Cover Story

People today are living into their 90s and 100s. Social Security was set up for people whose life expectancy was no more than the mid 60s. The Social Security Act of 1935 was set up to provide for the general welfare by establishing a system of Federal old-age benefits, to make more adequate provision for aged persons, blind persons, dependent and crippled children, maternal and child welfare, public health, and the administration of their unemployment compensation laws; to establish a Social Security Board; to raise revenue. For most Americans this accounts for most of their retirement income While every retirement…

Longtime friends and business partners, Larry Carney and Tony Samper, break the mold when it comes to the success rate of most business partnerships.  Research shows that the failure rate for business partnerships is up to 80 percent so it is truly remarkable that Tony and Larry have been in business together since 2000 when they started American Services, a commercial and residential air conditioning, heating, and electrical services company!  Perhaps their success can be attributed to the fact that they were longtime friends before they went into business and that they share the same values in how they treat…

Patricia Vice is such a likeable person.  From the moment you meet her and experience her radiant smile, you can’t help but feel her warmth, sincerity, and caring nature.  In addition, Patricia is passionate not only about her business, Texas Security Shredding, but about life and helping others.  As an entrepreneur, she is appreciative of the community that has supported her and believes in the importance of small businesses creating programs benefiting the people with whom their companies serve.  To this end, Pat has developed a business-related program that provides funding for mammograms and cancer treatments.  “Many people in our…

Bobby Bryant has never been a status quo kind of guy.  From the time he was a young man, it was ingrained in him by his father to, “Stand apart.  Don’t look like everybody else.”  In addition, his mother instilled in him the importance of a strong work ethic.  As a result, everything Bobby has achieved in life is the result of his persistent determination to work hard, work smart, and above all, never be ordinary.  Years of research, introspection, and lessons learned have culminated in Bobby creating iBuy Realty and iBuy Pros, a revolutionary platform for the next…

Eudora Healthcare founder, Kenny Ozoude was always passionate about doing things to the best of his ability, with good service and care.  In addition, he was extremely analytical about finding the perfect fit in a career that would incorporate his acumen for math and sciences.  Each time he chose a major in college that utilized his skills, he soon found that they weren’t the right fit.  Eventually, he did find the perfect fit – the field of business.  After acquiring a degree in business, Kenny dove into it with fervor and class but years later realized he had an entrepreneurial…

Being the first born and having a five year gap between himself and the next oldest of his four siblings, Anthony Ford’s leadership qualities developed at a young age. Wise beyond his years, Anthony wanted to help his parents any way that he could. By the age of seven, he began assisting his father with his various entrepreneurial endeavors. In doing so, Anthony encountered many accomplished individuals who gladly shared their words of wisdom. The precocious young man, who was already dreaming about being successful when he grew up, always listened intently. Anthony learned the game of adult “follow the…

Attaining success as a result of having integrity and a positive attitude may be a concept many people have heard before. However, Paula Mendoza, President and CEO of Possible Missions, Inc., exemplifies these traits in every area of her life. When Possible Missions began in 2001, Paula started out with only $100 in the bank. This year, her company is on track to exceed $10 million in both services and product sales. Through Paula’s personal and professional journey, she has shown that it’s possible to accomplish the impossible by focusing on customer service and being passionate about making possibilities a…

Joel and Irma Reyna, along with their close-knit family, have carved out a rock-solid business, Impact Stone Design, based on unwavering principles, integrity, a strong faith in the Lord, and care for others. As a young man, Joel dreamt of running his own business. He would frequently gaze in awe at the large stone-cutting machine worth nearly $130,000 at the granite and marble plant where he worked and say out loud, “One day I’ll have one of my own machines like that!” His coworkers would laugh at him and tell him he was crazy because it would be impossible for…

As the saying goes, “Great minds think alike”, and as a result Troi and Kelley Taylor have created a carefully designed blueprint for success that is a guide for their business, their marriage, and especially their children. Partners in everything they do, the Taylor’s started Taylor Construction Management in 2011 and in less than four years have developed it into a multimillion dollar, award winning global project management consulting firm. Even though Taylor Construction Management’s success seemingly happened overnight, there were many integral factors in Troi and Kelley’s lives that led up to it. Understanding the different backgrounds of Troi…

When Angelica Garcia-Dunn was a young girl, her Pastor told her, “Pick something in nature that you love and then every time that you see it, it is the Lord’s way of telling you that he loves you.” Angelica always loved yellow butterflies so she picked them. Since that time, whenever she sees them, she considers them as a sign from heaven. Butterflies to her are also about transformation, transition, and resurrection. So in 2009, as a divorcée raising two children without any additional means of support, Angelica took a leap of faith after seeing a yellow butterfly and started…

“The phoenix must burn to emerge.” – Janet Fitch Some people think that it’s a terrible thing to have failed at something. Maybe that’s why failure tends to be more public than success. On the other hand, no great success was ever achieved without some failure. Tony Noun has worked extremely hard for what he has built for himself and his family. Even though he has had major, game-changing setbacks that would have devastated others, Tony’s determination to succeed, his indomitable spirit, and his passion for helping others has allowed him to rise like a phoenix from the ashes and…

As the old adage goes, “Word of mouth is one of the best forms of advertising,” and that rings so true with Exhibit Network that they haven’t had a salesperson in years! It is the quality of their work, the care in which they give their clients, and their family values that set them apart. They never look at exhibitors with dollar signs in their eyes and it is not uncommon for them to offer help to anyone who needs it on the show floor. Exhibit Network has had its ups and its downs but has weathered through those times…

Trying to describe the EFFORT Companies is no simple task. Imagine a wheel with different spokes coming out of the center of it. That is probably the best way to understand how everything ties together. At the center of the wheel is the hub and without that center, the spokes would not have a connection or a foundation. At the other end of the spokes is the wheel and even though each spoke is separate they hold the wheel firmly together which allows it to roll along smoothly on one track. Emile “Chuck” Toups is the hub. Chuck is a…

Martha Ceballos has worked hard for her success. From the time she began in business, she has been relentless in providing the highest level of customer service. A firm believer in the old saying, “Long after the price is forgotten, the quality of service remains”, Martha practices what she preaches. If one were to look in the dictionary for the definition of quality and integrity, they would likely see a reference to Martha! Growing up as a first generation American in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Martha was the second to youngest of four children born to her Cuban immigrant parents. Martha’s…

Native Houstonian, Elizabeth Stone, President, Owner, and Executive Chef of Silver Stone Events, is someone known for whipping up the most delightful, memorable event experiences. Going back to the time when Elizabeth was born, her parents had a very delightful, memorable experience, as her mother was 45 and her father was 50 and they already had a 10 year old son and a 15 year old daughter! As Elizabeth was growing up, her parents took her with them everywhere they went which included dining out in fine restaurants. At a very young age, Elizabeth developed a sophisticated palate and learned…

Howard Partridge has a phenomenal life by his own design and systems in place, but it hasn’t always been like that. Originally from Mobile, Alabama, Howard grew up on welfare living with his mother and six siblings crammed into a 600 square foot shack. The roof was so bad that every time it rained, they had to get out every pot and pan to catch the leaks. Single most of the time, Howard’s mother managed to take care of everyone on a meager $100 a month. Needless to say, Howard’s life was pretty difficult. His mother had been married three…

“Language is the road map of a culture. It tells you where its people come from and where they are going.” -Rita Mae Brown There are roughly 6,500 spoken languages in the world today. Each of us talks, listens, and thinks in his/her own special language that has been shaped by our culture, experiences, profession, personality, customs, and attitudes. The chance of us meeting someone else who “talks” the exact same language is pretty remote. Building effective communication skills and relationships within a single culture is often challenging. Bridging the gap between different cultures makes building communication skills and relationships…

Connie Rankin has never let the obstacles in her life deter her from anything she made her mind up to do. Her mother had grown up in a time when women were encouraged to stay at home and raise children. As the divorced mother of four girls, Connie’s mom knew all too much about hopes dashed and dreams broken and she wanted her children to keep their expectations low. She had a dark view of the possibilities for women.  Whenever Connie expressed her lofty visions of what she wanted to do when she grew up, her protective mother would always…