Chapter 1: The Entrepreneurial Spark

People frequently ask me, “How did you begin your entrepreneurial journey? Was it intimidating?” I genuinely enjoy sharing this story, especially after a couple of drinks. However, there are some less joyful parts that I won't delve into today. If enough of you express interest in hearing those details, I might consider opening up further.

But first, what does it truly mean to be an entrepreneur? According to Webster's dictionary, an entrepreneur is "a person who starts a business and is willing to risk loss in order to make money." While I agree with this definition, I believe the first step is about being someone willing to embrace risk. Often, an entrepreneur isn't certain whether their idea will yield profit; they might just want to explore whether their quirky concepts capture interest.

This is crucial—the unique ideas that excite you can be incredibly infectious. Your passions and dreams resonate with others, and they are often willing to support them.

So, what ignited my entrepreneurial spirit? My very first venture occurred in first grade when I drew Pokémon bookmark cards and sold them to my classmates for 99 cents each. By fourth grade, I learned I could buy candy canes at the dollar store and resell them for a dollar each, effectively turning every dollar into eleven opportunities, given that each box contained twelve candy canes.

Fast forward a decade, I joined an internship program called College Works Painting, where I learned to run a residential painting business by simply knocking on doors. Within four months, I transformed a mere idea into a thriving production team. This experience taught me that with determination, I could build a successful six-figure business from scratch, without any prior knowledge or resources.

Through this program, I learned that failure was not an option. The world was ripe with opportunities, and I was filled with potential. After five years, I grew my business to employ over 300 individuals at its peak, expanding from Western Washington to Vancouver, BC. Although my time in Canada was lonely and challenging, it was a significant learning experience. Unfortunately, when the economy crashed, I lost a substantial portion of my investments overnight.

In the wake of this setback, I packed my belongings into my Nissan Maxima and returned to the U.S. I then impulsively booked a flight to Hawaii, staying in an Airbnb while contemplating my next move. During this period, my family jokingly referred to me as a “homeless beach bum.” However, it became a time of reflection about my core strengths. I initially thought I could learn coding to become a software engineer, but my ADHD quickly put that idea to rest.

So, what skills did I possess?

1. I thrived on building relationships.
2. I was an excellent listener and retained information well.
3. I enjoyed assembling and scaling teams; recruiting felt effortless.
4. I had a passion for technology, despite lacking technical skills.
5. I excelled in sales.

Combining these strengths, I was inspired by a film, "Friends with Benefits," where Mila Kunis's character recruits Justin Timberlake for a major NYC company. It was astonishing to me that she got paid for this! Motivated, I began reaching out to recruiting agencies and eventually landed a job offer from one that needed assistance in establishing their Seattle branch. My role involved door-to-door outreach to businesses seeking recruiting support.

At that moment, I discovered my true calling—I was meant to be a recruiter, and I excelled at it.

This path led me to corporate roles at companies like Zillow Group, where I worked in the Machine Learning department at Facebook, and contributed to scaling The Climate Corporation's engineering team. Along the way, I co-founded a recruiting product called Talentful, an ML-based identity resolution tool for recruitment. Although it didn't succeed commercially, it offered invaluable insights.

Chapter 2: Current Endeavors

The first video, Make a Difference While Making a Living - The Minimalist Entrepreneur Summary by Sahil Lavingia, provides valuable insights into combining passion with entrepreneurship, which resonates deeply with my journey.

Currently, I am the CEO of Nxt Level, a Staffing Agency specializing in Technology, Product, and Gaming, headquartered in Brentwood, TN. In less than a year, we have expanded from zero to 15 employees in the Greater Nashville Area, and our first office is already at full capacity. We aim to double our growth in 2022, and I am proud of my outstanding team.

From being an obscure entity in 2020, we have emerged as a significant player in the recruiting industry. We initiated Founders Live, a community event showcasing local entrepreneurs in Tennessee, where participants present 99-second pitches, and the audience votes on the best one.

I am also an active member of EO in Nashville, focusing on community development, business growth, and assisting individuals in reaching the next level in their careers.

The second video, 10 Things To Know Before You Become An Entrepreneur, offers essential tips for aspiring entrepreneurs, which aligns perfectly with the lessons I've learned throughout my journey.

In summary, my entrepreneurial path has been a blend of risks, challenges, and personal growth, leading me to where I am today.