Early Challenges and Humble Beginnings
When my first son was born, I was on welfare and needed a job. I found part-time work as a UPS driver, but it wasn't enough to support a family. I borrowed $100 from a cousin to start a mobile window-tinting business, which let me manage both jobs during that challenging time. I left UPS to pursue window tinting full-time.
I opened a tint shop in Brooklyn, which grew to $100,000 in annual revenue within three years. The success even earned a feature in the New York Daily News. I have tinted over 50,000 vehicles and provided consulting, contract work, and project management for numerous tint shops in 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 From Tint to Tech
After the 2007 housing crash, I moved to Houston to pursue new opportunities. I shifted my focus from the automotive industry to media and technology, driven by a desire to support small businesses and make a significant impact in the tech world. My love for small businesses and local culture inspired me to learn web development, videography, photography, and marketing. This passion ultimately led me to create four platforms.
In 2010, I founded my first digital media company to support small businesses and promote local culture. Over the years, I produced several events and created more than 100 videos to showcase small businesses and their creators. I am a solo founder and a small business owner with 30 years of experience and a strong track record of successful execution. I have developed and launched four platforms:
- 2007: Tunerlifestyletv, an online community for import car enthusiasts.
- 2010: Urbancitytv, a video publication focused on local culture.
- 2012: Thatvideomagazine, a video publication covering local businesses and culture.
- 2019: Localsiknow, a platform dedicated to showcasing businesses and cultural events.
In addition to these platforms, I’ve taken on several other projects, including:
- Producing Houston’s first hip-hop festival, featuring Pharoahe Monch, Locksmith, DJ QBert, and local musicians.
- Interviewing nationally recognized artists, including Rakim, Talib Kweli, and Paul Wall.
- Producing music showcases at the VFW, helping local artists perform and earn fair pay.
- Developing a website and exiting a microcap company that created aeroponic systems for the indoor farming industry.
In 2019, I realized the media-and-advertising revenue model was unsustainable, as investor feedback confirmed. Therefore, I pivoted to software as a service (SaaS). I returned to my automotive roots and focused on my small business. To boost visibility and sales, I developed and launched See Near Me in 2024. After two years of testing with my own business, here are my results:
- $143,000 in sales
- 290 bookings from Google (95%) and AI search (5%)
- 102 five-star Google reviews
- Ranked #1 in Google for AI overview, sponsored ads, Maps, and organic search
My Battle with Impostor Syndrome
The biggest challenge I faced was impostor syndrome, which often made me doubt my abilities and achievements. When I was 10, my father told me I had to be ten times better than others to get the same opportunities, explaining that race played a big role. His words stayed with me over the years.
Building the Definitive Discovery Platform Businesses and Creators
Platforms succeed because of their members, but users aren’t getting enough value. The current system isn’t working, so it’s time to try new ideas that balance profit with community service by sharing power and resources more fairly. One of my goals is to demonstrate how corporations can benefit people. See Near Me is a corporation, so members who own shares benefit from any profits it generates. See Near Me helps small businesses reach their goals.
