Kelvin Abrams Reveals the Truth Behind Entrepreneurial Growth & Grit

In this episode of Conversations with Rich Bennett, Rich sits down with Kelvin Abrams, a seasoned entrepreneur and author of Get Uncomfortable or Change Course. Kelvin shares his entrepreneurial journey, discussing his successes, challenges, and the pivotal moments that shaped his career, such as founding Tiki Playhouse, a doggy daycare, and K9 and Coffee, a pet-friendly coffee shop. He also delves into the concept of embracing discomfort as a pathway to success and offers insights on overcoming fear, adapting to changes, and thriving as a business owner. Throughout the conversation, Kelvin emphasizes the importance of persistence, adaptability, and community support in entrepreneurship.

KELVIN G. ABRAMS - Home (kelvinabrams.com)

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Transcript

Rich Bennett 0:00
Thanks for joining the conversation where we explored stories and experiences that shape our world. I'm your host, Rich Bennett. Today, I am thrilled to have Kelvin Abrams as our guest. This is going to be fun. Kelvin is a serial entrepreneur with 15 years of experience in building successful businesses. Did not only generate revenue but also foster community, which is very, very, very important. He's the author of the book Get Uncomfortable or Change Course. Understanding What It Takes to Be an Entrepreneur. Calvin's journey is marked by hard work, tenacity, and a commitment to learning and growth and God some of the things that He loves to do. We're going to be talking about a lot and of course, about his book first. Well, we'll talk about his book, maybe not first, but we'll be talking about his book because there's something that he's a business. He has an I'm very interested in learning about it. First of all, welcome, Calvin. How's it going, man? 

Kelvin Abrams 1:02
It's going great. Thanks for having me, Rich. I appreciate 

Rich Bennett 1:04
Oh, my pleasure. Okay, so this is usually I don't start this question like this, but I'm in the Lions Club here, and years ago, we used to do a pet festival. Well, we're bringing it back next year. And I solved your business. That you. I guess it's your business that you have now teaches Playhouse. 

Kelvin Abrams 1:27
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 1:28
All right. Plus, the other one where you're sitting that now explain this business and how it came about. 

Kelvin Abrams 1:33
Okay, so Tiki Playhouse is a doggy daycare boarding facility. I've had that business for 16 years. 

Rich Bennett 1:39
Wow. 

Kelvin Abrams 1:40
Yeah, 16 years we've been out here in western Howard County and then in the same building we started nine years ago, we started a business called K9 in Coffee nine years ago, and K9 and coffee concept was basically to bring your dogs, enjoy a cup of coffee outside on the weekends, Saturday and Sunday, weather permitting. And then during COVID, we kind of started offering it seven days a week for the community because everybody was locked in and shut in. And then after COVID, we decided to get our liquor license and open it up. So now we do coffee during the day, and then in the afternoon we do alcohol and we focus more on bourbon. We have 84, 85 different bourbon whiskeys here, as well as other alcoholic beverages. 

Rich Bennett 2:27
Okay. So when you approached the liquor board, how did that conversation go? 

Kelvin Abrams 2:33
Yeah. Yeah. Not as much as you would expect. They looked at me and said, How is that going to work? Where do you going? How are you going to keep that? You know, so yeah, it is a bit of a process. When I approached the board and it took me, I think about six months, which some say was 

Rich Bennett 2:49
That's 

Kelvin Abrams 2:50
short. 

Rich Bennett 2:50
not bad. Yeah. 

Kelvin Abrams 2:52
Yeah. Some say that was sure because some say you can wait up to a year, but it took me about six months. 

Rich Bennett 2:57
Well, it's definitely unique. I mean, because I know if I was on the liquor board there, my first thought would have been, Ah, is this guy trying to get the dogs drunk or something? What is up with. 

Kelvin Abrams 3:12
Yeah, well, hey, it's like. It's what I call, you know, you got to. I like to say you got to take the plate of spaghetti, throw it up against the wall, whatever steak sticks, and then if not, keep picking that plate of spaghetti up. So when I went to lick the board, it was just another plate of spaghetti, too, that threw up against the wall and said, Help. It sticks. It sticks. 

Rich Bennett 3:31
If it doesn't. Yeah. So. Yeah, but. That is pretty awesome. Now, I take it well, because it's right next to Tiki, right? 

Kelvin Abrams 3:40
It's in the same building as his playhouse. Yes. 

Rich Bennett 3:42
Okay. 

Kelvin Abrams 3:42
There's a door that separates us because health code, you know, you have to have a door. 

Rich Bennett 3:46
Yeah. 

Kelvin Abrams 3:47
So there's a door that stays closed and it separates the two businesses. 

Rich Bennett 3:51
Well, I take it. I mean, you said you've been doing the K-9 in Coffeyville. 

Kelvin Abrams 3:56
Nine years, we get 19 calls. 

Rich Bennett 3:57
Nine years 

May. That is because I know a lot of people probably say, well, they're not going to last, but apparently it is and you're doing well with it. 

Kelvin Abrams 4:08
Yes, it was a struggle at first and then, of course, during the pandemic. But out here in western Howard County, we are it's such a populated area, but unpopulated areas for destination. So the community really is what supports the businesses out here. We don't get a lot of. 

Rich Bennett 4:24
Right. 

Kelvin Abrams 4:25
You know, like major cities like Columbia or Clarksville, Maryland. We don't get that kind of a traffic. It's more of a local community out here. So that's what's really kept us going, is the community. 

Rich Bennett 4:35
So what was it? Because it was it 15 different businesses? 

Kelvin Abrams 4:40
That I've had? No. 

Rich Bennett 4:41
Yeah. 

Kelvin Abrams 4:42
I think over the course of my 15, 16 years in business, I would say I've probably had six or seven different businesses. 

Rich Bennett 4:49
Six or seven different. Oh, so I got that, oh, 15 years of experience. Okay. So what was the first business that you started? 

Kelvin Abrams 4:57
Well, that was when I was a kid. So as a kid, 

Rich Bennett 5:01
Isn't it 

Kelvin Abrams 5:01
you 

Rich Bennett 5:01
weird? 

Kelvin Abrams 5:01
know. As a kid. I mean, I did everything. I sold things out of my windows. As a kid, as a salesperson, we would sell our toys. To our friends, and then I'll go get candy from the candy store and then sell the candy to the neighbors and take it to school and try to sell. 

So I was in school, in high school, selling candy and selling stuff like that. So I guess my journey started when I was a little little kid. So. 

Rich Bennett 5:29
Yeah. Now you're taking either your father or your mother had that entrepreneurial spirit. 

Kelvin Abrams 5:35
My father. Yes. 

Rich Bennett 5:36
Okay. I mean, same way as me, my father. Even though my father worked at Bethlehem Steel. Yeah. Steelworkers were getting laid off a lot. 

Kelvin Abrams 5:44
Oh, yeah. 

Rich Bennett 5:44
So he was you know, he would start businesses. And I think that's I'm the same way. I think that's where I got that entrepreneur spirit from. But when you became an adult. 

Kelvin Abrams 5:55
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 5:55
What was the first business that you started? 

Kelvin Abrams 5:58
The first official business is Turkey's playoffs. And that was. 

Rich Bennett 6:01
Oh, really? 

Kelvin Abrams 6:02
It was in 2008. It was the very first one. And then after Torquay's Playhouse, let's see what I did. I did the daily ice cream truck. I had Maryland's first doggie ice cream truck. 

Rich Bennett 6:12
Oh, 

Kelvin Abrams 6:12
It was 

Rich Bennett 6:12
come 

Kelvin Abrams 6:13
called 

Rich Bennett 6:13
on. 

Kelvin Abrams 6:13
the House Doggie Ice Cream Shop. Yeah, it was fun. It was fun. I enjoyed it. We used to ride around and go to different events. We had our little ice cream bell and our little dog barking sound and we sold dog products and we would show up at events. It was fun. 

Rich Bennett 6:30
Ideally, you love dogs. 

Kelvin Abrams 6:32
Yes. I have two wine writers myself. Yes. 

Rich Bennett 6:35
To. 

Kelvin Abrams 6:36
Two. They're called Weimer Honors. Or the the proper way of pronouncing is via Weimaraner because they're from Hungary. So it's called the Weimaraner instead of Weimaraner. It's pronounced that way. 

Rich Bennett 6:51
How big do they get? 

Kelvin Abrams 6:53
70 to £80. 

Rich Bennett 6:55
Should their laptops 

Kelvin Abrams 6:57
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 6:57
or. It seems like the bigger the dog, the more they think they're a lap dog. 

Kelvin Abrams 7:02
Exactly. 

Rich Bennett 7:03
I never. 

Kelvin Abrams 7:04
Very friendly dogs. They're pretty great dogs. They called like the great ghost dogs. They're the ones with the like, amber eyes or the hazel eyes and silky gray look in those dogs. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 7:15
Oh, man. 

Kelvin Abrams 7:16
They're bird dogs. 

Rich Bennett 7:17
So when they're birds, there are bird dogs, meaning hunting dogs. 

Kelvin Abrams 7:21
Hunting dogs. Yeah, They're in the same family as the Vizsla, the GSP Jeremy Shorthair Pointers. The Weimaraner is in the same family. 

Rich Bennett 7:29
All right. Now, I know you like fishing, but you don't go hunting, too, do you? 

Kelvin Abrams 7:33
No, no, no, no, no. 

Rich Bennett 7:34
Okay. 

Kelvin Abrams 7:35
I like fishing. 

Rich Bennett 7:36
Dogs. 

Kelvin Abrams 7:37
Guns, but I don't go hunting and shooting animals. 

Rich Bennett 7:40
Right. And you can't take the dogs fishing because they'll jump in the water. Scared the fish. 

Kelvin Abrams 7:44
Exactly. 

Rich Bennett 7:47
Definitely don't want that to happen. So what actually what actually inspired you to write the book, you know, get uncomfortable or change course? 

Kelvin Abrams 7:54
So this is something that I've wanted to do since I was 18 years of age, 

Rich Bennett 7:58
Mm hmm. 

Kelvin Abrams 7:58
and it was just partly due to growing up. You know, I didn't I had I didn't have the best child life, but I didn't have the worst growing up. You know, we had challenges like anyone else, you know, But we had a roof over our head and things like that, you know, So it was a good child. But there were things in there that I just wanted to write about. And I just didn't know what I was going to write about at age 18. But I guess it took until, you know this at this point in time in my life at 50 years of age, that I decided what it was going to be about and I wanted to help others. So I always tell people I knew I was going to write a book and just didn't know what yet. And I guess life had to transpire. I had to grow up, I had to mature, I had to 

Rich Bennett 8:37
Right. 

Kelvin Abrams 8:37
learn what my calling was. And then once I figured out what my calling was, then it was it just kind of came natural to me. 

Rich Bennett 8:45
How long did it take you to write? 

Kelvin Abrams 8:47
About a year and a half is the actual writing. But I like to say I've been writing a book in my mind for 40 years. But physically, starting the process about a year and a half. 

Rich Bennett 8:57
Year and a half and a word that came out 2023. 

Kelvin Abrams 9:03
August last year. Yes. 

Rich Bennett 9:04
Okay. Now, is it also an audible form or. 

Kelvin Abrams 9:08
Not yet. 

Rich Bennett 9:09
Not yet. 

Kelvin Abrams 9:10
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 9:13
First. 

Kelvin Abrams 9:14
Yeah. Need to get a little more sales with the book first, and then we'll go ahead and put it on an audible. We're actually working right now on an online course, which I'm really excited about. We're going to do an online course. I have a workbook that goes along with it, and we're working on an online course and of course is going to be geared towards helping people, just like my book is geared towards helping. 

Rich Bennett 9:33
Right. 

Kelvin Abrams 9:34
Whether they're in business want to be in business is just basically the reality of being an entrepreneur. What you need to know about it before you get into doing it. You know, Rich, I like to tell everybody that people like handing out business cards, saying, I'm a business owner, here's my card, call me. But when you actually look at how that business card is made. Each and every letter on that business card, how thick that business card is, and you realize all the work that it takes to hand that business card out, that's where most people decide to walk away from it. And that's why my book is called Get Uncomfortable or Change Course, because it's a it's a book about facing the fact that in order to be an entrepreneur, it is not going to be easy. And you. 

Rich Bennett 10:18
No. 

Kelvin Abrams 10:19
Sacrifice. And you will come many a days where you feel like you want to quit. But that will determine your success. 

Rich Bennett 10:27
And I also think because, yeah, everybody feels like they want to be the room. I hate that word, boss, but they wouldn't. They want to own their own business, but they don't know what goes behind it. 

Kelvin Abrams 10:43
Exactly. 

Rich Bennett 10:43
And a lot of them, 

they feel I think a lot of people want to get away from corporate America, run their own business, because then they think they don't have that 9 to 5 job. 

You know where I'm going with this, right? 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but as an entrepreneur, are you working even longer? You're working smart, but you're still working longer hours, it seems like, 

Kelvin Abrams 11:09
Oh, yeah. There's no such thing as a 9 to 5. There's no such 

Rich Bennett 11:12
right? 

Kelvin Abrams 11:12
thing as vacation. When you're on vacation, you're working, your phone is with you, your emails are with you. When you're at a wedding, you're working. When you had a funeral, you're working. That is, if you have the opportunity to go on vacation, go to a funeral. Go to a wedding. You're working. So, yes, it's a 24 hour. When you're sleeping, you're working. 

Rich Bennett 11:33
Oh, my God. You hit it right on the button. Right. It's funny because I can't tell you how many times I'll be sleeping in your dream of ideas. 

Kelvin Abrams 11:43
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 11:45
Dumb. Ask me. I keep forgetting to put a freaking journal or books on my nightstand to write the ideas. 

Kelvin Abrams 11:52
Oh, boy. Let me tell you, that's how. My idea has come about is in the middle of the night. I mean, there are times when I joke around and tell people my head hurts sometimes in the middle of night and I have to get up because something is rolling around in my head saying, Get it out, man. Get. 

Rich Bennett 12:06
Yeah. 

Kelvin Abrams 12:07
It's like a pregnant woman with a watermelon trying to push a watermelon. Now it's like, Get out of me, man. Get out of me. And once I get it out and I write it down, I can go right back to sleep with these. But I just got 

Rich Bennett 12:18
Oh. 

Kelvin Abrams 12:18
to get it out of me. 

Rich Bennett 12:20
My wife laughs at me. I mean, yeah, a lot of times when I'm sleeping in the other two places where I'm always getting ideas the shower. 

Kelvin Abrams 12:28
Oh, 

Rich Bennett 12:28
Or. 

Kelvin Abrams 12:28
yeah. 

Rich Bennett 12:29
Or, of course. Yeah, well, you're sitting on the throne. 

Kelvin Abrams 12:32
Oh, yes. Yep. Yep. Been there, done that. 

Rich Bennett 12:38
What do you do, Ed? So you know something because you're relaxing and you just start thinking, Do you come up with these ideas? 

Kelvin Abrams 12:45
Absolutely. 

Rich Bennett 12:46
At least for me. Maybe I'm weird. I'm. 

Kelvin Abrams 12:50
No, I think I'm riding down the street. I think of ideals. I'm in the. 

Rich Bennett 12:53
Oh, yeah. 

Kelvin Abrams 12:54
I wake up in the middle of night, I think of ideas. I'm eating dinner and watching TV. I love watching the Shark Tank. So I sit and watch the. And I go, Oh, wow. And I start thinking about ideas. I'm just a creative person. I've been that way my whole life. So I look at everything as an opportunity as far as, you know, making it better. It's not that you have to reinvent the wheel. I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel. I just want to make things better. 

Rich Bennett 13:17
Yes. Yes. And actually, in your book, you actually emphasize the need to stop talking and just start doing it. So what are some of the of barriers that prevent people from taking action and how can they overcome? 

Kelvin Abrams 13:31
Fear, fears the number. And the thing is, is as an entrepreneur, you have to learn how to jump and you have to jump not knowing if there's a net, but you have to jump knowing that as an entrepreneur you will fly. So someone said this to me a week or two ago where they said, You have to jump as an entrepreneur and build the plane on the way down. So you're jumping and you're building the plane on the way down, and it makes sense to me. And and the other thing is, is that what stops people is the constant perfection of I have to make sure this is right. I've got to make sure this is right. This isn't perfect. I've got to make sure this is perfect. And three, four or five years go by and it's never going to be perfect. Everyone thinks they have a perfect business plan, just like I did. Everyone is very naive, thinking that this is great. We're going to make a lot of money right away, but they don't realize the unexpected. So it's the unexpected, the fear. And it's the got to have this right before I can start my business. And then lastly, I think a lot of it is hearing the negative chatter from family or friends or from whoever 

Rich Bennett 14:40
Yeah. 

Kelvin Abrams 14:40
is saying that's, you know, firsthand about that. That's not going to work. Why are you going to do that? No one's going to support you there and you got to get over that. So those are the three biggest things, in my opinion. 

Rich Bennett 14:52
It is a lot of people when people shoot it down. A lot of people just give up right away. 

Kelvin Abrams 14:58
Right. 

Rich Bennett 14:59
To me, and I've always believed there's no such thing as a bad idea. You got to act on it no matter what, because you don't know if that idea is bad, if you don't act on it. 

Kelvin Abrams 15:10
Exactly. 

Rich Bennett 15:11
It may be even if you try it and it doesn't succeed. 

Go back and look at your business plan, you know, or if it's taking you five years to launch it, definitely go back and look at your business plan, because your business plan can change. 

Kelvin Abrams 15:27
Absolutely it does. 

Rich Bennett 15:29
Your business changes, so your business plan needs to change. 

Kelvin Abrams 15:32
It absolutely does. I mean, I learned over several years, a lot of years ago from a couple of clients of mine that are wealthy clients and multiple. Where they sit back and they emphasize that every three years an entrepreneur should be reinventing themselves. So whether it be relooking at your business plan or just reinvent in your business. But every three. You reinventing yourself, because if not, you get comfortable. And then we all know what happens. When you get comfortable, you start slipping. You're forgetting this. You're forgetting. 

Rich Bennett 16:03
Nope. 

Kelvin Abrams 16:04
And the examples I like to use is when you look at these top notch athletes, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, all these top notch Tiger Woods, all these top notch athletes, what do they do? They constantly are reinventing themselves. Tiger Woods constantly working on his swing, reinventing himself. Jordan constantly working on his shots and Kobe constantly working. So they're constantly reinventing themselves. That's why they were on top. 

Rich Bennett 16:30
Well, you mentioned Jordan. You think about Michael Jordan. How many different businesses did he own when he retired? 

Kelvin Abrams 16:36
Exactly. And Shaquille O'Neal. Oh, my God. Shaquille O'Neal. 

Rich Bennett 16:39
Oh, my God. 

Kelvin Abrams 16:40
He's got, like hundreds of businesses, you know. 

Rich Bennett 16:43
Yeah. 

Kelvin Abrams 16:44
Vince himself. 

Rich Bennett 16:46
Man. So now those guys that you just mentioned, a lot of them, they have the financial background or the financial ability. What advice do you have for entrepreneurs who are struggling to secure business loans or even manage their finances effectively? 

Kelvin Abrams 17:07
So that's a tough one. There is a lot of resources out there where people can look for grants in there in their state. You know, Maryland has grants or had grants. 

Rich Bennett 17:16
Yeah. 

Kelvin Abrams 17:17
You can look for other resources like capital investment companies. You can look for other resources like the SBA. When I first started, I got an SBA backed loan where it was an 8020 loan. Now I think you're doing 85, 85, 25 loans. Now, we're basically the government guarantees 85% of that loan, and then the banking institution guarantees the other half of that loan. 

Rich Bennett 17:43
Okay. 

Kelvin Abrams 17:44
That route. You can go the route of what we call these things. Now that people do out there be crowdfunding. You can go to route of crowd crowdfunding and see. 

Rich Bennett 17:55
Is that like, external? 

Kelvin Abrams 17:57
I'm sorry. 

Rich Bennett 17:58
Is that like, kick start? 

Kelvin Abrams 18:00
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 18:01
Okay. 

Kelvin Abrams 18:01
Yep. So kickstart crowdfunding. You can do that route and then you know, the other way is on credit cards. I mean, you know, you had you hear people all the time starting businesses on credit cards where they use one credit card for 12 months interest free, and then they rotate credit cards to the next credit card and carry a balance over to another 12 month interest free. I don't I don't think someone should do business that way, but they're just a whole bunch of creative ways. 

Rich Bennett 18:29
Yeah. 

Kelvin Abrams 18:30
If there's a will, there's a way. 

Rich Bennett 18:33
Yeah, I actually with Tiki Playhouse. Is that what you said? That was your first business, right? What was the biggest struggle you had with that? 

Kelvin Abrams 18:44
I started in 2008. And so that was right at the beginning of the housing boom or crash boom. And that's also when Obama came into office. So, boy, let me tell you, the country was in uproar, as you know, with Obama being in the office and then the housing market just tanked. So that first 12 months when I was in business, I thought I was going to actually go into bankruptcy because things got so bad. My house went into foreclosure three times. I had a very good friend of mine that lent me money to help me bail my house out. So I bailed my house out three times. And basically how I made it is I went to the bank and I basically pleaded with them, begged with them, and asked them to kind of do a refi on my loan. I went to the landlord, asked the landlord to kind of reduce my rent for a certain period of time and put it in arrears. So I ended up paying a lot of interest and a lot of unnecessary fees due to the first year being in business and the economy at that point. So yeah, it was tough. 

Rich Bennett 19:49
Now take a year. That first year was your toughest year. 

Kelvin Abrams 19:53
No, the toughest year was the pandemic. 

Rich Bennett 19:55
Oh, I forgot about that thing. 

Kelvin Abrams 19:58
Yeah, that thing called COVID 19, let me tell. And it was tough for a number of reasons. It was tough for me because I had at that point, I had three businesses, four businesses. What am I in Four businesses 

Rich Bennett 20:09
Wow. 

Kelvin Abrams 20:10
that all four shut down? They had to shut down. Now we were allowed. 

Rich Bennett 20:13
Central. 

Kelvin Abrams 20:14
Right. But then we were allowed to open the coffee shop and Turkey's playhouse because four essential workers that had dogs, they needed to go to work. And nurses, doctors, firemen, police officers, they needed to get to work. So we were able to open up in Maryland and then a coffee shop was able to open up as long as we did not do any sit down service. So that's when we opened. 

Rich Bennett 20:35
Right. 

Kelvin Abrams 20:36
Kind of let people go out. We would meet them outside and bring their curbside service basically, and bring their coffee to him outside. That was the hardest point because that's when I really was scrounging around. I was able to get grants from the state of Maryland to grants. I was able to get a loan for two or three of my businesses. I was able to get an idle loan, which is an emergency disaster loan for Small business association. So I manage that. And then also I got funding from what's his name, Dave Portner. Dave Portner from our school. He had a great program going during that period where he would help small businesses out. So my hat goes off to Dave Portner because he really helped me out. Him and Barstool really helped me out during that period and that's how I made it so. And the other thing, which it was tough for me, that's the toughest part of being a business because I had three major surgeries during the pandemic and. 

Rich Bennett 21:33
Good Lord. 

Kelvin Abrams 21:34
Hip replacement. I had back surgery, L5, S1, and then I had yes, and then I had rotator cuff surgery. So all in 18 months I had major surgeries in 18 months during the pandemic. So, yeah, that was the worst year, two years of my life. 

Rich Bennett 21:53
What the hell are you, a professional wrestler on the side or. 

Kelvin Abrams 21:58
You would think I was in the WWE, right? 

Rich Bennett 22:01
Holy cow, man. 

Kelvin Abrams 22:04
Now I'd just like to say, is my body just being beat up with all the years and stress of being an entrepreneur? I tell everybody it's more than you think, man. I mean. 

Rich Bennett 22:12
Yeah. 

Kelvin Abrams 22:13
Body, your brain, your you physically I mean, you just take a beating when you're an entrepreneur, you know, it's really bad sometimes, you know, but at the same time is good because, you know, you're an entrepreneur. 

Rich Bennett 22:25
But the good thing is, I mean, yeah, the pandemic saw a lot of businesses shut down. Here you are going through all these surgeries and everything you did. I see some other businesses have done. And that's you thought outside of the box. 

Kelvin Abrams 22:41
Yes, I 

Rich Bennett 22:42
I 

Kelvin Abrams 22:42
like. 

Rich Bennett 22:42
think that's where a lot of the people fail. 

Kelvin Abrams 22:44
Yup. And I like to call it I pivoted. So I pivoted. You know, you pivot to pivot, right? And so my pivot during the pandemic was canine and coffee opening up the backyard and letting people come bring their dogs, have coffee and be outside so we could socialize as a community because everybody was kind of shut in and. 

Rich Bennett 23:00
Yeah. 

Kelvin Abrams 23:00
People are, you know, having a hard time, you know, mentally, emotionally. Again, politics at that point in time was, oh, my God, you know about politics at that point in time. We got the community out in our yard. And so that's what helped me out. And then pivoting was when I got my alcohol license. You know, I've had it two years now, and that's another pivot where I'm like, Hey, man, you know, try to increase revenue any way you can. So every three years I kind of do a pivot. 

Rich Bennett 23:26
Actually with that because I knew every county's is different in Maryland. So with the canine bar, the key canine and coffee bar. 

Kelvin Abrams 23:35
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 23:36
Do you also have to serve food? 

Kelvin Abrams 23:38
Yes. So in Maryland, you have to have 70% food sales and 30% alcohol. 

Rich Bennett 23:43
So let's all of Maryland. 

Kelvin Abrams 23:45
Correct. And so we have a food truck that is in our yard, and that's where we get our food service from. 

Rich Bennett 23:52
Way as the food truck, your business as well. 

Kelvin Abrams 24:02
I think my CPA would kill me if I started a. 

Rich Bennett 24:08
Well, I mean, if you if you still had, what was it, the doggy ice cream. 

Kelvin Abrams 24:13
No ice cream. Oh, yeah. Then it would be my business. Absolutely. 

Rich Bennett 24:20
I didn't realize that was the whole state of Maryland. Which I guess it makes sense. Yeah, because. Yeah, you don't want people in there all day just drinking alcohol. They need the circus stuff up. Definitely eat some food. So who, if you don't mind me asking, is it different food trucks or do you work with one food truck in particular? 

Kelvin Abrams 24:42
We have one food truck. We're looking to replace that food truck. They sold their truck. So we're looking to replace. 

Rich Bennett 24:48
Oh. 

Kelvin Abrams 24:49
Yeah. So we're looking to replace them here real soon because they sold their truck. So. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 24:56
Wow. So you need somebody that will come in and your specialty can be hot dogs. 

Kelvin Abrams 25:01
It can be hot dogs. It can be grilled. 

Rich Bennett 25:04
There's a bad joke at your school with the K-9, So. 

Kelvin Abrams 25:11
Yeah. You give me those. I don't care. 

Rich Bennett 25:16
With you because you're I'm looking at Amazon right now. So as far as the reviews go, you're running five stars, which is good. But first of all, all of you listening, when when I'm not saying if I'm saying when you get Kelvin's book and you can go to Kelvin Abrams dot com. But when you get the book after you read it, make sure you leave a full review on Amazon. Good reads or wherever else you can leave reviews because as I always tell you, it's going to drive the algorithm up and it's going to help him sell even more. So besides your father, who is one of the, I guess, entrepreneurs that you really look up to. 

Kelvin Abrams 26:07
Oh, wow. Let's see, in recent years, there's a gentleman that I refer to him as Uncle Willy. He is a business mentor of mine. So I refer to. 

Rich Bennett 26:16
Okay. 

Kelvin Abrams 26:17
Willie, and he's been very instrumental in helping me out just because of the fact that he's been in business many years himself. 

Rich Bennett 26:25
Mm hmm. 

Kelvin Abrams 26:26
Good guy. And then also there are other people in my life that I talk to that are business mentors as well. But Uncle Willie is one right now that I really rely on to depend on a lot to help me out. 

Rich Bennett 26:39
Actually. How can you explain how important mentorship and accountability in the journey are, especially if you want to be an entrepreneur? How important that is and how one can find the right mentor, because there are a lot of people say there are mentors, business coaches or whatever, and they're not the right ones. 

Kelvin Abrams 26:57
To me, a mentor is someone who's going to give it to you straight. And let me tell you, Olga, Will and I have had many conversations where I don't excuse me, I don't agree with anything and or everything he says. Not anything. Everything he says. But at the same time, I listen to it just because you don't want a family friend or significant other trying to give you business advice and trying to be your mentor because they're going to code it. You need someone who's a mentor, who's been there, knows what you're feeling, and has had good days, bad days, and can tell you exactly how you feel at any point in time because they have been there, lived it, breathe it, and just talked about it. So they've been there. Mentors are very important because there are times when you are at your lowest and you. You are. You don't need a hug from a family member. You don't need a hug from a girlfriend. You need a mentor to pump you up with reality. And what I mean by reality is. Get off your ass. Go do this. You're an entrepreneur. Make it happen. Stop your bellyaching. Get up and figure it out. Figure it out. And that's. 

Rich Bennett 28:06
Yeah. 

Kelvin Abrams 28:07
Our hard conversations are when I talk to Uncle Willy, he's like, Figure it out, Calvin. You're smart. Figure it out. 

Rich Bennett 28:15
Actually with that. Do you think a lot of entrepreneurs fail because they can't take the criticism, whether it be constructive or not? 

Kelvin Abrams 28:21
Absolutely. 100%. You. 

Rich Bennett 28:23
Okay. 

Kelvin Abrams 28:24
I tell you, you cannot have your heart on your sleeve when you're an entrepreneur because you're going to get it from everywhere. And that's a good thing. I mean, I have several people in my life right now that are business professionals that are in my life right now, that are adults that give it to me honest, and they're straight forward and they're helping me out. You know, they're trying to be mentors, whether they know it or not. And they're giving me good, positive feedback. I may not like everything that they say to me, but again, I evaluate it. I talk to other people and I like to say I counsel with many people before I make a decision. So there are several people I counsel with before I make any kind of a decision, just because I don't know it all. And the moment you think you know it all, that's the day you start failing. 

Rich Bennett 29:05
Right. So with your business, 

I and this this is my mindset. I don't know if yours is the same way when it comes to a lot of people who say they have competitors, they have competition. I myself say, no, I don't look at it as competition. I look at it as, let's say, a partnership. Because if restaurants are always competing with each other, even though you know they do. But we saw during COVID, a lot of restaurants were partners with each other. You see it with the food trucks. Food trucks are you have to be tied to a restaurant somehow. 

Kelvin Abrams 29:46
Yes. Yes. 

Rich Bennett 29:47
So with that, do you feel that 

can 

how can I say this if you focus on that, that competitor mindset that can drive you down quicker than, let's say if you're focusing on partnering? Does that make sense? What I'm saying? 

Kelvin Abrams 30:12
In a way, it does. I don't I don't think I have any competitors, to be honest. Which. Just because Gigi's playhouse is a unique situation. 

Rich Bennett 30:22
Right? 

Kelvin Abrams 30:23
Gary where I am. You know, I have a unique facility here where I basically sleep and live on site. We have an outside yard where the dogs are outside playing. We do cages, ball out with all dogs, not all dogs and do cages for and but we do have cages boarding for dogs that regularly participate and 

Rich Bennett 30:40
Mm 

Kelvin Abrams 30:40
come 

Rich Bennett 30:40
hmm. 

Kelvin Abrams 30:40
here. So that's a unique aspect of my business with canine and coffee. The unique aspect of my business is that canine coffee, we're in the same building now. We have the alcohol, we have an outside yard for people to come to. So that's the uniqueness of my building. And I have a gym and a gym as a 24 hour gym. So it's not that we're in competition with anyone, but it's a 24 hour facility gym and there's no 24 hour gym in this area within a ten mile radius of where I am. So it kind of sets me up to be kind of unique. And then not only that, we're out in Glenelg, which is a Western Howard County area, so there's not a lot of businesses out here. So to me there's not a lot of competition for me out here. 

Rich Bennett 31:24
How many businesses do you have now? 

Kelvin Abrams 31:27
So I have four businesses and in my book, if you consider my book of business, I have five. 

Rich Bennett 31:32
Well, yeah. You're an entrepreneur. 

Kelvin Abrams 31:34
Exactly. So 

Rich Bennett 31:35
Yeah. 

Kelvin Abrams 31:35
I. 

Rich Bennett 31:37
I do. All of them fall under one like one business and they're all under that umbrella, or they all separate businesses. 

Kelvin Abrams 31:45
Separate businesses. 

Rich Bennett 31:47
Wow. 

Kelvin Abrams 31:48
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 31:49
Are you are you a member of the chamber down there as well? 

Kelvin Abrams 31:52
No, no. I was just spoken to as I just spoke to a woman this morning that wanted me to be part of the Howard County Chamber. But, you know, I have mixed feelings about the chamber. You know, it's expensive 

Rich Bennett 32:02
Right. 

Kelvin Abrams 32:02
to get in. And then, of course, every event you go to, you got to pay money. And I just don't have time to go to these events and I don't want to pay the money to go to these events. And, you know, just 

Rich Bennett 32:12
Right. 

Kelvin Abrams 32:12
to. Business cards. So my experience, I was part of the chamber before, so I'm not knocking the chamber experience by any means. But my previous experience with the Chamber was any events that I attended. You just leave with 20 cards in your hand and it's really nothing more than people giving you their business card. And it got to the point where I stopped taking business cards to these things because nothing really materializes from it. But again, it's what you put into it and I wasn't putting that much into it. So I don't want to knock the chambers because next thing you know, I'll get a bunch of emails from the. Calling me saying, Hey, Kelvin, so I'm not knocking the chamber. I'm not saying anything bad. If you were. System. It works for you. I just didn't work this system, and it didn't work for me. 

Rich Bennett 32:58
And I guess with you because like you said, there's there's not another doggy daycare around like yours. 

Kelvin Abrams 33:07
Correct. 

Rich Bennett 33:07
So. And to me, I. I love to talk to other podcasters or, you know, and we don't have that in the chamber. You don't have anybody in the same field. It's kind of hard to. 

Kelvin Abrams 33:24
Exactly. 

Rich Bennett 33:25
Yeah. Grew your business. Yeah. And I don't like the idea of the networking thing where you can only have one. 

Yeah. Out of each category one. I don't like that, but. 

Kelvin Abrams 33:37
The chamber? Yes. 

Rich Bennett 33:38
Oh, yeah, Yeah. That just. I mean, I want to learn from the other businesses in the same category as me. 

Kelvin Abrams 33:45
Exactly. 

Rich Bennett 33:45
Yeah, and that's one thing I don't like bit. And now not all chambers are like that. 

Kelvin Abrams 33:50
No, not at all. Yeah, 

Rich Bennett 33:52
But who 

with employee that you have employees? Well, I guess you have to have employees. 

Kelvin Abrams 33:58
I do. 

Rich Bennett 33:59
Yes. 

Kelvin Abrams 33:59
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 33:59
Yeah. All these different businesses. 

Kelvin Abrams 34:01
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 34:03
So how hard would it? We're actually some of the biggest challenges that you face when hiring, managing 

and I hate to use this I hate to say this, but even letting people go too, you know, especially to build a strong, loyal team. 

Kelvin Abrams 34:23
You're asking me to get in trouble here, Rich, And I don't know. 

I may have to plead the Fifth on that question and be. I don't think you really want to hear. 

I. 

Rich Bennett 34:41
So with the last part letting people go, you have to have a thick skin, though, don't you? 

Kelvin Abrams 34:45
You do. At first it bothered me. But after the pandemic and how things have been with the employer. 

Rich Bennett 34:51
Mm hmm. 

Kelvin Abrams 34:52
Work ethic and the morale. I've gotten to the point where I'm used to firing people. Now I don't mind it at all, but before I would toss and turn my stomach would bother me. I would. 

Rich Bennett 35:03
Yeah. 

Kelvin Abrams 35:04
Nobody wants to let somebody go. But after the pandemic and how things are now, man, I give people 30 days and after that, they're not making it gone. They're gone. Just I don't have time. And, you know, with the way minimum wage is nowadays, the ridic. 

Rich Bennett 35:18
Yeah. 

Kelvin Abrams 35:18
$15 an hour for minimum wage. Are you kidding me? And so it's like when these kids come here today, if they're not ready to work, I let them go real fast. I don't I don't play around anymore. 

Rich Bennett 35:30
I remember when they talked about raise a minimum wage and a lot of people said if you raise minimum wage, you're going to see inflation. A lot of us recall. We don't know what we're talking about. Well, look where we're at now. 

Kelvin Abrams 35:43
Yeah. Look where we're at now. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 35:44
Actually since the pandemic. Have you seen the work ethic from people? Worse or better? Especialmente worse. Okay. 

Kelvin Abrams 35:55
Worse. Absolutely worse. I mean, it's all about 

what? It's all about me, I hear. 

Rich Bennett 36:02
Mm hmm. 

Kelvin Abrams 36:03
Well, I need this. I need that I can't work that people don't want to work 40 hours anymore. Do you want to work 30 hours? 

Rich Bennett 36:09
Yes. 

Kelvin Abrams 36:11
People don't want to work weekends anymore. They don't want to work in the evenings. And I blame it on all this fast money. And what I mean by fast money is you got uber, Uber eats, you got drizzle, you got GrubHub, you got, you know, Lyft, you got all this. Money that people are making because of the pandemic. But what people are realizing is they're not putting anything away for savings. They're not putting anything away for taxes. They're not putting anything away for Social Security unemployment. They're not putting anything away for that. You're a 1099 employee, which means. Before paying your taxes. And no one's going to save money when you're a 1099 and responsible for paying your taxes. So in ten years, you think the economy is bad Now you wait in ten years when these people that are doing all these GrubHub and all that stuff realize and wake up and go, Oh shit, oh, shoot this fast money that I made has done nothing for my future. That's when things are going to get even worse. And that's when things are going to flip and the employers will be back in control. Right now, the employees are in control. Give it ten years. The employers will be back in control. 

Rich Bennett 37:20
Do you think some employers messed up when they went to the daily pay? 

Kelvin Abrams 37:24
Absolutely. 

Rich Bennett 37:26
Okay. 

Kelvin Abrams 37:26
Absolutely. 

Rich Bennett 37:29
Oh, yeah. And I would love to see it. I remember when I first got into the I.T. field and that was in 

we were as at 98, 98. 

Back then, 

when you went for an interview, you were basically interviewing the company. The company, even though the company was interviewing you, you were interviewing the company. 

Kelvin Abrams 37:52
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 37:53
Now it's. 

I don't even know you had to have that resume. Nowadays, I don't even think people use that anymore. 

Kelvin Abrams 38:05
Every time I do an interview, people come walking in the door with nothing but their cell phone. They sit it on the table. No resume, nothing. It's to the point now, when I respond for an interview, I go, Please bring me a current resume. And you have to say current resume because. 

Rich Bennett 38:22
Right. 

Kelvin Abrams 38:23
I have seen some resumes and interview people and I'm like, Where are you currently work? And they tell me and I look at the resume and I go, Whoa, that's not what it says on a resume. Oh, it's not updated. Are you? 

Rich Bennett 38:34
It's. 

Kelvin Abrams 38:34
You're coming here for an interview and you do not bring an updated resume, and then you have to be told to bring your resume. Yeah, it's bad. 

Rich Bennett 38:44
Well, I'm probably going to. 

Kelvin Abrams 38:48
I plead the fifth. 

Rich Bennett 38:53
But I see it happening a lot. And I hope I hope you don't see it with your business. But, you know, staying on to work ethic topic. 

Have you had people show up late for interviews? 

Okay. Apparently you have. 

Kelvin Abrams 39:14
They show up late for interviews. They don't show up for interviews. Somebody showed up in pajamas for an interview. 

Rich Bennett 39:21
Oh, come on. 

Kelvin Abrams 39:23
Someone had little fuzzy slippers on when they came in for an interview. They come in in sweatpants and sweatshirt for an interview. One girl rolled on the bed and you can literally tell she rolled out of bed for an interview. Oh, my goodness. I tell you. Yes. Someone brought their mom for an interview with them. 

Rich Bennett 39:42
What? 

Kelvin Abrams 39:43
The mom sat on the couch here while I was interviewing the nurse. Oh, yeah? Yeah. It's bad. It's bad. 

Rich Bennett 39:50
Wow. 

Kelvin Abrams 39:51
It's bad. 

Rich Bennett 39:52
I wanted you. I would have told the people to turn around. It will get. 

Kelvin Abrams 39:56
It's. 

Rich Bennett 39:57
But I guess you really can't. 

Kelvin Abrams 39:59
You can't because you're looking for help. And so what you have to do is you got to. Pick out of the barrel that you have and you'd pick the best out of the barrel and give it 30 days. And I give it 30 days. And after that, I'm writing them their last final page. 

Rich Bennett 40:18
Man 

Kelvin Abrams 40:18
You're 

Rich Bennett 40:18
that. 

Kelvin Abrams 40:18
a. Terrible. 

Rich Bennett 40:20
It's sad. 

Kelvin Abrams 40:21
It's very sad. 

Rich Bennett 40:22
Very sad. And it makes you wonder who where are these people being taught that? 

Kelvin Abrams 40:28
Well, I'm not a parent, so I cannot say coming from. You have to wonder. It comes from home. I mean, I was raised, you know, Right. I mean, of course I got disciplined. I didn't like get my ass spanked and disciplined, but you look where I am today, you know? I mean. 

Rich Bennett 40:43
Yeah. 

Kelvin Abrams 40:45
You learn from it. Right. And I think today, I'm not saying kids need to be spanked or beat, but I think today kids just don't have the discipline that I'm sure you grew up with. I grew up with that our parents instilled upon us. Our grandparents instilled upon us. Kids just don't grow up that way. And I blame it on technology. I mean, of course, we didn't have all that technology back then, but I blame it on technology. I really do. I mean, everything is fast, Everything is quick. Everything is 5G. I got to have it now. I got to have Amazon next delivery next day. I got to get that email right away. Bam, Everything is fast, you know? And it's like they're not learning slow steps. I had people coming in the door with no experience asking me for $20 an hour. And I'm like, You're picking up old poop. You want $20 an hour and you have no experience just because you got to pay for your iPhone 20 and your Tesla. You want me to give you that kind of money? So the answer is. And then the other thing which is gone are the days where you and I would work two and three jobs. I had 

Rich Bennett 41:43
Yeah. 

Kelvin Abrams 41:43
four jobs in college. Gone are those days, man. Gone are those days. Kids today want one job to pay for. All of their expenses. No one wants to work two jobs anymore. 

Rich Bennett 41:55
And they don't want a 40 hour job. 

Kelvin Abrams 41:57
And they don't want a 40 hour job. Here it is. I'm over 50. I got four jobs, you know, And they got a side hustle, which is my book. And I'm over 50 and I'm working these kids today. They want one employer to pay for everything. $20 an hour. No experience. I'm 19 years old. I'm not going to college. I'm living at home. And I want you to pay me $20 an hour. And I'm living in my mom and dad's basement. 

Rich Bennett 42:24
That's ridiculous. Oh, some. Some of these. Some of these people are going to be in for a rude away. 

Kelvin Abrams 42:29
Awakening. Yup. 

Rich Bennett 42:31
Very. 

Kelvin Abrams 42:31
Will be. 

Rich Bennett 42:33
Actually. I mean, you said in your fifties. 

Kelvin Abrams 42:38
I'm in my fifties. Yes. 

Rich Bennett 42:39
Really? 

Kelvin Abrams 42:40
I'm not going to tell you how old the. 

Rich Bennett 42:42
I was I was thinking maybe like mid to late thirties, 

Kelvin Abrams 42:45
Oh, thanks. I appreciate that. 

Rich Bennett 42:46
so. 

Kelvin Abrams 42:47
Just an email. 

And a bottle of whiskey. 

Rich Bennett 42:52
Wink wink. What's Calvin's daily, you know, daily workflow. In other words, when you wake up, what is it that you do? I mean, do you have a steady thing that you do all the time or. 

Kelvin Abrams 43:09
Oh, I sure do. So. 

Rich Bennett 43:10
Man. I am stuttering today. 

Kelvin Abrams 43:14
First thing I do every morning is I give thanks to God and I thank God for another day and another opportunity. And that's how I see it is no matter how hard my back hurts or how tough, or if I didn't sleep or I'm exhausted before I put my feet on the ground, I usually say, Thank you, Lord, for this day, and thank you for this opportunity. And then the next thing I do is I take my dogs outside, let them go to the bathroom. Then I take whatever boarding dogs we have outside, and then I start pounding the caffeine. You know, a couple of shots of espresso, you know, one or two Red Bulls, you know, I start pounding. 

Rich Bennett 43:47
Oh. 

Kelvin Abrams 43:48
Right. And then I'm work at that point, I'm working and then I'm in a coffee shop as a barista until 12. And after that, usually between 12 and three is my quote, free time, if you will. But that's when I'm running errands, you know, running, going, going to the bank, grocery store, getting milk for the coffee shop, ordering alcohol, picking up alcohol, things like that. From 3 to 8. I'm in a bar working at night, so I'm in a bar. And usually in between three and eight I'll sit outside and have a cigar sometimes with clients, and I'll sit out and have a bourbon and cigar and sit out there. 

Rich Bennett 44:21
Right. 

Kelvin Abrams 44:22
Klein's by 8:00 AM eating dinner which is very late. But as. 

Rich Bennett 44:26
Wow. 

Kelvin Abrams 44:27
Naw, I mean, unfortunately, sometimes your schedule is not your schedule. So sometimes I eat dinner early most times and meeting dinner at 830, and then by about nine, 915, I'm taking my dogs out. And the other dogs that are here, I'm taking them out. And finally I shut down about 10:00 and I'm at my desk still about 10:00, and I'm just finishing up paperwork, moving paperwork around and preparing for the next day or paying bills late. And I'm in bed by 1030, and then I start to process again the next day, and that's seven days a week. 

Rich Bennett 44:58
What time do you wake up? 

Kelvin Abrams 45:00
About 545 545 6:00 that is, if I'm not already awake, I talk, I suffer with insomnia just because in that headache in the middle of the night, that brain, I can't shut it off. I mean, I have taken sleeping pills and things like that to shut it off so I can get some rest. But I'm a very creative person and I don't sleep when I have something that has to get out of me. 

Rich Bennett 45:22
Yeah. 

Kelvin Abrams 45:22
So I write it down. So I have notes all over my desk in little little pads in the middle of the night that I wake up to 3:00 in the morning and I'm writing notes. 

Rich Bennett 45:32
So is like to me you're just constantly working and getting very little sleep. How can that be as an entrepreneur? I mean, that makes no sense because then you become an entrepreneur because you wanted to make. 

Kelvin Abrams 45:46
I. 

Rich Bennett 45:47
Life, right? 

Kelvin Abrams 45:48
Right, right. 

And that's why someone's. My book because that whole Oh, I'm going to be an entrepreneur is going to be wonderful. It's going to be great. And that's the reason why I'm here today and the reason why people should read my book. It's not all it's cracked up to be. 

Rich Bennett 46:07
But be honest. You do have fun, don't you? 

Kelvin Abrams 46:10
Oh, I love it. Wouldn't change 

Rich Bennett 46:11
Thank 

Kelvin Abrams 46:12
it 

Rich Bennett 46:12
you. 

Kelvin Abrams 46:12
for the world. Wouldn't change it for the world. I just. I love the challenge. I love getting up every day. I love being creative. I love the smile on people's faces. I just like when things come together, you know, it's like you can appreciate this. The TV program, The A-Team, right? Sometimes 

Rich Bennett 46:31
Yes. 

Kelvin Abrams 46:31
the of night. I'm watching the A-Team. Right. And Hannibal Smith with his cigar. I love it when a plan comes together. Right. So that's me. I love it when a plan comes together. 

Rich Bennett 46:43
What are the things my father always taught me? He said, whether you're an entrepreneur or you're working for somebody else, he said, If you're not having fun at your job and you're not able to spend the time when you're off, whether it's with family or doing what you love to do, it's time to find something new. And when he oh my God, he just he loved the work when he. I'm trying to think of two businesses he had. Let's see. So he did. He was doing upholstery for a while on cars. Then he was. Then he was doing bodywork on cars because we had a single car garage in a house. I remember him convert and run to take out there so he could actually do bodywork and paint cars in the garage. Then finally, finally got a place and did a body shop there for a while, then a nightclub. But he all he was always like being creative and doing different things. And it's I know it can be frustrating when you want to start a business. 

And there's this is one of my downfalls and we talked about it before we started recording was when people tell you, No, it's a bad idea. Don't give up on it. I mean, the idea I told you I'm not giving up on it's going to happen one way or another. It's going to happen because now I'm doing what I love. Yeah, I love podcasts and I love running a good news website. You know, if you were to ask me if I was going to be doing that years ago, I would say, What the hell are you talking about, first of all? 

Kelvin Abrams 48:18
Exactly, You know, and it's what a good friend of mine likes to tell me this. He says, opportunities don't come in nice pretty little boxes. You know what a. 

Rich Bennett 48:26
Mm. 

Kelvin Abrams 48:28
Opportunities come in into most ugly looking box tape wall wrapped around it, beat up, got dents and holes in it. But it's what you make of it. So. 

Rich Bennett 48:37
Yeah. 

Kelvin Abrams 48:38
And this opportunity that has come about. Every business that I've been involved have all come about based on opportunity. I'm not always necessarily ready for the opportunity, but I don't let the opportunity go. 

Rich Bennett 48:49
Yeah. 

Kelvin Abrams 48:49
And that's the thing with entrepreneurs. I think entrepreneurs expect and welcome opportunity because we know it's an opportunity to make it better. And that's how I think is I take any opportunity and I go, I can make it better. And that's just how I think. Now, that's not to say that all my ideas have been successful, not at all. But at the same time, you got to start somewhere. And 

Rich Bennett 49:12
Yeah. 

Kelvin Abrams 49:12
my big you know, I like to tell people, which is that when they say, what's your biggest fear? Right. And my biggest fear, honestly, and I swear to God, my biggest fear is not trying. It's not failing. I've been broke before. I've been poor before. I've eaten ramen noodles and college and tuna. I've been poor before, you know, so I'm not afraid of failing. My biggest fear is not trying. And my biggest fear is when I meet God or my maker and he looks at me and says, Hey, I gave you wonderful ideas. I gave you wonderful opportunities, I gave you a wonderful life. Why didn't you take advantage of it? I don't want to be the one answering that question. That's 

Rich Bennett 49:54
There. 

Kelvin Abrams 49:54
why. Take advantage of any opportunity that comes my way. 

Rich Bennett 49:58
I love that. Yeah. You. I never thought about that because I guess I never thought about it because I'm always trying, no matter what. 

I don't even know a guy. For May I have fears, But I'm learning to overcome them and like, fear of heights and stuff like that. But I don't think I'll ever overcome my fear of spiders. But when it comes to business, I. 

Kelvin Abrams 50:25
You just can't be afraid. I mean. 

Rich Bennett 50:26
Yeah. 

Kelvin Abrams 50:27
You know, I worry about, you know, money. I worry about paying the bills. Sure. Absolutely. I mean, it's not, you know, all. 

Rich Bennett 50:34
Yeah, I guess. Yeah. 

Kelvin Abrams 50:36
But I mean, you figure it out. And that's the thing, is you figure it out. 

Rich Bennett 50:40
Yeah, Yeah. And I think a lot of people, when you mentioned it earlier with the grants and everything and 

well, God with me being a veteran, even the VA, you know, you have small business loans and a lot of people need to look into that stuff. Kick start. What was the other one? Crowd? Crowd Funding. 

Kelvin Abrams 50:59
Crowd. There's a whole bunch of names for, but 

Rich Bennett 51:01
Yeah. 

Kelvin Abrams 51:01
it is Kickstarter crowdfunding, you know, a bunch of names for it. 

Rich Bennett 51:05
I mean, that's a great idea. What about it? What about it? I actually I never I don't think it's your about this bill, but what about investors? Is that smart to look into? 

Kelvin Abrams 51:15
Yeah. Investors. Now, when you go to an investment firm or investors, you know, they may, you know, want a piece of the business they may want. 

Rich Bennett 51:23
Right. 

Kelvin Abrams 51:24
They may have, you know, last money in, first money out, kind of deal higher interest rate or what have you. But, you know, the thing is in your mind, if you have a plan. You have to just look at it as a bump in the road. So, sure, 

Rich Bennett 51:39
Yeah. 

Kelvin Abrams 51:39
you may have a bump in the road. Sure. You may have to pay a little bit more. Sure. You may have to give up some of your company or what have you. Think of that. Think about it as a short term thing to reach your long term goal. So short term, if you have to pay a higher interest rate, sure. Go ahead and do it. I mean, when I got my first business loan from the Small Business Administration, the interest rate was really high. And that was because I had no business experience. Rightfully so. The banks were concerned with me. Understood. So what I did was basically maintain a good relationship. And that's the thing people have to do is maintain a great relationship with your bank, even though the banking industry has changed. The collapse of what, Wells Fargo five or six years ago, that whole collapse with that has changed the banking industry completely. But still maintain a good relationship. Pay your bills on time, maintain a good credit score, etc. and then you should be able to work through some of these things because now banking is not like it used to be a handshake and we do a relationship. Now it's all based on your FICO score, your credit score and who you are as a person. So if you're able to pay debt back and show that you have a paying debt back, a positive experience paying debt back, then you're going to get the money now maybe at a higher interest rate. But that's when you have to think smart, get a great CPA, get a good bookkeeper on your side, work through it, pay it off and be done with the debt. 

Rich Bennett 53:09
Here. I'm going to get this. I'm going to get this coffee bush studio soon. You watch. 

Kelvin Abrams 53:15
First read my book. 

Rich Bennett 53:17
Oh, I had actually the workbook because the workbook is very interactive. 

Kelvin Abrams 53:22
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 53:23
How do you think this approach helps readers engage more deeply with the content and apply it to their own lives? 

Kelvin Abrams 53:30
Because in the workbook that's a great question. In the workbook, what we do is we actually the chapters are kind of paired together in a workbook. 

Rich Bennett 53:37
Hmm. Hmm. 

Kelvin Abrams 53:37
In a workbook, we actually give them additional questions and things like that to think. And so their are questions designed to make them think. And then it forces them to write it down on paper. And then if they're working the workbook the way they're supposed to, they're going to go back to the workbook and review the workbook. And quite frankly, when they should be rereading the book 

Rich Bennett 53:58
Hmm. 

Kelvin Abrams 53:58
while 

Rich Bennett 53:58
Hmm. 

Kelvin Abrams 53:58
they're doing the workbook, and that way they're using it kind of together as a platform to use my questions to build their business, plan more concrete, use my questions and answers in the book in the workbook as a model to help them build their business plan is what I meant to say. 

Rich Bennett 54:22
And when the course is going to be ready. 

Kelvin Abrams 54:24
The course online course. We're working on it now, and I'm actually working on my third book as well too. So the online course, we're actively work. Yes. Yes. I'm working on a third book. 

Rich Bennett 54:36
All right. What book am I missing? 

Kelvin Abrams 54:38
So I have the one book, the hardback, and then I have my workbook. So the workbook. 

Rich Bennett 54:44
Oh, okay. 

Kelvin Abrams 54:44
Separately as well, too. So that's a separate proposition. And then the third book I'm working on is a book we're working I think I'm on chapter six or seven now. And then the online course should be done by September. That's our goal, to get it done by September. We're doing some videos. We're adding additional material in there. I've spoken with a couple different business professionals, like a marketing person and a salesperson and different other people I've spoken with to include in my online course. And so the course is going to have the book, the workbook, and of course we're going to sell it together as a package. All four videos for me to talk to them. And then also direct access to me. So we'll we'll provide a link or something in there for someone to have direct access to me. 

Rich Bennett 55:31
So what's. 

Kelvin Abrams 55:31
So I'm really excited about that. 

Rich Bennett 55:34
What's the third book? 

Kelvin Abrams 55:36
I don't want to disclose that just yet. 

Rich Bennett 55:38
So. Yeah, well, like I said earlier. So you missed that other part is that you're going to have to come back on for the third. 

Kelvin Abrams 55:45
Okay. Done. Consider it done. 

Rich Bennett 55:48
You know, Kelvin, you're going to become a regular here. Listen, you got to. You're going to have to come back on for the third book. We got to do one about bourbon. 

We you know, when you start your podcast. 

He's laughing at me. I didn't mention that. Oh, I didn't tell you. You guys started a podcast. 

Kelvin Abrams 56:09
Someone told me I should. So that's. That's in the back burner. That's in the back burner. 

Rich Bennett 56:14
I mean, yeah, it takes a it's a lot of work, but you don't have to do like our episodes either. So know. I think that's where it's funny, you know, looking at statistics because a lot of people get into the podcast and field, but the statistics actually show that you have a better chance of starting a successful business than you do a successful podcast. Yeah, because a lot of people just jump into it. You know, and they, they don't realize all the work that goes into it. Some people think they are like Joe Rogan. They'll do a three hour episode. Not thinking that is going to take at least another 3 hours to edit it. 

Kelvin Abrams 56:57
Exactly. 

Rich Bennett 56:58
There's a lot of park here said they're very successful in there. You we have ten minute episodes. So there's nothing saying how long has to be. A couple couple questions. Couple last questions. What's one piece of advice you would give to someone who is actually just starting their entrepreneurial journey besides to get your book? 

Kelvin Abrams 57:19
Yes, but. 

And then I guess one advice, one sound solid advice would be get a mentor. Get a mentor, make sure it's not a friend, get a mentor, someone that's going to give it to you straight. That's the biggest advice I would say. And then the other thing I would say is don't listen to people who aren't doing what you want to do or what you are doing, which is don't listen to someone who's not in business. Don't listen to someone telling you, Oh, that's not going to work. You should do this. You should do that. Don't listen to someone who has not stepped in your shoes wearing your shoes. Don't look at someone who hasn't put the hat on. As an entrepreneur and listen to their advice. Don't. 

Rich Bennett 58:09
That is great advice right there. Seriously, because and I fell into that trap. But you see it with the military. A lot of people that want to join the military. They'll talk to other people that never served. Or they'll talk to recruiters. Well, nothing against recruiters, but we know recruiters are just salespeople. They're going to tell you what you. 

Kelvin Abrams 58:31
Right. 

Rich Bennett 58:32
Talk to people that have served. Or 

Kelvin Abrams 58:35
Exactly. 

Rich Bennett 58:35
that are actively in. Last question for you. 

Many people, many people struggle to step out of their comfort zone. What practical steps can they take to start getting uncomfortable and embracing growth? 

Kelvin Abrams 58:52
Wow. Good. Another good question. Let's see. I would. 

Rich Bennett 58:56
Job. 

Kelvin Abrams 58:58
Good job. I mean, I would say the only thing is, is you just have to jump. Take a leap. Take a leap of faith. You just have to trust yourself. Trust your gut, trust that you've done the work, trust that you've done as much work as possible and just believe that you can do it and jump and that's it. You just got to jump. 

Rich Bennett 59:21
I mentioned they're doing a podcast, but do you actually do any speaking engagements? 

Kelvin Abrams 59:27
I have done two speaking engagements. We're actually looking at doing some more speaking engagements. 

Rich Bennett 59:32
Good. 

Kelvin Abrams 59:33
Yeah, that's something I'd like to transform into. So we are working in that direction. 

Rich Bennett 59:39
Good. You should with. 

Kelvin Abrams 59:41
Thank you. I appreciate. 

Rich Bennett 59:42
You got a lot to offer to people. 

Kelvin Abrams 59:44
Thank you, I. 

Rich Bennett 59:45
And the thing is, even if people don't want to become entrepreneurs, you're motivating. And that's the thing. As a motivational speaker, I think you got a lot you can offer to people, even people that are working in the corporate world, you know? 

Kelvin Abrams 1:00:00
I appreciate that. I definitely will continue to look into that. Now that you mentioned it, Vote of confidence. 

Rich Bennett 1:00:06
Should. 

Kelvin Abrams 1:00:06
That. And again, it goes right back to what I just finished saying, which is listen to those people who are doing what you want to do. So thank you for that. I appreciate. 

Rich Bennett 1:00:15
Oh, hi. Yeah. My pleasure. So, is there anything you would like to add before I get to my last question? 

Kelvin Abrams 1:00:24
Kelvin Abrams dot com 

w WW dot Calvin Abrams dot com. 

Rich Bennett 1:00:31
Don't forget Purch, When you purchase the book, people make sure you leave a full review after you read it. 

Kelvin Abrams 1:00:37
Yes, please. 

Rich Bennett 1:00:37
It's going to help. How many interviews have you done now, do you know? 

Kelvin Abrams 1:00:42
Let's see. I want to say about five or six. 

Rich Bennett 1:00:47
Oh, 

well, this question should be easy for you then. 

Kelvin Abrams 1:00:52
Yeah. Yeah. The book just started August of last year, so August of this year would be one year to book has been out. So five or six I think is a good average. 

Rich Bennett 1:01:01
Okay. Yeah. This will be very easy. And of all the people that you've talked to that that have interviewed you, is there anything that A, who says never asked you that you wish they would have asked you? And if so, what would be the question? What would be your answer? 

Kelvin Abrams 1:01:18
Whoo! Man. 

Wow. That yet again. Another great. 

And I'm toying with how to answer it. You know, I have a sense of humor, so I'm toying with do I answer it with a sense of humor comedically, or do I answer it professionally? And I'm. 

Rich Bennett 1:01:40
Either or. 

Kelvin Abrams 1:01:41
I'm thinking I'm going to answer it comedically and that is going to be no one has ever asked me, are you single? And what type of woman do you like? Because then I would answer the question for them. 

Rich Bennett 1:01:53
Well, you just asked the question. 

Kelvin Abrams 1:01:55
Question is and not the question. The answer is yes, I am single. And let's see. I like him. Tall, slender and athletic. 

Rich Bennett 1:02:07
So volleyball player or basketball player? 

Kelvin Abrams 1:02:09
Volleyball player basketball. Or gymnast. 

Rich Bennett 1:02:13
All. 

Kelvin Abrams 1:02:14
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 1:02:15
Okay, ladies. 

Kelvin Abrams 1:02:19
So that's my comedic answer that I'm going to ask that no one has ever asked me. So moving forward, please ask me, am I single? What type of woman 

are. 

Rich Bennett 1:02:30
Oh, God. 

Kelvin Abrams 1:02:31
I can hear my. Charlotte right now is laughing. Charlotte probably laughing. Go on, Calvin. Why did you ask that? Why did you say that? 

Rich Bennett 1:02:38
Actually. Actually. Ah, Now, that was my second last question. How did you end up meeting Charlotte? For those of you listening. Shows you what your publicist, right? 

Kelvin Abrams 1:02:48
Yes, she is. Charlotte Zheng. 

Rich Bennett 1:02:51
How did you 

Kelvin Abrams 1:02:51
I 

Rich Bennett 1:02:51
end 

Kelvin Abrams 1:02:51
met 

Rich Bennett 1:02:51
up? 

Kelvin Abrams 1:02:51
her through a professional business coach. So I was talking. 

Rich Bennett 1:02:55
Oh. 

Kelvin Abrams 1:02:55
Coach and she was talking to the same business coach. So we work with the same business coach and I've been working with Charlotte Zang now for, I want to say maybe about a year now. And Charlotte's wonderful. I mean, she does all my social media stuff. She does all of my content writing. She's a content writer as well. She's a publicist, so she's the one that's secured all of my interviews for my book, and she's helping me do the promotion or my online course as well, too. So Charlotte's awesome. So I'm sure I'm going to get a phone call right after this interview here today saying, Why did you say to the girl question You said the thought of something more professional to say other than what type of woman you like. 

Rich Bennett 1:03:36
Is she local? 

Kelvin Abrams 1:03:37
She is on the Eastern shore. So she is in Maryland, which is on the Eastern shore. 

Rich Bennett 1:03:43
I might have to get her on an episode now. 

Kelvin Abrams 1:03:45
Oh, Charlotte's awesome. You'd love her. She's great. 

Rich Bennett 1:03:48
Then I wonder how she would answer that last question. 

We might have to get you to co-host that one with me. 

Kelvin Abrams 1:03:59
As long as there's bourbon and cigars involved. 

Rich Bennett 1:04:02
Wait. What if she doesn't drink bourbon or smoke cigars? 

Kelvin Abrams 1:04:05
Well, that's for you and I. Is 

Rich Bennett 1:04:07
Okay. 

Kelvin Abrams 1:04:07
this. 

Who cares what she likes? 

Rich Bennett 1:04:13
Oh, God, I love it. Kelvin, I wanted to thank you so much for your continued success. And God, I cannot wait to do the next episode and now I'm talking about the bourbon. We got to do it no matter what. Cause I know what I tell my, you know, my buddies, like, Hey, y'all, this guy's got a canine coffee bar. You wouldn't believe how many different whiskeys. 30. 

Kelvin Abrams 1:04:39
85. 

Rich Bennett 1:04:40
84, 85. But that includes like, vodka and. All right. 

Kelvin Abrams 1:04:44
No. 

Rich Bennett 1:04:46
That's just whiskey. 

Kelvin Abrams 1:04:47
That's just bourbon slash whiskey. Yes. And then I do have probably about five different tequilas, five or so different scotches. Couple of vodkas. One or two rums. But yeah, that's just bourbon. And then we do our own little bourbon club. We have a bourbon club here where there's a barrel. We have a barrel with our logo on it, and then we have a sniff in glass with our logo on it. And so people come in here, party to Bourbon Club, they get a discount, they drink out of a special glass and they get to keep their barrel. That has my logo on it. So Kanon and Coffey logo on it. And it's a cool concept. So we have a little bourbon club here. 

Yeah, I'll keep a barrel with your name on it. How about that? Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 1:05:33
I think you need to open up another one up here in Hartford. Can. 

Kelvin Abrams 1:05:38
Done deal. Well, we'll do it at that restaurant. 

Rich Bennett 1:05:42
I love that. Kelvin. Thanks a lot, Vlad. 

Kelvin Abrams 1:05:47
Thank you. I really appreciate your time today.