Ever since I was a little kid, I knew one thing for sure, I wanted to own a business and be my own boss. I didn't dream of a corner office or a title on a business card; I dreamed of building something real, something that I could call my own. While many of my classmates were focused on grades and college applications, I was more interested in understanding how things worked in the real world.

School was never something I naturally aligned with. I respected education but couldn't see how the lessons in the classroom connected to the kind of life I wanted to live. I was drawn to the hands-on, practical side of learning, solving real problems, making decisions, and seeing the direct results of my efforts.

Growing up, my family was divided between two very different worlds. On one side, there were highly educated professionals—doctors, lawyers, and academics—who followed the traditional path of schooling and degrees. On the other side were high school dropouts who had gone on to build thriving businesses from scratch. Watching both sides succeed in their own ways taught me something powerful at an early age: there isn't just one path to success. What matters most is commitment, mindset, and an unwavering work ethic.

At 13, I started working in my family's bagel shop on Long Island. It was my first taste of business ownership, even if I didn't realize it at the time. I loved everything about it, the early mornings, the rush of customers, the satisfaction of creating something people enjoyed. More than anything, I loved learning. I wanted to understand every aspect of how the business worked: customer service, production, inventory, hiring, and the delicate balance of keeping operations running smoothly.

As high school came to an end, I faced the same decision most teenagers do: go to college or start working full time. The expectation was clear, everyone around me wanted me to follow the traditional path. So, I enrolled in college. But two weeks before classes began, I made one of the boldest decisions of my life. Without telling anyone, I went to the registrar's office and withdrew. I knew in my gut that my education would come from experience, not from a classroom. It wasn't a decision made out of rebellion, it was conviction. I believed the best way to learn business was to be in business.

Those early years were filled with long hours, hard lessons, and incredible growth. I immersed myself in the world of retail food and beverage operations, learning the ins and outs of managing people, products, and profits. By my early twenties, I was operating multiple stores and overseeing all aspects of the business, customer experience, product development, hiring and firing, inventory management, and profit and loss oversight.

Managing a staff of over fifty people at such a young age forced me to grow up quickly. I learned about leadership, accountability, and resilience, lessons that no textbook could teach. Of course, I made mistakes along the way. But every setback became a stepping stone, preparing me for something bigger down the road.

Then came 2020, and like so many others, my plans changed overnight. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted everything, especially the food industry. I had been preparing to expand, to acquire additional locations, to scale the business further. Suddenly, the world stopped. Supply chains froze, operations shifted, and the industry I had built my career in was turned upside down.

For the first time in a long while, I felt stuck. My entire professional identity had been built around food service. I didn't know what was next, until I started exploring franchising.

That moment was transformative. I began researching and connecting with franchise experts, learning how franchising operated across industries. I discovered that success in franchising wasn't tied to one type of business—it was about systems, leadership, and transferable skills. The same principles that had guided me in food service, customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, and financial management—were exactly what successful franchise owners relied on.

Within four months, I invested in my first home service franchise, an industry completely different from what I knew. But I was confident. I trusted my ability to follow proven systems, implement strong processes, and lead effectively. Transitioning into a new field reignited my passion for learning and growth. I realized that while industries change, the fundamentals of business ownership remain constant.

After successfully exiting the food industry and transitioning into franchise ownership, something inside me shifted. I began thinking about the people who felt the same way I once had, stuck, uncertain, or limited by their current circumstances. Whether they were corporate professionals yearning for independence or entrepreneurs searching for the next chapter, I knew what that moment of doubt felt like. And I knew there was a way through it.

That's when I felt compelled to help others discover what I had discovered through franchise ownership, the sense of freedom, flexibility, and empowerment that comes from running your own business. It doesn't mean the work is easy. But it means you decide when and how you work. You're building your own future, not someone else's.

That calling led me to become a franchise consultant. In this role, I get to combine everything I've learned—my entrepreneurial experience, operational knowledge, and personal journey, into helping others achieve their own version of success. Every day, I have the privilege of guiding people from all walks of life through the process of exploring franchise opportunities, understanding the models, and finding the right fit.

As a young father, this work carries an even deeper meaning. There's no greater lesson I can pass on to my family than the power of taking control of your own destiny. Entrepreneurship isn't just about making money, it's about creating choices, building stability, and showing that with determination, anything is possible.

Looking back, I couldn't be more grateful for the path that brought me here. From the early mornings in the bagel shop to managing teams and navigating economic uncertainty, every experience prepared me to help others take that leap into ownership. I've learned that success isn't about following a prescribed path,it's about carving your own.

Today, I wake up each morning excited to connect with new people, each with their own dreams, fears, and ambitions, and help them move closer to the life they envision. Watching clients transform their goals into reality, seeing them gain the confidence to take that step, is what drives me every single day.

My journey has taught me that business ownership isn't just a career path, it's a mindset. It's about resilience, adaptability, and belief in yourself when the world tells you to play it safe. And now, I get to share that belief with others, guiding them toward the same sense of purpose, fulfillment, and freedom that franchising gave me.

I've lived both sides, the uncertainty of not knowing what's next, and the satisfaction of building something from the ground up. That's why I'm passionate about helping others take control of their future through smart, strategic franchise ownership. Because if there's one thing I know for sure, it's that the right opportunity, with the right guidance, can change everything.