Nothing to Lose, Everything to Gain: How Ryan Blair went from Gang Member to Multimillionaire
As a teenager, Ryan Blair had a criminal record, street gang experience and an abusive father who left the family – all while battling a drug addiction. But thanks to a “nothing to lose” attitude and the presence of a mentor, Ryan Blair was able to turn his life around, and became a successful multi-millionaire entrepreneur by his early-20’s. Ryan joins “The American Entrepreneur” Ron Morris to discuss his remarkable story including the lessons he learned throughout his journey and the ways that juvenile detention isn’t all that different from the world of business.
Also on the show:
$100, a Suitcase, and a Winning Attitude: How Jason Wolfe Found Internet Success
Jason Wolfe is the award-winning CEO of Omni Prepaid, a Pittsburgh-based distribution center that serves as the back end of online gift websites such as GiftCards.com and GiftCodes.com. Jason joins “The American Entrepreneur” Ron Morris to discuss his upbringing in the Milton Hershey School (a residential school for disadvantaged and orphaned children), how he put himself through college, and how an accident he had at age 24 changed his life forever.
Keeping High School Students in Class: The Mission of Zak Kukoff
Did you know: Every day a student cuts his or her high school class, that school’s district stands to lose $30-$50 in funding? One student who NEVER cut class was 15-year old Zak Kukoff, a sophomore who noticed that teachers were having a tough time using clunky school software systems to track these unexcused absences. Putting his entrepreneurial mind to work, he created TruantToday, a text messaging system that enables school administrators to notify parents when their child is cutting class. The technology is being hailed by many, including Former President Bill Clinton, as a game changer that can restore funding to school districts throughout the country. Zak joins “The American Entrepreneur” Ron Morris, as well as “The Young American Entrepreneur” Ben Wasson, to discuss his story, his lament that the students who DO stay in school aren’t learning enough things that matter in the real world, and the steps he’s taken to help his peers get the valuable education they need.
Segments
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Ron’s Rant - The Challenges of a Team
“The American Entrepreneur” Ron Morris opens the show with a rant about the challenges of working and communicating as a team, such as dealing with personal life/issues and having employees as friends.
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$100, a Suitcase, and a Winning Attitude: How Jason Wolfe Found Internet Success
Jason Wolfe is the award-winning CEO of Omni Prepaid, a Pittsburgh-based distribution center that serves as the back end of online gift websites such as GiftCards.com and GiftCodes.com. Jason joins “The American Entrepreneur” Ron Morris to discuss his upbringing in the Milton Hershey School (a residential school for disadvantaged and orphaned children), how he put himself through college, and how an accident he had at age 24 changed his life forever.
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Nothing to Lose, Everything to Gain: How Ryan Blair went from Gang Member to Multimillionaire
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As a teenager, Ryan Blair had a criminal record, street gang experience and an abusive father who left the family – all while battling a drug addiction. But thanks to a “nothing to lose” attitude and the presence of a mentor, Ryan Blair was able to turn his life around, and became a successful multi-millionaire entrepreneur by his early-20’s. Ryan joins “The American Entrepreneur” Ron Morris to discuss his remarkable story including the lessons he learned throughout his journey and the ways that juvenile detention isn’t all that different from the world of business.
-
Keeping High School Students in Class: The Mission of Zak Kukoff
Did you know: Every day a student cuts his or her high school class, that school’s district stands to lose $30-$50 in funding? One student who NEVER cut class was 15-year old Zak Kukoff, a sophomore who noticed that teachers were having a tough time using clunky school software systems to track these unexcused absences. Putting his entrepreneurial mind to work, he created TruantToday, a text messaging system that enables school administrators to notify parents when their child is cutting class. The technology is being hailed by many, including Former President Bill Clinton, as a game changer that can restore funding to school districts throughout the country. Zak joins “The American Entrepreneur” Ron Morris, as well as “The Young American Entrepreneur” Ben Wasson, to discuss his story, his lament that the students who DO stay in school aren’t learning enough things that matter in the real world, and the steps he’s taken to help his peers get the valuable education they need.
Full Episode
No transcript is available for this episode.
