Chris Lautenslager's story is one of transformation, resilience, and purpose. From growing up in a small business household to navigating the high-stakes world of Wall Street, Chris has worn many hats. But his real calling emerged not from corporate success, but from a passion to uplift small business owners—the unsung heroes of our communities.

Chris credits much of his understanding of small business life to his father, who ran a business that demanded all hands on deck. "In small business households, you're all in," Chris recalls. "I saw how much of our lives revolved around the business, sometimes even more than family." This early exposure to the sacrifices and rewards of entrepreneurship shaped his perspective on the challenges small business owners face daily.

After a thriving career on Wall Street, Chris made a pivotal choice. He left behind the transactional nature of big finance to focus on advocating for small businesses. "Wall Street was about the next deal, the next number, but I realized it wasn’t feeding my soul," he explains. His decision to step away wasn’t just about dissatisfaction; it was about finding a purpose that aligned with his values.

That purpose came into sharp focus during the pandemic, when lockdowns forced countless small businesses to close their doors. Living his "retirement dream" in Colorado at the time, Chris couldn’t sit idly by. "I came out of retirement because I knew these families needed a voice. Small businesses are the fabric of our society—they connect us and enhance our lives in ways big companies never can."

Chris’s advocacy isn’t just talk; it’s deeply rooted in actionable principles. He believes in maximizing possibilities, a philosophy he emphasizes in his book, The Prosperity Loop. "Private business owners have an incredible freedom," he notes. "They don’t have to answer to shareholders demanding cost-cutting at all costs. They can choose to invest in their employees, their communities, and themselves in ways that create value beyond profits."

Central to Chris’s approach is the idea of cooperation over competition. He encourages businesses to break down silos and foster a culture where teams collaborate for shared success. "The most important decision you’ll ever make as a small business owner is who you hire," Chris insists. "Skills can be taught, but core values like trust, integrity, and going above and beyond can’t be faked."

Chris also stresses the importance of sharing success with your team. "There’s no such thing as a self-made millionaire," he says. "If you’re successful, it’s because of the people who supported you. Recognize their contributions, and don’t just ask for maximum effort while offering minimum pay. That’s not how you build loyalty or pride in your organization."

For those starting their entrepreneurial journey, Chris’s advice is simple yet profound: ask for help. "Why go it alone?" he asks. "There’s so much joy in learning from others and so much growth that comes from mentorship. Podcasts, books, and experienced peers are invaluable resources. Use them."

Ultimately, Chris’s message is one of hope and empowerment. Whether it’s finding joy in your work, building meaningful relationships, or pursuing a purpose that aligns with your values, his insights resonate far beyond the business world. As Chris says, "Time moves fast. Prioritize what truly matters and have fun along the way."

Discover the secrets to sales as Greg DeKalb and Alan Stern share insights and wisdom on The Science of Business Development Podcast. With a background spanning from selling cars to owning a DJ company, Alan's journey is a testament to the power of perseverance and adaptability in the ever-changing landscape of business.

As Greg guides the conversation, we're treated to a feast of actionable strategies and thought-provoking ideas. Alan's innovative methodology, aptly named the HEAT method, is unveiled before our eyes, promising a strategic approach to marketing without breaking the bank.

But what truly sets this episode apart is its emphasis on the human element of business. Alan's words resonate deeply as he shares, "People don't buy from brands. They buy from people who represent brands." In a world inundated with advertisements, the key lies in forging genuine connections and building trust.

As Alan delves into the four pillars of the HEAT method – humor, education, adding value, and trust – you can't help but feel empowered to apply these principles to your own business endeavors. "When your marketing goes cold, drop some heat," he quips, encapsulating the essence of his revolutionary approach.

But amidst all the strategies and tactics, it's the human stories that shine through the brightest. Alan's passion for helping others succeed is palpable in every word, as he shares his journey from humble beginnings to entrepreneurial success. His authenticity and vulnerability serve as a beacon of hope for aspiring business owners everywhere.

The episode serves as a masterclass in business development, offering a potent blend of inspiration, wisdom, and practical advice. As Greg and Alan remind us, success in business is not just about numbers and strategies – it's about forging genuine connections and staying true to your values.

As you embark on your own entrepreneurial journey, remember the lessons imparted by Greg and Alan. Embrace the power of humor, educate yourself relentlessly, add value to others, and above all, build trust through authenticity and integrity. With their guidance, success is within reach.

In a recent episode of The Science of Business Development, Stephanie Welter, from Keller Williams Success Real, interviews Rebekah Carlson from Carlson Integrated.

Carlson's firm specializes in marketing and is also a commercial real estate brokerage. Welter is curious about the structure of Carlson's business and asks how she ended up combining both aspects.Carlson explains that she got licensed in real estate when she first started in the industry as a way to learn the vernacular of the business.

However, when she left her old in-house company, they told her to take her license with her. Carlson then had to take managing broker classes so that she could have her license hung by herself.

Over time, her marketing business grew, but she also began to have colleagues and friends who asked to hang their license with her. These were people who had licensing but were not utilizing it as part of their primary career, and they wanted to have a managing broker who understood that they were not going to be generating leads.

As Carlson's brokerage business grew, she provided opportunities for education, mentoring, and learning, particularly in the commercial real estate business.

While Carlson's primary focus is on marketing, she recognizes the importance of storytelling in business development. She came from the investment side of the commercial real estate world and was the director of marketing and business development for a company that acquired shopping centers and parking structures across the country.

She recognized that no one can do business with someone they don't know about, and she loved the growth that they were able to experience when they raised investment funds.

Carlson's experience in building a business from the inside and her knowledge of the investment side of the commercial real estate world has helped her combine her marketing expertise with her commercial real estate brokerage business. She also recognizes that relationships are a significant aspect of any business, and one should not lose family in real estate but grow it.

Rebekah Carlson's unique combination of marketing and commercial real estate brokerage businesses has resulted in an unintentional growth pattern, but she has taken advantage of this growth to provide opportunities for education, mentoring, and learning in the commercial real estate business. Carlson's experience in building businesses from the inside has also helped her to recognize the importance of storytelling in business development and the value of growing relationships in the industry.

Before being acquired by Capgemini, Rich Lyons was the Founder and CEO of Lyons Consulting Group. He joins on The Science of Business Development to share his story and the wisdom he's attained along the way.

With a bachelor of science in Electrical engineering from Michigan and an MBA from Kelloggs, Rich shares some insight on the science behind getting started in sales.

"No one wants to do dials on Friday afternoon. So if you want to avoid that, you front load your week. Do them earlier in the week. It's no magic. If you don't have them done, then you better be dialing on Saturday and dial on Sunday.

When you set your floors, you can have stretch goals, but make it every week. To me that's the science of at least getting started."

Tune in more to hear Rich's journey from sales manager, to sales employee and eventually founder of his own company.

Greg DeKalb of CEO and Co-Founder of Appointments IQ and Tony P’s Networking Events chats with Katrina Roddy, CEO and Author of “Steal Your Skills from Corporate: Use Your Professional Talents to Become an Independent Contractor.” The two discuss strategies Katrina learned in her storied career in the corporate insurance world and how those can be applied to today’s entrepreneurial skill sets.

While computers and smoke-free work environments are expected, we rarely give thought to a time when it wasn’t so. Katrina reflects on how different times bred a much different culture than you’d see today and how it helped shape her in business today.

“The world has evolved. I remember when fax machines came out, I'm really dating myself, but I remember all of these things. It makes such a significant impact now, because I can remember when we had to do things manually. We had to think through things before.”

Yet despite the cultural and technological differences Katrina has experienced throughout her career, she maintains a curiosity that’s allowed her to pursue new opportunities.

“I've always been a curious person and that just helps us grow. I started to expand and ask more questions. How do I get to that department? What does that department do?

Then I ended up in corporate insurance where I'm looking at accounts that are corporations and I'm like, I didn't even realize they needed insurance like this.

I worked in the big houses and I just continued to progress into different roles and kept moving untilI was pretty much a pillar in the industry by the time I left. “

It was through those experiences that Katriina based the teachings in her book. Though the book focuses on skills acquired from corporate work experiences, she’s quick to point out that life experiences can prove equally valuable.

“Just your ability to talk to CEOs of companies and have communication with them. Those are transferable skills and people don't realize these are things you have that you've built along the way. I don't care if you got them when you were younger or you got them through your household or corporate, because corporate could actually be a metaphor for life.

I started learning through networking that I had some things that maybe some other entrepreneurs were seeking, because they would ask me ‘Could you help us budget?’”

Tune in to hear more on Greg and Katrina’s conversation that could help you uncover skills you already possess to help you gain the confidence you need to reach your goals.

https://www.tfocb.com/tsobd/podcast/greg-dekalb/katrina-roddy

Best known for his portrayal as Dr. Josh Madden in the long-running soap opera All My Children, as well as Auggie Kirkpatrick in The CW's teen rendition of Melrose Place, Collin has been featured in other films such as Something Borrowed and Must Love Dogs. He joins Greg DeKalb to share how he’s transition from acting to business and how he likens experiences in acting to building relationships.

Growing up with a father who’s a gynecologist obstetrician, Collin recalls watching his dad deliver a baby and deciding it wasn’t for him.

“I think we all know in our heart, if something is right or not, but at 17, 18, 19 years old, how do you know what to do with that? Not knowing, you know, without having really had much experience in life. I think it's kind of crazy that we expect kids at such a young age to decide what they're going to do for the rest of their life.’

With his younger brother becoming a pilot, Collin recognized that finding your passion early in life was lucky. Yet to discover his own, Collin remembers driving home one day, while waiting tables, that would put him on the path to finding his identity.

“I was a waiter at the University of Iowa Athletic Club. I hated my job, I hated my boss. I was driving home one night, at like 10 30, with ketchup and frickin’ gravy on my shirt. It was the middle of February and was probably like five degrees below zero… and I heard on the radio

‘Do you want to travel the world, work in Europe, do runways with Giorgio Armani and make really good money? Come to the model search at the Devonport Holiday Inn next Tuesday night at seven o'clock.’”

That would be the catalyst that would launch Collin’s modeling and career, that included working with and meeting Georgio Armani himself.

With years of experience in Hollywood and television, Collin understands that chemistry is key to producing a moment worthy of others’ attention. He shares his insight on how acting is comparable to real life relationships.

“What pulls us in, not just with acting, but with anyone in life is whether it’s business or a personal relationship. When we watch a TV show, we can tell if the actor is really listening to the other actor or if they're in their own little world; when their response is not authentic to what the other actor is saying.

What acting taught me is that you've got to really get laser focused in who that person is across from you, because they are your fuel. They are your inspiration. You're co-creating something that is magical.”

Tune in to hear more on Collin’s journey that led him from Hollywood, back to Chicago, sharing what he’s learned along the way in his new book and series.

Watch the video episode here:

https://www.tfocb.com/tsobd/podcast/greg-dekalb/collin-egglesfield

Jen Coffel sits down with Trisha Bowers and Andrea Hernan on this episode of The Science of Business Development. These powerhouse women share their experiences building successful companies and the lessons learned along the way.

Andrea works with small businesses ensuring that they grow through their people. She helps them by defining and improving upon their culture and other HR initiatives. Trisha is an area manager at Wintrust Mortgage where she and her team work dailly to help people achieve home ownership.

Each shares their own stories of how they got to where they are today. For Andrea, her HR inspiration came from her parents. From them she learned about the human side of business:

“If people aren't working together, aren't happy with what they're doing, aren't enjoying what they're doing, it doesn't matter if they're good or not.”

While Tricia’s parents were real estate agents, the real catalyst to her endeavor into the mortgage industry stemmed from an experience she had working at a martial arts school. At the time she would put together retail purchase agreements for parents that wanted to put their kids through a 36 month black belt program. A chance encounter with a bank president one the phone kicked off a chain of events that led Trisha to where she is today.

The two women share with Jen the challenges they faced along the way, how they overcame them, where they found their inspiration (including some book recommendations), building relationships, and the advice they have for others starting their own business.

Tune in and listen to these accomplished women share the science behind each of their successes.

Greg DeKalb chats with Shana Prymicz