"Hey, I like your chicken!"

Interesting title for a blog, right? You’re probably thinking that it’s totally not relevant, but stay tuned for the explanation! :)

During my Consumer Behavior class yesterday, our teacher took us to the Chapel for a guest speaker. Now, we didn’t know about this beforehand, so none of us knew what to really expect. The only info we got as we made our way to the presentation was that our speaker was a successful, young, local entrepreneur.

Young? Well that’s not something you always find in conjunction with successful entrepreneur… especially with someone who’s local. (By local, I’m talking a Houston native that’s now living in Fort Worth!)

As I mentioned, Justin Anderson is a Houston-native. Now, he has clearly had an entrepreneurial mind since he was young. (I’m not even kidding. We saw a picture of his lemonade stand from when he was a little kid!) He is the founder and owner of Anderson Trail. Anderson Trail produces and packages natural, moist granola. (I can tell you first hand that it’s delicious.) Here is a video about his journey to success:

Mr. Anderson had a very interesting story, but there were a few things that stood out to me the most. He started the company with a $500 loan from his grandmother. Oh, and he was making the granola in his kitchen, all while still attending high school!

The free granola that Mr. Anderson gave me!

Justin Anderson’s story reminded me that you will never have a smooth ride in regards to building your own business. At the same time, it also reminded me that if you have the drive and passion, you can do whatever you want. You don’t have to wait until you’re 24 and out of college. You can start right now.

Hey, maybe a couple years after you graduate from Northwood, you can come back and speak to the new generation of business students!

-Erica

The explanation I promised you: Mr. Anderson was at a scholarship reception when he spotted S. Truett Cathy. (Mr. Cathy is the owner of Chick-Fil-A, in case you didn’t know!) Now guess what enthusiastic comment led Mr. Cathy to ask Mr. Anderson to join him at his table…. that’s right. “Hey, I like your chicken!”