5 Top Entrepreneurs To Watch Right Now
These enterprising leaders are creating weighted stuffed animals for autistic children, helping readers reach elevated consciousness, and guiding small business owners to success through scaling.
Presented by APG
What does it take to be a successful entrepreneur? Fresh ideas? Adaptability? Determination? A talent for networking? In today’s competitive landscape, it takes each of those things and then some. And even then, it can feel like your goals remain just out of reach. The five entrepreneurs on this list are proof that success is possible—but it takes unwavering focus, creativity, clear planning, and an unending ability to learn from victories and defeats alike. Their ventures might help you find new hope for the future, too. They’re creating weighted stuffed animals for autistic children, helping readers reach elevated consciousness, and guiding small business owners to success through scaling.
The business world is changing faster than ever, and that kind of speedy evolution can lead to instability. These entrepreneurs also illustrate the power of diversification in a volatile business climate. While some prefer to focus on a single company, many balance multiple business ventures across several fields. That approach might not be right for every businessperson, but for many of these entrepreneurs, it’s given them the foundational experience needed to grow.
Today’s business landscape can feel discouraging and inhospitable, and no one understands that better than entrepreneurs who have had to work their way up from the bottom to get to where they are today. If you’re running a little low on entrepreneurial inspiration or just want to read something that makes you feel a bit better about the state of the world, take a look at these five success stories.
Elisabeth Carson
Elisabeth Carson is the Chief Operating Officer and co-owner of 4biddenknowledge Inc., a multi-faceted media company that encompasses a streaming television network, a book publishing division, a music production label, a clothing line and a vast array of products, and a podcast network. Under her leadership, 4biddenknowledge Inc. has published nine titles, six of which are bestsellers. The company also organizes international tours and events, including the annual 4bidden Conscious Awards in Miami, which honors influential figures in the field of consciousness.
Carson’s professional journey began in the modeling/acting industry, where she worked for many years. She later transitioned to culinary arts, achieving recognition as an esteemed pastry chef. She then obtained a real estate license and built a successful team of over 30 agents. Carson also served as president of a mental health company, where she integrated entertainment elements into its operations to increase popularity in the mental health field.
In addition to her role at 4biddenknowledge Inc., Carson is an accomplished author. Her first book, The Recipe to Elevated Consciousness, became a bestseller. She also penned The Mother Earth Effect, along with Olivia Smith, which explores the benefits of earthing/grounding—part II is set to come out next month. Currently, she is working on her fourth book, which focuses on adoption and the effect it has in the adoptee’s life.
With her husband, Carson also co-hosts the popular Bio-Hack Your Best Life podcast, which delves into biohacking, health, trauma work, spirituality, relationships, and much more. She is preparing to launch her own television show, 101 Ways to Enlightenment, on the 4biddenknowledge TV platform. Her clothing line, also named Esoteric – Bio-Hack Your Best Life, complements her diverse interests in health and wellness.
Her educational background includes a certificate in baking and pastry from Schoolcraft College, a certificate in cellular biology focusing on mitochondria from Harvard. She is currently pursuing a brain health certification through Amen University and a neuroscience certification from Harvard. Carson manages the diverse operations of 4biddenknowledge Inc. alongside her husband and continues to contribute to the company’s growth and success.
Diamond Sheik
Entrepreneur Diamond Sheik is not only following in his successful father’s footsteps, he’s going the extra mile beyond. When he took over his father’s jewelry store at age 24 in 2011, Sheik realized that the future did not lie solely in brick-and-mortar stores but in a social media-facing business. With that innovation, he’s reaching new generations of clients.
Unconventional partnerships are also attracting intriguing and loyal fan bases to his business. Sheik is talking with international soccer stars about publicity, and he has already incorporated professional wrestlers and Nightmare Factory, his wrestling school, into his jewelry business. Luxe Jeweler, a respected name in both local and international markets, emphasizes craftsmanship and customer relationships. Under Sheik’s leadership, this jewelry company expanded from its previous manufacturing and wholesaling side to the unique and custom-design jewelry business it is today.
What sets Sheik’s business apart from others, besides its emphasis on social media, is how he keeps track of his clients’ preferences. “Whenever I’m working on something new, I already know which client will like it. And they’ll get first dibs because I know it’s something that they would love and wear.”
Sheik’s advice to beginning entrepreneurs is to watch for the possibility of picking up a win out of failure. “Be open to opportunities. You never know. Sometimes, it might seem like you’re not going to win in a situation. But those opportunities may build relationships that help you win down the road. Keep an open mind and open heart.”
Armando Colimodio
Engineers are often depicted as lacking imagination, seen as only interested in the tools of their fields. Armando Colimodio, however, laughs at that stereotype. A mechanical engineer and native Venezuelan, Colimodio overflows with intriguing and sometimes whimsical ideas. Colimodio came to the United States for higher education, earning his degree from SUNY Buffalo State University in 2005. After a decade working in manufacturing, he returned to academia, earning a master’s in business administration from Wake Forest University in 2013.
Armando became a successful entrepreneur when he founded Colsen Firepits, entering the market at the early stage of the backyard firepit boom. Colimodio ran Colsen from his mother’s garage before selling it for a substantial profit in 2023.
Colimodio is now cultivating three new companies: Black Forest Supplements, Apapachos Store, and Enjoint LLC. Black Forest Supplements provides a natural extract product for men to reclaim their masculine potential. In its first year, the company’s revenue was $500,000, expanding to $5 million in the second year. Now in its third year, the company is on track to double that, and Armando is fielding offers to buy him out.
In Apapachos, Armando creates and sells cute, weighted stuffed animals designed for neurodivergent children—and possibly adults, too. “Apapachos” translates as “cuddles,” but as the description for the plushies says, “In a broad sense, ‘apapachos’ refers to acts of love, affection, or comfort.”
His newest business, Enjoint LLC, is still primarily on the drawing board. Colimodio has applied for patents and will seek funding for manufacturing. These fun and quirky products will likely launch in Q2 2025.
Jason Appleton
Game designer and cryptocurrency expert Jason Appleton faced many failures early in his life. Now, he creates games and platforms that utilize cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence technology. Known as Crypto Crow on his YouTube channel, he educates the public about blockchain technology. Appleton doesn’t consider his early entrepreneurial ventures or employee jobs as wasted time.
“The best advice I can give someone starting out is failure is not an option; it’s a necessity. Everything we attempt in life will only teach us steps to take in our next adventure, so we can get further until we finally make it.”
Once, between jobs, Jason read a manual to learn HTML code over a weekend, then built a successful website-creation company, which he easily sold. He was 21 years old.
“The most important mindset in business is ‘I’m doing this, now I’ll learn how.’ In other words, anything I’ve ever done, I’ve learned as I went along. My only hard rule was to never sell my soul, take dishonest turns, or cut corners.”
Appleton hopes to retire in six years to launch a foundation for charity work. “I need more in my life than just making money and taking care of friends. Sitting on the other side of a camera with an audience benefitting from it is great, but I want to live out my days with a more direct hand in changing people’s lives as the final cap on my legacy.”
Jason Appleton’s latest venture is a crypto-related digital trading card game called Wargrum that utilizes NFTs for ownership.
Jason Wojo
Jason Wojo, at just 27 years old, has established himself as a significant figure in the advertising industry with a net worth of $4 million. His firm specializes in scaling businesses through strategic ad management, funnel creation, and performance tracking.
Jason’s company has successfully scaled over 1,320 businesses to six figures and 58 businesses to seven or eight figures. His firm’s success is built on four key pillars: developing irresistible offers, crafting high-converting sales and landing pages, creating omnipresent ad campaigns, and tracking key performance indicators to drive profitable behaviors.
With over $148 million generated online through paid ads, Jason’s firm demonstrates a proven ability to deliver measurable results. The firm has managed $34 million in ad spend, generating $148 million in revenue with a lifetime return on ad spend (ROAS) of 4X—which means clients typically see a return of four dollars for every dollar spent on ads.
Jason’s firm is distinguished by its client-focused approach, which involves identifying and addressing pain points to enhance service delivery. The emphasis on team culture, underpinned by the core value of “Team First,” has enabled the firm to effectively service over 300 clients with a dedicated team of 56. With $18 million in cash collected and a client retention rate exceeding 80 percent, Jason Wojo’s firm continues to set new standards in the advertising industry.
