About Me

A Career Road I'd Take Again...In A Heartbeat!

What fun I've had! Hard work, yes, but rewarding too.

So many individuals have assisted me over the years. From great employees to friends and strangers offering advice and guidance, I loved every (well, most) minute of it!

I have been an entrepreneur ever since I can remember.

From walking in the woods--and creek--behind my parents home where I picked wild blackberries and raspberries and then going door-to-door to sell them. At 15 cents a quart...yes...big bucks.

At 12 years of age, I again went door-to-door selling subscriptions to the town's weekly newspaper and then traveled my weekly paper route. I was in heaven. Now, I could buy each new Donald Duck comic book!

From 16 years to 20 years of age, I worked at the local W. T. Grant store (a national Jr. department store chain) working my way up the ladder by becoming a manager of several departments, responsible for the ordering and merchandising of each.

I became the advertising manager for five Grant stores in the southern part of the state. And I was only 19.

After deciding to go to college at the age of 20 and then getting M.A. and M.S. Degrees later, I joined the Kroger Co. and became a store manager.

Three years later, I left to become the Assistant Manager of the Cincinnati Convention Center.

In addition to hosting local and national conventions, I traveled with the Convention Bureau taking part in presentations before boards of national associations, attempting to get them to choose our city for their event. I learned lots!

After working as an Assistant to the Dean at the U C College of Medicine for a while, I could not help myself.

I longed to start my own business. One day, I just decided to do it. I left my position.

What Do I Do Now?

Did I know what business I wanted to start? No.

I had saved a little (too little) bit of $$. I have always been a quick study, learning from my experiences...fast. I kept my eye on the profit and margin (mark-up) potential of each product or service business I looked to start.

I did not have a vision for my entrepreneurial path. I just knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur to see if I could make money.

Four months after I left the College of Medicine, I started down my entrepreneurial road.

More about that later.

How I was Different

What has made my entrepreneurial life different, to a large extent, from other entrepreneurs, is the following:

• Every business was started from scratch. I did all the research, planning, leasing of space, designing and renovation, recruiting hiring of staff, etc. Hey, I even cleaned the john!
• Every business has been different. They were not even related to each other.
• I knew literally nothing about each business prior to starting it! But, I hired people who did and worked hard to educate myself.
• All my businesses have been greatly successful. I focused on profit knowing first, that I had to provide information and services to my customers/clients at a fair and value-added price.
• With the exception of my real estate and online businesses which I still own, I followed this simple pattern: (1) I started a business; (2) grew it to profitability; (3) sold it for a profit; and (4) started a new business and repeated the pattern.
• Each business started was non-traditional in terms of location or service. I needed to get a marketing leg-up on the competition.

What I Learned

I think I've learned how to start any business...even those I knew nothing about...and have it thrive. It surely is a gift and I thank the Lord for it!

I love starting businesses. I seem to be very good at it.

So many individuals have guided and counseled me. I have been lucky to have such people in my life.

I now realize, I have a moral obligation to help others.

Sooooo...if you have any questions, yes any question at all about starting your online business, please know that they will be warmly received and freely answered.

Please complete the "contact me" form at the bottom of the page. I stand ready to help!

An Overview of the Businesses I've Started

• Television Education Programs: Developed the nations third largest hospital TV network. Developed and broadcast programs for physicians and nurses and operated a 24/7 patient education channel.

  We traveled to many places in the US, Mexico and Europe developing programs. I still can't believe I was paid to do what I truly loved!

• Medical Arts: Became a major player in Medical Illustration and Medical Photography working with medical schools, researchers and pharmaceutical companies.

  Essentially, we took highly technical information and conveyed it in a manor which normal people could understand.

• Travel Agency: Started the tenth leisure travel agency in the US located in a large regional mall and the first travel agency located in a Kroger store. Earned several awards as an excellent agency.
• Interior Decorating: I knew I wanted to start an interior decorating business because the margins are so fantastic.

  Goal was to break down perceived barriers by women to using my company. After conducting man-on-the-street interviews with women over 40, I named the business "Decorate With What You Have."

  Long before this type of business became popular, we helped women decorate their homes "with what they have."

  We charged a flat fee to visit their home and make decorating suggestions. Plus we developed a remarkable business selling wallpaper, custom window treatments and decorative nick knacks.

• Home Restoration: I bought, restored and leased or sold historic homes in urban core areas.

  This promoted market rate housing for middle and upper income families who wanted to live in a beautiful home in an urban core neighborhood.

  We never "rehabbed" but "restored" these properties long before this was the fashion. People will pay big bucks for a beautifully restored home.

• Online Businesses: Developing successful online businesses in recent years has been a passion. I have always known how to pick a business niche.

  All I had to do was learn how to build a website that draws traffic to it, which I did. This is a successful marketing adventure which I thoroughly enjoy.

• Online Business Counselor: This is my newest effort.

  Because so many individuals have helped me over the years, I have dedicated my life to "paying it forward" by helping individuals, nonprofit organizations and churches start and market successful online businesses of their own.

  The only purpose of my counseling effort is to help if people are having trouble choosing what type of online business to start.

  If these prospective clients think outside-the-box, I should have an opportunity to reward them. We'll see.

My Goal

With profitable-small-business-ideas.com, my goal is to simply provide free information to help people start and market an online business that will be profitable.

You'll see that in building my businesses, I have used and strongly recommend Site Build It! otherwise known as SBI! They are the premier "do it yourself" Website building, marketing and services company in the world. You'll find out why later.

As you go through my website, I welcome any question. I'll use my expertise to provide a free answer.

Yes, the business part of this site does promote my counseling service.

However, I have tried to separate giving all the free info people need to start an online business from helping individuals, nonprofit organizations and churches determine what online business to start, "if" they are having trouble identifying such a business.

I trust you can see that I do this...at least that is my desire.

Helping others for free is my goal of "paying it forward."

Please fill out the form below if I may help.

THANKS FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE PARTS OF MY LIFE WITH YOU.

Roger BergerSmall Business Counselor

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