Interview with Tony Swantek: Navigating Entrepreneurship and Network Marketing

Neil King Jr. (NK):

Tony, I first saw you on a business podcast a friend turned me onto and became intrigued

with your story. You’ve built multiple successful businesses in a wide range of industries,

from an accounting firm that has filed billions of dollars in tax credits over the last 18

months to a network marketing company to an INC 500 Restaurant Delivery Service and

now you are moving into blockchain. How did you get your start as an entrepreneur?

Tony Swantek (TS):

Well, it’s been quite the journey! I actually started out with a very different goal in mind—

trying to make it as a professional tennis player. I played on the Futures Circuit for a while,

but I was losing way too many matches! Eventually, I found myself living in my parents’

basement, looking for work, and trying to figure out what to do next. That’s when I got

recruited into an office for a network marketing company. At the time, I wasn’t sure what to

expect, but it was through that company that I met some amazing mentors. These industry

legends really stoked my entrepreneurial fire and showed me what was possible through

building a business from the ground up.

Network marketing was my introduction to the world of entrepreneurship. The skills I

learned there—how to build relationships, how to lead, how to think long-term—were

absolutely foundational. Those skills allowed me to expand into other industries over time.

From that point on, I saw entrepreneurship not just as a job, but as a way to make a lasting

impact, both for myself and for others.

NK:

You’ve worked in a variety of industries, including health and wellness,

telecommunications, and finance. Your first major success was in network marketing. How

did that shape you as an entrepreneur and influence your approach to building businesses

across so many different industries?

TS:

Network marketing really taught me the difference between working for a system, like most

people do, versus creating a system that works for you. It taught me how to create leverage,

how to inspire and lead a team, and how to focus on long-term growth. A lot of traditional

businesses are transactional in nature, one and done so to speak, but network marketing

helped me realize the value of a residual income model and the power of building anetwork of people who could all succeed together. That mindset of collaboration,

customer focus, and long-term vision has translated into every business I’ve built since. It

really shaped my approach to entrepreneurship, and the lessons learned early on continue

to guide me today.

NK:

You’ve worked across a variety of sectors—from accounting with Jorns & Associates,

Telecomm, Energy, and now with blockchain technology. What do you think has been the

key to your success, especially in shifting from one industry to another?

TS:

Great question, Neil. I think some of the most important things in business is timing,

positioning, and adaptability. There really is a formula for success regardless of industry

but the timing must be right. The ability to pivot, learn quickly, and stay ahead of the market

is crucial. I’ve always been willing to dive into new industries, even if they were unfamiliar.

For example, with Jorns & Associates, we expanded into a large-scale accounting firm that

supports tens of thousands of businesses with 1000s of employees and contractors

initially focused on the ERC tax credit. It would surprise most people to find out that I

started that company less than 24 hours after hearing about the ERC program by making a

20-minute phone call to my CPA and Kindergarten classmate Justin Jorns. With My Town 2

Go we were just trying to deliver more pizza for our pizzeria restaurants. A small delivery

service in Manhattan Kansas was helping us with that location but we had a location in

Topeka Kansas and there were no delivery businesses in town. We asked the guy from

Manhattan to open in Topeka, but he was too busy to expand, so we started up My Town 2

Go the next day. A few years later we were in 300 cities, making millions of deliveries and

broke into INC. 500 as one of the fastest growing privately held companies in the country.

NK:

You’ve worked in a variety of industries, including health and wellness,

telecommunications, and finance. How do you manage to juggle such a broad range of

businesses without spreading yourself too thin?

TS:

The key is to have a strong team and solid partnerships. You can’t be an expert in

everything, but you can surround yourself with the right people who bring the expertise and

passion that complement your own vision. For instance, with Snap Partners, we started out

with a focus on food delivery services, but as we scaled, we added value by integrating theERC Program. It was slow going until we got ERC fired up, but my business partners there

kept the ship above water long enough to reach fertile ground.

NK:

What challenges have you faced in building such diverse companies? Were there any

moments when you doubted your strategy or direction?

TS:

Absolutely. There are always challenges, especially when venturing into new markets.

When I first started My Town 2 Go, for example, it wasn’t an easy road. We had no clue how

to sign up restaurants, get drivers, or find customers. But with persistence and a clear

focus on daily activities that would increase our restaurant count, add drivers, advertise

our brand, and a focus on elite customer service, we started to see results. Jorns &

Associates was growing so fast it was hard to keep up! We couldn’t hire CPAs or Tax

Attorneys fast enough. We helped our clients file for billions of dollars in tax credits over

our first couple of years in business! Challenges were abundant and still are! We continue

to fight through them. I learned a long time ago the people who make the most money,

solve the biggest problems. The trick is not to give up when things aren’t going perfectly,

and things are almost never going perfectly.

NK:

You’ve built a reputation in network marketing. For those who might be curious, what do

you think is the potential of network marketing as a business model, and how does it

continue to shape the entrepreneur you are today?

TS:

Network marketing, when done right, can be a powerful business model. It offers

opportunities for people to earn income based on their efforts and the efforts of their

teams. But beyond the financial rewards, it teaches essential skills in leadership,

communication, and relationship building. It shaped me as an entrepreneur by helping me

understand the importance of community and collaboration. Instead of focusing purely on

transactional business, network marketing emphasizes long-term relationships, trust, and

providing value—principles that I’ve carried into every business I’ve started or been a part

of.

NK:

You’ve mentioned building long-term value and relationships. How do you balance the

drive for profit with the importance of giving back and building strong communities?

TS:

That’s something I’m really passionate about. I’ve always believed that a business should

not just be a money-making machine but should contribute to the broader community.

With Snap Partners, for example, we’ve worked to create systems where small businesses

can save money and thrive. On a personal level, I try to mentor young entrepreneurs, share

knowledge, and empower others to succeed. It’s a philosophy I live by: If you focus on

helping others, the profit follows naturally. I also prioritize making sure the businesses I’m

involved with are ethical and have a positive impact on their communities.

NK:

During a recent speaking event, I heard you open up about your legal troubles, and your

plea agreement. Can you share more about how that experience has shaped your

professional journey and the work you’re doing today?

TS:

I certainly never thought I’d have to deal with any legal troubles. Over the years, I have

started, partnered or run over 50 companies. One opportunity allowed me to get involved

helping a group of call centers credit card process overflow business for online business

education. About a year in I received an email that the call centers were also processing

credit cards for business leads and not just education. Technically, I should have put a stop

to their processing right away as it is fraudulent to apply to process one thing and then

switch over to process another product or service. I was ignorant of that law and had no

idea the call centers were doing anything nefarious or illegal. I had never been to the call

centers or even listened to one of their calls. The guys running the call centers had actually

used fake names and aliases which I found out about later and they were bad actors for

sure.

The DOJ charged me with one count of bank fraud and offered me a plea deal for not

shutting down the call centers when I found out they were processing additional services

on credit cards that we didn’t apply to process for. I wanted to fight it, and my lawyer

believed we would win since I had very little knowledge of the operation and earned very

little commissions over a couple of years, but he notified me that if we lost, the DOJ would

add on several more charges and try to put me in prison for 20 to 25 years! I felt like I didn’thave a choice at all. My lawyer called it a trial penalty. I could take a plea deal and get a

proverbial slap on the wrist or fight it out and potentially go to prison for 25 years. I took the

deal and then I voluntarily paid over $4.2 Million in restitution.

Legal troubles can be devastating, but they also helped me reshape how I select partners

and businesses to get involved in. I’ve been much more diligent and careful in my dealings

since then. It’s been about learning from past mistakes and using those lessons to become

a better entrepreneur, partner, and leader.

NK:

Tony, despite the legal challenges you’ve faced, you’ve gone on to build and scale multiple

successful businesses. What do you attribute your continued success to after such

difficult times?

TS:

It all comes down to resilience and learning from the past. After the legal struggles, I was

determined not to let those define me. Instead of letting the setbacks hold me back, I used

them as motivation to push forward. I also realized the importance of surrounding myself

with a great team, practicing transparency, and always focusing on adding value in

everything I do. The ability to start fresh, stay committed, and keep growing is what has

allowed me to achieve continued success. And, of course, having a strong support network

of people who believe in what you’re doing makes all the difference. I’ve been far more

successful coming out of my legal issue and I don’t plan on slowing down anytime soon!

NK:

Looking ahead, what are your future goals? Where do you see yourself and your businesses

in the next 5 to 10 years?

TS:

I’m always thinking about the future, Neil. I see myself continuing to evolve and build new

ventures, especially in blockchain technology and Web 3.0. The world is changing fast, and

there’s a real opportunity to leverage emerging technologies to create more impactful

businesses. Personally, I’m focused on making a greater impact through mentorship and

assisting Web 2.0 entrepreneurs on ways to transition into a Web 3.0 environment without

having to take on the financial risk I had to along with others before me. I want to continue

to diversify the businesses I’m involved with, but at the core, I’ll always focus on providingvalue. Ultimately, I want to leave a legacy of not just financial success, but a network of

thriving, empowered individuals and communities.

NK:

Tony, thank you for taking the time to speak with us. Your insights on entrepreneurship,

network marketing, and leadership are incredibly valuable. We look forward to seeing

where your journey takes you next.

TS:

Thank you, Neil. It was a pleasure to chat. I hope my experiences can inspire others to take

action, keep pushing through challenges, and always stay committed to growth.