Entrepreneur skills are no longer a “nice to have.” They are essential to individuals realizing their potential, overcoming systemic challenges and leading a more fulfilling life. With an intense focus on our underserved communities, The Lonely Entrepreneur works tirelessly to empower entrepreneurs everywhere to unleash their potential and live more fulfilling lives.
Our Mission: To empower 1 million entrepreneurs worldwide with the knowledge, tools and support they need to turn their passion into success.
Our Vision: that every entrepreneur throughout the world with passion, grit and a good idea will have free access to the knowledge, tools and support they need to turn their passion into success.
As Professor Darrick Hamilton, founding director of the Institute for the Study of Race, Stratification, and Political Economy at The New School, said in a national town hall on equality in America:
As Professor Darrick Hamilton, founding director of the Institute for the Study of Race, Stratification, and Political Economy at The New School, said in a national town hall on equality in America:
We need to stop exploiting, extracting and managing economically vulnerable people, but rather give them the resources so they can be self-determining and achieve the goals they define for themselves and be empowered.
The Lonely Entrepreneur was born from founder Michael Dermer’s harrowing experience in the 2008 financial crisis. Michael watched the business he built for 10 years to over 500 employees – the first company in the US to reward for healthy behavior – nearly get destroyed in 10 days by the financial crisis of 2008. He not only survived but went on to sell his company and become an industry pioneer.
From that harrowing experience, Michael knew what most entrepreneurs feel:
Being an entrepreneur is not a job – it is an identity.
But after selling his healthcare company, Michael recognized a harsh reality – that there were many current and aspiring entrepreneurs who had passion, grit and great ideas but were not turning that passion into success.
His next journey became clear. If you could wake up and do anything, what better way to wake up every day than to spend your days helping people turn their passion into success and lead more fulfilling lives.
The Lonely Entrepreneur was born.
Now Michael and the TLE Foundation team are committed to helping entrepreneurs turn their passion into success.
