Whether it's opening a mom-and-pop coffee shop or launching the next Fortune 500 industrial giant, many Americans dream of starting their own business. What does it take, though, to turn those entrepreneurial dreams into reality? For Gil Gotlieb, founder and CEO of Airguard IAQ, a local company specializing in indoor air quality issues for residential and commercial properties, it starts with fine-tuning your business concept.

     "What product or service are you going to provide," Gotlieb says, "and what differentiates you from anyone else who's doing it?" If it's a coffee shop you're looking to launch, how will yours be different from all of the others already in operation? "Tie in and focus on that as a strength," Gotlieb says.

     To help fine-tune your business idea, Gotlieb suggests taking advantage of local resources. "The Cleveland SBA can be a huge help," he says, making reference to the local chapter of the U.S. Small Business Administration, an independent agency of the federal government created to help Americans start, build, and grow businesses. Another resource Gotlieb recommends is the local chapter of SCORE, the Service Corps of Retired Executives. This 12,400-member volunteer association matches volunteer business-management counselors with present and prospective small business owners in need of expert advice.
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     In short, the more information you can acquire, the better off you'll be - both before and after you serve your first client or customer. "Commit to continually learning your business," Gotlieb says. Take classes, attend seminars, and join professional organizations. "I'm always trying to learn better ways to do what I do," he says, and that commitment to business expertise, Gotlieb adds, translates into business longevity. By keeping pace with the latest research and technology in indoor air quality, Gotlieb says by way of example, Airguard IAQ has been able to address customer concerns with great effectiveness, resulting in a very satisfied clientele. In fact, he adds, "At least fifty percent of our business comes from referrals."

     Starting and sustaining a business may sound like a lot of work, and according to Gotlieb, it is. "Emotionally and financially it can be draining," he says, "A business owner has to have great perseverance. You have to say, 'I'm going to have issues when customers can't pay on time. I'm going to have issues when I need money to get new equipment.'"

     For Gotlieb, though, the joys of entrepreneurship definitely outweigh the challenges. "To see something go from nothing to something - to grow something - is rewarding," he says. Bringing a business into creation and nurturing it through its various phases, from a struggling start-up to a successful enterprise, has given Gotlieb a great deal of satisfaction. "It's like watching your children grow up," he says, "It's amazing."