Hi again, here are the answers to your questions. If you need more information or have more questions, feel free to PM me. I hope this helps!

• Name? (I can use your username if you please) XtalMe
• Company name? Toys, Inc.
• Describe briefly what your business does. I own an Brick-and-Mortar Specialty Toy store.
• What is your background? (Education and/or work experience) I grew up in the Toy Industry (aka. Retail and Tradeshows / my Mom has owned a toy
  store since I was 4), have a BS in Marketing, and have worked in a Marketing firm, small businesses, and a shipping company.
• What motivated you to create your own business? I was fortunate that I didn't have to create my business out of nothing. My knowledge of the industry was better than most new business owners. While I was not proficient in owning a business, I was motivated to continue the experience of my family's business, albeit in a new location. My store is separate from the first location, and that motivated me to be successful on my own.
• What inspired you to pick the product/service you sell or the industry you lie in? My knowledge of the Toy industry, but it's also FUN! I get to make kids happy and I get to play while doing it. It's a lot of work, but it's rewarding.
• Did you analyze the market before you made the decision to create your own business? Yes, I did demographic analysis and a rent analysis on the area. I was very fortunate to luck out and find a location that has a Median Household Income that is almost 3x the state average.
  
• If so, how did you know it was the right time to enter the market? It's never the "perfect" time, but I opened in 2013, when the market was heading out of the recession. Toy stores were hit hard in the recession, but it is less sensitive than other markets, because people still have kids and birthdays come around once a year. :)
• What were your first steps you took when you started? Location is everything, even in business. I picked, and, with help, negotiated a good lease in a great location. It included upfit of the space, which was one of the most important steps (as issues arise, and did, in construction). I then made sure to research the "building blocks" of the store, such as the Point of Sale, layout of the store, inventory that was unique (and not mass-market), etc.
• Who helped you grow your business? My Mom really helped me in areas where I was less proficient, ie. negotiating the lease, creating an LLC, Quickbooks setup, etc. That was my initial business "growth." It helped to get set up right. After that, my employees and my customers have helped me grow the business. I've learned to never underestimate word of mouth.
• What potential issues did you avoid or overcome during your experience? I avoided lots of issues by negotiating the upfit of the store in my lease. It made a huge difference in getting the store open, and with it, I was still forced to open a week later than I had anticipated. Issues arose, but doing research first and staying organized really helped.