Age: 47

Family: Wife, Karen (43); Daughter, Emily (6).

Highest education: MBA.

Year Started Business: 1999.

Type of Business: Internet related marketing and opportunities.

Market: Anyone who owns a computer. The ideal customer/distributor is one who already knows his way around the computer and Internet; knows there is something better out there than what he is currently pursuing, and willing to commit to something once he is convinced it will work.

Number of Employees: None.

Best month (gross revenues): $17,000.

Hours worked per week during start-up: 20.

Hours worked per week now: 40.

Favorite business magazines: Newsweek, Time Magazine.

Relaxes by: Spending an afternoon with a good book, playing some golf or playing with his dogs.

Keeps in shape by: “Since my business recently became fairly automatic, I plan to play golf about three times a week, jog a few miles each day, and do a light workout on my home gym.”

Favorite part of job: Providing assistance and feeling needed. “There should be no mystery as to why this is my favorite. Everyone should feel good in providing assistance to those who can honestly use it.”

Least favorite part of job: Providing assistance to those unwilling to help themselves to some degree. There will always be a full spectrum of those in anyone’s organization, ranging from those who do nothing and demand everything, to those who do as much as they possibly can and ask very little help. “I much prefer working with the latter.”

Companies Admired: Harley Davidson: The company was brought back to prominence with hard work, commitment and belief in excellence. “Listing more than this one terrific company would dilute how strongly I feel about Harley Davidson.”

Favorite quotes: “You don’t get nothin’ for nothin’.” He attributes this to his dad, “Who provided this little way of telling me I would generally receive nothing if I did nothing and not to hope to hit a homerun on pipe dreams. It took me until I was 40 years old before I finally believed it. Life certainly would have fewer dead ends if everyone would know this as truth from infancy.”

The person who most influenced your life: “No doubt about this one! My dad. Growing up as a farm boy in Minnesota in the 1950’s and 1960’s provided an outstanding background to establish a work ethic. Even though it seemed difficult at the time, what I gained from those days and the teaching of my dad has been instrumental throughout my working life.”

Heroes: No specific heroes, but I value integrity in the leaders I have.”

Months before Achieved a Profit: Three.

How Randall got into business for himself: “It was in about 1990 that I told myself and believed it, that I would not work for anyone again. When I retired from the U.S. Naval Submarine Force in 1994, I lived up to that commitment by finding a local company and buying it. After doubling the profit from the previous owner in the first year, it appeared that my path was clear.”

Best thing about being self-employed: “Everyone who is self-employed knows his own answer to this question. For me, one of the highlights of my day is being asked who I work for. A broad smile and the word ‘Me’ make for a good day for me.”

Contact Randall at: Businesslf@hotmail.com