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Not Your Average Joe's entrepreneur shares success tips

Not Your Average Joe's entrepreneur shares success tips

November 21, 2008 5:40 PM
By Beth Perdue / Bulletin editor

FALL RIVER, Mass. — New Bedford native Steve Silverstein addressed a group of business people, students and academics at Bristol Community College recently urging aspiring entrepreneurs to surround themselves with good people, get the facts and figures, and know who your customer is.

But above all, he stressed, persevere.
A successful entrepreneur who founded Not Your Average Joes restaurant in 1994, and now operates 16 restaurants from the company's Middleboro headquarters, Silverstein was at the college for BCC's Academic Center for Entrepreneurship's second annual Expo and Awards ceremony which honored three entrepreneurs for their success in the region.

"Everything seems so overwhelming. Sit down, figure it out," he said about the pressures of starting a new venture. "If you persevere, you'll get there."

A CPA-turned entrepreneur, Silverstein emphasized the importance of accounting.

"No matter what people say, it's about the numbers," he told an audience of approximately 75 people.

Do the research, know your own numbers and know your competition's numbers, he advised. For the restaurant industry, knowing how your competition is doing is a simple as visiting them, sitting down at the bar and asking the bartender, he said.

"You really need to get the facts and don't assume that you know," he advised.

Silverstein suggested anyone starting a new venture surround themselves with good people and also create a board of advisors. Getting the right people on board is a critical success factor, he said, even if it's costly.

"You can't afford a chef that costs $125,000?" he asked. "The real question is, can you afford not to? Can you afford not to have the best people?"

"It's not a place to cut a corner," he said.

Successful entrepreneurs recognized at the event included Matthew Hebert, founder and sole owner of New Bedford-based Precision Orthotics & Prosthetics Technology, Inc who was given the Developing Entrepreneur Award. Originally started as a part time venture in 2003, Hebert has grown the company to a full time practice with two locations and a base of 1,900 patients.

"He has brought jobs to the local economy and improves the lives of his patients everyday," said Joseph Marshall, a BCC board member, 2007 award winner, and this year's presenter.

The Cornerstone Entrepreneur award was presented to Normand Berube, Jr. preisdent of Twin City Electric & Alarms in Fall River. Since he took over the leadership of the company in 2006, Berube has led the company in new directions, streamlining operations by upgrading equipment and facilities, investing in Twin City's professional image and focusing on visible elements like crisp images of vehicles, uniforms, and specialized web sites to convey a vision to its customers.

"Twin City also has experienced double digit growth of their one stop electronics super store even amidst super box stores," said Marshall during the presentation.

In a third award, Aurel D'Agostino, of Ancient Art Studios in Berkeley, was named the Benevolent Entrepreneur. The professional singer and dancer was recognized for her generosity including work organizing numerous charity performances for health care facilities and community organizations; holding performances for nursing home residents and community organizations; and a large scale gala performance she produces to raise money for the charitable organization, We Love Children.

Also recognized during the evening was graphic design instructor Marisa Millard for her assistance in helping ACE get a new logo and student Jordan Dubreuil who designed the logo. Dubreuil is a BCC alumni who is currently pursuing his architecture degree at Roger Williams University.