Small-business owners call themselves entreprenuers, owners | Raleigh News & Observer

Shop Talk reporter Virginia Bridges asked small-business owners how they describe their role as leader of their companies.

• “I’m not sure I call myself any title on a regular basis, but when I introduce my company I do call myself the owner,” said Jeremy Sisk, president of Xperience4Higher, a Durham-based marketing firm. “The reason I use this title more times than not is to establish trust. If a person is aware I own the company, then the person more likely to trust any commitments made.”

• “I consider myself to be an entrepreneur because I am taking on greater than normal financial risk to operate my business,” said Cindy Honickman, franchise owner and manager of WAKA Kickball & Social Sports Durham. “When you work for a company, you have reassurance every month that you will be paid a set amount of money no matter how much work you actually do. As an entrepreneur, your monthly salary is never guaranteed and is solely based on how much time and effort you put into your business.”

• “Recognizing a need and developing a tool to address the need, in my mind, that is what an entrepreneur does,” said Tina Travis, who said she calls herself an entrepreneur as founder and owner of Errand Girl, a Durham-based concierge service. In my view, a small-business owner concept is limited to his or her community. I view Errand Girl Concierge’s vision far reaching and addressing the needs of many people all across our country.”

• “First and foremost, I am a small-business owner to the outside world (with a) mission to serve the local community with exactly what it needs through our products and services,” said Janice Cutler, owner of North Raleigh Florist. “Inside our shop, we are all entrepreneurs, re-inventing ourselves each day for the changing needs of our customers, who require creativity with solving problems and expressing themselves with their occasions.”