An Entrepreneur

If you look up the word entrepreneur on Wikipedia this is what you find:

"An entrepreneur is a person who has possession of an enterprise, or venture, and assumes significant accountability for the inherent risks and the outcome. To the left is Robert O. Miller, a man who fully embodies all that is implied and understood by the word entrepreneur."

OK, so maybe it doesn't really have that last sentence, but it should! Robert O. Miller, my dad, is quite the entrepreneur.

When he graduated from Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX, he quickly got a job with a big oil company somewhere in the panhandle of Texas. If I remember correctly, his job was to check in with the gas station owners. Somewhere along the line, my dad was asked to fudge some results or give some approval that, in the long run, could endanger these gas station owners. My dad was not comfortable with that, so he quit. Soon after, he became a door to do salesman - selling TV Guides while my mom taught school (and provided a consistent income.) Somewhere along the road, my dad decided that he didn't make a very good employee, so he decided to start his own business, or two or three hundred....

My dad had two main, long, "real" jobs as I was growing up. First, he ran an advertising agency. Then, when I was about 8 or 9, he sold that so he could buy The Hunting and Fishing Show. What that means is he would rent a convention center, divide the floor into booth spaces and rent a booth to anyone that had anything to do with hunting or fishing. Then, he'd sell tickets to the general public so they come come in and see different hunting or fishing demonstrations, book trips, buy gear, etc. At one point, he had shows in seven different cities. I think he owned that company for about 12-14 years.

But, neither an advertising agency or The Hunting & Fishing Show qualify my dad as an entrepreneur..... It's all the other interesting things he did on the side -- that he was sure were going to be his ticket to millions.... So, here's the list of all the things I remember him trying, in no particular order:

• He owned 3 shrimp boats and would sell fresh shrimp on the side of the road. (Two of his boats sunk and one is probably still sitting in a shop awaiting repairs.
• He would video other people's hunts.
• He helped his daughter (me) buy, mix, bottle, and sell Original South Texas Wild Game Marinade. (I had a booth in the shows and would sell the marinade.)
• He sold fishing luers and fiberglass rods online.
• He's owned a locksmith company, that my brother quickly learned to run.
• He recorded and sold (or rather, tried to sell) subscriptions to a Sportsman's audio commentary. (He and his friend would tape record their own hunting reflections and wisdom and try to sell them! Maybe they'd interview a few famous people or something too. Needless to say, that one didn't ever take off!)
• He ran a bone-fishing business in the Bahamas. (That was while I was in college! What a great vacation spot! John Grisham even went fishing there once.)
• He ran a reader's club.
• He created and tried to sell his own fish fry mix.
• During Desert Storm, he sold Saddam Hussein toilet paper on the side of the road. Each sheet had a picture of Saddam on it with the caption, "Wipe our Saddam!" on it.
• He has been a deer hunting guide and a fishing guide too, if I'm remembering correctly.
• He owned a carpeting business in San Antonio, where they would recycle carpet pads or something.
• He sold computer software online.
• He started the Bavarian Festival - it was a huge flop, but fun for the kids!
• He made his own fiberglass boats.
• He raised animals: snakes (HUGE 6+ft long pythons), ferrets, tarantulas, guinea pigs, hedgehogs, geckos, and more. (When I moved out of the house and my mom was at the end of her rope, he rented a storage unit and would keep all his animals there. He's have to go out there every day or two to feed them all. I hated going with him because I was always afraid a snake had gotten out!)
• He is also a land developer. That means he buys large portions of land, subdivides it, brings in water and electricity, and sells lots.
• Currently he owns a cement chipping company. He sends crews out to climb into cement trucks and chip off all the dried cement.
• He also has recently opened a cellulite burning clinic.

Needless to say, my growing up years were never boring! One of the things I really appreciate about my dad is his optimism. He was always convinced that his next venture was going to be successful (and some were), but he was always quick to bounce back if they failed. Through all these things, my dad employed a number of different people, and in my bias opinion, he was an excellent boss. He was fair, upfront, and honest.

Another thing I am thankful for is how my dad taught me that it's important to love what you do. Obviously, he's an outdoors man, so many of his jobs revolved around hunting and fishing. I like to hunt and fish, but that's not my passion. And, although, my dad doesn't completely understand my passion, he has always been quick to support and encourage me to pursue it with all my heart!

Thanks Dad, for all the fun memories we have, the example you set, and the wisdom you passed on! I am so thankful for you! I love you!