Name: Mike Fatherly

Business: Dutch Direct Barns

Address: 1421 Armory Drive

Phone number: 516-2525

Operating hours: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday

Nature of business: Amish sheds, doghouses, chicken coops, gazebos, and other decorative and functional outbuildings

Year founded: Two years in Franklin. The Petersburg-based company was founded six years ago

Locations: Franklin, South Hill and Petersburg

Number of employees: Two

How’s business: Picking up

One thing you wish everyone knew about your business: Amish sheds are well built. Flake board is not used.

Something you offer that a customer won’t find elsewhere: Discounts and local free delivery

Advice to young entrepreneurs: The customer comes first. Be honest and do your best

Your first jobs: Working at my mother’s grocery stores

Your role model (in business or in life generally): My mother. She was a hard worker who owned three grocery stores.

The key to a successful business is: Honesty is the best policy