Who or what is your inspiration in business?

Mentorship along my journey prior to owning a business has led me to believe no matter your background, you can achieve your dreams if you work hard and seek great mentors. I've had many mentors over the years (younger and older than me) -- too many to single out one. I just "listen" to how others get around roadblocks and then give it my best shot.

How do you stay motivated?

When I see our team, partners and businesses triumph. Outcomes like building someone's confidence or helping businesses grow are the best. I try to make the RIGHT choices because when you don't have a cushion of capital to fall back on, you have no choice...plus you can relate to others. The fact that it's been 10 years of mostly winning the struggle in owning a business keeps me going. I know at the end of the day, winning the lottery doesn't make you happy. It's reward for hard work.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I'd be strategic with it, putting it toward our training and educational channel at OpGo. We want to offer ad hoc marketing "training" as a service for businesses caught in the middle of DIY and hiring. I call them our "whitewater clients"--- the one the bigger agencies won't help. They can't afford to hire and have that person suck their cashflow. They need some interim marketing growth solutions that empower them to invest in marketing in a way that helps them build.