I interviewed Dr. Lorraine Williams, veterinarian. She has been an entrepreneur for 10 years. She has her own company and contracts her veterinary services to the likes of the USDA, Petco and the Humane Society. Here are the questions and answers from our interview.
Q: I'm taking an entrepreneurship class at the University of Florida. What do you think I should focus on most in the class?
A: Be sure to ask questions about bookkeeping. Starting out as an entrepreneur means you're going to be juggling a lot of responsibilities at the same time. I find that bookkeeping can be a problem and you might want to look into making an accountant the first assistant you bring on.
Q: Are you happy you chose to be an entrepreneur?
A: There are some tough days but then I think about my peers who are in regular vet jobs and I think I'm better suited as an entrepreneur. I still have bosses at the places I contract but it's more of a partnership and I can set my own schedule. That makes me happy.
Q: How did you learn the ropes of entrepreneurship?
A: It wasn't part of my curriculum in zoology or vet school. I didn't take any classes. I just sort of did it and learned while doing it. I did have some friends in the veterinary community that I would ask random questions to every now and then, but mostly I figured things out on my own, and still do.
In summary, I was a surprised at the minimal amount of formal business training the doctor had needed to become so successful as an entrepreneur. Clearly she is extremely intelligent and very well educated, and I think that has a lot to do with her ability to learn on the fly and be successful.
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