The Entrepreneur Next Door 🏡

Jahmaal Marshall is blessed with a natural ability to help people. He's been doing it since he was a teenager. Listen to Jahmaal's journey, how his childhood traumatic experience defined his future and career, and why he strongly feels that "what we believe about ourselves is often hardwired into a traumatic event." Here are key nuggets from our session together: Jahmaal's...

As a society flooded by images and new stories, we’ve become numb to tragedies here and abroad; a Tesla commercial follows a CNN coverage of thousands of refugees living in sub-standard conditions, or a new record of Covid deaths followed by a BOGO (Buy One Get One) free commercial. We may feel a tang of emotion, yet, we can’t help ourselves to be numb. This podcast is about hope and a salute to t...

If you're looking for an authentic and inspiring entrepreneurial success story, this podcast episode with Adam Robinson is a must-listen. Adam's transparent and detailed account of his journey is a gem. He shares strategies, technical insights, and valuable lessons he's learned. His story is a treasure trove of wisdom for anyone considering starting their own business, especially in...

Peter was born crosseyed and, for years, was bullied by his schoolmates. He had corrective surgeries when he was two, four, ten, thirteen, and nineteen. When you listen to his crazy (and adventurous) journey, you can understand how this experience shaped his tenacity and grit.  At twenty-seven, in the middle of his Ph. D. studies,  a non-malignant colon cancer diagnosis sparks a  "midlife cri...

Buckle up and get the popcorn ready; it's a longer podcast worth listening to every minute. When your guest opens the conversation with a profound quote from Confucius - "We have two lives; the second begins when we realize we only have one" - you know you're in for a deeply personal conversation. Rui Boom grew up in Portugal and wanted to become an international soccer player....

Vernon grew up in an entrepreneurial family: His father ran a hotel, and his mother was an artist. His introduction to running a business started when his father told him, "I'm done mowing the lawn; it's your job now."  Vernon and his wife "bet the farm" and took the plunge into entrepreneurship. They own a media company that helps authors and publishers to connect wi...

Chris Hennessy is a "sweets guy" always looking for a snack (chocolate preferred). He has a golden voice and an upbeat personality. Not what you would expect when you listen to his story.  In his early years, Chris aspired to be a vet, worked at a jail, and did some construction jobs.  But, in his 20s, his life took a downward spiral, as he, in his words, "went crazy" and ended...

Brenden's competitive drive was fueled by a father that told him he would never be successful. Fast forward to college when Brenden signs up for "case competitions," where students present to large corporations and nail a position if they do well. The odds? 300 presenters, 70 get picked. Find out how Brenden was able to shortcut 40 years of knowledge into four by perfecting and winn...

At 12, Dominick cleaned his neighbor's backyard to save money to buy one $30 share of Disney, unlike what the average boy his age would be doing. Growing up in Brooklyn and watching everyone around him struggle financially motivated him to "change" things. Next came starting a nonprofit for the homeless as an Eagle Scout. Entrepreneurship was like jumping into the pool and saying, &...

"I wanted to have enough money to live comfortably by age 50. I didn't know how to do it, but I knew I would do it."  What's the connection between writing action-thriller novels (my favorites) and entrepreneurship?  On this podcast, Steve Braker takes us through his journey as he transitioned from being a successful business owner to the highly competitive world of book publis...

Many people take podcasting too seriously. Of course, if I'm asking you to spend an hour listening, you want and deserve a return on your investment.  Well, here's an hour plus of what we call "edutainment" - educational entertainment. A journey of a brilliant, genuine, and fun woman with an impressively large following (26,000 on Linked) and, most importantly, someone who love...

The measure of a true business is answering the question: What happens when you die?  If you die and the business dies, that was a nice job, not a business.  Buckle up for a fun hour listening to an experienced, passionate, opinionated, successful entrepreneur. Some of the topics we discuss are: What happened when Chris was nine-years-old that put him on an entrepreneurship trajectory? Are leaders...

Every one of us goes through "What am I going to do next? What makes me happy?" While some entrepreneurs find their calling quickly, for others, like my guest Sharon Sciammas, it has taken a few side trips and explorations before reaching his destination.  You can hear the energy and excitement in Sharon Sciammas when he speaks about his childhood wanting to become an Israeli fighter pil...

I waited to release this podcast before the Holidays because my guest is so inspiring. You'll be drawn into Maria's energy, genuine care for people, fierce independence, and insatiable curiosity about the world and giving back. Maria grew up in a small town in Russia. From a young age, she aspired to be a journalist, travel the world, and share what she experienced outside her home count...

Stop and think for a few minutes. Everything we consume goes through a process that requires machinery and ingredients, which generate waste (solid or liquid) that is left behind and has to be disposed of. We call it toxic waste, industrial contaminants that can't go away independently. Here's the thing: We have many of them under our kitchen and bathroom sinks, but we don't drink t...

Meet Lori, the Superwoman of Sales. From hardcore yellow pages sales to pension plans to veterinary sales, medical diagnostics/sleep apnea.   "Working with children gave me a headache." So four years in college preparing to be a teacher went out the window. " I love conversations with guests who are blatantly open about their journey. Lori shares what so many of us go through when c...

I have always admired people that dare to uproot themselves to find happiness. At 7, Bernadette starts her journey when her parents move from Hungry to Austria. Fast-forward to today, she's got six countries under her belt, and oh, by the way, you also must learn the language spoken in each country.  She does that too.   When you listen to her story, it is evident that Bernadett loves people....

"What type of bagels do you serve in a post-divorce party?" You'll have to listen to find out.  This is the story of two brothers, twenty months apart, who lost their mother at a young age and were raised by a devoted father. Both, (shout out to Dad) are united by their desire for public service and giving back.  One brother, Sam, loves to cook and gets to work at a Michelin-rated r...

"I was in an MBA program, my wife was pregnant with twins, and I had a great job and income. My Dad asked me if I wanted to go into business for myself. I dropped everything and did it. "   There may never be a 'perfect' time to leave the comfort of a well-paying job, but if the person selling you a franchise has done just that (leave at the imperfect time), you should probably...

Meet Precious. She's not a tennis player who grew up with supportive parents; she's not Oprah... she's a little girl from a St. Louis hood who, as early as five,  decided she wanted to be a talk show host. She never stopped dreaming, managed what life threw at her, and with her grandmother by her side was able to achieve her dream.  " There is nothing that is out of reach. You...

Meet Div, a brilliant woman with an engineering degree and two masters (marketing and cyber security). What comes next is not a rapid climb up the corporate ladder but a journey of introspection and discovering that mindfulness and self-care are the keys to long-term happiness.  Div is openly sharing the milestone in her life where she discovered that she was overwhelmed with anxiety and stress an...

"I do newsletters."   Michael, "the newsletter guy" is direct, funny, unpretentious, and proves that when you focus on one thing you're really good at, you'll succeed.  Narrowness is how you get traction in a market.  While the term "newsletter" is somewhat old school, there's nothing old about Michael's approach to writing and his method of pickin...

Everyone wants to get on stage and speak. Most of us are scared s#(#*@less about public speaking but overcome our fear for what we perceive will be monetary rewards that are worth the anxiety and efforts.  Before you dream about being a speaker, listen to these revealing, behind-the-scenes insights into what it really takes to succeed.  Tricia's high school yearbook blurb might as well have b...

A successful doctor with medical director-level lucrative positions is asked a life-changing question by his boss: "Bruce, why are you doing this job? You're excited when you talk about people that are getting screwed by the system. You only seem to care about the patient?" For a long time, Bruce's stated goal was to change the way we deliver healthcare in this country.  But, a...

/men(t)SH/ a person of integrity and honor. I haven't come across too many people deserving of this title. Ramon, who I've known for over eight years, has been gracious, humble, caring, and helpful, with an infectious smile and positive, uplifting energy. His success is a byproduct of who he is; a mensch. Ramon has never been a serial entrepreneur; he started a few side hustles while wor...