Kimbal Musk (born September 20, 1972) is an entrepreneur who has helped found, advise and invest in several software and technology companies. He is the chef and owner of The Kitchen restaurant in Boulder, Colorado. Musk sits on the board for Tesla Motors, OneRiot, and SpaceX, and the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship. He is a former College Pro franchisee.1. Explain your College Pro experience.
I did College Pro Painters in the summers of ’93 and ’94. In ’93 I worked an area in Toronto and won rookie manager of the year. In ’94 I worked an area in Kingston, Ontario.
2. Why did you choose College Pro?
I chose CPP because I had tried a corporate finance job the summer before and I hated it. Wanted to try an entrepreneurial opportunity.
3. What skills did you learn at College Pro that made a difference in your business career?
Unbelievable skills, from hiring to firing, to project management, to financing/acccounting, to learning and dealing with the stress of a small business, to selling and customer managegment.
4. What advice can you give other students who are considering starting a franchise?
My advice is “just do it.” There’s no other way to learn those skills that quickly and you’ll use those skills in any job/ business you take on afterwards.
5. In 140 characters or less, give us your thoughts on entrepreneurship.
Make sure you love what you’re doing. Being an entrepreneur is awesome, but it is also hard. If you love it, you’ll never work a day in your life.