WKU News

WKU Alum Grant Steier was featured in the March Speaker Series hosted by the Gordon Ford College of Business' Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Grant spoke to students about his journey in beginning and growing his business venture, TurfTech Innovative Lawn and Landscape.

When Steier first came to WKU, he planned to major in architecture. As he put more thought into what he truly wanted to do in the future, he chose to double major in entrepreneurship and accounting. Both of these majors helped put him on the right path to start his business.

Steier explained that when he was a student, he took advantage of several opportunities that were available to him. Steier participated in the CEI’s Topper Tank pitch competition as well as the Business Plan Competition. He highly recommended that students take part in opportunities such as these because he benefited from those experiences- he believes others could as well.

When discussing what his entrepreneurial position entailed, Steier said, “You are pretty much on a 24/7 clock as an entrepreneur. When everyone goes home for the day, I am still working.” Steier wanted to debunk the myth that entrepreneurs just sit around and let the workers do everything.  He works both in and on his business every day. “You have to have motivation to do things. Everything is not always going to go the way you want it.” That is where the extra work comes into play and entrepreneurs have to step in to do it.  Steier explained that in his position, the main focus is on the people he serves-money is not the higher priority. “I want to be able to leave a mark on something or someone and that is my motivation.” Finding a direct source of motivation is one of the keys to continuous success for entrepreneurs.

When discussing other tips for success, Steier revealed that networking is number one. “If you spend time networking and meeting the right people you will generate opportunities that you would not have been able to get on your own. The more people you meet and the more people you speak to, the better chance you have of reaching whatever goal you have set.” He said that he spends a significant portion of his time networking with other people.

When closing out his presentation he summed up his feelings about his path to entrepreneurship and said, “The journey is hard, but it is so worth it when you get to where you want to be.”

“We are so proud of Grant and all that he has accomplished in this short time since graduating from WKU GFCB, said Dr. Whitney Peake, Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation.  “He works incredibly hard on networking, strategy, and his operations, and I’m so glad our students had the opportunity to glean insights from his experiences and thought process.”