Adam J. Williams

I was destined to be an entrepreneur. My parents made me completely unemployable.

Mom and Dad were business owners who faced the typical barrage of struggles—late nights, cash shortages, no boundaries between work and home. They wanted to see me take a 9 to 5 job with a big corporation for steady, consistent paychecks, health insurance, and a 401K.

But when you’re raised by parents who believe they create their own destiny… and you watch them time and again either find a way or make one—it shapes you. After you grow up, you find that no one wants to hire someone with that mindset. And you have no choice but to carve your own path.

So that’s what I’ve been doing for the last 15 years. Building businesses. Some successes (like a law firm, a tax strategy business, and a thriving grilled cheese truck). Many not (like the tens of thousands of boardgames collecting dust in a Pennsylvania warehouse).

I regularly share all the lessons I’ve learned, from the stage and in the conference room, to help other small business owners and entrepreneurs catapult their growth. I talk about things like recruiting and tax strategies, how to embrace failure as a vital part of the entrepreneurial journey, and ways to avoid the hustle-and-grind lifestyle. All topped with a generous helping of dad jokes.