Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kurt Jensen, Founder of Arbor Apps, located in Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My company, Arbor Apps, specializes in delivering start-to-finish software development and technical services for iOS and web applications. We cater to a diverse clientele, from startups to large, established businesses. We also actively engage in the creation of our own proprietary apps and software, such as https://sunrisefasting, an iOS-based application for tracking intermittent fasting.
Tell us about yourself
I've always been drawn to entrepreneurship. It just seemed natural after college (BS in Computer Science from the University of Michigan) to start working as a freelancer and working on my own projects, and it has grown levels up from there. Personally, I'm motivated to make things that make things easier for others, and you can see that evident in the products we create.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I've launched and brought dozens of products to market — some successful, a few not, but I'm proud of (and learned from) all of them. Our latest is designed for a beloved pastime of American culture — watching sports. There's a reason the Super Bowl is the most-watched television event of the year, every year. I think you will love our service, which is designed to augment the propositional sports betting market — check out HammerPicks at https://hammerpicks.com. It's available now on the web and soon to be released on iOS and will leverage AI/ML (Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning) models for our scoring system.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Managing time and delegating. You, of course, have to wear a lot of hats as a business owner but offloading what you can and trusting those around you are paramount to success. Finding time away from business activities is almost as important for life balance as it is for business.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Know your market before you jump in. It's expected to learn things along the way, but it's 100% necessary to know the scope of what you're getting into and quantify the opportunity beforehand.
- Have the plan to launch. It's common to launch with a minimally viable product, gain customer feedback, and iterate and iterate. But assess the situation and do what works for your business. The important point is to always keep learning and stay adaptable.
- Have a backup plan/safety net/something to fall back on if things don't work out. Businesses can fail at unpredictable moments, and you can't have all your eggs in one basket.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://arborapps.io/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hammerpicks/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunrisefasting/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/arbor_apps
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurt-jensen-93978a6b/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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