By Paula Scott
Ten University of Findlay students are being introduced to “the real world of business” as Dana Scholars. The select group was recently treated to a view of the small, local end of the spectrum courtesy of Bluffton businesses. Edward Jones financial advisor Ryan Demarco and his wife Alicia, Pete and Kim Suter of Shirley’s Gourmet Popcorn Co. and the Shannon Theatre, and Jonah Agner and Nancy Corle-Agner of Greenhorn restaurant and The Food Store hosted the students on their premises and spoke about their career paths.
While the downtown Bluffton stops spotlighted very different lines of business, questions and answers often touched on similar themes. And, in all cases, the business owners recounted “opportunity knocks” moments that changed their lives.
First up on the students’ business-hopping itinerary was the 111 N. Main St. office of Ryan DeMarco. They learned that DeMarco served for 10 years in the Army National Guard before entering the world of banking and wealth management with J.P. Morgan. DeMarco wasn’t looking for a change, but was approached about an Edward Jones opening in Bluffton. The role is semi-entrepreneurial: the company provides its advisor partners with key support, but DeMarco has the ability to shape his client base and develop the real estate where his business is located. DeMarco emphasized the importance of always maintaining your integrity and not being plugged into work from morning to night, even if technology makes it possible.
Pete Suter told the students about his entrepreneurial path, including opening the Common Grounds coffee shop in 2017 (a predecessor to the Twist Whisk Cafe that was located at 125 N. Main) without having done a break-even analysis. “Don’t open a coffee shop!” he spouted. The popcorn business was sparked by locals coming to the theater just to buy popcorn. For thirteen years Suter also worked as a marketing professor. Suter advised the students that it is key to have a life partner who supports and understands entrepreneurship. He also told them about breaking into tears when COVID closed all of the Shirley’s popcorn shops–a scenario no one could plan for–and how Kim and their kids made and packaged and shipped popcorn for online sales.
COVID also proved to be a major challenge for Jonah Agner, who explained how he had worked for others in the restaurant and wine business before opening Greenhorn, a plant-based restaurant at 112 Vine St., in July 2020. The restaurant was a second opportunity for Agner to develop a menu including falafel and curried “chicken” salad that he previously served at the Cask Room in Ada. At about the same time Greenhorn opened, he and Corle-Agner became the proprietors of The Food Store at 103 S. Main, a Bluffton business that was created by the Sommer and Houshower families in 1985.
The evening wrapped up with the entrepreneurs and students sitting down to chat and enjoy deep-dish pizza with a beer crust at Greenhorn. Dana chair Greg Ring reminded the students that they would be writing about three take-aways from the evening. He told the Icon, “The goal of the program is to introduce business students to the real world of business and help them connect it with what they are learning in the classroom. What a better place than Bluffton to showcase the thriving business community we have here with so many passionate and innovative entrepreneurs.”
The Icon’s take-aways from the evening are that small businesses require family support, not just individual commitment. The students showed that they are entering their careers concerned about work-life balance. And Bluffton business owners illustrated that with so many twists and turns in life, there’s really no knowing what lies ahead on your career path.
