What Success Looks Like

My guest is Michelle Cadore, the Designer, CEO, and visionary Founder behind YES I AM, Inc, which she established in 2016. A true renaissance woman, Michelle is also the Co-Owner of DA SPOT NYC, a unique fashion boutique located in Downtown Brooklyn. "DA SPOT"  features 25+ independent creative brands by people of color including YES I AM and the C.A.N.V.A.S Art Gallery. 

In this episode, Michelle shares how she pivoted from full-time government employment into becoming a full-time entrepreneur. She also discusses her experience parlaying a personal brand idea into a multi-faceted business empire. 

https://www.yesiaminc.com/

https://daspotnyc.com/

@YesIamInc 

@DaSpotNYC 

@ASKMSCADORE

@Dearsummervibesnyc 

@lovenotesbyyesiam

In this episode I talk to Ray Nunez, Co-Founder of The Nunez Co., a strategic and creative partner for their customers, The Nuñez Co. builds powerful stories that resonate and connect with their customer's audience. Ray is truly a Dreamer in every sense of the word as a proud Mexican Immigrant and accomplished entrepreneur. 

In this episode, Ray shares how his journey into entrepreneurship from a very young age inspires him to continuously seek out growth opportunities that serve his business and his customers. He also gives very helpful insight to new and aspiring entrepreneurs about ways to integrate both revenue generation and a social impact purpose into your business model.

https://thenunez.co/

www.linkedin.com/in/raynunezdotorg/

@raynunezdotorg (Twitter & Instagram)

www.facebook.com/raynunezdotorg

In this episode, I do a deep dive into the humble beginnings of Nick Lunn, Founder, and CEO of Cornerstone Construction Group. Cornerstone is a certified diverse, full-service Civil Construction Management, Asphalt & Concrete firm based out of Indianapolis, Indiana that specializes in private, commercial, and government construction projects.  In our conversation, Nick talks about his diverse career portfolio prior to going into business for himself. Nick shares how those dynamic experiences equipped him with the skills and knowledge he needed to lead a multi-million dollar company that was recently inducted into Inc.com's top 5000 companies of 2020. Listen now to learn how Nick's extensive journey in entrepreneurship exemplifies that passion, persistence, and reliance are key drivers for sustaining success in business over time. 

www.cornerstone-constructiongroup.com 

www.linkedin.com/in/nick-I-98bb9327

https://www.micromentor.org/

In this episode, I "CONNECT" with Sara Emhof, founder and People DJ for The MOGA Project (Moving Ourselves to Greater Authenticity). Through Company Culture Consulting and Huddle Facilitating, Sara creates authentic virtual connections that are fun and personalized for both companies and individuals. During our conversation, Sara shares more about the "why" that motivated her to venture into entrepreneurship. She also sheds light on some of the challenges that come with an entrepreneur or solopreneur pathway and how those challenges served as the catalyst for her to cultivate connection and community in an increasingly isolated world.

https://mogaliving.com/

https://saraemhof.com/

In this episode, I talk to Kenneth Johnson, Co-founder and Managing Partner at Johnson, Blumberg & Associates; a successful, certified diverse law firm based in Chicago representing the mid-west region. Ken has worked hard to create a culture that places value on excellence and diversity. His insistence on these principals has made Johnson, Blumberg & Associates one of the most desirable places to work in this industry. During our chat Ken shares how he combined his passion for practicing law with his knack for investing in real-estate to start his own law firm. Ken’s story demonstrates that people who take the traditional track of college and career are well equipped to launch a business and experience success as an entrepreneur. Side Note: If you like the artist Prince, you should really tune-in to hear Ken’s priceless Prince story.

http://www.johnsonblumberg.com/

In this episode, I am speaking with Kristine Merz, Author, and Founder of Orange Square, a Human-Centered Strategy & Design firm based out of Rhode Island. During our conversation, Kristine shares how she planned and executed a major organizational pivot, she speaks about important factors to consider before scaling your business and helps new and established companies understand how to shift from a corporate-centered business model into a human-centered business model. As an academically trained designer and battle-tested entrepreneur, Kristine uses a Design Thinking framework to ensure success by identifying and solving the right problems for companies.

Company Website: https://orangesquare.com/

Book: Shift: Leading Change with Human Centered-Innovation 

https://www.amazon.com/Shift-Leading-Change-Human-Centered-Innovation-ebook/dp/B083VZLNVR