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, we work 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.
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 spend your days helping people turn their passion into success and lead more fulfilling lives. The Lonely Entrepreneur was born.
Now the TLE Foundation team is committed to helping entrepreneurs turn their passion into success.
As an established 501(c)3, The Lonely Entrepreneur created the TLE Foundation to further distribute free access of our business solutions to entrepreneurs. In 2020, in the wake of the George Floyd tragedy, TLE launched its Black Entrepreneur Initiative (BEI) with the goal to empower 100,000 current and aspiring Black entrepreneurs with free access to the knowledge, tools and support they need to start or grow a business. The program has already helped 19,000 Black entrepreneurs.
Seeing the impacts made with the BEI program, we quickly expanded our vision and created the Hispanic Entrepreneur Initiative (HEI) empowering hispanic entrepreneurs with the support they need to succeed.
There is no shortage of aspiring and struggling entrepreneurs who can use our help. Today, the TLE Foundation partners with dozens of community organizations to reach and support diverse communities of entrepreneurs.
