An Aspiring Internet Entrepreneur & Student Interviews Stukent CEO Stuart Draper

Recently, I was interviewed by an aspiring internet entrepreneur. She had some thought-provoking questions and since she isn’t the first to ask most of these questions, and I know there are a lot of students out there that would like to one day become entrepreneurs themselves, I figured I would share my responses with the world.

2.  What is a typical day at work for you?  What are your responsibilities?

I don’t have a typical day. I am a founder/CEO. I oversee funding, finances, marketing, sales, advertising, development, HR and customer service.

3.  Who has influenced you the most in your career?

Corey Smith. He was the first investor in my startup and a mentor for seven years before that.

4.  What do you do to live a balanced life with work, family, and hobbies?

It is Saturday at 6 PM. I’m in an airport. Haven’t seen my wife and kids since Tuesday. It can be tough when you’re on the road a lot. When I am not on the road, I wake up early and get stuff done so I can quit work at 5, 6 at the latest. Then I unplug for a couple hours to be with my wife and kids. Once the kids are in bed, I plug back in for 1-2 hours. Date night with my wife every week. Sundays are entirely for family and Saturday’s as well when they can be.  As an entrepreneur and CEO, I have a very supportive and understanding wife. A must.

5.  What mistakes have you made? What would you have done differently?

I don’t make mistakes.  Just kidding. I only traveled if I absolutely had to when I started GetFoundFirst.com. As an entrepreneur in Idaho, you miss out on sooo many opportunities by not traveling. I learned from that mistake, and it has helped me out a lot with Stukent.com.  I have also made the mistake of hiring fast and firing slow. That is wrong. You hire slow, and you fire fast.

6.  What parts of your job do you find the most challenging?

Juggling so many responsibilities. I have outsourced what I am not good at. I hate firing people. Always prioritizing correctly. Spending too much time in email.

Lots of challenges, but I never let them get me down!

7.  What is the most enjoyable part of your career?

Creating something from nothing & helping others. Just the other day a student told one of my customers that the reason they got a job was because of the work they did with Stukent’s material.

8.  What are the most important skills or qualities for your job?

Positive attitude. You hear a lot of no’s. Each day is a roller coaster of highs and lows.

9.  Are there any skills you are still working on?

Getting better at public speaking, fundraising, and business finances in general.

10.  What advice do you have for me as a business student [and aspiring internet entrepreneur]?

Get as much exposure and experience as you can in all of the areas of business so you can find what you really love. Build your personal online brand while in school. Start with Linkedin. I’m happy to connect with you. Don’t take crappy summer jobs. While in school offer to do free projects for business owners. That is a GREAT way to build your resume.