THE JOURNEY

Early in 2004, an opportunity presented itself that would forever change the direction of my life and the culture of an entire community. I would sit at a bus stop day after day trying to catch an RTS bus to campus and this bus would pass me by with the words FULL BUS displayed across the top. This opportunity merged with a drop shipping and importing opportunity with one of my best college friends and ultimately led to the creation of New Scooters 4 Less in March of 2004. 20 years later (now as sole owner), New Scooters 4 Less (NS4L) is one of the largest scooter dealerships in the United States and continues to break its own records and the sales records for some of the top scooter distributors in the country. NS4L has provided jobs to tons of amazing people, reached millions of dollars in revenue, sold thousands of scooters, and serviced thousands more.

NS4L is well known within the business community for its unique, eccentric, and innovative culture developed around a single core value:  Create and recreate the ultimate customer experience, or UCE.

Since the birth of NS4L, the University of Florida and the Gainesville Community have forever been changed. 18 years ago, there wasn’t much scooter parking. Scooter parking was marked by ‘hashed blocks’ at the end parking strips with a sign that said “Motorcycle / Scooter Parking.” If you could cram your scooter or motorcycle in this hashed block, then your scooter was safe. Today there are scooter parking SLOTS all over campus. Businesses and apartment complexes everywhere have created scooter parking to accommodate the exponential growth of scooters within our community. In 2004 it would cost you $30 to park a scooter on UF’s Campus for an entire year. Today it is $160. We have created more than a business here in Gainesville, we have created an entire Lifestyle.

We're here to do one thing... Make Gainesville the Scooter Capital of the World. When you think 'scooter,' you will think NS4L.

We are well on our way to making that vision a reality.  In 2015, New Scooters 4 Less was recognized in the GATOR 100, received a Purpose 20 Award, won Gainesville's Overall Small Business Award, and I was recognized with a Business in the Heart of Florida IMPACT Award. It is truly humbling to be recognized for our efforts, but the NS4L team and I know we have a long way to go. We want to have an even greater impact on this community and this world!

Other stuff i've done

As an entrepreneur and COE, Chief of Everything, at NS4L I want to change the world. After leading the dealership for 10 years, I found the “entrepreneurial itch” to take my values, ethics, UCE, and business strategies and apply them to a completely different industry. In 2013, I invested and joined the Gulejo Coffee team. We set out to Fuel Entrepreneurs and their teams! In 2014, I acquired 90% of the company and became the COE - Chief of Everything. In 2015, my partner and I sold the company.

In the Summer of 2018, my team and I created a Digital Media Un-Agency called Repaint The Wall. We wanted to grow businesses and personal brands that were driven to fulfill their purpose. Unfortunately, due to several reasons (Covid, etc.), this business was put on pause and eventually closed in 2023… Add it to the failure resume! :)

Additionally, I started ANOTHER project in the summer of 2018.  A project that would be my way of giving back to the Gainesville Community. I created the WHOA GNV Podcast, a podcast out to bring listeners the stories from businesses and individuals that make you go "WHOA!".  Gainesville is a special place, one that has naturally gained an outside perception of "that's where you go to college".  I want to change that perception!  I want to SHOW OFF what makes this place so special.  I want to highlight our awesome businesses, entrepreneurs, innovators, creators, and other incredible individuals who are doing "WHOA!" things!  My long-term vision is that this will be GAINESVILLE'S PODCAST known for recruiting talent to Gainesville, retaining the talent that comes out of our Top 8 University, the University of Florida, and for impacting and influencing a plethora of positivity and change. Listen HERE or subscribe to my YouTube Channel. 

My personal fuel comes from motivating and empowering others! When someone quits their full-time job and decides to venture out on their own, I can’t think of anything more rewarding. I ‘fill up my tank’ by speaking to student classes, student organizations, business networks and teams on numerous topics. I love seeing others succeed! I also love being active in the Gainesville Community. I am heavily involved in several mentoring initiatives, have facilitated groups of young CEO’s in Entrepreneur Roundtables, and have served on the Diplomat Team for the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce as well. I serve my most important roll as a follower of Jesus Christ, a husband to my wife Shannon, and a father to my two sons, Schaefer and Maddox (who were born on the same day #CRAZY… 4 years apart #CRAZIER… On the first day of school #CRAZIEST… Want to guess what the single busiest day of the year is for our scooter dealership? #SAYWHAT?!).

You can sit back and watch life pass you by… or you can be the change in today’s world!  CRUSH IT [and let me know if I can help you at all along the way].

#BOOM

MY BIZ INFLUENCES