Welcome to Business Innovators Magazine…Please introduce yourself and a brief thumbnail of your background.
AK: Hello, I’m from Smithville Texas with a wife and have 5 kids. I’m from the middle class where you are taught how to work really hard but not how to work smart. My mom was a school teacher and dad worked for the railroad. I worked at a full service gas station until I graduated from high school. Working at the gas station taught me a lot, one thing that has stayed with me was a vision I had that I would become a businessman and fly around the world helping others. Life never happens you way you think, at 18 my high school girlfriend got pregnant and I went to work. I worked in construction traveling and when the relationship didn’t work out I got a job in town and went to school. Finished school and got a better job and thought wow my vision came true then only to find out nope that’s not it. Started my first business buying and selling cattle which taught me a lot about marketing, buying, selling, and most importantly adding value. I lost more money in the first two years than most people make in 2 years but it taught me about business that you don’t learn in college. During this time I got started in real estate and built duplexes which is one of the smartest things I have ever done, then built and sold a few houses. All the experience from how I grew up, to working in corporate America, then starting my own business lead to today in helping Blue Collar Business men overcome their fear to grow their business without losing their faith or family. This is what I’m supposed to do because the blue collar businesses are the backbone to America and they know how to work hard they just need help learning how to work smarter which will make them more money to continue helping their customers.
BI: What would you say is the area in business that you are most passionate about and why?
AK: Helping the blue collar business men become profitable by opening up their eyes to how they see themselves and their business. We set out limitations and helping them figure out they have no limitations other than the ones they set for themselves is very fulfilling.
BI: How are you different than your competitors?
AK: I have no competitors, yes that is right I don’t. You see God only made one of me and if I do what I was sent on this earth to do then I have NO competition other than me. No one else has my fingerprints just like you so don’t worry about what others are doing, only worry about you. You and I are our own greatest asset or worst liability other than that I don’t worry about what anybody else is doing.
BI: Please tell me about any recent business accomplishments that you are most proud of and why?
Helping one of my clients get out of his own head and to grow his business far beyond what he thought they could do and realize his full potential. Thus making more money than he has ever made while setting his new goals so high chet and chong can’t get high enough. Got to have fun and laugh in life and business or it’s no fun.
BI: What Leadership qualities in Leaders do you most admire and why?
AK: Caring, honest, compassion, humble, strong willed, fearless, high moral character, giving, extreme ownership
The best leaders in life have fearless attitude with a strong will to succeed while at the same time they show compassion, care for the others around them, are humble, have high moral character, will give the shirt off their back, at the same time take on a lion while owning their mistakes, and making the others around them step up to their level. That is what a good leader is to me.
BI: What has been a key element of your success?
AK: Willing to fail over and over again in order to figure it out without quitting. That is the key to success is failing over and over again until you get the desired result.
BI: What are some of the business projects that you are currently working on that you are excited about and why?
AK: Growing the Family Business Men brand into a household name. I want every blue collar business man to live up to his God given potential while never giving up his faith or sacrificing his family to get to where he wants to go. I want every man to become the best man he can be……………
BI: What are 1 or 2 things you would like to say to a prospective client who stumbles across this interview?
AK: Don’t be too proud to ask for help. We all need a little help and if I would have never seeked the help I needed from a mentor you wouldn’t be reading this today. Money is just a tool don’t try to be so cheap that you don’t get to where you want to go because you’re scared to spend money. Use the money to help people and don’t use the people for the money. Life and business are a journey and process don’t quit just because it hasn’t worked out yet….
BI: What is your secret sauce to your life?
AK: Faith, without it you have nothing. YOur beliefs are your superpower. If you carry around with you doubt that is why whatever you do doesn’t work. My FAITH is so strong that I don’t worry about anything even when you think you have no way out. My belief in Faith is a will make it out one way or another. See Faith is important you will need it when things go bad in your life like a loved one getting sick or dying. Three years ago our daughter got sick and within 23 hours died in the OR operating room for 5 minutes when her lungs collapsed. Good thing is she is healthy and strong today but at that time the only hope I had was Faith. Oh by the way her name is Faith. Stay strong with your belief in Faith, you got this.
BI: To wrap this up, what are you most excited about in the upcoming months in your business?
AK: I am excited to see where we are in 6 months from now with Family Business Men. Two years ago this was just a thought and now it has helped many men and businesses. I have no idea what the future holds but I’m happy with whatever happens. I have a saying that goes like this “either you are earning or learning either way you are winning when you’re earning your making money and when you’re learning your gaining knowledge both ways you win”.
