E-Source Says
From Panama To Pursuing The American Dream
Your Career 2.0 Launchpad – Episode 108 with Susan Mell and René Grajales – Pursue Your American Dream
“I came to this country as an immigrant, and now I’m a naturalized citizen and business owner. I’m literally living the American dream.”
René Grajales and his wife Matty relied on the resources provided by The Entrepreneur’s Source®, the nation’s leading Career Ownership Coaching(TM), to pursue the American dream of business ownership.
Born in Panama, René met his wife while attending college at the University of Tampa in Florida, where the couple both graduated with MBAs. During their 25 years of marriage, the Grajales family lived in Panama and Puerto Rico before making South Florida their home. René got a taste of business ownership early in his career when he owned a food import-export business that sold a variety of goods to supermarkets in Panama.
“As part of my business, I worked with exporting to Panama. The country became one of my largest markets” René said. “I realized if I can successfully do that, I can do anything.”
After spending some time working in information technology, René concentrated on sales with companies like Iron Mountain and Staples. Although he garnered career success and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2015, copious amounts of business travel took a toll. He was tired of missing important milestones and wanted to spend more time with his family. At the same time, René realized he needed to pursue a new path to provide a financial legacy for his children. One of the couple’s three children is autistic, and René’s corporate paycheck had an expiration date. “We wanted to build wealth that can survive us to provide for all of our children, especially Carlos,” René said.
Coaching Guides Clients to a Better Future
When René was contacted by Susan Mell, a Career Ownership Coach™ with TES, he decided to explore new possibilities to achieve self-sufficiency and financial freedom. TES coaches use education-based techniques to help people discover a new path. Mell helps her clients determine their Income, Lifestyle, Wealth, and Equity™ goals at no cost. She holds her clients accountable to their goals as they explore whether they want to secure a new corporate job, open a business from scratch, or pursue entrepreneurship by franchising.
“Susan was very diligent in following up and taking care of everything that needs to be completed. She has a great network of resources,” René said. “Having access to someone who knows the business makes everything simpler and smoother. You don’t have to figure out everything by yourself.”
Mell started her coaching career nearly 21 years ago after selling a successful wireless business. “Coaching is a great way for me to help people for free. I am able to guide them in their future career adventure,” she said.
Coaching helped René and Matty explore and define ownership opportunities that did not meet the family’s goals for their Career 2.0®. They needed to find a scalable business to help them build wealth for their family. Keeping their goals in mind, René and Matty started searching for an ownership opportunity that would allow them to use René’s sales skills and Matty’s expertise in real estate and interior design.
After considering numerous opportunities, the husband-and-wife team decided to pursue business ownership with an iTrip Vacations in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. iTrip is a home-based, short-term property management company. As part of its approach, iTrip relies on proprietary software to help property listings rank at the top of online searches to improve booking conversions. iTrip properties are listed on popular online vacation destination sites, such as Airbnb and VBRO, as well as at least 78 other booking sites.
The Grajales family had experience relying on property management companies for homes they owned in Florida, Panama, and Puerto Rico. They appreciated the peace of mind provided by someone else doing the legwork. “iTrip allows us to give customers a different vacation experience they will remember forever — a memory. At the same time, we can help property owners increase revenue by maximizing occupancy, the rental price, and being a local contact if there is a problem,” René added.
As an added bonus, the couple was able to finance their venture and keep their retirement secure by obtaining a loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration. “The SBA’s due diligence is great. They give money to people who can pay it back and who will work for it,” René said.
June marks the beginning of National Immigrant Heritage Month, a time when the country celebrates the history and achievements of the immigrant community across the United States. We applaud all the nation’s immigrants who chart a new course for their families.
Open Your Mind to New Possibilities
If you are ready to open your mind to explore new possibilities for your future, contact a Career Ownership Coach™ to learn more about entrepreneurship. For more information about Susan Mell, click here. Find out more about TES by visiting www.entrepreneurssource.com, or check out our guide book, “Your Career 2.0® A Survival Guide for the Battered Career and Investor Syndrome®.