Don Schenk: Author, Musician, Serial Entrepreneur, Photographer, Business Marketing Strategist.

Don's background is unusual. His parents, who met in an art class at college, gave him a camera when he was age 5. And because they each played music for fun, they began teaching Don to play guitar and piano when he was 6 years old. By age 13 Don was playing music at teen dances with guys who were 5 and 6 years older than he.

Three years later Don worked out a deal to rent a teaching studio at a local music store where he taught guitar, electric bass, and keyboard as a self-employed instructor, and continued to do so during his college years and a few years beyond.

While still in high school he joined forces with a couple of his music students, to form what became the most popular local teen band at that time. He and his students rented a large reception hall where they put together teen dances, attracting thousands of teenagers each week.

He says that was when he made a promise to himself to always remain self-employed - a promise he has kept by owning a half-dozen business over the past several decades - usually more than one at a time.

Upon completing college Don started a photography business as a sideline while being joint owner of a recording studio, playing bass in a jazz trio, and still giving private music lessons. Eventually music became the side interest as he built his photography business.

A setback in 1986 almost put Don out of business, and forced him to undertake a thorough study of business-turnaround techniques and marketing strategies which eventually helped him create the largest portrait studio in Hamilton county.

He says, "Even 2 years after my business turned around, I looked good on they outside, but was dying on the inside. I was exceedingly unhappy with myself, felt absolutely worthless, and couldn't seem to shake it."

Schenk says, "One evening a friend made a casual remark that gave me a true 'OMG ah-ha' moment, showing me what I could do to become happy, confident, and more successful. Once I managed to get out of my own way, and follow through with this new concept, my life really began to change for the better."

A few years later, when other business owners wanted to know how Schenk made this turnaround, Schenk created ideapage Publishing to teach his marketing strategies, and his "how to feel great about yourself" systems.

In 2008 he sold the portrait division of his studio to an employee to have more time to devote to writing, publishing, and to present his Turnaround Workshops.