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The Making of a SMALL BUSINESS OWNER Story by Kaitlyn Wiebusch: Dakota Business Lending Illustrated by: Willow Larson Marcia Humphrey - eddieandbarkusThe Making of a Small Business Owner Perhaps one of the biggest obstacles that prevents people from taking the leap into entrepreneurship and starting their own business is the belief that they need a particular skillset, education, or background to be successful. For nearly 40 years, our organization has worked with countless individuals who have proven to us that this is simply not the case. We have witnessed hundreds of people of diverse backgrounds, educations, and talents start businesses that have impacted our state and its communities for generations to come. And they have done so by relying on the lessons they have learned throughout their life and the wisdom and expertise of those around them. The ability to start or own your own business does not depend on if you received a business degree, grew up with a small business owner, or are number savvy. Instead, it depends on your ability to persevere,…to learn,…to grow,…and to allow the experiences you have had in your life shape and form you into the best business owner you can be. Small business owners are not made from a recipe. They are ordinary individuals with an extraordinary passion to learn, grow, and succeed. This story is a glimpse into what small business owners are REALLY made of. iFor Marcia’s Father, Joseph Blake Humphrey August 18, 1920 - September 13, 2014 Marcia’s father is the man behind eddieandbarkus. He taught Marcia all that she needs to know and is part of the reason why she started a business. He passed away in 2014 at the age of 94. The voice of wisdom throughout this journey. iiMarcia Humphrey’s story begins on a small family farm in Grandin, ND. For years, this farm is all she knew. Marcia was taught some of life’s greatest lessons. Her father became her backbone and showed her the importance of independence, knowledge, asking for help, and hard work. And she followed his example... Whether she was driving combine or tractor, mucking stalls, showing horses, or anything in between, Marcia gave it her all. And when she did not know how, she learned. Little did she know that these ordinary, day-to-day jobs would become a foundation to build the rest of her life – and her business. 1“If you are going to start something, you better do your research. Know your ins and outs and look at everything. If you can do that, you can do anything.” 2“Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. Be smart, observe, learn, and ask questions. You can do anything you put your mind to.” While she did miss the horse show, she learned a valuable lesson: be smart and persevere - the only way you can learn is by trying. Marcia loved showing horses. It was Marcia’s first show. Horse loaded. And she was ready when her dad asked, “Can you back up the trailer?” “Well, of course I can. I can do anything,” replied Marcia confidently. Her dad said, “Show me.” She then spent the rest of the day learning to back up the trailer on her own. 3“Do you believe in this? Then I do too. You can do anything you put your mind to.” As she grew older, Marcia decided to pursue a career in marketing, which she worked in for over 18 years. And while she loved every minute of it, some major life changes brought a new passion to the forefront. In 2006, Marcia decided to leave her nearly 2-decade marketing career, lease a building, and start her very own dog daycare boarding business. Despite most people thinking she was crazy, her father remained steadfast, supporting her every step of the way. And so began the journey of: “eddieandbarkus” Fargo’s very first dog boarding facility. 4“You can do anything you want to if you put your mind to it, but keep in mind your strengths and weaknesses. Those will be critical to your overall success.” Marcia’s vision was simple: create a safe and fun space for dogs to stay and play. But more than that? She believed in the transformation of the care for dog boarding facilities statewide. As she began this new journey, Marcia received a critical lesson her father taught her a long time ago: know your strengths and weaknesses. For Marcia, it was simple: where her knowledge lacked was in the numbers. She knew that, in order to achieve her dream for the business, she would need to apply those same lessons: be open to learning, work hard, and ask for help. That’s exactly what she did...… 5Her father and her dog, Eddie, became a huge inspiration and support for the start of this business. Her lease signer came up with the name “Eddie and Barkus” on the day they were finalizing paperwork. Marcia’s best friend helped her set up her corporation and assisted her with accounting aspects of her business. Even two of Eddie’s groomers approached Marcia with a desire to work at eddieandbarkus and became her first employees. “It seemed like there were always people in my path to help guide me along the way.” As soon as she began this business venture, things just fell into place. She found support in the unexpected and came to see that each person she encountered was put in her path for a reason. 6Next >