Posted Under: Entrepreneur, Our Heroes, Startup

Greetings all! It’s been a while since I posted a new story in ‘Our Heroes‘ series so here’s our spicy come back… Today I’ve Michael Anderson, Chief Spice Creative & Founder  of SpiceCrafters who broke out of his 9to5 jail where he was a Quality Assurance Engineer. Not happy with what he was doing, Michael tried his luck with multiple ideas before finally launching SpiceCrafters. Let’s find out rest of the spicy details:

DD: Who are you and what kind of corporate job were you at?

MA: My name is Michael Anderson. I went to college like any other person looking for what my future held and had no idea. Not being one for prolonged college I asked myself what the most money I could make with the least amount of college. In 1998 the bull’s eye landed on Computer Information. I graduated, interned and enjoyed a successful career as Quality Assurance Engineer. After I realized I was simply trading time for money and living for the weekend I knew I had to find something I loved to do and then find a way to make it my living. After years of trying little side businesses and ideas I was caught off guard when I picked up a book about spices. That was the beginning of my love for spices and the birth of my business. Spice Crafters Inc. was launched on August 12th 2010.

DD: What made you leave the job? When did you realize that you wanted to be an entrepreneur & why?

MA: When a person is not passionate about what they do for a living eventually you will want out. Whether it’s leaving one job for the next or leaving to start your own business. It was the thirst to control my income, time, and quality of life that drove me to chase my dreams and start my own business. I realized in my position the only dreams I was working towards were those of my employer.

DD: What did you do to break the corporate jail? How did you prepare for the employee to entrepreneur transition?

MA: Preparation for a jump from employee to entrepreneur is all about getting over the fear of the unknown. Not knowing when you’re going to get paid or if the business will succeed as a life sustaining entity is a scary thing. When your faith and passion for your dream outweighs your fears you are ready to make the leap. Some people will have to be full time entrepreneurs and work their 9-to-5′s on the side. To put it simply there is no preparation in my opinion, you set your plan, build up your faith & momentum and make the leap.

DD: What is one resource (person, coach, book, organization anything) that helped the most/best?

MA: To start I would say my biggest help was Reading the book “The Secret” and watching the movie. Before I was exposed to the concept of conditioning my mind for success before I could actually see it, I usually talked myself out of my dreams do to fear and negative thinking. Next I would say what we all use on a daily basis, the web. 99% of every resource I use for my business I found through months of research on the web. I have the mentality that there is nothing I don’t know, because I’m pretty sure I can learn it on the web.

DD: What do you know now that you wish if only you knew when you made the transition?

MA: I’m still so new to entrepreneurship I feel like it’s going to be a while before I can fully wrap my mind around what I should have known. I’m flying by the seat of my pants and living in the magic of life. I’m making mistakes and learning form them. Most importantly I’m here and I’m doing it, not just sitting on the sidelines thinking about it.

DD: What are your suggestions for aspiring entrepreneurs?

MA: My Number one Suggestion is try what compels you and if you fail learn from every mistake that caused the failure. Next, make sure the business you are thinking about starting is truly your passion and something you love to do, otherwise you will eventually become a slave to something you don’t enjoy no matter how much money you may be making. Lastly, don’t listen to experts or take too much advice. As a matter of fact don’t tell or talk to anyone about your business until you’ve researched it and drilled into your mind that no matter what you are going to give it a shot. People tend to cast their fears and doubts on others when giving advice, when you have it set in your mind you are going to do it no matter what, only then can you stand and accept advice.

DD: How are you doing and how do you feel now?

MA: My business is in its infancy stages and we are working hard to gain exposure in our niche. The customers who have tried our signature spice blend PRIMO27 are giving us rave reviews and boasting that they have never tasted anything like. I know and am sure with a product that sells itself after the 1st smell and taste it’s only a matter of time before we experience the success we dream. I feel good about the future of Spice Crafters and the opportunity to define a new market in the spice and seasoning niche. We are optimistic but realist, it’s going to take time to build something great, and we continue to move forward and stay prepared for the moment every entrepreneur awaits…, the opportunity to take it to the next level. They say “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”

DD: Ladies & gentlemen, this was Michael Anderson of SpiceCrafters, a Quality Assurance Engineer turned Founder & CEO, in short an employee turned entrepreneur. The employee to entrepreneur jump is not as much about the business knowledge as it is of resolve. Rationalizing and eventually letting go of the unreasonable fears is the first step.

What are your fears? Please share in the comments below.