Ernesto Guerrero is the owner and operator of Cruzan Transportation. He is also a graduate of LAEDA’s Entrepreneurial Development Training Program. We had a chance to sit down with him to ask about his experience with entrepreneurship and LAEDA's training program.
LAEDA: Entrepreneurship is a very challenging path to take with many different possible directions. What made you decide to become an entrepreneur?
It is to establish financial independence. Once I came to understand the social and governmental institutions that we live under today, I decided that instead of enslaving myself to the social structure I would enslave myself to my own ideas and goals. So in order to do that, I needed to become financially independent. I had to create a business that can grow.
LAEDA: Why did you choose your industry?
My father started with one Taxi. He introduced my brother and I into the business and together we have been working hard to grow and expand.
LAEDA: Tell me about your experience while attending EDTP. What have the major takeaways been from the program? Have you had any “Ah-ha!” moments? How did the program help you?
It was very informative for the fact that the instructors were able to present broad knowledge on different topics that can be effective no matter what kind of business a student has ventured to. Yes, I have had a few “Ah-ha” moments, but one that I believe is the most important is team building. I learned that of course I cannot hold all the positions in a business and expect to do all the work. I must build a team with different set of skills that can work with me to achieve the vision I have for my company. It prepared me to create the first and one of the most important parts of every business, which is the business plan.
LAEDA: Tell me about your journey on the road to business start-up. What have been some of the challenges, successes, failures, etc.?
I needed to learn how to be self motivated to overcome all the obstacles and challenges. It takes a lot of constant work and self-sacrifice. Many challenges were managing time and money. Having to be very organized with my priorities from family to work and also personal time to take care of responsibilities and rest was not easy. You have to be focused and open minded to overcome situations as they keep happening when you are running a business and personal life. To my successes I have to give thanks and honor to Jehovah God for blessing me with faith because many situations, obstacles, and things has happened with no way to resolve insight. So I would just do what I am supposed to do with my business, have faith, and some how things always worked out. I cannot really say I have any failures because when things looked like it didn't work out, it was just a lesson learned which only opened up other doors for different solutions and opportunities.
LAEDA: Could you tell me a little about where your business is today?
Right now I am arranging my business to be prepared for the next step of expansion. All the things I have learned in the EDTP program has adjusted my vision to take the appropriate path to get my business where I want it to be. So in other words, things are going according to plan.
LAEDA: Do you have any advice for future (or existing) entrepreneurs?
Well, it's not really advice, but more of a reminder. Just for a person having the desire to create something of interest in this mentally and socially fixed world it takes self-belief that one can accomplish it. In other words, to be or want to become an entrepreneur means that a person believes that he or she can create an idea that will become something to build upon. And that's all you need, to believe that you can no matter what happens and what anyone says. Remember to believe that an idea is there to build upon so to create something of interest and know that by doing that must mean you are already an entrepreneur.
Congratulations to Ernesto Guerrero for completing EDTP and recommitting to his journey on the path of entrepreneurship. Cruzan Transportation is a company that provides taxi service through the dispatch company of 5Star in Camden NJ. For more information, call 856-701-6504 and or email Cruzantrans@gmail.com
The Entrepreneurial Development Training Program (EDTP) is a free, nine-week business skills training course offered in Camden, NJ in the Winter Spring and Fall each year. Qualified entrepreneurs receive 72+ hours of training from industry professionals, business planning, and one year of technical assistance. Apply online at www.LAEDA.com