Business

The Art of Making Way Through Hurdles: David Imonitie

Published

4 years ago

October 9, 2020

Owning multiple successful businesses at the same time is not something that can be learned from reading mere books. It took David Imonitie years to master this art. He surely would not have gone on to achieve such success, if he did not truly believe that one day, he would create a huge business empire.

From network marketing to selling insurance and becoming a travel agent, young David Imonitie tried his hand in every industry. Although these first few ventures did not get David the success he craved, the connections and skills he was developing daily, formed the way he is today. And it was because of the determination and adroitness David possessed and had been constantly working on, that he finally got into his first successful business, selling coffee. This is where he made his first million dollars, at the age of only 27. Although at the time of hardship and grief, David was still putting himself out there for new opportunities and paving his path to success every single day.

Once David was past his dark days, he never looked back at them again. Despite some personal struggles David has faced throughout his years, he has only ever kept moving forward, developing as a person every single day. “If you are struggling now, it means you are on the verge of a breakthrough to something new” David told us. Nowadays when millennials have any bad luck with a new business, they immediately discard the idea of scaling it further and instead go back to their ordinary lives.

Earning big bucks often requires choosing uncommon paths. David’s story teaches us that the avenues which are already explored do not have as much potential as those that are newly opened or even not opened yet. David had his mindset from the start to be a coach and inspirational speaker, but he waited for the right time to do so. The time when he would have the experience and knowledge necessary to coach people to become financially and intellectually stable. People believe in David, his ideas, and his vision, especially when they look at his life story, the hardships he has faced and the lessons he has learned.

David learned a fundamental lesson early in his career – not every day is going to be your best day. As an entrepreneur, you must have faith that if things do not work out today, they will work out tomorrow. This is perhaps the core takeaway from his story. When he first started up, regardless of what happened during his day, every night David visualized the 5-dollar bill he had taped to his bathroom mirror, would one day become 5 million dollars. He had already dictated and believed in his future way before it even happened. And it happened! Real proof to all those reading this article, that hard work and belief in yourself does pay off in the end.

Business

Turning Tragedy into Triumph Through Walking With Anthony

Published

7 days ago

April 18, 2024

Rosario Farell

On the morning of February 6, 2010, Anthony Purcell took a moment to admire the churning surf before plunging into the waves off Miami Beach. Though he had made the dive numerous times before, that morning was destined to be different when he crashed into a hidden sandbar, sustaining bruises to his C5 and C6 vertebrae and breaking his neck.

“I was completely submerged and unable to rise to the surface,” Purcell recalls. “Fortunately, my cousin Bernie saw what was happening and came to my rescue. He saved my life, but things would never be the same after that dive.”

Like thousands of others who are confronted with a spinal cord injury (SCI), Purcell plunged headlong into long months of hopelessness and despair. Eventually, however, he learned to turn personal tragedy into triumph as he reached out to fellow SCI victims by launching Walking With Anthony.

Living with SCI: the first dark days

Initial rehabilitation for those with SCIs takes an average of three to six months, during which time they must relearn hundreds of fundamental skills and adjust to what feels like an entirely new body. Unfortunately, after 21 days, Purcell’s insurance stopped paying for this essential treatment, even though he had made only minimal improvement in such a short time.

“Insurance companies cover rehab costs for people with back injuries, but not for people with spinal cord injuries,” explains Purcell. “We were practically thrown to the curb. At that time, I was so immobile that I couldn’t even raise my arms to feed myself.”

Instead of giving up, Purcell’s mother chose to battle his SCI with long-term rehab. She enrolled Purcell in Project Walk, a rehabilitation facility located in Carlsbad, California, but one that came with an annual cost of over $100,000.

“My parents paid for rehabilitation treatment for over three years,” says Purcell. “Throughout that time, they taught me the importance of patience, compassion, and unconditional love.”

Yet despite his family’s support, Purcell still struggled. “Those were dark days when I couldn’t bring myself to accept the bleak prognosis ahead of me,” he says. “I faced life in a wheelchair and the never-ending struggle for healthcare access, coverage, and advocacy. I hit my share of low points, and there were times when I seriously contemplated giving up on life altogether.”

Purcell finds a new purpose in helping others with SCIs

After long months of depression and self-doubt, Purcell’s mother determined it was time for her son to find purpose beyond rehabilitation.

“My mom suggested I start Walking With Anthony to show people with spinal cord injuries that they were not alone,” Purcell remarks. “When I began to focus on other people besides myself, I realized that people all around the world with spinal cord injuries were suffering because of restrictions on coverage and healthcare access. The question that plagued me most was, ‘What about the people with spinal cord injuries who cannot afford the cost of rehabilitation?’ I had no idea how they were managing.”

Purcell and his mother knew they wanted to make a difference for other people with SCIs, starting with the creation of grants to help cover essentials like assistive technology and emergency finances. To date, they have helped over 100 SCI patients get back on their feet after suffering a similar life-altering accident.

Purcell demonstrates the power and necessity of rehab for people with SCIs

After targeted rehab, Purcell’s physical and mental health improved drastically. Today, he is able to care for himself, drive his own car, and has even returned to work.

“Thanks to my family’s financial and emotional support, I am making amazing physical improvement,” Purcell comments. “I mustered the strength to rebuild my life and even found the nerve to message Karen, a high school classmate I’d always had a thing for. We reconnected, our friendship evolved into love, and we tied the knot in 2017.”

After all that, Purcell found the drive to push toward one further personal triumph. He married but did not believe a family was in his future. Regardless of his remarkable progress, physicians told him biological children were not an option.

Despite being paralyzed from the chest down, Purcell continued to look for hope. Finally, Dr. Jesse Mills of UCLA Health’s Male Reproductive Medicine department assured Purcell and his wife that the right medical care and in vitro fertilization could make their dream of becoming parents a reality.

“Payton joined our family in the spring of 2023,” Purcell reports. “For so long, I believed my spinal cord injury had taken everything I cared about, but now I am grateful every day. I work to help other people with spinal cord injuries find the same joy and hope. We provide them with access to specialists, funding to pay for innovative treatments, and the desire to move forward with a focus on the future.”