When chasing your dreams, a solid foundation is the key to success. This mindset has guided Adrian Archie, CEO of petNmind, on his journey of growing his once-small business into a franchise brand.
PetNmind is a holistic natural pet supply brand focused on delivering high-quality products to pets and their owners. As founder and CEO, Archie is a trusted source of unbiased information and provides stellar customer service, making his store a staple in the Florida community.
But his road to entrepreneurship hasn’t been an easy one. As a first-generation business owner with a previous career in corporate America, he often finds himself having to “learn on the go.”
Building a business on diverse prior experiences
In addition to spending a decade working in medical device sales, Archie played professional football for 17 years before starting his own business. These very different experiences helped shape him into the entrepreneur he’s become today.
“Football taught me that to be the best, one must practice thousands of hours to be prepared for the brief minutes of glory available,” Archie said. “Football taught me consistency, the ability to connect with anybody, as teams are diverse, and how to succeed under pressure. Football requires one to develop the ability to perform in chaos efficiently. So does entrepreneurship.”
While playing football gave Archie the grit required to run a business, his sales experiences provided the more technical knowledge of day-to-day operations. He learned how to develop a business plan and facilitate product development while gaining an understanding of the factors that drive revenue.
“Overall, my past experiences built my confidence to always move forward and to never doubt that I am capable and equipped to succeed,” Archie said.
It’s the foundation he built from these experiences that led to the development of petNmind.
[Read more: Step-by-Step Guide to Starting a New Business]
In some way, shape, or form, our purpose should always lead us back to people. Make sure that in your pursuit of success, lives are changing for the better right along with you.
Adrian Archie, CEO of petNmind
Embedding yourself in your local community
When opening a business in a new area, build a solid network of contacts by connecting with the local community. Archie established a name for himself quickly and recommends looking for opportunities everywhere they can be found.
“Promote [your] business at local community events like farmers markets,” he said. “Look for partnership opportunities with other businesses and organizations like a school’s PTA, athletic teams, or local gyms. Those organizations are the fabric of the community, and visibility within those circles will also solidify your company as part of the fabric as well.”
Just like starting a business, franchising one comes with its own set of unique challenges, Archie says.
“If franchising your business is the goal, understand that this is much more expensive compared to growing one store,” he told CO—. “Franchise concepts have a much higher chance of succeeding than a pure startup, [but] the marketing cost and legal risk increase exponentially. I suggest you spend adequate time implementing operating systems before franchising.”
Above all else, Archie believes that maintaining that strong foundation and connecting with your community and customers leads to success in business.
“In some way, shape, or form, our purpose should always lead us back to people,” he said. “Make sure that in your pursuit of success, lives are changing for the better right along with you.”
[Read more: How to Franchise Your Business Idea]
CO— aims to bring you inspiration from leading respected experts. However, before making any business decision, you should consult a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation.
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