The Carter Brothers

Dr. Steling Carter and Stephen Levi Carter, MBA

Entrepreneurs | Thought Leaders | Authors | Mentors

Dr. Sterling Carter and Stephen Levi Carter are twin entrepreneurs and motivational speakers based in Houston, Texas. Dr. Sterling Carter is a clinical expert with over 20 years of experience as a physical therapist. Stephen Levi Carter has over two decades of experience in managerial and executive-level positions for a variety of industries, including medical insurance and the oil and gas industry. The brothers founded Sterling Staffing Solutions in 2011, which has grown into a multimillion-dollar company that specializes in providing medical staffing services to home health agencies, hospices, hospitals, and rehab facilities.

Dr. Sterling L. Carter is a leader in his field and strives to promote innovation in the healthcare community. He has over two decades of experience working as a professional physical therapist and is a decorated U.S. Army Veteran that served his country for over two and half decades, earning the rank of Major before retiring. A successful serial entrepreneur, Dr. Carter has held countless leadership positions throughout his career. He is currently the President & CEO of Sterling Physical Therapy & Wellness and a founding partner and CEO at Sterling Staffing Solutions. His past business ventures include Sterling Energy Solutions, Sterling Security Group, and Sterling Strategic Counsel, among others. Stephen Levi Carter, MBA, brings with him over 20 years of experience in leadership, working in finance in managerial and executive-level positions for consulting firms, medical insurance companies, oil and gas companies, and technology firms. Prior to earning his Bachelor’s degree, Stephen also served as a U.S. Combat Medic during the Desert Storm. Stephen has owned multiple businesses including an online magazine, event promotions company, beauty salon, jazz lounge, restaurant, and a full-service accounting and tax company. He is now a founding partner and CEO of Sterling Staffing Solutions, as well as the CEO of White Orchid Hospice, a company providing palliative and hospice services to patients throughout the greater Houston metropolitan area. The Carters also offers consulting services to entrepreneurs that are ready to take the next big step on their journey to success. They can help you plan a business from the beginning stages or take your existing venture to the next level. The Carters help clients achieve sustained success through the development and implementation of winning strategies. They will provide you with a highly individualized plan of action that addresses your goals for the growth of your business.

ForbesBooks Authors, Dr. Sterling L. Carter and Stephen Levi Carter, MBA, are sought-after motivational speakers that are passionate about sharing their message with audiences around the country. They speak on the power of harnessing the entrepreneurial spirit to achieve your vision and build lasting success.

The Carters offer keynote presentations to audiences of all sizes on the subjects of entrepreneurship, business growth strategies, and staffing solutions.

AVID Magazine was able to catch up with the Carter Brothers and ask them some questions.

What do you specialize in, what are you most known for? What we are most known for is our impact in the field of medicine and healthcare. Dr. Sterling Carter, a nationally recognized physical therapist and president and CEO of Sterling Physical Therapy and Wellness, has over 20 years of experience in his field. He has also made guest appearances on the popular My 600-lb. Life. Stephen Levi Carter has founded several successful businesses, including Sterling Staffing Solutions, which he shares with his twin brother. Stephen is also the founder and CEO of White Orchid Hospice. Everyone has a story about why they started, what’s yours? We come from humble beginnings and are the sons of a hardworking single mother. Both of us served our country and are proud military veterans who learned to match opportunity with discipline and hard work. We both made conscious decisions to obtain financial freedom while still serving others. More than anything, we intend to serve our families by creating a legacy of excellence, a standard for our children and our children’s children to follow for years to come. Being in business can be hard and difficult sometimes, what keeps you motivated? Motivation is not hard to find for us. Knowing that we are providing a model for others to live out their dreams is motivation enough. What can we look forward to from you in the upcoming year? 2020 will be a big year for the Carter Brothers, as we will share the skills, lessons, and resources we’ve worked so hard to impact the lives of aspiring entrepreneurs. We have already launched the Young Millionaires Series where participants have the opportunity to win a $10,000 grant by pitching their business ideas to angel investors. The series is an unprecedented effort to build generational wealth in urban communities by not only training but providing resources for college students, second chance offenders, military veterans, and all other aspiring entrepreneurs. We will fill the exclusive roster of participants by way of a national search, which welcomes video submissions from those aged 18-25. Paying homage to the philosophy of W.E.B. DuBois, 10 hopefuls will be chosen as the program’s inaugural ‘Talented Ten’ and flown to Houston, TX, for the weekend from Fri, Feb. 21, 2020 - Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020, for an all-expense-paid series of workshops, networking engagements, pitch opportunity and one-on-one mentorship with us.

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What has been the hardest thing about being in business? Everything about being in business can be difficult. But, staying focused on a worthy goal keeps us from dwelling on the hard times. We find it a privilege to provide service and to get paid to do what we love. What are the failures that you most cherish? We cherish each and every failure. Each has forced us to learn something different and work hard not to make the same mistake again. There have been so many times when, individually, we have been ready to “throw in the towel” and return to working for someone. Each time we approached this crossroad, we were forced to dig down deep, re-focus, and remember the “why” behind what we are doing. By analyzing and determining strengths and weaknesses, we are constantly improving. These are the moments that really define the person you really are. It makes you stronger, wiser, and more confident in your ability to overcome. What did you want to be when you grew up? Thankfully, we’ve grown into the men we’d hoped to be. Our goal is to continue providing top-notch services and showing others the principles to success. What do you do in your free time? We spend our free time with our beautiful wives and children, those who have and continue to support us on our professional journeys. It’s so important for us not to lose sight of why we work hard; we do it for them. We do this so that we can afford to vacation and create memories with them. What is a philosophy or quote that you live by? There are so many to choose from, but here are a few that come to mind for us: Life is too short to have regrets if you want to do something...just do it!; “Trust but verify” - Ronald Reagan; “I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was.” - Muhammad Ali

If you could offer one piece of advice to someone wanting to follow your path, what would it be? Forge your own path. But be wise enough to learn from others’ mistakes, yet stubborn enough to be willing to make your own. Stop waiting for the perfect moment to take the leap. There will never be a perfect time to start your business. It is important to do the research and have a plan, but once you have that plan, you must implement it as soon as possible. You will fail, but you will learn from your failures and grow wiser from each one. How would you describe yourself in one word? Determined What sets you apart from others who are doing the same thing? Instead of simply feasting on the fruit of our labor, we have decided to bring others to the table to eat, as well. We’ve learned a lot about how to sustain lucrative businesses over the years, and now it is necessary for us to share our knowledge, whether it is through our ForbesBooks best-seller, Double Your Success: Principles to Build a Multimillion-Dollar Business or one-one-one while mentoring the participants of our Young Millionaires Series.

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