Dads, especially entrepreneur-dads, are a pretty industrious bunch. They have to balance work and family like the most accomplished trapeze artists out there. They serve as a role model to their children, imbuing a spirit of freedom, responsibility and risk-taking that’s often absent in today’s always-online generation. In short, dadpreneurs are hoping that their business-savvy side and technical know-how rubs off in the family, giving rise to a more robust and enterprising crop of future entrepreneurs that can change the world. Mompreneurs (such as designer moms, business owners, etc.) help accomplish that too.
Today is all about celebrating some of those kindred souls who are care-providers, solutions-oriented individuals and wizards in their trade. Today, it’s all about fathers who work hard to ensure that their families as well as their employees don’t go hungry. Today, it’s about fathers who have made it big in their entrepreneurial ambitions by believing in their dreams:
Did you know that 90 percent of the businesses in USA are family-owned? Let’s take a look at some of them headed by dadpreneurs.
Steve Heinz single-handedly developed a business that made software for keeping track of utility bills for energy companies. Dubbed EnergyCAP, the business caught the eye of the then-largest energy corporation Enron, who bought the business from the Heinz patriarch.
When Enron wrapped up, Mr. Heinz got his company back. His responsibility? Putting the pieces back together of his earlier venture. In this he was assisted by his 3 sons. One by one the sons joined the business, working tirelessly with their father to restore EnergyCAP to its former greatness.
They succeeded. Now each son runs their own department and their workforce comprises 42 employees.
Cabot Hosiery and Darn Tough is a family-owned business that has seen good times and bad times both. Marc Cabot got his son Ric to help him out with his healthy private label business Cabot Hosiery Mills when the going was good in the 90s. It was the start of the new decade in 2000 that made them adapt to the challenges thrown in their business with outsourcing. Ric felt the time was ripe to branch out the business into newer territory.
Ric founded Darn Tough, a premium brand for performance socks. Now the father-son duo manage a 150 strong work force in Northfield, Vermont.
Trust is the most important ingredient in business. Hanan Bard knew this all too well when he was thinking of the perfect co-founder for BRD Sport, a New Jersey-based startup that makes orthopedic sport brace. The decision wasn’t too hard when his daughter Mica Usdan was considered.
Their business partnership still goes strong to date, thanks to confidence and trust that they both have in each other.
John Zoitas was the CEO of Westside Market. After establishing his chain of grocery stores all over Manhattan, he got his son, George Zoitas into the family business. It is here George learnt how demanding it was to manage the four grocery stores. The experience gave him a deeper understanding and appreciation of running a business founded by his father before him.
Today John manages Westside Market, his father enjoying the fruits of retirement. The father jokingly adds that in case of any disagreements, they bring in the mom to smooth things over. Certainly seems to have worked out fine for the Zoitas so far.
After returning from WWII, Dan Anthony set up a restaurant business called Papouli’s Greek Grill. This establishment grew in popularity due to the personal touch and superior customer service that he brought to the business.
It is these lessons of genuineness and community that Dan passed on to his sons, all of whom carry out his work in the restaurant industry today.
Robert Bodi is credited as the primary reason behind the establishment of Business Beware by his daughter Ashley Bodi. Together they have served as advocates for small business owners, spreading knowledge that can help SMBs get the edge in today’s digital economy.
Their business is successful owning to real-life and first-hand examples of entrepreneurial success stories told by BB’s customers. It’s hard to beat the genuineness and the real-deal vibes the father-daughter startup is so well-known for.
Sometimes the apple doesn’t fall that far from the tree. And sometimes it does. Here are some entrepreneurs who charted out their own destiny whilst using the invaluable lessons taught by their fathers.
The mind behind the video discovery app for mobile called Screenius, Seth Cohen credits his father for showing him the way. Though Mr. Cohen Sr. had a medical background, he taught Seth that it wasn’t just enough to make a living but to make a lasting difference in people’s lives that mattered.
Kareem recalls that his dad was rarely ever idle, switching from career to career and learning things wherever life took him. This sense of self-discovery and knowledge-seeking on part of Mr. Ahmed made him independent and flexible in everything he did. Kareem Ahmed’s New Economy Lab is an encapsulation of all of these values, creating economic opportunities by offering socially-responsible alternatives to doing business. A place where entrepreneurs and ideas people can come together to do some real good.
Himself a father, Carey Ransom knows what it means to adopt a different path rather than staying in the family business like his father and grandfather before him. Today he leads Payoff, a financial startup that wants people to retire their credit card loans and be free. He learnt a lot from his father on how to make the right decisions when it comes to having your own business, and to making it succeed.
When she was young, Ann-Marie’s father would impart some invaluable lessons on how there’s no problem that can’t be solved. Mr. Fleming told her that if she broke down an issue into small bite-sized chunks, she’ll see that a previously insurmountable problem would seem so tiny and solvable in comparison.
It is this thinking that have made Ann-Marie Fleming an entrepreneur par excellence. She heads her own startup called Dog Quality Enterprises, a place where dog lovers can learn how to care better for their paw-footed friends. She offers lifestyle, health and veterinary help for dogs that deserve only the best.
Walt Ribeiro knows how to balance his family life as an entrepreneur, a lesson that was taught to him by his father himself. Even though he owns his own company For Orchestra and composes music for orchestral arrangements, Walt has learnt that money will follow naturally but giving focus to other aspects of life is important too.
The Dallas-based Mathew J White used to run a small printing business with his father from the 70s to the 90s. Now a father himself, Mathew has applied the lessons about tenacity, drive and the entrepreneurial spirit based on his time with the senior Mr. White.
Mathew now runs JoltCMS, a tech startup that specializes in content marketing for businesses, generating leads and favorable call-to-action metrics for the clientele.
These are some of the people who have directly or indirectly been inspired by their fathers to bring a lasting change in the world. They have carved a name for themselves in corporate circles by accomplishing great things through sheer force of will and dedication, making a huge impact in the life of others as they did so. This Father’s Day, let’s keep their in our hearts and spread their philosophy to future generations.
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