Very Short Interview No. 1

Nicole Heaton is a regular customer at the Palm Beach Gardens Tennis Center, where I work. She spends a few days a week taking classes and playing in her Division 3 Ladies’ Team, which is how we’ve developed a relationship since I started almost 7 months ago now. Nicole co-owns and runs the local burger joint, Burger Bar. Her family business, Heaton Companies, developed and owns over 100 properties around the country, including residential, commercial, hotel, and restaurant enterprises.

Me: “I’m going to be interviewing today for my University of Florida Online course, Principles of Entrepreneurship. What should my expectations be for this course?”

Heaton: “Well, it’s been a long time since I was in college. I think the most valuable qualities you can learn are time management, and the ability to get all of your most important tasks done while also making sure you make time for yourself.”

Me: “What does it mean to be an entrepreneur?”

Heaton: “Being an entrepreneur means having trouble sleeping at night. Sometimes because you’re so excited about a project that’s finally finished or doing well. Sometimes because you wonder if you made the right decision. Making decisions and being confident about them is about the best you can do.”

Me: “What do you think I should learn in an entrepreneur course?”

Heaton: “Learn how to manage your time. Learn how to see things before they happen. Do your homework early and you’ll be rewarded with good grades. The same thing is true in the real world.”

Nicole is one of the most cheerful and positive people I know. I’ve learned the reason she is this way is because she very good at managing her life and taking control of most situations. I certainly could improve my time management skills, and with the layout of this entrepreneurship course, the development of those skills will be obvious. I hold a lot of respect for Nicole as she always comes into the tennis center with a great, big smile on her face and an uplifting attitude, even with the heavy load on her shoulders she must be carrying. I hope to learn a lot more throughout this course and aspire to be more like her!