Like many EforAll Mentors, Kevin Rose started his journey as an entrepreneur in an EforAll Business Accelerator program. He was in the “idea” phase of his own business (Unplugged Essentials) and needed help taking it to the next level. He valued his EforAll experience so much that he decided he wanted to stay involved and help other emerging entrepreneurs.
Since then, Kevin has mentored three very different entrepreneurs including one with an app-based program to help expedite the writing/blogging creative process, another who developed an online marketplace where users can rent out goods for events, and most recently, a talented artist working on ways to monetize his unique animation skills.
Is there a specific Mentor experience you are most proud of?
I have truly enjoyed each session and cohort member in their own way. What makes me proud above all is to help each of the entrepreneurs get comfortable being creative problem solvers. Each business is different and each problem is equally complex but if I can impart a little knowledge on how to systematically attack a problem, that’s what matters most to me.
What made you want to become a Mentor?
Going through the program and already being a business owner with Kaisan Trucking, it was truly an eye opening experience. All the speakers, mentors and even fellow cohort members were so focused on truly helping businesses in our community grow that I was hooked. To cultivate a community of such a diverse group of people, with even more diverse businesses and to see how everyone interacted and wanted to make a positive impact shifted my thought process and allowed me to realize that above all, I want to help people. As soon as I was given the opportunity to mentor I jumped right in!
What is your favorite part of being an EforAll Mentor?
My favorite part is just having an opportunity to meet and interact with such a wide array of people and businesses. As much as I am a mentor and give advice to the best of my abilities, I learn just as much from every fellow start-up. That’s the fun thing about starting a business, there is no right or wrong way to do it.
What advice do you have for entrepreneurs?
As much as I would love to leave a profound and insightful message to entrepreneurs in terms of advice or a short cut I, unfortunately, don’t have any. But I will say this – just keep showing up. Being a business owner isn’t about the destination, it’s about the journey. To get to where you want to go in business and life, you just have to keep showing up.
Are you still in touch with the entrepreneur(s) you mentored?
Yes. Very much so. Some more than others, especially since we are all business owners scheduling can sometimes be difficult but we all have a “call me anytime” policy.
What do you think makes EforAll special?
I could go on about it but I think the most important thing EforAll does or has done is empowering people. Giving people the tools to chase their dreams, grow their business, and curate a community of people that genuinely care is something that genuinely has the potential to change things on a macro scale. And I am glad just to be a part of it.