ANCHOR: EVER DREAMED ABOUT STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS?

ANCHOR: THE ENTREPRENEURIAL LIFE ISN’T FOR EVERYONE. MONEY SAVING EXPERT ILYCE GLINK IS HERE WITH A STORY OF HOW TWO SIBLINGS ARE FIGHTING TO TURN THEIR DREAM JOB INTO ONE THAT PAYS THE BILLS.

ILYCE: STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS? THERE’S NOTHING TO IT. ALL YOU NEED IS A GREAT IDEA, SOME START-UP CAPITAL, FAVORABLE BUSINESS CONDITIONS AND ABOUT AN EXTRA 10 HOURS IN A DAY TO GET EVERYTHING DONE. SOUND LIKE MISSION IMPOSSIBLE? HERE’S A LOOK AT HOW THE ROARK SIBLINGS ARE TURNING THEIR DREAMS OF RUNNING A PUBLISHING COMPANY INTO REALITY.


B-ROLL OF KELLY, BILL AND NANCY ROURKE WORKING ON THE MAGAZINE

BILL ROURKE/ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/TRAVELHOST: “IT’S USUALLY 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK. I’LL FIND MYSELF ON WEEKENDS TAKING MAGAZINES TO CLIENTS OR STOPPING AT HOTELS MAKING SURE THE PUBLICATION IS PROPERLY PLACED, EVEN VISITING CLIENTS ON WEEKENDS BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM MAY NOT WORK DURING THE WEEK AND THEIR BUSIEST TIME IS ON THE WEEKEND. SO IF THEY NEED ME TO MEET WITH THEM FOR A FEW MOMENTS, I’LL BE THERE.

WELCOME TO AN AVERAGE DAY IN THE LIFE OF BILL AND KELLY ROURKE, ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERS OF THE YEAR-OLD MAGAZINE TRAVELHOST CHICAGO. IF DEVOTING ALL OF YOUR TIME, ENERGY, AND CASH TOWARD STARTING UP A BUSINESS ISN’T DAUNTING ENOUGH, BILL AND KELLIE HAVEN’T TAKEN HOME A DIME IN SALARY SINCE THEY LAUNCHED TRAVELHOST 13 MONTHS AGO.

BILL ROURKE/ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER TRAVELHOST: “SOME ADVICE THAT I WOULD GIVE TO SOME PEOPLE THINKING OF STARTING THEIR OWN BUSINESS IS IF THEY THINK IT WILL COST THEM X AMOUNT TO PROBABLY DOUBLE THAT.” (LAUGHS)

ILYCE: “IT’S LIKE BUILDING A HOUSE”

BILL: “IT IS”

GOING WITHOUT A REGULAR PAYCHECK IS ONE ISSUE YOU’LL HAVE TO FACE WHEN STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS. ANOTHER IS THAT YOU’RE RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING.

KELLY ROURKE/ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER TRAVELHOST: “DAY TO DAY YOU’RE DEALING WITH ACCOUNTING, FINANCES, DISTRIBUTION, SALES, MANAGEMENT AND YOU’RE WEARING ALL THE HATS. YOU’RE GAINING A LOT OF EXPERIENCE BUT THERE’S SO MUCH YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW TO PRIORITIZE WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT AND WHAT CAN WAIT.”

OF COURSE, THE MAIN BENEFIT OF BEING SELF-EMPLOYED IS YOU CALL ALL THE SHOTS . . . AND YOU CAN CALL THEM IN YOUR BATHROOM FROM YOUR HOME OFFICE.

BILL ROURKE/ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER TRAVELHOST: “I SPEND MOST OF MY TIME WORKING OUT OF MY HOME OFFICE….(BUTT TO) MY OFFICE IS TEN FEET FROM WHERE I WAKE UP IN THE MORNING SO I CAN CHECK MY EMAILS, MAKE SOME PHONE CALLS, GET ON THE INTERNET IF I HAVE TO DO SOME WORK ON THE WEBSITE….”

THE MOST FRUSTRATING THING ABOUT MAKING THE NUMBERS WORK IS SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO DEPEND ON THE RATHER UNDEPENDABLE CHICAGO WEATHER.

BILL ROURKE/ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER TRAVELHOST: “IF THE SUN IS SHINING AND THE WEATHER IS NICE YOUR CHANCES OF CLOSING A SALE ARE MUCH HIGHER THAN IF ITS RAINING COLD OUT. SO WE’RE HOPING TO GET IN AS MANY SALES AS WE CAN WHILE THE WEATHER IS STILL NICE.”

AND WHILE EVERY DAY ISN’T PERFECT, AND THE NEWS ISN’T ALWAYS GOOD, NEITHER WOULD TRADE THIS EXPERIENCE FOR ANYTHING.

KELLY ROURKE/ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER TRAVELHOST: “BEING YOUR OWN BUSINESS OWNER ALLOWS YOUR CREATIVITY TO FLOW. IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA, NO MATTER HOW OUTRAGEOUS IT IS, NO MUCH HOW OTHER PEOPLE DON’T BELIEVE IN IT, YOU HAVE THE FREEDOM TO DO IT . . .”

KELLY ROURKE/ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER TRAVELHOST: “HAVING A TASTE OF THE ENTREPRENEURIAL LIFE, I DON’T THINK I COULD EVER GO BACK TO CORPORATE.”


IF YOU’RE GOING TO START YOUR OWN BUSINESS YOU’LL NEED TO NETWORK TO GET CLIENTS AND CUSTOMERS AND FIND SUPPLIERS THAT CAN HELP YOUR BUSINESS GROW. TRY.

NON-PROFIT TRADE ASSOCIATIONS RELATED CONFERENCES AND CONVENTIONS NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES WWW.SBA.GOV.

ILYCE: GETTING INVOLVED WITH NON-PROFIT TRADE ASSOCIATIONS. PLAN TO ATTEND CONFERENCES AND CONVENTIONS THAT RELATE TO YOUR BUSINESS. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EVERY NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY AND CHECK OUT THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION’S WEBSITE AT WWW.SBA.GOV.

ANCHOR: CHECK OUT WGNTV.COM AND THINKGLINK.COM FOR MORE IDEAS AND LINKS FOR STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS.