Use this questionnaire for “informational interviewing” purposes. Find someone who’s running a business similar to the one you’re thinking of starting and pick their brain by asking them questions about what their business life is really like.

“An Average Day” Questionnaire

Name of business owner:

Name of business:

What type of business do you own:

When did you start your business:

How much money did you start with:

Where did you get the money:

Annual sales for last year and/or this year:

What is your salary/compensation:

How many employees do you have:

What do you like best about your work:

What do you like least about your work:

What’s been your biggest challenge:

What skills do you have that without them, the business wouldn’t have survived:

What are you the most afraid of — where is your business the most vulnerable?

What’s an average day like in your business:

When are your busiest times and how do you compensate:

-of the day

-of the week

-of the month

-of the year

What types of marketing have you used? Which were most successful? Which were least successful?

If you could give just one piece of advice to someone starting a business similar to yours, what would it be: