Farmingdale Patch Interview: Three Minutes Across the Counter With George Andriopoulos
Three Minutes Across the Counter With George Andriopoulos
A chat with the owner of Launchpad Five One Six.
By Ryan Bonner (Patch National Staff) – February 21, 2014 3:01 pm ET
“Three Minutes Across the Counter” is a new feature on Patch in which we chat with local business owners. If you would like to be featured, email ryan@patch.com with the name of your business.
Today we chat with George Andriopoulos, the owner of Launchpad Five One Six, a start-up management consulting firm that focuses on helping businesses evaluate and improve themselves, as well as many other services.
Andriopoulos, a Lindenhurst resident, is also the 2nd vice president of the Babylon Town Chamber of Commerce and the vice president of Shannon’s Fight, a nonprofit that helps families in medical crisis.
Patch: How did you get your first start in business?
Andriopoulos: I initially went to St. John’s University for pharmacy, but after a few years, I really fell in love with the business portion of my job. I had great mentors that taught me that there’s a very simple formula to succeeding in any industry and if you stick to that formula, you’ll be a winner.
Patch: How did your parents influence you as a business owner?
Andriopoulos: My parents have always been very supportive of my career and have bent over backwards many times to help me achieve my goals. They came from nothing and worked their way to a comfortable life, so I admire their work ethic and I’m glad that I inherited it from them.
Patch: What’s your favorite thing about living here?
Andriopoulos: I think a beautiful village is a staple of a great town. Lindenhurst has a great village and I love taking my walks every night in the summer. The second thing I love is the water. Lindenhurst is a waterside town and I’m addicted to taking my boat out into the Great South Bay. Beautiful town.
Patch: What’s a business mistake you’ve made that later you were glad you did?
Andriopoulos: I’m glad I made every mistake I made, because my business philosophy is based on learning from mistakes. Employee relations were my weakness my first few years. They have become one of my greatest strengths and one of my selling points for consulting.
Patch: Tell us something about yourself that most of your neighbors don’t know.
Andriopoulos: I’ve always had an artistic side & never knew how to channel it since I knew I’d never choose that as a career. Recently I came up with a great outlet to show my artwork off to my biggest fans. I draw cartoons on my son and daughter’s lunch bags every day for school & they pay me in hugs & kisses!
Patch: What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received?
Andriopoulos: It’s really personal career advice that transcends to business advice. In business, everybody is eventually disposable Put forth your best effort to be unique and vital to the survival and growth of a business. Become the only person who can do what you do. I’ll never forget that.
Patch: What advice would you give to a small business owner just starting out?
Andriopoulos: Plan, plan, plan. Set goals. Assess your risk. I’m all for the life changing moment when your idea becomes important that you’re ready to take the risk of starting a business, but make sure you’re ready for it. You can take a leap of faith, but make sure you don’t have a blindfold on.
Patch: What do you look for when you hire?
Andriopoulos: It’s all about two things for me: experience and attitude. If the necessary experience is there, then you have to be a leader, be creative, and don’t conform to the masses. Be an individual because it will lead to outside-the-box thinking. Follow the rules but don’t put limits on yourself.