There are an estimated 31 – 34 million entrepreneurs and small businesses in the United States, and we’ve interviewed more than a few over the years here on Out to Lunch.
If you’ve been listening or are an entrepreneur or small business owner yourself, then you know there are numerous routes to entrepreneurship. Many entrepreneurs purchase an existing operation, take over a family business, or buy into a franchise that provides an established customer base and proven operational framework.
Neither of my lunch guests today followed those routes: Cameron Motsenbock and Russell Jones started their respective businesses from scratch.
Cameron Motsenbock, owner of Hands Over Hearts, describes her move into entrepreneurship as a 2 a.m. business decision. After years of attending nursing school and working as a medical assistant, Cameron literally woke up in the middle of the night and decided she wanted to become a businesswoman.
Cameron Motsenbocker from Hands Over Hearts with CPR Taylor (L) her instructional mannequin who has breasts because, according to Cameron, women are more likely to die from cardiac arrest when CPR could have saved them because people are afraid to touch women’s breasts
Today, Cameron operates Hands Over Hearts, a locally-owned and operated business providing CPR training to elementary, middle, and high school students, university students, construction companies and many other workplaces that need employees certified in CPR, first aid and AED use. What started as a vision to make CPR training more affordable, accessible, and engaging has grown into a mission far beyond the classroom. Her company’s catchy slogan is, “The CPR company you can’t live without.”
Cardiac arrest in sports is rare but if you’re competing against or training with my next guest Russell Jones, you might want to know CPR.
Grandmaster “Ruthless” Russell Jones is a three-time World Kickboxing Champion and Owner of Russell Jones Kickboxing.
Grandmaster Russell Jones (aka Ruthless Russell Jones) three time World Kickboxing Champion and owner of Russell Jones Kickboxing gym on Jefferson Highway where getting kicked in the face “is just what I do.”
Russell grew up in Gentilly in New Orleans during the 1970s when learning to fight felt like a necessity for young boys. He began learning kung fu in high school and, in 1978, began training under Grandmaster Karl Marx (yes, that’s his real name) who introduced Russell to a system combining Japanese karate, judo, jiu-jitsu and weapons training. At 18, Russell began teaching martial arts through BREC at Forest Community Park, opened his own location a few years later, and turned professional in 1983 at age 22.
Today, at 65, Russell’s proudest later-career fight came against an undefeated 27-year-old with a 22-0 record. Russel knocked him out with a head kick in the second round!
Amy Irvin, CPR Taylor the mannequin, Cameron Motsenbocker, Russell Jones, Out to Lunch at Mansurs On The Boulevard in Baton Rouge
Out to Lunch is recorded live over lunch at Mansurs on the Boulevard. Photos by Ian Ledo and Miranda Albarez.
