Interview With an Entrepreneur - Jennifer Walzer

Jennifer Walzer says the best part of being an entrepreneur is getting to choose with whom you work.

Who: Jennifer Walzer, CEO and founder of Backup My Info!, Inc. (www.backupmyinfo.com), which provides online backup service for companies.

Q: When you were younger, did you think you were going to be an entrepreneur?

A: I was one of those kids on the streets selling lemonade, just always wanting to figure out a way to make things happen. And I think part of the reason why is that I looked at my father, who was an entrepreneur, and I wanted to be just like him.

Q: What are the benefits of being an entrepreneur?

IA: By far the best benefit is that I get to choose who I work with. I absolutely love the team of people who work with me. And obviously the benefits are great from a financial perspective. But at the same time, it’s not easy. Everyone says, “Oh I can start a business,” but until you actually do it, you never know what you’re getting yourself into.

Q: What are the cons of being an entrepreneur?

A: It’s really stressful, and it’s not easy. If it was so easy to start a business, everyone and their brother and sister would be doing it. I think one of the biggest challenges is that when you own a business, it actually can own you too. You either need to be in it to win it, or don’t do it at all.

Q: What traits do you see in successful entrepreneurs?

A: Without a doubt, they’re extremely passionate about what they do and have learned to put their ego aside. As an entrepreneur, you’re going to be faced with a lot of challenges. And if you think you’re going to have the answer to everything, you’re going to fail. I think a successful entrepreneur knows where his limits are and knows how to ask for help.

Q: What advice do you have for students thinking about becoming entrepreneurs?

A: Go and get an internship or figure out a way to work for someone you think has a really good business. And when you get there, get involved in as much as you can.


David Mammano is founder and CEO of NextStepU. (www.NextStepU.com).