Starting your own business: Success Story
The AU Chronicle
Finance
A Journalism and Mass Communication Capstone Publication July 2,2016
Starting your own business: Success Story Ashley Renay Grubbs Graduating college can be a very stressful time. Not knowing which path to choose, which jobs to apply for, or even how to move on. At some point, each student considers what it would be like to start their own business; creating their own rules and managing to make their own schedules and freedom. According to Neil Patel, a contributor to Forbes Magazine, “Nine out of ten startups will fail. This is a hard and bleak truth, but one that you’d do well to meditate on” (Patel, 2015). Many talk themselves out of the possibility of success; but others, like Mike Dion, move forward with the idea and make that dream a reality. Mike has a Bachelor's in Finance and a
GreyFox Construction Corp Logo
Master’s in International Business from the University of Florida. Having started his first business at the age of 18, he was already setting himself up for success. Mike Dion is 26 years old and the Vice President and CFO (including finance, human resources, and estimating) of his own business, GreyFox Construction Corp. He and his business partner, Justin Hall, began this journey with GreyFox when they both worked for a big name corporation and realized how much they alternative to what was occurring. “We went into an industry where we knew people that we could leverage for information. It was an industry with high barriers of entry which was out vantage going in” (Dion, 2016). Though they did not have an interest in concrete, Mike and Justin knew that it was a way to be successful. Commencing operations January 2015, it was not until September that same year that they began pouring concrete. It took then until May 2016 to turn their first profit. “
Screenshot of GreyFox Construction Corp Website our own money] and went to Atlanta where we found investors” (Dion, 2016). Through patience, hardwork, and determination the duo never gave up. Upon asked what advice he has for those who wanted to start their own business, who wanted to start their own business, “You do not need a lot of money for a successful business. You just need to work hard on the right things. Websites, business cards, Facebook are rarely the
right things. Your first customer is the right thing” (Dion, 2016).Starting a business can be scary and stressful, but also very exciting. It involves taking a risk and believing in yourself in order to be successful. After asking Mike if he would do it all over again would he, he paused for a moment and smile. “A million times yes. I would have done it sooner. I would not have waited so long to pull the trigger” (Dion, 2016). Speaking with Mike and listing the accomplishments of GreyFox Construction Corp, it was apparent that he himself had not considered how successful his business has become. “It’s going to suck more than anyone will ever tell you it sucks. Most people only see the success of entrepreneurship; they do not see the hard parts. You will probably spend more than one night getting no sleep, crying into a pillow. But when that first check comes in, when you help employees turn their lives around, and when you are profitable for the first time; it will all be worth it” (Dion,
Finance
A Journalism and Mass Communication Capstone Publication July 2,2016
Starting your own business: Success Story Ashley Renay Grubbs Graduating college can be a very stressful time. Not knowing which path to choose, which jobs to apply for, or even how to move on. At some point, each student considers what it would be like to start their own business; creating their own rules and managing to make their own schedules and freedom. According to Neil Patel, a contributor to Forbes Magazine, “Nine out of ten startups will fail. This is a hard and bleak truth, but one that you’d do well to meditate on” (Patel, 2015). Many talk themselves out of the possibility of success; but others, like Mike Dion, move forward with the idea and make that dream a reality. Mike has a Bachelor's in Finance and a
GreyFox Construction Corp Logo
Master’s in International Business from the University of Florida. Having started his first business at the age of 18, he was already setting himself up for success. Mike Dion is 26 years old and the Vice President and CFO (including finance, human resources, and estimating) of his own business, GreyFox Construction Corp. He and his business partner, Justin Hall, began this journey with GreyFox when they both worked for a big name corporation and realized how much they alternative to what was occurring. “We went into an industry where we knew people that we could leverage for information. It was an industry with high barriers of entry which was out vantage going in” (Dion, 2016). Though they did not have an interest in concrete, Mike and Justin knew that it was a way to be successful. Commencing operations January 2015, it was not until September that same year that they began pouring concrete. It took then until May 2016 to turn their first profit. “
Screenshot of GreyFox Construction Corp Website our own money] and went to Atlanta where we found investors” (Dion, 2016). Through patience, hardwork, and determination the duo never gave up. Upon asked what advice he has for those who wanted to start their own business, who wanted to start their own business, “You do not need a lot of money for a successful business. You just need to work hard on the right things. Websites, business cards, Facebook are rarely the
right things. Your first customer is the right thing” (Dion, 2016).Starting a business can be scary and stressful, but also very exciting. It involves taking a risk and believing in yourself in order to be successful. After asking Mike if he would do it all over again would he, he paused for a moment and smile. “A million times yes. I would have done it sooner. I would not have waited so long to pull the trigger” (Dion, 2016). Speaking with Mike and listing the accomplishments of GreyFox Construction Corp, it was apparent that he himself had not considered how successful his business has become. “It’s going to suck more than anyone will ever tell you it sucks. Most people only see the success of entrepreneurship; they do not see the hard parts. You will probably spend more than one night getting no sleep, crying into a pillow. But when that first check comes in, when you help employees turn their lives around, and when you are profitable for the first time; it will all be worth it” (Dion,
