When I think about an entrepreneurial experience, my mind immediately travels to the story on how my grandpa and my dad built their business. In the 1960’s, my grandfather, Warren Wheeler,
started a wholesale produce company named Warren Wheeler Produce inc. My father
joined years after the company’s inception and eventually earned his position as a co-owner of the corporation. Together, through dedication and
hard work, my dad and grandpa built one of the most successful wholesale
produce business’s in the Tampa Bay area. Though, building their success was
not easy. For nearly 40 years, my dad and grandpa worked Monday through
Saturday from 2:00 AM to roughly 12:30 or 1 PM. For many years my grandpa
performed hard labor, such as loading semi-trucks full of produce and transferring
heavy crates throughout the market. Similarly, for nearly all 40 years, my dad
performed hard labor. Their strong work ethic taught me many things, but,
perhaps two of the most important are: hard work and integrity are essential in
nearly all facets of life and that, to inspire one’s subordinates as much as
possible, one must lead from the front.
I enrolled in ENT 3003 because I believe
that this class is pertinent to my life. I have spent my entire life around entrepreneurs
and I want to learn as much as I can about the entrepreneurial process. My hope for this class is that, by the time it is
over, I will have a better understanding on what it takes to make an entrepreneur successful and the knowledge necessary to bring a product to market.
Hello Cody!
ReplyDeleteI read through many posts to find one that I felt I could comment properly on, and found yours to have a great base for a story to comment on. I am originally form Arizona and do not have a lot of background in Florida, but even I have heard of your family’s company just living in Gainesville for four years. I think that everything you say is pivotal in a companies’ success, from a produce company to a technology company. The amount of sacrifices and grit required for any organization will pay off in the long run. Hard work and dedication from the top down truly set a standard for a company, and your family’s company is living proof.
Hello Cody,
ReplyDeleteYour post reminds me of the very much sought after american dream! It is often said that hard work can get you anywhere in life, and this post confirms that belief. It sounds like your dad and grandpa sacrificed quite a lot, and that sacrifice paid off big time! I think we can all learn from this story that pursuing a dream and working hard can get us anywhere in life.
Cody,
ReplyDeleteI love your point about hard work and integrity. In today's world it is very easy to get caught up trying to have the newest hottest product or some new innovative business plan to try and lure in customers. That all is good and well but without a strong foundation none of it matters. Integrity is that foundation. I truly believe a business is only as good as the man or woman that creates it. Your grandfather and father alike seem to be very good men with that grit and commitment required to be successful. Your story is inspiring to me as I can only hope to one day accomplish what your family has accomplished. Once again, great work in this post!