A Chat With Paal Gisholt, President/CEO, SmartPak Equine

CS: Have you had any mentors?
PG: I’ve had several. At a young age, my mom and dad, who were immigrants from Norway — neither of whom had four-year degrees — started a business. I was involved at an early age, licking envelopes and that sort of thing. I was put to work early on. So I worked all through college in my family’s ship brokerage business, and I learned a great deal about how to take care of customers and give them your all. I learned how hard you have to work to make your business a success through my dad. Then in venture capitalism I had some mentors.