Page 13 - Florida Sentinel 11-13-15 Edition

FLORIDA SENTINEL FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015
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Former Resident Of Ponce de Leon Projects Worth Millions Changes Mindsets With His Speech About Success
BY KENYA WOODARD Sentinel Feature Writer
In the last 30 years, Americans have changed the way they communicate, learn, and receive information thanks to leaps in technology.
But when it comes to their livelihoods, many are making money “the horse and buggy way.”
That’s the message multi-millionaire Holton Buggs delivered to a packed audience of more than 300 people who gathered at the Hilton Tampa West- shore Hotel last week to hear him speak.
Mixing humor with business acumen, Mr. Buggs shared his rags-to-riches story from living in the Ponce de Leon projects in East Tampa and being a col- lege dropout to becoming a successful vice president of sales for Organo Gold, a network marketer of coffee and tea beverages.
No matter your beginnings or your
current situation, it’s possible to “be dif- ferent from what you are,” Mr. Buggs said.
“You’re not born broke,” Mr. Buggs said. “Everything that you have right now is what you’ve learned to do.”
A 1990 King High School graduate, he said his path – growing up poor in East Tampa to owning several luxury cars – was filled with missteps and frus- tration.
“Don’t look at me and think it’s al- ways been this way,” he said. “We had some rough times. But I’m thankful for them.”
Buggs attended Texas Christian Uni- versity, but left after realizing that a col- lege education wasn’t going to afford him the kind of lifestyle that he wanted.
From there, he started and became involved with a series of businesses, in- cluding a furniture store and a few net- work marketing companies. But none of these ventures were successful.
Mr. Buggs said the turning point came when he was $250,000 in debt, 45 days from his home going into foreclo- sure, and his car was repossessed. He was making $6,000 a month, but bills totaled $6,500. His son was soon to be born and, having no money, he and his wife, Earlene had to sign up for public assistance.
Out of resources and money, Mr. Buggs said he did the last thing he could think to do. “I started praying,” he said.
God answered, when he got a phone call to get involved with yet another net- work marketing company. From there, things started to turn around.
He built a successful team that he moved with him when the offer to join Organo Gold came along.
Today, Buggs and his wife and their son, Holton Buggs III, enjoy a com- fortable life in Houston, Texas. These days, he focuses on leaving behind a
legacy that will sustain his family for generations, as the Rockefellers and Fords have done.
He’s proud that he dug himself out of his financial hole and helped many oth- ers along the way achieve their dreams.
Success in business is not a mystery; it all starts with changing your mindset, Mr. Buggs said.
“You’re not where you are because it’s a Democrat or Republican in office,” he said. “Until you change you, nothing will change.”
The message resonated well with Tampa resident, Crystal Wilds.
“I thought it was an excellent presen- tation, especially his message about changing your mindset,” she said.
Joseph Wilcox, also of Tampa, said he was initially skeptical of Mr. Buggs, but later found him “outstanding.”
“He made it so simple,” he said. “It was incredible.” (Photos by BRUN- SON)
Tampa native Holton Buggs, left, is shown with Ogano Gold Coffee Tampa Distributor, Bass Grant.
Dr. Edwardo and Shaun Williams attended the engage- ment.
Lisa Holton and Eric Horsey.
Shadreana Sanders and Vyc- torea Sanders with Kitten’s Kof- fee Kup.
Among the ladies in attendance to hear some tips of becoming success- ful were: Danny Hudson, Candice Robinson and Janet Palmer.
Vernon Baity attended the event hosted by Holton Buggs.
Among those who were at the Westshore Hilton Hotel last week to hear Holton Buggs tell his “rags-to-riches” story were: from left, Cutella Talbot, Caz Cazaubon, Gershom Faulkner, Winky Wright, Glory Tiller, Javid MyInt, Vernon Baity, Ronnie McCullough and Michael Hughes.
Angelice Smith was also in at- tendance.
Mattie Smith, Willie Robinson and Denise Derisseau were at the speaking engagement.
Tonya Seabrook, Olliver Sutton, Tyrone Seabrook and Jon Perry-Sutton attended the Holton Buggs event.