Inside Entrepreneurial Minds
What was the biggest obstacle you faced while starting your business?

Tim Berry- Founder of Palo Alto Software
Tim Berry

Founder- Palo Alto Software, bplans.com, and a co-founder of Borland International
www.paloalto.com
Eugene, Oregon

My one biggest obstacle was needing the money. My family depended on my income. We had several small children, I had the fancy MBA degree and the only income. We had business school debts, a mortgage to pay, and running expenses. All of that, against the background of quitting a good job to do my own thing instead, with all of the related risks, was pretty hard to overcome. I might cite confidence, but it could also have been a bad decision with a good outcome, due to plain good luck. A lot of people who need the money keep the real job, and don't set out to do their own thing, or build a new thing. Furthermore, as I look back on it, I don't want to be advising anybody else to do as I did. If you do, then at least make sure you plan really well. Reduce the uncertainty as much as possible. I built Palo Alto Software from zero to 40 employees and 70% market share without outside investment.

Kim BertronKim Bertron
Founder of Bertron Consulting, Co-Inventor of the SimpleShot
www.bertronconsulting.com

Tallahassee, Florida

Finding the courage to break out of the expected career path and go after your goals. My principles have always meant more to me than any money or success. Your integrity speaks volumes; do not allow anything or anyone to compromise your honor. When something is not working, find another way to solve challenges. Tenacity is not an option in business, it is in your soul or it is not. A closed mind is an opportunity lost, keep your perspective fresh.

Paul Kotta - Founder of Mellow Monk Green TeaPaul Kotta
Founder of Mellow Monk Green Tea www.mellowmonk.com
Livermore, CA

The biggest obstacle in launching the website for my strictly 'Net-based business was finding the Web programming and implementation talent ... in a reasonably affordable package. I started the business small, and money was incredibly tight. The pros I found online were out of my budget range, and the acquaintances I initially contacted weren't able to both build the pages and publish the site live with a payment-processing system. (Budget-wise I just had to find someone who could do both.) I spent months asking around until I found someone -- a coworker of a coworker who did Web work on the side. The lesson I learned here was: When trying to find the right person through acquaintances, ask *everyone* you know, no matter unlikely. Some people will surprise you by doing some asking-around on their own. Once the site was up and running, however, the biggest obstacle was promotion -- actually getting the right people to come to the site. I wasted a lot of money on ads before trying Google sponsored searches. However, that was a few years ago, and that option would be too expensive for me today -- the popularity of green tea has pushed up the prices of related keywords. Looking back, what I should have done from the outset is join a relevant business organization and ask its members for advice. Much later, I ended up joining Co-op America's Green Business Network, and I've gotten a lot of good advice and feedback from them.


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