by Robb Zerr | Mar 1, 2022 | Entrepreneurship, Rebuilding a Business, Starting a Business
Before I came to Commerce almost a decade ago, I had a secret life. If you’ve read these Startup Blogs for any length of time, you know that I was an entrepreneur and small business owner before joining the state. But as you can see by the headline, I am also a...
by Robb Zerr | Jan 31, 2022 | Access to Capital, Entrepreneurship, Starting a Business
When I started my business, oh, so long ago, I knew virtually nothing about managing a company’s finances. About four years into it, I famously had a ton of money in the bank to brag about, but it’s only because I didn’t pay my taxes. The feds found out, and that big...
by Robb Zerr | Oct 28, 2021 | Entrepreneurship
One of the hardest things about working for the state is that I can’t run off and start a business at the drop of a hat. After almost 10 years at the Department of Commerce, I still have this burning desire to be an entrepreneur. I just can’t help myself. It’s in my...
by Robb Zerr | May 3, 2021 | Entrepreneurship
In previous blogs, I’ve mentioned how gratifying it is to own and operate a small business. Not only do you get the freedom to create your own company, but you also get to forge lasting partnerships, build a loyal customer base and create jobs in your community. It’s...
by Robb Zerr | Apr 2, 2021 | Entrepreneurship, Rebuilding a Business, Starting a Business
This past year has certainly been a memorable one, one that we’ll undoubtedly tell our grandchildren and great-grandchildren about without the need to add the phrase, “two miles in the snow, uphill both ways.” Some of us will even be able to tell them that...
by Robb Zerr | Feb 1, 2021 | Entrepreneurship, Rebuilding a Business
When I talk to others about what it’s like to start a business, I often turn to one of my favorite analogies. “It’s like the Old West,” I would say. “Old West towns had two types of people in it: settlers and gamblers. The settlers were more than happy to live life as...
