I want to start this by saying that I am no expert in business, merely a student pursuing a business minor.
Entrepreneurs I Personally Know:
- Brandon Cady (Founder of Heavens Help Auto Repair)
- Ben Morrow (Founder of The Gray Merchant, previously called MorrowMagic)
- Nick Lucente (Owner of Cornersburg Pizza, Cornersburg Cards and Games)
- Austin Switzer (Founder of Edge Line Epoxy LLC)
- Renee Elizabeth (Founder of Chill Crow Designs)
- Jacob Rhoades (Founder of Rhoades Excavating)
While that seems like a rather small list, I would like to mention that these are just those that came to mind at this moment. if you think you belong on this list, comment and we can debate it out there.
Why I Bring This up:
I bring attention to these entrepreneurs, business owners, hard workers, because… too be completely honest, I had to write about one for a business class! The one I ended up writing about was Brandon Cady, this is due to the fact that I have been able to be a part of the business since its early days, and I have watched it grow into a great statement to what you can do with some commitment and hard work.
Below is what I wrote for the prompt: “Share an example of an entrepreneur or intrapreneur you admire and explain how they embody key traits associated with entrepreneurs / intrapreneurs.“
Why I Didn’t Choose a ‘Big’ CEO:
I would like to mention that I didn’t want to do the classic “Jeff Bezos was working out of his garage” or “NIKE CEO makes shoes that fit x niche… that is why he is successful”. While those are great and truly do have some worth, I think it is vital to raise up and appreciate those in our communities that put in the effort to chase the American Dream, while helping and growing the community around them. At every point, those big CEO’s were in a similar spot where they had to leverage connections and opportunities to grow, but I wanted to dig deeper and find these Key Traits in some entrepreneurs I knew.
Big Time Entrepreneur Vs. My List
In all honesty, while writing this and the section for my class, I realized that my friends, family, and local business owners I know all share the same Key Traits that put the Big Dog CEO’s where they are now.
They all commit to their goal, take opportunities to grow and give back to their community.
While they all have different ways of giving back to the community, their impact has been measurable by the good they have done and the impact they have had on those they work with.
To Entrepreneurs Past and Present:
To the entrepreneur I knew in the past who is no longer with us, Jacob Rhoades: Thanks for always offering me a job if I was in a tight spot, thanks for your impact on our community and giving students hope for starting their own business by carrying on your long living legacy.
To the entrepreneurs I know now: Thanks for being a big part of your community, you do a lot for me and the people around you. Keep up the good work and continue to grow at a rate that shocks me!
In Conclusion:
Entrepreneurs are an important part of our everyday lives, as I have proceeded to word vomit about above to the point where I probably repeated myself several times. Anyways, I wanted to share a little bit about those I know who have taken the first step towards chasing The American Dream.
~Andrew McGarvie
If you have any questions about the businesses or owners mentioned above, I have their links below, as well as next to their names above.
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