Most MBA students start looking for a job as soon as they enter the program, but not many of them decide to open a business during the program. However, that's exactly what MBA graduate Kevin Heintzman did in 1997!
Always wanting to be a business owner rather than an employee, Kevin and his partner, Timothy Nystrom (BU'98), decided to start their own Smoothie King franchise after tasting a "smoothie" just one time! Today, Smoothie King has a great reputation in the market, is highly rated in franchise magazines, has corporate support for individual franchises, and is recognized as having a superior product.
What's a smoothie? It's an ice-based drink made of fresh fruits and juices that is "made to order" at Smoothie King. Since Smoothie King is also a natural choice for health conscience people, Kevin and Timothy have added a wide array of health products and supplements to their line.
While researching the franchise industry, Kevin applied many of the skills he was developing in his MBA courses. Today, he specifically credits the MBA program with equipping him for the real business world with planning and management skills, the ability to effectively implement a business plan, negotiation skills, and the expertise to prepare and use financial plans.
"The primary challenge we faced in setting up the franchise was raising capital to find our idea," Kevin explained. "We prepared a solid business plan and supporting documents and evidently our presentation to a local community banker was professional and convincing because we secured the money!" For those who would like to be entrepreneurs, Kevin adds that they must also possess skills in time management, organizational behavior and accounting.
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