audio catalogs, and a dial-up internet connection in Gainesville, Florida.
From Hobby to Hustle: The Birth of The Car Stereo Connection
While I was attending the University of Florida and enrolled in ROTC, I launched my first real venture: The Car Stereo Connection. It started as a side hustle—an online business selling premium car stereo systems and accessories to fellow students, car enthusiasts, and early eBay shoppers. But in reality, it was much more than a college gig. It became my hands-on education in e-commerce, logistics, brand distribution, and digital marketing—all at a time when online retail was still in its infancy.
Reflections: A Promising Start
Running The Car Stereo Connection taught me how to negotiate with suppliers, manage shipping logistics, and navigate online marketplaces. I learned what it meant to earn customer trust through fast communication and reliable service. I even started noticing how unauthorized sellers and grey market dealers were undercutting legitimate businesses—something that would eventually become the cornerstone problem I tackled with Net Enforcers.
This venture gave me my first taste of building something from scratch. It was scrappy, bootstrapped, and driven by hustle—but it laid the foundation for everything I would do next. It’s where I learned that the internet wasn’t just a tool—it was a battlefield of ideas, and if you moved fast, solved real problems, and delivered value, you could win.
For more about my journey, patents, and ventures, connect with me on LinkedIn.
