VALDOSTA — Being an entrepreneur isn’t always easy and everyone does it a little differently. Some open online stores, while others open brick-and-mortar storefronts.

Some go all in and invest their lives into a new venture, while others start a new business as something to do on the side. Regardless of the type, entrepreneurs help drive the local economy.

Jud Tanner, owner of T3 Outdoors, only spent two semesters in college, but spent years of his life learning the trade of business while working for a family-owned business.

“I’ve learned everything on the job and in the field,” he said. “I went to college for two semesters, but it just wasn’t for me.”

In 1984, his family opened a store in Alachua, Fla., called Alachua Farm and Lumber, Tanner said. It is also commonly referred to as AFL.

“AFL started as an old school feed store, then throughout the years, my dad added — we added lumber and hardware,” Tanner said. “Then in 2005, we added clothing and work wear and boots. We started the guns in the Florida store in 2008.”

Tanner was 7 at the time AFL opened and worked there on and off throughout his life.

“When I graduated high school, I went to work for the UPS,” he said. “I worked there part-time for five years but I still worked at the store. Later, I worked at UPS full-time for five years.”

He left UPS and worked at the family business again in 2005.

In 2010, Tanner opened T3 Outdoors in Valdosta.

He decided to come to South Georgia because his wife grew up here and graduated from Lowndes High School, he said.

At the time, Tanner saw an opening in the Valdosta market and took a chance.

“There was a store here previous to us that wasn’t going to be here for too much longer,” he said. “We felt there was a need for an outdoor gun and archery store in the area.”

When he opened the store, he named it T3 outdoors for two reasons.

The first is it is the third family-owned business in his family, he said. Along with AFL, his great-grandfather owned a store in the 1960s.

“But what T3 really means is this is our family store, and my last name is Tanner, obviously, but most importantly, I have three sons and it stands for them,” he said.

T3 Outdoors carries guns and archery equipment for hand sheeting to hunting to home defense, Tanner said.

The advice Tanner had for new entrepreneurs is to take it slow.

“Do the most research you can,” he said. “Get the most advice you can get from business people and grow smart and slow. If you don’t get up and do it everyday, it ain’t going to happen.”

T3 Outdoors, 515 N. St. Augustine Road, Suite H, is open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays. For more information, call (229) 247-4343.

Jason Smith is a reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times. He can be contacted at 229-244-3400 ext.1257.