Entrepreneurs' Forum of Greater Philadelphia

By: Brian J. Odelli

Discipline and work ethic are traits Yoon Cannon, owner of Paramount Business Coach, developed at a very early age. Cannon is a Montgomery County native, sort of.  Yoon is the youngest child born to Korean immigrants and her family came to America when she was just 4 years old.  After high school, Yoon set out for Syracuse University and earned a degree in the Performing Arts.  In fact, her original dream had nothing to do with owning a business or becoming an entrepreneur.  In order to understand her story, it’s important to go back to the beginning.

By:  Brian J. Odelli

By:  Brian J. Odelli

We have all heard the Henry Hartman quote, “Success always comes when preparation meets opportunity”.  Yet it is a pleasure to see it come true in real life.  The journey that has led Edward Welch and Higgins & Welch Real Estate, Inc. to its position as the 9^th fastest growth company in the region began during Edward’s college years. 

While bartending at a local establishment, he would meet a patron, Harry Higgins, and the course of his life would be changed forever.  “Harry would come in and I would constantly ask him questions about real estate.  After a while he suggested that I take a course he was teaching at the Temple Real Estate Institute.  I was about to graduate from college and planned to teach English in China.  Harry offered me the opportunity to join his company as an appraisal apprentice. It was a difficult decision, but since I had already experienced some time abroad (Welch spent time studying in Rome during his Temple years and traveling throughout Europe and Scandinavia), I jumped at Harry’s offer, and thank God I did”.   Welch’s apprenticeship didn’t last long.  Shortly thereafter he was given a chance at real estate sales. After a period of time selling properties, Edward realized that there might be a better utilization of his talents, and that he could repay Harry in some small way.  He felt that he could utilize his business degree and help bring a streamlined business focus to a company in need of such attention.  “I approached Harry with an offer.  While I enjoyed the appraisal and sales side of the business, I felt that I could really make a difference in a management role.  We needed to manage the business like a business.  I felt confident that I could bring oversight, discipline, goal setting and accountability to the company.  My thoughts weren’t revolutionary, yet they were necessary”.  Harry had spent his career cultivating personal and business relationships.  Welch saw an opportunity to reconnect, deepen and expand those relationships”.

By: Brian J. Odelli

Traditionally, when a man leaves his parents’ home to set out on the next stage of his life, it is usually with a new partner and they are headed off for a honeymoon. Rarely does it literally mean leaving everything behind. Yet that is exactly what it meant to 25 year old Jiri Stejskal.

Jiri Stejskal was born and raised in Prague, Czechoslovakia.  Prague is a city renowned for its majestic architecture, stunning cathedrals and castles dating back to the early 9^th century. In fact, Jiri spent a good part of his childhood living in one such castle. But, during the last days of World War II, when the Red Army marched its way into Czechoslovakia and the country fell into communist rule, the land Jiri had known as a child ceased to be.

By: Brian J. Odelli

The road to success hasn’t been straight or smooth for 2010 Philly 100 winner Alphonso “Al” Bullock, President and Founder of Jada Creative.

Bullock, the only son of a world class carpenter father and part Cherokee Indian mother has had to learn some of life’s lessons the hard way.  Of his 6 siblings, only Al way born in Brooklyn, NY (maybe that’s where his fighting spirit comes from – I’m sure Philadelphian’s can relate).  At an early age Bullock’s mother passes away suddenly.  His father relocates the family to North Carolina where young Al finds himself out of place and often at odds with his strict father.  “As a kid, like most kids, I didn’t always agree with the way he handle things, but looking back on it today, I can understand.  As a father, I can see where he was coming from.  He was trying to play both Mom and Dad and fill the void left by losing our Mother.”