Founder’s story is all about inspiring others through the story of an amazing entrepreneur. We highlight their history, lessons learned and what advice they would give others. This week we have Troy Andrews.
Tell us about your childhood and where you grew up?
I was born and raised in Woodville, Texas, a small town with less than 2500 people in its population. The valuable lessons I learned are priceless.
The seven impactful lessons are:
- It’s essential to build and trust your community.
- Relationships are currency. It’s not what you know; it’s who you know.
- Enjoy the simple things in life.
- Lead with kindness.
- Perception is everything.
- Figuring it out means problem-solving.
- Serve first.
If I could summarize my childhood in a few words, I would say it was spending a lot of time with my family, friends, camping, dancing, farming, hustling, and helping build our family business in the health and wellness industry.
How did you get started as an entrepreneur?
My father was a Corporate Executive, and my mother was very active in the community and an entrepreneur.
Raised in a family of entrepreneurs, I’ve been inspired to build brands, solve problems and find practical solutions. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been an entrepreneur from a very young age. However, I remembered I started taking entrepreneurship seriously when my father became sick with diabetes, and my mother left it up to my siblings and me to help out while she took care of my father. At that time, I decided to learn to manage employees, the family business, and the healthcare industry.
But before I took entrepreneurship seriously, I remember when I was a child, I would get up early with my father some days. At the same time, he shopped for his competitors’ pricing and would take notes on how they treated us with customer service. Then, when my father would pick me up from school, I would sometimes work with him, watching and learning how he hired and led his teams.
While my mother was an amazing wife, mother of three, her priority was family. I always admired how she would put the family first; then, at night, she would stay up to build her side hustle. My mom’s work ethic was unbelievable. She would not go to bed until she completed the goal she had planned. Her hard work turned her side hustle into a brand.
Looking back, they were preparing me all along. Although I didn’t always agree with my parent’s business decisions, they lived by core principles: Faith, the family, then handling business while instilling in me how important it is to focus on serving others while running a business. I now realize they had purpose and intention behind every decision made.
Through my parents’ impeccable ways of managing businesses, I decided to have my own business and create my legacy.
Next, I decided to leave my comfort zone and move to the city of Houston, Texas, where I would start my journey. I relocated to the big city while working for my parents part-time, serving at restaurants, and going to college part-time. The one thought that kept coming into my mind is, “How can I also build my brand?” I ask this question because when growing up in a small town, it was about resources, and everyone knows everyone, and who you know was very important. That’s how I began to establish my road to becoming an entrepreneur.
But still, it was not an easy road…
I failed many times, but I also enjoyed my younger years attending tons of parties, traveling the world. One intriguing business I launched was outsourcing DJs for weddings, restaurants, graduations, and corporate events that I loved so much. I enjoyed it because it allowed me to move into a big new city and build valuable relationships that I still have today. Houston, Texas, was a staple point for me.
Then, something happened. I met a guy at a networking event in a suit and tie that recruited me into the banking industry. Years later, he mentored me not to be good, but great. Due to the unique connections, I made through my outsourcing business as a loud, creative introvert, I quickly exceeded my roles in banking over 10 years. From banker, I grew through the ranks to officer, management, expansion to product launches. My most recent exciting project was when I collaborated to help a new bank expand. We launched and branded a national start-up digital bank from zero to an award-winning new brand and deposits of $4B in year one. We went from zero clients to clients in all 50 states in the first two weeks of launch.
In this process, we also developed a multi-channel Client Experience Survey software — internally built and owned, Award-winning build and launch, including Retail Banker International, Best Service Innovation 2018, and FIS Top Ten Client Award for Innovation.
Today, I’m the CEO of a brand consultancy agency Victron DBA Victron 360, the author of Creating Your Signature, “A Practical Guide To Building a Brand,” and the Chairman for Dallas Frameless Glass: a commercial and residential glass company. Having a love for the community, I’m actively involved as an ambassador of the North Dallas Chamber Of Commerce, Volunteer at Tech Week, Emerging Leaders Park Cities Club, Member of the Dallas Business Journal, and volunteer with a nonprofit Achieved DFW. Subscribe to learn about my unique branding strategies at www.troyandrews.com.
What is one business lesson you would tell a start-up founder?
Always remember my seven impactful lessons! Also, business is like the game of chess. Ask yourself do you want to become a chess player or a chess master? A chess player only thinks of the present (to gain money instantly), but a chess master always thinks about the future (the actual growth trajectory of the business). Think strategy: Don’t randomly quit your 9–5 until the timing is right and always be transparent with your employer. They will respect your authenticity, transparency and may even support your business when the time is right.
So, I say to new entrepreneurs, become a chess master, play with a clear mind to the end and focus on how it will give you long-term success. Master your skills. Train hard, stay humble, patient, and learn from others. Then, plot your strategy, implement it, then execute it.
Once you accomplish these things, you will indeed reach success in the business industry.
