What sparked your interest regarding starting a business?
My interest in business started when I was very young. My dad worked crazy long hours and I remember him coming home very late or sometimes I wouldn’t see him until the next day. I was between five and ten years old when I started picking up on his habits. It was about that age range that he forever instilled in me that you don’t get anything without working for it. It took me years to realize what that actually meant. He used to bring me to his office and have me print envelopes so he could do mailing for his business. I was paid a quarter per box of 500 envelopes. That does seem like very much but it added up over the years. Others in my family also owned or ran their own businesses and I was taught that it was that was the best way to make a living. Why work for someone when you can set your own standards and control your own future. When I was at OPRF looking for colleges, it never felt right. Everyone, and I mean everyone said go to a good college so you can get a good education and a good job. I never thought like that. I never wanted nor do I now want to work for someone. I knew inside I would start a business, but I never knew when or what it was going to be.
Why did you choose this particular business to start?
This business that I started was a perfectly timed opportunity that I could not pass. We own the building that my restaurant is in, and the space had been sitting vacant for roughly nine months give or take. I knew I could start a business, and I had my chance. It has been much more work that I ever had anticipated before. I laugh now because I thought it was going to be easy job and then I was going to be “done”. Nothing about starting a business is easy and there is no such thing as an end. It is all trial and error, especially when there is no guide or written way.
How has the OPRF School of Business assisted in your decision to start and run your business?
I am not completely sure that I knew that I was going to start a business this early in my life. What I did know is that I was going to study business in college. I wanted to get a head start, so I took the business classes that I could to prep myself.
If you could tell all the OPRF School of Business students something about being an entrepreneur, what would it be?
Business is not a complicated field to go into. But you have to be willing to go all in. You will lose friends and you will lose you social life. You don’t get to stop working when you want, but when the work is done you get to stop working. The case with starting your own business is the work never stops. You have to be willing to commit most of your time to achieve your goal. You also should know what Murphy’s Law is. If you don’t, you should look it up. it is the first thing that ought to be taught in business courses. I live by Murphy’s Law.
What would you tell students who have not taken a class in the OPRF School of Business?
If you are interested in the business world, you should consider taking courses to get a grasp of how it is. There are a lot of very cool things going on in the School of Business at OPRF that I wish I had had access to when I what attending.
What drives you to succeed?
The fact that I know that I can do the job better and I am able to work harder than the next guy. Diligence over intelligence.
What are any take-aways from your education in the OPRF School of Business that you utilize in your business?
EXCEL EXCEL EXCEL! Excel what the biggest thing that I took away from the classes that I took while in the OPRF School of Business.
What is your most memorable moment in a OPRF School of Business class?
Mr. H’s class was always the best!
Where would you like to see the OPRF School of Business in 5 years?
I would like to see the OPRF School of Business excel with making connections and helping students create businesses. I also would like to see it evolve into a catalyst for students to find out what they want to do later in their lives, or NOW!
What is your business contact info?
Jack Deiter - Owner
Big Bill's Sandwich Shop
301 N. Main Street
[email protected] – (Personal email)
Galena, IL 61036
Cell: (708) 373-3778 – (Text)
My interest in business started when I was very young. My dad worked crazy long hours and I remember him coming home very late or sometimes I wouldn’t see him until the next day. I was between five and ten years old when I started picking up on his habits. It was about that age range that he forever instilled in me that you don’t get anything without working for it. It took me years to realize what that actually meant. He used to bring me to his office and have me print envelopes so he could do mailing for his business. I was paid a quarter per box of 500 envelopes. That does seem like very much but it added up over the years. Others in my family also owned or ran their own businesses and I was taught that it was that was the best way to make a living. Why work for someone when you can set your own standards and control your own future. When I was at OPRF looking for colleges, it never felt right. Everyone, and I mean everyone said go to a good college so you can get a good education and a good job. I never thought like that. I never wanted nor do I now want to work for someone. I knew inside I would start a business, but I never knew when or what it was going to be.
Why did you choose this particular business to start?
This business that I started was a perfectly timed opportunity that I could not pass. We own the building that my restaurant is in, and the space had been sitting vacant for roughly nine months give or take. I knew I could start a business, and I had my chance. It has been much more work that I ever had anticipated before. I laugh now because I thought it was going to be easy job and then I was going to be “done”. Nothing about starting a business is easy and there is no such thing as an end. It is all trial and error, especially when there is no guide or written way.
How has the OPRF School of Business assisted in your decision to start and run your business?
I am not completely sure that I knew that I was going to start a business this early in my life. What I did know is that I was going to study business in college. I wanted to get a head start, so I took the business classes that I could to prep myself.
If you could tell all the OPRF School of Business students something about being an entrepreneur, what would it be?
Business is not a complicated field to go into. But you have to be willing to go all in. You will lose friends and you will lose you social life. You don’t get to stop working when you want, but when the work is done you get to stop working. The case with starting your own business is the work never stops. You have to be willing to commit most of your time to achieve your goal. You also should know what Murphy’s Law is. If you don’t, you should look it up. it is the first thing that ought to be taught in business courses. I live by Murphy’s Law.
What would you tell students who have not taken a class in the OPRF School of Business?
If you are interested in the business world, you should consider taking courses to get a grasp of how it is. There are a lot of very cool things going on in the School of Business at OPRF that I wish I had had access to when I what attending.
What drives you to succeed?
The fact that I know that I can do the job better and I am able to work harder than the next guy. Diligence over intelligence.
What are any take-aways from your education in the OPRF School of Business that you utilize in your business?
EXCEL EXCEL EXCEL! Excel what the biggest thing that I took away from the classes that I took while in the OPRF School of Business.
What is your most memorable moment in a OPRF School of Business class?
Mr. H’s class was always the best!
Where would you like to see the OPRF School of Business in 5 years?
I would like to see the OPRF School of Business excel with making connections and helping students create businesses. I also would like to see it evolve into a catalyst for students to find out what they want to do later in their lives, or NOW!
What is your business contact info?
Jack Deiter - Owner
Big Bill's Sandwich Shop
301 N. Main Street
[email protected] – (Personal email)
Galena, IL 61036
Cell: (708) 373-3778 – (Text)