"You work 100 hours weeks because it's not actually work and you love what you are doing, or because you don't have a choice because you have 3 mouths to feed at home". Thiefaine , founder of Prouduct, a global sourcing and trade company, shares his insights as an entrepreneur that helps other small business owners expand their opportunities.

Kerry & Kevin are the founders of ESports Furniture Store. Their goal is to be the leading provider in quality in e-sports and gaming furniture, for anyone that just enjoys gaming as a hobby, to up and coming professionals in the space. As gamers themselves, they wanted to start something that mattered to them, in a space that they understood. Kerry & Kevin are twins, and have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. They mentioned that as kids they started selling Pokémon and baseball cards to their friends, or charging other classmates to clean their desks for extra snack money, and even hired friends and gave them a commission for their help. "We didn't notice at the time but today we think back, and we started a 'business, we had an employee, we understood supply and demand'. All that to say that entrepreneurship was always inside of us, and now it's all coming together".

From protecting the President of the United States, to protecting the 9-5 office, Charles Roselle, founder of Trinity Risk Solutions, shares his story of starting a security and risk management company designed to provide companies exceptional workplace security, safety and training. 

In today's episode, we get to hear Andrew share his story of starting a business right before Covid hit, and how he navigated the uncertainty with his unique business model. Garibotti and Friends is a space for families to sell and save on barely used clothing and other growing family needs. They offer clothing, books, games, puzzles, and other items for infants through teens.  They donate over 3,500 items each year to local non-profits.

Did you know that epilepsy is the number one diagnosed neurological condition among children? About 4 million people suffer from epilepsy, and unfortunately,  truly personalized treatment is limited. Thankfully, Dr. Himanshu Misra has set out to change that.Himanshu is the founder and CEO of EnlitenAI, a startup that continually monitors, records, and provides personalized management of seizures.Himanshu is an expert data scientist, but he decided to start EnlitenAI because of his son, who suffered from epilepsy and seizures for years. While taking care of their son, Himanshu and his wife learned about the lack of support for patients and caregivers in this space. Himanshu mentions that he was grateful for the help he received from neurologists, but some patients have to wait anywhere from six months to a year for each visit. His goal is to help both patients and caregivers who are trying their best to find solutions in a difficult situation.Through EnlitenAI, Himanshu and his team are monitoring and tracking seizures daily, allowing for more productive meetings with more accurate data and logs. "We allow the caregiver to be able to stream data the way it happened in its most pristine form, so the neurologist can see it and make more informed decisions for treatment," notes Himanshu.Himanshu is now looking for investors to help take EnlitenAI to the next level. He notes the unique challenges of trying to secure investors in the healthcare field. "We are bootstrapped. We have a friends and family thing going. Some of the good investors we have are looking for more results that we can show. We have the ball at the one yard line, just towards the end and are very excited about it."  Himanshu is bringing in experts wherever he can to keep the progress moving forward. Himanshu notes what has led him to put together the team he has:  "Humility is extremely important. To know that we can't be experts in everything. We bring in experts in each of their areas because they bring a certain depth of knowledge that we cannot bring. So we know where we are strong and where we aren't. We go the experts, and that makes our product better and allows us to focus on our core strengths."Himanshu lost his son in 2021. He hopes that this service will help other parents and children have a better experience and find help in managing seizures. "To me, this product, this journey, is a tribute to my son," says Himanshu. "Just being able to create something that would've been a great tool for me, and knowing that others may  be able to benefit in the same way. This really is for him."Himanshu's advice for other entrepreneurs who are just getting started is to be focused and have conviction and confidence. "The passion has to be there. There has to be conviction and confidence that what I am doing is the right thing. Every start up dies a thousand deaths. There will be surprises, but you have to stay focused." If you want to learn more about Himanshu and his story, as well as updates with EnlitenAI, you can visit the company website: enlitenai.com or contact him directly through his LinkedIn account: linkedin.com/in/himanshumisraphd.

One of the best parts about running a small business is taking what you are passionate about and making a career of it. That is what John and Tammy did with ABC Fitness Connection, a personal wellness gym that offers one-on-one training, boot camps, and group exercise classes. John and Tammy are both retired from the military and ended up meeting each other in the gym. With both of them having a passion for fitness, eating right, and overall wellness, they knew this was the direction they wanted to go with their business. They offered personal training on the side during weekends and nights, but when John lost his job, they decided it was time to commit to the gym full time. "We pretty much used our setback as a step up. We went full-fledged with the business and haven't looked back since," says Tammy.Like all small business owners, they ran into plenty of unique challenges while opening their training center. "When we started, we started like the big box gyms, but it was more of a headache than anything, so we had to change directions, and do things our own way," John says. Knowing that what they do is changing their clients' lives is one of the biggest reasons they stick with the model they have now. "For us, we are part of the community. The people that come to our facility, they become our family, and we become your biggest cheerleader," Tammy says. Their one-on-one model may limit the number of people they can service, but it allows them to form a closer connection with their clients and make an impact on their lives beyond just getting in shape. John and Tammy use those same connections with their community to market their gym. They enjoy doing presentations at schools and events and train people on healthy eating habits, total wellness, and the harm certain substances cause to your body. Sharing their expertise wherever they can has helped build trust in the community and attract more clients to their services instead of a big-name gym. With their combined knowledge, John and Tammy try to provide complete wellness coaching. They are looking to build their clients' self-esteem and instill habits in them that will stick long after they stop going to the gym. "We know what our strengths and weaknesses are. He is parallel to me, in different lanes, but both achieving the same goal. There is a lot of different avenues of being well, and that is what we try to share with people," Tammy says. Part of what makes their business work is that they practice what they preach. John and Tammy are both in such great shape that they have had people suggest John play professional football, even though he is almost 60 and she is almost 50. Their energy and passion for fitness shine through everything they do, even when running the business can be stressful. "It's a roller coaster; you'll have your highs and lows, but when you love what you do, it isn't work," John says.That is why they don't plan on stopping anytime soon. "We love helping people and helping them achieve their goals," Tammy says. "We have seen people come and go, and they might not know who John is or who Tammy is, but when you say ABC Fitness Connection, they know." If you want to learn more about John and Tammy's story, you can visit their website abcfitconnect.com or call them directly at 301-645-0222.

Dr. Bruce Bassi saw a need in the mental health industry and started his own practice with the goal of fixing it. Here is how Bruce started Telephysch Health, a fully virtual practice with a more personal touch than most.Bruce got the motivation to start his own practice through the patients he was seeing during his residency. They wanted to keep seeing him when he started his fellowship, and his director allowed him to do his practice on the side. From there, it grew into a small team, including other physicians, all with the same goal in mind: Making things as easy as possible for their clients.Bruce recognized a change in the industry that would allow him to grow his private practice faster than it may have years ago.  "If you were to ask an older generation physician whether they should be marketing a private practice or opening a business, they would say it's unethical to do so and not appropriate. They thought it was kind of shameful, but if you are not going to do it, someone else is going to, so why not have something that is physician-driven," Bruce says.While his practice continues to grow, Bruce never wants to lose that personal touch. "A patient will be shocked to reach the doctor directly, get a same-day appointment, and get unfettered access to me," he says. That one-on-one connection is what separates him from other practices. He has created an environment where every patient feels valued and heard, and it has led to continued growth and success.Like many small business owners, part of what drove Bruce to open his own practice was the freedom and flexibility of running the show. "I distinctly remember my first year of residency being 1 of 100 people entering the hospital in the drove at the beginning of a 12-hour shift," he says. "I remember dreading the feeling of being a cog in a massive industrialized healthcare system. Now I don't have that feeling at all."Many business owners feel overwhelmed thinking they have to run everything. While that is sometimes the only option when getting started, Bruce notes some advice that has helped him offload specific duties so he can maximize how he runs the business. "Only do the tasks that only you can do," he says. "You have some sort of role in this business, and other people don't have that role for a specific reason. Don't take on their role just because you can. They can't do your role, so that's where you need to focus".  Bruce's goal is to continue to improve the patient experience in a continuously changing industry. "There are a lot of people out there in a lot of pain and suffering, isolated and alone, and they need a lot of help. They don't want to focus on the challenges of finding a provider, and pay for a session. They just want to get better."Whether it's billing, or filling out paperwork, Bruce and his team continually meet to find ways to eliminate redundancy and make access to a doctor as easy as possible.Like most successful small businesses, Bruce had to overcome his own challenges to get to where he is today and encourages everyone not to judge by what only meets the eye. "Don't judge your insides based on somebody else's outsides," he says. "They have probably gone through a lot of struggle to get there, and they might seem like they are very happy, but you don't know what they have fought through to get there." If you want to learn more about Telepysch Health, you can visit their website at telepsychhealth.com or give them a call at 888-730-5220.

For more pictures and insights into Brandon's story, visit our Keep Going website! When his family business went bankrupt, Brandon Lunsford found himself flat on his face, praying for inspiration and something to help his family.That's when Brandon had the idea to open a floral shop--the only problem was, Brandon knew next to nothing about the flower industry.Despite his reservations, Brandon followed the prompting and opened Garden of Eden Floral just a few weeks before Valentine's Day, the busiest time of year for florists. Listen to his incredible journey and the crazy ups and downs that led him to where he is today.

Sometimes doing the opposite of what everyone else is doing is the right approach. That is what McKay learned when he started his business, Five Star Commerce.Five Star Commerce is a marketing and consulting service for brands selling on Amazon and Walmart as third-party sellers. McKay found a niche in his pricing model by offering hourly pricing rather than a flat monthly fee like most agencies. This strategy has helped separate him from the competition and provide extra value to his clients.Not everyone can just get up one day and decide to start something new. McKay recognized his current life situation allowed him to take the leap and let go of his nine-to-five-job and consistent paycheck and lean into a new path. While living in his sister's basement with no wife or kids, McKay knew financially he could take the risk.McKay recognizes that he could have stayed at the job he was at and everything would have been fine. He liked the people and the clients he worked with, but he would have never reached his full potential. "When I was in school, I was always the vice president, right? I was never actually the president," McKay says. "When I actually did something that was like, 'Okay this is my thing. I am the guy in charge,' it unleashed a bit more of my full potential that had never been used, in a lot of ways, as a person, definitely as a business person. You all of a sudden become something greater than you have ever been before."Looking back, McKay feels that everything in his life led him to where he is now. Before starting Five Star Commerce, McKay had always wanted to work for a big company and wondered why anyone wanted to start something on their own. That changed for him after reading Rich Dad Poor Dad. One concept from the book, "Some people will work every day for a business they will never own," really stood out to him. He recalls starting an internship at American Airlines. The first day, he saw all the cubicles going on and on as far as he could see, and he realized right there that everything he had been working toward was not actually what he wanted to do.McKay believes what allowed him to see such great success so soon was his ability to listen to his customers. "Don't go out and say, 'I want to start this type of business or that type of business.' Listen to the market, and let them tell you what type of business to start," McKay says. "I didn't know our hourly model would be our niche; I was just listening to our customers."Even when the status quo in the industry was to do the opposite of what he was trying, he recognized a need in the market, and it opened new doors that may not have opened if he did things the standard way. "Everything I was reading was telling us not to do it. And that ended up being an advantage, by just not doing what everyone else was doing. We got customers specifically looking for us because we were doing it differently," he says.McKay isn't shy about recognizing that an increased income is one of the biggest factors in what keeps him going, but he also loves the opportunity to build a team and help his employees grow.When it comes to the most important parts of starting a new business, McKay says integrity is what has allowed him to be successful. Part of being a business owner is being able to recognize when you make a mistake and to learn how to fix it. "At least I know we are always doing the right thing as much as we can, and if there is an issue, I will be there and try to fix it. That's how I can sleep at night and be energized about what we are doing," he says.Learn more about McKay's story by visiting his website or connecting with Five Star Commerce on social media.

On October 16, 2021, Valentino Luna launched Corporate Diagnostic Center and D.K. International Corporation.That day also marked a meaningful anniversary for Valentino.It was 25 years to the day since Valentino ran away from home, opting to live on the streets and scrounge food from garbage cans rather than stay in an abusive environment."I did my grand opening on that day because I want to remember always that as long as I make the right decision and I keep going and I believe in myself and I believe that God will always be there for me, then I am empowered to keep going," Valentino says. "That is what empowers me every single day."Valentino hopes to spread that feeling of empowerment to other entrepreneurs across the United States by providing access to business services that are affordable, reliable, and trustworthy. Valentina's focus is helping business owners realize their dreams without making critical pitfalls and mistakes."When I first incorporated my business, I actually didn't realize that it was more than $209 to incorporate," Valentino says. "I had an idea, I saw a commercial, I was jobless, I was hungry, and I said, '209 dollars?' And then I looked at my refrigerator, and then I looked at this opportunity to start my business, and then I looked at my refrigerator again, and then I said, 'I can eat eggs and I can eat ramen and that will be fine.'"Valentino had no idea the whirlwind of events that one decision would set in motion. Though Valentino made it through this ordeal, frequent questions began to arise: How could hard-working Americans with two or more jobs ever have time to navigate this process? How could entrepreneurs with children or those with disabilities or those who speak a second language be able to jump through the hoops required to make their business idea a reality?That's when Valentino decided to pivot Corporate Diagnostic Center's business strategy to focus on helping entrepreneurs realize their vision."I am teaching new business owners how to embrace their vision and run with it," Valentino says. "I am not trying to teach them how to do it the old way. I am trying to teach them how to do it their way, because that is what America is about."To those who may feel discouraged, Valentino says, "Never give up on yourself. Never give up on your vision, because it is important. . . . The reality is that you can do what you believe you can do. You do not have to get outside validation to keep going. You don't need anyone's validation to keep going. You just do what's right and what's true to you and to your values. As long as you stick true to that and you stay rooted within your values and you understand them, then that is where your strength comes from. Your fire will come later, and when you get lit and that fire happens, you are going to be unstoppable, so just keep on going."To learn more about Valentino's story and business, visit Corporate Diagnostics Center's website or connect with @QueerHispanicCEO on social media.SPECIAL GIVEAWAY! Want to receive a free ticket to Corporate Diagnostic Center's grand opening and win free prizes on January 3, 2022? Use the discount code "Mazuma" and receive a free ticket. All those who attend the grand opening are eligible to receive prizes that will be given away every hour. The grand prize is an incorporation package that includes incorporation, an EIN, official Articles of Incorporation, access to legal services for 3 months, reputation management, website services, Google starter package, and more!