About – Trauma to Triumph

PURPOSE

“Entrepreneurship is a pilgrimage where individuals can emerge from adversity and create a trail of prosperity in its path.” Harold Klein

We set out a few years ago to create compelling programming demonstrating the magic of the human spirit in overcoming life’s trials and realizing accomplishment. The goal, bring viewers from tears to cheers with an appreciation of entrepreneurial behavior.

Today, experiencing a pandemic, the need for inclusion, social and economic upheavals coupled with our typical challenges, the call of the entrepreneur has never been more critical.

Our purpose is to provide programming that relays the transformative power of entrepreneurship as it is so relevant and important today.

While all our featured subjects encountered adversity most of us only hear about, Maria Trusa shares her story of child abuse, teen pregnancy, language barriers, poverty, near death illness, unfaithful spouses and says, “my story is everyone’s story.”

These are riveting human interest stories that have the power to empower, everyone.

Featured in Documentaries

Catherine Hughes

Teen Pregnancy During Civil Rights Era

Raised in a lower income area in Omaha during the heart of the Civil Rights movement, Cathy was used to breaking barriers but a surprise pregnancy at 17 changed everything. Hughes didn’t let that deter her, rather it inspired her to create Radio and Urban One in route to becoming the second most powerful African American woman in media.

Dana Donofree

Diagnosed with Breast Cancer at 27

With her dream career locked down and living in the heart of NYC Dana had everything she ever wanted until a cancer diagnosis threatened to take it all away. Using her skills and determination with a refuse to lose attitude, she beat cancer and built Ana Ono, a worldwide lingerie and swimwear company for fellow survivors.

Bill Vandegriff

Vietnam War Vet suffering with PTSD

When Bill volunteered for the Marines in 1966 he had no idea what he was getting himself into. Dropped into the heart of Vietnam, he witnessed the horrors of war first hand but it was the battle with PTSD that almost cost him his life. After reconnecting with Native American Culture he turned to woodworking to manage his trauma and built The End Casket Company, a custom casket and urn crafting business out of his garage.

Sam Solasz

Polish Holocaust Survivor

The son of a butcher, Sam learned how to cut the perfect piece of meat before he was 10. When the Nazis invaded Poland in 1939, Sam lost everything, his home, family and freedom. After narrowly escaping death at Treblinka, Sam made his way to the US he built Master Purveyors, a 100-million-dollar meat business. Not even the Mob could stop him from building his legacy.

Maria Trusa

Sexually Assaulted at the age of 9

Despite being born into a large, poor family in the Dominican Republic, Maria thought her home was a paradise. However, at age 9 her father left her with a cult leader who brutally-sexually assaulted her. Later, her mother brought her to the US where she learned English and faced her trauma while rising to the top of a medical firm. After a near-death experience, she quit and started Formé Medical Center to provide medical care for the underinsured Latino community.

Additional Featured in Educational Series

The 5 remarkable people featured on the Documentaries are joined in this educational experience by:

Mariam Aborkeek

Founder, Desert Daughter Cosmetics

As a young girl Mariam had big dreams of becoming an entrepreneur but due to her expected role in the Bedouin community, she was constantly told this dream was not realistic. Refusing to be labeled, she rebelled against gender norms to become the first Bedouin woman ever to start a business. Finding strength in her traditional roots and using them to her advantage, she founded Desert Daughter Cosmetics, a niche international cosmetics company that expands upon traditional Bedouin formulas and treatments.

Larry La, Owner

Meiwah Restaurant

Growing up in Saigon during the Vietnam War, Larry La developed a high tolerance for risk and an ability to dream of a better future. Despite facing a myriad of horrors and losses, which would have caused most people to lose hope, he boarded a boat packed with refugees and made the long arduous journey to America. After a short career with a railroad company he moved to Washington, D.C.- and built the famous Chinese restaurant, Meiwah, attracting a particularly loyal clientele including celebrities (Mick Jagger) and politicians (the Clintons.)

Kathy Luu

Owner, Spa Logic

Forced by fate as a child to cope with both the physical illness of her sister and the social struggles of her father, Kathy’s mother instilled in her a dream of greatness. After surviving a dangerous sea voyage in pirate-infested waters out of communist Vietnam to the United States, she lived up to her mother’s dream for her and built Spa Logic. A four-story full-service day spa valued at $2 million, with over fifty employees and no bank debt.

Dawn Halfaker

President and CEO, Halfaker & Associates

As a recent grad of the prestigious West Point Academy, Dawn entered military service as an officer, a career felt destined for. While on a patrol in Iraq her Humvee was hit by a rocket resulting in the loss of her right arm. Back home Dawn had to face the reality that her career in the military was over. Refusing to let that stop her, she battled through her rehabilitation and built Halfaker & Associates, a technology solutions firm that securely integrates mission critical systems for government organizations to improve the health, security, and wellbeing of all Americans. Today she supports and serves as inspiration for countless veterans.

Alfa Demmellash

CEO & Co-Founder, Rising Tide Capital

As a child, Alfa witnessed the horrors of the Ethiopian Red Terror first hand, losing two of her siblings to the war when she was only two. After her and her mother escaped with their lives, her abusive father kidnapped her and held her hostage. Refusing to die at his hands, Alfa negotiated her own release and at age 12 arrived in the United States. After graduating from Harvard, she recognized the power of entrepreneurship and launched Rising Tide Capital, a non-profit organization dedicated to the economic empowerment of low-income families and communities through entrepreneurship.

Development Team

Nan Klein

Executive Producer, Producer, Research

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Harold Klein

Producer, Content development and Main Interviewer

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Daniel Saulnier

Creative Director, Writer and Editor

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Screenings, Events and Sponsors

Nan, Harold and Steve will appear on stage providing background on the development and messaging of the Documentaries.
FreedomFest – FreedomFest2021

Our episode “Survivors Of War” will open the Anthem Festival’s events at FreedomFest in South Dakota at the Historic Elks Theater – the 2nd largest Theater in America.

NACCE – National Association of Community Colleges for Entrepreneurship will screen the “Survivors of War” episode at their Live and Virtual event in the Heartlands. Nan and Harold will also appear following the screening. At follow up NACCE events the Womens episode will be screened.

Early release of the episode “Women” to align with Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Survivors of War Episode

With dynamic and probing panel discussion moderated by Eric Schurenberg of Inc. and Fast Company
Click here for more information and to register for Complimentary tickets

National Release of both Documentaries to align with Global Entrepreneurship Month, Veterans Day, Native American Awareness and Kristallnacht. All subjects relate to various parts of our films.