One Entrepreneur On the Start: Isha Edwards

This is part of a series called "The Entrepreneurs On The Start."  This interview is with Isha Edwards.

What was your first business venture?

My first business venture was being an event planning coordinator. Although I still host events, they are company versus client-based.

What made you want to go into business for yourself?

I took a very sarcastic question from one of my accounting students to heart: “Ms. Edwards, if you know so much then why aren’t you out there doing it?” I decided that if I was going to be a “master teacher” in business, I should at least own a business. I enjoy being an entrepreneur. In many ways, I am still a business educator. The main difference now is the scope and size of my classroom.

Would you go into business, if you had it to do over again?  Why or why not?

Yes! I would you go into business if I had to do it over again. In three words, FREEDOM, leverage, impact. I appreciate having the freedom to think creatively. Using my leverage to impact others in a way that they excel and prosper is an intangible yet lasting reward.

What were some of your biggest lessons learned about starting a business?

Building a business is like building a house. Lay the foundation first then let it settle before adding on. Following this format ensured that I avoided making detrimental mistakes. Another lesson is to build slowly so that you can build “even”. Taking my time sharpened my skills and greatly improved my product offerings.

What advice would you have for others considering going into business for themselves?

Write your vision. Make it plan (describe in detail) so that those who read it can help you fulfill it. Slow and steady wins the race.

Among a myriad of talents, Isha Edwards is an idea catalyst for individuals and organizations across 12 industries including music, media, fashion, film, academia, professional services, and small business administration. Isha has 18 years of experience working with corporate and nonprofit organizations and 15 years of experience in business education. Her areas of expertise include brand-driven marketing, strategy, business development, business communication, leadership, education, and youth initiatives. For service inquiries or to learn more about Isha visit:: www.epicmeasures.com and www.ishaedwards.com.

One Entrepreneur On the Start: Isabelle Duston

This is part of a series called "The Entrepreneurs On The Start."  This interview is with Isabelle Duston.

What was your first business venture?

I created a collection of 20 cookbooks for the iPhone, which have been translated into 10 languages.

What made you want to go into business for yourself?

I live in the US, but I am French. When I left my husband a year ago, I wanted to stay in the US to continue raising our two young children. I realized that by starting my own business I could both obtain my own visa and become financially independent so I could support my family.  However, was challenging because in order to be approved for an E2 visa, you need to invest about $100,000, hire 2 people, and be profitable within 1 year. The 5 year business plan has to show potential growth and
reach the goal of 10 employees.

Would you go into business, if you had it to do over again?  Why or why not?

Yes, I would do it again. I like creating, imagining, and being free to try new ideas. I also enjoy the fact that I can apply my philosophy of life to my business and management style. This philosophy focuses on the importance of empowerment, collaborative team work, virtual and international teams, and giving important causes. 5% of the sales of my applications are donated to important causes of my choosing.

What were some of your biggest lessons learned about starting a business?

Making mistakes is part of the process. There is no direct path to success. Networking is key, because it's very important to share your ideas with others so that you get feedback and can improve your concept.

What advice would you have for others considering going into business for themselves?

Stay focused, don't look back. Harbor no regrets on what you did wrong or the opportunities you may have missed. Keep learning, and keep your eyes open for potential breakthroughs. They can come from anywhere.

Any final thoughts on starting a business?

Bad economic times are the actually the best times to start your own business. If you are out of job, that's when you get the highest level of personal implication, because you have to make it. There is no easy alternative, so you are driven to find the energy within yourself.

Isabelle Thomas Duston is the founder of Apps of All Nations LLC, a producer of application for the iPhone and the iPad. She has developed a collection of cookbooks translated in 10 languages, and she is now producing interactive pictures books in collaboration with international authors and illustrators. Find more about Apps of All Nations by visiting www.appsofallnations.com, www.icookingapps.com, and www.istoryapps.com.

One Entrepreneur On the Start: Craig Muth

This is part of a series called "The Entrepreneurs On The Start."  This interview is with Craig Muth.

What was your first business venture?

I joined forces with a gym owner to start a web company to bring personal training to the web.  We did a bit of marketing and became the personal training provider for a large local gym, but it didn't go much further than that.  I interviewed most of our trainers, which was an interesting experience.  My partner eventually moved to Florida.

What made you want to go into business for yourself?

For my latest business, I knew I had to do something as soon as I had the idea.  It's something that excites me during the fun times and the tough times, which I think is the true test for whether you should take a risk.

What were some of your biggest lessons learned about starting a business?

One tough lesson I learned was that you really have to push to get your idea to where people will be able to see it.  No matter how great an idea is, it is very rare for an idea to market itself.  As you observe other people's ventures, you see many mediocre ideas without much originality that succeed because of successful marketing.

What advice would you have for others considering going into business for themselves?

If I had one piece of advice to give others considering going into business for themselves, it would be: give yourself some time to vet it out and prove to yourself that this is something that will really drive you.  If it's not, find something else that will - it will be worth the lost time.

Any final thoughts on starting a business?

People underestimate the importance of motivation.  If you are conviced something can make a good business and think you know the steps it will take to get it there but it's not something you will be motivated to do, you don't have anything.  If you have the motivation and not the rest, the rest will come.

Craig Muth is the founder of memorize.com, a tool for memorizing all kinds of things.  It is used by professionals, students, and anyone who needs to memorize something in an easy efficient way.  He is a frequent speaker at tech events in the Columbus area, has taught programming courses for Fortune 500 companies, and is the author of the Xiki open source framework.