The Secrets of Success... In Their Own Words

The Secrets of Success... In Their Own Words

by Andrea M. Ciccocioppo

In the past three months, MODE has featured the stories of three diverse local businesses: Tarmans’ Books, a distinctive out-of-print book shop; Isaac’s Deli, a 13-location restaurant chain; and Arthur Murray Dance Studios, a national franchise of dance studios. Each business has achieved success through the hard work and dedication of the owners who have graciously shared their stories and secrets with our readers. The intent of these features, along with the accompanying series, Starting Your Own Business, has been to help you gain insight into what it takes to start your own business and make it a success. With that in mind, here’s a round up of tips from the business-owners we spoke to. We invite you to keep these pearls of wisdom in your pocket to refer to. Consider yourself armed with powerful knowledge that you won’t find anywhere else!

On selecting your business:
"Pick something you like and something you’re energetic about." — Mary Ellen Tarman, Tarmans’ Books.

On start-up costs:
"I’m actually renting the name and the background and all the support which, to me, is well worth what I’m spending." — Jeffrey Van Boskirk, Arthur Murray Dance Studios.

On growth:
"Grow your business because it’s fun and challenging, not because you think you’re going to get rich."—Philip Wenger, Isaac’s Deli.

On seeking advice:
"I can call any of the Arthur Murray studios anywhere in the world and get advice from them. ... I can grow because I have the knowledge of everyone else who’s in the same business and has been doing it a longer than I have." – Van Boskirk.

On service:
"You have to offer good service. You have to be a small business acting like a big business, professionally. But, keep a small business attitude toward your customers—that they matter to you, that they’re important, that they’re your friends."— Tarman.

On employees:
"Build a good team of employees to work for you... Great employees are not hired, they’re created."— Wenger.

On advertising:
"Don’t put a mediocre ad in the phone book, because it’s the first impression your customers have of your business." —Tarman.

On managing the business:
"I call it flat-table decision making. While I’m the CEO, my board of directors is my general managers. That’s how we make decisions, I don’t make unilateral decrees." — Wenger.

On work:
"The harder you work, the more money you can make." – Van Boskirk.

On mistakes:
"Any entrepreneur who thinks they know it all will find out very quickly that they don’t. Learn from your mistakes." — Wenger.