Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in leadership development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Dale Dewey, Founder of Founder Solutions, located in Sunapee, NH, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Founder Solutions is a boutique advisory firm that was created to help founders grow, improve and ultimately sell their companies. Typically, we work with founders for 1-3 years or longer until the company is ready to be sold. Our objective is simple - to help founders increase their company’s value and develop a plan to help sell it.
Tell us about yourself
My career has straddled two worlds - the big corporate world working for large multinationals and the entrepreneurial world. I founded four different businesses and benefitted greatly from the lessons I had learned working for or serving some of the world's best companies, such as P&G, Estee Lauder, Colgate-Palmolive, Chanel, Unilever, etc. At the same time, I understand the trials and tribulations of being a founder and dealing daily with a constant stream of problems.
I set up Founder Solutions to help other founders benefit from my experiences and help them employ some of the techniques used by big companies to help their companies grow and ultimately achieve a lucrative exit.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Probably my biggest accomplishment was the e-commerce business I founded. I was able to raise several million dollars of venture capital and form a joint venture with the leading cosmetics retailer Ulta and Procter & Gamble. We developed a revolutionary approach to selling fragrances online.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
The hardest thing any founder of a business can face is to have enough capital resources to develop a new business. This can cause many years of personal hardship, very long hours away from your family and friends, and can sometimes force you to lay off staff or reduce benefits. It can be excruciating at times, but if you persevere and ultimately succeed, it can be incredibly rewarding.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Several years ago, I wrote a book called The Man in the White Pickup Truck - A Guide to Retirement by 35. Perhaps the best way to earn enough money to retire by 35 is to become an entrepreneur. I described what I feel are the essential qualities that one needs to possess to be an entrepreneur, and they are:
- An unquenchable thirst to be independent.
- A tolerance for assuming great risk.
- A willingness to work hard and make sacrifices.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.founder-solutions.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dnd/
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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