“I am not sure that what I have learned can be taught in a classroom environment. There are certain things in business that have to be learned through making mistakes…”

Interview by Kelsey Meyer
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Cary Silverman has created four businesses and sold two of them. He sold his first business, The Lawn Boy Lawn Service, in 2008 after owning it for twelve years and acquiring a list of 1,700 customers. This may appear to be the resume of a fifty or sixty-year-old man. Cary Silverman is only 23. After selling his second business, Cary began to develop more ideas. When Cary saw some college kids sneaking beer into a movie theater, an idea was born. Cary started his next company: Pub-Corn. Pub-Corn is non-alcoholic, alcohol-flavored popcorn. Pub‐Corn has been featured on over 1,500 television stations including CNN, BBC, TODAY and The VIEW. In fact, the TODAY show named Pub-Corn as one of the fastest growing trends in 2010!

Pub-Corn is not Cary’s only business. He has started many Internet businesses including GradeGenie.com, a site to assist students in sharing class notes. To support these online ventures, Cary created a call center which serves as the headquarters for his own businesses and is also used to outsource customer service for other clients. Cary started Gradegenie.com and Pub-Corn while earning a business degree from the University of Missouri, where he graduated in December 2009.

MO:
Your bio states that Pub-Corn was not an instant success. How did you overcome the initial response to eventually have Pub-Corn earning praises from the TODAY show?

Cary:
With any new business, to make something a success takes a lot of time and effort. I spent countless hours and dollars getting the word out about my product, creating an efficient way to manufacture and distribute the product and learning about my customers (i.e. who they are, what flavors they like, etc.). Many people think successful businesses are instantly successful, but the truth is that most businesses have a lot of time and money behind them to get them to the point of “success”.

MO:
Can you explain how gradegenie.com works and give some background on why you came up with the idea for the website?

Cary:
Gradegenie.com is an online community of students that share notes and study guides to help them learn and retain the class material in conjunction with the traditional learning environment. The idea came to me as a freshman when I transferred from Rockhurst University to the University of Missouri. As a transfer student I did not have many friends in my classes and needed an easy way to connect with other students that shared the same goal as me – to learn.

MO:
You have voiced an opinion that you didn’t find much use in college classes aiding your entrepreneurial ventures. What are a few things you learned early in the process of owning your own business that you do not believe can be taught in the classroom?

Cary:
Classroom learning is very important to the growth of an individual. With regards to my specific businesses, the challenge is being taught something in the classroom that applies to me. What I mean is that while I was in college, I was running a few companies that most adults don’t have the opportunity to run when they are at the height of their professional career. With that said, it wasn’t that the classroom learning wasn’t good for me, rather, it didn’t apply to my specific situation at the time. The question as to what I wish I had learned in the classroom that would have helped me is tough to answer. I am not sure that what I have learned can be taught in a classroom environment. There are certain things in business that have to be learned through making mistakes, etc.

MO:
You started your first business in 1996, at age nine, and have not stopped since. Can you explain some of the advantages and disadvantages to being a young entrepreneur?

Cary:
Being an entrepreneur is tough, period. Being a young entrepreneur has both its advantages and disadvantages. When you are young some people don’t take you seriously. On the other hand, when you are young, some people see you as a “go getter” and will spend countless hours working with you mentoring you. The key to be successful (at least in my situation) was to surround myself around those people that see potential in me and are willing to guide me down the right path. Those that don’t see the potential, I simply move on until I find the people that do.

MO:
You are the current owner of three completely different businesses. Can you explain how you manage your time so well? Do you have a lot of help in running each of these businesses, or do you somehow find more hours in the day?

Cary:
I believe in a 40-hour week I can do what most people need at least 80 hours to do. I manage my time wisely and stay focused (at least try to). The biggest key however is to have people helping you that are on the same “page” as you. I heard a quote once from Ewing Kauffman. He was asked, “How are you so successful?” he replied with, “I surround myself with people smarter than me”. That is one of my goals. I always try to hire people smarter than me. I seek advice from people smarter than me, etc. It really works!

MO:
The term serial entrepreneur comes to mind when thinking about all of your ventures. I imagine the start-up of a new business is a rush for you! Are you currently working on any new projects? What can we expect next from Cary Silverman?

Cary:
I am at the point in my professional career where I have a few companies that are off to a great start. Focus is one of the toughest things for an entrepreneur (at least for me). I am always thinking of new ideas and wanting to start new businesses. With that being said, my main focus right now is on the companies that I currently own, growing them, hiring people to manage and run them, and then I will pursue my other ideas (and I have LOTS OF THEM!)