Mark Wickham is the founder and president of Quality Growers, an importer, exporter, and manufacturer of floral and decorative products. He started his business out of his garage at the age of 19, while still in college. Today, Quality Growers’ products are sold in all 50 states and overseas.
In my interview with Mark, we discuss the key moments that led to the success of his business, including:
- A conversation with a school counselor who encouraged him to LEAVE school for a year to focus on his business.
- The time that he pulled in and out of a parking lot TWICE out of fear that he was too young to be taken seriously as a business owner.
- A trip to Europe that provided the inspiration for his breakthrough U.S. product.
- A recent sales trip where he had to overcome the same fear that he dealt with as a 19-year old.
A lot of college students think that they should quit school to pursue a business idea. However, oftentimes that’s actually a bad move.
But through Mark’s story, you’ll learn the criteria you’ll want to meet before you leave college to grow your business. And we’ll also discuss how long you should test out a business idea before ditching it and heading back to school.
Related: 5 Side Hustles That Could Become Your Full-Time Job
