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Home is the birthplace of some of America's biggestbusinesses. Just ask Steven Schussler, who foundedMinneapolis-based Rainforest Cafe in 1994. Billing itself as a wildplace to shop and eat, Rainforest Cafe's 25 internationallocations began humbly--albeit remarkably--as a prototype that tookover Schussler's suburban Minneapolis home.
How did Schussler, 43, grow a publicly traded, $300 million-pluscompany in just four years? The business of Schussler's dreamsstarted as just that. He dreamed of a restaurant/retail storeconcept that included live tropical birds and fish in a rain forestenvironment. It would be a place that was equal parts education,entertainment--and, of course, good eats.
Even while visions of a tropical eatery with cascadingwaterfalls and thunder and lightning storms filled his head,Schussler was busy operating a chain of Jukebox Saturday Nightrestaurants, which he founded. When the Minneapolis Jukeboxlocation failed in 1991 (others are still open), Schussler seizedthe opportunity to spend more time pursuing his lifelong dream.
"I had no money, no support whatsoever," saysSchussler. What he did have was passion. "I begged, borrowed,and sold everything I owned," he says. Schussler drummed upbusiness as a restaurant consultant by day and began to spend hisevenings building the prototype for Rainforest Cafe in the onlyspace he had available--his home.
When he moved all his furniture out of his house and painted thewalls and ceilings black, his neighbors thought he was crazy."Every room in my home became a vignette," saysSchussler. In addition to 40 tropical birds, two tortoises and ababoon, "I had 20 different sound systems and fog and mistcoming out of the [house]," says Schussler. Not to mention3,000 extension cords. "In 1991, my electric bill was thelargest single residential electric bill in the state ofMinnesota," he says.
Next, he went in search of financial backing by offeringpotential investors weekly tours of his prototype restaurant."Great idea. Call us when you're open," he heardagain and again. One of the "disinterested" investors wasLyle Berman, chairman of the board of Grand Casinos. Berman assuredSchussler he had no plans to invest but asked if he could come backand bring his wife and children. They visited repeatedly as theproject grew over the next two years, and eventually Bermanfinanced the venture.
Today, Berman is Rainforest's chairman of the board. Threemonths after the first Rainforest Cafe opened in Minneapolis'Mall of America, the company went public. Six months later,Schussler closed his first deal with The Walt Disney Co., openingtwo locations at Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
With Rainforest Cafes across the United States, and in Canada,Mexico and the United Kingdom--and many more to come--Schusslerreflects on his experience: "Nothing great was everaccomplished without enthusiasm and passion. It's only a smallbeginning if you're thinking small."
Small Beginnings
You're in good company. Just look at these companies thatstarted as home businesses:
Dell Computer Corp.
Hewlett-Packard Co.
Apple Computer Inc.
Microsoft Corp.
Nantucket Nectars
Amway Corp.
Mrs. Fields Original Cookies
Lilian Vernon Corp.
Contact Sources
Rainforest Café, (612) 945-5400,http://www.rainforestcafe.com
