Ian's Pizza founder Ian Gurfield,spoke to members of the UW-Madison Entrepreneurship Association about his personal experience as an entrepreneur Wednesday at his State Street location.
Gurfield, a graduate from the University of Massachusetts, opened his first Ian's location on Frances Street in 2001 - when he was only 21 years old.
He said his hope was to find a college town that had a late night scene, admitting his target market is drunk college students.""
Gurfield said he was sleeping on friend's couches and pestering friends and family to help him out with financing his pizzeria dream.
He said in the beginning, he worked 100-hour weeks, stressing to students that starting your own business takes a lot of work.
""It's not about instant gratification, it's about survival,"" he said. ""You have to survive start up and then growth.""
Gurfield also discussed how his stores are extremely employee-driven, having managing partners at both locations.
He also announced plans to open another Ian's location in Chicago near Wrigley Field some time this summer.
However, Gurfield said he does not want to be anything like a McDonald's.
""I'm not into franchise - the soul is taken out of it.""
Gurfield encouraged the growth one has as an entrepreneur.
""Business will take on all your traits - good and bad,"" he said. ""You can learn a lot from failure, the lessons are obvious.
