Entrepreneur-Jason Bru

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Entrepreneur-Jason Bru, 32,

Business-The General Nutrition Centre (GNC),

Launched-July 2002

Location-The Mall at Lawson Heights in Saskatoon

Jason Bru managed a corporate-owned GNC for four-and-a-half years before branching out to open a franchise of the health-food store on his own.

Windspeaker: Why did you start your own business?

Jason Bru: That's what I've wanted to do since I can remember, is to own my own business. I used to manage a GNC in the Midtown Plaza, and they started franchising. GNC never franchised before. They started franchising and I just put an application in. It took like a year; it was a long process, actually. And then I just opened up in a different mall in a different part of the city.

Windspeaker: Any formal business training?

Bru: I got my business admin diploma from the Saskatoon Business College. And I managed a couple of stores. I managed a GNC for four or five years before that.

Windspeaker: What are your business short-term goals?

Bru: I'm building a Web site. I'll have my own Web site going up by fall, hopefully. I want to make money, too, in the short term.

Windspeaker: Long term?

Bru: In the long-term, I want to open, actually, more businesses. More franchises, and getting my sales to a level where I can feel very comfortable being able to hire a manager.

Windspeaker: What has been your greatest business success so far?

Bru: One time we had a sale, and I didn't know how it was going to go, right? So we had like a radio ad and we called everybody up and I just thought it was going to be a flunk and we ended up doing like five grand that day. That's when I started to really look into advertising, about how you can generate so much interest in one day. Stuff like that. And meeting people, that's what I like doing the most.

Windspeaker: What was the biggest hurdle you've faced so far in operating your own business?

Bru: The cash flow ... Like if you make a dollar you have to spend two dollars, kinda, and you've got to figure out where that other dollar's coming from, at the start. That's why I hated getting it going.

And stress. You know what? Stress is a big factor ... I stressed out a little bit too much, probably. Just because the money was always tight and you always hear these businesses don't make it past the first two years and stuff like that. I'm like a statistic guy. I always listen to that.

And the mall traffic. It's a little bit down. It should be a little bit higher. So that's like a hurdle. So basically you have to find people outside the community and get them to come to the mall.

Because some of these malls ... you just open your doors. All the franchises that I know of don't even advertise. I'm the only one that advertises a lot. It's because they're all in busy malls.

Windspeaker: What has been the biggest surprise for you in getting your business up and running?

Jason Bru: How much running around you need to do. Like the phone calls and just how much work it actually takes to get your debit machine going, stuff like that. How hard it is actually to bring people into your store. You know what the surprise for me was? I thought I knew a lot of people in Saskatoon, from managing a store. It's like you've got to know a lot of people, plus you have to have a lot of other people come into your store. I didn't realize how many customers you actually needed.

Windpspeaker: If you could start all over again with your business, what would you do differently?

Bru: I would stress less, not worry as much, for sure.

Windspeaker: What is the greatest reward of running your own business?

Bru: I like to satisfy customers. When a customer actually comes in and says this works or this helped or whatever.

Windspeaker: What one piece of advice would you give to other young Aboriginal entrepreneurs or would-be entrepreneurs?

Bru: Don't stress out ... and make a good business plan, first of all. A business plan is important. And on yourbusiness plan, put your expenses high and your income low, because then you can't be disappointed, you know what I mean? You're supposed to do that on business plans and I think most people don't. Most people are a little bit too optimistic.