Front & Center: Business boot camp with Patrick Bisson

Patrick Bisson teaches aspiring entrepreneurs how to launch their own business.

For instance, he recommends writing a business plan and not relying on personal credit cards to finance their dream.

Sage advice from someone who started his own business with no written plan and just $69 in the bank.

“I was young and dumb,” Bisson admits.

But thanks to hard work and good timing, he eventually sold his company for $250,000.

Now Bisson runs Spokane Community College’s Small Business Boot Camp, which emphasizes thorough research, a strong financial foundation and contingency plans.

The eight-week course includes textbook lessons and presentations by local entrepreneurs and business experts.

During a recent interview, Bisson described the boot camp, his own background and what business he might launch next.

S-R: Where did you grow up?

Bisson: Michigan.

S-R: What were your interests?

Bisson: I loved high school. I was very involved with sports – football, basketball, baseball. My favorite classes were history and business.

S-R: Did you envision a particular career?

Bisson: I always wanted to have my own business. I didn’t know what type, but my dad owned a car dealership, and I liked sales and marketing.

S-R: What was your first job?

Bisson: Mowing lawns when I was about 10. I remember making 75 cents an hour. Looking back, I probably should have charged by the lawn instead of by the hour.

S-R: Any other jobs?

Bisson: I worked at a full-service gas station in high school, pumping gas, washing windshields, fixing tires. That allowed me to drive a 1972 Impala with Cherry Bomb mufflers and save some money for college.

S-R: What was your major?

Bisson: Marketing. I attended Michigan State University and managed to squeeze a four-year program into five (laugh).

S-R: And after college?

Bisson: I got a job with Dart manufacturing, which makes foam cups and containers. I worked there two years, then switched to General Foods. Next I worked for a small company that did exactly what I wanted to do – sell coffee to businesses.

S-R: Why did you want to sell coffee?

Bisson: It’s not that I aspired to sell coffee exactly. But Dart made cups, General Foods sold coffee, and that’s how I learned about the office coffee industry, where you put coffee brewers in a business and service them on a regular basis. I always tell prospective entrepreneurs to work for somebody who does what you want to do, to get a feel for it.

S-R: Tell me about your company.

Bisson: I started Front Street Coffee on May 4, 1992. I distinctly remember walking in wearing a white shirt and tie, sitting down at my desk, and not having anything to do. So I got back up, headed out the door and started looking for customers.

S-R: How long did it take for your business to gain traction?

Bisson: Only a couple of months. I saw a daycare van with the name on the side – a pharmaceutical company big enough to offer daycare service to its employees. So I literally followed the van to the company’s headquarters, went inside and persuaded someone to let me put a coffee brewer in one building on their campus. Gradually I put brewers in all their buildings. While servicing them, I noticed used toners stacked next to copy machines, so I offered to recycle them. Pretty soon I was replacing toners, resupplying copy paper, and eventually servicing their vending machines. They loved it because they only had to write one check a month for everything, and I was able to grow my business without finding new customers. That was the turning point.

S-R: Did you ever worry your business might fail?

Bisson: All the time. Starvation is a tremendous motivator.

S-R: What lessons did you learn?

Bisson: Always focus on service. My customers all knew me. If I had a problem or they did, we communicated and solved it.

S-R: Did the recession impact your company?

Bisson: I got out just in time. In February 2008, I got married, sold the business to my partner and moved to Washington state. My timing was impeccable.

S-R: How much did it cost to start the business?

Bisson: I remember sitting in a Wachovia bank and being told, “We normally like to open a business checking account with more than $69.” Everyone told me I didn’t have enough money, but I thought, “When will I ever have enough?” I was single, I didn’t have any bills and did everything with credit cards, so I was able to maneuver. I grew the company from nothing to $1.1 million in annual sales, and sold it for $250,000.

S-R: What brought you to Spokane?

Bisson: My wife and I moved here in 2008 when she joined Northwest MedStar critical care transport. After the economy tanked and jobs were scarce, I decided to enroll in Washington State University’s MBA program, and graduated in 2010. Now I’m an entrepreneurship instructor at Spokane Valley Tech (a collaborative effort of the Central Valley, East Valley, Freeman and West Valley school districts) and an adjunct professor at SCC.

S-R: Who attends SCC’s Small Business Boot Camp?

Bisson: We get all kinds. Some people have no idea what kind of business they want. Others have already launched a business and are looking for helpful information. Some are right out of college; some are middle age. One was a retired doctor who was thinking about getting into mini-storage. We offer the class in the evening because most participants work full time.

S-R: What’s the curriculum?

Bisson: The Core Four business course covers success planning, marketing, cash flow and operations. And we mix textbook learning with anecdotal examples – things I or our guest speakers did to be successful. We also stress the importance of connections. In any business, your potential for success increases exponentially if you have a mentor, and successful entrepreneurs typically are willing to help others get started.

S-R: Are some participants reluctant to talk about their idea for fear someone will steal it?

Bisson: Yes. But I tell them they need to talk to anybody who will listen, so people can point out pitfalls. Chances are it’s not really that great of an idea to begin with. If they talk about it, others can help them improve it.

S-R: What are some mistakes aspiring entrepreneurs make?

Bisson: Their sales projections are overly optimistic, they underestimate expenses, and they don’t have a written business plan. They say, “It’s all in my head.” A written business plan allows you to make mistakes on paper, when it doesn’t cost you anything. Besides, no bank will loan you money without a viable business plan.

S-R: Can you think of a local example of a well-executed business plan?

Bisson: I love what Josh Wade did with his downtown Nectar Tasting Room. He used social media to create a buzz, sell memberships and raise $7,500 in operating capital before he even opened his doors.

S-R: What challenges lie ahead for small businesses?

Bisson: I don’t think we’re out of the recession, so people need to be very cautious.

S-R: Are you interested in launching another business?

Bisson: I am.

S-R: What kind?

Bisson: The ideal business for me would be website-driven, product-based – something I could market and ship nationwide from one location.

S-R: Such as?

Bisson: A monthly-membership gourmet coffee or tea club, or maybe something to do with coconut oil byproducts. A pub with good food and local brews also interests me.

S-R: Is this a good time to start a business?

Bisson: There’s always room for new businesses that promise a lot and deliver even more. People will pay for value, service and quality.

This interview has been condensed. If you’d like to suggest a business or community leader to profile, contact Michael Guilfoil at mguilfoil@comcast.net.