Choosing to start over, after spending the time and money to get an education in a different field, is fearless. It can be difficult to admit that something isn't a perfect fit and to have the courage to start over from scratch is inspiring. Breindy Dreyfuss's story is all that and more! After obtaining a degree and profession in the medical field she had the courage to start over after finding her true passion, finance.
Now at BR Guest Business Funding Breindy helps other people fund their passions and start their own businesses. She works with lenders world wide to help entrepreneurs find the perfect loan for their situation. You can find BR Guest Business Funding on their website and Facebook.
Tell us about yourself.
I’m a native New Yorker, born and raised in Queens. I had a traditional Orthodox Jewish upbringing, going to Yeshiva schools from nursery through post high school. I attended CUNY Queens College and got my BA in Dietetics. I continued to complete my Dietetic Internship at NY-Presbyterian Hospital in NYC. After passing my RD exam on the first try in 2012, I started my career as a Registered Dietitian. Along the way, I got married and had a beautiful baby girl. Unfortunately, my marriage did not work out and I recently finished up my divorce.
How did you get into your business?
Soon after I started my first job in the nutrition field, I realized that wasn’t my passion. But I wasn’t going to go back to school at that point! At each of my positions, I truly enjoyed helping my clients. Yet, I still felt that it wasn’t what I wanted to be doing.
So, after 5 years of doing something I wasn’t passionate about, I quit my last job in January 2018. I searched high and low for new job. I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I knew it wasn’t nutrition! I saw an ad on Craigslist for a Merchant Cash Advance company who was looking for new affiliates. I did some research and thought it was a great opportunity for me. So, I jumped in headfirst and never looked back.
Through many connections that I made on social media, I realized there were so many funding options available to individuals and businesses, besides a merchant cash advance. That’s when I decided to go full-time and become a business loan consultant with my own company!
What has been your biggest challenge?
Balancing my business with my personal life. It was extremely challenging in the beginning, but I’ve gotten better with time. I’ve started to include my daughter in some of my tasks, so she can understand what I do and enjoy it, as well. But I am still guilty of picking up my phone when I should be giving her my attention.
What do you wish you’d known when you started?
How hard it was going to be! Don’t get me wrong, I knew starting my own business would be difficult. But I just didn’t realize how far it was going to push my limits. I’ve had days where I was ready to throw in the towel because it was just so overwhelming. If I had known that to start out, it would’ve been a little easier to prepare myself mentally.
If you could narrow your success down to one thing, what would it be?
My “WHY.” Whenever I feel down, discouraged, stressed or have any negative thoughts/doubts about my business, I think of why I started. That is what keeps me going. Focusing on what my end goals are, what my vision is and why this is important to me, helps fuel my determination and perseverance. I think of my WHY and I realize that I have no choice but to be successful.
Where do you see yourself in a year?
I love questions like these! Setting goals, writing them down and reviewing them every month is pivotal with entrepreneurship. In a year, I see myself running a business that funds over a $1 million annually. I envision having at least 3 employees, as well. I’d also like to have my own office set up and running, instead of my home office currently located in my bedroom!
What are your top three tips for women starting a business?
The first tip is ‘keeping your eye on the prize,’ so to speak. Make yourself a vision board or write out your goals and hang them in a place you know that you’ll see every day. Don’t let yourself sway from your vision. Keep focused on why you are embarking on this journey.
Second, surround yourself with people who support you. Nothing is more disheartening than being discouraged by those close to you. Find a mentor, a good friend or other like-minded individuals who will be there for you no matter what happens.
Third, know your priorities. If family is most important to you, set limits on your schedule. If work is more important, tell your family that, as well. Make it clear to those in your life what your goals are and how they can help you achieve them. You must know what is most valuable to you at the outset or the lines between your priorities may become blurred.
What is a typical day for you like?
My day usually starts with a wake up call around 7am which goes something like this, “Mooooommmmmmmyyyyyyyy!!!” After getting the little diva dressed, giving her breakfast and doing the same for me, I get her off to school/camp. As soon as I get home, I go straight to my office, a.k.a. my bedroom. I check emails, answer social media messages and respond to anything super important. Then I’ll go through my social media accounts and ‘like’ my friends’ and colleagues’ posts, comment on a few and decide what I would like to repost or share with my followers.
I’ve usually got calls scheduled from 10AM to about 2PM so I’m busy with clients and lenders on the phone for those four hours. Throughout the day between calls, I’m constantly answering text messages and emails from clients. By 3PM, I start to wrap things up so that I can pick up my daughter on time.
Once she gets home, I try my hardest to focus on her. Sometimes I fail miserably! It’s definitely not easy to be a single mother with a full-time job, that’s for sure. So, once I give dinner and get her to sleep, I am back to work! I usually sit at my desk from 8PM to around 11PM. Since it’s not normal business hours, I can get A LOT of tasks completed without my phone ringing too much. Follow-up is crucial! So I usually spend this time at night sending follow-up emails or messages. I’ll also finish all the work I couldn’t get to earlier, i.e. sending an application to a client, composing a consulting agreement for a new client, or any emails that may take longer than 15 minutes to compose.
Then I’ll do a little decompressing by watching YouTube or Netflix before I go to sleep. Stress management is extremely important and relaxing at the end of the day is imperative for me! Sometimes I’ll opt for a phone call with a friend instead of sitting in front of the screen even more. But either way, I de-stress and get some shut-eye so I can start fresh again at 7am!
What’s your business motto or quote you live by?
“Practice makes better because nobody is perfect.” I saw this quote a few years ago on Facebook. A friend of mine posted it saying that this is what she teaches her children. I absolutely fell in love with it! Telling anyone that they’re perfect will set them up for failure. No one is perfect! So, I’ve been teaching myself and my family that practice will make us better. I don’t know everything in this industry but I am going to keep trying until I get it right. And if someone tells me there’s a better way, I’m willing to listen!!
Changing your mindset is sometimes all you need to get over that hump and start your journey towards success.
If you were starting your business over again, what would you do differently?
Honestly, I’d say nothing. Because with entrepreneurship, it’s a learning process. You need to make those mistakes, have the lows and experience the disappointment, so you can learn, get the highs and become successful. Sure, I could have written out a detailed business plan to follow. Perhaps spend more time researching and finding out all the information I could about this industry. But when it comes down to it, no matter how “prepared” you think you are, there will always be curve balls. A business owner needs to be able to acknowledge failure, figure out a way to fix problems and change course, if necessary.
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