Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Robert Manasier, CEO of In Focus Brands, located in New York, NY, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

We are a private-label launch and acceleration firm. We have helped launch and scale 100s of companies globally, built economic development & tech transfer ecosystems, and were the skunkworks team for numerous Fortune 500 companies. We love entrepreneurs and business owners.

We are them. Our unique shared risk models and deploy teams (not consultants) bring speed and results. The two most significant pain points with business: are time and money—we can save more and increase the other!

Tell us about yourself

I started my first company as a 13-year-old and have not stopped. I love the puzzle of business and reading markets. My staff, clients, and the ever-changing dynamics keep it exciting and motivate me to do better and learn more.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My staff retention of almost 100% across our portfolio of companies and 155 international startups proves that our models of deploying and being alongside our client partners work.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

The 24/7 nature of running your team since business is all about the people. The other factor is staying in front of markets that change all the time.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Do not quit your day job (yet).
  2. Build a team of people very different from you.
  3. Know your weaknesses & see point 2 above.

Where can people find you and your business?

Twitter: https://twitter.com/robertmanasier

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertmanasier/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/in-focus-brands/

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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