When I Grow Up . . .

What these entrepreneurs wanted to be when they were young

By Talicia A. Flint Feb 01, 2001

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Ann S. Price, 39, CEO and presidentof Motek, a supply chain execution software firm in Beverly Hills,California
I always wanted to be an entrepreneur. When I was 13, I realizedthe lady I babysat for was playing cards with three other women whoall had children. I offered to watch all the kids in one house andsave them baby-sitting dollars in return for more money. Whileother girls [worked both] Friday and Saturday nights, I made in onenight what they made in one week. My specialty has always beennegotiating win-win situations.

David Woo, 39, CEO and president ofThe Amanda Company, a developer of voice pro-cessing systems basedin San Juan Capistrano, California
On the freeway [en route to my mother’s work], we regularlypassed a large structure that was shaped like a sphere. I wasfascinated by it. When I mentioned to my mom that I wanted to workin that building, her response was, “Well then, you have to goto college and become a scientist.” From that moment on, mygoal was to become a scientist.

Jennifer Carey, 37, president andCEO of JLC Environmental Consultants Inc. in New YorkCity
I was about 8 years old when I sent away for my first”ecology” package in the mail. The kit contained oldecology stickers and binoculars and other things [used to] observenature. I liked the outdoors and was often in the stream, down atthe end of the block, checking out the wildlife, like crayfish, andcatching them and bringing them home. I often joke that I wanted tobe “Jennifer Cousteau.”


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Ann S. Price, 39, CEO and presidentof Motek, a supply chain execution software firm in Beverly Hills,California
I always wanted to be an entrepreneur. When I was 13, I realizedthe lady I babysat for was playing cards with three other women whoall had children. I offered to watch all the kids in one house andsave them baby-sitting dollars in return for more money. Whileother girls [worked both] Friday and Saturday nights, I made in onenight what they made in one week. My specialty has always beennegotiating win-win situations.

David Woo, 39, CEO and president ofThe Amanda Company, a developer of voice pro-cessing systems basedin San Juan Capistrano, California
On the freeway [en route to my mother’s work], we regularlypassed a large structure that was shaped like a sphere. I wasfascinated by it. When I mentioned to my mom that I wanted to workin that building, her response was, “Well then, you have to goto college and become a scientist.” From that moment on, mygoal was to become a scientist.

Jennifer Carey, 37, president andCEO of JLC Environmental Consultants Inc. in New YorkCity
I was about 8 years old when I sent away for my first”ecology” package in the mail. The kit contained oldecology stickers and binoculars and other things [used to] observenature. I liked the outdoors and was often in the stream, down atthe end of the block, checking out the wildlife, like crayfish, andcatching them and bringing them home. I often joke that I wanted tobe “Jennifer Cousteau.”

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