Norm Brodsky, CEO and owner of Brooklyn-based CitiStorage and U.S. Document Security, offers a few words of advice to entrepreneurs considering entering the archive and document destruction industries.

            “Start as soon as possible,” Brodsky suggests. “The business itself is going to grow tremendously,” he says of the document destruction industry in particular. “Everyone has a computer in their office; eventually they are going to have a shredding bin. It may take 10 or 12 years for that to happen, but the marketplace is going to explode,” he adds. 

“The document shredding industry is an easy-entry business,” Brodsky continues. “That doesn’t mean you are going to make a lot of money, it just means that it’s easier for you to get into in that it takes less money and time,” he says.

Entrepreneurs considering a career in archiving are looking at making a considerable investment, with significantly more obstacles to entry. “Box storage is a really hard-entry business because the sales cycle is so long and because you need a facility, you need racking; you need lots of things. It’s an expensive business to go into,” he cautions.

             He suggests that would-be entrepreneurs research the industries by contacting professional associations, such as the National Association for Information Destruction and PRISM International, and attend their meetings.

            Brodsky also suggests talking with people in the industry. “Normally business people, especially people outside of your area, will be very helpful to you.” He adds, “You’d be surprised that some of the best ideas we’ve gotten came from others in the industry.

“You learn two things from your competitors: what you want to do and what you don’t want to do; what you want to be like and what you don’t want to be like. Even a bad competitor can teach you a lesson about what you don’t want to do.”

            He adds, “Get as much information as you can before you start a business.”

            Brodsky also encourages those new to the industry to consult with an established businessperson to avoid doing the things that a seasoned professional would know not to do.

Brodsky is willing to be such a resource for those new to the archive and document destruction industries. He and his partners offer a free, informal training program to people who want to start a document shredding or storage business.

 He also has a word of advice regarding putting too much stock in the business advice of lawyers. “Don’t go to a lawyer for business advice. Ever,” the former lawyer quips. “A lot of lawyers are frustrated businessmen and they think they can be business men. Well, if they were, they would be businessmen,” he adds. “I’m not saying lawyers are unnecessary. I think lawyers are necessary for certain things.”

            Brodsky also warns would-be entrepreneurs to keep a close eye on their capital. “Most people say that four out of five businesses fail because they are undercapitalized,” he says. “The truth is four out of five businesses fail because they don’t use their capital properly. If you are fortunate to raise enough money to go into business, use it wisely and carefully.”