I’m a Successful Small Business Owner: 3 Ways My First Job Prepared Me To Be an Entrepreneur
Written by
J. Arky
Edited by
Amber Barkley
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Some of the most inspirational success stories come from humble beginnings. At some point, everyone has to get a job and start making money — whether it’s as early as in high school or even earning an allowance doing chores around the house, or after earning a college degree. Many small business owners had multiple jobs before deciding to forge their own path — and lots of them still remember lessons learned at their first job that they use today in their own business.
GOBankingRates spoke to three small business owners to find out how their first jobs prepared them to be entrepreneurs.
Management Matters
Paul L Gunn Jr., the founder and CEO at KUOG Corporation, gained his first work experience from McDonalds, where he learned an important lesson: Management style makes a huge difference, and poor management hinders a business down to the smallest details.
“The initial shift manager was a kind soul,” Gunn said. “He would go in between the cashier, drive through and meat flipping to ensure all were doing well. Taking up the small things when the location got busy.” In supporting whoever needed it, this manager proved he didn’t see himself as above the team. “He shortly moved to another state to pursue further schooling.”
Gunn wasn’t so lucky in his next manager.
“When the new manager came in, it was a complete shift in morale,” Gunn explained. “She immediately took a micromanagement style to have her hands in every function, as though she alone ran each station, independent of the team there. She would yell and belittle team members.”
Gunn took from this experience an understanding of the type of manager he wanted to be, and that he wanted to “be in a position to help others as a founder. … It left a mark on me that the impact of kindness can go a long way.”
Gunn’s experience in later jobs proved to him that the kind manager was a rarity.
“It showed me the job was not a safe haven for protection against poor managers and drove me to vow to lead from being anchored in wisdom of the heart,” he said.
This lesson has impacted his own business: “It aided in us having significant revenue drivers and a team environment encapsulated for moving for something greater.”
Adaptability
Sophie Musumeci, the founder of Real Entrepreneur Women, worked in a clothing store after leaving high school without a diploma.
“There I was, 17, thrown straight into the world of customer service, sales targets and team dynamics,” she said. “I learned the ropes on the floor, adapting fast because I had to.”
She called quickly absorbing and applying what she needed to know her superpower.
“This hands-on approach not only helped the pilot succeed but also proved that my ability to take complex information, simplify it and implement it effectively could drive real change,” said Musumeci. I eventually worked my way to a multiple six-figure role, all without a degree, and had the opportunity to work at leading companies like Westpac and IAG.
“But I always felt there was ‘more’ waiting for me,” added Musumeci. “As an entrepreneur, those early lessons in resilience, adaptability and simplifying complexity have been invaluable. Today, I use that same approach to help other women build thriving coaching businesses, translating complex strategies into simple, actionable steps they can run with.”
Good Leaders Respect Their Teams
Tom Jauncey, head nerd and CEO at Nautilus Marketing, said, “My first job as a theatre usher taught me a lot — mainly about how not to be a boss!”
He thought he was going into a fun side job that would complement his ability as a stage actor. “But my boss was the classic ‘barks orders and talks down to everyone’ type, which made it pretty miserable,” Jauncey said. “Seeing how his attitude drained the team, I knew I wanted to lead differently if I ever ran my own business.”
He started taking on social media clients while he worked at the theatre.
“One day, while handing out playbills, I had a revelation: ‘Why am I doing this?’ It was time to leave behind the acting and the theatre and dive into building something of my own,” Jauncey said.
“Fast-forward, and I now run a full-service digital marketing agency where treating people well is non-negotiable,” he said. “That early job taught me so much about leadership. I believe people work better and feel more invested when they’re respected and valued.
“So, while my theatre days were a bit rough, they gave me the drive to create a positive work environment: one where everyone can thrive — minus the boss barking orders!”
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