- November 6, 2025
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Ever since he read the book “Rich Dad Poor Dad” as a teenager, Brian Konkel wanted to be an entrepreneur. So when his wife suggested obtaining a 7-Eleven franchise, he was on board.
Within nine months they’d purchased a second franchise, and they now have six 7-Eleven franchise locations in Lee and Collier counties. The infrastructure and processes they created allowed for that kind of growth, and they’ve been so successful 7-Eleven has adopted many of them on a national level.
“The No. 1 thing for us is our employees,” says Konkel. “If we take care of them, they’ll take care of the guests.”
Konkel also acquired his real estate license around the time he purchased his first franchise and a few years later obtained his real estate broker’s license. “My cash flow comes from my stores, but my real passion is real estate, whether it’s investing in real estate or working with customers helping them buy and sell,” he says. “I love real estate so much I don’t look at it as a job; it’s just an avenue for me to help people.
“I love contracts; I love negotiating,” he continues. “I tell my employees if they’re going to go buy a new car or sign a lease, get me involved.”
Though he considers himself to be predominantly self-taught, he’s always admired the way his father-in-law, Gilson De Souza, conducts himself professionally and personally. “He’s a very integral part of his community in his small town in Brazil,” says Konkel. “And he’s just a force when it comes to business.”
For Konkel, success, too, is all about the concept of focus. “Follow one course until successful,” he says. “Stay with that one thing until you master it, then move on.”
He even adopts that mantra in his off time, earning a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt four years ago. “When I have the ability to get on the mats and really grind it out against a good opponent, everything else goes away,” he says. “That’s all you focus on during that time. And it teaches you how to be comfortable in very uncomfortable situations.”
