My father grew up with Mark Kurkoski, whose parents abandoned him and his two younger brothers. At age 14 he was forced to live on his own and take care of his siblings. From a very young age, Mark was an entrepreneur. However, in 1987, he decided to start his own used car dealership called Crestwood Auto Sales in Swansea, MA. Mark is an extremely driven, hardworking individual. He decided to enter the car business because he was well spoken, a strong communicator and strong ability to persuade. The car business was something that Mark felt was stable and gave him to best opportunity to succeed, although he knew it would be tough at first. 29 years later, Mark has started and maintained a 5 star rated used car business. After discussing the background of Mark's business, I asked him 3 general questions that would hopefully assist me in this course and help me gain a better understanding about what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. Since Mark's business is run in Massachusetts, I was obviously not able to do a face-to-face interview. We both had very busy weeks so we managed a short phone call interview on Wednesday Night. As we talked, I wrote down Mark's responses to the best of my ability.
Amy: What does it mean to you to be an entrepreneur?
Mark: Being an entrepreneur to me is working through adversity and creating a lot out of a little. I never set out to become an entrepreneur. The events that occurred in my life led me to become motivated to achieve something greater and to set a better example for my children than my parents did for me. After attending college, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. Further down the road, I decided to start my own business. The various obstacles I had faced in my life pushed me towards this decision. Ever since I was a teenager forced to provide for myself, I have always been highly motivated to lead a successful and fulfilled life.
Amy: What is the most important thing you believe I should learn from an entrepreneurship course?
Mark: An entrepreneurship course should attempt to educate students on the character traits necessary to be successful as an entrepreneur. Being an entrepreneur is about being honest and personable. You must be able to relate to many different types of people. Like any job, if there's someone you don't get a long with you have to learn to deal with them. You are going to be put in a situation or dilemma that you won't know how to fix; you have to figure out a way to change it or make the most out of the issue.
Amy: What is the most valuable lesson you have learned in your years as an entrepreneur?
Mark: The most valuable lesson I have learned is that you do not start a business overnight. Crestwood started as an idea, a belief, a desire to succeed. I worked long hours, made valuable connections with people who would help me down the road, and most of all believed in myself throughout the process. There are going to be days where you think you may have made a mistake in wanting to start a business. It takes an immense amount of time.
Reflection
While I knew Mark and had spent time with him prior to this interview, I never knew about his work or how he got started as an entrepreneur. After hearing his story, and previously knowing his personality, it all makes sense why he has been such a successful entrepreneur over the years. The most surprising thing was that Mark was able to be so successful and gain so much respect from the community. Most people in his situation, being left by his parents, would be steered down a much more negative path of life. Mark chose to make something out of nothing and all of his hard work has paid off. This interview has showed me just how important perseverance is as an entrepreneur. Not everything you try is necessarily going to be successful right off the bat.
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