Dennis Bartos – South Texas Medical Supply

1. What was your major in school? Masters degree? What school?

Biology. No masters. University of Texas- Austin

2. How did you decide that you wanted to start your own restaurant? Getting certified?

I worked in the business for others and I felt that I could build a successful business on my own. I wanted to have the responsibility and authority that goes with that.
The restaurant business has always been an easy entry (and easy exit) business. A person can get started on a small capital investment and build a business if they are willing to work hard and can survive the ups and downs. At the time we started there was little in the way of certification and not all that much even now. The “certification” really is the ability to survive until you can grow the business enough to be successful.

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1. What was your major in school? Masters degree? What school?

Associates Degree in Business from Blanton’s Business School
B.S. in Education with a minor in History from WCU – Teaching Degree

2. How did you decide that you wanted to start your own business? Getting certified?

Became interested through previously working as a Claims Adjuster for Aetna for 8 years and then managed 5 insurance agencies throughout western North Carolina.
Received an insurance license through prior jobs and by having 60 hours of school.

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I interviewed a professional who has helped the San Antonio Spurs basketball organization since 1985. Joe Clark is now the vice president of Ticket Sales for the Spurs Organization. Clark graduated from the University of Wisconsin where he received a degree and masters in sport management. Once he graduated, Clark began his first job as an intern for the San Antonio Spurs and has stayed with the organization as he has progressed through the organization to become the ticket sales vice president.
Joe Clark expressed to me that what has made the Spurs successful as a business is their attention to their core values and mission statement as well as a sold strategic business plan. Using their core values as guidelines, the spurs organization have allowed themselves to become a success through hiring quality people that have a vision, accept change, collaborative, and are focused on the greater good of the business. Clark’s position in the company has put him in charge of a team of 60 + people, therefore he has learned how to run a successful team of employees. Clark emphasized that staying strong in the company’s core values and beliefs, proper training of employees, and having clarity in employee’s roles in the organization has allowed the business to run smoothly and effectively. As the one of the leaders in his department Clark has expressed that having good communication is key to avoid conflict within the company.
Clark also put a strong emphasis on having a good strategic business plan that is continuously reviewed and analyzed. The Spurs use a method called a strategic wheel to operate their business. This method states that the business will analyze where they are at that point in time, then make decisions on where they want to go or what they want to do, and then they execute the decisions made. This process is repeated continuously within the business in order to operate efficiently. It is through this plan and constant analyses that the Spurs continuously push the limits of their organization and continue to operate at a level superior to its competitors.
Overall, the Spurs organization has become one of the most successful businesses in the National Basketball Association and in the state of Texas and city of San Antonio. The Spurs have been able to expand their organization through running a WNBA team, a minor league hockey team, and a minor league basketball team. This success and expansion can be attributed to great ownership and implementation of core values and strategic plan.