Don't Take My Word for It: How I Want Partners to Verify Me

Social media has made it easy for anyone to look successful. A nice car, a nice view and a confident caption can say almost anything. That's why, when an investor, an exotic car owner or a lifestyle management firm is thinking about working with me, I tell them the same thing: don't take my word for it. Verify.

That might sound strange coming from someone whose job includes building a personal brand. But the partners I want are the ones who do their homework. Good partners check. And founders who welcome checking are usually the ones worth working with.

Check the businesses, not just the person

Look at the companies themselves. Credit Cure is at creditcure.io. Royal Rentals is at royalrentals.io. Zova Group is at zovaenterprises.com. Do they exist? Do they explain clearly what they do, where they operate and what their terms are? A real business leaves a real footprint.

Read press for what it actually is

I'm proud of the coverage my companies have received, and I'm also careful about how I describe it. In 2022, a Royal Rentals announcement appeared on Yahoo Finance and in Bloomberg's press release section. Those were company press releases distributed by newswire. They're part of the record, and I label them that way.

Editorial coverage is different. When VoyagePhoenix interviewed me in 2024, that was a conversation published by an outside outlet. Both have value. They're just not the same thing, and anyone evaluating a founder should know the difference.

Ask for specifics, then check them

When I share numbers from my own journey, like building my personal credit to 832 from no credit, or growing Royal Rentals from 10 cars to 40 luxury and exotic vehicles in two cities, I present them as my personal history from my VoyagePhoenix interview. They're not promises to anyone else. If a founder shares numbers with you, ask where they come from and whether they describe the past or a projection.

Talk to people who've worked with them

References tell you what a website can't. How does this person handle a problem? Do they follow up? Do they keep their word when something goes wrong? Those answers matter more than any photo.

Watch how they talk about risk

This one is important. If anyone tells you an investment or partnership has no risk, or promises a specific return, be careful. Serious people talk about risk openly. When I talk about investments, acquisitions or partnerships through Zova Group, I'm clear that nothing I write is an offer of securities and no outcome is promised.

Verify the companies. Websites, terms, locations and real contact paths.
Label the press. Know the difference between a press release and editorial coverage.
Source the numbers. Past history and future projections are different things.
Ask for references. Behavior under pressure is the real track record.
Be wary of no-risk language. Real opportunities come with real risk.

Check what isn't claimed

Verification isn't only about confirming what someone says. It's also noticing what they don't say. If a founder implies coverage in outlets they never actually appeared in, or blurs the line between a paid announcement and a feature, that tells you something about how they'll communicate when things get difficult. I would rather undersell my own record than stretch it.

Make it easy to check

That's why I link the actual sources whenever I mention press, and why the disclosures on my site say plainly what each item is. If you are a founder building your own reputation, do the same. Put the real links where people can find them. Label them honestly. The people worth partnering with will notice, and they'll trust you more for it.

Why I welcome it

Every company I've built runs on trust: trust that a credit dispute will be handled, a car will be ready, a mentorship call will lead somewhere. Trust that can survive verification is the only kind worth having. So check me. Then let's talk.