What really fueled me, and maybe infuriated me, is that nobody believed in me. Nobody. I don't even think I believe in myself. Part of what I was trying to do was to make the decision to go into business and find the guts to see it through. I was told that when I went in to see the bankers that I was supposed to be very muted, that I was supposed to blend in, that I was supposed to have the typical drab suit on.

Small business in America is what fuels the American economy. We need more small business to assist us in creating a great nation and in creating more jobs. It's this frontier that is endless in terms of opportunity and potential.

I love to nurture, I love to help people. I love to brainstorm. I like to mentor.

What I wanted was to be allowed to do the thing in the world that I did best - which I believed then and believe now is the greatest privilege there is. When I did that, success found me.

It's never too late - not now, not ever - for you to pursue your passion.

I love making people smile. I get so much energy through interacting and feeling like I've made a difference, a small difference.

I'm not a "what if." I want to just do it, try it, give it my all, and if it's not meant to be, I can accept that. But I had to do it.