Dexter Bayack • See Near Me Claimed

Early Challenges and Beginnings

My name is Dexter Bayack, and I am proud to be the founder of See Near Me. I've spent over 30 years honing my skills as a window tint technician. When my first son was born, I was on welfare and in need of a job. I borrowed $100 from a cousin to start a mobile window tinting business and was also lucky enough to work part-time as a UPS driver. This allowed me to manage both jobs during that challenging time.

After four years of working part-time, I decided to pursue window tinting full-time. I opened a tint shop in Brooklyn, which grew rapidly to $100,000 in annual revenue within three years. This success even led to a feature in the New York Daily News. Over the years, I've tinted more than 50,000 vehicles and provided contract work to shops across Houston, Florida, and New York. While I cherish these experiences, I realized this approach wasn't scalable and was eager to explore new growth opportunities.

Transitioning Careers: From Automotive to Media and Technology

I left New York in 2003 and moved to Tampa. After the 2007 housing crash, I decided to relocate to Houston in search of new opportunities. I shifted my focus from the automotive industry to media and technology, driven by my desire to support small businesses and make a mark in the tech world. My journey was about learning web development and videography, inspired by my love for small businesses and local culture. Ultimately, this passion led me to develop four platforms.

• 2007: Tunerlifestyletv – An online community for import car enthusiasts.
• 2010: Urbancitytv – A video publication about local culture.
• 2012: Thatvideomagazine – A video publication covering local businesses and culture.
• 2019: Localsiknow – A platform for businesses and culture.

I produced several events and created over 100 videos to shine the spotlight on small businesses and creators. Some of my work includes:

• Houston's first Hip-Hop Festival, featuring Pharoahe Monch, Locksmith, DJ QBert, and several paid local musicians.
• Video interviews with national artists Rakim, Talib Kweli, and Paul Wall.
• Music showcases featuring paid local artists at the VFW. "Market day making a comeback around Pasco" in the Suncoast News.

The Birth of See Near Me

In 2019, I moved back to Tampa Bay to care for my parents and a troubled child. I experienced burnout from content creation, which negatively impacted my finances. To generate income, I returned to my automotive roots and focused on my window tinting business. To increase awareness, I launched See Near Me. As a result, my window tinting business now earns between $10,000 and $20,000 each month.

Confronting Doubt: My Battle with Impostor Syndrome and Finding My Voice

The biggest challenge I faced was impostor syndrome, which often made me doubt my abilities and achievements. When I was 10, my father advised me to be ten times better than others to get the same opportunities, explaining that race played a big role in this. His words stayed with me over the years. I've always felt the need to keep records of my work so I can be recognized as an equal and avoid being overlooked. "See Near Me" is the fruit of many years of hard work.

Rethinking Business Models for Fairness

Search engines have grown so vast that they now require careful organization, and platforms have become quite extensive, making browsing difficult without practical search tools and a clear structure. While platforms thrive thanks to their members' efforts, users often feel they aren't receiving enough benefits. The current way of doing business isn't working well, and it's time to explore new ideas that strike a better balance between making a profit and serving the community by sharing power and resources more fairly.

See Near Me offers an excellent opportunity to support fellow small business owners in achieving their goals. I'm here to help creators and small businesses thrive in the ever-changing digital world by providing the tools and opportunities they need.