This Interview With David Carroll Was Exciting. His Rise To Success Was Unconventional, To Say The Least.

That’s because in his early twenties, Carroll, the owner of Dope Marketing located in the Twin Cities, was a rebellious individual who was using his business savvy to help run a marijuana business.

“In a past life, I had a bunch of family from Humboldt, California. We brought hundreds of pounds of marijuana here [to Minnesota],”

Carroll says.

In today’s world, Carroll’s past dealings would not have been deemed illegal, considering that recreational marijuana use is allowed in the state of California.

“That’s what’s fascinating,”

he says.

“You look at business and risk adversity, and then I was counting $1 million in a hotel room when I was seventeen. That was normal to me.”

While Carroll’s ability to broker deals and make money was readily apparent, being involved in a then-illegal business brought about its own set of problems, which is ultimately what led to Carroll ending up in a prison cell.

“Some people broke into a house and stole some money from me. I went back to their house, kicked the door in and ended up hurting someone,”

he says of the specific events that led to him being incarcerated, adding that during the fracas he was also injured.

“I got stabbed four times in that house, so I am knife-proof,”

he says with a laugh.

Following the incident, Carroll was charged with two first-degree burglaries, first-degree aggravated robbery, and second-degree assault.

“They told me I could take one felony and serve eight years. I could take four felonies and serve four years, or I could reveal the other people I was in the house with and get one year and one day in the workhouse with no felonies,”

he says.

Wanting to showcase his toughness, Carroll chose to serve four years for his actions, a decision he says he now looks at differently.

“As a parent, I reflect on this a lot now. I looked back to how I was thinking, and I can’t relate to it because I didn’t have anything back then. I had no businesses. I had no family. I had nothing to make me reflect on loss and risk,”

Carroll says.

“Coming from a very risk-averse background, I was the epitome of everything I wanted to be.”

Carroll adds that while the prison term had a profound effect on him, he didn’t immediately change the trajectory of his life when his sentence concluded.

“It’s easier to live that type of lifestyle,”

he says, referring to the illicit activities he was involved with.

“When I got out, I went right back to the same thing for about a year and I saw that nothing was going to change.”

While some people would have continued to spiral, Carroll pivoted and began to use his business skills to transform his life.

“I always had a work ethic and could work a deal. I was always able to provide for myself, but what’s our most valuable asset as a business owner?”

Carroll rhetorically asks.

“It’s time, and if you’re going to risk something that can take your time away from you, that’s the biggest risk in the world.”

“I’ve lost money and made it back. That’s not scary to me, but when you have businesses and people that you are responsible for, you take that time more seriously.”

This is a huge reason why Carroll is so locked in with everything going on at Dope Marketing, and why he is constantly looking for ways that both he and his business can improve.

“Self-awareness is key. If you can’t identify with the guy that you wake up and talk to in the mirror every morning and understand what you’re good at, what you’re bad at, and what you bring to the table, [then that’s a problem],”

he says.

“I’ve always understood who I am, but it’s also my responsibility in business and relationships to be accountable.”

It’s this type of maturity that has enabled Carroll to distance himself from his past. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic arrived and began affecting businesses, Carroll was forced to answer for some of the mistakes he once made.

“For my cleaning company, I applied for the EIDL (Economic Injury Disaster Loan) loan. They approved me for around $480,000 but three days later they came back and said I was not an upstanding citizen and that I couldn’t have the money,”

Carroll recalls.

He says he was shocked to learn of why his loan had been denied, but he quickly rebounded and sought to resolve the issue.

“I wrote a letter to the SBA (Small Business Association),”

he says of what happened next.

In his letter, Carroll explained not only why he felt his company was deserving of the loan, but also how he had worked diligently to reinvent himself after exiting prison.

Three days later, Carroll received a call from the SBA commending his letter and notifying him that his loan would be expedited and funded in the next 48 hours.

Carroll says he was happy to see the SBA reverse their decision and adds that he wishes others with troubled pasts would show similar perseverance in challenging times.

“Everyone has made mistakes, and sometimes it’s just a matter of healthy communication and talking to people,”

says Carroll.

“Even if you hit a roadblock in business, life, or relationships, it’s always just communication. Give someone a few minutes and explain your side of the story.”

Want to learn more about David Carroll and Dope Marketing?

Visit their website today to learn how they help roofing contractors market to homeowners in their local area!