FORT SILL, Okla., Feb. 4, 2016 -- It was a full house of 40 participants at the Ready Set Go workshop to help military spouses start or grow their businesses, at the Harry S. Truman Education Center, Jan. 28.
Five local entrepreneurs shared their experiences in a luncheon panel, where several themes and messages emerged.
"Your business should be your passion," stressed Tori Sparks, owner of The Homesteader's Finest in Lawton which sells organic "craft jams and awesome sauces" from the farm she runs with her Soldier husband Luke.
"If it's not your passion, it's just a job," she said. "I was a nurse for 17 years, and that was my job, not my passion."
Other notable advice:
Tori Sparks
"If you stay in your comfort zone you'll never grow from it."
"Be a go-getter. Be friendly. You never know if the person you are standing next to will be an ally in your business."
"Ask business owners, 'what did you struggle with,' because they're probably things you'll struggle with as well."
"Don't burn bridges. People never remember you for the good you do, but for the bad you did."
Hire people to do things you don't have the expertise to do.
"Your business plan is important. It took me four months to make mine. You will need it to get a loan.
"If you don't jump, you're not going to succeed. The first step was the hardest for me because I don't take failure very well."
Make weekly and long-term goals. She said she never envisioned selling outside of Oklahoma. Now Whole Foods has just picked up her products.
Robert Jones owner with wife, Wendy, of Rob and Wendy's convenience store in Geronimo. He is a 22-year Army veteran.
"I am a high school dropout. But you can do anything you want if you have a passion to do it."
"Answer your customer's needs." He put in a Hunt's Pizza franchise because of feedback that the little town needed a café. He said that addition grossed $100,000 last year.
Call the Great Plains Technology Center when you need help. They offer advice and consultation to develop business and marketing plans, registering with the state and IRS, bookkeeping, hiring employees, and using technology to reach their target market.
Don't put up your personal assets as collateral for a loan. You could lose it all if the business fails. He built the store himself for $125,000, and it opened in April 2012. "From day one it paid for itself," he said. "I'm just a little bitty small convenience store. It this 'little dumb kid' can do it, with the help of Great Plains Technology, you'll be successful."
Joyce Miranda owner of The Brow Parlour and Joyce Miranda Aesthetics, LLC in Lawton, which has opened satellite locations. She is a former Soldier and military spouse.
"Stick with what you know." This is advice she got from barbecue restaurant owner Billy Sims when she had to make a decision about the direction of her business.
"No matter what, even if nobody sees your vision, believe in yourself."
"It's not just about you, but about the blessing you can provide other people who also have a dream." She said many of her employees are single mothers. "There's nothing more beautiful than to see them live their dreams and support their families through this business."
Lisa Payne owner Franklin Mountain Construction LLC in El Paso, Texas. She is an Army veteran and lives with her husband at Fort Sill.
"Nobody else will take care of your business like you will."
"A business is like having a baby. Take care of it like it's an infant."
Find investors so you don't have to put all of your own money into your business. "Usually they are people you know."
"I made a lot of mistakes. Learn from them. Grow from them. Move forward."
"The hardest thing for me was firing someone. The best is that you are giving back to the Army community, because we all live in these houses."
Chas Callich owner with Army wife, Christa, of Small Mountain Street Tacos and other businesses in Medicine Park. The retired Soldier is also the town's mayor.
"Have fun with what you do. It is going to consume you. You will lose sleep and use all your time in your business. But it's nice to be your own boss."
"Pay attention to the small stuff your business taxes, your licenses, renewals. Put it in your business plan and budget for it."
He said he lived on E-5 pay for 25 years in the Army, because every time he got a promotion he saved the extra money. He felt he could continue to do so even after his businesses started generating income. "My path was to dump all the money I could into the bank." He bought several other buildings in the picturesque town, which he calls "a hidden gold mine."
Shelley Hossenlopp workshop organizer and entrepreneur.
"Hiring the right team is really important. Good leaders surround themselves with experts to make themselves a success."
All the panelists said they worked very long hours, sometimes sacrificed time with their families, and often worked full-time at another job while they built their businesses. Lisa Payne said her business in El Paso was thriving when her Soldier husband was transferred to Fort Sill. "One of the toughest decisions I ever made was to intentionally stay behind."
Some of the local business owners said they rely on retirement or other income for their living expenses, and put any profits back into the company as a long-term investment strategy.
And if you have a business you can't take with you when your Soldier moves again, consider the exit strategy: Sell it, and start another when you move.
The Great Plains Technology Center in Lawton offers its advisory assistance at no charge. Call Pat Beck at 580-250-5550 for help with your business dreams.
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