I know it sounds cliché but when you do something you love, it’s not a job anymore; it becomes part of who you are. You don’t wake up saying, ‘I have to do work'; instead you gravitate to it. I hope my story acts as a catalyst for others to follow their dreams and start their own company.
Hearpreneur.com had the opportunity to hear from Eric Sendransk, the entrepreneur behind The Earlie Birdie. With the increase in collective buying sites, like Groupon and Living Social, there are sites blossoming that offer niche deals to customers. Eric Sendransk offers a deal for golfers and motivation for entrepreneurs. Here are excerpts from our interview:
Let's hear your story:
For the previous 4 years I’d been working in finance and found little gratification in the work I was doing. I was tired of dreading my job, so I decided to start my own company. With a passion for the game of golf and the growing interest in collective buying sites, I thought there was room for a niche site. Thus www.TheEarlyBirdie.com was started. We offer a different golf course/business in the New York Tri-State area each week at a substantial discount in hopes of reaching a new audience.
I have always dreamt of being able to conduct business while travelling and this job has allowed me to do just that. I am constantly meeting with different golf courses and travelling all over the country for prospective areas of expansion. As long as I have an internet connection I am able to do work and keep my customers satisfied with new deals. Instead of spending time slaving away in a cubicle for a large organization, I am at or around golf courses constantly and I am my own boss. This allows me to set the schedule I want, (I work better at night) and conduct business on the golf course (which I love doing). I try and play every course before I recommend it to my customers on the site, so my clients can rest assured that it has my stamp of approval.
Tell us about your business:
The Early Birdie was started to help golfers gain access to the best courses and other golf related items for the lowest prices possible.
Through the power of collective buying we are able to negotiate tremendous deals for our golfers. Courses that are normally too expensive or exclusive for the average golfer are now available for an amazing price.
We have always had a knack for finding a good deal and up until now have only shared them with friends and family. By joining The Early Birdie you will always be playing golf for the lowest price possible and having your buddies asking you how you saved so much money.
We are the only collective buying site in the New York Tri-State area devoted to golf.
What advice would you give to an aspiring entrepreneur?:
Make sure to choose something you really enjoy doing or you won't be succesful.
What do you know now that you wish you would have known before you started your venture?
How difficult it would be to get people to go to your website even if you have a great product.
What trait(s) do you feel successful entrepreneurs possess?
A never-ending drive for success.
What is the most exciting thing about being an entrepreneur?
Being able to set your own schedule, being able to do work from anywhere in the world as long as there is an internet connection, the unlimited room for growth.
How do you stay motivated to continually work on your venture?
I love every minute of it…
What is the most difficult thing about being an entrepreneur?
No one to lean on except yourself.