About Me

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

What fun I've had! Hard work, yes, but rewarding too. I loved every minute (well, almost) of it!

I have been an entrepreneur ever since I can remember.

I remember especially walking in the woods--and creek--behind my parents home where I picked wild blackberries and raspberries before 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 every new Donald Duck comic book!

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

I also 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, I learned lots more from working for various businesses: Store Manager with the Kroger Company, Assistant Manager of the Cincinnati Convention Center and Assistant to the Dean at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.

All the while I was longing to start my own business.

Using lessons learned from the school-of-life, my two Master Degrees and my strong belief that I could be successful as an entrepreneur, I left my position and started researching how I could build my dream.

As you can see below, I've traveled many entrepreneurial roads.

Many individuals assisted me over the years, great employees and friends, even complete strangers, offered advice and guidance.

That is the reason for this educational website.

I've set out to Pay It Forward and share what I've learned with you.

I'm so happy you're here!

I would be so very pleased if I succeed in helping you!

How Was My Entrepreneurial Life 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 restoration 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 know 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.

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 U. S., 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 manner that normal people could understand.

• Travel Agency: Started the tenth leisure travel agency in the U. S. 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 (outside a large supermarket) 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 restore home.

• Online Businesses: Developing successful online businesses in recent years has been a passion. (I’ll tell you how below.)

  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 marketing adventure which I thoroughly enjoy.

  I have built this website using a company called Site Build It. I had zero knowledge how to do this. I can't say enough about SBI!

  SBI has changed my life forever!

• 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.

  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 an online or offline business that will be profitable.

As you click through my website, I warmly welcome any questions. Of course I’ll respond. And there is never any charge.

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 Berger

Small Business Counselor

and Adviser

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