Title: 1) Owner and Chief Executive Officer; 2) Owner; 3) Co-Owner; 4) Freelance Addiction Recovery Coach
Company: 1) MedEmporium; 2) Umidi Lifestyle Solutions LLC; 3) SmarterVending LLC
Location: Norfolk, Virginia, United States
Jason Umidi, Owner and Chief Executive Officer at MedEmporium, Owner at Umidi Lifestyle Solutions LLC, and Co-Owner at SmarterVending LLC, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Business Owners for dedication, achievements, and leadership in the Medical Equipment Sector and Life and Recovery Coaching.
Mr. Umidi’s career reflects a remarkable journey defined by resilience, empathy and a commitment to serving others. Leading a diverse, rewarding professional journey, he recently became the owner and chief executive officer of MedEmporium, a durable medical equipment company in Chesapeake, Virginia, in 2025. There, Mr. Umidi manages all daily business operations, with responsibilities that include financial bookkeeping, product ordering and overall store management. He also interacts directly with storefront customers and caregivers to assess specific needs for mobility equipment, wound care, bath safety and incontinence products. Beyond the retail space, Mr. Umidi coordinates home deliveries for homebound clients, travels to assisted living facilities to demonstrate equipment, and hosts hands-on maintenance workshops on wheelchairs and electric scooters.
In addition to his work at MedEmporium, Mr. Umidi has been the owner of Umidi Lifestyle Solutions LLC, the parent company of MedEmporium. He is also the co-owner of SmarterVending LLC in Norfolk, Virginia, a female-owned, family-run high-end vending machine business that he co-owns with his wife, serving the Hampton Roads area.
Additionally, Mr. Umidi has operated as an addiction recovery coach since 2022, after initially providing recovery coaching under his own name for a year. His coaching practice is characterized by a case-by-case approach, working with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those who are incarcerated or navigating recovery in everyday life. Rather than advertising widely, Mr. Umidi relies on referrals and word of mouth, a testament to the trust he inspires among clients. Notably, he maintains a fluctuating schedule as both a recovery coach and speaker, collaborating with Tidewater Psychiatric Center as a core recovery speaker for classes and developing educational content to support sustainable recovery.
Before his current endeavors, Mr. Umidi served as a field project manager at Priority Inc. in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, for 10 years, starting in 2015. In 2017, he also worked as a commercial construction superintendent at Horizon Retail Construction, Inc., overseeing restaurant construction projects. Between 2012 and 2015, Mr. Umidi excelled as a project manager at AGI in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where he managed both office and field operations.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Umidi founded Intermission Properties, LLC, in Norfolk in 2002, operating as a managing director and general contractor until 2009. He managed residential rental properties and flipped houses through the housing market’s highs and lows before selling his final property around 2023. From 1995 to 1997, he was the general manager and a small business entrepreneur at Just For Jess, Inc. Mr. Umidi’s professional path has also included creative pursuits as an actor in New York City after modeling in Europe during the 1980s.
Mr. Umidi’s academic background included coursework toward a Bachelor of Business Administration at Grove City College, just outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Initially drawn by the Air Force ROTC program with aspirations of becoming a pilot, he shifted direction after the program’s discontinuation due to budget cuts and subsequent medical disqualification following a back injury sustained during high school football. Mr. Umidi currently holds credentials as a certified life coach and certified recovery coach, which have enabled him to guide individuals through restoration processes rooted in empathy, character development and personal accountability.
As a former actor and model, Mr. Umidi was active as a member of the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. His extensive civic involvement includes founding a nonprofit organization dedicated to distributing recovery books free of charge to incarcerated individuals across the country. Mr. Umidi currently serves as a remote weekly coach for clients within jail and prison systems while also donating books and volunteering as a speaker for The Salvation Army National Headquarters and The Union Mission. Through local church initiatives and family-aligned service projects, including supporting foster children through his wife’s professional work, Mr. Umidi remains committed to community welfare.
As an author, Mr. Umidi published “Jesus + Seltzer: Stories and Meditations on Sobriety and Recovery” in September 2022 after encouragement from readers of his daily meditation blog “Today’s One Minute Read.” The book reflects on his personal journey through addiction into sobriety using meditations originally written for himself but ultimately shared with others seeking growth or healing regardless of faith background. Mr. Umidi considers this publication his most notable achievement because it allows him to reach people worldwide whom he may never meet personally but can influence toward positive change. Currently working on volume two of the “Jesus + Seltzer” meditation booklet along with two additional books slated for future release, he continues expanding his literary contributions while planning new speaking engagements nationally.
Mr. Umidi’s expertise in life and recovery coaching, customer relations, empathy and human connection has distinguished him within his field. He is praised for achieving this level of expertise by grounding his work in authentic relationships rather than transactional interactions. Throughout his career, Mr. Umidi has received significant recognition for his contributions, including being featured in CEO Weekly in 2025 regarding his recovery journey and his leadership at MedEmporium.
Notably, Mr. Umidi had faced significant health challenges that included five spinal fusion surgeries and an extended period on disability due to chronic pain. During this time, he faced a two-decade struggle with opioid addiction that began with prescribed medications following surgery. Achieving sobriety on January 10, 2017, marked a turning point that allowed Mr. Umidi to rebuild his life and redirect his focus toward helping others through coaching and advocacy.
Looking ahead, Mr. Umidi aims to open a second MedEmporium location due to his anticipation of increased demand for services among aging populations. He also intends to complete new books, including a memoir currently underway. Furthermore, Mr. Umidi plans to build upon his national presence as a keynote speaker addressing addiction within faith communities, challenging religious organizations to extend greater compassion toward marginalized groups while advocating vulnerability without judgment or shame. Through every chapter, whether overcoming adversity or celebrating milestones, he remains guided by empathy, authenticity, and an unwavering dedication to uplifting others both within the Chesapeake region and beyond.
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