Jonathan Soares
"Entrepreneur: Someone who can jump off a cliff and build a plane on the way down."
Thanks for taking the time to learn a bit more about me and my journey. When I was building this page, I chose a very specific background photo entitled, "Leap of Faith" which I believe is second nature to every entrepreneur. Both this photo and my quote below have given me inspiration throughout a journey that has taken me through countless ups and downs and taught me priceless lessons on business, ethics, humbleness, faith and hard work.
My most notable venture was Q Products, Inc., a company I started as an undergrad project in 2005 when I developed a line of All-Natural/Gluten-Free condiments. "Jonathan's Q" BBQ Sauces, Marinades and Vinaigrette's was born and quickly took on a national presence. My brand was sold in more than 7,500 stores including every major US grocery chain from coast to coast. I built and bootstrapped the business with $10,000 in capital against every obstacle imaginable and initially found great success. I was chosen as one of Fairfield County's Top 40 Under 40, featured in numerous national publications and news outlets, including: Entrepreneur Magazine, Fox Business News, ABC News and many other local and regional media outlets. I spoke on topics ranging from entrepreneurship to marketing, operations, sales and social media. All a great honor and an unforgettable experience. In 2010, after 2 years of restructuring and weathering the recession my day-to-day operations were impaired to the point where we were forced to cease production. It was a roller coaster ride but an unforgettable learning experience.
Every day, I utilize the lessons I've learned to make my current and future ventures that much more successful. Likewise, I am passionate about my work as a member of the Board of the WCSU Ancell School of Business as I continue to believe that entrepreneurship needs a strong place and relevant track in the American educational system.
Based in New York, my interests include Web, Mobile, Digital Media, eCommerce and Consumer related technologies. I'm working on building out my next idea called ShopCloud and will be sharing updates soon.
The ride has only just begun. Feel free to reach out and remember: Its not about who tells you that you cannot; it's about every time you prove to yourself that you can.