1-a)

Are you an owner and founder of this business? Yes _____ No _______

1-b) When was the business started? __________ after 1998? Yes _____ 1-c) How many others, beside yourself, are involved in the ownership of the business? ______

Describe: 2) Please describe what kind of business you have? What is the major product or service? (Do some initial research so you know the obvious.) 3) _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ In which industry would you classify this business? ____________ Agricultural production or service Mining or mining services Construction Manufacturing: Durables, items expected to last 3+ years Manufacturing: Nondurables, items expected to last <3 years Wholesale Financial, Insurance, or Real Estate Retail (includes restaurants and bars) Consumer Services Health, Education, or Social Services Business Services (includes law firms, computer software)

4) Who are your intended customers? Are they individual consumers or other businesses?

5) Is this the primary place where your business operates? Do you conduct business operations at other locations? (EG, home office is a warehouse, much work takes place on customers job site computer/network installation & repair firm.)

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Characterize this/these location(s): _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ 6) Central core of a major metropolitan city In a major metropolitan city outside the central core Suburbs of a major metropolitan city In a regional city In a small town, 10,000 or greater population In a village, less than 10,000 population In a rural site

Why did you select this location for the business?

7)

Do people in south Jersey (or the surrounding community) generally support entrepreneurs like yourself? Can you give me examples of support or lack of support that you have encountered here ? (For example: Customers prefer to buy locally, town zoning boards assist new firms to conform to standards, business owners help each other with cooperative advertising or advice, etc.)

8)

How important is support from the community for the success of your business? (Not in terms of those of who buy your product, but in terms of their valuing those who choose to be entrepreneurs?

9)

Why did you choose to start this business?

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11)

Please rate the importance of the following motives? (CIRCLE THEIR RESPONSES)

a) b) c) d) e) f) g) h) i) j)

The challenge To pursue an idea

: : : : 1

Major importance : Minor importance : Unimportant : : Never thought about it : : : No response : : : : 2 3 4 9 1 2 3 4 9 1 2 2 2 1 1 2 1 1 2 2 3 3 3 2 2 3 2 2 3 3 4 4 4 3 3 4 3 3 4 4 9 9 9 4 4 9 4 4 9 9 9 9 9 9

Respect, recognition Build estate for family 1 Income, wealth Independence 1 1

Meet others expectations Utilize skills, abilities Not able to find a job To live in the area 1

k) Unhappy with previous job l) Contribute to society 1 INNOVATION: 12) What is your definition of innovation?

14) What have been the most important innovations or changes that you have made to your business.

15) Have you ever been surprised at the results of an effort to be innovative?

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16. What criteria do you use to decide what aspects of the business need to be improved or changed?

ENTREPRENEURIAL BACKGROUND: 17. Did anyone else in your family try to start a business? Yes ___ No ___ If YES, identify the relationship of each: (e.g. Father, mother, brother, sister, cousin, etc.)

What was the outcome of their effort to start a business?

19)

What do you believe is the most important factor for determining the success of your business (e.g., competition, motivation, price, persistence, etc?)

20)

Do you consider your business successful? Is your answer based solely on profits of the business?

21)

How many full time employees does your business employ? ______

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How many part time employees does your business employ? ______

23a) If yes, in general, how often do you share information with them regarding your business?

23c) Do you have any one person who you would consider a mentor? That is, someone you turn to regularly to seek advice about your business and help you in working through problems? Yes _____ No ______

If yes, how did you find this mentor? 24d) How supportive is your family in your effort to run a business? How important is this support or lack of to you?

25)

Are you working to grow your business or are you satisfied to leave it pretty much at its current size and level of activity?

26a) If planning to grow, by what percentage increase in size are you expecting to see five years from now? . 27) What advice would you give a person, such as me, who may be interested in starting a business?

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PERSONAL BACKGROUND P-1) P-2) P-3) Gender Female _____ Male _____ _____

Age when major commitment was made to launch a new firm? Current age _____

P-4)

Indicate any minority group with which this person might identify: _____ _____ _____ _____ Afro-American American Indian Other Asian White, Caucasian _____ _____ _____ _____ Hispanic Southeast Asian Other minority: ___________________ Undetermined

P-5)

Educational attainment: Some High School _____ High School

_____ Degree _____ _____ Degree Degree: P-6) P-7) P-8) P-9)

Technical, Vocational Degree _____ Some College Associate Degree (Community College ) ____ College _____ Some graduate training _____ Masters _____ Terminal Graduate Degree: LL.B., MD, PhD

Years of work between finishing school and starting the business? Number of jobs held before starting the business? Numbers of years of work in the same industry or similar business? Numbers of years in management position in same industry?

P-10) How many other businesses have you helped start? P-11) How many hours per week are you currently devoting to your business?

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P-18) Who do you believe had the strongest influence on your decision to become an entrepreneur? Your mother or your father or neither? In what way?

P-20) If you had the choice of working at a company reviewing reports 40 hours a week for a salary of $100,000 a year or pursue your current business effort, which would you choose and why?

P-21) I would like to ask you one final question. You have made a choice that many individuals like yourself have contemplated, but have decided not to pursue. That is, they chose not to launch a business while you chose to take on the effort. Why do you think you made a different choice?

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP

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This entrepreneur interview form was adapted with permission from Dr. Timothy M. Stearns, Coleman Foundation Chair in Entrepreneurial Studies Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship California State University, Fresno Modified by Dr. Robert DIntino for use in Entrepreneurship & Innovation Further Modified in Spring 2008 by Dr. Linda Ross

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Dr. ROSS - 2011