C A S E S T U D Y O N A N E N T R E P R E N E U R
Informational-Interview Questions for Entrepreneurs
Compiled by Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.
Informational Interviews are a wonderful networking tool, as well as for learning more about careers in which you are interested. What if you're more interested in starting your own business than working for someone else? Informational interviews are terrific for finding out more about what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur.
Here are questions to consider asking entrepreneurs when you interview them:
What ignited the spark in you to start a new business venture or to make significant changes in an existing business? How did the idea for your business come about?
How do you find people to bring into your organization that truly care about the organization the way you do?
How important have good employees been to your success?
What three pieces of advice would you give to college students who want to become entrepreneurs?
If you had the chance to start your career over again, what would you do differently?
What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
What have been some of your failures, and what have you learned from them?
How long do you stick with an idea before giving up?
How many hours do you work a day on average?
Describe/outline your typical day?
How has being an entrepreneur affected your family life?
What motivates you?
How do you generate new ideas?
How far are you willing to go to succeed?
What is your greatest fear, and how do you manage fear?
What are your ideals?
How do you define success?
What is the best way to achieve long-term success?
Is your company profitable or what is your profit for last year?
Where did your organization's funding/capital come from and how did you go about getting it? How did you obtain investors for your venture?
How do you build a successful customer base?
How did you decide on the location for your business?
Do you believe there is some
Compiled by Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.
Informational Interviews are a wonderful networking tool, as well as for learning more about careers in which you are interested. What if you're more interested in starting your own business than working for someone else? Informational interviews are terrific for finding out more about what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur.
Here are questions to consider asking entrepreneurs when you interview them:
What ignited the spark in you to start a new business venture or to make significant changes in an existing business? How did the idea for your business come about?
How do you find people to bring into your organization that truly care about the organization the way you do?
How important have good employees been to your success?
What three pieces of advice would you give to college students who want to become entrepreneurs?
If you had the chance to start your career over again, what would you do differently?
What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
What have been some of your failures, and what have you learned from them?
How long do you stick with an idea before giving up?
How many hours do you work a day on average?
Describe/outline your typical day?
How has being an entrepreneur affected your family life?
What motivates you?
How do you generate new ideas?
How far are you willing to go to succeed?
What is your greatest fear, and how do you manage fear?
What are your ideals?
How do you define success?
What is the best way to achieve long-term success?
Is your company profitable or what is your profit for last year?
Where did your organization's funding/capital come from and how did you go about getting it? How did you obtain investors for your venture?
How do you build a successful customer base?
How did you decide on the location for your business?
Do you believe there is some