We had the good fortune of connecting with Samuel Phanor and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Samuel , what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I am the founder of The One Lyfe – Lifestyle Apparel company (the1lyfe.com). I had an ‘aha’ moment to create this apparel company while I was at Grant Cardone’s 10x Conference in 2019. If you haven’t heard about Grant Cardone’s 10x conferences – they are literally 3 days of life change messages from influential people. During the conference – the founder of Marquis Jet & Zico Coconut Water, Jesse Itzler, spoke about the enlightenment you receive from empowering folks and giving back to the world! That spoke to me and I realized that I needed to do something impactful. While on a break during the conference I stumbled across a pamphlet from a a shirt company out of Georgia. I looked through the pamphlet and was instantly convinced that I could create a lifestyle brand to empower people who wore the shirts to take their One Lyfe further and the proceeds would go directly to do something big! With that in mind, I wanted The One Lyfe as a brand to stand for something much grander than just an apparel company that seeks to motivate its wearers! We want the brand to make a solid impact, not just in our community, but in our country, and in the world, so I teamed up with Water is Life, a 503(c) non-for-profit organization whose sole mission is to combat the world’s water crisis. My 2019 One Lyfe campaign was called ‘Water the World’ and I’ve pledged 100% of all profits made by The One Lyfe apparel store to Water is Life to financially fund the creation of a sustainable source of water in a rural city in Haiti! This water source isn’t any ordinary water source, it’s called WEREV – Atmospheric Water Generator, and The WE Water System is an off-the-grid water generator which is capable of generating 70,000 liters of pure glazier water per month using the water vapor readily available in ambient air. Its technology incorporates a cold core (stabilized at temperatures below -45 oC) which creates a deposit phase change of the water vapor in the surrounding air, creating pure H2O ice, which is then scraped into the container several times per minute to generate the potable water. It requires a minimal external electricity source and does not require maintenance or assembly. Its green technology produces NO carbon footprint, it is portable, stand alone, and weather independent. For the past year The One Lyfe has empowered people and challenged them to become their best self. The One Lyfe is an online store that currently sells t-shirts, hats, sweatshirts, long-sleeved t-shirts, tank tops, and a line of stationary – and all of the designs are made in-house by me. On top of the online sales I’ve hosted 8 events last year to help raise awareness of The One Lyfe brand and our current mission to bring substantial water to a rural area in Haiti. Water the World Fundraiser – Workout to Save Lives! – March 30, 2019 Eat for Change – May 27, 2019 Paddling for a Cause – June 28, 2019 The Chocolate Dream – Exclusive Tour & Tasting for a Cause – Jul 6, 2019 Paddling for a Cause – Jul 14, 2019 Safety Seminar – Aug 4, 2019 *HomeAgain – The One Lyfe’s Haiti Mission Final Event – September 21, 2019 Texas Roadhouse Rib Eating Contest Police vs. Fire – November 18, 2019 Last years mission is extremely personal for me, through a trip to Haiti, I’ve come to understand the water situation there and it is dire. People in Haiti are dying every day because they don’t have access to clean, sustainable water. I know that as a community we can accomplish this goal and make an impact together! This mission couldn’t have be done alone, it took a community to work together to make real change in the world. 100% of all donations and any proceeds made during my events went towards the mission to create a WE Water System in a rural area in Haiti. My 2020 Mission is called #NotForSale – which is predicated on bringing awareness to the alarming rate of humans being trafficked via sex trafficking, forced labor, and debt bondage, not only in the South Florida area, but throughout the world! We all at The One Lyfe will not be silenced and we are taking a vocal stand against the modern day slavery that is called Human Trafficking!
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am an aspiring entrepreneur, marketing consultant, and personal brand strategist. Over the last 16 years I have been deployed to Iraq serving in the United States Army Reserves, joined law enforcement where I have been awarded Police Officer of the Year, started my own security company, launched an apparel brand, and founded my own digital marketing agency where I have been a brand manager for the last 5 years. As a dreamer and an aspiring entrepreneur I have settled in the discipline of a law enforcement and military background which has enabled me to take a diligent and blended approach to both sales and marketing, in combination with great story telling. My focus on personal branding is one that both focuses on growing my clients awareness, but also driving positive cash flow to their business. I have had the opportunity to work with individuals, business coaches, brand ambassadors, and small businesses all the way to government departments to help create new, innovative techniques that show the human side of everyday business. I love to use my diverse background of knowledge and first-hand experience understanding to help others use their personal brand to improve all aspects of life, especially their earnings.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
One of my biggest passions and favorite things to do during my downtime is learning and tasting all things craft beer – and South Florida has over 70+ breweries from Miami to West Palm beach. A week-long trip with me would definitely encompass a visit and tour with as many breweries as possible while also enjoying many of our amazing South Florida restaurants and beaches. One of the days we would spend the day down in Wynwood, starting off the day by getting coffee and breakfast at Panther Coffee – Wynwood. From there we will explore the Wynwood Art District and all of the many colorful murals. For lunch we will make a pit stop at the World Famous House of Mac – where they serve unique spins on traditional cuisine – especially there out-of-the-world mac and cheese selections to include thier Pizza Mac & Cheese! From there we will head to my favorite brewery in Wynwood – J Wakefield Brewing, their stout beers are mouthwatering and the atmosphere is fun and entertaining and the ascetics are full of Star Wars and comic books!
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Appreciation, respect, and gratitude isn’t enough to describe my admiration for these 9 amazing souls! My son – Tyson Phanor My parents – Lynne and Andre Phanor My girlfriend – Samantha Porfido My good friends: – Michelle Gemmell – Laura Sudman – Amalin Hernandez – Paul Phillips – Erica Phillips Spending time with you all has truly inspired me to conquer the world . Each one of you are genuinely astonishing individuals who have gone through and are still going through your own transformational journeys in life. The output you make is truly amazing. Sometimes it can be difficult to hang out with a friend or group of friends that don’t exactly understand you – being a dreamer can be difficult. People don’t understand where you’re coming from, why you care so much, but this group is different and I want to thank each one of you for motivating me to continue to be the dreamer, the misfit, and the man I want to become – even if sometimes I’m unsure who that is exactly. This One Lyfe is hard enough – we don’t always have to win and there will always be obstacles and naysayers along our journeys, but during these times, nothing feels better than having an inner circle you can share your fears and doubts with. Friends and mentors that not only listen, but cheer you on to be the best you, you can be. “Get back in there and do better! You can do it!” Thank you all for giving me the energy and helping me to propel forward to living my best One Lyfe.
Website: https://samuelphanor.me/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samphanor/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-phanor-62bb0140/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BigPhanor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samuelphanor1lyfe