Thanks so much for this opportunity! I'd be happy to participate in the interview for Exeleon Magazine's Leadership Edition. I've been featured in business publications before and always enjoy these conversations about entrepreneurship and leadership. Currently as the co-founder of The Leadership Visibility Co, I've spent over twenty years helping founders and business owners build their personal brand and share their authentic leadership stories, so I'm passionate about these topics. The email format works great for me, and I look forward to sharing insights about running a business and my vision for helping leaders build their personal brands.
Running Perry Hall Investment Group for nearly 20 years has taught me that real leadership is about removing friction for people in tough situations--we don't just buy houses, we solve problems by taking away the burden of repairs, closing costs, and uncertain timelines. I remember a seller who was overwhelmed after inheriting a property she couldn't afford to fix; we closed in 12 days, paid cash, and she told me it felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. My vision is rooted in something my brother-in-law Shane and I built from the ground up: a family business that treats every seller with dignity and keeps delivering win-win outcomes across the Mid-Atlantic.
When I started Realty Done, it wasn't about building the biggest team--it was about fixing what frustrated me most in real estate: buyers and sellers feeling powerless. I built a community that puts clients in control by connecting them with agents who actually deliver results, not excuses. My vision is to keep cutting through the noise and make real estate simpler, smarter, and more honest for every family we serve.
I'd be honored to participate in Exeleon Magazine's Leadership Edition. About My Entrepreneurial Journey: I founded DataNumen 24 years ago while pursuing my master's degree at Zhejiang University. My first two software products—an image viewer and a development tool—failed to gain market traction. My third product, Advanced Zip Repair, was equally disappointing, selling only 3 copies in six months. I was ready to abandon the entire venture. Before giving up, I made a small adjustment to the business model—nothing dramatic, just a different approach to how customers accessed the solution. That single change transformed everything: sales jumped from nearly nothing to over $600 monthly, and by graduation, I had stable income exceeding $2,000 per month. Thereafter, I founded DataNumen. About DataNumen: Today, DataNumen serves clients in 240+ countries and territories, including Fortune Global 500 companies like Toyota, FedEx, HP, and Dell (https://www.datanumen.com/case-studies/). We specialize in data recovery software, helping businesses and individuals recover critical data from corrupted files and storage media. Our software is featured in hundreds of data recovery books across 103 different languages (https://www.datanumen.com/books/) My Email: ccw@datanumen.org
Running my own business means leaning into systems--my engineering background taught me the value of repeatable processes, which allowed me to scale from flipping one house to managing hundreds. But it's not just about numbers; it's about staying invested in my community and treating people fairly, whether they're selling their home or joining my team. At the end of the day, my vision is simple: build long-term value, help others, and keep learning--because that's how you last in business and leave a legacy for your family.
I'd be excited to participate in your leadership feature--transitioning from corporate finance to founding Cape Fear Cash Offer taught me that authentic business leadership happens when you solve real problems for your neighbors. After years as a Trust Officer managing institutional funds, I discovered my true calling was helping local families navigate difficult property situations with dignity and fair solutions. My vision is to keep expanding our reach across the Cape Fear region while maintaining our core principle: every seller deserves personalized attention and creative solutions, whether that's accommodating their timeline or buying their property as-is during life's toughest moments.
At Chris Buys Homes, I approach business leadership with a 'house first' mentality--trust is central to every transaction, especially in a market like St. Louis. I recall a veteran coming home to a flooded property who needed a fast sale: by streamlining our process, we eliminated stress and closed in five days, proving empathy and efficiency can coexist while maintaining a competitive edge. Ultimately, I envision our brand as the trusted neighbor homeowners turn to when life becomes too overwhelming--matching my personal legacy to better the city one property at a time.
Running Stillwater Properties has taught me that the heart of real leadership is showing up for people when they need clarity most. I founded this company after realizing how stressful and confusing selling a home can be--so we focus on listening, education, and giving honest options. My vision is to make the process less about transactions and more about trust, so sellers feel heard and supported, even if that means guiding them to a solution outside our services.
I'd be honored to share my journey from 14.5 years in the Army Infantry to founding Integrity House Buyers--the military taught me discipline and service, but real estate taught me how to turn those values into tangible community impact. Running my business means staying true to our name: I recently walked away from a profitable deal because the homeowner clearly needed more time to consider their options, and that integrity has built the trust that drives our referrals today. My vision is to keep proving that veteran-owned businesses can lead with both profit and purpose, helping Tennessee families transition smoothly while strengthening the neighborhoods we serve.
Being a CEO in real estate investing has taught me that authentic leadership grows from serving your community first. At Dynamic Home Buyers, we've built our reputation by offering homeowners genuine solutions during difficult transitions--not just buying houses, but creating pathways to peace of mind. My vision extends beyond transactions; I'm building a legacy business that transforms neighborhoods while honoring Myrtle Beach's unique character. As both a father and a local, I believe sustainable growth happens when you treat each homeowner's story with the same care you'd want for your own family.
Happy to answer this as I founded my company from nothing basically a part-time side gig to a fully fledged 50 staff operation, had two bad deceptive business partners that almost destroyed my entire company and had to rebuild my business almost from scratch again. I have some interesting insights here. I'm very hands-on in my business and can help impart some insights of wisdom to readers about my journey and where they can learn from my mistakes.
Hi there, I'm the CEO of TailoredPay, a high risk merchant account provider that allows businesses to get paid when traditional providers like Stripe and Square turn them down. We've been in business since 2019 and we're about to make it into Fortune 500 with the start of 2026. I'll be more than happy to answer any questions you may have for an interview. Thanks!
Running Madison County House Buyers alongside my co-founder John has reinforced that business success starts with treating people the way you'd want to be treated--sometimes that means openly telling a homeowner we're not their best option and connecting them with someone who is. For example, I once spent an hour walking a seller through their refinancing options because that truly served them better than a quick sale to us, and they've since sent multiple referrals our way. My vision is to keep building a business rooted in honesty and clarity, where every conversation--whether it leads to a deal or not--leaves people feeling heard and genuinely helped.
Running Coastal NC Cash Offer has been about keeping things simple and honest--helping homeowners find real solutions without the red tape. Early on, I met a seller facing foreclosure who'd lost faith in the process; we closed fast, gave her peace of mind, and she still refers friends to this day. My vision is to keep building that kind of trust while strengthening the communities I grew up in across coastal North Carolina.
I'd be happy to participate. I left a comfortable nonprofit CFO position at 60 to start FZP Digital, so I've got some perspective on late-career entrepreneurship and the "why" behind business decisions that most leadership interviews miss. **The accountant-drummer advantage nobody talks about:** Most digital agencies either understand spreadsheets OR creativity, rarely both. I spent decades in accounting while drumming in bands, and that combination lets me speak CFO language with clients while designing sites that don't look like they were built by their IT guy's nephew. One attorney client told me his previous three agencies never asked about his revenue goals before building his site--they just made it "look pretty." **Finding your why at 60:** I named our video series "Drummin' Up Business" because I was tired of pretending the accounting and creative sides of my brain were separate. When I finally merged them, our client retention jumped--turns out business owners want someone who understands their P&L AND can make their brand stand out. We've worked with 30+ organizations because I spend time learning their actual business goals before touching WordPress. **Vision for small business digital presence:** Most of our clients are women-owned businesses and nonprofits who've been burned by agencies that disappear after launch. We're building long-term partnerships where I actually answer the phone and remember why they started their business in the first place--that's rare enough in digital marketing that it's become our differentiator.
I've been running PARWCC for years now, leading nearly 3,000 certified career coaches and resume writers globally. I can speak to building credibility in an industry flooded with uncredentialed "experts," maintaining quality standards across a distributed workforce, and pivoting business models when AI disrupted our members' entire value proposition. The smartest move I made was when AI resume tools started threatening our members' livelihoods in 2023. Instead of fighting it, we rebuilt our entire certification curriculum around what AI can't do--strategic career pivots, interview psychology, personal brand authenticity. Our members now position themselves as human experts who use AI as a tool, not competitors to it. Revenue from our advanced certifications like CERW and CDCS jumped 34% because we taught our professionals to sell what machines can't replicate. For the interview, I can discuss why credentials matter more than ever in the misinformation economy, how we've kept a 35-year-old association relevant through five economic shifts, building a certification suite that actually changes how professionals work (not just adding letters after their names), and the specific frameworks we use to help 3,000 independent business owners stay profitable when the job market keeps changing the rules.
I'd be interested in participating. I've been practicing law for 20 years and co-founded Universal Law Group in Houston, where we handle everything from criminal defense to corporate work. Started as a prosecutor before going into private practice, so I've seen both sides of the courtroom. **The former prosecutor advantage:** When I left the DA's office in 2007, I thought my prosecution experience would just help in criminal cases. Turns out it's our biggest asset in personal injury settlements--insurance adjusters know we actually go to trial instead of just threatening it. We leverage that background in our marketing, and it's helped us stand out in a crowded Houston legal market where everyone claims they're aggressive. **The multi-practice reality:** Running a full-service firm means our criminal defense clients sometimes need business attorneys, and our corporate clients call when their kid gets a DUI. We stopped trying to specialize like big firms do and instead built a team where John handles labor disputes, Patrick does corporate transactions, and Matthew covers immigration. One client used us for three completely different legal issues in two years--that's retention you can't buy with ads. **Vision for legal services:** Most law firms still operate like it's 1995. We're pushing toward what I call "efficient responsiveness"--clients want updates without paying $400/hour for a phone call. Our team sends quick text updates on case progress, and we've cut down the panicked "what's happening with my case" calls that waste everyone's time and money.
Happy to participate. I've spent over 30 years in home construction and remodeling, built 1,000+ homes across the Baltimore-Washington corridor, and now run Prestige Home Remodeling. I took one of the largest east coast remodeling companies from a small kitchen/bath operation to an industry leader during my 6-year stint as President of Construction and Remodeling there. **The transparency advantage in remodeling:** Most contractors disappear after signing contracts, leaving homeowners anxious about their biggest investment. We implemented mandatory weekly photo updates and job-site walkthroughs at every project milestone--before drywall goes up, after rough inspections, before final finishes. This simple change cut our change-order disputes by about 60% because clients see problems when they're still easy to fix, not after we've already moved on to the next phase. **The "everything in between" reality:** Home improvement isn't about specializing in just kitchens or just additions--it's about understanding how all the systems work together. When a client wants to add a second-story addition, that's not just framing and roofing. It's structural engineering for the existing foundation, HVAC recalculation for the new square footage, and electrical panel upgrades that weren't in the original budget. We price projects with these "hidden inevitables" already factored in, which means fewer surprise costs and way more referrals from homeowners who didn't feel ambushed. **Vision for home remodeling:** The industry still runs on the three-ring binder and clipboard model. We're moving toward real-time budget tracking that clients can access from their phones--they see exactly where their money goes as we order materials and pay subcontractors. No more wondering if their $80,000 kitchen budget is being managed properly or if we're pocketing the difference between our quoted price and actual costs.
Managing Partner at Zev Roofing, Storm Recovery, & Construction Group, LLC
Answered 4 months ago
Happy to share what I've learned building ZEV Roofing across West Texas. My background in structural steel for DOD projects taught me that precision matters more than speed, and that mindset completely changed how we handle storm recovery work. **The 72-hour documentation window:** After major hail events in Lubbock, we send teams to photograph and GPS-tag damage within three days--before homeowners even call us. We map entire neighborhoods and offer free reports whether they hire us or not. Last April we documented 340 properties after a hailstorm, only 89 became clients, but our insurance claim approval rate hit 94% because adjusters trust our pre-loss data. Most roofers wait for customers to find them; we became the source adjusters call to verify claims. **Teaching clients to read their own roofs:** I started including thermal imaging in every inspection and walking homeowners through what the colors mean--purple spots show where insulation failed, yellow areas leak energy dollars. One commercial client in Plainview saw their HVAC was fighting a losing battle through their roof and upgraded to standing seam metal. Their cooling costs dropped 18% year-over-year, and they referred four other business owners because we showed them the math, not just sold them a roof. **Vision piece:** West Texas weather is getting more extreme, not less--we tracked 23 significant hail events in our service area over the past four years versus 11 the previous four. I'm positioning ZEV as a climate adaptation partner, not just a repair vendor. We're building relationships with insurance carriers to pre-qualify properties for storm-resistant systems that lower premiums 12-15%, turning roofing from a reactive emergency into proactive financial planning.
I'd be happy to participate. As the founder of Georgia Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, I've spent years building a practice from the ground up while maintaining active surgical practice--so I live both the clinical excellence and business leadership sides daily. Being double board-certified and holding an MBA gives me a unique lens on how medical expertise and business strategy must work together. One concrete example: when we expanded to multiple Atlanta locations, we didn't just open doors--we studied patient flow patterns and chose sites where underserved communities could access board-certified care. That decision increased our patient base by over 40% while fulfilling our mission of making quality plastic surgery accessible. The business grew because we solved a real access problem, not just chased revenue. My vision centers on something I see missing in aesthetic medicine: combining absolute surgical safety with genuine personalization. Too many practices push cookie-cutter procedures or chase trends. We've built our reputation on natural-looking results that improve what patients already have--which means higher satisfaction, better outcomes, and patients who become ambassadors. That approach has brought us international clientele while staying rooted in Atlanta. The leadership lesson I'd emphasize: your expertise means nothing if you can't build systems that deliver consistently. I'm in surgery several days a week, but I've invested heavily in training teams, refining protocols, and creating an experience where patients feel heard. That's what scales--not just your personal skill, but the culture and standards you build around it.