How The Power Breakfast Transformed My Business And An Entire Community
Most entrepreneurs start their journey the same way: with talent, determination, and a dream. But what often holds them back isn't skill or work ethic — it's visibility, credibility, and connections.
That was me when I launched my business.
From Employee to Entrepreneur
Like many new entrepreneurs, I made the leap from employee to business owner without realizing just how hard it would be to get enough clients from scratch.
Although I'd been living in New Jersey for 15 years, my professional network was rooted elsewhere, raised in Pittsburgh, working in NYC. In NJ's business community, I was a stranger.
I found myself chasing opportunities instead of attracting them. And as every entrepreneur knows, that's a recipe for exhaustion, not growth.
The Turning Point
The breakthrough came when I asked myself a simple question: What if, instead of pursuing clients one by one, I created something that drew people to me?
That idea became The POWER BREAKFAST.
Rather than another networking event, I designed it as a forum where business owners could:
Learn best practices
Enjoy meaningful networking
Gain actionable knowledge
By delivering value first, I shifted from chasing to attracting. The result? I wasn't just another business owner; I became a connector, thought leader, and trusted resource.
Visibility + Credibility = Opportunity
Hosting The POWER BREAKFAST quarterly gave me consistent visibility.
In just a few years, I went from being relatively unknown to being recognized as one of the most connected people in the community — so much so that one attendee nicknamed me "The Michael Jordan of Networking."
That credibility opened doors I never expected: coaching, consulting, and training engagements with organizations that might never have discovered me otherwise.
Building a Business on Relationships
Today, I can trace 80% of my key customers and relationships back to The POWER BREAKFAST.
The forum gave me the chance to connect one-on-one with more than a thousand business owners. Their stories, challenges, and insights helped me grow as much as they grew from the event.
Those lessons became the foundation for:
Small Business Pro University
Publishing three books
Hosting my weekly livestream/podcast Leadership LIVE @ 8:05 for live years
What started as a networking event evolved into a powerful ecosystem.
The Ripple Effect
The true success of The POWER BREAKFAST isn't measured in my business growth alone — it's in the ripple effect across the community.
From the very beginning, I designed it to support diverse business owners who didn't always have access to traditional networks and resources.
The results speak for themselves: over the past 12 years, attendees have collectively secured tens of millions of dollars in financing and new business opportunities.
That's real contracts. Real growth. Real impact.
Lessons for Entrepreneurs
Looking back, the lesson is clear: Success is not a solo journey.
Hard work matters, but what accelerates growth is creating an environment where others can succeed alongside you. For entrepreneurs wondering how to break through, here's my advice:
Stop chasing and start attracting
Create a platform that delivers consistent value
Build a community where opportunity flows naturally
When you become the hub of value, your business becomes magnetic.
Final Thought
Starting The POWER BREAKFAST was one of the most important decisions of my career.
It changed my business.
It changed my credibility.
It changed my impact.
Most importantly, it has helped countless business owners build relationships, access resources, and seize the opportunities they need to thrive.
Because at the end of the day, building a business isn't just about building revenue, it's about building a community.
