Projects
Project: Developing Business Acumen
As a child, I was fascinated by business and would often set up a cliché lemonade stand to learn more about how things work. This curiosity led to a lifelong pursuit of understanding business, particularly in regards to new ventures and start-ups.
Beginning in 2008, I have dedicated a significant amount of time to studying business, analyzing the go-to-market strategies of private new ventures and their evolution into initial public offerings. I am well-versed in the methods that private and public companies use to secure capital for growth, including debt and equity financing. My educational journey includes earning an MBA in 2020, a Master of Management, Innovation and Entrepreneurship in 2022, and various Udemy certificates in areas such as Python programming and business data analysis.
My desire to learn more about business continues. I am currently learning more about business analytics and data science, and I am very excited to see where it leads me.
Project: ReFresh - The Toothbrush Sanitizer
ReFresh: The Toothbrush Sanitizer is a personal project that allows me to put my business skills to the test. As a bootstrapped venture, it has been a valuable learning experience for me on how to develop and commercialize a new product within a startup context. Through this project, I have gained practical experience in various aspects of entrepreneurship, including:
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Identifying customer problems and creating solutions using the Design Thinking process
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Validating my idea through market research and developing a minimal viable product
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Navigating regulations and developing a product that assures compliance
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Pitching my idea to others to grow my venture
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Operating and testing assumptions incrementally to save resources
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Developing an effective marketing strategy that aligns with my offering and target customer
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The excitement of my first sale and much more
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I am continuously working on ReFresh and look forward to sharing it with the world!
Project: Residential Real Estate Investing
Owning a house has always been a dream of mine, and I was fortunate enough to make it a reality after returning from a tour of duty in Afghanistan in 2010. I quickly got to work on making simple updates to increase the value of the property, such as changing the flooring, re-shingling the roof, and updating the bathrooms. When it came time to sell after just two years, I was able to make a profit of around 25%.
This experience ignited a passion for real estate investing, and I began acquiring and updating rental properties using the popular BRRRR method. Today, I manage four rental units and am in the process of acquiring a fifth. I find great satisfaction in the creative process of transforming an old, rundown property into something warm and inviting. I also enjoy the close relationship I have with my tenants, and the opportunity to learn new skills and get my hands dirty. My ultimate goal is to one day manage a large multi-family complex with 10+ units.
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Project: Self Discovery
For much of my youth and twenties, I lived my life according to a prescribed formula: go to school, work hard, and raise a family. I followed this routine day in and day out for years. However, as I got older, I began to realize that there were very few things in my life that I truly had control over. I had been so focused on what I thought I should be doing, rather than exploring what I wanted to be doing.
That realization prompted a shift in my approach to life. I started asking myself deeper questions like: What are my passions? What do I need to achieve a healthy work-life balance? How can I make a positive impact on the world? Through exploring my personal interests, I discovered something simple yet profound: doing things that bring me joy will also bring me lasting happiness. I no longer hesitate to explore new interests and take chances. To this day, I am still on a journey of self-discovery and I am loving every moment of it.
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