C. Wesley Daniel: Interview with a Young Entrepreneur

When you think of mogul, what comes to mind? Personalities like Russell Simmons, Jay-Z, Steve Jobs, or even Ted Turner. Right? Certainly, they have made a name for themselves through years of hardwork, but how many of you can say you were there at the start of their success? How many of you have the opportunity to watch a mogul in the making?

C. Wesley Daniel is an enthusiastic high school graduate. A mogul in the making...if you will. Learning the ropes of the entrepreneurial world from his family, C. Wesley has turned what he's learned through-out his young life and turned it into success. At the age of 16, he created his first business. By 18, he turned his business into a successful communication corporation, continually growing at an exponential rate. Join me as I interview my affiliate and mogul in the making, C. Wesley Daniel.

UEblog: Who is C. Wesley?
CWD:I am an Atlanta born and raised entrepreneur. I was taught at a young age that I could do anything I could put my mind to. By the age of 16, I had worked 4 jobs, participated in over 15 organizations and started by first company where I create presentations for other students. In 2010, I took that company and turned it into my first corporation CeeJay Consulting Group Inc. and its first division CeeJay Public Relations, a Communications and Public Relations Agency.


UEblog: What is success to you?
CWD:Success to me is not measured by your monetary wealth but how you overcame the obstacles placed in front of you. For my entire life I have dealt with a great deal of obstacles, but I have chosen to think of the obstacles as experiences. These experiences have been good and others not so much but they have helped shape my life and are continuing to. So I consider myself successful because I did not and will not allow for any obstacles to define who I am as a person.

UEblog: Do you think young entrepreneurs are encouraged to "go forth and conquer"?
CWD:Entrepreneurs of a certain age are encouraged to go forth and conquer, and when I say a certain age I am talking about people that have ran successful companies and are ready to start something new. Picture the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. This is the type of person society sees as being able to go forth and conquer.

UEblog: Who have been your influencers in life?
CWD:My family has been the greatest asset to my life. My family has provided me the opportunities to allow for me to go and create my own opportunities. Mostly everyone in my immediate family has the entrepreneur drive and spirit. Sometimes the road was rough but it all works out in the end. I am continuously learning from my family because they are always presenting me with experiences that will continue to help me grow into a better person.

UEblog: What would you tell school aged children about dreams and achieving them?
CWD:My family has been the greatest asset to my life. My family has provided me the opportunities to allow for me to go and create my own opportunities. Mostly everyone in my immediate family has the entrepreneur drive and spirit. Sometimes the road was rough but it all works out in the end. I am continuously learning from my family because they are always presenting me with experiences that will continue to help me grow into a better person.

UEblog: Would you say entrepreneurs are born or created?
CWD: I say entrepreneurs can be created but the drive and determination to be an entrepreneur can’t. When I say that I mean that you can tell people all day about the joys of being an entrepreneur, you can help them start a company, you can even work with them to grow their company, but you can’t put the motivation in them to really do it for themselves. People say all the time that they wish they can work for themselves, and I would say well do and they would say, I can’t afford to do that or I don’t have enough training to do, or a million more excuses. Anyone can start a company and anyone can be an entrepreneur, but if you choose to do it or not is all up to you.

UEblog: Where do you see yourself in one year? Five years? Ten years?
CWD: In one year my team will be travelling around the global signing new clients. I will be taking my family’s new business to the next level. I will also be travelling around the globe for the iAm Success Network. In 5 years, my company should be celebrating our new clients on our new campus. We would have expanded our cliental outreach. I should have started my television network, and a long list of other things. In ten years, I will be changing the world and loving life.

UEblog: What quote do you live by every day?
CWD: "What ever you dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power & magic in it begin it now."
  -Goethe

UEblog: What advice would you give to someone your age who didn't know if they wanted to go to college or pursue their personal endeavors?
CWD: I would tell them to imagine a hobby or a passion that makes them the happiest. Take that joy and happinest and turn it into your life. Take the thing that gives them joy and do  it for the rest of their life. Love what ever you do because if you love it, it will love you back with financial security. Once upon a time, I didn't know what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a lawyer, then a judge, then own a hospitial, then president of my own college. The one thing that stayed consisted with all of these aspirations is that I wanted to work with people and help them get to a better place in their life. It just turns out that me helping people was in PR and Communications.

UEblog: Do you think there needs to be a curriculum in schools that encourage kids to pursue their talents, skills, dreams?
CWD: YES!!!!! I will help write the curriculum and get partners. I believe that education is not just for academia, but it is to education students to believe in themseleves, and skills, and dreams. Schools, more direct my former school did not encourage students to believe in themselves. We need to do this as a society so that we can ensure the next generation of leaders.

C. Wesley on CNN's feature about the value of college

UEblog: Where can people get to know you?
CWD: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn |
 about.me/cwesley | www.myceejay.com

The Unemployed Entrepreneur