Entrepreneurship is a journey filled with highs and lows, a fact that Jared Kugel, a Queens native, and Keshawn Warner, a Harlem resident, know all too well. Both entrepreneurs faced significant challenges that could have easily led to them throwing in the towel, yet their stories exemplify the resilience needed to thrive in the business world.
Jared Kugel: Tire Agent’s Resilient Founder
The beginning of Jared Kugel’s entrepreneurial journey was less than ideal. His initial ventures, a search engine for tires and a mobile tire installation service, faced financial hardship, leaving him on the brink of losing his home. Undeterred, Kugel pivoted to a new idea – an e-commerce tire business named Tire Agent.
Despite facing foreclosure and personal struggles, Kugel convinced investors to believe in his vision. With $750,000 in seed money, he started building Tire Agent from the ground up. From hiring a software engineer to creating content for the website, Kugel worked tirelessly to turn his idea into a reality.
Tire Agent’s success story is marked by its inclusion in the 2023 Inc. 5000, ranking 936 and placing it in the top 20% of the fastest-growing private companies in America. Kugel’s advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is clear: embrace the difficulties, focus on the journey, and persist through the bumps in the road.
Keshawn Warner: Overcoming Adversity to Build Dazed Cannabis
Keshawn Warner’s journey took an unexpected turn when an arrest for attempting to buy weed turned into a stepping stone to success. Warner faced challenges securing employment due to a felony on his record, but he refused to be defined by that setback.
Working multiple jobs, Warner’s primary role as an information technology specialist was complemented by ventures like owning a pharmacy in Harlem with his wife. In 2016, recognizing the changing landscape of cannabis legalization, Warner and his partners founded Dazed Cannabis in Massachusetts.
Warner’s prior cannabis conviction turned into an advantage when New York legalized recreational weed. Regulatory initiatives aimed at addressing injustices from the war on drugs provided opportunities for those affected. Warner navigated a lottery process and, with determination, secured the fourth spot to open a recreational cannabis dispensary in New York City.
Dazed Cannabis, with an impressive pop-up in Union Square and a formal opening in NYC, grossed $1.2 million in 2022. Warner’s story emphasizes the power of resilience, turning challenges into opportunities, and leveraging adversity to achieve success.
