‘Get the ball rolling’
Posted on Thursday, November 20, 2008
BENTONVILLE — If a person wants to start his own business, he must ask himself three questions:
• Do I have a great idea along with a plan to implement that idea ?
• Am I passionate about success ? and
• Am I willing to take the risks required when starting a business ?
If the answer to all three questions is “ yes, ” then the person needs to “ get the ball rolling, ” said Bill Stribling, president of the Stribling Group.
Stribling was the featured speaker Wednesday night for the fall Jack Shewmaker Business Leaders Lecture Series. The lecture series is sponsored by the Northwest Arkansas Community College chapter of Students in Free Enterprise and was held at the Shewmaker Center for Workforce Technologies. NWACC recently announced that its Sustainability Institute within the Global Business Development Center under construction on campus will be named after the Stribling Group. Stribling was born in Canada but his family moved to Rogers when he was 5 years old.
Stribling, whose father started Stribling Packaging in 1984, gave the audience advice on the best way to be successful as an entrepreneur in today’s society. For one, he told them, find a mentor. Stribling’s own father, Bill Stribling Sr., was his mentor.
Stribling shared many other words of wisdom, including the idea that to be a good entrepreneur, one must be open to change — including in the economy. His own business changed about a year ago when the Stribling Group opened their creative display division “ Juiced Creative. ”
“ You have to deal with it, ” he said. “ You have to expect change as an entrepreneur. ”
Building relationships with your direct customers, other vendors and even the customers of your customers is also vital, he said.
Having a clear vision — outlined in a mission statement — is also important, as is the idea of being proactive in business instead of being reactive.
Other ideas Stribling presented included:
• Set realistic goals;
• Be a good communicator;
• Have a passion for setting the standard in your given industry or field and hiring people with a similar passion;
• Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, but also learn from those mistakes; and
• Be a strong encourager, listener and ally.
There were a number of college students — and others — who indicated with a raising of their hand that they are interested in one day starting their own business.
Ivan Blair wants to start a clothing boutique. For him, the best advice from Stribling was how to be prepared; and how to be proactive in business rather than reactive.
“ He gave a lot of good ideas, ” Blair said.
Flor Gonzalez also found value in what she heard from Stribling. She knows she wants to start a business some day, but is not sure yet just what kind. The advice on developing a clear vision range true for her.
“ That was important, ” she said.
Gonzalez said she also liked what Stribling said about being an entrepreneur involving being willing to take risks.
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