With business partner Michael Joy at our first location in New York City, 1984.

Joy of Ireland at Union Station, St. Louis 1986.

Joy of Ireland on North Michigan Avenue,
Chicago 1998.

I co-founded and co-owned a retail gift business from 1984 to 2002. During this 18 year period, my business partner and I built and ran a company that at its peak had 9 stores, employed 45 people, generated millions of dollars in sales, and delivered quality products while providing a high level of customer service to tens of thousands of customers.

My business experience is a microcosm of the small business experience in America. It was started with a few thousand dollars of personal savings. It was always undercapitalized. It required an enormous sacrifice of time and energy. It never paid very well. It grew too fast and became overloaded with high interest debt.

The bright side is that like all businesses, our small business created a ripple effect that has made an impact on hundreds of other businesses both large and small. It has generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax revenues. It has provided a steady source of income for dozens of employees. It has raised and donated thousands of dollars for charities. Through inventory purchases it has paid out millions of dollars to suppliers. It has provided work for graphic artists, web designers, and photographers. It has generated commissions for sales reps.

As you can see, a small business means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. I was very young (twenty five) and very idealistic when I started out in business in 1984. My dream back then was to build a retail empire.

My dream now is to share the small business knowledge that I accumulated over eighteen years with people who want to start their own businesses but lack the financial resources and the access to information critical to the survival a new business.

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