Winnipeg Entrepreneur Kris Thorkelson Lends His Guidance to Aspiring Entrepreneurs

For the better part of two decades, Kris Thorkelson has been
paving his way as an entrepreneur in Winnipeg. 
He’s the owner of The Prescription Shop, which has a number of retail
outlets in Winnipeg; he also owns two medical clinics that are attached to his
pharmacies.

Today, Thorkelson is expanding
his focus to Winnipeg’s growing real estate sector as the owner of My Place
Realty, a property management company that provides quality multi-family homes
that people are proud to call home.

As someone who has overcome the challenges it
takes to build a successful business, we asked Kris to share his advice for
young and aspiring entrepreneurs. 

First,
what’s the biggest misconception entrepreneurs have about starting their own
business?

Kris
Thorkelson: Owning your own business is not an easy
alternative to a 9-5 job.  The hours can
be extremely long and it takes a significant amount of determination and
sacrifice in order to thrive.  With that
said, successful entrepreneurs know what it takes to overcome those challenges
against the odds.

What
advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first
time?

Kris
Thorkelson: Being an effective leader is a very
important skill to have as an entrepreneur. You’ll be working with people on a
daily basis, and they’ll be looking to you for guidance.  The values you demonstrate, the way you
handle adversity and how you persevere through the biggest challenges will be
the guiding factors for how others will behave. 

In your
opinion, what is one thing a new business can do that will improve its chances
of success?

Kris
Thorkelson: Seek the opinions of your customers.  Listen closely to what they think about your
product and how it can be improved. Your existing customers are your best advocate
and if you go above and beyond to keep them happy, then you won’t need much
marketing because they’ll do it for you!

When
employing a staff, what traits do you look for in a potential candidate?

Kris
Thorkelson:  I
look for a person who is going to exemplify excellent customer service
skills.  First and foremost, they need to
be courteous and friendly, and they need to maintain a high level of
professionalism. 

Over the
years, what has been the most rewarding part of starting your own companies?  

Kris
Thorkelson: 
Personally, I’ve been rewarded by getting to help people access the
goods and services that they need.  I
truly enjoy the feeling of making a positive difference. When an individual
tells me how they have been helped by my business it makes me feel truly great.
Making a profit is crucial for any business however making a difference is just
as important.

If you
could give one piece of advice to someone just starting to branch out on their
own, what would it be?

Kris
Thorkelson:  
Treat your businesses as if they were your children. There are points in
their development, especially early on, when they demand all of your energy.
It’s exhausting and exhilarating at the same time. But as they continue to
grow, they will eventually gain some independence and you can start to relax a
little.

Finally,
what’s the best piece of advice someone gave you when you were starting out?

Kris
Thorkelson: To never forget the importance of
delegating responsibilities to others. 
Many young entrepreneurs want to take the world by their shoulders.  It is vital to the success of a business, no
matter how skilled or accomplished you are, to realize that you can’t do
everything by yourself. 

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