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FEATURED ENTREPRENEURS
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Grover Fields - entrepreneur and now, a family man. Fresh from his honeymoon, FAMU alum
Fields shares with the HBCU Family the trials and tribulations of his success as the
owner of his own web hosting company, Revorg, Inc.
By
Tamara Lazier
THE HBCU NETWORK:
Thanks for agreeing to this interview, Grover. Tell us a little about yourself.
Grover Fields:
I was born and raised in Pensacola, FL, and I have and older brother and 2 younger
sisters. I attended Florida A&M University on an athletic scholarship. I graduated
from the FAMU/FSU College of Engineering with a B.S. in Industrial Engineering.
I'm 25 and "Happily" married!
THE HBCU NETWORK:
Impressive! Congratulations on your marriage! We'll discuss your wife a little
later. Now, what can you tell us about Revorg, Inc.?
Grover Fields:
Revorg was founded in early 1998 as a local college project in Tallahassee,
Florida. Revorg is actually my name ("Grover") spelled backwards. We are web
design and hosting company specializing in providing web hosting services and
building dynamic web applications.
THE HBCU NETWORK:
What sets your company apart from all the other web hosting companies out there?
Grover Fields:
What makes us better than most companies is the fact that we keep prices down and
offer great customer service. No one likes to shop at a store where they do not
feel right at home. Not only that, our web hosting prices start at $9.95 a month
and Web site design prices start at $25 per hour.
THE HBCU NETWORK:
When did you decide to become an entrepreneur?
Grover Fields:
Well, I don't operate the business full time basis. As I mentioned, Revorg
started out as a college gig, but when I saw the money being generated, I
decided to pursue it on a more full time basis. However, my 9-5 job is as a
web developer at the Orlando Convention Visitors' Bureau.
THE HBCU NETWORK:
That's interesting. It's good to know you don't have to leap into entrepreneurship
head-on. You can dabble your toes in the water by keeping a full-time job for
security. And from what you're saying, it sounds like current college students
can start their business now. No need to wait!
Grover Fields:
Exactly. Do it now if you have the skills, desire and most importantly the time.
THE HBCU NETWORK:
So, how do you find your clients?
Grover Fields:
Well, we really don't advertise. I want to keep my operating costs down that way;
I can charge less to our customers. So, my main way of "advertising," has been by
word of mouth. I also feature my services on forums where people bid on web-related
services. My main customers are low-end cold fusion developers that don't need all
the bells and whistles, which is why I can offer one low rate to everyone. I can
provide services for anyone who needs them, though.
THE HBCU NETWORK:
Of course! Spoken like a true entrepreneur. What played the strongest impact
in your decision to own your own business? Family? Work? School?
Grover Fields:
Well, no one in my family was an entrepreneur, but they are very supportive.
Work was actually my biggest influence. Most of my work experience came from FAMU.
I was working for the University of Planning & Analysis. I had a great boss and
great team. They taught me a lot that I know today. Not only that, they taught
me about life and how to survive in Corporate America. In fact, I can still call
on them today to help me out if I need it. A typical 9-5 is tough, and I would
much rather work for myself in 10-15 years - then I can set my own hours and pay.
THE HBCU NETWORK:
Set your own hours so you can have plenty of time for your spouse, no doubt.
What can you tell me about your new wife?
Grover Fields:
Tequila, she is really amazing. We are really great friends. We met my sophomore
year of college, and she's been my sweetheart ever since. She is so loveable and
completely stunning. She has the total package. She has a great body, gorgeous
smile, and a wonderful mind to go with it. She currently works as an Occupation
Therapist. Not only that, she's very supportive in what I do. We recently married
on April 13th, 2002 and went to Cancun, Mexico for our honeymoon.
THE HBCU NETWORK:
Sounds wonderful! Where do you see your business 5 years from now? And what will
be the deciding factor to pursue this venture full-time and quit your current job?
Grover Fields:
Five years from now, I see Revorg being featured in a few magazines for web
applications, with a market size of 400-450 clients, expanding to small-medium
sized companies. In fact, we'll be offering more services as early as January 2003.
You'll just have to stay tuned to learn more. As far as what needs to happen before
I quit my full-time job? A specific amount in revenues... and the 'ok' from my wife,
of course.
THE HBCU NETWORK:
Well, Grover, thanks again for taking some time out to share with us. Any parting
words for the HBCU community and aspiring entrepreneurs?
Grover Fields:
For the HBCU community: Continue to support each other, and for anyone needing web
development or web hosting services - I'm happy to help. And for future business
owners: Stay focused. It's not going to happen overnight.
Visit Revorg Incorporated at http://www.revorg.net.
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