Every immigrant entrepreneur success story involves obstacles, but few compare to what Charles Van Kessler overcame before he ever started a business.

Taken from his family as a toddler during the Nazi occupation, Charles spent eight years in a state-run orphanage before escaping and surviving alone on the streets of Amsterdam as a child. An American family he met there helped bring him to the United States, where he arrived at 22 with almost nothing in his pocket.

Within three days, he was working two jobs, and over the next decade, he taught himself nutrition, developed a liquid vitamin formula, and built Passion 4 Health into a company doing millions a year. True to a promise he made as a child, he also founded Passion 4 K.I.D.S. (Kids In Desperate Situations), a charity supporting abused and disabled children and their families.

In this episode, Charles sits down with John to share one of the most remarkable stories of resilience, social entrepreneurship, and second chances you'll ever hear.

In this episode, you'll learn:

How Charles turned an unimaginable childhood into the fuel behind his immigrant entrepreneur success story.
Why he started two jobs within three days of arriving in America, and what kept him going.
How he taught himself nutrition with no formal training and spent nearly 10 years developing his liquid vitamin formula.
The promise he made as a child that led him to build a charity for children in desperate situations.
Why he believes bioavailability, how much of a supplement your body actually absorbs, is the key issue most people overlook.
The mindset that carried him through the moments he wanted to quit.
His straightforward advice for anyone who thinks they need money, connections, or perfect conditions to start.
What he's thinking about now, at 85, as he plans the eventual sale of his company.

Resources & Links Mentioned:

Passion 4 Health Liquid Vitamins - passion4healthvitamins.com (also available on Amazon)
Passion 4 K.I.D.S. (Kids In Desperate Situations) - https://passion4kids.com

Connect with Charles Van Kessler:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-van-kessler-8348033/
Website - https://passion4healthvitamins.com/

Connect with Dr. John M. Torrens:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnmtorrens/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnmtorrens/
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@drjohntorrens