Tarleton State University and Early Economic Development Corporation joined in an effort to have a field trip and entrepreneur class at the Small Business Incubator Facility in Early.
Ashley Lovell, Ph.D., Professor of Agricultural Economics at TSU, brought a class of 25 students to the Small Business Incubator Facility to listen to two local entrepreneurs tell about their experience in starting their own business. Harlan and Lori Hohertz, owners of Early Blooms and Things, explained how Lori was a stay at home mom and started a hand-made air freshener business in her spare room, then the garage, then in her mother-in-law , Beverly Hohertz’s, garage until they just needed their own building. Over a 3 year time span, they have grown, updated, changed direction, added direction and have plans for more “direction”. Lori explained that when they felt the time was right they would add another business to their blend. The most recent addition was the 5 tanning beds business in the building next to the original flower shop that they purchased.
The students asked several good questions like “how were you able to keep the income and expenses for each of the different areas in the correct business order?” Lori explained that QuickBooks Programs kept their records straight, but during the first years they would put in long hours in the evening entering the day’s purchases and sales from hand-written tickets until they updated their system.
“It is not all roses and glory”, stated Lori, “you have to go with your heart sometimes and do what you think is right”. She started at home with one part-time college student and addition to her and Harlan. Now, including Lori and Harlan, there are 5 fulltime employees and they will be hiring another one soon.
Dr. Lovell gave the Hohertzs a gift from Tarleton State University for being so willing to tell how they started their own business and some of the ups and downs that these students needed to know as they go into the world of business. He also gave Wanda Furgason, Executive Director of EEDC, a certificate of appreciation for having the students in for an entrepreneur class for the last four years.
