer satisfaction. However, it’s important to understand that success is more than just the bottom line. Successful business owners also set goals to help them reach their desired outcomes. This question is an opportunity to demonstrate that you understand the importance of setting smart goals and measuring your progress towards them.

Start by talking about the metrics you use to measure success. This could include things like revenue, profits, customer satisfaction ratings, or employee retention rates. Then explain how you set goals for your business based on these metrics and how you track progress towards them. Finally, discuss any strategies you have in place to ensure that you meet your goals.

Example: “My business success is measured by a combination of financial and non-financial metrics. To measure financial success, I look at revenue, profits, and return on investment. For non-financial success, I measure customer satisfaction and employee retention rates. I use this data to set specific, measurable goals for my business. For example, I might set a goal to increase revenue by 10% over the next year. I track my progress towards this goal by monitoring monthly reports and making adjustments as needed. I also have strategies in place to ensure that I reach my goals, such as ensuring that my team has the resources they need to be successful, implementing new processes and technologies, and staying on top of industry trends.”

17. What would you do if faced with an unexpected financial crisis?

Business owners face unexpected issues all the time, and financial crises are no exception. This question is designed to test your problem-solving and critical thinking skills. The interviewer wants to know if you have the ability to think on your feet and come up with creative solutions to challenging situations. The answer should demonstrate that you have the ability to make decisions quickly, assess the situation and take appropriate action.

Start by describing how you would assess the situation. Explain that you would first gather all of the relevant information and analyze it to identify the root cause of the crisis. This could include looking at financial statements, examining cash flow trends and analyzing customer data. Then, explain what steps you would take to address the issue. Depending on the severity of the crisis, this could involve reducing expenses, restructuring debt or seeking outside investment. Lastly, discuss how you would monitor the situation in order to ensure any solutions are working as intended.

Example: “If faced with an unexpected financial crisis, I would first assess the situation by gathering all of the relevant financial information. This would include looking at cash flow trends, examining customer data and analyzing any financial statements. Once I have a better understanding of the root cause of the crisis, I would then take appropriate action. Depending on the severity of the crisis, this could involve reducing expenses, restructuring debt or seeking outside investment. Lastly, I would monitor the situation in order to ensure any solutions are working as intended.”

18. Do you have any experience working with venture capitalists or other investors?

Whether you’re starting a business from scratch or expanding an existing one, you’ll likely need to tap into outside sources of capital at some point. Interviewers are looking for evidence that you understand how to work with investors and can effectively manage the financial resources they provide. They’ll want to know if you have any experience with investor relations, how you handled negotiations, and how successful the investments were.

Be prepared to give examples of any experience you have working with investors. If you don’t have any direct experience, think about ways in which you have handled financial resources or managed negotiations that could be applicable. You should also explain the steps you would take if you were presented with a new investor relationship and how you would work to ensure it is successful.

Example: “I have experience working with venture capitalists and other investors. I’ve successfully negotiated and closed deals with several investors for my current business, and I’m confident in my ability to do the same for any future projects I may undertake. I have a strong understanding of the financial needs of investors, and I’m able to effectively manage the resources they provide. I also have a proven track record of success in working with investors, as all of the deals I’ve been involved in have been successful. If I were presented with a new investor relationship, I would take the time to understand their needs and goals, and work to ensure that the investment is successful.”

19. What strategies do you use to stay competitive in a crowded market?

Business owners need to be able to think strategically and come up with creative solutions to stay ahead of the competition. They need to know how to identify and capitalize on market trends, communicate effectively with customers, and manage their resources. This question will help to uncover the strategies you’ve used in the past to stay competitive, as well as your ability to think on your feet and come up with fresh ideas.

Talk about the strategies you’ve used in the past to stay competitive. This could include staying up-to-date on industry trends, leveraging technology and data to better understand customer needs, offering unique products or services, using creative marketing techniques, and building relationships with customers. You should also be prepared to discuss how you have adapted your strategy over time as the market has changed.

Example: “I’ve always been passionate about staying competitive in a crowded market. I make sure I stay up-to-date on industry trends and leverage data and technology to better understand customer needs. I also focus on offering unique products and services, utilizing creative marketing techniques, and building relationships with customers. I’ve also had to adapt my strategy as the market has changed, such as diversifying my product offerings to meet changing customer demands. Ultimately, my goal is to remain competitive and stay ahead of the competition.”

20. Describe your experience with developing and implementing strategic initiatives.

As a business owner, you will be responsible for developing and executing strategic initiatives that will help meet the company’s goals. This question is designed to assess your ability to think critically and strategically about the company’s objectives and how to best achieve them. It also allows the interviewer to understand your experience with implementing plans and ensuring that the initiatives are successful.

To answer this question, you should provide a few examples of strategic initiatives that you have implemented in the past. Explain how you identified the need for the initiative and what steps you took to develop and implement it. Be sure to discuss any challenges you faced during the process and how you overcame them. Finally, explain the results of the initiative and how it helped the company achieve its goals.

Example: “In my role as a business owner, I have developed and implemented several strategic initiatives. For example, when I identified the need for our company to increase its digital presence, I developed a comprehensive digital marketing plan and implemented it. This included creating an updated website, developing a presence on social media, and creating an email marketing campaign. The initiative was successful in increasing our web traffic and led to a 30% increase in sales within the first six months. Additionally, I have also implemented initiatives to streamline our operations and reduce overhead costs. I am confident that I can bring the same level of strategic thinking and initiative to your organization.”

20 Common Business Intelligence Architect Interview Questions

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Interview Small Business Owner Essay

Interview questions for business owners.

A Local Favorite After graduating college, my plan Is to open up a small sporting goods store In my hometown of Baltimore, Maryland. When decline who I wanted to interview, at the last minute I changed my mind and chose Alan Davis, owner of Princeton Sports and Goods In Columbia, Maryland. I chose to Interview him because of his path he has traveled through life and the steps he has taken to be the best business owner he can be.

He is resourceful and knowledgeable, and he is very charitable, giving to charities and other events that fuel the community of Columbia, Maryland.

Mr.. Davis is halfway through completing his masters. He got his bachelor’s degree from University of Maryland, and he is currently finishing up there by taking one or two classes a year. His degree is in Business, Personnel Management, and Advertising. He is the third generation in his family to own Princeton Sports and Goods, and he did an Incredible amount of volunteer work during and after college.

Mr.. Davis worked his way up the ladder at Princeton Sports, and I feel this Is honorable. He Is very smart and he knows business well.

Princeton Sports Is a landmark In Baltimore, and he runs the store effectively and efficiently. I would Like to be Like this after I graduate college because he Is well-respected and well known In the sporting goods aspect of sales in Maryland. The part of the interview I found most interesting was where Mr.

Proficient in: College Education

“ Very organized ,I enjoyed and Loved every bit of our professional interaction ”

. Davis noted that he had done “An INCREDIBLE amount after college. I have served on almost every board in Howard County Including help form the Police Foundation and The Festival of the Arts. I am currently on the Howard County General Hospital Foundation Board”.

Interviewing Business Owners

I found this interesting because for some reason I believed that volunteer work would top after college, and I would go on to living a normal life. Mr.. Davis does a lot of volunteer work now, even when he doesn’t have to. Mr.. Davis Isn’t all business. He is an expert skier, and he Is well known In the area for that. He also admitted that he has had some fun Jobs, working at a ski buyer and Snob Hausa SSL Shop In Long Island, a Job that I personally find very Interesting. It seems like Mr.. Davis knows how to have fun and how to succeed in business very easily. He even believes his job is fun, saying “l own a toy store, everything is fun. Mr..

Davis is a true inspiration to me, leading a business that started with his grandfather and has grown to be one of the biggest sporting empires in the Baltimore Area. He still volunteers and works for charities, even after he has hit the top of the career ladder for himself. Mr.. Davis has taught me that hard work and preparation for the future are the keys to success later in life. From this assignment I learned that I would need to work hard and have a lot of volunteer work to do. I also learned that I shouldn’t expect a great Job right out of allege, that I would probably be starting off by selling skis or living In a box or something.

I also learned that it’s okay to volunteer even after Vive hit the point of success In my career. I have realized that volunteer hours after they are not needed look very good for a person’s character. I Nils Interview NAS not change my calicles to nave my own sporting goods store In the future. I find Mr.. Davis inspiring and intelligent, and I strive to be like him when I get older, so I can profit and have a career close to his. I respect him very much and I hope to be like him when I get older.

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22 Thought-Provoking Interview Questions for Small Business Owners

As a small business owner, you wear many hats – from managing operations to overseeing finances and everything in between. When hiring for key positions, it’s crucial to ask the right questions to ensure you find the best fit for your company. In this article, we’ll explore 22 insightful interview questions designed to help you uncover a candidate’s skills, experience, and cultural fit.

1. Tell me about your background and how you got into this line of work.

This open-ended question allows candidates to share their journey, passion, and motivation for pursuing a career in your industry. It can provide insights into their work ethic, problem-solving abilities, and commitment to professional growth.

2. What excites you most about working in a small business environment?

Small businesses often have a unique culture and dynamic. This question helps gauge a candidate’s understanding of the challenges and rewards of working in a tight-knit team. Look for responses that demonstrate their ability to thrive in a fast-paced, hands-on environment.

3. How do you prioritize and manage multiple tasks simultaneously?

As a small business owner, you know that every day brings new challenges and demands. This question assesses a candidate’s time management and organizational skills, which are crucial for success in a small business setting.

4. Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision without complete information.

In a small business, decisions often need to be made quickly with limited resources. This question evaluates a candidate’s critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities under pressure.

5. How do you stay current with industry trends and best practices?

Small businesses need to adapt quickly to remain competitive. This question reveals a candidate’s commitment to continuous learning and their ability to identify and implement new strategies or technologies that can benefit your business.

6. Tell me about a successful project or initiative you spearheaded.

This question allows candidates to showcase their leadership skills, project management abilities, and ability to drive results. Pay close attention to how they describe their role, the challenges they faced, and the outcomes achieved.

7. What is your approach to customer service and building strong client relationships?

In a small business, providing exceptional customer service is paramount. This question helps you understand a candidate’s customer-centric mindset and their strategies for building and maintaining positive client relationships.

8. How do you handle criticism or negative feedback?

Constructive feedback is essential for growth and improvement. This question assesses a candidate’s ability to remain professional, open-minded, and receptive to criticism, which is crucial in a small business environment where collaboration and continuous improvement are key.

9. Describe a situation where you had to work with a difficult team member or colleague.

Conflict resolution and interpersonal skills are invaluable in a small business setting. This question allows you to gauge a candidate’s emotional intelligence, communication skills, and ability to navigate challenging situations while maintaining a positive and productive work environment.

10. What motivates you and keeps you engaged in your work?

Understanding a candidate’s intrinsic motivators can provide insights into their potential for long-term success and job satisfaction within your company. Look for responses that align with your company’s values and culture.

11. How do you approach learning new skills or adapting to new technologies?

In a rapidly changing business landscape, the ability to learn and adapt is essential. This question helps you evaluate a candidate’s growth mindset, willingness to embrace change, and capacity for continuous learning.

12. Tell me about a time when you had to persuade or influence others to achieve a goal.

Effective communication and persuasion skills are crucial in a small business environment where collaboration and buy-in are often necessary to drive initiatives forward. This question allows you to assess a candidate’s ability to build consensus and rally support.

13. How do you handle stress and pressure in a fast-paced work environment?

Small businesses can be demanding and stressful at times. This question helps you understand a candidate’s resilience, stress management techniques, and ability to maintain composure under pressure.

14. Describe a time when you had to deal with a difficult or demanding client or customer.

Customer service skills are paramount in any business, but especially in a small company where client relationships are vital. This question evaluates a candidate’s ability to handle challenging situations with tact, empathy, and professionalism.

15. What role do you typically take in a team setting?

Small businesses often require employees to wear multiple hats and contribute in various ways. This question can provide insights into a candidate’s teamwork skills, leadership potential, and ability to adapt to different roles and responsibilities.

16. How do you stay organized and manage competing priorities?

Time management and organizational skills are essential in a fast-paced small business environment. This question allows you to assess a candidate’s ability to juggle multiple tasks, prioritize effectively, and maintain focus and productivity.

17. Tell me about a time when you had to think outside the box to solve a problem.

In a small business, creativity and innovation are often necessary to overcome challenges and seize opportunities. This question evaluates a candidate’s problem-solving abilities, critical thinking skills, and capacity for creative solutions.

18. What are your long-term career goals, and how does this role align with them?

Hiring individuals who are motivated and committed to growth can be beneficial for your small business. This question helps you understand a candidate’s ambitions and how they envision this role fitting into their long-term plans.

19. How do you stay motivated and engaged during periods of change or uncertainty?

Small businesses often face periods of transition or uncertainty. This question assesses a candidate’s ability to remain resilient, adaptable, and focused during challenging times.

20. Describe your experience working with limited resources or tight budgets.

Small businesses typically operate with lean resources and tight budgets. This question evaluates a candidate’s resourcefulness, creativity, and ability to maximize limited resources effectively.

21. What attracted you to our company, and what makes you a good fit for our culture?

Cultural fit is crucial in a small business environment where teamwork and collaboration are paramount. This question allows you to gauge a candidate’s understanding of your company’s values and culture and how they envision contributing to it.

22. Do you have any questions for me about the role, the company, or anything else?

This question provides candidates with an opportunity to demonstrate their preparedness, curiosity, and level of interest in the role and your company. Pay attention to the types of questions they ask, as they can reveal their priorities, concerns, and overall fit.

By asking these 22 insightful interview questions, you’ll gain valuable insights into a candidate’s skills, experience, and cultural fit, enabling you to make well-informed hiring decisions for your small business. Remember, the interview process is a two-way street, so be prepared to provide candidates with a comprehensive understanding of your company, its values, and the expectations for the role.

Small business talk: Interview tips and fun interview questions for Small business owners

What is the basic question any business owner needs to ask?

What are the questions for ownership interview?

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105 Interview Questions to Ask Business Owners

Venturing into the entrepreneurial realm means embarking on a journey fraught with twists, turns, and learning opportunities. When you have the chance to interview a business owner, you’re given a golden ticket to their treasure trove of knowledge and experience.

These questions delve into the essence of entrepreneurship, from the sparks that lit the fire of their beginning to the wisdom gleaned along the way.

Whether you’re a budding entrepreneur or a curious mind, these questions are your keys to unlocking the successes, challenges, and aspirations of those who’ve built their business dreams into reality.

Table of Contents

Business Foundations

• What inspired you to start your business?
• How did you identify the need for your product or service in the market?
• Can you describe the moment you decided to become an entrepreneur?
• What were the first steps you took to get your business off the ground?
• How did you fund your business initially, and why did you choose that route?
• What legal considerations did you prioritize when setting up your business?
• How did you determine your target audience and value proposition?
• What were the biggest challenges you faced in the first year?
• In hindsight, what would you have done differently at the startup phase?
• How did you build your initial team, and what qualities did you look for?
• Did you have a business plan or strategy in place from the beginning?
• How did you choose the location for your business, and how has it affected your success?
• How long did it take for your business to become profitable?
• What resources or mentors did you rely on for guidance during the early stages?
• Did you pivot your business model in the early days, and if so, why?

Growth Strategies

• What was the turning point for your business that led to significant growth?
• How do you approach market research to inform your growth strategy?
• Can you share a particularly successful sales or marketing tactic you’ve employed?
• How do you prioritize opportunities for expansion?
• What role has technology played in scaling your business?
• Have you used social media to facilitate business growth; how has it worked for you?
• Can you discuss a time when you had to adapt quickly to market changes?
• How do you sustain growth without compromising quality?
• How do you measure the success of your growth strategies?
• How has customer feedback shaped your approach to growing the business?
• How important is innovation in your growth strategy?
• What has been your approach to competition and staying ahead in the market?
• How do partnerships factor into your growth plan?
• What challenges have you faced with scaling, and how did you overcome them?
• How do you manage risk when exploring new avenues for growth?

Challenges and Problem-solving

• Can you describe a major setback you faced and how you overcame it?
• How do you approach making difficult decisions in your business?
• Can you share an instance where you turned a challenge into an opportunity?
• How do you keep your team motivated during tough times?
• What strategies do you implement to manage cash flow challenges?
• How do you balance short-term issues with long-term goals?
• What are some unforeseen challenges that new business owners should anticipate?
• How important is resilience in entrepreneurship, based on your experience?
• How do you approach failure, and what have you learned from it?
• What’s your process for problem-solving when there’s no clear solution?
• Have legal or regulatory changes ever significantly impacted your business? How did you adapt?
• How do you stay informed and prepared for potential industry disruptions?
• In what ways do you protect your business from risks?
• How do you handle conflicts within your team or with business partners?
• How has dealing with challenges changed your approach to business?

Leadership and Management

• How do you define your leadership style?
• What’s your approach to hiring, and what do you look for in an ideal candidate?
• Can you share how you foster a strong company culture?
• What practices do you have in place to ensure effective team communication?
• How do you set and manage expectations for your employees?
• What’s your advice on delegating responsibilities?
• How do you promote professional development within your company?
• Can you describe a difficult leadership decision you’ve had to make?
• How do you maintain a work-life balance for yourself and your team?
• What tools or systems do you use for managing your business operations?
• How do you stay connected with your team and operations as you scale?
• What steps do you take to resolve interpersonal conflicts at work?
• How do you approach giving feedback to your team?
• What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned about managing people?
• How do you lead in times of uncertainty or during a crisis?

Financial Insights

• What key financial metrics do you monitor closely in your business?
• How do you manage budgeting and forecasting for your business?
• What strategies have you employed to increase your profit margins?
• How do you approach setting prices for your products/services?
• Can you share how you’ve approached funding and investment opportunities?
• What financial advice do you wish you had known when you started out?
• How do you protect your business’s financial health during economic downturns?
• How important is it to diversify your revenue streams, and how have you done so?
• What role does debt management play in your financial strategy?
• How do you ensure financial transparency within your organization?
• Have you ever faced a financial crisis, and how did you navigate it?
• What’s your philosophy on reinvesting profits back into the business?
• How do you prepare for tax season and financial audits?
• What’s the most effective cost-cutting measure you’ve implemented?
• How do you stay informed on financial regulations that impact your business?

Innovation and Future Vision

• How do you foster innovation within your company?
• What emerging trends are you currently exploring or integrating into your business?
• What’s your vision for the future of your industry?
• How do you stay ahead of the curve in adopting new technologies?
• What role does customer feedback play in your product/service innovation?
• How do you encourage creative thinking within your team?
• How do you evaluate the potential success of a new idea?
• How do you prepare your business for changes in consumer behavior?
• What’s your approach to research and development?
• How do you maintain relevance in a rapidly changing market?
• What’s the biggest risk you’ve taken in the name of innovation?
• How do you balance tradition with innovation within your business practices?
• Can you share a successful pivot or transformation your business has undergone?
• How do you involve your customers in your business’s evolution?
• What steps are you taking towards environmental sustainability in your business?

Personal Reflections

• What are the most rewarding aspects of being a business owner?
• How has your personal journey shaped your business philosophy?
• What personal sacrifices have you had to make to ensure your business’s success?
• Can you share a moment in your business journey that was particularly impactful?
• What work habits do you believe contribute most to your success?
• How do you find inspiration and creativity for your business ideas?
• What books, podcasts, or thought leaders have influenced you the most?
• How do you unwind and recharge from the stresses of business ownership?
• What advice would you give to someone who aspires to become a business owner?
• How do you balance your personal life with the demands of your business?
• What’s the most valuable lesson your business career has taught you about life?
• How do you maintain your passion and enthusiasm for your business over the years?
• Can you share a significant piece of advice you received that has stuck with you?
• What does success mean to you on a personal level?
• How do you define the legacy you want to leave with your business?

Frequently Asked Questions

What can i learn from a business owner’s growth strategies.

Asking about growth strategies can provide practical tips on scaling effectively and adapting to market changes, as well as innovative success stories that might inspire your own business endeavors.

Why should financial insights from business owners be important to me?

Gaining financial insights can help you better manage your venture’s finances, understand the economics of running a business, and avoid common pitfalls that can lead to failure.

Final Thoughts

Peeling back the layers of a business owner’s journey is akin to mapping the veins of a living, breathing entity that thrives on innovation, determination, and the sheer will to succeed.

The depth and range of these questions are crafted to guide you through the heart of entrepreneurship, offering a unique chance to learn directly from those who’ve navigated the turbulent seas of business.

Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or simply love to soak up knowledge, the answers you glean will no doubt enrich your understanding of what it takes to build and sustain a successful business in today’s ever-evolving landscape.

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Bea Mariel Saulo

34 Interview Questions to Ask a Business Owner

• 2 years ago

On occasion, you’ll have opportunities to answer interview questions as a small business owner.

The interview questions will vary depending on what you are being interviewed about. Regardless of the type of interview, we’ll provide a list of questions to help you prepare your answers.

The list of questions typically falls into 6 categories including:

• Origination of the business
• Processes  and challenges during the startup stage
• Operations questions
• Financial questions
• Marketing questions
• Fun questions

We’ll start by discussing some of the different types of interviews you might have as a small business owner, then get into the questions. Keep reading to learn what questions you might have to answer as a business owner.

Types of interviews you might have with small business owners

Many business owners are happy to answer questions on a variety of subjects. Each business owner is different, so you should probably do a little research before contacting them.

The typical types of interviews that a small business owner might conduct include:

Hiring Interviews (H)

Subject matter expert interviews (sme), business investment interviews (bi), company profile interviews (cp).

Once I get to the list of questions, I will use the letters (H, SME, BI, CP) to indicate which types of interviews the question is appropriate to include in the interview. Let’s discuss each of the 4 interviews.

Hiring interview questions should primarily focus on the operations of the business. These would include questions about essential skills, responsibilities, company culture, and terms of employment.

As a job applicant, having a good list of questions to ask shows that you aren’t just looking for a job, you are interested in how the company’s goals align with your own.

As the business owner or hiring manager, you should be prepared to answer these questions honestly. One of the most challenging discussions will be about covid discussions when they come up.

Questions to ask business owners during covid

No one wants to talk about covid, but it’s important. Everyone wants to be somewhere they are valued, and there is a broad spectrum of mentalities on covid.

We don’t need to be political here, but is an employee going to like working at a place where they are the only one who takes Covid seriously?

During an interview there may be questions like:

“What are your policies on PPE involving Covid?”

    2.  “if someone in the workplace is diagnosed with covid, what should we expect to happen”.

I’ll warn you that businesses are adopting 3 positions on this:

• Super cautious. (I have a friend that has been quarantined 8 times since Covid started due to potential exposure.)
• Follow local recommendations (Most prevalent)
• Blatantly disregarding the local recommendations ( I have another friend who has had 6 people out with “pneumonia” in the last month, and all continued working while sick.)

As a business owner, be honest. Tell them how you handle them and move on.

If you are the one potentially being hired and agree with the answer, show genuine agreement with the business owner. If you aren’t in agreement, it’s pretty easy to tell that you disagree. If you are complacent. Don’t ask about Covid. It’s a touchy subject.

When small business owners are interviewed as subject matter experts, the interview questions tend to focus on a specific subject matter.

For instance, when we interviewed Paul Akers we tended to focus on subjects involving lean manufacturing and business growth because he is a recognized subject matter expert.

Watch some of Paul’s interviews if you want some great info on lean practices and business growth.

  The questions in these interviews may span all 6 types of questions to ask a business owner, but make sure the questions are relevant to the subject.

For instance, a question about how much the company makes wouldn’t be necessary for an interview on improving employee quality of life.

Often you’ll see business owners or CEOs on TV answering interview questions about their industry or market share.

These types of interviews can be extremely beneficial by exposing your company to new customers who didn’t even know the business exists.

Good questions to ask small business owners when considering investing in them will be heavily focused on the business operations, financials, marketing, and strategy.

These are the aspects that drive success. As a business owner, make sure you are prepared for them.

Whether the interview is with a bank, a potential partnership, or family members who are considering investing in a small business, you should expect the questions to be heavily focused on whether the money will be invested in a profitable venture.

Before entering one of these interviews, you’d better already have a written business plan. You’ll need to make sure it is updated and you are comfortable discussing the plan in great detail.

If you don’t already have a business plan, check out our blog How to Write a Business Plan and follow the steps to create your own.

Company profile interviews are mostly focused on highlighting what the company is doing.

These interviews will be more focused on their services, products, operations, and what makes the company different from its competitors.

These types of interviews tend to be easy to answer questions to put the small business in the best light possible.

At UpFlip, we tend to include questions from all categories because it helps small business owners get a better understanding of how each industry works. Keep reading to find out more.

Many Business Owners Answer Questions About Their Inspiration

As a business owner, you can expect most interviews to ask questions about how you started your business.

You should expect these interview questions to come at the beginning of the interview because they are easy questions to help people get to know you.

Let’s look at some of the good interview questions to ask small business owners.

    3. What were you doing before you started (insert company name)? (SME, BI, CP)

This question is to get some background history. It is an opportunity to tell the story of your journey before starting your business.

Maybe you were in a related field, and maybe you weren’t. The most important part is to be honest and relatable.

I’m excited to hear about all the new businesses that started because people were laid off during the pandemic and used the time and generous unemployment to start their businesses.

If you are one of these people, reach out to us. We’d love to tell your story.

    4. How did you come up with the idea for (insert business name)? (H, SME, BI, CP)

This is normally going to be one of the first interview questions about the business.

The interviewer is looking for a moment where you can give some background about your history and connect with your potential customers, employees, or investors. Make the store interesting, but quick.

Here’s how I would answer it:

It’s a quick answer but explains a ton about who I am and what I am about. Make sure to practice your responses so your interview is a success. Nothing is more embarrassing than getting stage fright because you weren’t prepared.

Business Formation  and Process Questions to Ask a Business Owner 

The business formation stage is the period when the business owner is in the process of turning an idea into a company.

Questions in this section should be around the business plan, selecting a business location, startup costs, funding resources, creating the product, selecting vendors, and computer systems.

Let’s look at good questions to ask entrepreneurs during the startup stage.

    5. Do you have a business plan? (BI, CP)

At Upflip, we ask every business owner this question to find out what guides their decision-making process. Some have a detailed business plan, while others track their achievements with a checklist.

Have your business plan ready if talking to investors.  Whether it’s a bank, family members, or a potential partnership, you need documentation.

Unless you are well known for your expertise in the market, small businesses need to prove they understand the industry before someone agrees to spend hard-earned money investing in you.

     6. Did you start the business as a sole proprietorship, corporation, or LLC? (BI, CP)

Most of the time, we won’t include this in our video interviews because the most common answer is an LLC. An LLC creates a separate entity that protects your assets. 

Knowing the answer can provide insight into approaches that people take to offering their services.

For instance, a corporation has much more stringent requirements than LLCs and sole proprietorships. Be prepared to explain why you went with the option you did if the answer is a different answer than an LLC.

    7. What were your startup costs? (SME, BI, CP)

Questions about startup costs should be included in most lists of interview questions for business owners.

It helps investors understand how much you have put into the business and helps others understand the cost of starting a business.

Be prepared to document where the money was spent when the interview questions are coming from a potential investor. 

Company profiles will typically include this question in a list of questions to ask.

   8. Follow-up Questions to ask entrepreneurs- Can you break down the costs for us?

Upflip will normally ask for a breakdown of the startup costs when talking to business owners to provide our clients with reasonable expectations.

9. Another followup: How do government regulations and startup costs create a barrier to entry in your field?

A subject matter expert might have to answer questions like this when talking on TV or to government officials about the costs of government regulations. 

For instance, in Las Vegas, getting licensed across all 4 licensing districts in the area can be substantially more expensive than getting licensed in other places with only one licensing agency.

10. How did you fund your small business? (H, SME, BI, CP)

A business owner should be prepared to talk about funding a business in all types of interviews. How a business owner got the resources for a company can tell people a lot about their experience and the future of the company.

A business owner who started a company with an inheritance might not necessarily understand how much time it takes to accomplish their goals as the business owners who spend working hours at their other job performing the same work.

Investors are specifically interested in funding. Follow up questions to ask entrepreneurs include:

   11. Do you have other outstanding business debts? What are they?

   12. what will the funding you are requesting be used for.

During a hiring interview, I would not expect potential employees to ask this question unless there are sincere concerns about the viability of the company.

For instance, if you are asking employees to work for equity only, this question would be reasonable to ask a business owner.

If you are discussing this question as a subject matter expert, this is a great opportunity to discuss creative ways of funding a business.

13. What were some challenges you faced when creating your product? (SME, BI, CP)

For those who create a new product, you should be prepared to answer this question. It’s one of the questions that most people can’t answer.

Most people have never created a new product and don’t have an idea how to start.

If you faced a scenario where you had no idea where to start, make sure to honor that in your answers.

The readers or viewers will appreciate having an example of someone who went from clueless about how to accomplish their goal to a success story.

I found Jason Hernandez’s interview to be a great story about creating a product. Check it out below.

14. How do you select vendors for your companies? (H, SME, BI, CP)

While it is getting easier to find resources on vendors and services to simplify the hard work of starting a business, many people who have only worked for other companies aren’t familiar with the resources necessary to start a business.

Many products are purchased through distributors as opposed to the manufacturer.

If you have ever tried to provide services to a corporation or government, you’ll know that they have specific requirements for their service providers.

   15. Follow-up question: Once you’ve selected a vendor how do you verify they are performing up to those standards?

You can stand out as a small business by having similar standards for judging subcontractors.

If you have standards, make sure to show them to your interviewers, potential investors, and even clients if they ask about them.

Questions to ask entrepreneurs about equipment computer systems (SME, CP)

When considering interview questions for business owners, ask about the computers, equipment, and software they use to support their business.

Some of the questions to ask a business include:

   17. What software do you use to track your inventory and sales?

   18. what is the most profitable piece of equipment for your business,    19. where are the best places to buy equipment,    20. what software can’t you live without.

These are some of the best equipment-related questions to ask entrepreneurs about their business. Keep reading for questions to ask a business owner about operations.

Operations questions to ask a company about their business

Operations are focused on issues like how many employees a company needs, how to identify top customers, how to differentiate yourself from competitors in the market, and how to divide responsibilities amongst the team.

Here are some of the top interview questions to ask entrepreneurs regarding managing their business.

   21. What does a normal day at your company look like? (H, CP)

Employees, take note! This is one of the best questions to ask a business owner before starting working for them.

This needs to be answered during the interview to make sure the company is a good fit for your life. It’s hard to find success with a company if you can’t work during the times they actually need you.

This question also helps people considering buying a business in the industry decide if it’s the right type of company for them. Check out our blog How to Buy a Business for more information on buying a business.

    22. How do you manage customer relationships? (H, BI, CP)

Asking about managing customer relationships is a great way to understand the small business owner.

Interview questions and answers about customer relationships help people get an idea of how the business interacts with customers.

If the business owner has a customer relationship management tool, then that can be used to monitor sales, profit margins, and what deals tend to appeal most to each customer.

Without that, each relationship is legitimately owned by the person as opposed to the company

If you want to sell your business in the future, make sure to get a CRM set up ASAP.

Salesforce and HubSpot are popular CRMs. It will help create value that can be passed on to the next owner when you decide to cash out of your business.

   23. How do you delegate tasks? (H, SME, CP)

Success is often a benefit that comes when you trust others to handle parts of the business you know less about. For example, people in their 20s are way better at social media marketing than someone in their 60s. 

Know what you are good at and delegate the rest.

Make sure to have a strategy for how to support customers and business processes.

As the business owner, be prepared to determine what drives the most value and focus on those activities.

Everyone can follow your sales processes if you provide them a good example of how to provide service for customers. Be prepared to answer questions on how you delegate. It can help people immensely.

Financial Questions to Ask the Owner of a Company (BI)

There are so many financial questions to discuss with the owner of a company that we created an entire blog on financial matters.

Get better prepared for financial questions by reading our blog Net Working Capital .

You’ll need to answer these questions mostly for investors. The questions will be ones like:

   24. What was last year’s net profit?

   25. what was the change in your cash flow last quarter,    26. what was year-over-year sales growth,    27. do you have enough cash to continue operations and service additional debt.

To learn more about answering financial questions, check out Investopedia . They are one of my favorite financial resources.

Marketing Questions You Might Be Asked as a Business Owner

Marketing questions should be focused on how to find customers.

In recent years, the majority of marketing is focused on digital marketing because it operates as a closed-loop.

This means you can monitor the success at reaching customers and determine exactly which channel and marketing campaign generates the most profit.

   28. What social media channels get the best results?

   29. what are your favorite marketing tools to use,    30. what percent of revenue do you spend on marketing,    31. what unique marketing strategies do you use to drive results, fun questions to ask business owners.

As an interviewer, all questions don’t have to be serious. If you are interviewing a business owner, be prepared to ask some fun questions. Here’s some fun and insightful questions that are typically in interviews: 

    32.What are your favorite books?

    33.who are your favorite entrepreneurs to follow ,     34. what are some business opportunities today that you wish someone would tackle.

Just make sure your focus is on ethical questions to ask a business owner. You don’t want to ask them questions that would ruin their career.

As a business owner, if someone asks you a question that could cause problems, don’t take offense. Laugh it off and politely decline to answer.

Whether you are an interviewer, business owner, or just a curious person, the world offers so many opportunities to learn from other people. When you see someone offer a service you appreciate, let them know and ask yourself, “How can I apply this to my market?

Subscribe to our mailing list for more great articles and videos about how entrepreneurs like you find ways to make a profit doing what they love.

Brandon Boushy

Brandon Boushy lives to improve people’s lives by helping them become successful entrepreneurs. His journey started nearly 30 years ago. He consistently excelled at everything he did, but preferred to make the rules rather than follow him. His exploration of self and knowledge has helped him to get an engineering degree, MBA, and countless certifications. When freelancing and rideshare came onto the scene, he recognized the opportunity to play by his own rules. Since 2017, he has helped businesses across all industries achieve more with his research, writing, and marketing strategies. Since 2021, he has been the Lead Writer for UpFlip where he has published over 170 articles on small business success.

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Starting Your Own Business: An Interview With a Practical Entrepreneur

Here’s the interview:  

1. Low barrier to entry, so that I could learn it and start it easily, without much hassle.

2. Low start-up costs, because I didn’t have much money.  

3. Could be done anywhere, because I wanted the option to move wherever I pleased. 

6. Low operating costs – This makes the risk less, because if it costs less to run the thing, there’s less chance of going bankrupt.  

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14 Comments

Vin, David, this is great. Michael

Thanks, Michael. It really is a great story and a credit to David! It’s on the homepage of Tip’d currently: http://tipd.com/ (it’s Digg but for financial content).

I am not in the business field currently but I think it was really interesting reading your piece and I think it has many applications probably to the world of non-profits, which I am more familiar with, simply in terms of delivering services and dealing with clients.

Sometimes it pays to simply jump head first into things you know are better.

Hi Simon, I agree that there are applications to non-profit work. I think there are lots of opportunities available in the non-profit space. Thanks for the comment! Vince

Thanks for a great read! You’ve done exactly what I want to do, but I haven’t found my ideal niche yet. Hoping to try something else later this month, and maybe get it off the ground. At any rate – thanks for being inspiring.

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Very informative posts. I’ve worked for and started numerous businesses. The legal side is always an important aspect both at the start and during operations. At the start: You need to decide what type of company you want to be for instance: ltd, ltd partnership, partnership etc. That will set a frame on your company. For instance a ltd company is a legal entity on its own. Moreover if you are going to sell things you might require licenses depending on where and what you sell. Same applies for services (Again depending on what it is that you want to do). If you are going to do some exporting/importing you will be involved with taxes on imports or exports. If you start making money you will need to pay taxes (if you earn enough money, depending on your country), then you will need to apply for VAT, then if you get workers you have to get them contracts and pay salaries and taxes (At this stage it is best to get a lawyer as a consultant.) During: You need to have access to a lawyer at all times, especially if you deal with retail or services where you work with a lot of people. Because people WILL want to sue you (Both clients and workers), and you need to know what you can and cant do legally. There are countless things that you can run into here. If you want a lawyer cheap, there are companies that offer consultancy instead of getting your own personal lawyer.

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Increasingly people are turning to free online classified ads lists than traditional classified ad services for their buying and selling needs. Despite a proliferation of online classified ads lists FreeAdLists. com, a free online classified ads list s…

Thanks for this interview Vince & David. There is some useful advice here especially in the necessity for hard work. I come from an internet marketing background and see a lot of people promoting stuff because it is easy, and unfortunately people buy this and inevitably fail. Few realize the commitment needed to run a business so this interview should set a few people straight.

No problem, glad you liked the interview. David is not only a good guy, but also very passionate about what he does (being genuine is at the heart of his business and life). Vince

This is a terrific interview in that it reveals that starting your own business by launching a micro-business is very possible if you’re willing to do what others aren’t willing to do themselves but which they don’t mind paying someone else to do for them. This is the essence of successful entrepreneurship. As David implies, this is a lesson not even college teaches you.

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11 Must-Read Interviews With Successful Small Business Owners

I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing 11 successful small business owners this year and I’ve rounded up the best business owner interviews in this post to help inspire you.

Whether you want to create a digital business or an in-person business, these interviews will provide you with inspiration and motivation!

Painting Door Hangers for Fun and Profit with Tamara Bennett

Tamara talks about how fun (and lucrative) painting door hangers for customers can be and why this side hustle has the potential to continue growing!

How To Write A Children’s Book: Interview With Nuria of The Home Boss

Nuria shares how she started writing children’s books, and how you can earn a decent side hustle income while working less than 15 hours a week! She created a course about it called Children’s Book Creator .

How To Sell Canva Templates With Maliha of The Side Blogger

Maliha talks about how she learned to design Canva Templates, how to follow Canva rules before selling your templates and how to make selling templates a lucrative side hustle!

If you’re interested in getting started with Canva templates, she lays it all out in Side Income with Canva Templates .

Starting a Creative Design Business with Kelli of Pink Lemonade Company

Kelli discusses how she’s run a successful business for over a decade, and how anyone can start a graphic design side hustle!

Writing Fantasy Books with Author Angela J. Ford

Interested in writing fantasy books? Angela shares how she’s published 29 books on her own and how you can too!

Selling Greeting Cards with Callie of Sparks of Joy Co

Callie shares how she started a new business during the 2020 pandemic, and how anyone can customize and sell handwritten greeting cards!

Selling Stickers and Stationery with Christine of Created by Christine

If you can learn how to create digital illustrations, you can sell stickers and stationery online. Christine of Created by Christine talks about how she got started with just an iPad and Etsy account!

Facebook Ads Management with Brien of Ricochet Digital Marketing

Brien discusses the importance of using Facebook Ads, how you can learn to create them and how you can earn a lucrative side hustle income with just your computer.

To launch a Facebook Ads business just like Brien, you can take the same course he did: Facebook Side Hustle by my friends Bobby and Mike!

Starting a Candle Business with Gillie of Gillie’s Candles

Gillie talks about how her business started because she couldn’t find the perfect wedding favors, so she created her own. She also shares how anyone can get started selling products like candles on Etsy !

Starting a Vinyl Business With Jenny of Vulpine Vinyls

If you’re interested in vinyl work, Jenny talks about how her interest turned into a lucrative side business on Etsy !

Make Money with NFTs: An Interview with an NFT Artist

Gabrielle shares her experience creating NFTs, what they are and how artists can make money creating them.

I hope this roundup of business owner interviews has inspired you to start your own business!

Hi, I'm Kristin! When I made my first $60 online, I was sold on blogging. After only 10 months, I quit my day job as an interior architect & designer to blog full time about personal finance. I share tips on how to save money, make money and start a blog! 💗

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Career Connectors

Connecting professionals in career transition with hiring companies and quality resources, 12 interview questions small business owners ask.

Jul 16, 2020

Interview questions often have a specific goal attached to them. Recruiters and hiring managers want to learn something about a candidate based on their responses. Even the most unique and seemingly unrelated questions have a reason for being a part of the interview. What are some of these questions that small businesses ask? What should you be prepared for the next time you walk into an interview? We asked 12 professionals to reveal their go-to interview questions for small business positions.

If You Had Billboard…

I stole this question from one of my favorite podcasts, but find so much value in asking it. Towards the end of the interview ask the candidate, “If you were given a billboard near a busy highway that you could put anything on it, what would it say?” It allows you to see what values they hold most important, and learn what message they want others to hear. It’s a great question, and always creates great discussion. 

Zack McCarty, Qwick

What Would Keep You From a Bigger Company?

Asking “What would keep you from accepting a job at a bigger company when presented with the opportunity?” will help you gauge how committed a candidate is to work for your small business. It’s easy for people to get swept up in the glamour of working for a big, corporate company, so you want to make sure you find people that have what it takes to work for the little guys. Ryan Nouis, TruPath

Ask Situational Questions

Paint a picture for them of a real problem or obstacle that has happened in the company and ask them how they would handle it if given this position. It will force them to be quick on their feet, since this is not a question someone can prepare for, and will allow you to evaluate their problem-solving skills. 

Peter Babichenko, Sahara Case

What Is the Most Complex Thing You Know About?

My favorite question to ask in interviews is “What is the most complex thing you know about? Can you explain it to me in five minutes or less?” I borrowed this question from Google because I find that it helps me better understand a candidate’s passions as well as their communication skills. I have had individuals explain everything from blood typing to mastering the perfect winged liner. It’s a fun question that candidates are rarely prepared for, but it separates the good from the great.

Nikitha Lokareddy, Small Business SEO

What Are Examples of Professional Development You’ve Undertaken?

I love asking this question because it’s great at highlighting candidates that are looking to continue to evolve and improve. When you’re hiring employees for a growing company, you need to find people who actually want to take on new challenges, learn new things and grow beyond their current job description. If someone is motivated enough to do that on their own, they are much more likely to thrive in an environment where that’s expected.

Adam Sanders, Successful Release

Please Describe Your Ideal Work Situation 

This includes types of leaders, ideal setting, type of training, etc. I like asking this question because it helps me to assess whether the candidate will be a good fit for the type of work situation for which I’m interviewing. If a candidate says he/she is used to working independently, and my position is in a very collaborative team, by sharing that information, the candidate raises a question that warrants some further discussion before I’m comfortable with the fit — regardless of his/her qualifications.

Colleen McManus , Senior Consultant 

When Have You had to Make a Quick Decision Without a Manager?

“Can you tell me about a time when you had to make a quick decision without your manager, which was time-critical? What was it, and how did it turn out?” I ask this to make people think about how independent they are and if they can take bias for action. In startups, making quick decisions with calculated risks are essential. It also highlights your ability to think under pressure and react to situations you’re not used to or necessarily trained for, which brings out the ‘real you’ when under pressure.

Ahmed Mir, Nature and Bloom

When Have You Experienced Constructive Criticism?

Their response will show if they are open to learning new things or stuck in their ways. It also shows a human side to the candidate, as everyone has made mistakes or needed to grow from where they started. In addition, it’s a good way to see if the candidate is flexible and can adapt.

Jessica Schocker , Recruitment Consultant

What Is Your Perfect Opportunity?

This allows the candidate to tell me not only what they are looking for in a company but also in their future hiring manager and team. I love hearing the candidate painting the picture of their perfect opportunity and then showing them how well the opportunity fits that ideal job.

Tasia Andersen , Recruiter

What Types of Things Do You Like to Do Outside of the Workday?

The answer to this question will often lead to discussions of their interests and passions, making them feel more comfortable in the interview process. It also gives us an idea of what motivates them in life. Are they social? Do they initiate? Are they motivated by personal development or a desire to improve the community? What are their hobbies and interests? Would they fit in with colleagues?

Keith Piscitello, Simply Sophisticated Wealth Planning, LLC

Who Is Your Role Model, Living or Dead?

We can learn quite a bit about a person if we take a look at the people he/she admires. Furthermore, it’s a good psychological test, as you can see how the interviewee responds. Does he answer straight away with a cliche one-liner or does he take the time to think and deliver a sincere answer?

Snezhina Piskova, Oliver Wicks

What Didn’t I Ask You Today, That You Wish I Had?

Almost always I ask this question. Then I invite them to answer it. I do this because I’ve found that this question is either something they’ve done that they feel is really aligned to our company or it is something they are quite concerned about. I usually follow-up with asking about what they’ve since learned or applied from that scenario, which, to me, is a truly interesting discovery. How people grow and apply experiences in the workplace is very telling about how they will develop and grow into the future.

Nicole Spracale , Coaching & Consulting

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I would like to share that I landed a contract position for 6 months with possible conversion to a permanent position on the team after those contract periods complete. I work on a team as an Instructional Designer and the team is virtual, which means I am able to work from home 100% of the time! I am very excited for the future of my career! I wanted to share that I sadly won’t be seeing you at Career Connector events for the next 6 months at the very least, and we’ll see how my performance … Read more

I started a FT position back on June 3rd.   Thanks to you and your organization for helping me to stay motivated and focused during my job search.   Getting out weekly to your events was terrific.

I wanted to take the time to write you to express my sincerest gratitude for all that you and those who work with you do for so many of us!I lost my job due to our medical office being closed. Your company came highly recommended by an HR person who worked with us as employees to help give us a hand up to become employed again through a very generous program provided by my employer. I am employed again in a job that I really love. It came with wonderful, kind, encouraging management and coworker… Read more

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After one year of unemployment, I have been employed with an excellent company at a job which is perfect fit for my experience and desires for many months, through the efforts of the devoted volunteers at Career Connectors. I and my family are eternally grateful. Sincere thanks!

Career Connectors offered me a one-stop-shopping capability for all of the coaching, resources and connections I needed to perfect my job searching skills.  The package of services, and support I found while attending these workshops over the past 7 months was unique to, and more productive than any other networking venues I attended. I am thrilled to share that I’ve landed with B/E Aerospace in Tucson.  I recommend to all Job Seekers to find out what works for you, and exploit it for best r… Read more

A good friend told me of her success using Career Connectors networking.  She landed an interview and later, a job in her field, after attending one networking event.  So, when it was my turn, I had to check it out. I was starting to get the blues about being unemployed but the speaker lifted me out of the dumps and put my life back in perspective. So many people were there to help and offer support!   Just by networking that day, I was given a job lead that has led to two interviews and a… Read more

Thank you, Jessica. Although I wasn’t able to meet you personally, I was able to see you working with another applicant and was impressed with your efforts and the excellent platform that your team presented. Thank you very much.

Fantastic! Good variety of roles, Obvious interest in quality candidates, really good solid leads. Great investment of time.

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Good company » growth studio, 5 small business owners talk the effects of the coronavirus.

Five small business owners explain how COVID-19 affected their businesses and how they've been strategizing and pivoting in response.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the day-to-day lives of nearly of all Americans and has forced us to adapt and innovate as we transition into the new normal. One of the most impacted groups has been small businesses who faced the challenge of dwindling staff and customers while implementing new social distancing and public health practices. We interviewed small business owners around the country about how their business has been affected by the coronavirus and found that in the face of adversity, many owners displayed resilience and took the challenge as an opportunity to find new ways to grow their business and continue to provide for their communities.

Shannon Cornelius, owner, Yellow Bike Coffee

"The coronavirus has made me hyper aware of my staff — their needs, mental health and path forward. We are deemed essential, yet we lost 80% of our staff overnight due to them being students, living with elderly parents or needing to take care of kids. This was a huge hit, and the weight of needing to decide what to do was tremendous. But I knew if I closed my door temporarily, we would probably never reopen.

We contacted all our banks and created a plan to buy ourselves time to figure out how people would consume our products during COVID-19. We stripped down our offerings, created healthy options, added some specialty bakery items and added a satellite location of our regionally famous smoked fish shop. We also signed up for online ordering and retooled our website. We are taking risks that we would not have taken pre-pandemic, but this is a season of necessity. Sink or swim. If we are going down, we are going down swinging." Follow Yellow Bike Coffee on Facebook: @yellowbikecoffee .

Lisa Laliberte-Alle, owner, Laliberte Interiors

I believe COVID-19 had a positive impact on my business. It provided me with the opportunity to take a pause on client-facing activities and work on project processes and back-end systems.

After two months, the changes I’ve implemented have enabled me greater efficiency by accommodating an even larger amount of projects at the same time and streamlining a lot of the non-creative work.

I’ve managed to keep some income by pairing with another interior designer, with whom I successfully completed a few projects entirely contact-free.

I’ve also adapted my business to accommodate a new line of business, namely outdoor design, for which I saw an increased interest. I’m now getting new inquiries every week and feel much better prepared to scale. Follow Laliberte Interiors on Instagram: @laliberteinteriors .

Luba Gankin, owner, Primavera Dreams

My business — an event planning agency specializing in weddings and events in Italy — was affected big time. All my events in 2020 have been canceled or rescheduled (some twice) to 2021, so I’ve had to deal with all the cancellations and rescheduling processes as well as support my clients.

It is a lot of emotionally draining work and it is mostly done on a pro bono basis. I am doing my best to remain optimistic and stay busy, using my free time to learn new things, write blog posts, acquire new skills and reconnect with my colleagues and friends.

Despite the challenges of the past few months, people need celebrations and happy events in their lives. My goal is to provide support and find innovative solutions to create the perfect atmosphere for them to cherish their important moments. Follow Primavera Dreams on Instagram: @primaveradreams .

Mehmet Coskun and Serpil Gundez Coskun, co-owners, Artemis Mediterranean Bistro

My business was affected by coronavirus very deeply. We lost about 60% of our business. We lowered our expectations first, just trying to stay above water. Then, we decided to expand our delivery options by adding online ordering tools to our website and signing up with DoorDash, Grubhub and UberEats. We expanded our wine list and have been promoting our wine sales. Along with all of this, we also offered free delivery to our neighborhood with a minimum purchase order.

Overall, we’re trying everything we can to get through these uncertain times. We all know that we are in this together, that we will have a victory at the end of this fight and are hopeful for the future. Follow Artemis Mediterranean Bistro on Facebook: @artemisbistro .

David Dolifka, owner, Elder Pens

My business selling handcrafted wooden pens online has been completely transformed due to the pandemic, rotating to a new type of customer who is looking to commemorate special occasions with unique and heartfelt gifts.

People can’t go out to celebrate anniversaries, birthdays and graduations like they could previously, so they are turning more towards sentimental gifts. My handcrafted writing instruments give these first-time luxury pen buyers a way to create meaningful memories, even while stuck at home. I’ve expanded my engraving capabilities, so customers can order personalized gifts for their loved ones.

Furthermore, these customers really seem to resonate with my mission of using locally salvaged and recycled woods, which has allowed me to lean into this passion. It’s a long road ahead, and my focus will be on staying nimble to the changing needs of my customers and staying appreciative for their support during these difficult times. Follow Elder Pens on Facebook: @elderpensshop .

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Interviews for Small Business

Introduction, the first interview, the second interview.

Networking is one of the most vital elements required by individuals planning to venture into or become their own business managers. It helps them acquire the important information required for starting and running a business. The information is obtained through interacting with experts in various business fields. Therefore, as individual planning to venture into new business activity, I decided to seek information from successful business people from two different business fields. The process involved interviewing Ms. Dona Lynn Lebblanc, the owner of the East Coast School of Languages, and Mr. Ahmed Alsaaed, the Executive Director and the founder of the Herf Company. These interviews enabled me to acquire the knowledge and skills required to start and run a business.

The first interview involved Mr. Ahmed Alsaaed, the founder, the second owner, and the Executive Director of the Herf Company. This company is among the biggest restaurants in Saudi Arabia. It is well known due to various attributes such as having a large number of restaurants across the country, many subsidiaries, and personnel from all over the world. Mr. Ahmed has held this position in the company for approximately 33 years. He has been dedicated to quality service provision to meet their consumer needs and demands. To come up with interventions aiming at quality service provision, which meets their consumer needs, Mr. Ahmed likes taking up challenges in his position.

One of the factors which motivated Mr. Ahmed to assume his current position in the company was his desire to become his own time manager. He has an MBA and a Bachelor’s degree in Business administration. His past experiences in the company which includes working as a cashier equipped him with the necessary skills for managing this kind of business. He employs the use of teamwork to ensure that the company and the employees realize their goals and objectives. Due to his contributions and competency, the company has grown to become one of the biggest restaurant companies in Saudi Arabia. His aspiration is to see the company becoming an international company.

His lowest point is working in a very busy environment. This keeps him busy and makes his time pass faster as a result of the multi-tasking he does in the company. He performs various responsibilities including being the head of the Herf Company, finding strategic locations for new upcoming restaurants, handling the admission activities of the company, and managing the financial services of the company. Mr. Ahmed is grateful and appreciates his current position in the company. However, he thinks that more opportunities will facilitate the growth of the foodservice industry and its associated careers in the coming future. Therefore, he advises individuals owning restaurants to take into consideration the value of their customers in order to promote their success.

In addition, Mr. Ahmed believes that the owners of the restaurants should be generous towards their clients. They should also provide their employees with opportunities that would promote knowledge and skills in their respective positions. This gives the employees opportunities to express themselves and enables the owners of the restaurants to recognize their employees’ capabilities. Positive exploitation of the skills will contribute greatly to the performance of their businesses.

The second interview involved one of the three owners of the East Coast School of Languages (ECSL), Ms. Dona Lynn Leblanc. She is the director of the students’ services in this institution. The school is well known in Halifax for being the best institution teaching English as a second language. Furthermore, the institution is well known for providing an environment that offers the students the opportunities to experience the varied Canadian culture alongside helping them learn the English language. Contrary to its popularity, the school has approximately 35 employees consisting of teachers and the administration. It is due to this fact that other cities and countries requested the expansion of this school.

Despite this request, the management of the school decided to maintain this small number so as to uphold its quality teaching which contributes to the success of the institution. Ms. Dona Lynn Leblanc has been in this position since the opening of this school 15 years ago. She likes her job. It has enabled her to have personal experiences with students who come from varied backgrounds and cultural practices. In addition, she enjoys seeing her students grow and develop from the day of admission to the school to their days of departure. These proficiencies make her feel like the mother to them which is a source of her motivation and satisfaction.

One of the factors which facilitated the opening of the ECSL was its pioneers who had past experiences of working in language schools. This made them have the urge to inaugurate a novel English language school in Halifax. The owners of the respective schools, where they had previously taught, had philosophies and goals which were contrary to the students’ needs. Therefore, ECSL pioneers had the objective of establishing a school that would provide caring and oriented services to the students and their families. The success drawn from Ms. Dona’s contribution to the establishment of the school is attributed to her husband, who provided her with both financial and emotional support during the first two years of the school establishment process.

Ms. Dona Lynn benefited from the financial and technical support from being a member of the Self-employment Support Program. This program provided her with technical support through the provision of classes that taught her the methods of running a business. She considers that individuals planning to start new businesses should develop a business plan which is important in giving them realistic measures to detect and improve on the areas of weaknesses. As the director of the students’ services in the institution, Ms. Dona has various responsibilities which include safeguarding the students during their studies and eliminating any barriers which may hinder their success.

Moreover, Ms. Dona Leblanc is responsible for organizing homestays for their students and also their graduation. One of the three challenges experienced by Ms. Dona in her career was the difficulty in returning to her normal responsibility after delivering her firstborn daughter. During her long vacation, various changes occurred in the company which made it difficult for her to adapt to them easily. Secondly, she experienced a strain in creating equilibrium between family life and her job. Thirdly, she experienced a defy in managing the development of the school because she was running many positions in the organization and had to create stability between these positions.

During her career in this school, she has realized that every individual in an organization possesses a variety of different skills. These skills determine their abilities to perform various tasks. Besides, managers should focus on exploiting the strengths of their employees. Partnership in a company should aim at promoting individual job specialization with the purpose of contributing to an increase in the organization’s output. Despite the challenges experienced by the pioneers of this school at its early stages of establishment, Ms. Dona Leblanc appreciates the happiness her job brings in her daily life. She also advises those planning to open language schools in Halifax on the importance of conducting a comprehensive market assessment for the availability of opportunities to invest in.

In conclusion, the interview with Ms. Lynn Leblanc and Mr. Ahmed has been of great importance to me as I plan to open a new business. The interview has enabled me to gain knowledge and skills which are essential for starting and running a business successfully. In addition, the interview allowed me to understand the various challenges I should expect as a new business entrepreneur and the importance of coming up with anticipatory measures to respond to them. The interview assisted me to obtain the dynamic knowledge and skills which should be applied in order to efficiently manage a business. Finally, this interview indorsed me to appreciate the importance of teamwork at the workplace and its contribution to the accomplishment of the organization’s goals and objectives. It also taught me the importance of personal commitment which leads to the realization of the set goals and objectives.

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Interview with Business Owner Sample

For my interview I decided to take the proprietor of 6 different Subway Restaurants in Maryland. It was an award to interview my friend “Mr. Sharad Doshi” . He has been in this industry for past five old ages. I chose him because he has been an inspiration to everyone. Looking at his achievements. makes us experience really proud and I knew for certain. for me. the best individual to interview would be him.

Subway is an American Restaurant Franchise that chiefly sells Sandwiches ( Subs ) and Salads. It is owned and operated by Doctor’s Associates. Inc. ( DAI ) . Subway is one of the fastest turning franchises in the universe. For the 2nd twelvemonth in a row. the SUBWAY® Restaurant concatenation has been awarded the Number One ranking in the Franchise Direct Top 100 Global Franchises Rankings.

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Mr. Doshi was ever inspired by Subway as it offered healthy life manner at a really low-cost monetary value. Subway offers healthy repast options at a really low-cost monetary value to the people. Besides. he was looking for strong. proved franchise concern. Harmonizing to Subway’s functionary web site. Subway was 2nd largest franchise in 2007. The growing of the company was significantly higher than QSR ( Quick Service Restaurant ) industry. DAI has developed a really good system to Franchise their locations. He completed on-line application procedure and so finished the written scrutiny. After that he successfully completed concern program and reviewed with Subway executives. The whole procedure took approximately 3 to 6 Calendar months. Finally. he opened his first Subway shop in Frederick. Maryland in 2007.

Mr. Doshi’s organisation has several corporatizations formats. such as “S” Corporation and LLC formats. As per there specific demand at that clip. his lawyer and his comptroller guided him to open “S” Corporation or LLC format. It’s non a Partnership or Sole Proprietorship. The advantages of holding a corporate construction were really clear. He said that they are protected through any cases and many legal facets. Second. there is Limited liability for shareholders. Third he says ; it is good to hold construction which is used for as per IRS codifications and State ordinances. Operating as an S corporation gives proprietors of the company legal and revenue enhancement benefits.

When I asked him about Business Rewards and Challenges. he said that every concern comes with tonss of challenges and wagess. It is a really hard inquiry to reply in a narrow spectrum. You are working for yourself. so all success and wages goes to you and at the same clip any failure is yours excessively. It is risk v/s reward state of affairs. In the concern every minute is a challenge. such as finance. selling. human resources. client dealingss. legal and many more. Covering with several facet of concern itself is a challenge. Reward is yours. success is yours and every twenty-four hours you feel good about playing a game to win. Besides. he says it meets his demands with a demanding. but flexible agenda. The wages for him ; is cognizing that his concern is a success and it’s really hard to construct a successful concern during this tough economical clip.

Subway has a set of criterions when it comes to the merchandise they serve in the shop. They know that it takes more than merely good nutrient to nurture strong people and construct a vivacious community. It can merely be done by taking attention of people. the bosom and psyche of the SUBWAY experience. Subway is dedicated to constructing strong concern relationships through unfastened communicating. regard and by with each other every bit good as by functioning their clients and vicinities ; much like we do within our ain households. In there concern. all employees throughout the SUBWAY® system adhere to ethical rules and employment criterions to guarantee that all workers are valued. treated reasonably and with regard. One more thing which he said was interesting that each twelvemonth ; the SUBWAY trade name supports charities and philanthropic organisations through corporate contributions and sponsorships to promote healthy. active life styles and assist do the universe a better topographic point. This twelvemonth Subway proprietors collected $ 330. 000. 00 and donated to American Diabetic Association to forestall and educate people about Diabetes ( Subway. com )

He says I strongly believe that my shop has a positive impact on the economic system. Since the economic system is in recession. people don’t want to pass batch of money on expensive eating houses. As mentioned earlier. subway provides healthy repast options at a really low-cost monetary value to the people. We started offering $ 5 pes long subs in order for our clients to acquire healthy nutrient at a really low cost. Peoples can eat fast nutrient and lose weight. Our authoritative illustration is of Jared. who lost 180 lbs merely by eating Subways’ healthy sandwiches.

Harmonizing to the Subway functionary web site. Subway has impacted the environmental issue by exchanging to serviettes that use 100 % recycled stuffs. of which 60 % is post-consumer reclaimable stuff. Recycled stuff can include material such as wood french friess ; while post-consumer recycled stuff is paper that has already been used by consumers. Subway estimates it will salvage about 147. 000 trees a twelvemonth. The company besides switched to cutlery and plastic imbibing cups made of polypropylene alternatively of polystyrene. which it estimates will salvage 13. 000 barrels of oil yearly. Subway sandwiches are highly popular in different parts of the universe and in some topographic points. it has reached iconic position. There are more SUBWAY® eating houses in the universe than any other eating house concatenation. doing us a leader in the planetary development of the speedy service eating house industry.

Mr. Doshi explained to me that his scheme for deriving and keeping new concern chances is the clients. He says. “For me. it is all about doing my clients happy” . Everyone that comes through my door. are welcomed with unfastened weaponries. “I’ve put my bosom and psyche into all the shops I own. ” said Mr. Doshi. If a client seems unhappy with their repast. they are instantly given a replacing and/or the point is taken off the measure. We set our ends. and derive specifically on how to accomplish those ends. We hire advisers to assist and back up our system. We invest money in engineering. Review our strength and weaknesses ; put every attempt to do it better.

Harmonizing to Mr. Doshi. the Key to his success is the Team work. The best manner to depict our success is by giving you an illustration. Honestly. we are blessed to hold a squad of best captain and manager. Sonal ; my married woman is the” Captain” of our squad and I am the “Coach” . I Coach and she plays the game with the best participants. She is really patient and handles the state of affairs really easy. Unfortunately. there are times when things do non travel as planned and she manages it really nicely. She knows how to construct the squad. She understands that every participant is non best in all place. so put the best participant in the right topographic point at a right clip. At the terminal of the twenty-four hours. she wins every game and I am the happy manager of the winning squad. Another ground for the success is we have a transparent relationship in our organisation. We are really crystalline to our employees and to our clients. Peoples frequently say in order to win you have to be diplomatic and unethical in concern. but I do non hold to that at all. I think unethical behaviour consequences in bad repute and a loss of clients and employees. This can destroy a concern finally. I think if you are honorable and faithful to your clients and employees. so they will come back to you and will appreciate your work by giving good concern. Last. I feel assisting others is the key to success. concealment and playing unneeded games take away tonss of your positive energy and strength.

When asked what he would make otherwise if you had to make it all over once more. he said “Absolutely nil. ” because I am convinced we all learn lessons when we need to and non a minute before. I have been really fortunate in my journey. and the one thing that still keeps me traveling is that each twenty-four hours I get to larn something new and different. I believe that we did everything right in order to win in concern and in our life.

He concluded by stating that anyone in concern must perfectly take attention of their bing patronages. If we give our clients a royal intervention. they will react and honor you. He besides said that retaining one client is far more cost effectual and honoring than seeking out one new client.

Finally. I applaud Mr. Doshi for the manner he and his married woman run their concern. They truly do set a batch of attempt into their Subway shops. They do believe in ethical behaviour and seek to give their best service and quality to their clients. I noticed that when I was at the shop questioning Mr. Doshi. batch of clients come into the shop and Sharad would recognize each one of them with cordial reception. In fact he even knew the names of few clients who would walk in for nutrient. The thing which I was small surprised and happy was that he would give free cookies to the childs and would even inquire how the twenty-four hours at school went. He was genuinely astonishing. After this interview. I have more respect for him and I wish I could be like him in hereafter.

During this whole procedure of interview and the clip I spent with Mr. Doshi. I realized that it takes batch of difficult work for any concern to travel swimmingly. Subway has been turning throughout the universe quickly. I would decidedly put in Subway because it is the fastest turning franchise in the universe. Lot of people love the gustatory sensation they provide. They serve alimentary nutrient at low cost. It is a proved concern with a low investing.

• Doshi. S. ( 2012 ) Interview with a Business Owner ( Conducted in individual ) . Analysis of a little concern for BMGT110. Interview by Nilima Rawal. September 15. 2012 Boone. Gene. Kurtz. David. ( 2012 update ) Contemporary Business. 14th erectile dysfunction. Hoboken. New jersey: Wiley & A ; Sons.
• MILFORD. Conn. . May 2. 2012 /PRNewswire/ CT-SUBWAY-Franchise
• Subway ( n. vitamin D ) . Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. metro. com

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