Meet The Man Behind The Cover Of The September 2020 Issue Of Global Millionaire: The Amazing Rafah Hanna

A veteran entrepreneur, Rafah Hanna specializes in financial technology, property, and security. He has built a career creating locally and globally diverse group of businesses that creates solutions focusing on three core values: sustainability, quality, and innovation. Having built, run, and managed financial technology and information businesses with the likes of the London Stock Exchange Group, the New York Stock Exchange, Euronext, and Deloitte, Hanna has built a strong reputation for delivery, execution, and market knowledge, creating an extensive network of contacts across various financial and data industries. He also owns a highly respected property investment company called NED Capital as well as a security company called Abchurch Group – a company that provides a global response to local and international clients’ needs in the fields of security, risk assessment, special equipment procurement, and specialist training.

Born in Iraq to a Catholic family with Chaldean roots that speaks Aramaic (the language of Jesus Christ), he views his parents as visionaries. After his parents saw the tide changing in the Middle East, they decided to come to London in the 70s to invest, contribute to the community, and build a powerful legacy. He was educated in Switzerland and the UK which gave him the skills and knowledge that enabled him to kickstart all of his businesses.

Fast forward to today and Rafah is now a successful entrepreneur with several businesses under his belt. Hanna has founded companies such as NED Capital and the Abchurch Group and his data consulting arm now serves a global client base as it continues to grow exponentially. Their clients include banks, brokers, regulators, stock exchanges, and the biggest financial website in the world.

His property investment company, NED Capital, is a unique, non-leveraged property investment company based in London that is entirely self-funded. It’s currently building a grade-one portfolio of exclusive residential and commercial assets in the UK. The goal of this company is to continue to grow their grade-one portfolio of investments via their intricate knowledge of the UK property market and unique sales approach, utilizing their fully staffed in-house team of skilled contractors, leading to becoming a publicly quoted company. His security company Abchurch Group, on the other hand, has helped to significantly reduce maritime piracy in the past four years using their specialist maritime protection team and sought after proprietary patented technology.

Incidentally, Hanna’s wife, Dr. Mahtab Hanna, is a successful entrepreneur herself hence the reason why Rafah and his wife are so compatible together. She has built, run, and managed her jewellery business for over 10 years. Her creations have appeared in numerous films and worn by various celebrities and even royalty. With her extensive qualifications (an MA from the Royal College of Art and a Ph.D. from Central Saint Martins) and a unique design approach, she has built a worldwide reputation as a jeweller of conscience.

The Global Millionaire magazine recently caught up with Rafah to discuss his journey to entrepreneurship and here’s what went down:

What are you currently doing to maintain/grow your business?

The business world is not run on “basics” anymore. It is all about innovation, evolution, and revolution.

I am spending time, effort, and money on highly specific marketing campaigns to engage prospects with the message that our trustworthy brands continue to lead their respective markets. We maintain our relevance and criticality in decision-making options and ensure that our quality shines through, not only in delivery, but in every email, video conference, and follow-up.

We have also taken a unique approach to delivery by slashing project times, as we look to act ever more in the best interests of clients. The faster we can deliver without losing any of our guaranteed quality, the sooner our clients realise the benefits of our services.

Two other practices remain vital: one, only hiring the best of the best, and two, even though the businesses are market leaders, acting like a hungry, prudent, and wise start-up.

What social media platforms do you usually use to increase your brand’s awareness?

Each business is unique and therefore needs thorough research and a detailed plan of action. I always correspond the marketing plans to a cycle of client behaviour, the cyclical nature of each business, discrete events, and budgetary matters.

The nature of my businesses does not depend on or utilise the power of social media. My focus has always been on growing businesses rather than engaging in social media.

Today, social media is an important and ever-growing tool in my companies’ brand awareness strategies.

For example, Instagram is driven by stunning visualisations and presentation and is, therefore, most suitable for businesses such as @mahtabhanna jewellery designs and collections.

LinkedIn serves to inform, educate, and engage, but it requires a more medium-term strategy rather than a short-term one.

YouTube is the perfect platform to provide a more in-depth story about a concept or business.

It is important for readers to understand that all these avenues need careful planning. Have a clear objective in mind and allow room for fine-tuning. Do not rush in and make the fatal mistake so many have made; namely, thinking that simply being “on” a platform guarantees success—the opposite is true.

What is your experience with paid advertising, like PPC or sponsored content campaigns? Does it work?

Paid advertising is growing and will only continue to do so.

I passionately believe that one of the best ways to create a market and opportunity is to educate, inform, and offer products and services that would not otherwise be marketed in a traditional way.

Sponsored marketing works! The evidence on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn all support this assertion. These companies have grown to be some of the largest on the planet, and their revenues testify to it.

But we need to remember that their revenues are only part of the story. Paid advertising drives whole industries, fosters innovation, creates a better deal for consumers, provides massive tax income, and generates enormous employment opportunities.

What is your main tactic when it comes to making more people aware of your brand and engaging your customers? How did your business stand out?

The core tactic is to NEVER lead clients but to always be on their shoulders, taking the same journey, developing what they need in real-time, fine-tuning, and evolving.

Another primary tactic is always to deliver quality. Delivering anything less is an offense to the client, to you, your brand, your name, and those that work with and for you.

Brand awareness has changed; we use a myriad of tactics to stand out:

• Be first to deliver and announce innovation; remain relevant and borderless.
• Invert traditional marketing strategy by ensuring that every briefing contains in-depth details regarding competitor offerings – market intelligence is the antithesis of marketing.
• Utilise current affairs to progress the story.
• Utilise known figures in the industry to win, gain credibility with, and retain clients by association.
• Inform clients of changes that benefit them and illustrate the differences between the previous and the new.
• Maintain the very highest levels of investment in staff quality and ongoing training.
• Make staff the cornerstone of innovation – offer incentives to develop new products, processes, and services and reward them for trying, even if it fails.

What form of marketing has worked well for your business throughout the years?

There is no “best;” it is all about context and effectiveness. Throughout history, the most effective marketing tools have always contained three distinct elements:

1.Timing
2. Word-of-mouth
3. Recommendations

Our various businesses have what I call different routes to marketing. There is no silver bullet, but we think long and hard about spend cycles and regional and cultural differences. The biggest change has been the precision of strategic versus tactical online marketing.

For example, we ask ourselves whether we actually need to “sell” to the client directly, or if it would perhaps be better to act as their advisors. Create the conversation you want the market to have.

We no longer need to spend large amounts on general marketing; we can now target and pinpoint the exact right client or prospect base to inform and have the privilege to serve. Marketing is also not about an online presence. It might surprise people to know that one of my businesses does not even have a website yet is the absolute leader in its field.

What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months?

We have had the distinct privilege of not having to furlough a single member of staff or put stringent work practices in place. Instead, we have fostered a feeling and community of trust. I entrust the leaders of my businesses to be servants. They are the decision-makers, but they are also (and I never let them forget this) there to serve. To serve means to accept responsibility for outcomes, and therefore the risks and dependencies of those outcomes.

The toughest decision has been a family one; business is never what affects me most. As I read to my children at night, I always remember that their future is dependent on my decisions, not mine. You cannot go wrong doing the right thing the right way.

What money mistakes have you made along the way that others can learn from (or something you’d do differently)?

Mistakes are more important, in my view than success. You learn instantly from mistakes, whereas success leaves a memory you hold onto as you try to retain the emotional attachment of misplaced hope.

Mistakes provide you with an experience, whereas success over-feeds the ego in the short-term.

Thankfully, I had two of the world’s greatest advisors who have taken my raw thinking and morphed it into phenomenally successful global businesses and ever-evolving vision: my amazing wife, Mahtab, and my late father. Their honesty and clarity blew holes in those thick brick walls in the shape of a heart!

My answers should not surprise anyone. Many years ago my greatest mistake was arrogance: I knew better than anyone; no one knew better than me.

That attitude, until I recognised and tore it from my psyche, cost me financially and resulted in lost opportunities.

Another mistake I made was to invest a little in long-term things that won’t change instead of investing more in the short-term things that will change.

However bright your name shines in lights; you must always remember that lightbulbs have a lifespan!

What new business would you love to start?

My passion lies in creating opportunities that were not there, to begin with. The next opportunity that would pique my business interest would be creating a tradable index and fund to benchmark countries, sectors, segments, industries, and governments’ use of plastics.

This venture would deliver an inverted investment opportunity whereby humanity itself is both the investor and the investment.

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were just getting started, what would you do differently?

This is a good question because we never remember the acts of kindness that got us here, but we remember the opportunities that got away!

I don’t have many regrets; every small and major decision I’ve made has spurred my personal and professional growth. I have been humbled by the blessings of life.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

Do not dislike that which may be good for you, and do not like that which may be bad for you. This quote, for me, encompasses the essence of learning.

Fear and growth cannot exist in the same space. One has to leave in order for the other to flourish.

What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur setting up their first business?

To a large extent, your mental habits will determine your success.

Build deep relationships with people who have accomplished the goals you want to accomplish. Protect your idea from the very start. Think about what could go wrong and how you will deal with it; plan for failure by not resorting to laziness, self-pity, or any of the mental defeatist tools that we all carry.

If you are selling innovation, be the first to market and create your own destiny. Learn from other fields and bring those insights into your own. Always be thinking about quality: implement it; deliver it. Once you reach that state of mind, you will never allow yourself to deviate from it.

One of the proudest moments of my career was when, sitting on a flight, I overheard two people mention one of my companies and described the service they received as “truly world-class.”

Research and know your market or segment as if your children’s lives depended on it. Make sure you recruit the absolute best candidates you can at every level, be it a janitor, a developer, a salesperson, or even a business partner—they will represent you in good times, and they will fight hard for you during the bad times.

Be proud of your mistakes. If we all said “no” to evolving, we would still be living in caves!

Finally, the greatest advice I can offer when it comes to business is this: it is impossible to imagine a business leader not looking after their health and families and still being successful. Your mind is where it starts; your body powers where it ends.

Part revolution, part evolution.

Entrepreneur Of The Week: Meet Uyanga Boldbaatar – The Founder Of Cinderella Beauty Clinic

Uyanga Boldbaatar has always wanted to become a doctor since childhood and her mother has been by her side since day one helping her to achieve her childhood dream. To achieve this dream, she studied Oral and Maxillofacial surgery in Mongolia, Korea, and the USA, and in 2013, she finally opened her beauty clinic in Mongolia as the culmination of all her hard work. Fast forward to today and Uyanga is now the founder of Cinderella beauty clinic – a clinic that performs cosmetic surgeries and non-surgical treatments and is currently one of the top clinics in Mongolia. Besides being an accomplished entrepreneur, Uyanga also happens to be a model and in fact, she is one of the brand ambassadors for the luxurious OOGII brand.

The Global Millionaire recently caught up with Uyanga to discuss her journey to entrepreneurship and here’s what went down:

What do you like most about being a surgeon?

Surgeons need good organisational ability and effective decision-making skills. We need to be intelligent, skillful, and wiry because we don’t have the option to fail. Usually, surgery is a male-dominated field hence I feel accomplished to be a female surgeon. My profession also makes people happy and self-confident – it’s just like giving them a new life every day and that’s why I love my job.

What is most challenging about what you do?

Plastic surgery is different from other types of surgeries. Usually, physically healthy people can get plastic surgery while people who are injured and functionally abnormal or have some type of congenital disease require reconstructive surgery. Sometimes, we feel bad that we can’t fully reach our goal because many factors can affect the surgical result, but these kinds of cases are few, this is more likely to happen after reconstructive surgery. That said, we’ve always tried to make sure that all of our patients are 100% satisfied.

What do you think is the appeal of surgical specialties as compared to medical specialties?

Plastic and reconstructive surgeons do restore function and normal appearance, as well as congenital deformities on the body. So this job requires medical knowledge and a sense of art from plastic and reconstructive surgeons.

What does it take to be successful and happy in your specialty?

When I make my patients look great and they end up looking exactly the way they’ve always wanted to look, I feel like I am the happiest person on the earth.

If you were to retire tomorrow, what is your most memorable moment as a surgeon?

What an interesting question! I’ve never actually thought about that because I am too young to retire (laughs). But I want Mongolia to be one of the top countries providing plastic surgery when I eventually retire.

How has your specialty changed in the recent past and where do you see it going in the future?

Plastic surgery is developing rapidly nowadays. It is associated with the development of the countries socio-economic growth, globalization, and the growth of the health and beauty industry. Nowadays we can choose any technologies, products, and surgical techniques that we want. It is an opportunity for a better tomorrow. I am quite certain that the things we can only fantasize about in the past will eventually happen in the future.

What advice would you give to medical students interested in your specialty?

Do not ever choose this profession based on your emotional dependency. Think well and plan early. Only consistent people become surgeons. Find out who you are first. Ask yourself if can you stand and take responsibility all the time in the operation room no matter how long the entire operation will be – after that, then make your choice.

Inside The Mind Of Internationally Recognized Leadership Expert Chris Cebollero

Chris Cebollero is an internationally recognized leadership expert, bestselling author, Emergency Medical Services leader, and advocate who’s passionate about helping people chart a new direction, even in the midst of the most challenging of situations.

His professional history is showered with process improvement know-how. This knowledge provides executive-level support to achieve aggressive business and personal goals. He brings thought-leadership and over 25 years of organizational design success and his career has been defined by slashing costs and exploding growth in the healthcare arena. In fact, he constructed his healthcare management and small business consulting firm on that foundation.

Some of his key areas of expertise include executive coaching, leadership development, emotional intelligence, change management, Kaizen, Agile & Lean methodology practice, relationship building, business plan creation, organizational process improvement, motivational and keynote speaking, and healthcare/EMS transformation. He has been recognized for his strategic leadership as the Chief of EMS for Christian Hospital, he has been delivering inspiration to international audiences for over a decade as a highly sought-out speaker and he has also been writing bestselling books on leadership.

The Global Millionaire magazine recently caught up with Chris to discuss his journey to entrepreneurship and here’ what went down:

Could you please tell our readers a brief background about yourself and how you started your business?

The foundation of my career was spent as a paramedic in leading EMS agencies. Being able to manage multimillion-dollar organizations with hundreds of FTE’s gave me the ability to learn the finer points of leading successful and award-winning organizations. As my leadership experience grew, people were now reaching out to me to assist them in developing their leaders and teaching them the finer points of organizational process improvement. In 2014, Cebollero & Associates Consulting Group was started, focusing on Leadership Development, Organizational Process Improvement, and Individual, Group, and Executive Coaching. I am recognized as an International Leadership Specialists, Multi-Number 1 Bestselling Author, and a dynamic and engaging Motivational Teacher.

What are you currently doing to maintain/grow your business?

John Maxwell calls it the Law of Process “Leadership Develops Daily, Not in a Day.” One of the biggest mistakes is that we do not invest in our own business and professional development. I am always on the lookout to engage with my mentors, and industry leaders to hear their philosophy, understand their conceptualizations, and analyse the next sets of strategies and directions. In the current pandemic environment, it is paramount to be as fluid and dynamic as possible. We have to polish our processes, become risk-averse, and change with the times.

What social media platforms do you usually use to increase your brand’s awareness?

It really depends on the leadership product or service that is being offered. If I am targeting the Executive, LinkedIn is my platform of choice, for the newer leader, Instagram, and the middle manager, Facebook. It is truly paramount for businesses to have a strong social media footprint for new business, bit more importantly brand awareness.

What is your experience with paid advertising, like PPC or sponsored content campaigns? Does it work?

I like the PPC model of advertising. Remember, people do no buy products or services. What they buy are solutions to their problems, and it is your products and services that are the solutions to their problem or needs. A big error is that we think the way we market is the way our clients or customers want to be marketed too. But the opposite is true, we have to find the marketing ad that resonates with their needs. If we put an ad online and it gets 5 clicks, we are not reaching our target market. This will cause us to go back to the drawing board and reinvent the wheel. PPC is a great tool for spot-on targeting to the ideal client avatar.

What is your main tactic when it comes to making more people aware of your brand and engaging your customers? How did your business stand out?

I love offering free content to my present and future clients. I host the Ultimate Leadership Podcast. We have just over 100k subscribers and see 10’s of thousands of downloads. This is a great way to stay relevant and bring brand awareness. If you’re not a fan of the show come on in and join the discussion.

What form of marketing has worked well for your business throughout the years?

I love that we get a majority of our customers and clients through word of mouth. We are a company that develops custom solutions for our clients. It is this service that is appreciated by organizations. Of course, social media platforms are great to share free and paid content.

What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months?

2020 has been an interesting year on many fronts. With the pandemic running rampant around the world, I lost over 50% of clients. When 2020 started, I developed a series of goals for myself and business. It was important to continue along these lines of completing the established goals. Many people are throwing 2020 away as a lost year. This is a big mistake, the businesses that will come out on top are the ones that have used this as a rebuilding, polishing, and setting a new course for future operations.

What money mistakes have you made along the way that others can learn from (or something you’d do differently)?

Everyone has a product and service to sell you. In my business and personal life is either investing in these resources that did not meet the caliber of quality they mentioned they would. I wasted lots of money trying to catch the net big wave. Pay more attention to where your investments and funds go.

What new business would you love to start?

I would love to develop a next-generation online leadership academy. In the current times we are in, we are leaning to a more online and virtual business. With that said, if we are to bring more live and virtual training to those who will need it will be a great future business.

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were just getting started, what would you do differently?

This is a great question and one that I have tried to remember to share with clients just starting out. My advice is to gain as much knowledge and education you can along the way. This is not just about your job or career, but really becoming a student of business and leadership. One of the most common mistakes by business owners is they do not invest in their own professional development to ensure they are going the best upper hand possible.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

I have to be honest, when I was first starting, I was a wee bit egotistical. The belief of who I was and what I was capable of was blinding. A mentor took me aside and told me this one sentence that totally refocused my direction. Those magic words were, “you are not as important as you think you are. Shut up and listen more.” It was a rude awakening that I was replaceable and needed to earn my value to the team every day.

What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur?

Become a student of your craft, your business model, and the art and science of leadership. Opportunity does not happen by chance, and it is vital for your success that when the opportunity is presented, you are able to first recognize it, second, you are able to analyze it, third, you are in a position to take advantage of what this opportunity means to your business and future success.

if you want to find out more information or contact Chris you can go to his website via this link or email him directly at chris@chriscebollero.com.

Meet The Man Behind The Cover Of The August 2020 Issue Of Global Millionaire Magazine: The Inspirational Chris Graffagnino

Imagine if you had a crystal ball that enables you to see into your future – wouldn’t you use this crystal ball to avoid making any mistakes and use every possible opportunity to achieve success? Well, guess what? There is such a thing as a real-life crystal ball – and it comes in the form of a person you can turn to for solid advice about your business… that person is usually referred to as a “mentor.” Having a mentor is a must for any budding entrepreneur because they’re a valuable resource who have already experienced most of the challenges that you’re still currently going through. So in effect, they actually have a solution to those challenges.

Chris Graffagnino is one such mentor. Chris is a well known New York-born entrepreneur, business influencer, innovator, and avid traveler who is widely recognized as one of the most influential mentors in the world. A former law enforcement officer and combat veteran, he has used his experience in the security and risk mitigation industry and he has applied it to the business sector. With his unique skill set, Chris was able to develop a niche market in crisis management.

Chris was recently named as one of the ‘Top 10 Most Influential People in 2020’ by Yahoo Finance alongside big names such as Gary Vaynerchuk and Lisa A. Romano and for good reason. He has several accolades under his belt; besides being named as one of the Top 10 Most Influential People in 2020, he was also included in Yahoo Finance’s elusive “Top 10 Mentors to Follow in 2020” list. He has effectively developed several global businesses on and off Wall Street and he has several successful entrepreneurial ventures under his belt including a successful global risk solutions company. Chris actually specialises in business development and his passion is to help monetize a budding entrepreneurs’ ideas through his very own non-profit mentorship program “Settle4Success.” Through this detailed program, he’s helping emerging entrepreneurs develop their own businesses. He is helping them monetize and learn the ins and outs of the industry when it comes to business development and risk mitigation.

The Global Millionaire Magazine recently caught up with Chris to discuss his recent success, and find out how he is planning to continue to inspire everyone who wants to lead their business towards success and here’s what went down:

Could you please tell our readers a brief background about yourself and how you started your business?

I am from Staten Island, New York and I guess you can say I am an entrepreneur (laughs). By experience, I’m a traveler and business developer. More importantly, I am a father to my two wonderful kids – Christopher and Chloe and husband to my amazing wife – Danielle. I started my career in law enforcement and took that same service with me to Afghanistan as an infantryman in the US Army. I have culminated all of that experience in security and risk management to the private sector where I’ve helped develop niche market areas in crisis management such as security evacuation and repatriation services. In 2016, I took my own risk (no pun intended) and co-founded a global risk management firm that provides cutting edge global security and logistics products and services. Most recently, I founded Settle4Success to provide mentorship to budding entrepreneurs.

Can you describe your journey to success? When did you start? Did you ever imagine you would become this successful?

I think my journey started when I was a teenager and my brother Michael and I started a landscaping company with our dad. I was 13 at the time and my dad was my mentor. He taught me about the importance of hard work and never quitting without me even realizing it. At the time, work seemed like a chore but I had no idea the impact starting my own business at that age would have on the rest of my life, even if it did take me a while to realize it. I believe everyone has success within them. It wasn’t until I was hurt in Afghanistan at 26 years old did I start wanting more out of myself. Furthermore, it wasn’t until I was 32 years old when I started connecting all the dots from different years of my life to finally realize what I was meant to do. This was the year I left working for someone else behind and promised to never be a part of the 9-5 grind ever again.

What are you currently doing to grow your business?

Social engineering is a critical aspect of business development. I take pride in developing my network and building relationships with my clients around the world. Settle4Success is my newest venture to help enlighten those struggling with finding success. I aim to mentor as many entrepreneurial minds as I can by sharing my experiences and knowledge in the hope that I can educate and motivate people into a successful business outcome.

What social media platforms do you usually use to increase your brand’s awareness?

Currently, my largest presence is on Instagram (@iamchrisgraff, @settle4success). I also utilize Facebook and Twitter as well.

What is your experience with paid advertising, like PPC or sponsored content campaigns? Does it work?

I am very aware of paid advertising; however, I still believe in old-school social engineering, more specifically, targeting industry hashtags and accounts and engaging in direct conversation to introduce yourself and connect through similar interests. This helps build stronger, longer-lasting relationships and can ultimately provide better business exchanges. I do not sell any products or services via the internet; however, I directly engage in conversation with hundreds of social media accounts daily to continue to drive brand awareness for my mentorship platform.

What is your main tactic when it comes to making more people aware of your brand and engaging your customers?

Settle4Success is new in the sense of it providing a free platform for entrepreneurs to connect, download educational material, and network with other likeminded individuals. It is a chance to be motivated and inspired to monetize one’s ideas and dreams. The uniqueness about it is that it’s free. I always say follow your passion, not money. If you follow your passion the money will come. My passion is to help others. In the case of Settle4Success, helping others achieve their version of success through business development is my goal.

What new business would you love to start?

I think starting Settle4Success allows me to see into many new business opportunities. Who knows, I may invest or become partners with ones that catch my attention!

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were first making a name for yourself, what advice would you give yourself?

I would tell myself to hold on to the days of having nothing to lose a little longer. When you first start you take big risks, you have nothing to lose and stress is minimal. When you start experiencing success, you can lose everything. That fear of going back to nothing causes hesitation. You’re not willing to take on such risks anymore because you have something to lose. Although I am by no means anywhere near my finish line, I do miss the beginning phases. Enjoy those moments because that is where history is made.

Do you have any favorite business-related or personal development related books that you can recommend?

I don’t want to sound bias, but I have a book coming out end of this year – Settle For Success. I think many people will enjoy it. As far as authors go, I like Jocko Willink and Gary Vaynerchuk. They both have several inspiring books published and I have bookmarked pages that I constantly turn back to for reference.

What money mistakes have you made along the way that others can learn from (or something you’d do differently)?

Entrepreneurship is a risky business. Working in Corporate America and on Wall Street, I’ve seen major companies lose millions of dollars. Fortunately, I was able to utilize my time on Wall Street to avoid many of those mistakes. To succeed on your own, you have to undoubtedly take risks, but those risks can and should be calculated. Start small and scale as you have some experience with success. This will keep your business and any losses manageable.

What have you learned in the process of becoming wealthy that others can learn from?

Being wealthy was never my goal. Like I said, pursuing my passion was and still is. I always wanted to provide for my family. The financial status sort of came once the market started positively accepting my work. That is a great feeling. But being wealthy is organic. It’s open-ended and you have to struggle with the reality that not everyone will like you. My advice to others is to stay humble and realize there’s always something to learn, regardless of the origin nor how big you get.

What form of marketing has worked well for your business throughout the years?

My background lies within the expertise in security and risk management. In this space, relationship building is the best marketing solution. It takes a lot of sweat equity to develop and foster relationships between individuals. However, those relationships will last a long time. In business, I don’t look for ‘one and done’ clients. Developing a trustworthy relationship ensues years of collaboration.

How did your brand stand out from the rest of the other brands out there that is similar to your niche?

Right now, Settle4Success is free and it offers opportunities to connect directly with myself and other business collaborators for one on one advice and mentorship.

What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months?

The global COVID-19 pandemic has been tough on everyone and I think many people had to make hard decisions. For me, the hardest decision was to double down on my Settle4Success mentorship and launch throughout this period of uncertainty. S4S requires time and financial resources to launch. I decided to continue moving forward and speed up the launch date because I know there are so many people out there contemplating their careers during COVID and need to consume my information to help them make the changes necessary to succeed.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

The best advice I was given was to always try. Win or lose, you will never have any regrets for trying.

What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur setting up their first business?

When you die, there are two numbers on your tombstone. The year you were born – the year you died. Pace yourself! It is a long, stressful, rewarding road. Enjoy the dash!

Meet The Man Behind The Cover Of The Latest Issue Of Global Millionaire Magazine: The Amazing Deven Powers Aka Mr. Hollywood

Around 18 years ago, Deven Powers had hit rock bottom. Beaten down by life, with shattered self-esteem – his past actions of breaking the law has lead to significant jail time. He was financially, mentally, and spiritually bankrupt. At the lowest point in his life, he eventually realized that a life of crime isn’t something he wants to do for the rest of his life. After months and months of contemplation, he finally decided to pursue a vision of becoming more. In 2003 he made the conscious decision that he’s going to turn his life around by becoming a successful entrepreneur one day – so he began studying and taking classes in business management and consumer science. While he was in jail, he managed to pick up several skills, and one of which is hair styling – he learned how to braid, cut, and style hair. He never in a million years imagine that this particular set of skills would eventually lead to a very lucrative business model.

Along his journey of personal growth and self-improvement, Deven saw an opportunity to disrupt the film festival industry – he somehow found a gap in an established market. There weren’t many festivals in Los Angeles that actually catered to African American Filmmakers at the time so he decided to create a film festival that not only screened independent filmmakers but also applauded them by giving them screening blocks.

Fast forward to today, Deven Powers aka “Mr. Hollywood” is now the CEO and founder of the Black Film Festival Los Angeles, Mr. Hollywood TV Show, Mr. Hollywood Blogs, Mr. Hollywood Magazine, and Discover My Music Radio. He has also been the host of the LA Live Film Festival from 2018 through to 2020. When Deven’s not gracing the cover of magazines or hosting red carpet events, he’s hosting the “Mr. Hollywood TV show” which airs on AT & T, channel 99 in U-Verse, and channel 32 in Charter Spectrum.

The Global Millionaire Magazine recently caught up with Mr. Hollywood to discuss his journey in the entrepreneurial world and here’s what went down:

Could you please tell our readers a brief background about yourself and how you started your business?

Hi, my name is Deven Powers and I’m The founder and CEO of the Black Film Festival Los Angeles, Mr.Hollywood magazine, Mr.Hollywood blogs, Mr.Hollywood TV show, and Discover My Music Radio. I built my first business “Mr.Hollywood Styles” 10 years ago, as an independent hairstylist mainly braiding and cutting hair. I saved almost every dime I made from the business for a period of 5 years. I was determined to save and I even became homeless at one point in time living in my car just so I can save money in order to be able to invest in The Black Film Festival Los Angeles. My sacrifices eventually paid off because now, my idea is worth millions.

Can you describe your journey to success? When did you start? Did you ever imagine you would become this successful?

My story is actually quite unique. My journey wasn’t an easy one, it began 18 years ago when I was just a young 19-year-old kid sentenced to a stint prison. During my incarceration, I turned my life around and realised that a life of crime wasn’t something I wanted to do for the rest of my life so I decided to make a career change by becoming an entrepreneur. Back in 2003, I began studying and taking classes in business management and consumer science to better myself. by learning the ins and outs of business marketing and consumer spending. Although I was originally trapped under unfortunate circumstances, I made the best out of the situation by turning my life around and becoming a better person and decision-maker. During my incarceration, I picked up several trades – one of them is becoming a hairstylist. I learned how to braid, cut, and style hair. Which would later in life help me to start and invest in my first business. I never in a million years would have imagined that a hairstyling trade would eventually lead to a concept that’s earning millions of dollars in revenue.

What are you currently doing to maintain/grow your business?

Online marketing such as adding SEO to my websites, Facebook promo ads, Instagram promo ads, Pinterest ads, TV and Radio commercials, as well as appearances along with magazine promos.

What is your main tactic when it comes to making more people aware of your brand? How did you stand out?

My main tactic is effective marketing and presentation. First I have to find a way to market my event to the right audience and I also have to make sure that my brand is appealing to that specific market. For example, if I’m promoting my music I’ll find out what type of music caters to people who are aged between 13-35. I even go as far as doing research and finding out what colour schemes appeal to the audience. I do that by researching other successful brands in my field.

One of my other main tactics is to approach things from a gorilla marketing standpoint. I find a void in a particular market and I target it by providing the need. For example, I would email blast and set up promo ads based on the age and demographics of the target audience.

What form of marketing has worked well for your business throughout the years?

Email promotion. I would gather thousands of emails and send clients up-to-date news flyers. I also use Facebook and the old school word of mouth mixed with building a powerful brand reputation.

How did your brand stand out from the rest of the other brands out there that is similar to your niche?

My brand stood out because for a while in Los Angeles there weren’t many festivals that catered to African American filmmakers. I created a film festival that not only screened independent filmmakers but applauded them by giving them screening blocks.

What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months?

Whether or not to run digital ads or to physically print flyers. Believe or not the old school way of marketing still works.

What money mistakes have you made along the way that others can learn from (or something you’d do differently)?

Early on in my career, I used to rely on my feelings when it comes to making an executive decision. But I soon learned that was a bad idea. I’m not going say to my readers and fans to not trust their gut instincts when it comes to making executive decisions because sometimes your gut feeling is right. But when it comes to investing, don’t take anyone’s word for it, please do your research. Take up a few online courses to find out what you can do to improve your business by successfully targeting a market. I can’t emphasize enough the importance of marketing and planning – you can never plan enough. I learned early on that if you fail to plan then you plan to fail. In the past, I failed to create the right business plans which in turn caused me to lose money. I .would have definitely written a stronger business plan so that my weekly, monthly, and yearly goals would have all been properly documented.

What have you learned in the process of becoming wealthy?

I’ve learned that it’s not easy. You’re going to have many sleepless nights and you’ll also run into several unforeseen obstacles. With most of my past businesses, the main issue I ran into was business planning and time management issues. Lots of businesses fail because they don’t market their business correctly.

What new business would you love to start?

I’d love to start a basketball league. I’m in the process of starting a league called the NSBA TOUR.

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were just getting started, what would you do differently?

I would do more business planning and organizing my business structure as well as more brainstorming.

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were first making a name for yourself, what advice would you give yourself?

I would tell myself not to listen to the haters and dream killers. Remove them from your circle and surround yourself with positive and successful people and spend your money wisely. So many times especially with newer business owners, we invest money in things that we want instead of things that we need. For example, I could purchase a new computer but then a good, used one with up-to-date software can easily get the job done anyway. Make sure you create a list to identify the difference between what you “want” and what the business needs.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

To believe in yourself before others can believe in you. You have to believe in yourself first.

What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur setting up their first business?

Keep God first and pray over your business. Ask God. or your higher power to lead you and guide you in making successful business investments. That’s a secret I’ve learned – you need to manifest your destiny successfully. All great ideas start as a thought first which becomes a word then becomes an action. Which is what I would call the process of creation. Everything in life is all energy so the energy you put out there is what comes back from the universe. Therefore, you need to expect the unexpected. You need to also sure that you have partnership contracts ready to pass on to future investors. I’m going to leave you with this quote: Never give up because if I can make it in business with the odds stacked up against me then you can make it too! To all the readers out there, I represent hope and I’m living proof that you can turn your life around.

Meet The Man Behind The Cover Of The Latest Issue Of Global Millionaire Magazine: The Inspirational James Purpura

Around 17 years ago, James had hit rock bottom – beaten down by life, with shattered self-esteem. His addictions had resulted in jail time. He was financially, emotionally, and spiritually bankrupt. At the lowest point in his life, he met his future wife and business partner, Steph, and together they pursued a vision of becoming more.

Along their journey of personal growth and self-improvement, James and Steph saw an opportunity to disrupt an industry that ironically appeared to be perpetually stuck in the dark ages – the personal development industry. As a rag to riches, a non-formally educated, successful tech founder with a serious interest in philosophy, James recognized the uniqueness of his position to disrupt the personal development industry for the better.

Together, James and Steph felt an urgency to pursue their life mission to inspire individuals to tap into their unlimited potential and push humanity forward through a personalized combination of philosophy, science, technology, and community. They agreed it was time to launch their next venture, Powerful U, The World’s First Personal Evolution Company. James and Steph and their team have published a book, produced an award-winning movie, developed a game-changing personal perception assessment, and launched the Powerful Universe, a global platform for teaching and learning personal evolution. James has built strong international partnerships and an influencer network that already reaches over 50 million followers. Onstage and on camera, James is compelling, authentic, riveting and has enriched audiences around the world.

The Global Millionaire magazine recently caught up with James to discuss his journey to entrepreneurship and here’s what went down:

Could you please tell our readers a brief background about yourself and how you started your business?

Only two years removed from solitary confinement in jail, I began my journey into the tech world. In 2007, I took a chance on a small construction software start-up called PlanSwift. I quickly ascended to Vice President of Sales and then, a year later, took over as President and became an equity partner in the company. Under my leadership, PlanSwift grew from $8,000 a month in volume to over $1,000,000 a month in volume and over 50,000 customers in 24 countries, becoming one of the most well-known and largest technology companies in the construction industry.

In 2013, I lead the M & A process to sell PlanSwift to a firm outside of Chicago called Textura. Shortly after joining Textura, I helped the company go public. Over the next few years, I ran four different business units at Textura and played an instrumental role in facilitating a $650 million exit of Textura to Oracle. I spent six months working as a Vice President at Oracle before negotiating the purchase of my original business, PlanSwift, back from Oracle. Again at the helm of PlanSwift, I quickly led the company to generate sufficient revenue to repay the purchasing costs, positioning PlanSwift as an attractive acquisition target. With PlanSwift firmly established, I negotiated a lucrative sale to a large competitor, allowing me to exit and pursue my dream of creating the world’s first personal evolution company.

Can you describe your journey to success? When did you start? Did you ever imagine you would become this successful?

I started my journey to success in a jail cell, solitary confinement as a matter of fact. As I was standing there envisioning what I would make of myself when I got out every night I would yell as loud as I could that I would make the greatest comeback of all time. So yes, I imagined it but believing it took a while.

What is your main source of income?

After selling my technology company, I made some fairly strategic investments, one of which was a large commercial real estate office which is currently my largest source of income.

What are you currently doing to maintain/grow your business?

Our business is a little different than most peoples. In an attempt to start a grassroots movement in the personal development space, we’ve spent a lot of time and money to build platforms and services to reach people at scale by facilitating access regardless of their social-economic status. Most of our focus to this point has been geared around impact, not revenue. We believe that by focusing on impact first, generating massive amounts of revenue will be a natural byproduct of the massive impact we create in the world.

What social media platforms do you usually use to increase your brand’s awareness?

Mostly Facebook and to a lesser degree Instagram. We believe Facebook still has the largest reach and impact for the population at large.

What is your experience with paid advertising, like PPC or sponsored content campaigns? Does it work?

In my original technology company, we did massive amounts of paid advertising campaigns but success in that area is always dictated by having a substantial number of people already searching and looking for your products. Another key piece is having a price point associated with your product that supports that type of advertising model. Lower cost viral type initiatives do not work without massive amounts of investment money to fund those types of companies in the early stages of their development.

What is your main tactic when it comes to making more people aware of your brand and engaging your customers? How did your business stand out?

To this point, in our new business, we don’t have one because we are just now starting to take our products and services to the market. In the early stages, it’s important to try all of the different tactics to see which ones resonate with your potential customer base.

What form of marketing has worked well for your business throughout the years?

In a business to business software technology with an established market, Google ad words seem to be the most effective. In the early stages of this new business which is direct to consumers, it’s looking like social media marketing is more effective.

How did your brand stand out from the rest of the other brands out there that is similar to your niche?

We strive to have the best quality products and services that are based on solid scientific principles at the most affordable price.

What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months?

In every business that I’ve ever been involved in, there is a point in time that tests your conviction about what you are doing to the ultimate test, and very often it is the difference between success and failure. When you can stand and make a commitment to put it all on the line or more than you ever thought, that is the true test of an entrepreneur. With my new business, that test has come in the last few months as it related to continuing the business in lieu of what is going on in the world with the pandemic.

What money mistakes have you made along the way that others can learn from (or something you’d do differently)?

Do not put all of your assets into things that cannot be liquidated easily in an economic downturn. The worst thing that can happen is something like a pandemic that comes along where you find yourself in a cash shortfall even though you have plenty of money tied up in different things like real estate projects.

What have you learned in the process of becoming wealthy that others can learn from?

Accumulating wealth is never about doing, it is only ever about becoming which is why so many start-ups end up firing the original founders. They focused all of their attention on what they needed to do rather than what they needed to become and their own businesses quickly outgrew them. The thing you need to know is that your business can never grow faster than you do and if it does you will no longer be a part of it.

What new business would you love to start?

I could tell you but I would have to kill you! No, good entrepreneur give their secrets away. Just kidding! I am already running the business that I have always wanted to start.

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were just getting started, what would you do differently?

Put simply, enjoy the journey more.

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were first making a name for yourself, what advice would you give yourself?

A simple understanding that not everybody is going to like you.

Do you have any favourite business-related or personal development related books that you can recommend to other entrepreneurs?

Its called “Perception: Seeing is Not Believing” by James & Steph Purpura. Outside of the book my wife and I wrote sharing all of the information we wish we had before learning the hard way, the “Optimal Leader” by Mark Hattas is also fantastic!

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

Success and all of the wonderful things in life were only ever about being of service to others. The way to get what you want is by helping others get what they want.

What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur setting up their first business?

Fail early and fail fast. Don’t be afraid to fail.

How to Develop a Millionaire Mindset in 5 Simple Steps

To become a millionaire – this is what many people want to be in their life. It may seem to be too ambitious, but there is nothing wrong about having such a dream. However, as we all know, it is easier said than done. We can all dream of it, but not everyone can achieve it. Your journey towards financial success will not be easy, but if you know how to do it, such will be possible. With this, keep on reading and learn from the insights that we will be sharing on how to be rich. You need to develop a mindset that will help to fuel the realization of your goal.

Visualize and Claim It

If you want to be a millionaire, the first thing that you have to do is to claim it. You need to be focused on your goal and visualize it. I can do it, and I will do it – this should be your way of thinking. You should always stay positive. Emphasize the things that will happen once you have accumulated millions of money. Where should I go? What should I buy? What business should I establish? Thinking about these things will help for you to not lose track of your goal.

Surround Yourself with the Right People

Your external environment will also have a huge role to play. With this, if you are thinking of how to be a millionaire, choose your friends wisely. Be cautious about the people around you. Stay away from those who will drag you down. Be friends with people who will encourage you. Look for an inspiration. By being surrounded with millionaires, you will be more motivated, and you will gain insights that will help you achieve your dream.

Invest Your Money

This is one thing that may seem to be basic, yet ignored by many. To be a millionaire, you must know how to grow your finances. Do not just spend it on anything. You need to carefully choose where to put your financial resources. You need to brave enough to take risks, but make sure that every move is carefully calculated.

Never Stop Learning

Invest in yourself. Read books. Enroll in online courses. Attend seminars. These will provide you with insights on how to be rich, including financial strategies that can prove to be effective. Learn everything that you need to know about market and economic fundamentals.

Rise Up From your Failure

If you fail, this should not be a reason for you to give up. If you want to be a millionaire, you should consider failures as opportunities for learning. Ask yourself about what went wrong, and more importantly, what can be done to prevent failures in the future.

Inside The Mind Of An Innovative Genius: The Top Secrets To Entrepreneurial Success By Madame Methven

Meet the woman who has awakened the Dominatrix in every woman through her timeless and sensual lingerie line.

Kaila Methven is the brains behind possibly the world’s most expensive lingerie label, and she’s not only successful she’s also drop-dead gorgeous.

Kaila’s family once upon a time owned The Rainbow Unlimited Chicken Company (RLC), which used to supply 90 percent of KFC’s poultry. After inheriting her family’s sale of RLC shares back in 1991, Kaila decided to step away from the fried chicken business and focus instead on a much sexier line of work: a luxury lingerie company.

At just 16 years old, Kaila interned at her first Paris Fashion Show and went on to earn a Master’s Degree from the International Fashion Academy – Paris. She completed advanced training at Polymodo in Florence.

Kaila has so far been featured in Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, and Maxim and she has dressed some of today’s sexiest stars including the likes of Demi Lovato, Katherine McPhee, The Kardashians, and more.

The Global Millionaire Magazine recently sat down with Kaila to find out more about her entrepreneurial journey and here’s what went down.

How did you become an entrepreneur? Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I’ve always loved negotiating. My parents told me I would probably grow up to be a lawyer, I’ve always had a lot of momentum and drive even as a small child I was always very competitive. I have always been used to calling all the shots, which is something I enjoy even today as a business owner. The creativity involved in running a corporation is something I greatly enjoy on a daily basis as is seeing the ROI (Return on Investment) on all my investments.

How did you get your idea or concept for the business?

I always loved to draw and I was inspired by the fashion industry. When I went to University, I majored in costume design and lingerie, the business was the next step in me working as a designer for myself instead of a worldly corporation.

As an entrepreneur, what is it that motivates and drives you?

Art inspires me. Love inspires me. So do sensuality and passion. Passion for everything you do is a must otherwise it’s a waste of your time and money.

In one word, describe your life as an entrepreneur.

Divine.

What would you say are the key elements for starting and running a successful business?

An amazing team is the key, plus flexible internal infrastructures and key devotion to time.

How do you generate new ideas?

The world is my canvas. I use everything I encounter as momentum to generate out of the box content. I’m normally the one on my team pushing the envelope and I do this by being open to change.

How did you build up an entrepreneurial spirit, do you believe you were born with it or you developed it?

Both. I was always competitive as a child, but developing real-world experiences definitely helped me perfect the art of winning the game.

What is unique about your business?

I sell a fantasy! Wearable art is the art of seduction and I’m promoting female power with everything I sell to motivate my clientele. My brand grew from couture custom made stage wear into five new contemporary priced collections for mass-market which now includes lingerie, swim, sequins, lace and festival wear.

What sort of marketing do you do to make your image and brand more appealing to the audience?

We do a bunch of stuff from social media, Amazon, ads, parties, and other PR work.

What has been the most rewarding part of your business?

Dressing celebrities and having high-profile clients appreciate my talent as a designer. The pay-off is in my heart and soul. Collaborating with other successful CEO’s is also something I greatly enjoy. I’ve recently been in talks with edm.com and I Want EDM as I prepare to launch my new EDM festival wear collection for 2020.

What was your mission at the outset?

To design couture lingerie, art for the bedroom that induces love and admiration for single people and couples.

What do you hope to see happen in the near future for small businesses in the US?

More female entrepreneurs are something that the USA really needs to succeed. For far too long America has been dominated by men and we women have a lot of talent that is ready to be seen. Men are the tip of the iceberg.

Has your business been recently affected by the COVID-19 crisis?

Thankfully no, but the severity of the effects of COVID-19 worldwide and with the medical industry unable to find a cure for it at the moment has encouraged and motivated me to invest in finding a remedy to help. This is a cause I am so passionate about, as are millions of other people around the world. I want to channel my philanthropic efforts into helping find a cure and potentially saving the lives and livelihoods of millions of people. My charity, “PLUR Association” is also here to help combat the outrageous unemployment rate.

What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs who are starting out?

Be passionate about your goals and dreams, do your market research and hire a driven team that adds value to your master plan.

Meet The Woman Behind The Global Millionaire Magazine’s Latest Cover: The Amazing Brianna Rooney

Brianna Rooney was initially hired as a recruiter, a career she knew nothing about, yet somehow she managed to thrive in it and even enjoyed every second of it. Two years later, she came to a point where she didn’t feel that the company she worked for was doing her justice. Eventually, she decided to walk out of her job with no plan whatsoever because she just knew she wanted to do better, more quality work – and that’s how Techees was born. Techees is a team of recruiters that collaborate well together and help connect companies and candidates.

Today she’s 34 years old, she owns her own company called Techees, she also has three houses, as well as a  top 100 restaurant (www.mouthfuleatery.com). We recently caught up with Brianna to talk about her company and her entrepreneurial journey and here’s what went down:

Could you please tell our readers a brief background about yourself and how you started your business?

I am a bundle of energy! No coffee has ever entered my body unless you count Dreyers coffee ice cream. I played soccer, swam the butterfly and wrestled in high school. Wrestling was definitely my favorite. I am very competitive, I love playing games, I enjoy dancing crazy and I’m a huge Disney/Disneyland fan.

I was originally hired as a recruiter, which is something I knew nothing about. I thrived in it and enjoyed every second. Almost two years later, I came to a point where I didn’t think things at my current company were being handled the way they should’ve been. I realized how much lives we were changing by recruiting. Before, it just seemed like any sales job. Eventually, it hit me like a ton of bricks – it was so much more. So I walked out with no plan. I just knew I wanted to do better, more quality work. My boss at the time was going to fix the situation and reach out to me by the end of the day Tuesday. I woke up Wednesday morning, there was still no phone call. I was at a crossroads and I felt that I had nothing to lose. I decided to start Techees a couple of hours later. By noon on Wednesday, my old boss called with a solution. I told him it was too late and here I am.

Can you describe your journey to success?

It’s been a long road but it seems to have passed with a blink of an eye. I have made a ton of mistakes. Some financial, some employee hires, managerial issues and I have also been overwhelmed almost the entire time. When I say overwhelmed, I don’t mean that as a bad thing. I was never trained or prepared for my journey. Everything I do, I do with my gut and my instincts. If I misstep, I get back on track as fast as I can and don’t worry about the mess I made. 85% of the time I have been incredibly happy with how Techees has turned out. Most of the time I make decisions lightning speed. There have been a couple of times where took me too long and those are the ones that take up that 15%. I love what I do and I’m so lucky to be surrounded by the people I have in place. The journey to success is more fun than challenging. I think it’s all about how you look at things. You create your positive and everything will go your way, just sometimes you might have to intervene with some hard work.

When did you start?

I started recruiting when I was 22 years old, in 2007.

Did you ever imagine you would become this successful?

I always knew I’d be successful. I always assumed I’d be rich and famous. I don’t know if that’s just something all kids think. Either way, I didn’t only think it, I believed it. I think that’s how things happen. You need to believe you can, and then you will.

What is your main source of income?

My main income is from recruiting. It has been for the last 10 ½ years.

What are you currently doing to maintain/grow your business?

I make sure I always do quality work. That’s how you grow your business in recruiting. I have hired up to 8 people. I think that’s a perfect size. We collaborate well and there’s no voice that’s lost.

In the last year, I have been asked a few times to train in-house recruiters of clients I already work with. I have always known that recruiters as a whole, aren’t trained well. That’s why Techees always had the upper hand. I very much believe in the fundamentals. My colleagues, Emily Stellick, Ben Markowitz and I, all decided this was happening too often. It was good money and great exposure for us. However, we didn’t have enough time to do what we love; and that’s recruiting. We decided to make our training accessible to the masses and change an industry for the better. In about two weeks, our 3-hour e-course will be available for the World.

What social media platforms do you usually use to increase your brand’s awareness?

Recently I have been using Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to get The Millionaire Recruiter name out there. That’s where we’re featuring the e-course, the book I wrote, articles I’m featured in, and other fun things.

#2

What is your experience with paid advertising, like PPC or sponsored content campaigns? Does it work?

I actually haven’t done any paid advertising or content campaigns.

What is your main tactic when it comes to making more people aware of your brand and engaging your customers? How did your business stand out?

With Techees, our reputation has been through word of mouth. Really there is so much business out there for recruiters, we have never had a hard time. Either they find us, or we find them. When you do great work, especially within an industry that has an awful reputation. It seems to be fairly easy to stand out. We make sure to get recommendations on Linkedin and we have a nice client list we don’t mind sharing.

What form of marketing has worked well for your business throughout the years?

Again, we haven’t done any marketing. I know with The Millionaire Recruiter we will start that soon. With getting my name out there as The Millionaire Recruiter, that will surely get Techees name out there as well. Techees is the foundation The Millionaire Recruiter was built on.

How did your brand stand out from the rest of the other brands out there that is similar to your niche?

Techees doesn’t spam resumes, we don’t force companies down candidates throats and we make sure to keep in touch throughout the process on both sides. Techees is great at finding the specific candidates our clients are looking for. We don’t compromise quality with quantity. We’d rather send one amazing resume a week than 8 “just okay” resumes.

What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months?

The toughest decision I’ve had to make is the one to go forward with being an influencer. I’m putting myself out there, my work, my beliefs and so much more. I love my industry and I love what I do. I have developed a phenomenal company, fantastic employees and an overall great culture. I have industry “secrets” that I’ve kept close. Yet, now I’m releasing them. I have mixed feelings. At the end of the day, I want to give back to an industry that has treated me so well. I believe in what we do and I want to make an impact in the lives of current recruiters and in the lives of people that I will be getting into it.

What have you learned in the process of becoming wealthy that others can learn from?

I wish I lived somewhere in between the Brianna at 24 and the Brianna now, at 34. Each year I make more money, therefore, each year I spend more and more money. I do have 2 kids now so I blame them. I wish I saved like I didn’t have money. I know many people in my life that on paper, doesn’t do as well financially. Yet, I’m sure they have a lot more money saved. The problem is, I’ve always been a spender. Even when I didn’t have money to spend. So now that I have money to spend, sometimes I don’t make the best choices. However, I do believe in “living”. You only get one try, so you might as well go for it. You can’t take your money with you. My advice is, don’t live like you’re broke, but don’t live like you’re rich.

What new business would you love to start?

I have many businesses I’d love to start. I get itchy to do things. I would say right now, the one I really want to do is a Nerf Gun Play Place. My son is 4 and he loves nerf guns. It’s really fun. We set up forts, targets and also have drawing contests of the Nerf guns we want to invent. He gets really creative with all of it. I think it’s great for kids to be able to get wild, think strategy, and build teamwork in an environment that is safe. We’ve done the laser tag thing which is fun. Paintball is too dangerous and expensive. So the in-between for us, and I think ages 4-Adult, would be Nerf. Fun for the whole family. Plus, I’d be the coolest mom in the World.

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were just getting started, what would you do differently?

If I could have gone back in time, I wouldn’t have made my business partner a full partner. I also would have had a well thought out buyout agreement. We parted ways almost two years ago.

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were first making a name for yourself, what advice would you give yourself?

If I could go back in time, I would have branched out and made my name known earlier on. I would have met with more and more clients in person and gone to meetup groups. I was either shy, lazy or both. I never liked technology, even those it’s the industry I work in. Or I should say, I don’t like social media. Yet, social media is so powerful and I should have taken advantage of it a long time ago. Networking is crucial, and I wish I would have told myself that years ago.

Do you have any favorite business-related or personal development related books that you can recommend to other entrepreneurs?

I stumbled upon Grant Cardone’s “Millionaire Booklet”. It’s a quick, no BS read. I like how he addresses our society not being in favor of talking about money. Yet, that’s what makes the world go round. People think lower of you if you flaunt your money. Or want to dislike you if you’re super successful. Really, people just want to make themselves feel better for not reaching the success you did. I don’t know why people can’t just be happy and motivated by you. This booklet put a fire under my ass that I was very much needing. You go through your career in waves. This is my high tide and I’m ready.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

My stepdad has had his own business for 30 years now. He always says, “What’s the worst thing that can happen? You can always make more money”.

What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur setting up their first business?

Just do it! Don’t let fear get in the way. Channel that fear into the drive you need to get things done. Set your dreams/goals right away. Pick five things you want to accomplish this year and have laser focus. Write them down daily, put them on a post-it for you to see often. Repeat your life goal in your head over and over again. It’s all about making sure you yourself, believe in what you’re trying to accomplish. Never ever worry about making a mistake and failing. You will make many. Just make sure you learn and never make the same mistake twice. Last but perhaps the most important. Make sure you celebrate and acknowledge your accomplishments. If you don’t celebrate the highs, you won’t know what a low is.

How This Man Made The Leap From Homeless To Multi-Millionaire Entrepreneur

Skyler Ditchfield

One of the most powerful rags-to-riches stories is that of Skyler Ditchfield, a multi-millionaire entrepreneur, who had a troubled childhood in rural Ojai, California. He grew up in a broken home and was bullied and beaten up at school but managed to rise above his difficult circumstances to become mega-successful.

Even though Ditchfield ended up giving up on school, he still landed his first job in Silicon Valley. He took his first real corporate job as a Network Engineer II at the Private Network Management Center (PNMC) of MCI Worldcom in Silicon Valley where he serviced high-level clients such as JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Quotron, Reuters, and more. Although he was the youngest technician in the office, he was quickly promoted to Network Engineer III because of his outstanding performance. However, when the company relocated to the East Coast, he was one of two employees that were offered a transfer. He declined the offer, and instead, he decided to return back to his hometown in Ojai, California.

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Over the next few years, he experienced multiple business failures that left him facing massive debt and ruined credit. He even tried to open up a local nightclub which didn’t pan out, and he also became homeless for a time. On top of that, his life-long battle with Chrome’s disease took a severe turn for the worse, placing him in multiple month-long stays in the hospital. His disease got so bad, that the doctors said he only had a few more years to live. Determined to outlive their predictions, he found an experimental course of treatment on the Internet which miraculously worked. Then came what Ditchfield calls his restart button – he found out he was going to be a father. With renewed health and an unexpected daughter on the way, he found a new sense of motivation for life. He regained his health and aggressively got back in the I.T. space allowing him to climb out of debt.

Fast forward to a few successful startups later, he ended up discovering GeoLinks with his cousin Ryan Hauf. Skyler bootstrapped what began as a 2-person business out of his weight room in 2011 to what is now a 9-figure (and growing) business. GeoLinks became the fastest growing fixed wireless ISP in the country and Inc. Magazine’s 2017 Inc. 5000 NO. 5 Fastest Growing Telecommunications Company in America. Under his leadership, Ditchfield has led the company to record more than 100% growth for six years straight and is on track for a seventh. Some of his recent accolades include World’s Top 5 Best Businessmen of 2017, Entrepreneur of the Year 2018, and Top 100 Innovator in Diversity and Inclusion.

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StarCentral Magazine recently sat down with Skyler Ditchfield to find out more about her journey to entrepreneurship and here’s what went down.

Can you describe your journey to success? When did you start? Did you ever imagine you would become this successful?

I don’t consider myself successful yet, however, I feel I have traction and am on the right path. While I appreciate the recognition, success, in my eyes, would be to permanently change the lives of all my staff and others for the better. My journey was described earlier; it’s been long, grueling, and hard. I’ve calculated that I’ve put in about 20 years of normal work hours in the last seven years alone at GeoLinks. I’ve always imagined the path to success would come sooner, and I find it frustrating not being able to achieve growth even faster than we already are.

What is your main source of income?

My main source of income is the salary I earn from GeoLinks.

What are you currently doing to maintain/grow your business?

I look at new opportunities every single day. Currently, I am evaluating expanding our network into additional states, further diversifying our product line, and exploring more government project opportunities.

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What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months?

I face tough decisions every day. The most difficult decisions for me end up being when I have to walk away from exciting and big opportunities simply because I know (from experience) it would stretch our team too thin, or we lack the resources.

What money mistakes have you made along the way that others can learn from (or something you’d do differently)?

I’ll say this—learn your accounting and always double check your books. Even if you trust someone else to do it, still learn and keep an eye on what’s going on, because if you don’t keep track of your cash, you’ll be out of business.

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What have you learned in the process of becoming wealthy that others can learn from?

I am not wealthy in my own eyes… However, as perceived success grows, more and more people will mislead you, misrepresent themselves to you, and pretend to be your friend.

What new business would you love to start?

A health and nutritional products business—outside of GeoLinks and my family, health, and fitness have been lifelong passions of mine.

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were just getting started, what would you do differently?

Be ready. Be ready for more challenges and perceived failures than you can possibly imagine. Realize and prepare yourself for the fact that the problems that lie ahead will ultimately become opportunities, and never fool yourself into believing that the road ahead will be easy. Master that mindset now, and you’ll be primed for pushing through all of life’s roadblocks.

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were first making a name for yourself, what advice would you give yourself?

Just start. Don’t procrastinate or worry about putting yourself out there.

Once you’ve had the courage to start, have the confidence to know that results will come.

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Do you have any favorite business-related or personal development related books that you can recommend to other entrepreneurs?

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill and No Man’s Land: Where Growing Companies Fail by Doug Tatum.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

Cash is king, know your accounting!

What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur setting up their first business?

If you can’t sell your own product, don’t start the business. Furthermore, there is definitely such thing as growing too fast. It’s easy to get wrapped up in accelerated success, and thus make misguided business decisions on projections rather than facts. It’s okay to dream big, but remember, in order to have a business or achieve a mission, you must remain in business. Another element that can be lost in quick growth is culture. In today’s modern workplace, culture is paramount in attracting and retaining top talent. Thus, it’s imperative to never forget that you’re only as great as the team you’re surrounded by. Finally, one word of advice I give to all Entrepreneurs who are starting out is to follow your gut and fire fast. Every single time I have ignored my gut or procrastinated on a “debatable” employee, it has yielded negative results. The world is full of opinions, master the art of creating your own and trusting your intuition.

How This Man Made The Leap From Factory Worker To Multi-Millionaire

Justin Wang is the CEO of The Property Investors Alliance (PIA) and is a wealthy individual in more ways than one. This is in terms of both his financial acumen and his deeply philosophical base of personal knowledge – gained as an offshoot of his Chinese heritage and cultural influences.

He built PIA at the time where he realized the profitability of the Sydney residential property. His considerable charisma would go on to spearhead a veritable empire of altruistic financial freedom. Now that he is on top of his game and sitting pretty, Wang takes a moment to share his story.

From his humble beginnings as a factory worker when he migrated to Australia to his ultimate prosperity as a property mogul, what follows are some gems on entrepreneurial endeavour – ‘the teachings of wealth’ – direct from the man behind the success.

The humble beginnings

Wang associates his accomplishments with always insisting upon his dream, despite his humble origins. “I always believe as a child that if you have a dream, that if you can keep it and be ambitious, that you will eventually achieve it,” he says.

He credits his grandmother with instilling the crucial discipline for fostering his innate abilities. His upbringing was greatly influenced by the Chinese tradition. Speaking about his grandmother he recalls “she always taught me how to be useful and to accumulate good karma”.

It was this fortuitous and fruitful approach – of understanding the process of giving and receiving – that would prove to be of great importance in Wang’s professional life. “My success is measured in two folds – one is financial freedom and the other is helping people,” he explains.

Finding a calling

When Wang became a teacher, he noticed his colleagues struggling with money concerns. It was here that he found a way to ‘give back’ and to ‘find his calling’ – all in the one serendipitous instance. He was able to align his spirit of collaboration with his skill for finance to ‘break the mould’.

Wang explains that only ‘a few people work for fun’ whilst most work ‘for the bread and butter – for survival’. Luckily, in his lifetime he was able to transcend a mediocre existence for one that met loftier goals – but, it was an experience that was not without its fair share of trials and tribulations.

He elaborates “I resigned from being a high school teacher, I wanted to try something else and eventually I came to Australia – because I wanted to find financial freedom. However, I found it very difficult at first to make money in this country, even though the income is higher here than in China I could only save a few dollars.”

Making the dream a reality

Even though Wang initially felt frustrated with his lot in Australia, he quickly found a way to remedy the situation. This was how PIA was born. ‘Ever since I created this concept it has been going well,” he says with an easy sense of confidence.

Wang, once more, credits the realization of his dreams to his two-fold approach to prosperity. “To illustrate my definition, I invest in a business and then I advise others to do so. If I didn’t do that, I probably would not have achieved so big a portfolio as I currently hold today,” he divulges.

He always tells his staff to “make an investment yourself and then share with other people”. In this way, Wang likens the process to a turbomachine, or to an ecosystem. “By doing this information will spread quickly and it will leverage the property,” he says.

The wheels in motion

Now a firmly established enterprise, Wang’s business is a thriving entity built on three symbiotic branches. The keyword here is ‘alliance.’ “What we’re doing is all related to property for the investors. In today’s language, this corresponds to the concept of a ‘platform.’ I believe that the whole industry must be integrated,” he attests.

The modern digital world and its propensity for networking is the perfect facilitator for a collaborative environment – one that works greatly in Wang’s favour. “The more and more that individuals use the PIA platform to start their own portfolio and business, the more everyone wins.”

Wang adds “my business partners don’t actually work for me, rather they engage in the platform and set up their individual businesses. The internet provides and connection for everyone and it makes the connections almost feel physical.”

Entrepreneurial advice

For Wang, the priority of a business owner always lies with the stakeholder/s. This includes all parties to the arrangement, as well as the interests of society as a whole. He gives an example: “in looking after my real estate agent, I also must consider the investors and their client’s interests, aka the purchaser. It goes beyond this, extending to the developer and the entire community.”

This holistic approach is the cornerstone of Wang’s success, and functions as a valuable lesson in entrepreneurial tactics. “If we consider all sides then the business won’t encounter any undue difficulties. If you are not taking care of all sides, you would think that this would jeopardize one parties’ interest – and, then you would most likely find this would cause trouble for your business,” he elucidates.

In engaging his customers, Wang is very focused on listening to his people. This comes down to transparency. “We deliver the truth about the Sydney property market through the thorough knowledge that is easily digestible. We provide the best strategy to assist them with investing,” he says.

It’s also about anticipating needs, saving customer’s valuable time and ‘going the extra mile.’ Wang explains “in hiring a PIA consultant, you are provided a flexible service. We are prepared to go to people’s homes after hours, and we always handle things in an efficient and hassle-free manner.”

Concluding thoughts

Justin Wang is the embodiment of the self-made businessperson. From unassuming beginnings to a life as a property magnate – he now personifies the paradigm for financial freedom. It always comes down to abundance as generated by collaboration. “Life is not about yourself, your wealth and your fame. Sharing and inspiring other people is more fun than being successful by yourself,” he says.

Wang’s favourite quote? A line from a book by Zig Ziglar. “If you can help other people achieve what they want, you can achieve everything you want.” It’s certainly a poignant ‘teaching of wealth’ with many applications – especially for those seeking out their own future as an entrepreneur.

How This Woman Turned Her Passion Into A Million Dollar Business

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Photos courtesy of Madame Methven

Kaila Methven is the brains behind possibly the world’s most expensive lingerie label.

Kaila’s family once upon a time owned The Rainbow Unlimited Chicken Company (RLC), which used to supply 90 percent of KFC’s poultry. After inheriting her family’s sale of RLC shares back in 1991, Kaila decided to step away from the fried chicken business and focus instead on a much sexier line of work: a luxury lingerie company.

At just 16 years old, Kaila interned at her first Paris Fashion Show and went on to earn a Master’s Degree from the International Fashion Academy – Paris. She completed advanced training at Polymodo in Florence.

Kaila has so far been featured in Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, and Maxim and she has dressed some of today’s sexiest stars including the likes of Demi Lovato, Katherine McPhee, The Kardashians, and more. Kaila has just released her new vivacious, ultra sexy lingerie and intimate apparel line called “Lady Methven” and it was created for the everyday woman. Combining childlike innocence, erotic playfulness, and female power, Kaila dares everyone to fall in love again.

We recently sat down with Kaila to find out more about the luxury lingerie brand the whole world is currently gushing about and here’s what went down.

How were you actually ‘discovered’?

The first person who discovered me was Jean Charles de Castelbajac. I was a student at IFA, and he was visiting the school at the time. I was designing a jacket that day, he saw it and fell in love with it. After that, he gave me an internship in his company.

What do you like most about being a designer?

My most prestigious reward is to see women fall in love again wearing my lingerie. It is an honor for me when I see them feeling empowered, beautiful, sexy and confident.

What’s it like dressing some of the most famous people in the world?

It is extremely rewarding that famous people recognize my talent and want to wear my designs. However, I try to stay humble, and a client is a client. I don’t treat my clients differently because their name is well known. Each of my clients gets the best service I can provide, no matter who they are.

What first interested you in style/fashion?

I was born in LA, grew up in Paris, and graduated with my bachelor at Esmod, masters at IFA, MBA at Polymoda. I interned as a makeup artist at Paris fashion week for Dior, and when I saw all those models walking down the runway, I knew my destiny was to become a designer.

What made you decide to make it into a career?

Originally, I wanted to be an entertainment lawyer. But when my mother passed away, I moved to France, and I was immediately inspired by the fashion and the arts, so I entered in design school.

When did your career start?

I began filling my business documents to become legitimate a year and a half ago. I then started my design process and brought it to fruition during the summer of 2017. It took my team and me about six months to make the entire collection.

What do you enjoy most about style/fashion?

The most rewarding thing to me is the creativity it brings to my clients and the smiles on their faces.

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We note that you have more than 500,000 followers on Instagram- what is your secret to gaining a lot of followers?

I always have new content. I don’t want my followers to get bored. Instagram is one of the biggest social media platforms; it is important to provide new content, make stories, like other amazing influencer’s posts, etc.

What sort of marketing do you do to make your image and brand more appealing to the audience?

We do a bunch of stuff from social media, Amazon, Ads, Parties, and other PR work.

How active are you on social media?

I am extremely active on social media. I post almost every day.

What is your favorite social media platform?

Definitely Instagram.

Do you have a specific inspiration that keeps you going in your career?

There is one woman who always pushed me to accomplish my dreams, whose name I’ll keep confidential. As of today, we are still in contact, she is very proud of me, and I always turn to her for advice. Ultimately, I am impressed by many successful business women who started from the ground up.

What has been the most valuable lesson you’ve learned. This can be about the industry or about yourself. Or both!

Always believe in yourself, never give up on your dreams, and continue to work hard because hard work always pays off.

What are your plans? Inside your career or out of it.

Hopefully, I will have a store open, be an even better person, a better CEO with a very accomplished company, and have international stores.

What This Millionaire CEO Can Teach You About Building A Wildly Successful Business

Timothy Trudeau’s earliest and fondest memory of getting a taste of the business world was hanging out with his father who was a successful business owner along with other successful business owners. While other kids were playing video games, Timothy was hanging around entrepreneurs and gaining powerful business tips. His first taste of success was when he sold his first beat to a Senior in his school who rapped back when he was in 9th grade. His foray into the business world started out at this early age when this Senior heard the beats he was making and decided to share an idea he had for a song. He immediately went home and used the equipment that he had collected through saving and bartering, and that’s when he first experience a real collaboration with an artist, and he officially became a producer. Eventually, his business grew, and he accumulated his wealth via his company Syntax Creative as well as rental income from the property that he owns.

We recently caught up with Timothy Trudeau and here’s what went down:

Could you please tell our readers a brief background about yourself and how you started making money?

I remember clearly listening music while riding through the South Bay neighborhood of San Diego. Sitting in the backseat of my father’s car, I was nodding my head to songs that were well beyond my years. I may not have known it then, but I was planting the seeds that would lead to my love for music and the subsequent foray into business. No one could have predicted that an unassuming kid from California like myself was quietly developing the ability to create original music and the chops to build a business around it.

How did you get started in business? When did you start? Did you ever imagine you would become this successful?

Some of my earliest and fondest memories include attempts at launching small businesses. I loved “negotiating” with the adults around me and selling products to other children based off knowing what they wanted.

My Dad was a successful business owner and socialized with other successful business owners. While other kids were trying to play outside or manipulate pixels on a screen in make-believe worlds, I would jump at any chance to go with my Dad to hang out with him and his friends.

While I doubt I fully grasped the idea of success, I knew that I would one day be an adult and that it would remain that way for the rest of my life so I wanted to acquire as much insider information into this journey as possible.

The first memorable transaction I remember, that is most closely associated with what I do now, was when I was in the 9th grade and sold my first beat to a Senior who rapped. It started out because he had heard the beats that I was making and decided to share an idea he had for a song, I went home and used the equipment that I had collected through saving and bartering. I was officially a producer and had just experienced my first real collaboration with an artist.

Though not music-related, the earliest legitimate business operation that I launched was when I was in the 10th grade. It was a business where I sold and serviced pagers along with the monthly airtime charge, as well as accessories to customize an otherwise boring world. Because I was only 15, I engaged my brother, who was 4 years older than me, as a partner who could legally register the business.

Most of my clientele were other students who I would see every day. Like any small community, the word can travel fast so it was important to keep customers happy and for them to share their happiness with others.

What is your main source of income?

My main source of income is the salary that I earn at Syntax Creative as well as rental income from the property that I own.

What are you currently doing to maintain/grow your net worth?

While some may be sitting on their equity, others are using it to purchase jet skis or other fun items that will decrease in value the moment the ink is dry on your purchase contract. I have used the equity to purchase assets that increase in value or that I can make money from. The main one being, more real estate.

While I’ve dabbled in the real estate market of other states for over a decade, I ended up cashing out and focusing on the San Diego market. This is where I am blessed to live and a market I understand very well. Like Bitcoin or the Foreign Exchange Market, if you are strategically buying and selling, you can do very well for yourself.

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What social media platforms do you usually use to increase your brand’s awareness?

Social Media is a double-edged sword. While there are definitely benefits to utilizing it well, using it well can be a full-time job. If I am regularly posting on social media to promote myself or my business and convince people to work with me, I’m probably becoming the type of person that you wouldn’t want to work with.

It’s better to use one well, than many on a mediocre level. Which is what I primarily see. For me, that one social network would be Twitter. Twitter is informative, short and sometimes funny. And as long as you can fit into that too, it’s a great place to get your message out.

The main thing for anyone to understand is that the first word in social media is social. I try to picture real live scenarios and how my engagement on those networks would play out. If you were at a party with friends and everything you were saying was a pitch, you probably wouldn’t be invited back. If you were argumentative, same.

Be polite and friendly, and as you engage with people, your message will naturally get out. No need to beat people over the head with advertisements. They get that everywhere they go, so if you are just more noise, you will be unfollowed or muted.

What is your main tactic when it comes to making more people aware your brand and engaging your customers? How did your business stand out?

My main tactic is just to treat customers the way that I would want to be treated as a customer. I really can’t stand when I work with a business, and I can tell that the business doesn’t value me or my money and could not care less if I return to spend more.

Doing business this way has led me to build an entire company off of word-of-mouth marketing. I really haven’t spent a dime to market or advertise myself or my company. Instead, I sat on all sides of a deal. I’ve been an artist signed to a label, I’ve signed artists to a label, as a label I’ve signed to a distributor, and as a distributor, I’ve signed labels. So my goal was to create the kind of company that I would have wanted to work within any one of those positions that I had firsthand experience.

In doing so, people are happy to pay our fees. Even if they are higher than our competition. The fee isn’t the be all end all in negotiating, though many negotiate as if it is.

Most of our clients came from another client, and that puts on the pressure to perform well, which is not unlike the pager business I had where my customers were my fellow students.

What is the toughest decision you had to make?

The toughest decision I’ve had to make is to kill a business or a partnership. It’s easy to get emotionally invested in something, especially if you’ve been doing it for a while. There comes a time when you have to step outside of what you are doing and take a look at it logically and see if the numbers are adding up or not.

Even businesses with a great cause may need to be shut down. You are able to do much more for a good cause with a solvent business than an insolvent one.

And if you love your friend or family member but they are contributing nothing or dragging the business into the ground, they must not love you very much back. If the relationship dies because you want to kill the partnership, there was never a relationship, to begin with.

What money mistakes have you made along the way that others can learn from (or something you’d do differently)?

I hate debt. Like, HATE it. Because I hate it, I am always trying to pay it down as fast as possible. And at times, that has strapped my cash flow in a way that was unnecessary. While loans can certainly be a millstone tied around your neck, they can also be an incredible tool if used properly. Find your balance somewhere in between the extreme of no-debt-at-all and using credit cards to pay other credits.

What new business would you love to start?

Syntax Creative has a broad reach and has me working with people all over the world. This is a lot of fun and I love it. However, for my next venture, I want to do something really localized. I want to have some kind of small business that serves food and drink. One that gets into a community and becomes a part of it. I want to take those same principles I’ve learned about having peers as customers and friends recommending friends for marketing to a local establishment. I also love growing individuals, so the thought of hiring young people to help them learn not just how to do their job well, but how to think well and do all future jobs well. How to open their own business someday.

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were just getting started, what would you do differently?

I would immediately go back to before time machines were invented and start a time machine business.

Do you have any favorite business-related or personal development related books that you can recommend to other entrepreneurs?

The most important thing someone can learn to help his or her own business would be economics. One of my favorite recent books for this is The Poverty of Nations: A Sustainable Solution. Another fantastic book is On Writing Well: The Class Guide to Writing Nonfiction. This book has, of course, helped my writing, but it has also helped my communication. Communication is one of the main tools that I use when transacting with people. So the better that I can do that, the better the transactions will be and we are right back to word-of-mouth marketing.

What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur setting up their first business?

Preparation is awesome. But over-preparation can be crippling. I coach a lot of young or new entrepreneurs and many of them have fantastic ideas. The first thing I think is, why aren’t they already doing this?

That initial plunge off of the cliff seems to be the part keeping them from doing anything other than making charts, graphs and spend time talking about starting something. There isn’t a failed business in my past that I launched that I didn’t learn something valuable from. Most successful entrepreneurs were first unsuccessful entrepeneurs.

You just have to go! Get started. You can’t possibly know everything up front and you can’t plan for all that will happen along the way. But you also can’t have a business if you don’t take that first step.

How This Man Became A Millionaire Making Rubber Ducks (Yes, You Read Right)

Like most self-made millionaires, Craig Wolfe came from rather humble beginnings. His idea was to create rubber ducks that looked like celebrities. Since he was starting small, he did all his PR and sent press releases to everyone he knew. Fortunately, a newspaper on the other side of the country ran his story, and the vice-president of one of NBA’s top franchises loved the idea and had him create a duck based on their superstar. That was the big break he was looking for because, after that, people and businesses started contacting him from all over the country. Fast forward to today, his current net worth is sitting at a cool $5 million.

We recently caught up with Craig Wolfe and here’s what went down:

Could you please tell our readers a brief background about yourself and how you started making money?

I became the largest publisher of artwork from television commercials creating the first ever animation art lines for Coca-Cola, Anheuser-Busch, M&M/Mars, etc. I figured no one else was doing this so why not me! Eventually, I sold it all off to create CelebriDucks which was a whole new art form of celebrity rubber ducks of the most celebrated icons of film, music history, and athletics. They were voted one of the top 100 gifts by Entertainment Weekly and featured on hundreds of TV shows, magazines, and newspapers including The Tonight Show. We have sold millions of them, and we are known as the top custom duck manufacturer in the world. We do them for everyone from SeaWorld to The New York Yankees.

Then I had the idea to address the importance of bringing jobs and industries back to America by bringing the whole rubber duck industry back to America where the rubber duck was invented before the whole industry went overseas. We are now the only ones making them here and are doing them for companies and organizations such as Harley-Davidson and The Future Farmers of America. Our second US factory in Michigan is now making PVC Free rubber ducks out of food and medical grade materials which are considered the safest rubber ducks in the world for babies to teethe on.

I also just launched our new chocolate division, www.CocoaCanard.com, with our Spooning Chocolate, the only Dairy, and Gluten-free hot chocolate that can instantly mix up in a cup of hot water and you will never miss the milk. It is now the go-to product in that category and considered the purest and finest hot chocolate on the market and uses Fair Trade chocolate. I basically do things that inspire me, and fortunately, it has worked out for me.

How did you get started in business? When did you start? Did you ever imagine you would become this successful?

You know, with the ducks, I never expected it would get that big, but I did think it was a cute idea – rubber ducks that looked like celebrities. I did all my PR and sent press releases to everyone. Fortunately, a newspaper on the other side of the country ran my story and the vice-president of one the NBA’s top franchises loved the idea and had us create a duck of their superstar. When we got done with that duck, it looked more like him than he did! The promotion went great, and then people started contacting us from all over to have us create ducks for them. I eventually sold off the animation and became all ducks!

What is your primary source of income?

Funny enough, it is just making rubber ducks which proves that if you own your niche and have a decent idea, anyone can become a millionaire.

Would you be willing to tell us your current net worth? How did you accumulate your net worth?

5 million. It started with the animation company and then with the ducks, funny, whimsical characters made my money – who knew!

What are you currently doing to maintain/grow your net worth?

I keep the business fresh and innovative; I never stay complacent. I’m always bringing out new ducks and fresh products. I don’t invest in the stock market, real estate and CDs. Bottom line, I invest in myself, in my business and thus, I am debt free with no outstanding loans – plus, I own the whole company 100%.

What social media platforms do you usually use to increase your brand’s awareness?

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram…..we pretty much post on our company website regularly.

What is your experience with paid advertising, like PPC or sponsored content campaigns? Does it work?

Actually. We find running on PR does the best marketing for us and the most cost-effective. Social Media is a game changer today and anyone can do it very cost effectively. We do have a great Amazon partner who handles that for us and they do campaigns for us which do very well and people love them.

What is your main tactic when it comes to making more people aware your brand and engaging your customers? How did your business stand out?

Well, PR is key for us and of course, social media. But if you really want to stand out in the clutter, then you need to build a better mousetrap. Create a great product that is cool, fun, innovative, unique and different and then be so good at it, that you dominate your own your niche – that is the key to success. You really want to become the best in your niche and be focused like a laser in getting your message out, one you can make that happen then you can give people a reason to talk about you and tell others.

What form of marketing has worked well for your business throughout the years?

PR and social media.

What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months?

I decided to terminate all our Amazon re-sellers. It was tough as we had so many, but we finally chose one major company to represent and protect our brand on Amazon, and it has worked out great. Now, we can control the look of the brand on there and also the MAP pricing.

What money mistakes have you made along the way that others can learn from (or something you’d do differently)?

Control your destiny. One of the biggest mistakes people do is give creative or financial control to raise funding to get their new venture off the ground. At one point, to expand quickly and take some of the burdens off me, I had a lot of my business pass through my manufacturer who took on more of the financial burden. But I did not like my loss of control, and after a bit of a struggle, I took it back. So you should never give up any equity or control unless you absolutely have to as no-one will ever run your baby and have the passion for it as you, the company creator.

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What have you learned in the process of becoming wealthy that others can learn from?

Never get complacent. And honestly, money is only as good as what you can do with it to make a difference in the lives of others. For me, the end game is about leaving it all to non-profit entities that can further be doing good in the world and helping those who have less.

What new business would you love to start?

I am actually already in the midst of that. Our chocolate company is just in phase one. We are writing a children’s book to go with it, and a whole lifestyle branding to bring the entire Cocoa Canard themed merchandising program to the market. Ducks, chocolate, children, fun licensed products, and a heart-warming message in a children’s book which is entirely different from what’s out there – what’s not to like.

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were just getting started, what would you do differently?

Well, I think I would have been more creative in the kinds of properties I brought to market. But it’s funny, it’s like trying to be who you are now thirty years earlier. Who you are now is based on those thirty years of doing things both right AND wrong. So yes, our Costume Quacker line of celebrity parody is our best work ever. But it took us years and years of design and testing to evolve to this point. But I do wish I had thought of this a long time ago.

Do you have any favorite business-related or personal development related books that you can recommend to other entrepreneurs?

I love ALL the Trout and Reis book – Positioning, Bottom-up Marketing. They are not just brilliant, but so much fun to read and filled with so many interesting case studies.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

“Never give up control and ownership” – Mom. She was right, well at least she was right for me. Everyone is different. But for me to feel creatively motivated and inspired, I need to have control of my baby to do whatever I have to do to bring it to life. I always said that when I wanted to return our whole industry back to the USA where it began, if I had a board of directors, I would have been fired, no doubt for ”not maximizing shareholder value in the short term!” But I always looked at the big picture. I knew if I did this we would own our niche and over time no-one could duplicate what we can do. I didn’t have to convince anyone as I owned the whole company and did just that and it really worked out in the end.

What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur setting up their first business?

It’s not how much money you make; it’s how much you keep. Excessive overhead can bring down any business no matter how much you make. Lean and mean is the key to survival especially in the beginning before business gains traction.

Do not try and be all things to all people or you become nothing to anyone. Focus like a laser on your niche and be really clear on what you stand for.

Reflect your core brand ethics and quality in every marketing communication to the public.

Compete on the cheap end, and someone can always make it for less. Quality like the tortoise will ultimately win out or as I like to say, “live by the penny, die by the penny,” don’t compete on price alone. Quality is the hardest thing to knock off.