We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful John Erysian. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with John below.

John, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

I had been in the wholesale business of children’s books. My wife who had a retail background wondered about incorporating toys. A lot of our vendors were engaged in supplying both. It became a natural extension. The idea of learning thru play was important to us. We didn’t want to be another mainstream toy store. We also liked the idea of a family business. Most importantly we had an entrepreneurial mindset.

John, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

We sell educational toys, games and books. We give the best service possible by personalizing the selections to age and needs of the child. We understand the importance of developmental playthings and parental involvement. Our mission is to build a relationship with our customers and partner with them in their purchasing decisions.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

We had an organization represent itself as a non-profit looking for donations to needy children. After accumulating charges of $1500 and leaving with the merchandise, we never heard from them again. This came at a time when we could least afford the larceny, but we decided to forget it and keep going.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

My cofounder is my wife. It was actually her idea to start on a cart in a mall. She had a vision to grow the business. That was 30 years ago. We are now semi retired. Our daughter runs the show.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.circleofknowledge.com

Image Credits
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