Ep. 7: How Curt Anderson Recovered, Grew and Sold an e-Commerce Floral Company

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Picture it – the year is 1990 and Curt Anderson is full of hopes and dreams. However, those dreams are deferred when he accepts his father’s request to take over their family-owned floral business. At the time the business was bankrupt and in desperate need of financial resuscitation.

Curt spends the next several years grinding and doing everything he can to save the business from ruin. Just when it seems all hope is lost, he discovers a lifeline that will change the trajectory of both his business and his career.

That lifeline is the internet.

By 1995, he changes the business model from brick-and-mortar to e-commerce. Along the way, he’s thrown more lifelines until one day he realizes he needs someone else to come in and help manage the daily operations. After 20 years of hard work, smart partnerships, and investments in business infrastructure he successfully sells his business.

How did he do it?

That’s what you’ll discover in this scale tale. Join us as Curt takes us on a journey that includes experimenting with new technologies, forming partnerships with key people, and outsourcing a critical part of his back-office operations.

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More About Host, Alicia Butler Pierre:
Alicia Butler Pierre is the Founder & CEO of Equilibria, Inc.. Her career in operations began over 25 years ago while working in various chemical plants and oil refineries. She invented the Kasennu™ framework for business infrastructure and authored, Behind the Façade: How to Structure Company Operations for Sustainable Success. She is the producer of the weekly top 2% Business Infrastructure podcast with a global audience across 70+ countries.

Alicia is also an adjunct instructor of Lean Principles at Purdue University and serves as the USA Chair of the G100’s Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises. The Process Excellence Network recognized her as a Top 50 Thought Leader in Operational Excellence. A chemical engineer turned entrepreneur, she’s designed and optimized processes for small businesses, large enterprises, non-profits, and government organizations alike.

More About Sponsor, Equilibria:
Equilibria, Inc. is an 19-year-old boutique operations management firm. We build the business infrastructure necessary for fast-growing businesses to scale with less pain. With a range of services and products, entrepreneurs can get the operational support and resources they need on demand.