Inspirational Business Leaders from 2014
Business leaders that have paved the way for innovative ideas, inspiration, and motivation to keep at it, all lend their hand in proving that the “little guy” can succeed and even thrive. With ideas turned to implemented products and services, such as the move to paperless online timecard software, small businesses and beginning entrepreneurs are continuing to prove that small-time can make it big-time.
Chris Mittelstaedt founded The FruitGuys, a produce delivery service providing fresh and healthy snack alternatives to offices around the country. Even when he had to lay off nearly all his employees during the recession, and even deal with a nearly fifty percent customer loss, he still kept at it, until this company soared higher than ever. Now, The FruitGuys boast an impressive base of produce from more than four hundred farms across the U.S., not only providing healthy snack alternatives, but helping the small farms of America as well.
Brook Eddy is a single mom of two who happened to discover her ‘next big thing’ while traveling through India. She came home with an idea, and that idea became Bhakti Chai. She started at home with her own concoction; Eddy’s brand soon became a national best-seller for chai bottled teas, dried teas, ice cream, and even ready-to-drink products. Bhakti Chai is recognized in forty states, and maintains the use of sustainable ingredients like organic, vegan, non-GMO, and fair trade. Eddy’s entrepreneurship even helps empower women and girls of all ages through different non-profit organizations across the globe.
Jan Koum is one of those guys that had an idea, made it a reality, and has since become a successful and motivational leader for many small businesses. After growing up in poverty-stricken Ukraine, he moved to California at the age of sixteen. While moving up the ladder, he realized that he could introduce an app that would change the way consumers use the iPhone. The WhatsApp Apple application was born. Now owned by Facebook, WhatsApp mobile messaging continues to be successful, and is one of the most used apps available on the market today.
While these are some of the “little guys” that took their idea and innovation to the next level, they didn’t start out that way. Their stories of success through trial and error speak volumes on what it takes to truly become a top inspirational business leader in today’s market.
With some research and the right counsel and advice, any small time business owner has the ability to not only build their business up, but become richer in more ways than one. With few inspirational entrepreneurs like these, it’s easy to see why not many small business owners have what it takes. However, with hard work and remaining grounded to the idea, the resulting success is what makes the average small business owner turn into an inspirational leader.
