Excerpt of podcast episode1: Celebrating Independence Day as a Small Business. Adapted to article format. For full episode click here.

What was your “aha moment” that motivated you to open your own business?

The cofounder of our business is my wife, Cecilia, and a big motivator was our family backgrounds. We were brought up in homes with a family business, we knew that sooner or later we would end up having businesses of our own. But the big motivator was when I was doing my masters in engineering management. We had many business classes and during one of them, I realized, “wow I’m ready”. After sharing it with my wife, we talked and agreed it was time to open our small business.

What were some of the fears of starting your own business?

Funding was a huge one, where was the money going to come from and would it be enough for our family to survive. We actually opened our business during the recession of 2008 which we didn’t know would happen. Thankfully, it didn’t impact us. But as the years go by, you realize that the fears you initially had before starting your business will accompany you, where to find clientele, getting a loan from a bank or from family, etc. However, by learning and doing research, slowly you start to address those fears and find solutions.

What are the benefits of having a small business in the US?

The freedom and support given to small business owners here in the US is amazing. As soon as you begin your business, you have the support of the Small Business Administration (SBA). This is a government sponsored organization that gives classes, mentorship, and funding opportunities for small businesses. They have experts from different industries, volunteering their time to care for business owners.

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