Our Featured Guest for June 14, 2026 is Romaine Waite and our Entrepreneur Spotlight Guests are Jeff Perera and Deon Hargrove.
Entrepreneurs: From Hollywood to Franchising and Fintech — How One Decision Can Change Everything
What separates people who dream from those who achieve extraordinary success? In this episode of Passage to Profit, we sit down with three accomplished innovators who transformed unexpected opportunities into thriving careers and businesses.
Joining us are actor Romaine Waite, co-founder of Jeff’s Bagel Run Jeff Perera, and SmartINvestors App founder Deon Hargrove. Their journeys span entertainment, franchising, financial technology, entrepreneurship, leadership, and personal growth. Despite operating in very different industries, all three guests share a common theme: success often begins with one courageous decision.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, creative professional, startup founder, or business leader, this episode offers valuable insights into resilience, persistence, innovation, and recognizing opportunities when they appear.
Romaine Waite: Building a Career Through Persistence, Faith, and Authenticity
Romaine Waite is a successful film and television actor whose career includes appearances in major productions such as Star Trek: Discovery, Departure, and The Mist. He also stars in the feature film For His Namesake.
During the interview, Romaine discusses the challenges of building a career in the highly competitive entertainment industry. He shares how persistence, preparation, faith, and staying true to himself helped him navigate years of auditions, setbacks, and uncertainty.
Romaine explains how every opportunity became a stepping stone to larger roles and how maintaining authenticity has allowed him to create meaningful work that resonates with audiences. His story serves as an inspiring reminder that success rarely happens overnight and that consistent effort often creates breakthrough moments.
Learn more about Romaine Waite:
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4582495/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/romainewaite_/
Jeff Perera: How Jeff’s Bagel Run Became One of America’s Fastest-Growing Franchise Brands
Jeff Perera is the co-founder of Jeff’s Bagel Run, a rapidly expanding franchise concept that started with a simple homemade bagel experiment.
What began as a passion project quickly evolved into a business that attracted loyal customers and franchise interest across multiple markets. Jeff shares how he identified an opportunity, built a strong brand, and scaled the company while maintaining product quality and customer satisfaction.
Listeners will hear lessons on entrepreneurship, franchising, business growth, leadership, customer experience, and strategic expansion. Jeff also discusses the realities of scaling a successful company and the importance of building systems that support long-term growth.
His story demonstrates how a simple idea, executed consistently and thoughtfully, can become a nationally recognized business.
Learn more about Jeff’s Bagel Run:
Website: https://jeffsbagelrun.com/
Deon Hargrove: Making Financial Literacy Accessible Through Technology
Deon Hargrove is the founder of SmartINvestors App, a platform designed to help people learn investing and financial literacy without risking real money.
Recognizing that many individuals are intimidated by investing or lack access to practical financial education, Deon created SmartINvestors App to provide users with a safe environment to develop investment knowledge and confidence.
During the conversation, Deon discusses the growing importance of financial literacy, the role of technology in education, and how AI and digital platforms are changing the way people learn about personal finance and investing.
He shares his mission to empower individuals to make smarter financial decisions and explains why understanding investing fundamentals has become increasingly important in today’s economy.
Learn more about Deon Hargrove and SmartINvestors App:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smartinvestors01/
Key Takeaways from This Episode
• How persistence creates opportunities in entertainment and business
• Why authenticity is a competitive advantage
• Lessons for scaling a franchise business successfully
• How entrepreneurs identify opportunities others overlook
• The growing importance of financial literacy
• How technology and AI are transforming education and investing
• Strategies for overcoming setbacks and uncertainty
• Why one decision can dramatically change your future
Listen to This Episode If You Want To Learn About:
Entrepreneurship, startup growth, franchising, business leadership, investing, financial literacy, personal development, innovation, artificial intelligence, entertainment careers, franchise expansion, resilience, and success strategies.
Passage to Profit continues to bring listeners actionable insights from successful entrepreneurs, innovators, creators, and business leaders who are building the future across industries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Romaine Waite?
Romaine Waite is a film and television actor known for his work in Star Trek: Discovery, Departure, The Mist, and the feature film For His Namesake.
What is Jeff’s Bagel Run?
Jeff’s Bagel Run is a rapidly growing franchise business co-founded by Jeff Perera that began as a homemade bagel concept and expanded into multiple locations across the United States.
Who is Deon Hargrove?
Deon Hargrove is the founder of SmartINvestors App, a financial literacy and investing education platform designed to help users learn investing concepts without risking real money.
What is SmartINvestors App?
SmartINvestors App is an educational investing platform that helps users build financial literacy, understand investing principles, and gain confidence through simulated investing experiences.
What business lessons are discussed in this episode?
The episode covers entrepreneurship, franchising, business growth, resilience, leadership, opportunity recognition, financial literacy, investing education, and adapting to technological change.
How did Jeff’s Bagel Run start?
Jeff Perera shares how a simple homemade bagel experiment evolved into one of the fastest-growing franchise concepts in the country.
What advice does Romaine Waite give aspiring actors and entrepreneurs?
Romaine emphasizes persistence, preparation, faith, authenticity, and the importance of staying committed to long-term goals despite setbacks.
Why is financial literacy important according to Deon Hargrove?
Deon explains that financial literacy empowers individuals to make informed decisions, build wealth, and confidently participate in investing and personal finance.