From Janitor to Billion-Dollar Fuel Company CEO
My Wealthy Ways show guest this weekend is Stephen
Hightower, President and CEO of Hightowers Petroleum.
From humble
beginnings in Middletown, Ohio, to building a billion-dollar energy enterprise,
Hightower presents an inspiring and compiling story.
Raised in a family that ran a janitorial business, Hightower learned the
values of hard work, resilience, and entrepreneurship early on from his father.
Despite having only a sixth-grade education, his father, demonstrated sharp
business insights that shaped Hightower’s drive to succeed.
Hightower
transitioned from cleaning offices to leading the janitorial company as a young
adult, and eventually purchasing it. He eventually sold the janitorial company
and looked for opportunities with new industries. In 1981, he leveraged Ohio’s
minority-owned business set-aside program to secure his first fuel contract. a
move that would redefine his career.
With strategic networking, a keen understanding of financial management,
Stephen built Hightowers Petroleum into a global player in the fuel industry.
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Here are 5 key takeaways from my interview
with Stephen Hightower we can use right now:
- Opportunities Favor the
Prepared
Hightower’s success came from positioning himself in the
right circles, attending industry events, and staying ready for the next big
break.
- Focus On The Money
He
shifted from multiple businesses to a high-demand, essential service business
(fuel) which helped him grow his wealth.
- Financial Literacy
Matters
Learning and studying key financial metrics, credit
strategies, and growth investments was critical to expanding his
business.
- Resilience Defines
Success
Failure isn’t the end—it’s a steppingstone to innovation and
breakthrough moments.
- Integrity and Reputation Build
Longevity
In a competitive industry, trust and ethical
decision-making create lasting partnerships and sustainable
success.
- Do what you say you will
do
Realize it takes a lifetime to build your brand of
excellence...and ten seconds to tear it down.
- Watch who you hang with because that
will impact your business
If you want an “A Business,” you must
surround yourself with “A People,” not “C People.”
- Learn from each failure
When you fail see, it as a learning experience and a way to improve
your performance.
- Look at chance as an
asset
Keep looking for the changes in your industry. Don’t be the
last horse and buggy when cars are rolling by.
- Keep stepping up!
Defy the
odds by continuing to grow yourself and your offerings, and keep stepping
up!
Stephen Hightower’s journey proves that with the right mindset, no dream is
too big to achieve!
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