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My successes.

A few years after training for the show American Ninja Warrior, Dominic Pham started a ninja-warrior training gym of his own. “I incorporate my personal training background, martial arts, and boxing skills, and discovered a way for kids, teens, and adults to enjoy working out by utilizing obstacles,” he says.  Phamily Fun & Fitness offers personal training, team-building exercises, birthday parties, and corporate events. 

Pham knew that starting a business would be a different type of obstacle to overcome, especially since he knew he would continue to work his day job. 

“Within six months I am finally profiting and business is taking off quicker than I anticipated,” Pham reported in spring 2017. “Adding employees is my next step,” he says, and he’s considering transitioning his career to run his business full time.

How SCORE helped.

Pham first attended a business workshop for basic knowledge about small-business finances, marketing, and advertising. He also attended a few SCORE online workshops, which prepared him for dealing with local and state governments to set up his business according to regulations.

He also worked with Charles Middleton, a volunteer mentor who advised Pham on marketing and tax issues. “He provided me with the necessary tools to run a business,” Pham says of Middleton. “It was just up to me to utilize the tools and create my work.”