Treat people really well and build relationships. Not just clients/customers, but also employees and vendors. Word of mouth spreads quick and can be both helpful and harmful. Give people no reason to talk negatively about you.
Kornel Kurtz is an entrepreneur who left the stability of his prior job to start up WebTek, a web design and internet marketing company located in humble Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Born and raised in this unique area known for its strong work ethic and respectful morals, Kornel has been instilled with these quality features which help him in his day-to-day business decisions. He uses every opportunity to meet new people and build working relationships with them in order to help them succeed online and use the internet to prosper their business.
What started out as his small hobby had developed into a strong passion for helping others through his marketing and design services. WebTek has over 500 active web clients and has designed and developed over 1,000 functioning websites! After more than 16 successful years running his company, Kornel still finds unique ways to give back to the local community through generous donations,regular volunteering, and even missional work outside of the United States of America. When he is not in the office, you can find Kornel enjoying warm climate getaways during the chilly Pennsylvanian winters, spending time with his wife and three children, and exploring new beautiful hiking spots.
Where did the idea for WebTek come from?
WebTek is a web design and internet marketing business that started back in 1999. The concept was birthed by reading a HTML (web programming language) book I picked up while shopping at Ollies Bargain Outlet.
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
I try to limit my work hours to 6-8 per day and it forces myself to be very productive to get accomplished what I need to. I find if I have deadlines or goals like that, it’s easier to be driven and efficient. This gives me more time outside of work to do what I enjoy and spend time with my family.
How do you bring ideas to life?
Plenty of due diligence and discernment. I foster many ideas, but it’s the ones that I’m still excited about after many weeks or months that I tend to pursue. Otherwise, I run around in circles without direction or clarity, like a chasing of the wind.
What’s one trend that really excites you?
The internet brings so much change to the traditional retail marketplace. It’s exciting to be able to go online, be presented with unlimited product choices with unlimited options and make a purchase all without leaving your home. It’s so convenient and that’s what people are looking for today.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
Be extremely conscious with time management and delegate as needed for additional leverage. Oops, that was two.
What was the worst job you ever had and what did you learn from it?
Putting hardware into parts bags as part of an assembly line process, but hey it was my first job ever. What I learned from it, is that I had to improve my skillsets so I didn’t have to do that the rest of my life.
If you were to start again, what would you do differently?
I’m not sure. I can honestly say I did a lot of the major things right. But if I had to do some things differently, it might’ve been to seek advice quicker from those in superior positions in both work and life.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
Let God direct your steps, pray about situations and seek an inner peace. What’s on the inside, tends to come out.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business? Please explain how.
Treat people really well and build relationships. Not just clients/customers, but also employees and vendors. Word of mouth spreads quick and can be both helpful and harmful. Give people no reason to talk negatively about you.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
I’ll refer back to question #3 above about bringing ideas to life. Earlier on I had a complimentary business idea with a great concept (or so I thought). I probably didn’t give it enough time before jumping in and pursuing it. It was ok, but ultimately found it wasn’t beneficial. Fortunately it was a side business, and didn’t have much to lose or overcome.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
I’m not a fan of retail, especially traditional retail, so my ideas tend to be a bit more business to business. I love ideas that are mobile and take services to places of employment. This could be a mobile massage chair to go on-site and let employers treat employees to 10 minute breaks of neck and arm massage. Or a weekly mobile car wash to a parking lot full of employee cars, who can elect to have their cars washed while they work. Either way, you are going to a place and getting customers in bulk. There, that’s two ideas someone can run with.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
Many times, it feels better to give than to receive, so I’d say for me it was being able to bless another family more on a personal level with a monetary gift.
What software and web services do you use? What do you love about them?
Love amazon for easy and convenient shopping. Love Yahoo Fantasy Football from an entertainment/sports perspective. Love TripAdvisor for reviews and ideas when traveling.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
The Purpose Drive Life by Rick Warren. Will definitely help people find their purpose in their life.
What people have influenced your thinking and might be of interest to others?
Business, investment, motivational and Christian Leaders like John Maxwell, Tony Robbins, Dan Cathy, David Green, Joel Osteen and Zig Ziglar to name a few.
Connect:
WebTeck on Facebook:
WebTeck on Twitter: @webtekcc
Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.