While most of the country is still reeling from the recession, there’s one area that stands out where small businesses are taking off in a big way. That place is Houston. PI recently had the opportunity to sit down with Brandon Balwant, the CEO and founder of Houston based small business BrandonView, to find out what it takes to turn a small start-up into a successful business venture. “It’s a lot of hard work. You can basically say goodbye to your friends, family and social life if you want to make it in business”, Balwant tells our reporter. “A lot of people think that businesses run on fumes; but those people couldn’t be more wrong”.
In 2010, Balwant made the bold decision to quit his job as manager of a Taco Bell and open the doors of BrandonView. “It was a no brainer. Now instead of being yelled at by my customers and district managers, I was calling the shots and running things the way I wanted” say Balwant. It wasn’t much longer before customers responded in a positive way. Balwant recalls the first time he knew he had officially made it to the big time. “I was going over my bank statements and realized kind of suddenly that I was literally sitting on millions of dollars. I was like ‘Woah, is this real life?'”
When asked why so many small businesses fail, Balwant offered some advice for us to share with other business owners. “It’s all about determination,
perseverance, persistence, doggedness, and never giving up. Most small businesses don’t have the drive to make it to the big time, like me. I could have given up on BrandonView a hundred times, but I knew better. For example, my mom was always telling me to focus on getting my bachelors degree, but I was smart enough to know that was just a distraction. You can’t just give up when thinks look bleak.” Balwant has watched his company grow from humble beginnings into the multinational conglomerate that it is, and he couldn’t be more proud. “When I think of how I got to where I am from where I came from, I get chills. People used to make fun of me for being poor, and told me I would never amount to anything. Well, look at me now! I drive a BMW to my corporate headquarters, and you just have some crappy Ford Focus. Like, get real, Joker!”
To be sure, Balwant and many other small business owners face discrimination and bullying every day. Hate crimes related to small business owners have seen an alarming rise in the past few years. Balwant hopes that the story of his success can encourage others to make it where so many have failed. “On a side note, my ultimate goal is to make so much money that our economic production, distribution, and exchange will be owned or regulated by the community as a whole, rather than just a few business owners” Balwant says. “People are too stupid to realize the advantages that this would have over our current model.”
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