As we step into this new year, the landscape of entrepreneurship reflects the rapid evolution and transformation experienced in the previous year. 2024 promises to be an exciting chapter, full of success, challenges, and, of course, extraordinary individuals who defy conventions and redefine the entrepreneurial narrative.
These individuals aren’t merely successful; they are making a substantial impact on today’s society. They extend a helping hand to others and revolutionize the world through their approach to business and societal influence. They don’t follow rules; they create them.
Below, Miami News Network presents the list of the Top 30 Entrepreneurs whom, without a doubt, you must follow in 2024. Read on, get inspired and get ready to chart your own path to success!
Christoffer Groves
Instagram: @ceogrovescapital
Christoffer Groves is a successful serial entrepreneur, who is leading the way in the lending industry. He is also a motivational speaker, his tour is called The 110% Movement helping others achieve their goals through a successful road map and a positive mindset. Always having a passion for entrepreneurship, even starting businesses from the young age of 16, it’s no surprise that Chris started his own business and a successful one. After working as a real estate agent, appraiser, and broker he learned the ins and outs of the industry. There were aspects he didn’t like, but he took the liberty upon himself to make a solution. This is when he and his wife started Groves Capital Inc., a family owned mortgage company, with the lowest rates in the industry. His greatest accomplishments have been growing from 2 people to 575 over 5 billion in loan production in less than 3 years on his own, creating a family feel where everyone works together to help others become successful, and much more. This year Chris plans to provide the best platform he can for each of his partners to help them grow and thrive, all while keeping his company standards to 5 stars.
In 2023 he added commercial lending to all 50 states’ platforms partnering with private billion dollar funds and launched a new solar division in 27 states in the changing markets he has pivoted to capture the market’s attention. Chris has changed the lending model through software Innovation and system developments that are new age at every level.
Grant Cardone
Instagram: @grantcardone
Grant Cardone is the bestselling author of The 10X Rule and has been buying real estate for over 30 years. Over those three decades, he has bought over two billion dollars worth of real estate in eight states. Grant currently manages 7,068 units with his private equity firm Cardone Capital. He is such a good real estate investor because of his extreme discipline, specific formulas, and good instinct to know when to exit the property. Throughout his career, Grant has been giving small investors a chance to start small and go big.
Paul Alex
Instagram: @PaulAlex
Paul is a successful entrepreneur who transitioned from an award-winning Detective to a revered digital marketing entrepreneur. His expertise in passive income and digital marketing led to the establishment of ATMTogether.com, a go-to platform for achieving financial independence through ATM ventures. Paul’s commitment to empowering others is evident through assisting 3000+ entrepreneurs on their ATM journey, generating $25+ Million in revenue since January 2021. His recent success includes hitting $1,000,000 in just 5 weeks with his venture, MerchantAutomation.com, aiding entrepreneurs in starting Merchant Services businesses in the U.S.
Paul’s accomplishments include helping 3000+ entrepreneurs, founding and growing three digital businesses to $25+ Million, generating $7,000,000 as a professional speaker, and donating over $100,000 to children’s charities. With a 7-year career as an award-winning Detective, Paul is the first millionaire in his family. He stands as an inspiration, showcasing that with the right guidance and mindset, success is more than attainable.
John Barbosa
Instagram: @soyjohnbarbosa
John Barbosa, known as “The Billion Dollar Mentor,” is the driving force behind a thriving business that has been dedicated to providing personal, professional, and financial growth training for the past 7 years. His passion lies in equipping his students with the tools necessary to unlock their full potential.
With a background in Business Administration, John has also earned master’s degrees in Coaching and Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Neuro Influence, and Clinical Hypnosis. He has honed his expertise by learning from some of the most influential figures in the field of human development and personal growth.
Over the years, John has guided over 100,000 individuals across more than 10 countries, including Spain, Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Panama, Bolivia, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, and Dubai. Today, his most sought-after seminar is “The Million Dollar Happiness,” a transformative experience that combines financial methodologies with leadership tools to empower individuals to dominate their markets and excel in their respective fields.
Joseph Nantumah
Instagram: @theblackmentor_
Dr. Joseph Nantomah, a renowned real estate investor and wealth coach, stands as a testament to resilience and success. Arriving in the U.S. in 2016 with only $4,700, he kick started his business in 2018 with a mere $999, building it into an eight-figure real estate portfolio through strategic connections.
His impact extends beyond financial success; Joseph’s teachings, shared online and through masterminds and bootcamps, have positively influenced millions. The Wealth Flow conference he organized in Las Vegas featured none other than Oprah in September 2023, exemplifying his reach and influence.
Joseph’s philanthropy knows no bounds. His organization sponsored 1,000 African women to attend the Self-Made Woman conference, empowering them as entrepreneurs. Additionally, he provided seed funding for aspiring business owners and fed over twenty-five thousand people in Nigeria, Ghana, and Uganda.
As a real estate investor, life coach, conference host, public speaker, and serial entrepreneur, Dr. Joseph Nantomah continues to inspire through his business endeavors and impactful philanthropy, making a lasting difference in both America and Africa.
Justine Sinclair
Instagram: @justinesinclair_
Justine, an accomplished female entrepreneur, was born in Sweden, raised in South KoreShe has always known the values of perseverance and hard work.
Up to date, she’s a successful entrepreneur who specializes in business consulting, marketing, personal branding, and social media. She’s expanding her ventures in South Korea, Japan, and Dubai. Acknowledging the challenges posed by cultural nuances, mindset, language, laws, regulations, politics, and networks in these regions, she actively engages in understanding and navigating them.
Justine also manages a marketing agency catering to personal brands and startup guidance. Ready to stand up and fight for dreamers like herself, she’s committed to providing real value and turning dreams into reality in her unfolding story of empowerment.a, and relocated to the United States to pursue her higher education, nurturing aspirations.
Matthew Footner
Instagram: @matthewfootner
Matthew Footner is a successful entrepreneur who discovered the key to a fulfilling life—working two hours daily for a six-figure monthly income. Leveraging his background as a Financial Advisor, he created FX AI Income Solution, offering transparency and high returns with just a $100,000 investment.
His second venture, Maximum Sales.eu, stems from insights gained as a top-performing salesman. This unique sales app combines deep hypnosis audios and motivational videos to train ambitious individuals for seven-figure success.
Operating a client services business, Matthew prioritizes understanding and meeting client needs. His innovative solutions empower individuals to lead passive income lifestyles or achieve ambitious income goals, making Matthew Footner a beacon of entrepreneurial inspiration.
Sheree Wright
Instagram:@shereedevona
Sheree Wright is the founder of IBF Law Group, a professional and passionate firm of immigration lawyers. She graduated from DePaul University in 2013 with a B.A. in Political Science. Practice areas in which Sheree excels include immigration, business strategies, family law, employment law, sports law, and entertainment law. Her previous experience includes working as an investigator at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in downtown Chicago. At that time she investigated cases involving employment discrimination on the basis of age, race, sex, gender, or disability in Fortune 500 companies.
Carlos Cerezo
Instagram: @carloshartofficial
Carlos Cerezo Arribas is a Topography Engineer turned finance and business enthusiast. He founded CCA Intelligence Partners, an AI Business Agency in 2020, and Morpheus, a digital bank and exchange startup in 2022. His mission is to propel individuals and businesses towards success through innovative AI solutions.
Despite a past setback in a Ponzi Scheme, Carlos’s determination led him to rebuild his career, achieving six-figure annual revenues with his companies. He is a prolific writer, featured in major publications. As a father of two, he balances a thriving career with personal pursuits, excelling in kayaking and free diving. His ultimate goal is to create generational wealth for his family while being a devoted parent.
Eileen Toledo
Instagram: @brillaaltoconeileen
Eileen Toledo, a highly successful holistic therapist, is renowned for her deep connection with angelic presences since childhood. In the face of life’s challenges—her mother’s dementia, her daughter’s departure for college, and marital fluctuations—Eileen chose a transformative path. Instead of succumbing to pain, she embarked on a journey of self-exploration, reigniting self-love, and focusing on her inner greatness.
With over a decade of dedicated self-discovery, Eileen channeled her insights into crafting a meditation aimed at elevating consciousness and reminding individuals of their unique and irreplaceable qualities. As a holistic therapist, her business is a reflection of her passion for guiding others towards realizing their full potential and finding profound meaning in life.
Eileen is also a published author with her first book, “A Warrior of Light,” and she is on the brink of releasing her second book in Spanish, titled “Ve y Brilla, Creador” (“Go and Shine, Creator”). This adds another dimension to her impactful journey as she continues to positively influence lives as a Life Transformer.
Ethan Malveaux
Instagram: @ethanmalveaux
Ethan Malveaux stands as a distinctive figure in the realms of education and literature, marked by resilience, unwavering dedication, and a profound commitment to reshaping the narrative of American education, coupled with a deep fascination for unraveling the intricacies of history.
From his early days in private parochial schools to the pivotal transition from Iona Grammar to Fordham Preparatory School, Ethan’s educational odyssey exposed him to diverse philosophies, with the Jesuits leaving an indelible mark on his academic perspective.
Through trials and triumphs, Ethan’s fervor for reforming the education system emerged as a guiding force. Although he pursued a degree in Political Science at Fordham University, financial constraints necessitated a hiatus. Inspired by his educational and literary experiences, Ethan ventured into authorship with “The Color Line: A History,” delving into the evolution of the European color line and racial discrimination. His unique ability to teach, anticipate cultural trends, and contribute to discussions on racial dynamics sets him apart.
As Ethan embarks on his journey, his primary undertaking involves achieving financial stability while completing his degree at Harvard. His story serves as a powerful testament to advocacy, resilience, and an unwavering dedication to delivering quality education across diverse historical topics.
Amanda Marino
Instagram: @amandamarinorecovery
Amanda Marino is a resilient force who has turned adversity into strength. Overcoming childhood trauma and abuse, she battled her own mental health and addiction struggles, reclaiming her power and ending self-harm. Amanda’s personal transformation fueled her mission to help others in personalized and creative ways, leading to the positive change of not only her life but also thousands of others.
As the founder of Next Level Recovery Assoc, Amanda runs a concierge mental health business addressing various addictions and behaviors hindering personal growth. Her approach extends to individuals, families, and high-level corporations, offering a comprehensive blend of medical, clinical, and coaching expertise. Motivated by her personal journey and recognizing gaps in behavioral health care, Amanda established her business to redefine concierge services. She prioritizes treating her team and clients with the utmost care and respect, embodying a white-glove approach that sets her services apart. Amanda’s commitment to transformation and redefining mental health care showcases her as a pioneering leader in the field.
Mario Garcia
Instagram: @themariogarcia
Mario Garcia, an immigrant from Colombia, embodies the essence of resilience and the pursuit of the American dream. From a young age, Mario dedicated himself to expanding his mind and reclaiming control of his time.
He has always been passionate about growth emotionally, spiritually, and financially. Now devoted to personal development and expansion, Mario is a solar manager, guiding the younger generation in sales skills. Additionally, he delves into real estate, employing strategic BRRR methods for short-term and long-term rentals, emphasizing cash flow. Mario has recently ventured into logistics, operating routes for Amazon and aspiring to expand this lucrative business.
Mario’s journey is a testament to self-discovery, pushing boundaries, and taking charge of one’s destiny, as he continues to redefine his life on his terms. This year, Mario anticipates each of his business ventures to achieve six-figure success, so stay tuned for updates on all his ventures!
Karina Ledesma
Instagram: @_karina_ledesma_
Karina Ledesma’s story is one of remarkable determination and triumph. Born and raised in Argentina, she emerged from humble beginnings with a burning desire for something more. At the age of 28, Karina embarked on a life-changing journey to America, armed with only $100, limited English proficiency, and an unwavering dream.
In just four years, Karina transformed her aspirations into reality, achieving financial independence against all odds. Her unique journey is a testament to resilience and the power of self-belief.
Karina is not only a successful entrepreneur but also a force in multiple domains. She runs a thriving network marketing business with Herbalife, serves as a life coach, and engages in real estate investments. Motivated by a desire to challenge herself, Karina’s ventures reflect her commitment to continuous personal and professional growth.
Karina Ledesma’s life serves as an inspiration, demonstrating that with determination, belief, and hard work, one can overcome any obstacle and turn dreams into reality.
Ali Payani
Instagram: @ali.payani
Ali Payani, Chairman, CEO, and Founder of Payani Group, is a serial entrepreneur who has redefined success in the business world. His journey began in 2016 as an immigrant to the United States, where he quickly made his mark. Ali founded an AI company specializing in air quality and, in 2017, launched LookinLA, a growth marketing agency that skyrocketed to 60th place in the Inc5000 rankings.
Ali’s unwavering dedication was evident in the early days of LookinLA, where he went door to door, igniting the spark of success. His background in computer science, systems security, and a Master’s in Management, combined with prior experience in AI and robotics, provided the foundation for his entrepreneurial vision.
Ali’s entrepreneurial spirit continued to thrive, leading to the creation of the Payani Group, a dynamic entity encompassing a private equity firm, advisory services, and the innovative growth marketing agency, Payani Media. Recognized as a member of the Forbes Business Council, FastCompany Executive Board, and the Young Entrepreneur Council, Ali Payani’s story is a testament to his relentless pursuit of excellence and innovation in the business world.
Zoltan Sipos
Instagram: @Siposz.98
Zoltan Sipos’s journey began in a challenging environment in Hungary’s infamous ghetto. Raised in a small apartment with seven family members, Zoltan faced poverty and relentless bullying due to his thin physique. Amidst internal conflicts and a lack of parental support, Zoltan sought solace in computer games.
Determined to break free from his circumstances, Zoltan focused on self-improvement. Working at Tesco at 16 marked a turning point, instilling newfound confidence and addressing physical and financial challenges. Reading self-help books and entering the world of entrepreneurship became Zoltan’s path to freedom.
Zoltan discovered the potential of social media, leveraging Instagram to create a motivational page. Selling an e-book and co-authoring a bestselling book in Hungary demonstrated the possibilities of online income. At 20,000 followers, Zoltan emerged as a business mentor, offering valuable guidance to personal trainers, fitness coaches, and individuals with service-based businesses, to scale their ventures, achieving great success.
Currently situated in Dubai, he stands as a distinguished mentor. Zoltan shares his expertise to uplift others, proving that with determination, anyone can overcome adversity and achieve success.
Brian Chesky
Instagram: @bchesky
Chesky is an American entrepreneur who started Airbnb—an online service for booking accommodations for travelers—along with his partners. He also serves as the CEO of Airbnb, and was listed in Time magazine’s ‘100 Most Influential People of 2015’. Chesky began his journey as an entrepreneur during his college days when he used to run a hockey team. When his hockey team was canceled at the last moment, he and his teammates began rebranding their team. They transformed the team and brought a new mascot as the team’s logo which helped to revitalize it. On a similar note, he got the idea for Airbnb in 2007 when he faced some financial difficulties. Chesky and his roommates needed cash so they decided to rent their apartment. Ultimately, this led to the birth of Airbnb which grew gradually and gave better opportunities to travelers looking for a place to stay. There are many reasons for his success and one of the most important reasons is the fact that he gave more importance to his customers and the services they needed rather than the ideas of the developers.
Warren Buffett
Instagram: @officialwarenbuffets
Warren Buffett is one of the richest men in the world, and known as an incredible investor and businessman.Buffett started out in the business world at a very young age, and was in fact only 11 years old when he bought his first stock. He’s come a long way since then and has achieved a lot within his lifetime. Although, this book, arguably one of the best entrepreneur biographies, goes into more detail than just his achievements in the exciting world of business, but more about the man himself. His opinions, his work, struggles, achievements and wisdom are all revealed in ‘The Snowball’.
Barbara Corcoran
Instagram: @barbaracorcoran
Barbara Corcoran, Founder of The Corcoran Group & Shark and Executive Producer on ABC’s “Shark Tank”Barbara Corcoran’s credits include straight D’s in high school and college and 20 jobs by the time she turned 23. It was her next job that would make her one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the country: She borrowed $1,000 and quit her job as a waitress to start a tiny real estate company in New York City. The Corcoran Group, the largest and best-known brand in the brokerage business, building the largest and best-known brand in the business.
Nick Molnar
Nick Molnar is the co-founder of Afterpay. As a young serial-entrepreneur, Nick’s vision for Afterpay was to create a global payment solution that would allow consumers to pay for things they want and need over time, using their own money. As a millennial himself, he recognized that his generation has an aversion to credit cards and compounding debt.Nick launched Afterpay with his co-founder, Anthony Eisen, in Australia in October 2014 and listed the company on the Australian Securities Exchange in 2016. The company expanded into the U.S. in May 2018 and soon after, expanded into Canada, France, Italy, Spain and the UK. As of June 2021, Afterpay had more than 20 million customer accounts in the United States alone and was offered by more than 100,000 merchants globally.
Chris Bell
Chris Bell is leading one of the fastest-growing unicorns in one of the hottest areas of e-commerce right now: rolling up all the burgeoning online retailers that sell on Amazon, Mercado Libre, and other marketplaces and giving them the firepower to get much bigger. Bell’s Boston-based Perch, which is only 22 months old, has quickly grown its portfolio to include more than 75 brands—from athleisure to teeth whiteners—and recently landed $775 million in funding led by SoftBank to help finance its next phase of development. Bell, a veteran of Bain & Co. and online furniture company Wayfair, says that Perch’s business model is predicated on offering these up-by-your-bootstraps brands the technology and global operations expertise that will vastly improve marketing, manufacturing, and order fulfillment.
Rohan Seth
Rohan Seth is a Stanford graduate who helped create Google’s user location platform before founding early tech start-up Memry Labs. After Memry Labs was acquired by Opendoor, Rohan stayed on and led product growth from April 2017 to December 2019. Rohan is also the Co-Founder of Lydian Accelerator, a passionate project he co-founded with his wife after their newborn daughter Lydia Niru Seth was born in December 2018 with a genetic mutation that can cause severe lifelong disabilities. In order to save Lydia and millions of others who suffer from such a disease, the proud parents of Lydia have decided to open-source their baby – seeking donations as the treatment is most effective in the early stages and the research is expensive.
Sara Blakely
Instagram: @sarablakely
Sara Blakely is an American inventor and entrepreneur who created Spanx, a brand of body-slimming women’s undergarments, and in 2012 became the world’s youngest female self-made billionaire.he ultimately found a hosiery factory willing to produce her footless hose, wrote her own patent application, and chose a playfully endearing product name, “Spanx,” and logo, a young blonde woman modeled on herself. Rather than invest in advertising, Blakely traveled across the United States, meeting and modeling for the boards of stores such as Neiman Marcus.
Robert Pera
Instagram: @_rjp_
Pera is the founder of Ubiquiti Networks, Inc. a global communications technology company that Pera took public in 2011. In October 2012, Pera also became the owner of the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association. He founded Ubiquiti Networks in March 2005 using $30,000 of personal savings and credit card debt. Ubiquiti’s early products utilized existing Wi-Fi technology to wirelessly deliver the Internet to underserved areas (e.g., rural areas and emerging markets) lacking the infrastructure to access the Internet through traditional avenues such as phone lines and cable lines. The company has since successfully branched out into other product lines such as wireless access points, security cameras and traditional networking equipment.
Keller Rinaudo
Keller Rinaudo is CEO and co-founder of Zipline, the world’s first drone delivery service whose focus is delivering life saving medicine even to the most difficult to reach places on earth. Prior to Zipline, he was a software engineer and a professional rock climber. A graduate of Harvard University, he built computers out of RNA and DNA that can operate in human cells as molecular doctors. Mr. Rinaudo published this research in Nature Biotechnology, becoming one of the youngest first authors in the publication’s history.
Jack Dorsey
Jack Dorsey is the founder of the popular social media network Twitter which was launched in 2006, with a net worth of over $5 billion dollars. He’s also the founder and CEO of Square which is a financial payments company that’s used by millions of people to start, run, and grow their businesses.
Steve Ballmer
Instagram: @steveballmer_us
Steven Anthony Ballmer is an American billionaire, entrepreneur, and investor who worked as the CEO of Microsoft from 2000 to 2014. Steve Ballmer is one of the most famous entrepreneurs today. He graduated from Harvard University in 1977 and is currently the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He’s also one of the richest people in the world, having a net worth of over $91 billion dollars.
Larry Ellison
Larry Ellison is one of the most famous entrepreneurs today who is the co-founder of Oracle Corporation. He had a clear vision and that’s the reason Oracle is still one of the leading software companies that were actually started way back in 1977. Today the company does 40+ billion dollars in annual sales and has a market cap of over 164 billion dollars.
Richard Branson
Instagram: @richardbranson
Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson (popularly known as Richard Branson) is best known as the founder of Virgin Group which comprises more than 400 companies worldwide. He is also the first and only person to cross the Atlantic in the largest hot air balloon. He, later on, broke his own record by crossing the Pacific in a Virgin hot air balloon. Richard Branson enjoys his work and he parties hard. Believe it or not, he owns 2 private islands. He rents out one of them, and the other island, which is known as nectar island, is where he parties along with celebrities including Mariah Carey, Kate Winslet, Oprah, David Beckham, and so on. He’s known for taking risks and he really enjoys what he does.
Indra Nooyi
Indra Nooyi is an accomplished business executive and former CEO of PepsiCo, a global food and beverage company. Nooyi, hailing from India, made history as one of the first women of color to lead a Fortune 500 company. During her tenure at PepsiCo, she implemented strategic initiatives that expanded the company’s product portfolio to include healthier options, reflecting a growing consumer demand for nutritious choices. Nooyi’s leadership skills and commitment to corporate responsibility earned her numerous accolades, including being named to Forbes’ list of the world’s 100 most powerful women multiple times. Her contributions to business and advocacy for diversity and inclusion have left an enduring impact on the corporate landscape.
