Small Business Grant Success Stories: an Interview with Gerhard Guevarra
At Idea Cafe, we're passionate about helping our fellow small business owners every way we possibly can. Over the years, we've awarded 15 cash grants to deserving entrepreneurs to help them take their business to the next level.
This year IdeaCafe.com will turn 20 and we decided to do a series of interviews with past winners of our Grant program. There’s a wealth of diversity among the business owners who won the grant over the years and we would love to share their stories.
They dream big — the sky is no limit to their bold ambitions. They light the way for others and we hope you’ll be as impressed and motivated by their accomplishments as we are.
The first interview is with Gerhard Guevarra, owner of All-American Fencing Academy. He won the 9th Small Business Grant. He built his business from the ground up and worked hard to get where he is now.
The All-American Fencing Academy has been doing well. We've been awarded other small business grants, we've increased our client base and we've also hired additional coaches. The constant difficulty of a business in Military town is that many of our clients come and go.
How did the Grant help you achieve your business goals?
One of our business goals is allow our students to become more competitive. Having the right equipment and facilities to provide a competitive environment allowed the All-American Fencing Academy to host several tournaments throuhgout the year.
Tell us more about how you used the grant money and if they helped you gain additional exposure for your business.
Hosting tournaments allowed our students to have measurable outcomes and successes. These successes in tournaments makes for great stories. We constantly submit our students success stories to local media. We have been fortunate to get consistent media coverage of our fencer's successes.
What was the main motivator for you to become an entrepreneur and set up your own company?
Fencing programs are few an far between, but chances are, there is a fencing club or school nearby. When I returned to my hometown, there was no fencing clubs within a 2 hour radius and I wanted to continue fencing after college. I started teaching at recreation centers, but becoming and entrepreneur and owning my own company was simply opportunity knocking at my door. We were teaching in a ballet studio when the ballet instructor asked if we would like to take over the lease. After some consideration, the rest was history and we've been in operation since.
What is the best thing about being a small business owner?
There's always a challenge to make myself a better manager, leader, and involved in the community. I'm also fortunate that I can see immediate success from our young and old students.
What have been the most difficult challenges in this journey and the most rewarding aspects?
The most difficult challange is making priorities and budgeting time. I'm also in a uniqiue position that I work a regular full time job and manage my small business. Between regular work, small business, and family, I have to make sure my time is balanced. One of the most rewarding aspects is knowing that I have been successful enough to stay in business and market and advertise our business without utilizing traditional marketing methods.
What advice do you have for other small business owners out there?
There are definitely key resources you need to run a business, but there are so many resources available now that you don't have to pay the biggest fee for point of service, accounting, marketing, etc. Know how to streamline expenditures and research available resources.
What does the future of your business look like?
We hope to continue to grow and perhaps hire additional coaches. We also hope to grow our own coaches from students who are interested in coaching.
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