Twenty-Four Seven July 5, 2006, 8:59AM EST

Self-Employed—And Wearing Many Hats

After developing a discount card that benefited cancer research, this NYU grad started a foam insulation business and invests in real estate

After graduating from New York University's Stern School of Business, the first obstacle I faced as an entrepreneur was resisting the urge to enter the corporate world. However, to be an entrepreneur, you often have to attempt what others won't.

My first try at a startup was creating The Cure Card—a $25 discount card that benefited breast cancer research. Shortly before leaving Stern, my business partner and I presented our idea to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and eventually landed a contract with Retail Brand Alliance, a privately held conglomerate with more than 1,000 stores nationwide.

	Justin Reid Breiner Owner/Founder The Cure Card, LLC/All Foam Tech, LLC/Overlook Investments LLC BS Class of 2002, New York University Leonard N. Stern School of Business

The business model became an instant success, with more than 100,000 cards sold during the first year of operation and more than $1.2 million raised for our cause. After two years of running the company, we exited through a private party transaction.

I am currently involved in real estate acquisition, management, and development, and own a commercial and residential spray foam insulation business in Connecticut called All Foam Tech. The company provides a high-tech form of insulation for commercial and residential structures that is far superior to typical fiberglass insulation. I started the business to capitalize on increasing energy costs by offering homeowners a new way to insulate their homes and slash their heating and air costs in half.

Each day, I wake up prepared to be barraged with unexpected and exciting challenges ranging from tax law to accounting to financial modeling to customer support. I never realized how important my education at Stern would be in providing me with skills to face these obstacles (see BusinessWeek.com, "Stern: Global City, Global View").

When you work for yourself, every day is unique (see BusinessWeek Online, 4/26/06, "Menus at Your Fingertips"). There is no boss to answer to and no employer to mentor you. The day begins as an empty canvas, and I have to fill it with something original:

7:30 a.m.—The alarm clock buzzes. I spend about 15 minutes in bed, mentally sorting through tasks and constructing goals. Those 15 minutes will set the tone for the day.

7:45 a.m.—I shower, change, and check my e-mail.

8:15 a.m.—Since I set my own schedule, I always make time for a healthy breakfast. I need to keep a clear, focused head throughout the day, so I rigorously follow the Zone Diet. While eating, I browse through the Wall Street Journal to stay aware of news.

8:45 a.m.—The phone rings, jarring me from the article I am engrossed in. It's my real estate broker calling from Litchfield County in Connecticut. She is giving me the update on a piece of lakefront commercial land I have been bidding on to build townhouses. The seller countered my last offer of $2.8 million with $3.3 million. The conversation ends after I explain that I will have to analyze the numbers to see what more I can offer.

I began buying properties in the middle of Connecticut in a low-income area while in the midst of The Cure Card business. It was difficult at first because it was before I had the resources to invest. We had to figure out clever ways to finance the properties with little money down and eventually acquired about 200 apartment units and increased their value by aggressively managing them.

9:00 a.m.—Strategizing on the next move, I open my Excel spreadsheet and review the numbers.

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