The CEO of My Credit Guy, Sam Parker, spent some time last week speaking to the Marketing Class at Vinton Shellsburg High School and then hosting the students in Mr. Robertson's Entrepreneur Class, at his offices in Vinton. These students are also the students who coordinate the Vinton Popcorn sales that you see around town.

My Credit Guy is a full-service credit repair agency that helps clients across the United States qualify for a mortgage, auto, and other types of loans. They address every aspect of the credit report to help clients qualify for the best loan programs and interest rates possible. Their business model is built for speed and to get the greatest results for those that they help.

The biggest issue people have when it comes to credit, Parker said is that they don't keep an eye on it. "They'll look at their bank account every single day, but they only look at their credit when they need it." He explained that credit is what gives you buying power. He likened it to a resume'. Without a good report, you can't borrow money.

Parker shared that the purpose of his business is to help his clients reach their goal but their credit report is stopping them. The most common goal is to purchase a new home.

Parker opened the class by telling the students why he loved entrepreneurship. "I don't want people telling me what to do. I want to be in control of my own future, and if I build something I want to benefit from it. I want the future generations of my family to benefit from it," Parker shared. He went on to explain that he had worked places where he observed things happening and said to himself, "This is crazy not to be able to deliver a product and have people enjoy working for me. Why not make the two happen?"

When he was 21 he broke away from his job in a field that he'd never heard of before, credit repair. He saw a problem that no one seemed to be fixing. and observed that it was also connected to other industries where a lot of money could be made. There was a niche where he knew that a business could be created.

After he did his research he found several things that made this a viable industry for him to get into. He found a problem that he could solve, he wanted a business that could scale and one that he could grow, and he wanted something that he knew would be worth it in the end. He shared with the students that he didn't want to glamourize entrepreneurship because it's not easy starting up and running your own business.

He launched his first business in Waterloo. Parker grew that business for three and a half years before selling it to a competitor while continuing to work with the company for another six and a half years. He said that the buyer was the reason that My Credit Guy is what they are.

He told the students that he had been "grinding" at the business through all of the struggles for about 12 years before feeling like it finally began to turn around. He made a deal with himself that he wanted to work 15 to 20 years, but it had to be worth it. He said he used to take a trip for a couple of days, every few years, and then all he had was the memory. He wanted those memories to be his every day.

Parker got emotional as he shared his dream of entrepreneurship. He explained that he was doing what he was doing because he wants his daughters and grandchildren to be able to say, "Because my grandfather made tough decisions, this is now my life." Parker feels that by showing the next generation what is possible, they can understand that being a business owner is something that they can do. While it's tough in the beginning it's worth it in the end.

He also encouraged the students to get summer jobs or after-school jobs to begin building a resume'. He explained that future employees who apply without some work experience might not be hired. He said he doesn't look so much at the college degree, but he looks at the opportunities that they've taken. He said he knows that a hardworking person will prove to be a good employee.

He also told the kids to clean up their social media now. As an employer, he looks at that to see who you are. He advised them to make it reflect the best of you. He reminded them that anyone can see their profile, and employers look at them.

He spoke about the variety of work that he does as an entrepreneur. On one day, he told the students that he might be working on sales, another fixing a building, marketing the next day, processing the next and he said, "I never get bored."

He shared with the kids, that in school, he was the one that you could find often in the principal's office more than he was in class. He was the kid that was labeled as always being naughty, and was even placed in Special Education classes at one point. With his parents were pressured to put him on Ritalin because he was the kid that couldn't sit still, they came up with a plan to give him a lot of physical activities to wear him out before going to class. He said now the very things he got in trouble for, make him a good business owner. He told the kids, "Just know if you're that kid that's been mislabeled, there's a place for you in entrepreneurship."

Parker started his business, My Credit Guy, with three employees. In the second year of business, they grew to seven, the third year they went to 20 and now the company has 67 employees. Parker has now taken the business nationwide with offices in Vinton, Cedar Rapids, Arizona, and he is now opening a location in Florida.

To visit their website click here.










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