Thank you so much for joining us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
Thanks so much for the opportunity to speak with you. When I was young, my parents didn’t spoil me rotten. They told me that they would support me with every I “need” but when it came to things I “want” I would have to work to earn them.
When I was nine, I started selling things on eBay that I no longer wanted like Pokémon cards, Gameboy games, golf clubs and even started making my own products and selling them online. I found that I really had a passion for selling online and I have been doing so ever since.
As I got older I started getting more involved with tech while I was in school. All throughout middle school and high school I was a member of the Technology Student Association. My experience in that organization really impacted my life and developed my passion for technology. In high school I got industry certified in nineteen computer programs. The school district sponsored me and covered the costs of the tests. Towards the end of my high school career, I noticed that I was everyone’s “Tech Guy”. Once a noticed a demand for my expertise, I started a company offering tech services that people needed. Some of the services I offered were web design, hosting, graphic design, aerial photography, and cinematography with drones as well as started selling other people’s items online. Throughout high school, I also played 6 varsity sports.
After high school, I played college basketball for two years at State College of Florida and then transferred to the University of South Florida to finish my college career playing division 1 football.
My company today has evolved and I no longer offer web design, hosting or graphic design services. My company now focuses on sourcing, marketing, and selling products online. I’m also a digital consultant for RevLabs, a large supplements company, as well as manage my personal brand as a signed fitness model with Wilhelmina.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your company?
When I was a senior in high school I was hired by my school board to take aerial traffic surveys, with my drone, at all 54 schools in the county. I finished surveying about 14 schools and then had to go off to college. Before I went off to college I was hired as a consultant to purchase a drone for the school district and then teach high-level school board employees how to fly them. It was pretty cool that I was teaching a boardroom full of some of the biggest decision makers in the county, how to fly a drone.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
Someone offered me $20,000 for one of my twitter accounts that I created in 2014. I declined the offer because I thought I was going to make more money than what I was offered. The next year twitter and the advertising platform I was using, switched up their algorithms and terms of service.
I learned two things from that situation. Take advantage of an opportunity when it’s presented to you because you don’t know what will happen tomorrow. The second lesson is always be in control of your assets. Build a platform by using 3rd party networks to direct traffic to a property that you have 100% control over like your website or newsletter. If your entire business is conducted on something like Instagram, you’re taking a big risk. What would you do if Instagram closed its doors tomorrow?
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
Our customers know who to go to for technical guidance. Tech can be your best friend or your worst nightmare, we ensure that it’s your best friend. Our customers are lifelong customers that choose us because they know that we will go above and beyond the call of duty to improve their business. A few months ago I was on my favorite supplement company’s website and noticed that a few of the links were broken. I messaged one of the owners to inform them of the issue and they were grateful and expressed some of their pain points. After learning that I specialize in resolving technical headaches, they hired us on the spot to help manage their web presence. Ever since we have been working with the company and they have been very grateful for our services.
Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?
I would remind them that Rome wasn’t built in one day. Stay patient, trust the process and be consistent. I use to think that it only took one event to propel you to success when really it takes a compilation of many smaller accomplishments that prepares you for when up the destination of success. It’s so easy to look at the highlights when in reality, years and years of hard work got them to where they are.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?
I’m grateful for my parents, grandparents and my mentor. Whenever I’m stuck or need to discuss an issue with something pertaining to business or just life I can go to them. My grandparents have lots of experience running companies that rubbed off on my parents that in turn rubbed off on me. We all have the same values and work ethic to always do the right thing and get the job done. My mentor is a selfless person who helped me define who I am better as a person and has helped me level up in so many different ways.
How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?
I’ve always made an effort to give back to my community, stay true to myself and to stay humble. I respond to every single person that reaches out to me on social media and on my email. I started my Motivation Monday Newsletter earlier this year and the amount feedback, success stories and gratitude has been amazing. One of the greatest feelings in the world is when you receive a message from someone thanking you for helping them accomplish a goal or how you helped them get through a tough time.
Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share a story of how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Everything happens for a reason” This is relevant to me because whenever I experience adversity, It help me shift my mindset from negative to positive. Anything that happens on your journey to success is all part of the process and will make you a stronger person in the end. I’ve seen this quote play out in my life countless times and it has been very helpful in getting me through tough times.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me before I started my company” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
Don’t think about something too long. For the longest time, I got caught up in the process of naming my company when at the end of the day it really doesn’t matter and you can always change it.
If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room. Greatness is achieved by surrounding yourself with people that you aspire to be like and who have things figured out better than you. Once you stop hiring smart people and telling them what to do and start hiring smart people and letting them tell you what to do you’ll experience great innovation and growth.
Fall in love with the process and let money be a byproduct, not the main focus. When I first started I was all concerned about making money but once I shifted my focus from only making money and more on how can I provide more value to more people the money just started coming.
Pick your business partners very carefully. When I first started my company one of my friends from school wanted to be a 30% owner and be the companies head of marketing and PR. But once I consulted my silent partner I realized it was a stupid idea and they suggested I just hire them as a subcontractor.
Nobody is going to work as hard for your company as you are. Just because you own a company doesn’t mean you can just chill all day and do nothing. You are the one everyone comes to when there are issues, the one that puts out the fires and the first person in the office and the last person to leave.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
If I could start a movement It would be based on informing people about the benefits of working out & eating healthy without taking performance-enhancing drugs, undergoing body image surgeries and using unhealthy weight loss practices that will negatively affect your health in the long run.
How can our readers follow you on social media?