Mike Guerriero
Frank Herron
Disc Hounds
Saloon 151
dischounds.com
saloon151.com
Disc Hounds was started in 1998, when the band Mike was in recorded a demo and was sending out cassettes to get gigs. “We decided to try out the relatively new process of Recordable CDs (CD-Rs),” Mike said. “It was an expensive and difficult process then.” Thinking that other bands could use a service tailored to creating professional CDs in short runs, Mike researched the technology, purchased an all-in-one CD authoring and duplication station, and started marketing to local/regional recording studios and musicians, constantly adding new services over the years to keep pace with changing technology and customer needs.
Frank bought his first business at the age of 23, and one lesson he has learned after owning several bars and restaurants in West Chester for over 25 years is to expect the unexpected. “You will always run into unexpected costs,” he said. “Most small businesses fail because of underfunded startups. You need to have capital in reserve to start up. Cash flow is king.” Frank has worked both on his own and in partnerships. “I love being able to help others find their passion in life.”
Pro Tip: Just do it. “I have never met a person on their deathbed who regretted chasing their dreams.”
Pro Tip: “Being successful for us has meant really listening to our customers, and creating solutions to help them achieve their goals.”
Dave Magrogan Dave Magrogan Group davemagrogangroup.com
John Lawless Sterling Optical sterlingoptical.com John was just 23 years old when he stumbled into the optical business by responding to a classified ad. “One thing led to another and I moved from an optician to manager to district manager in the space of two years,” John said. From there, John expanded into selling franchises for the parent company, eventually, well—selling to himself. “After another year, I decided to buy my own office with one of my office managers as a business partner,” John said. “From there we continued to expand, and have had many offices over the last 30 years in Pennsylvania and Delaware.”
Pro Tip: Get moving. “If you want to be in business for yourself, don't put it off. Start today.”
Alison Maguire
Moore Maguire Group
This is clearly a man who goes all in, as evidenced by the fact that the Dave Magrogan Group currently owns five successful restaurants in the region. “For me, the most fulfilling way to live is where you follow your passions, dreams and goals,” he said. “If you have a vision, follow it. Charge towards your goals like a 3,000 pound rhinoceros, when you get knocked down get back up and charge again.” Dave feels it’s also important to accept failure as part of the process and learn from each setback. “Ignore the critics and false friends, focus on the good people, the opportunities and possibilities because they are always there. Life rewards those with a positive attitude that find the opportunities in the failures.”
Pro Tip: Dave’s favorite quote about being an entrepreneur is not his own—it’s by Robert Jarvis. “Leaders are visionaries with a poorly-developed sense of fear and no concept of the odds against them.”
mooremaguiregroup.com
Alison and partner Brad Moore have assembled an award-winning real estate team. “We’d established ourselves as successful individual agents at our previous brokerage, but felt that we’d hit a ceiling in terms of what we could do on our own,” she said. “Our ambitions seemed much bigger than what we could achieve on an individual basis—we could accomplish more and fulfill our goals of making a greater impact on our community if we formed a team. We joined Keller Williams as the Moore Maguire Real Estate Group, and will be celebrating our second business anniversary this February.”
Pro Tips: “Be a risk taker. Everyone has ideas, but successful entrepreneurs take the risk and
put their ideas into action. Become a great leader. Ultimately, as an entrepreneur, you‘re limited as to what you, individually, can accomplish on your own. By creating a stellar team, and guiding each person to their own success, you create the key to unlock unlimited potential.”
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