done than they ordered,
they're a little upset. But if
you mess their mortgage up
and the home they're going to
move into . . . they're ex-
tremely angry. We're handl-
ing the financing for their
biggest investment. You have
to be sensitive to the process
people are going through."
His "Just Do It" philosophy
appears to be paying off. The
company has "just started to
make a major dent" in its
target market — Oakland
County. As of October 1991,
an industry report shows
Rock Financial is ranked
seventh in the size of loans
issued. That amounts to
almost $36 million in loans
issued last year.
The company is not only
handling residential first
mortgages, but is branching
out. Mr. Gilbert says they
have just started a commer-
cial loan division and a home
building subsidiary.
Dan Gilbert is realizing his
dream. Of course, fulfilling
the goal of being a self-made
man takes more than good
ideas and hard work. Drive,
determination and focus are
necessary ingredients in
growing a successful
business.
Dr. Raymond Genick, who
runs Wayne State Univer-
sity's Small Business Devel-
opment Center, says "commit-
ment and cash" are necessary
ingredients for a successful
new business.
The most recent wave of
recession-induced layoffs has
sent people flocking to his of-
fice, looking for employment
alternatives or hoping to con-
vert their ideas into profit.
But Dr. Genick says
business start-up is not a way
out of the tightening employ-
ment market for most people.
They don't have the right per-
sonalities or the financial
backing. So what does
separate the self-made man
or woman from the wanna-
be's?
"They're money motivated,
that's number one," Dr.
Genick says. "And usually,
they have bigger dreams than
other people . . . looking to go
beyond. They're success
oriented and highly
competitive.
"They're usually successful
no matter what they take on.
That doesn't mean the first

Photos by Gle nn Triest

These businessmen and women made it on their own.

time they start a business it
will take off. There are some
failures. But that doesn't stop
them. They have a burning
desire to succeed."
Dr. Genick says successful
entrepreneurs work longer,
harder hours than other peo-
ple. They are willing to make
sacrifices to aggressively pur-
sue their dreams and take
financial and personal risks
to get there. And they have
some outstanding strengths,
such as planning, organiza-
tional or motivational skills.
Most, Dr. Genick says, are
consummate salespeople.
There are other traits, too.
Many entrepreneurs had a
parent who was self-employed
and functioned as a role
model. The foundation for en-
trepreneurship surfaced ear-
ly on.
"They either started some
business or got involved in
some kind of activity at a
young age, whether it be sell-

ing lemonade or a paper
route, where they're
generating income."
Howard Tapper is one of
those who knows that hard
work and commitment pay
off. The 43-year-old retailer
has spent the last 15 years
nurturing a business and a
reputation.
Mr. Tapper owns Tapper's, a
Southfield jewelry store. He
says it's been his desire to
own his own business for as
long as he can remember. "It
was innate, just something I
wanted to do."
He was a self-starter at an
early age, cutting grass and
doing odd jobs when he was
seven years old. His goal was
to go into business with his
father, who was also a
businessman. But that dream
vanished with his father's
death in 1967.
Mr. Tapper was drawn to
the jewelry business at the
age of 15, when he took a job

as a stock boy at a catalog
company, E.L. Rice. "I was
given the opportunity to sell
some fine jewelry. And I knew
nothing about it, but that
first night, I sold $2,200
worth."
After graduating from
Wayne State University, Mr.
Tapper went to work for
Meyer Jewelry stores as a dia-
mond buyer. While that was
a great learning experience,
Mr. Tapper says he still had a
"burning desire" to be his
own boss. And at the age of
28, with the help of his wife,
Susan, and a $35,000 loan, he
opened his own business —
1,000 square feet and limited
inventory.
Six months after opening,
his brother Steve joined the
business. Today they are
partners.
Howard Tapper admits it
was a nerve-wracking first
step.
"In working for someone

A self-starter who
did odd jobs for
cash at the young
age of 7, Howard
Tapper wanted to
own his own
business.

TI-IF ITTRNT AMISH WINS 49

