Kangaroo was at a business lecture as one of the presenters. He didn’t have to give any speeches but when a group of young entrepreneurs came up to him after the day ended they had some questions for him to answer. The biggest one being what the biggest hurdle was when he was trying to start his business. For a few moments he thought back on the beginning of his business and all the muck he had to plow through to get to the state he was at today with his business. Finally he decided on the most prominent one – getting noticed. “It was hard to get noticed in a sea of startups,” he said with a nod, “They all want one thing – a good product at a fair price. Anyone can do that if they want to. But it takes doing that and more to get noticed. You claw and fight and climb you way to the top through unique design, innovation and doing what the other people can’t or won’t.”
Lesson: This lesson is inspired by the Rescue a CEO Post “What Was Your Biggest Hurdle When Starting Your Business?“
Gresham W. Harkless Jr.https://iamgresh.comGresham W. Harkless Jr.
Franchise Broker & Entrepreneur | Founder, Blue Star Franchise
Helping founders and aspiring owners find franchise opportunities that match their purpose, finances, and lifestyle. Host of the I AM CEO Podcast with more than 1,600 interviews.
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About Gresham W. Harkless Jr.
Gresham W. Harkless Jr. is a seasoned entrepreneur and franchise broker based in the Washington, D.C. metro area. As founder of Blue Star Franchise, he helps aspiring and established business owners discover franchise opportunities aligned with their goals, skills, and long-term vision.
With over 15 years of experience in entrepreneurship, digital marketing, and business development, Gresham brings a consultative, client-first approach to franchise matching. Through his media company, Blue 16 Media, and the I AM CEO Podcast, which has featured more than 1,600 interviews, he has worked with hundreds of CEOs, founders, and small business owners to accelerate growth and build scalable business models.
His mission is simple: to help people “run their race” by finding franchise opportunities that align with their purpose, skills, and lifestyle.
Credentials & Affiliations
Certified Franchise Broker - Franchise Broker Association (FBA)
Founder - Blue Star Franchise
Founder - Blue 16 Media
Host - I AM CEO Podcast (1,600+ episodes)
Featured in 50+ Black Marketers on the Rise & Influencer & Media Innovators (2022)
B.S., Business Administration - Howard University
How Gresham Helps
Franchise discovery & matching consultations
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Speaking engagements & media interviews
Business growth advisory through Blue 16 Media
I AM CEO Podcast
With more than 1,600 episodes, the I AM CEO Podcast features conversations with founders, franchise owners, authors, and business leaders.
Gresham shares real, actionable insights to help entrepreneurs grow, scale, and lead.
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Contact & Bookings
Email: gresham@bluestarfranchise.com
For franchise inquiries, speaking engagements, or media interviews, send an email or use the consultation link.
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