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Magazine: Why did you choose to start a business in your industry?
Tony: In early 1995, at age 26, I was a Vice-President of a company that operated thirty-six tanning facilities throughout the United States. The company was preparing to go public.
In one of those "Aha!" moments of inspirational clarity, the realization that a huge opportunity had presented itself washed over me. The tanning industry was a highly fragmented "Mom and Pop" dominated business, with extremely low service delivery. In a leap of faith, and to the amazement of the owners, I resigned and began to chart the course for my own tanning company.
D: Describe the first year of building your business.
T:The first year encompassed a myriad of emotions, great heights of exhilaration, the depths of despair, all punctuated with the chaos of somehow doing more things right than wrong. I felt the awesome burden of the realization that the twelve people who worked for me were trusting me to provide their livelihood. It was unlike anything I had tasted before...and I LOVED IT!
D: Which of your abilities has helped you become a successful young entrepreneur?
My sheer dogmatic persistence, coupled with the courage to follow my internal compass with determined focus has created much of my success. Also staying humble and remaining open to counsel from trusted mentors and advisors many years my senior. This allowed me to avoid the classic mistakes of entrepreneurial zest that claim many young people in business.
D: What advice would you give aspiring entrepreneurs?
T: The only place you find success before work is in the dictionary! Be prepared to devote long, hard hours to your craft, knowing that you will stumble and bloody yourself along the path of gaining experience. To succeed you must love your business as if it was a living, breathing being. If you truly love what you do, the magic of success comes because the hours turn into days, then weeks, then years. In business, as in life, integrity is the foundation for long-term success. What goes around, comes around.
D: Have you concentrated your efforts on one successful business, or have you founded (or co-founded) more than one company?
T: My first and only love is Planet Tan. I founded this company at 26 years of age and will be celebrating my ninth anniversary this year!
D: What are your future business plans.
T: My vision for Planet Tan involves growing and expanding the brand by focusing on the two main ingredients that determine our success: Access and Experience. Remaining true to our culture and values ensures we relate to our Members and our commitment to them. This is mirrored in the way we treat our fellow team members. This combination will ultimately determine our success.
D: Where are you from and what is your education? Did your background better enable you to start your business, or did it provide an interesting challenge?
T: Originally from St. Louis Missouri, I graduated from Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville with a degree in Business. More than my education though, I believe my Midwestern roots and having the adversity of being responsible for my family's livelihood at an early age was the best preparation to become a successful entrepreneur.
D: Why did your choose the Dallas-Fort Worth area as a base for your operations?
T: I chose Dallas because first and foremost it was one of the fastest growing cities in the USA. In addition, the high concentration of the active lifestyle segment (those who seek products that make them look and feel better) attracted me. Planet Tan is in the business of making people look and feel better; it just so happens tanning is our connector. The friendliness of the people combined with their traditional values, with all the benefits of a cosmopolitan city made it an ideal choice.
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