Staying true to yourself is often rooted in passion, but passion alone does not guarantee success, and this is particularly true for an entrepreneur. The online platform hosting my business suspended my account access after I received several customer complaints involving shipping or condition of goods received. The problem was how I managed the issues. It was a tough lesson to learn my words or lack of words do matter. Investing and creating generational wealth appears to be more of a challenge than opportunity for many people of color and millennials. I will obtain a Finance degree, become a real-estate entrepreneur, and use marketing technologies to invest and sustain transformational communities. Creating a brand, I will educate and promote access to self-directed investments for neighborhoods left behind in the economical divide. Also, I will work with neighborhoods to develop housing and investment options that creates living communities for millennials who have not bought into traditional homeownership. My final step is to design living communities focused on diversification, environmentalism, and collaboration. Understanding a community’s strength is built on the diversity of its people, I will focus my community outreach to areas most deprived of STEM support and ensure my communities are STEM resourced and environmentally conscience for the residents and surrounding neighborhoods. Collectively, each of the elements above promote my long-term investment strategy to increase generational wealth. Working last summer, I gained valuable experience from a company using technology to change the online food ordering process. TapTapEat (TTE), a startup technology company specializing in a mobile platform that empower restaurants to own their online ordering experience. TTE afforded me a first-hand look into streamlining and customizing a restaurant’s ordering processes to be more efficient and profitable. This company utilizes a marketing transformation concept and digital technologies to modernize marketing processes, which is a real-life example of the discussions we had in my Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) class. I used my DECA training and TTE experiences to build my own online store, which is the first step of creating my brand and helping others with a desire to become financially independent. I saved $500 to hire a mentor who guided me in establishing my online store, The Savior Sports Store specializing in kids’ sports memorabilia. The store doubled monthly sales through the first quarter and reported more sales transactions than 80% of the Etsy shops. After realizing my dream of opening my first business, I created a mentorship program for other young people to develop their professional niche. Increasing my real-estate knowledge and contacts is important to my brand development. Over the past 6 months, I attended four real-estate seminars on single and multi-family communities, finding properties and calculating return on investments. I consulted a friend’s grandfather who was more than happy to meet and share his banking knowledge on how to finance my first property. Last weekend I reached out to a classmate’s father, and we met with his contractor for quotes to refurbish a recently purchased rental property. I utilized the resources around me to advance my knowledge on real-estate investing. I have a focus driven plan to use technology to change the way we live. Each step of my journey someone invested, educated, and empowered me to seize opportunities and take risks. The Richard Neumann Scholarship provides me the ability to lean forward and develop sustainable communities catered to generating generational wealth.

Our annual high school philanthropy event, Swine Week is important to me, because of the impact it has on the charity. My first year I performed “dares” for classmates to raise donation funds; after becoming ill behind the not-so-wise pranks, I did something different the next year. My sophomore year, I raised $1,800 to support the Halo Project, making and selling over 3,100 Oreo Balls to classmates. Additionally, I led a team of four students to raise another $1,500 to add to the school’s $615,000 award to the Halo Project which provides support to children of abuse and neglect. Moreover, my actions inspired other classmates to make and sell Oreo balls as a fund raiser. As a track and field athlete, I was the only boys’ basketball player on the track team. At a large school it is a challenge to play two sports that overlap, and our basketball season traditionally goes deep in the State Playoffs/Championship tournament. Even though I am not available for track practice until after basketball season ends, I manage to attend 4-5 track meets each season and I placed in the Top 10 rankings eight of fourteen track meets in high jumping or long jumping. In 2021, I convinced a senior basketball player with no prior track experience to participate with me, and he placed second at the state tournament for the long jump. The coaches were excited to have him on the team and my teammate was amazed at his abilities.

My educational goal is to obtain a Finance degree and become a real-estate entrepreneur. The road I trekked for entrepreneurship was not my expected path, but it led me to a place of solace. My journey begins at 5:15 a.m. going to the gym to play basketball. This is my routine for the past 22 months, three to five days a week. My senior year must be different on the basketball court! I wanted more playing time on my high school basketball team. I decided to play pick-up basketball in a men’s league before school. I thought they would improve my physicality; however, my real education is rooted in the accomplished players court wisdom. The players showed me how to play smarter, look for opportunities to move the ball quickly, without having to outrun my opponents. They explained my speed and quick-thinking skills helps me to maneuver around larger adversaries versus using brute strength. The seasoned players needed me to weigh risks and create opportunities for the entire team Through a love of the game, these men cultivated my passion and commitment to playing basketball and enabled my entrepreneurial spirit to set goals and make the necessary sacrifices to achieve success as a future real estate investor. In middle school I realized basketball was my passion, but in high school an obsession to negotiate and close deals destined my future to entrepreneurship. My basketball enthusiasm and desire to improve my game played a pivotal role in cultivating my enterprising spirit. A few years ago, I made money painting a rental property for my family and that sparked an interest in real-estate and investing. Over the past 6 months, I attended four real-estate seminars on single family units, multi-family communities, finding properties and calculating return on investments. I consulted a friend’s grandfather who was more than happy to meet and share his banking knowledge on financing properties. Last weekend I reached out to a classmate’s father, and we met with his contractor for quotes to refurbish a recently purchased rental property and we ended the afternoon at another prospective property to discuss why it is a worthwhile investment. As a real-estate developer and entrepreneur, I will create communities as an environment of purpose and change the narrative from being an area to shelter people and redefine housing/boarding options, increase opportunities and access to investing, and promote the long-term investment strategies to increase generational wealth. I fervently worked to earn $500 to hire a mentor who would guide me in establishing an online store. Through his mentorship I was able to develop the necessary skills to open my first company in August 2021. The store doubled total sales each month through the end of the first quarter and achieving more sales transactions than 80% of the shops on the Etsy online platform. Last month I created a mentorship program and began working with my first mentee to share my Etsy business savvy, identify his passions and enable his enterprising strengths. One of my favorite books is "Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds" by David Goggins. He set world records for endurance by drawing from untapped energy the brain conceals from the body, and he refers to it as the 40% rule, leaving 60% untapped resources to overcome challenges. My favorite quote in the book, “I don’t stop when I’m tired, I stop when I’m done,” defines my life experiences. I know how to find my untapped energy and persevere through challenges. This scholarship will serve as a firm foundation for my present and future business endeavors.

I am a strategic thinking leader and a class of 2022 student-athlete at Edmond Memorial High School, Edmond OK. Sports is a way for me to better understand interdependencies between people, performance, and purpose on the hardwood court or in life. Lettering in varsity basketball and track since ninth grade sports helps build my character and people skills. As a first-year basketball player, the team and coach awarded me the Bulldog Spirit award presented to the player exemplifying attributes of integrity, sportsmanship, and performance. I am usually the only boys’ basketball player participating in track, which is a challenge since our overlapping basketball season goes deep in the State Playoffs/Championship tournament season, and I am not available for track practice until after basketball season ends. Even though I only make the last 4-5 track meets each season, I placed in the Top 10 eight of fourteen track meets in the high jump or long jump events. In 2021, I convinced a senior basketball player with no track experience to participate with me, and he placed second in the state for the long jump because I understood his value and purpose to the track team. Playing an active role during our school’s annual philanthropy project, in 2020, I led a Swine Week Royalty Team, personally raising $1,800 by making and selling over 3,100 Oreo Ball treats to classmates. My four-person team raised an additional $1,500 for the Halo Project supporting children of abuse and violence. Also, each year I was selected by the cheerleading squad as one of the twenty Swine Week Techno Dancers, practicing 8 hours a week over 10-weeks to perform during a fund-raising reveal pep rally for the community service project. Last summer, I earned $500 to hire a mentor who would guide me in establishing an online store. Through his mentorship I opened my first company in August 2021 specializing in sports memorabilia for kids. The store doubled total sales each month through the end of the first quarter and achieving more sales transactions than 80% of the shops on the Etsy online platform. After opening my online store, I was determined to start a mentorship program for other young entrepreneurs. Last month my first mentee and I worked to cultivate his dreams and enable his enterprising strengths. Using my entrepreneur skills to fund my future enterprises, I attended several seminars and read numerous books on investing and building wealth. As a future real-estate developer and entrepreneur, I plan to focus my professional endeavors on promoting generational wealth for the underrepresented. Generational wealth appears to be more of a challenge than opportunity for people of color; particularly the millenniums who want to be self- employed and self-governed. I will use my education and experience to build a brand addressing the development and sustainment of communities by promoting self-direct investing platforms. My success is dependent on redefining housing and boarding options to increase opportunities, improve access to investing and create generational wealth options. One of my favorite books is "Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds" by David Goggins. He set world records for endurance by drawing from untapped energy the brain conceals from the body, and he refers to it as the 40% rule, leaving 60% untapped resources to overcome challenges. My favorite quote in the book, “I don’t stop when I’m tired, I stop when I’m done,” defines my life experiences. I know how to find my untapped energy and persevere through challenges. This scholarship will serve as a firm foundation for my present and future business endeavors.

After attending several seminars and reading numerous books on investing and creating generational wealth, I determined my professional focus would center around generational wealth. Generational wealth appears to be more of a challenge than opportunity for many people of color, and a movement of millennials wanting to be self-employed is governing my life’s choices. My education and experience will build a brand and address how generational wealth will transform the creation and sustainment of communities. My goal is to define a community as an environment of purpose and change the narrative from it being an area to shelter people. As a real-estate investor, I will redefine housing/boarding options, to increase opportunities and access to investing, and promote the long-term investment strategies increasing generational wealth. Last summer, I earned $500 to hire a mentor who would guide me in establishing an online store. Through his mentorship I opened my first company in August 2021, The Savior Sports Store specializing in sports memorabilia for kids. The store doubled total sales each month through the end of the first quarter and achieving more sales transactions than 80% of the shops on the Etsy online platform. After opening my online store, I was determined to start a mentorship program for other young entrepreneurs. Last month my first mentee and I worked to cultivate his dreams and enable his enterprising strengths. One of my favorite quotes, “I don’t stop when I’m tired, I stop when I’m done“ from the book, "Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds" by David Goggins. This quote defines my life experiences and motivates me to persevere through challenges. This scholarship will serve as a firm foundation for my present and future business endeavors.

After attending several seminars and reading numerous books on investing and creating generational wealth, I determined my professional focus would center around generational wealth. Generational wealth appears to be more of a challenge than opportunity for many people of color, and a movement of millennials wanting to be self-employed is governing my life’s choices. My education and experience will build a brand and address how generational wealth will transform the creation and sustainment of communities. My goal is to define a community as an environment of purpose and change the narrative from it being an area to shelter people. As a real-estate investor, I will redefine housing/boarding options, to increase opportunities and access to investing, and promote the long-term investment strategies increasing generational wealth. Last summer, I earned $500 to hire a mentor who would guide me in establishing an online store. Through his mentorship I opened my first company in August 2021, The Savior Sports Store specializing in sports memorabilia for kids. The store doubled total sales each month through the end of the first quarter and achieving more sales transactions than 80% of the shops on the Etsy online platform. After opening my online store, I was determined to start a mentorship program for other young entrepreneurs. Last month my first mentee and I worked to cultivate his dreams and enable his enterprising strengths. One of my favorite quotes, “I don’t stop when I’m tired, I stop when I’m done“ from the book, "Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds" by David Goggins. This quote defines my life experiences and motivates me to persevere through challenges. This scholarship will serve as a firm foundation for my present and future business endeavors.

It was high school when I developed an obsession to negotiate and close deals, whether it was chores around the house, collaborating with an instructor to change a grade or selling an item online or to a classmate my future was destined to be an entrepreneur and real-estate investor. Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) is instrumental in guiding my entrepreneurial pathway. The in-class competition projects provided me the drive and understanding of how to market products, search for financing options or develop a plan. As the only high school student working at TapTapEat (TTE) a startup technology company specializing in mobile online ordering, I utilized my knowledge from DECA to study how TTE transformed online ordering and applied that to building my own online store. Also, DECA has groomed my perspective on how to seek out business opportunities. I will use my business savvy to generate income to assist with my college expenses. A few years ago, I made money painting a rental property for my family and that sparked an interest in real-estate and investing. Over the past six months, I attended real-estate seminars on single and multi-family communities, finding properties and calculating return on investments. To learn more about purchasing properties, I consulted a friend’s grandfather who was more than happy to meet me and share his banking knowledge on how to finance my first property. Desiring more information on rental properties, last weekend I reached out to a classmate’s father, and we met with his contractor for quotes to refurbish a recently purchased rental property. Using what I learned from DECA and $500 from my summer job at TTE, I hired a mentor who would guide me in establishing an online store. Through his mentorship I was able to develop the necessary skills to open my first company in August 2021, The Savior Sports Store specializing in sports memorabilia for kids. The store doubled total sales each month for the first quarter and achieved more sales transactions than 80% of the shops on the Etsy online platform. Having realized my dream of opening my first business, I am determined to create a mentorship program for other young people to develop their professional niche. Last month, I worked with my first mentee to share my Etsy business savvy, identify his passions, cultivate his dreams, and enable his enterprising strengths. I spend countless hours reading books on wealth and investments, and the one that is most inspiring, "Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds" by David Goggins. He set world records for endurance by drawing from untapped energy the brain conceals from the body, and he refers to it as the 40% rule, which leaves 60% untapped resources to overcome challenges. My favorite quote by David Goggins has become my motto “I don’t stop when I’m tired, I stop when I’m done,” which is how I sum up my life experiences. I know how to find my untapped energy and persevere through challenges. This scholarship will serve as a firm foundation for my present and future business endeavors.

My passion for success if my greatest characteristic. I believe that my dream of becoming a leading entrepreneur and real-estate developer will become a reality. This past summer, I fervently worked to earn $500 to hire a mentor who would guide me in establishing an online store. Through his mentorship I developed the necessary skills to open my first company in August 2021, The Savior Sports Store specializing in sports memorabilia for kids. The store doubled total sales each month and at the end of the first quarter my business achieved more sales transactions than 80% of the shops on the Etsy online platform. Having realized my dream of opening my first business, I created a mentorship program for other young people to develop their professional niche. Last month, I worked with my first mentee to share my Etsy business savvy, cultivate his dreams and enterprising strengths. A few years ago, I made money painting a rental property for my family, sparking an interest in real-estate, and investing. Over the past 6 months, I attended four real-estate seminars on single family units, multi-family communities, finding properties and calculating return on investments. I consulted a friend’s grandfather who was more than happy to meet and share his banking knowledge on financing my first property. Last weekend I reached out to a classmate’s father, and we met with his contractor to walk through and review a renovation quote for a recently purchased rental property. I am eagerly awaiting the educational opportunity to participate in a Finance and Entrepreneurship program that will provide me with in-depth business experience, business acumen and mentorship. In middle school I realized basketball was my passion, but in high school an obsession to negotiate and close deals destined my future to entrepreneurship. My basketball enthusiasm and desire to improve my game played a pivotal role in cultivating my enterprising spirit. Twenty-two months ago, I started getting up at 5:15 a.m. going to the gym three to five days a week to play pick-up basketball with a group of 25-35-year-old men. I thought they would improve my physicality; however, my lessons were rooted in the court wisdom of the corporate players. The players showed me how to play smarter, look for opportunities to move the ball quickly, without having to outrun my opponents. They explained my quick-thinking helps me maneuver around larger adversaries versus using brute strength. The seasoned players needed me to weigh risks and make wise decisions to create opportunities for the team. Through a love of the game, these men cultivated my passion and commitment to playing basketball and enabled my entrepreneurial spirit to set goals and make the necessary sacrifices to achieve success as a future real estate developer. In my free time, between basketball, classes, and business endeavors I spend countless hours reading books on wealth and investments, and the one that is most inspiring, "Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds" by David Goggins. He set world records for endurance by drawing from untapped energy the brain conceals from the body, and he refers to it as the 40% rule, which leaves 60% untapped resources to overcome challenges. My favorite quote by David Goggins has become my motto “I don’t stop when I’m tired, I stop when I’m done,” which is how I sum up my life experiences. I know how to find my untapped energy and persevere through challenges. A degree in Finance will serve as a firm foundation for my present and future business endeavors.

My educational goal is to obtain a Marketing degree and I believe that my dream of becoming a leading entrepreneur will become a reality. This past summer, I fervently worked to earn $500 to hire a mentor who would guide me in establishing an online store. Through his mentorship I was able to develop the necessary skills to open my first company in August 2021, The Savior Sports Store specializing in sports memorabilia for kids. The store doubled total sales each month reaching five figures at the end of the first quarter and achieving more sales transactions than 80% of the shops on the Etsy online platform. Having realized my dream of opening my first business, I am determined to create a mentorship program for other young people to develop their professional niche. Last month, I worked with my first mentee to share my Etsy business savvy, identify his passions, cultivate his dreams, and enable his enterprising strengths. Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) is instrumental in guiding my entrepreneurial pathway. The in-class competition projects provided me the drive and understanding of how to market products, search for financing options or develop a plan. As the only high school student working at TapTapEat (TTE) a startup technology company specializing in mobile online ordering, I utilized my knowledge from DECA to study how TTE transformed online ordering and applied that to building my own online store. Also, DECA has groomed my perspective on how to seek out business opportunities. A few years ago, I made money painting a rental property for my family and that sparked an interest in real-estate and investing. Over the past six months, I attended four real-estate seminars on single family units, multi-family communities, finding properties and calculating return on investments. I consulted a friend’s grandfather who was more than happy to meet me and share his banking knowledge on how to finance my first property. Last weekend I reached out to a classmate’s father, and we met with his contractor for quotes to refurbish a recently purchased rental property and we ended the afternoon at another prospective property to discuss why it is a worthwhile investment. In my free time, between classes and business endeavors I spend countless hours reading books on wealth and investments, and the one that is most inspiring, "Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds" by David Goggins. He set world records for endurance by drawing from untapped energy the brain conceals from the body, and he refers to it as the 40% rule, which leaves 60% untapped resources to overcome challenges. My favorite quote by David Goggins has become my motto “I don’t stop when I’m tired, I stop when I’m done,” which is how I sum up my life experiences. I know how to find my untapped energy and persevere through challenges. This scholarship will serve as a firm foundation for my present and future business endeavors.

My journey began twenty-two months ago, going to the gym three to five days a week at 5:15 a.m. to play basketball. I wanted my senior year to be different on the basketball court! I wanted more playing time on an extremely competitive high school basketball team. I decided to play pick-up basketball in the mornings before school on a 25–35-year-old men’s league to rebuild my confidence. I thought these players would toughen me up and improve my physicality; however, my real education is rooted in the accomplished corporate players’ court wisdom. The players showed me how to play smarter, look for opportunities to move the ball quickly, without having to outrun my opponents. They explained my speed and quick-thinking skills helps me to maneuver around larger adversaries. The seasoned players needed me to weigh risks and create opportunities for the entire team. Through a love of the game, these men cultivated my desire and commitment to playing basketball and enabled my entrepreneurial spirit to set goals and make the necessary sacrifices to achieve success. Last summer I fervently worked this past summer to earn $500 to hire a mentor who guided me in establishing my online store which opened in August 2021. The kid’s sports memorabilia store doubled in total sales each month for the first quarter and achieved more sales transactions than 80% of the shops on the Etsy online platform. In November, I started working with my first mentee to share my Etsy experience and enable his enterprising strengths. The road I trekked for entrepreneurship was not my expected path, but it flourished through my love of basketball. Grant Cardone, real-estate mogul said, “Success is my duty,” and I live by his motto to continue to build my confidence and strive for excellence.

My educational goal is to obtain a Finance degree and become a real-estate entrepreneur. The road I trekked for entrepreneurship was not my expected path, but it led me to a place of solace. My journey begins at 5:15 a.m. going to the gym to play basketball. This has been my routine for the past 22 months, three to five days a week. I wanted my senior year to be different on the basketball court! I wanted more playing time on an extremely competitive high school basketball team. Did my interests in the game change or was I no longer hustling on the court? How could I change my play time? I decided to play pick-up basketball in the mornings before school on a 25–35-year-old men’s league. I thought these players would toughen me up and improve my physicality; however, my real education is rooted in the accomplished corporate players’ court wisdom. The players showed me how to play smarter, look for opportunities to move the ball quickly, without having to outrun my opponents. They explained my speed and quick-thinking skills helps me to maneuver around larger adversaries. The seasoned players needed me to weigh risks and create opportunities for the entire team. Through a love of the game, these men cultivated my desire and commitment to playing basketball and enabled my entrepreneurial spirit to set goals and make the necessary sacrifices to achieve success as a future real estate investor. Even though I realized basketball was my passion in middle school, it was high school when I developed an obsession to negotiate and close deals, which destined my entrepreneurial future. A few years ago, I made money painting a rental property for my family and that sparked an interest in real-estate and investing. Over the past 6 months, I attended four real-estate seminars on single and multi-family communities, finding properties and calculating return on investments. I consulted a friend’s grandfather who was more than happy to meet and share his banking knowledge on how to finance my first property. Last weekend I reached out to a classmate’s father, and we met with his contractor for quotes to refurbish a recently purchased rental property. I utilized the resources around me to advance my knowledge on real-estate investing. Along my journey I worked and earned $500 to hire a mentor who would guide me in establishing an online store. Through his mentorship I opened my first company in August 2021, The Savior Sports Store specializing in sports memorabilia for kids. The store doubled total sales each month through the end of the first quarter and achieving more sales transactions than 80% of the shops on the Etsy online platform. Last month I worked with my first mentee to share my Etsy business savvy, identify his passions, cultivate his dreams, and enable his enterprising strengths. I spend countless hours reading books on wealth and investments, and the one that is most inspiring, "Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds" by David Goggins. He set world records for endurance by drawing from untapped energy the brain conceals from the body, and he refers to it as the 40% rule, which leaves 60% untapped resources to overcome challenges. My favorite quote by David Goggins has become my motto “I don’t stop when I’m tired, I stop when I’m done,” which is how I sum up my life experiences. I know how to find my untapped energy and persevere through challenges. This scholarship will serve as a firm foundation for my present and future business endeavors.

I am a strategic thinking leader and a class of 2022 student-athlete at Edmond Memorial High School, Edmond OK. Sports is a way for me to better understand interdependencies between people, performance, and purpose on the hardwood court or in life. Lettering in varsity basketball and track since ninth grade sports helps build my character and people skills. As a first-year basketball player, the team and coach awarded me the Bulldog Spirit award presented to the player exemplifying attributes of integrity, sportsmanship, and performance. I am usually the only boys’ basketball player participating in track, which is a challenge since our overlapping basketball season goes deep in the State Playoffs/Championship tournament season, and I am not available for track practice until after basketball season ends. Even though I only make the last 4-5 track meets each season, I placed in the Top 10 eight of fourteen track meets in the high jump or long jump events. In 2021, I convinced a senior basketball player with no track experience to participate with me, and he placed second in the state for the long jump because I understood his value and purpose to the track team. Playing an active role during our school’s annual philanthropy project, in 2020, I led a Swine Week Royalty Team, personally raising $1,800 by making and selling over 3,100 Oreo Ball treats to classmates. My four-person team raised an additional $1,500 for the Halo Project supporting children of abuse and violence. Also, each year I was selected by the cheerleading squad as one of the twenty Swine Week Techno Dancers, practicing 8 hours a week over 10-weeks to perform during a fund-raising reveal pep rally for the community service project. Last summer, I earned $500 to hire a mentor who would guide me in establishing an online store. Through his mentorship I opened my first company in August 2021 specializing in sports memorabilia for kids. The store doubled total sales each month through the end of the first quarter and achieving more sales transactions than 80% of the shops on the Etsy online platform. After opening my online store, I was determined to start a mentorship program for other young entrepreneurs. Last month my first mentee and I worked to cultivate his dreams and enable his enterprising strengths. Using my entrepreneur skills to fund my future enterprises, I attended several seminars and read numerous books on investing and building wealth. As a future real-estate developer and entrepreneur, I plan to focus my professional endeavors on promoting generational wealth for the underrepresented. Generational wealth appears to be more of a challenge than opportunity for people of color; particularly the millenniums who want to be self- employed and self-governed. I will use my education and experience to build a brand addressing the development and sustainment of communities by promoting self-direct investing platforms. My success is dependent on redefining housing and boarding options to increase opportunities, improve access to investing and create generational wealth options. One of my favorite books is "Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds" by David Goggins. He set world records for endurance by drawing from untapped energy the brain conceals from the body, and he refers to it as the 40% rule, leaving 60% untapped resources to overcome challenges. My favorite quote in the book, “I don’t stop when I’m tired, I stop when I’m done,” defines my life experiences. I know how to find my untapped energy and persevere through challenges. This scholarship will serve as a firm foundation for my present and future business endeavors.

Establishing goals drives me to learn and grow. After attending several seminars and reading numerous books on investing and creating generational wealth, I determined my professional focus would center around generational wealth. Generational wealth appears to be more of a challenge than opportunity for many people of color, and a movement of millennials wanting to be self-employed is governing my life’s choices. My education and experience will build a brand and address how generational wealth will transform the creation and sustainment of communities. My goal is to define a community as an environment of purpose and change the narrative from it being an area to shelter people. As a real-estate investor, I will redefine housing/boarding options, to increase opportunities and access to investing, and promote the long-term investment strategies increasing generational wealth. Last summer, I earned $500 to hire a mentor who would guide me in establishing an online store. Through his mentorship I opened my first company in August 2021, The Savior Sports Store specializing in sports memorabilia for kids. The store doubled total sales each month through the end of the first quarter and achieving more sales transactions than 80% of the shops on the Etsy online platform. After opening my online store, I was determined to start a mentorship program for other young entrepreneurs. Last month my first mentee and I worked to cultivate his dreams and enable his enterprising strengths. One of my favorite quotes, “I don’t stop when I’m tired, I stop when I’m done“ from the book, "Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds" by David Goggins. This quote defines my life experiences and motivates me to persevere through challenges. This scholarship will serve as a firm foundation for my present and future business endeavors.

Passion alone does not guarantee entrepreneurial success. A good example of this is the fantastic cook who loves to prepare meals, and everyone around them encourages them to utilize their cooking skills and open their own restaurant. Too often these types of small businesses fail within the first year because of a lack of behind-the-scenes business knowledge and understanding of industry operations. I defined the 3 Es of entrepreneurship that are necessary to sustain a business, which are empathy, endurance, and exception. A superior product did not secure my current or future clients from competitors but exercising “empathy assisted me to bridge a solution for most situations with my customers. “Endurance” required me to put in long hours, maintain a level of sanity with difficult customers, and ensuring order deliveries during a COVID-19 supply chain latent environment. To be prepared for the unknown is key to surviving the “exception,” which are the things out of your control. These things can be a world or national market crashes, or a pandemic crisis that can wipe out an entire business in a flash. I learned first-hand a successful entrepreneur requires more than passion; it also involves an element of compassion. A business will suffer if it lacks compassion for its customers or suppliers. The online platform hosting my business suspended my account access after I received several customer complaints involving shipping or condition of goods received. The problem was how I managed the issues. It was a tough lesson to learn my words or lack of words do matter. Today, I engage with my customers prior to the sale and after the sale, and my focus on profit is secondary to customer satisfaction.

My educational goal is to obtain a degree in Finance and become a leading entrepreneur and real-estate developer. This past summer, I earned $500 to hire a mentor who would guide me in establishing an online store. Through his mentorship I developed the necessary skills to open my first company in August 2021, The Savior Sports Store specializing in sports memorabilia for kids. The store doubled total sales each month and at the end of the first quarter my business achieved more sales transactions than 80% of the shops on the Etsy online platform. Having realized my dream of opening my first business, last month I started a mentorship program for other young people to develop their professional niche. A few years ago, I made money painting a rental property for my family, sparking an interest in real-estate, and investing. Over the past 6 months, I attended four real-estate seminars on single family units, multi-family communities, finding properties and calculating return on investments. I consulted a friend’s grandfather who was more than happy to meet and share his banking knowledge on financing my first property. Last weekend I reached out to a classmate’s father, and we met with his contractor to walk through and review a renovation quote for a recently purchased rental property. I spend hours reading and the most inspiring book, "Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds" by David Goggins. He set world records for endurance by drawing from untapped energy the brain conceals from the body to overcome challenges. My favorite quote by David Goggins has become my motto “I don’t stop when I’m tired, I stop when I’m done,” which is how I sum up my life experiences. I know how to find my untapped energy and persevere through challenges.

The one investing tip offered by several authors that I diligently practice is to invest in myself. I believe that my dream of becoming a leading entrepreneur and real-estate developer will become a reality. It was a few years ago, I seized the opportunity to learn a new skill which forever altered my professional goals and life choices. My parents needed me to paint a rental property. The renter recently vacated the property, and it needed new fixtures, flooring, and painting. Having limited painting experience, my mom showed me how to prep and tape the walls, and the proper way to use a paint roller and brush. Over the past 6 months, I attended four real-estate seminars on single family units, multi-family communities, finding properties and calculating return on investments. I consulted a friend’s grandfather who was more than happy to meet and share his banking knowledge on financing my first property. Last weekend I reached out to a classmate’s father, and we met with his contractor to walk through and review a renovation quote for a recently purchased rental property. Wanting to bridge a way to finance future real-estate properties, last summer, I fervently worked to earn $500 to hire a mentor who guided me in establishing an online store on the Etsy platform, selling kid’s sport memorabilia. The store doubled total sales each month and at the end of the first quarter my business achieved more sales transactions than 80% of the shops on the Etsy online platform. From that venture, I created a mentorship program and last month, I worked with my first mentee to share my Etsy business savvy and cultivate and his enterprising strengths. These activities sparked my interest in real-estate investment and entrepreneurship and energized my actions and future ambitions.

My educational goal is to obtain a degree in Finance and become a leading entrepreneur and real-estate developer. Utilizing my experience and education, I will create communities as an environment of purpose and change the narrative from it being an area to shelter people. As a real-estate investor, I will be able to redefine housing/boarding options, increase opportunities and access to investing, and promote the long-term investment strategies to increase generational wealth. This past summer, I earned $500 to hire a mentor who would guide me in establishing an online store. Through his mentorship I developed the necessary skills to open my first company in August 2021. My store specializing in sports memorabilia for kids doubled total sales each month and at the end of the first quarter my business achieved more sales transactions than 80% of the shops on the Etsy online platform. Last month I started a mentorship program for other young people and began working with my first mentee to develop his entrepreneurial niche. A few years ago, I made money painting a rental property for my family, sparking an interest in real-estate, and investing. Over the past 6 months, I attended four real-estate seminars on single family units, multi-family communities, finding properties and calculating return on investments. I consulted a friend’s grandfather who was more than happy to meet and share his banking knowledge on financing my first property. Last weekend I reached out to a classmate’s father, and we met with his contractor to walk through and review a renovation quote for a recently purchased rental property. I have adapted Grant Cardone, a renowned speaker, and real-estate mogul motto, “Success is my duty,” which describes my life’s purpose and motivation for personal triumph.

My educational goal is to obtain a degree in Finance and become a leading entrepreneur and real-estate developer. Utilizing my experience and education, I will create communities as an environment of purpose and change the narrative from it being an area to shelter people. As a real-estate investor, I will be able to redefine housing/boarding options, increase opportunities and access to investing, and promote the long-term investment strategies to increase generational wealth. This past summer, I earned $500 to hire a mentor who would guide me in establishing an online store. Through his mentorship I developed the necessary skills to open my first company in August 2021. My store specializing in sports memorabilia for kids doubled total sales each month and at the end of the first quarter my business achieved more sales transactions than 80% of the shops on the Etsy online platform. Last month I started a mentorship program for other young people and began working with my first mentee to develop his entrepreneurial niche. A few years ago, I made money painting a rental property for my family, sparking an interest in real-estate, and investing. Over the past 6 months, I attended four real-estate seminars on single family units, multi-family communities, finding properties and calculating return on investments. I consulted a friend’s grandfather who was more than happy to meet and share his banking knowledge on financing my first property. Last weekend I reached out to a classmate’s father, and we met with his contractor to walk through and review a renovation quote for a recently purchased rental property. I have adapted Grant Cardone, a renowned speaker, and real-estate mogul motto, “Success is my duty,” which describes my life’s purpose and motivation for personal triumph.

The one investing tip offered by several authors that I diligently practice is to invest in myself. I believe that my dream of becoming a leading entrepreneur and real-estate developer will become a reality. It was a few years ago, I seized the opportunity to learn a new skill which forever altered my professional goals and life choices. My parents needed me to paint a rental property. The renter recently vacated the property, and it needed new fixtures, flooring, and painting. Having limited painting experience, my mom showed me how to prep and tape the walls, and the proper way to use a paint roller and brush. Over the past 6 months, I attended four real-estate seminars on single family units, multi-family communities, finding properties and calculating return on investments. I consulted a friend’s grandfather who was more than happy to meet and share his banking knowledge on financing my first property. Last weekend I reached out to a classmate’s father, and we met with his contractor to walk through and review a renovation quote for a recently purchased rental property. Wanting to bridge a way to finance future real-estate properties, last summer, I fervently worked to earn $500 to hire a mentor who guided me in establishing an online store on the Etsy platform, selling kid’s sport memorabilia. The store doubled total sales each month and at the end of the first quarter my business achieved more sales transactions than 80% of the shops on the Etsy online platform. From that venture, I created a mentorship program and last month, I worked with my first mentee to share my Etsy business savvy and cultivate and his enterprising strengths. These activities sparked my interest in real-estate investment and entrepreneurship and energized my actions and future ambitions.

It was a few years ago, I seized the opportunity to learn a new skill that my parents generously paid me to perform; it forever altered my professional goals and life choices. I was responsible to paint a rental property. The renter recently vacated the property, and it needed new fixtures, flooring, and painting. Having limited painting experience, my mom showed me how to prep and tape the walls, and the proper way to use a paint roller and brush. I solicited help from my friends Ty and Luke so we could complete the project on time. This job sparked my interest in real-estate investment and entrepreneurship and energized my future ambitions. Over the past 6 months, I attended four real-estate seminars on single family units, multi-family communities, finding properties and calculating return on investments. I consulted a friend’s grandfather who was more than happy to meet and share his banking knowledge on financing my first property. Last weekend I reached out to a classmate’s father, and we met with his contractor to walk through and review a renovation quote for a recently purchased rental property. Wanting to bridge a way to finance future real-estate properties, last summer, I fervently worked to earn $500 to hire a mentor who guided me in establishing an online store on the Etsy platform, selling kid’s sport memorabilia. From that venture, I created a mentorship program and last month, I worked with my first mentee to share my Etsy business savvy and cultivate and his enterprising strengths. I have adapted Grant Cardone, a renowned speaker, and real-estate mogul motto, “Success is my duty,” which describes my life’s purpose and motivation for personal triumph.

My educational goal is to obtain a degree in Finance and become a leading entrepreneur and real-estate developer. Utilizing my experience and education, I will create communities as an environment of purpose and change the narrative from it being an area to shelter people. As a real-estate investor, I will be able to redefine housing/boarding options, increase opportunities and access to investing, and promote the long-term investment strategies to increase generational wealth. This past summer, I earned $500 to hire a mentor who would guide me in establishing an online store. Through his mentorship I developed the necessary skills to open my first company in August 2021. My store specializing in sports memorabilia for kids doubled total sales each month and at the end of the first quarter my business achieved more sales transactions than 80% of the shops on the Etsy online platform. Last month I started a mentorship program for other young people and began working with my first mentee to develop his entrepreneurial niche. A few years ago, I made money painting a rental property for my family, sparking an interest in real-estate, and investing. Over the past 6 months, I attended four real-estate seminars on single family units, multi-family communities, finding properties and calculating return on investments. I consulted a friend’s grandfather who was more than happy to meet and share his banking knowledge on financing my first property. Last weekend I reached out to a classmate’s father, and we met with his contractor to walk through and review a renovation quote for a recently purchased rental property. I have adapted Grant Cardone, a renowned speaker, and real-estate mogul motto, “Success is my duty,” which describes my life’s purpose and motivation for personal triumph.

After attending several seminars and reading numerous books on investing and creating generational wealth, I determined my professional focus would center around generational wealth. Generational wealth appears to be more of a challenge than opportunity for many people of color, and a movement of millennials wanting to be self-employed is governing my life’s choices. My education and experience will build a brand and address how generational wealth will transform the creation and sustainment of communities. My goal is to define a community as an environment of purpose and change the narrative from it being an area to shelter people. As a real-estate investor, I will redefine housing/boarding options, to increase opportunities and access to investing, and promote the long-term investment strategies increasing generational wealth. Last summer, I earned $500 to hire a mentor who would guide me in establishing an online store. Through his mentorship I opened my first company in August 2021, The Savior Sports Store specializing in sports memorabilia for kids. The store doubled total sales each month through the end of the first quarter and achieving more sales transactions than 80% of the shops on the Etsy online platform. After opening my online store, I was determined to start a mentorship program for other young entrepreneurs. Last month my first mentee and I worked to cultivate his dreams and enable his enterprising strengths. One of my favorite quotes, “I don’t stop when I’m tired, I stop when I’m done“ from the book, "Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds" by David Goggins. This quote defines my life experiences and motivates me to persevere through challenges. This scholarship will serve as a firm foundation for my present and future business endeavors.

Staying true to yourself is often rooted in passion, but passion alone does not guarantee success, and this is particularly true for an entrepreneur. A good example of this is the fantastic cook who loves to prepare meals, and everyone around them encourages them to utilize their cooking skills and open their own restaurant. Too often these types of small businesses fail within the first year because of a lack of behind-the-scenes business knowledge and understanding of industry operations. I defined the 3 Es of entrepreneurship that are necessary to sustain a business, which are empathy, endurance, and exception. A superior product did not secure my current or future clients from competitors but exercising “empathy assisted me to bridge a solution for most situations with my customers. “Endurance” required me to put in long hours, maintain a level of sanity with difficult customers, and ensuring order deliveries during a COVID-19 supply chain latent environment. To be prepared for the unknown is key to surviving the “exception,” which are the things out of your control. These things can be a world or national market crashes, or a pandemic crisis that can wipe out an entire business in a flash. I learned first-hand a successful entrepreneur requires more than passion; it also involves an element of compassion. A business will suffer if it lacks compassion for its customers or suppliers. The online platform hosting my business suspended my account access after I received several customer complaints involving shipping or condition of goods received. The problem was how I managed the issues. It was a tough lesson to learn my words or lack of words do matter. Today, I focus on customer satisfaction and the 3 Es, and this is how I keep true to myself.

It was a few years ago, I seized the opportunity to learn a new skill that my parents generously paid me to perform; it forever altered my professional goals and life choices. I was responsible to paint a rental property. The renter recently vacated the property, and it needed new fixtures, flooring, and painting. Having limited painting experience, my mom showed me how to prep and tape the walls, and the proper way to use a paint roller and brush. I solicited help from my friends Ty and Luke so we could complete the project on time. This job sparked my interest in real-estate investment and entrepreneurship and energized my future ambitions. Over the past 6 months, I attended four real-estate seminars on single family units, multi-family communities, finding properties and calculating return on investments. I consulted a friend’s grandfather who was more than happy to meet and share his banking knowledge on financing my first property. Last weekend I reached out to a classmate’s father, and we met with his contractor to walk through and review a renovation quote for a recently purchased rental property. Wanting to bridge a way to finance future real-estate properties, last summer, I fervently worked to earn $500 to hire a mentor who guided me in establishing an online store on the Etsy platform, selling kid’s sport memorabilia. From that venture, I created a mentorship program and last month, I worked with my first mentee to share my Etsy business savvy and cultivate and his enterprising strengths. I have adapted Grant Cardone, a renowned speaker, and real-estate mogul motto, “Success is my duty,” which is my life's purpose and how I practice bravery and live boldly. .

It was a few years ago, I seized the opportunity to learn a new skill that my parents generously paid me to perform; it forever altered my professional goals and life choices. I was responsible to paint a rental property. The renter recently vacated the property, and it needed new fixtures, flooring, and painting. Having limited painting experience, my mom showed me how to prep and tape the walls, and the proper way to use a paint roller and brush. I solicited help from my friends Ty and Luke so we could complete the project on time. This job sparked my interest in real-estate investment and entrepreneurship and energized my future ambitions. Over the past 6 months, I attended four real-estate seminars on single family units, multi-family communities, finding properties and calculating return on investments. I consulted a friend’s grandfather who was more than happy to meet and share his banking knowledge on financing my first property. Last weekend I reached out to a classmate’s father, and we met with his contractor to walk through and review a renovation quote for a recently purchased rental property. Wanting to bridge a way to finance future real-estate properties, last summer, I fervently worked to earn $500 to hire a mentor who guided me in establishing an online store on the Etsy platform, selling kid’s sport memorabilia. From that venture, I created a mentorship program and last month, I worked with my first mentee to share my Etsy business savvy and cultivate and his enterprising strengths. I have adapted Grant Cardone, a renowned speaker, and real-estate mogul motto, “Success is my duty,” which describes my life’s purpose and motivation for personal triumph.

I believe my dream of becoming a leading entrepreneur and real-estate developer will become a reality. As an optimist, I wanted to make the best of my new academic freedoms and business opportunities during the height of COVID-19. A flexible academic schedule allowed me time to read books on wealth and real-estate investing, which began a journey to research properties and take real-estate seminars on purchasing rental properties. Another capitalization effort I pursued was sieging the opportunity to address the needs of people confined at home. This led me to make and sell comfort food, Oreo balls, a bite-size Oreo cookie treat, which I sold the on social media. At the waning of the pandemic, I fervently worked to earn $500 to hire a mentor who would guide me in establishing an online store on Etsy selling kid’s sport memorabilia. From that venture, I created a mentorship program for other young people to develop their professional niche. Last month, I worked with my first mentee to share my Etsy business savvy and cultivate and his enterprising strengths. My most fascinating read is from David Goggins, "Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds.” He set world records for endurance by drawing from untapped energy the brain conceals from the body, and he refers to it as the 40% rule, which leaves 60% untapped resources to overcome challenges. My favorite quote by David Goggins has become my motto “I don’t stop when I’m tired, I stop when I’m done,” which is how I sum up my life experiences. I know how to find my untapped energy and persevere through adversities and challenges. Your scholarship will serve as a firm catalyst for my present and future business endeavors.

In middle school I realized basketball was my passion, but in high school an obsession to negotiate and close deals destined my future to entrepreneurship. My basketball enthusiasm and desire to improve my game played a pivotal role in cultivating an enterprising spirit. I wanted my senior year to be different on the basketball court! I wanted more playing time on an extremely athletic and competitive high school basketball team. I started getting up at 5:15 a.m. going to the gym three to five days a week to play pick-up basketball on men’s league. I thought they would toughen me up and improve my physicality; however, my lessons were rooted in the court wisdom of the corporate players. The players showed me how to play smarter, look for opportunities to move the ball quickly, without having to outrun my opponents. They explained my speed and quick-thinking helps me maneuver around larger adversaries versus using brute strength. The seasoned players needed me to weigh risks and make wise decisions to assess and create opportunities for the team. Through a love of the game, these men cultivated my passion and resiliency to playing basketball, renewed confidence in myself and enabled my entrepreneurial future as a real-estate developer. I spend hours reading and the most inspiring book, "Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds" by David Goggins. He set world records for endurance by drawing from untapped energy the brain conceals from the body to overcome challenges. My favorite quote by David Goggins has become my motto “I don’t stop when I’m tired, I stop when I’m done,” which is how I sum up my life experiences. I know how to find my untapped energy and persevere through challenges.

My educational goal is to obtain a degree in Finance and become a leading entrepreneur and real-estate developer. Utilizing my experience and education, I will create communities as an environment of purpose and change the narrative from it being an area to shelter people. As a real-estate investor, I will be able to redefine housing/boarding options, increase opportunities and access to investing, and promote the long-term investment strategies to increase generational wealth. This past summer, I earned $500 to hire a mentor who would guide me in establishing an online store. Through his mentorship I developed the necessary skills to open my first company in August 2021. My store specializing in sports memorabilia for kids doubled total sales each month and at the end of the first quarter my business achieved more sales transactions than 80% of the shops on the Etsy online platform. Last month I started a mentorship program for other young people and began working with my first mentee to develop his entrepreneurial niche. A few years ago, I made money painting a rental property for my family, sparking an interest in real-estate, and investing. Over the past 6 months, I attended four real-estate seminars on single family units, multi-family communities, finding properties and calculating return on investments. I consulted a friend’s grandfather who was more than happy to meet and share his banking knowledge on financing my first property. Last weekend I reached out to a classmate’s father, and we met with his contractor to walk through and review a renovation quote for a recently purchased rental property. I have adapted Grant Cardone, a renowned speaker, and real-estate mogul motto, “Success is my duty,” which describes my life’s purpose and motivation for personal triumph. This scholarship will be a foundation for my future business endeavors.

It was a few years ago, I seized the opportunity to learn a new skill that my parents generously paid me to perform; it forever altered my professional goals and life choices. I was responsible to paint a rental property. The renter recently vacated the property, and it needed new fixtures, flooring, and painting. Having limited painting experience, my mom showed me how to prep and tape the walls, and the proper way to use a paint roller and brush. I solicited help from my friends Ty and Luke so we could complete the project on time. This job sparked my interest in real-estate investment and entrepreneurship and energized my future ambitions. Over the past 6 months, I attended four real-estate seminars on single family units, multi-family communities, finding properties and calculating return on investments. I consulted a friend’s grandfather who was more than happy to meet and share his banking knowledge on financing my first property. Last weekend I reached out to a classmate’s father, and we met with his contractor to walk through and review a renovation quote for a recently purchased rental property. Wanting to bridge a way to finance future real-estate properties, last summer, I fervently worked to earn $500 to hire a mentor who guided me in establishing an online store on the Etsy platform, selling kid’s sport memorabilia. From that venture, I created a mentorship program and last month, I worked with my first mentee to share my Etsy business savvy and cultivate and his enterprising strengths. I would relive that Saturday, two years ago that provided me clarity and focus for my future and put my professional activities in motion. I have a passion for entrepreneurship and helping others to succeed using my business acumen and mentorship.

Passion alone does not guarantee entrepreneurial success. A good example of this is the fantastic cook who loves to prepare meals, and everyone around them encourages them to utilize their cooking skills and open their own restaurant. Too often these types of small businesses fail within the first year because of a lack of behind-the-scenes business knowledge and understanding of industry operations. I defined the 3 Es of entrepreneurship that are necessary to sustain a business, which are empathy, endurance, and exception. A superior product did not secure my current or future clients from competitors but exercising “empathy assisted me to bridge a solution for most situations with my customers. “Endurance” required me to put in long hours, maintain a level of sanity with difficult customers, and ensuring order deliveries during a COVID-19 supply chain latent environment. To be prepared for the unknown is key to surviving the “exception,” which are the things out of your control. These things can be a world or national market crashes, or a pandemic crisis that can wipe out an entire business in a flash. I learned first-hand a successful entrepreneur requires more than passion; it also involves an element of compassion. A business will suffer if it lacks compassion for its customers or suppliers. The online platform hosting my business suspended my account access after I received several customer complaints involving shipping or condition of goods received. The problem was how I managed the issues. It was a tough lesson to learn my words or lack of words do matter. Today, I engage with my customers prior to the sale and after the sale, and my focus on profit is secondary to customer satisfaction.

My educational goal is to obtain a Finance degree and become a real-estate entrepreneur. The road I trekked for entrepreneurship was not my expected path, but it led me to a place of solace. My journey begins at 5:15 a.m. going to the gym to play basketball. This is my routine for the past 22 months, three to five days a week. My senior year must be different on the basketball court! I wanted more playing time on my high school basketball team. I decided to play pick-up basketball in a men’s league before school. I thought they would improve my physicality; however, my real education is rooted in the accomplished players court wisdom. The players showed me how to play smarter, look for opportunities to move the ball quickly, without having to outrun my opponents. They explained my speed and quick-thinking skills helps me to maneuver around larger adversaries versus using brute strength. The seasoned players needed me to weigh risks and create opportunities for the entire team Through a love of the game, these men cultivated my passion and commitment to playing basketball and enabled my entrepreneurial spirit to set goals and make the necessary sacrifices to achieve success as a future real estate investor. In middle school I realized basketball was my passion, but in high school an obsession to negotiate and close deals destined my future to entrepreneurship. My basketball enthusiasm and desire to improve my game played a pivotal role in cultivating my enterprising spirit. A few years ago, I made money painting a rental property for my family and that sparked an interest in real-estate and investing. Over the past 6 months, I attended four real-estate seminars on single family units, multi-family communities, finding properties and calculating return on investments. I consulted a friend’s grandfather who was more than happy to meet and share his banking knowledge on financing properties. Last weekend I reached out to a classmate’s father, and we met with his contractor for quotes to refurbish a recently purchased rental property and we ended the afternoon at another prospective property to discuss why it is a worthwhile investment. As a real-estate developer and entrepreneur, I will create communities as an environment of purpose and change the narrative from being an area to shelter people and redefine housing/boarding options, increase opportunities and access to investing, and promote the long-term investment strategies to increase generational wealth. I fervently worked to earn $500 to hire a mentor who would guide me in establishing an online store. Through his mentorship I was able to develop the necessary skills to open my first company in August 2021. The store doubled total sales each month through the end of the first quarter and achieving more sales transactions than 80% of the shops on the Etsy online platform. Last month I created a mentorship program and began working with my first mentee to share my Etsy business savvy, identify his passions and enable his enterprising strengths. One of my favorite books is "Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds" by David Goggins. He set world records for endurance by drawing from untapped energy the brain conceals from the body, and he refers to it as the 40% rule, leaving 60% untapped resources to overcome challenges. My favorite quote in the book, “I don’t stop when I’m tired, I stop when I’m done,” defines my life experiences. I know how to find my untapped energy and persevere through challenges. This scholarship will serve as a firm foundation for my present and future business endeavors.

Its 5:15 a.m. and I’m headed to the basketball gym. This is my routine for the past 22 months, three to five days a week. My senior year must be different on the basketball court! I wanted more playing time on my high school basketball team. How could I make this happen? I decided to play pick-up basketball in a men’s league before school. I thought they would improve my physicality; however, my real education is rooted in the accomplished players court wisdom. The players showed me how to play smarter, look for opportunities to move the ball quickly, without having to outrun my opponents. They explained my speed and quick-thinking skills helps me to maneuver around larger adversaries versus using brute strength. The seasoned players needed me to weigh risks and create opportunities for the entire team Through a love of the game, these men cultivated my passion and commitment to playing basketball and enabled my entrepreneurial spirit to set goals and make the necessary sacrifices to achieve success as a future real estate investor. In middle school I realized basketball was my passion, but in high school an obsession to negotiate and close deals destined my future to entrepreneurship. My basketball enthusiasm and desire to improve my game played a pivotal role in cultivating my enterprising spirit. A few years ago, I made money painting a rental property for my family and that sparked an interest in real-estate and investing. Over the past 6 months, I attended four real-estate seminars on single family units, multi-family communities, finding properties and calculating return on investments. I consulted a friend’s grandfather who was more than happy to meet and share his banking knowledge on financing properties. Last weekend I reached out to a classmate’s father, and we met with his contractor for quotes to refurbish a recently purchased rental property and we ended the afternoon at another prospective property to discuss why it is a worthwhile investment. As a real-estate developer and entrepreneur, I will create communities as an environment of purpose and change the narrative from being an area to shelter people and redefine housing/boarding options, increase opportunities and access to investing, and promote the long-term investment strategies to increase generational wealth. I fervently worked to earn $500 to hire a mentor who would guide me in establishing an online store. Through his mentorship I was able to develop the necessary skills to open my first company in August 2021, specializing in sports memorabilia for kids. The store doubled total sales each month through the end of the first quarter and achieving more sales transactions than 80% of the shops on the Etsy online platform. Last month I created a mentorship program and began working with my first mentee to share my Etsy business savvy, identify his passions, cultivate his dreams, and enable his enterprising strengths. One of my favorite books is "Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds" by David Goggins. He set world records for endurance by drawing from untapped energy the brain conceals from the body, and he refers to it as the 40% rule, which leaves 60% untapped resources to overcome challenges. My favorite quote by David Goggins has become my motto “I don’t stop when I’m tired, I stop when I’m done,” which is how I sum up my life experiences. I know how to find my untapped energy and persevere through challenges. This scholarship will serve as a firm foundation for my present and future business endeavors.

My educational goal is to obtain a degree in Finance with a minor in Entrepreneurship. Through the college’s business school, I believe that my dream of becoming a leading entrepreneur and real-estate developer will become a reality. Utilizing my collegiate education, I will create communities as an environment of purpose and change the narrative from being an area to shelter people. As a real-estate investor, I will be able to redefine housing/boarding options, increase opportunities and access to investing, and promote the long-term investment strategies to increase generational wealth. It was high school when I developed an obsession to negotiate and close deals, whether it was chores around the house, collaborating with an instructor to change a grade or selling an item online or to a classmate my future was destined to be an entrepreneur and real-estate investor. Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) is instrumental in guiding my entrepreneurial pathway. The in-class competition projects provided me the drive and understanding of how to market products, search for financing options or develop a plan. As the only high school student working at TapTapEat (TTE) a startup technology company specializing in mobile online ordering, I utilized my knowledge from DECA to study how TTE transformed online ordering and applied that to building my own online store. Also, DECA has groomed my perspective on how to seek out business opportunities. A few years ago, I made money painting a rental property for my family and that sparked an interest in real-estate and investing. Over the past six months, I attended real-estate seminars on single and multi-family communities, finding properties and calculating return on investments. To learn more about purchasing properties, I consulted a friend’s grandfather who was more than happy to meet me and share his banking knowledge on how to finance my first property. Desiring more information on rental properties, last weekend I reached out to a classmate’s father, and we met with his contractor for quotes to refurbish a recently purchased rental property. Using what I learned from DECA and $500 from my summer job at TTE, I hired a mentor who would guide me in establishing an online store. Through his mentorship I was able to develop the necessary skills to open my first company in August 2021, The Savior Sports Store specializing in sports memorabilia for kids. The store doubled total sales each month for the first quarter and achieved more sales transactions than 80% of the shops on the Etsy online platform. Having realized my dream of opening my first business, I am determined to create a mentorship program for other young people to develop their professional niche. Last month, I worked with my first mentee to share my Etsy business savvy, identify his passions, cultivate his dreams, and enable his enterprising strengths. I spend countless hours reading books on wealth and investments, and the one that is most inspiring, "Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds" by David Goggins. He set world records for endurance by drawing from untapped energy the brain conceals from the body, and he refers to it as the 40% rule, which leaves 60% untapped resources to overcome challenges. My favorite quote by David Goggins has become my motto “I don’t stop when I’m tired, I stop when I’m done,” which is how I sum up my life experiences. I know how to find my untapped energy and persevere through challenges. This scholarship will serve as a firm foundation for my present and future business endeavors.