Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Robert Grant, Owner of WNY Merchant Consulting, located in Amherst, NY, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My business is credit card processing payments solutions, and my customers are any business owner that needs to accept credit cards for payments for their business.
Tell us about yourself
I’m a serial entrepreneur, artist, publisher, producer, and musician known as O’Mega Red. I have about 10 years of experience in the payment processing field. Now I run it through my own company. I have been the CEO of Stay Grindin for 15 years+, which is an independent Music Company. I’m regularly adapting and always looking to connect people together. Plus, I served our country in the United States Air Force.
What first got me started working on my business was getting fired from every job! What motivates me is having a deep passion for being able to help business owners and local communities thrive! I also started to understand more about passive and residual income once I had some success in the music business. Royalties are how artists get paid for their musical intellectual property. I wanted to diversify my portfolio, so I entered into corporate America with my stay grindin’ mindset.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Partnerships! For WNY Merchant Consulting, my mission/vision is to create a sense of community and help small businesses thrive together. My mission was to treat small businesses as partners. I really enjoy collaborating and working with small businesses.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Trusting the process – I genuinely believe that every opportunity, good or bad, is part of the growing process. I’ve always learned from bad opportunities, taken lessons from them, and moved on. I’ve also seen what success looks like, and I’ve taken that experience and built on it over and over - trusting the process. Having both major and minor success has taught me that both require consistency.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- It’s going to suck in the beginning. There will be tears, long nights, and no sleep – but trust the process.
- At times, no one will see the vision except you, but you can’t be mad when they don’t see it. You have to convert them into believers by bringing your vision to life.
- There will be people that come in and out of your life, maybe for a day, a week, a year – but always for a purpose, and that’s ok. Listen to what people say, but watch what they do.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://wnymc.co/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wnymc716
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robertgrantwnymc/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobertWNYMC
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-grant-2938a747/
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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