The legendary book , Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill is read by more business people than any other book. Napoleon Hill didn't come up with the great ideas in the book instead he profiled the lessons learned from successful leaders. On this site, you will find successful leaders in our own community - sharing their professional secrets which led them to their ROCKSTAR status. They live and do business in Rochester so they face the same economic challenges that we all face. Learn and grow from their stories!
Sarah Knight is bringing entrepreneurs and movers and shakers of Rochester together using innovative, nontraditional means. Her online presence has a huge following which she leverages to sell out her events in a matter of hours.
Lindsay McCutchen went from owning a struggling company to a hyper growth company in just 5 short years.
Greg Connors, of Connors & Ferris, explains how his partnership with the Buffalo Bills and his love of all sports has catapulted his disability law business into two very successful locations in Rochester and Buffalo!
Austin went form being a C student at Rochester Institute of Technology to becoming a billionaire. He has since donated the largest gift of $50M to his alma mater.
Rich and Stephanie are hard at work growing their dealerships to 3 locations with over 150 employees. They are a true inspiration as they are doing innovative, omnipresence marketing to grow the business and having fun while doing it.
This duo is literally lighting up the Rochester skyline with their larger than life signs. They are delivering great value to their clients and growing their business along with their clients.
When the biggest employers in your region pretty much disappear, how do you recover and rebuild? How do you grow visitors and attract groups to host their conferences in Rochester? Don Jeffereis, CEO of Visit Rochester has chosen to focus on all the positives of our area and attract visitors like never before.
Under Mike Whyte's leadership, EWASTE+ (formally known as Regional Computer Recycling & Recovery) has grown to be one of the largest and most respected electronics recycling companies in the state. They have over 120 employees and have been on the Rochester Top 100 list five times.
Kitty Van Bortel opened up a dealership 30 years ago with $500 in hand. Since then she has grown to 3 dealerships with over 350 employees. Soon she will be opening her 4th dealership. So how is she able to lead and succeed in this male dominated industry?
Ken is the CEO and President of eHealth Technologies, where he has led the innovation and growth of eHealth since its founding in 2006. eHealth Technologies has grown to more than 160 employees, experienced greater than 85% compound annual growth since 2007, and is one of the entrepreneurial success stories in Rochester, NY. Ken has over 29 years of experience in healthcare information technology and previously ran worldwide organizations with revenues greater than $80M for Eastman Kodak Company’s Health Group.
I recently had a once in a lifetime chance to meet an American hero, Buzz Aldrin. Half a century ago, he was among the first along with Neil Armstrong to walk on the moon.
He shared some of his life lessons and I want to recap 5 of them for you.
Lesson #1: Failure IS an option. Imagine if failure were not an option for this space program then they would have never gotten off the ground. For his Apollo 11 mission, they had estimated a 60 percent chance of landing successfully on the Moon. If you want to do something significant then you must be willing to fail. It is not the end of the world when you fail. Most people learn more from their failures than successes which helps them achieve even more. Get out of your comfort zone and take risks. Failure is a sign that you are alive and growing.
Lesson #2: Keep your mind open to possibilities. Ponder what might be possible, not just what is expected. Innovators approach the world differently. Innovators don’t always fit the norm. They tend to have personality traits that others might regard as quirky or weird. If you know someone like that, help nurture them. He went on to say that average people tend to maintain the status quo, unsuccessful people think merely about surviving. Innovators think about what might be possible.
Lesson #3: You become like the people with whom you most often associate. Surround yourself with the people you want to be like. If you walk with the wise, you will become like them. The closest friends in your life with whom you spend the most time with will have an enormous impact on you, either positively or negatively. Choose friends who will bring out the best in you.
Lesson #4: Write your own story. Buzz has always been self-motivated and self-sufficient. He worked hard and achieved his goals. One of the keys to a successful life in any field is learning to take responsibility for ourselves rather than waiting for someone else to do something for us. You have to discover and pursue what truly excites you and is meaningful. If you don’t know what this is then ask yourself, “What gives me the greatest sense of joy or meaning or pleasure?” Pick an amazing dream and go for it. Don’t merely make a living, make a life.
Lesson #5: Maintain your spirit of adventure. You don’t have to go to the moon to seek adventure. You can just have an adventurous spirit. Find joy in little everyday things. Keep moving and stay active. Be fascinated with life and have a sense of adventure. This will keep you feeling young. At the age of 86, I would say he looked pretty amazing!
The CEO of the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce Bob Duffy, is a politician who served as Lieutenant Governor of New York, and as mayor of Rochester, New York. Early in his career Duffy worked as a police officer in Rochester, rising to the positions of deputy chief, followed by chief. Bob is a well- known successful leader and you cannot put a value on the words he delivers from his firsthand experience in the business world.
Lori Van Dusen, founder of LVW Advisors talks about the process of leaving a super successful career with Smith Barney to starting her own wealth management firm that is flourshing. The desire to serve her clients with a holistic financial wealth building approach rather than pushing products was the driving force. In my interview with Lori, she discusses:
Sitima was one of 12 IT business owners in the nation who was recently invited to a mastermind session with Mike Wolfe from the hit show, American Pickers. In this exclusive interview, Mike tells Sitima about how his passion for creating an experience using his TV show has catapulted his retail business into the stratosphere. Watch this video to inspire you to think “out-of-the-box” for your business!
In addition to running a super successful business, Gregg is also the author of a bestselling book, Engaged! Out behave your competition to create customers for life. His business, Brand Integrity, is doing so well that he is moving to a bigger office space to accommodate the growth. He is building his company by following the same principles that he teaches. This may be one of the most educational RR video we have published. Watch this video to pick up practical tips you can incorporate in your business today that will help you align your brand with your employees and clients. This will lead to greater profitability.
When all odd were against her, Naomi Silver came in and saved The Rochester Red Wings. She is a passionate and tenacious business leader who is making her mark in a male dominated industry. Get energized by watching this exclusive interview, where Naomi shares the following:
If you do not know of him, “Da Coach” was one of the best football players and coaches ever. He has won multiple Super Bowls as a player and as a head coach. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988. Today, he shares his drive and team-building skills with others. In his presentation “ACE” – Attitude, Character and Enthusiasm, he shared the lessons learned in a life of commitment and attention to the fundamentals – resulting in victory. He delivered a powerful presentation that highlighted the key characteristics people need to achieve their personal and professional goals. Here’s a breakdown of “ACE”:
Attitude - You control this. You can choose to have a great attitude or not.
Character - What you believe in, what you’ll die for. This is the fabric of your being.
Enthusiasm - Be committed and get excited!
I asked him how he motivated his team and his answer may surprise you. He said I don’t motivate anyone; they have to come to the team already motivated. He also went on to say that the best players weren’t the ones with tangible talents…its more what was in their hearts. Your heart and will to win is what will make you successful.
Roland Williams grew up in Rochester and attended East High. He then went onto play for the Rams and win the Super Bowl. Very few people attain this type of success. So was it is just physical talent or something else? He has since moved his residence to California but he comes back to Rochester every month. Troubled by the alarming statistics of Rochester having the lowest high school graduation rate, he has devoted his life to helping through his organization, Champion Academy.
Chris is a self-made successful CEO of multiple Rochester Top 100 companies. Chris never finished high school or college, yet, he is now leading 4 local businesses. Chris was determined to achieve success and he isn’t stopping now. He doesn’t believe he is entitled to anything, instead, he feels he has an obligation to exercise his natural abilities to its fullest.
Sitima talks to Jeffery Ma. Jeffery was a member of the MIT Blackjack Team. Hi story is the basis for the main character of the book Bringing Down the House and the film 21. During his time as a professional blackjack player, he and his team had a business of counting cards to win. Since then he talks to other business owners about the importance of using data to make all decisions. He believes that if you make data driven decisions, you will always win!
Duncan’s firm has been around for over 60 years. It’s a rare treat to speak with someone who has seen Rochester evolve over the years. Duncan shares how he has innovated his firm to keep up with the economic and business changes in Rochester. If you want to learn how to achieve true longevity in your business then you can’t miss this video!
Michael Russo from Freed Maxick CPAs is growing the Rochester branch pretty successfully. When a company is headquartered in Buffalo, there are specific things he is doing to leverage that relationship to help his local branch grow. If you are looking to expand your business in another city or state, then you will want to watch this video. Mike discusses growing the Rochester branch and still maintain the company culture.
Every organization goes through peaks and valleys. The actions of the leader in each situation makes the difference. Suzanne took the helm of the Rochester City Ballet during a tough time. She is leveraging her banking industry experience to build this non profit to greatness. We are particularly proud of this interview because it shows that every leader has to overcome tough times but the successful ones know how to stay positive and forge forward. If you are struggling with your business then you will definitely want to watch this video to learn:
Tom used to run a similar community theatre in Massachusetts where he was able to reduce their debt, increase donor money, and increase attendance. In a down economy when arts related organizations are hit hard, how is Tom managing to do the same for Geva?
Robert is the president of one of Rochester’s largest engineering and architecture firms. He has grown his firm to over 250 employees with offices in multiple states.
Frank is growing his accounting firm despite the economy. Not only is he growing his firm, he is having lots of fun doing it along with his 85 employees.
Phil is busy running the biggest market for Frontier. You won’t find him complaining about the economy or the market direction. He is focused on growing Frontier even though the demand for their traditional voice services isn’t growing. Watch this video to discover:
Marc Iacona is a mover and shaker. In addition to running a very successful company, Simcona Electronics, he has co-founded the wildly popular Xerox Rochester International Jazz Fest. Listen to this interview as Marc discusses:
Brother Wease has a brand following that business owners should emulate. He doesn’t have a marketing budget like a Xerox or Kodak, yet he has created the brother Wease brand that is recognizable throughout Rochester and beyond. So how did he do it? Is it possible for you to create a brand that everyone recognizes? Watch this video to figure out how its done without spending a dime.
Sitima was brave enough to participate in a P90X workout session led by the man himself, Tony Horton. Later in the day, Tony shared his business success stories with the group. Sitima got a chance to catch up with Tony personally and ask him some questions. Watch this interview to learn how Tony has taken his exercise program and gotten national with its popularity. He also shares with Sitima what he believes is the secret ingredient to be a successful entrepreneur.
I had the awesome experience of meeting and listening to Mark Sanborn talk about how to be a FRED: how to get everyone In your organization passionate about making a real difference to your customers. Here are my notes:
Arunas Chesonis is an iconic Rochester Rockstar. In 10 short years, he formed and sold Paetec for billions. He is an ingenious businessman who knows how to take a product and service and make it valuable beyond belief. In this exclusive interview, Arunas shares the following:
Bill Rancic, winner of the hit TV show The Apprentice, talked about how anyone can become their own personal success in both business and life, using his own experiences as a self-made entrepreneur.
Getting back to basics, he shared insights about his own path to The Apprentice — his work ethic, top business strategies, and lessons learned competing on the show, and working for Donald Trump. From valuable lessons learned as a budding ten year old entrepreneur pitching pancake sales; to starting his own small business to pay for college; to launching an on-line cigar company now worth millions — Bill proved you don’t need to be a Harvard MBA to be a success in business.
Victoria transitioned from being a school teacher to an entrepreneur in the education field. Her business, Second Avenue Software specializes in the development of interactive media and serious games for education and training. In 6 short years, her business has become extremely successful. Victoria was named 2011 Technology Women of the Year by Digital Rochester. Her company was also listed in the 2012 RBJ book of lists as one of the top software companies in Rochester.
If you are currently working but have a business idea in your head but hesitant in taking the next step then you will want to watch this video. Learn from Victoria where she talks about:
Tom specializes in coaching people on selling the invisible. He told me that people can become successful at selling by mastering the fundamentals. The fundamentals he is talking about are:
He also cautioned against speaking too much during the sales meeting. The fewer the words the better if you want o close lots of sales. HE also says to get in the habit of asking a question at the end of a sentence that demands a ‘yes.’ This must be used naturally and become a speech habit. For example, ask, isn’t it?, doesn’t it, shouldn’t it, don’t you agree, can’t you, haven’t you? So ask, “Having a highly competent IT service available to you 24/7 would give you great peace of mind, wouldn’t it?”
Lastly, when you met a person, radiate the goal of helping them to like you, trust you, and want to listen to you.
Angella’s cleaning business is becoming a household name in Rochester. It may surprise you to know that she spends next to nothing on marketing. So how is she successfully marketing her company without spending a dime? Watch this video and learn her tips and tricks:
Lou has an incredible story to share. He was born with hearing and speech disabilitites. He knew he couldn’t do anything about his disabilitites, so he began to focus on things that are under his control. He started working on his body and won Mr. Universe titles. He was also on the hit show, The Incredible Hulk, and then we was a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice. The man has overcome many challenges and now he goes around the country talking about his life lessons. His determination and his will to win is something we all need to emulate.
Dick now has 10 startup and turnaround companies under his belt. He also discusses how he is planning to turn around his latest company that has never sold anything since 1996, has no product, and only has 2 months of cash left. Watch this fascinating interview where Dick talks about the following:
Nido is one of the most inspirational person I have ever met. He came to this country with couple of dollars in his pocket and now he is a very influential and wealthy person. He has many businesses including the job of running Highpoint University. He focuses on being the best in class no matter what the business is. He wants us to sell a Godiva service instead of a Hershey service. 3 Questions you must answer:
He wants us to lead an Extraordinary life because its something we can choose to be. He reinforces that when you can do a common thing in an uncommon way, you can command the attention of the world.
Despite setbacks like the economy and clients going bankrupt, Bill is forging ahead and growing his company in a big way. If you are struggling on how to grow your company then you don't want to miss this interview. In this exclusive interview, Bill shares the following:
I had the privilege of meeting an incredible motivational speaker …Sean Stephenson, author of “Get Off Your But.” Sean is only three feet tall, but put a microphone in his hand and he becomes a giant. Born with osteogenesis imperfecta, which stunts growth and causes bones to break under minimal pressure, Sean has faced several challenges and overcome many obstacles on his path to becoming a successful author, psychotherapist, and motivational speaker. He works with many celebrities, presidents and he has appeared on Oprah and many other talk shows.
Before his 18th birthday, Sean had survived 200 bone fractures. Confronted with the mental choice of accepting his disorder as either a gift or a burden, Sean found an inner strength to focus on what he could do instead of what he could not.
You will be amazed to hear all the recognition Randy has gotten this year. Randy was named 2012 Business Person of the Year, named on RBJ's Book of Lists as One of the Top Automotive Dealers, and named in the RBJ Who's Who list. In this candid, exclusive interview, Randy discusses:
I.C. Shah is a very well known entrepreneur in Rochester. He has built a very successful business and he is a very involved in many worthy community activities. I.C. who is of Indian origin overcame adversities and turned those into assets. In this interview, I.C. shares:
Jim Bertsch, CEO of Aldon Corporation is a Rochester Rockstar! Watch this video and learn how he busy growing his company in Rochester. He just found out that he was named #13 in the RBJ Book of List as the top Exporters in Rochester. Jim is a fantastic entrepreneur and he has been doing this for a long time. Jim talks candidly about the following: