Matthew Mazzone grew up stocking shelves and sweeping the floor at Mazzone Hardware in Brooklyn, a red brick storefront on a corner lot on Court Street. Originally opened in 1950 by his grandfather, a painter, it was passed down to his father. When Mazzone came home from college at 20 and showed an interest in the business, his father offered it to him.
By then, Mazzone knew that he wasn't suited for a corporate life, and with the family store, he could be his own boss.
But there's being your own boss, and then there's being the boss of a successful business. And within a few years, Mazzone realized if he was going to make a career out of the business, he needed to make some changes.
The biggest problem was their supplier, True Value. The company fell into disarray in the early 2000s-after a revelation about years of unnoticed accounting errors by its wholesale buying co-op-and at critical moments, like Superstorm Sandy, Mazzone struggled to get inventory. He agonized over what to do. He felt loyal to True Value, but the relationship wasn't working. When he decided to leave True Value, he weighed his options. He could partner with a wholesaler, or join a co-op. Or he could convert the store into an Ace Hardware-but he assumed that would mean losing his independence, and having to operate someone else's way.
この記事は Entrepreneur US の September - October 2023 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Entrepreneur US の September - October 2023 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
The Better Way to Fail
The next time something you do flops, here's a new way to learn from it.
Making the Midlife Leap
After getting laid off in her early 50s, Keri Gardner decided she wanted to control her own fate-so she bought a franchise with her 401(k).
A Quick Guide to Franchise Ownership Costs
Franchising costs money. Here's what everything means.
This Doughnut Franchise Is Hitting the Road
To grow, DonutNV needed a steady supply of delivery trailers. So last year, it started making them itself.
3 Steps to Find Your Perfect Franchise
There are many brands out there. Finding the right one is up to you.
This Fencing Franchise Is Ready for Growth
Superior Fence & Rail nearly doubled its sales in one year. How? By stepping back and focusing on fundamentals.
What Are a Franchisee's Role and Responsibilities?
If you're going to be a franchisee, you should know exactly what's expected of you.
This Dog-Training Franchise Is Zooming Ahead
After a rough few years, Zoom Room made major changes...and has emerged as a stronger, faster, very well-behaved business.
What's the Real Damage?
Most clean-up companies just fix messes, like fire or flood damage. But 911 Restoration's new CEO saw an opportunity to help with the other emergency they often encounter: customers' emotional trauma.
Mental Health Services, Franchised
The U.S. is facing a growing mental health crisis. Ellie Mental Health wants to be the solution.