We recently connected with Kelvin McTyre and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Kelvin, thanks for joining us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

Since I began my entrepreneurial journey, taking risks has been a key component to my overall success. In November 2019, right before the pandemic went into full effect, I quit my career to focus solely on entrepreneurship. Choosing to take that risk has been life changing. At first it was a little scary due to the fact of having a career already in place which means earning a guaranteed paycheck bi-weekly. As for being a full-time entrepreneur, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Having a job is from 9-5 but I quickly found out being a business owner is 24/7.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Kelvin McTyre and I’m from Columbus, Georgia. I was raised by my Mom and Grandmother and have one younger sister and two nephews. Here’s a quick timeline of my story. Upon completion from high school, I attended Alabama State University where I received my BS in Health Science. During my tenure at Alabama State University, I studied to become a Physical Therapist. While studying to become a PT, I became infatuated with the idea of owning a business, I realized school was something I wasn’t passionate about and no longer wanted to enter a graduate program after concluding my bachelors degree. I worked several part-time jobs while I was in College and while working those jobs, I realized that I had the potential to be a superior entrepreneur. After I graduated, May 2018, and prior to starting my business, I worked as a Behavioral Prevention Specialist traveling throughout the State of Alabama doing presentations for middle and high school students about controlled substances. That lasted for about a year and 7 months until I realized that wasn’t my purpose.

In late 2019, being self-employed was a top priority of mine and it became reality fast. Entrepreneurship was a smooth transition, I really believe I was made for business ownership. While scrolling on social media one day, I saw a product that could solve a lot of problems within the community I lived in. The problem I solved was obtaining some of the same items Walmart and other major retailers have for sale but selling it for a lesser price. The products we carry are household essentials such as Dove body wash, soap, laundry detergent, deodorant, pillows, and many more items. This business has helped me soar and become a serial entrepreneur. From the few years of experience, I have gained a tremendous amount of knowledge. Being able to understand business, I was able to grasp the power of leveraging this business to create others.

My proudest moments are being able to maintain several businesses at once. Being a business owner/ self-employed is a hard task to manage on a day to day basis. Everyday is an on-going cycle and I learn something new everyday. Entrepreneurship is something new to my family and I’m glad I was the risk taker and the one that became knowledgeable about business itself. Now that I’ve gained experience in the business world, I am able to spread the information to family members, friends, and others that do not know where to start. Since creating Kels Goods and Essentials LLC in late 2019, I’ve been granted the opportunity to become a serial Entrepreneur. I have started several companies such as Kel’s Vending (vending machine), Kel’s Goods Merch (Clothing brand), Kel’s Academy (business coaching program) and of course Kel’s Goods and Essentials is still running and growing.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

Funding my businesses has always been the easiest part of business to me. Before I became an entrepreneur, I really didn’t know many individuals who owned or started a business therefore, I really didn’t know much about raising capital. As a kid, I have always been good with managing and saving money. The money I saved from previous jobs was my initial capital to start my business, all self-funded by me. I took $1,000 dollars and turned that investment to $100,000 dollars plus, which helped me create several online businesses. Fast forward to today, it’s a few ways to obtain business capital for current or upcoming business ventures. One is (business loans), two is (personal or business credit cards), three (private investors), four (business grants), and five (clearco, Shopify, and paypal working capital opportunities).

How did you build your audience on social media?

Social media is one of most important tools for business owners today. Billions of people use social media daily to communicate, shop, laugh, and just find entertainment. The key to building my audience is staying consistent with my posting and not just trying to sell something every time a post is being made. When building a customer base, you will need to engage with clientele and potential clients by asking simple questions like: how was your day or even posting relatable memes. These types of posts can get you leads which can turn to followers.

Another way to grow your social media is by giving away freebies or hosting give-away contests! This alone will attract many people to your pages! This strategy works really well and who doesn’t love a freebie!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://official-kels-academy.myshopify.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/selfmade_kel
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NoexcusesKel
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelvin-mctyre-111997178/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ceo_kel
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Selfmadekel
• Other: Kels Academy (Business coaching) www.kelsacademy.com Kels Goods Merch (Clothing) www.kelsgoodsmerch.com