Coffeez for Closers with Joe Shalaby Episode Summary: S2 Ep. 8 | Scaling Businesses with Purpose ft. Chris Lee Release Date: March 14, 2025
Introduction
In the eighth episode of Season 2 of "Coffeez for Closers," host Joseph Shalaby welcomes Chris Lee, the former CEO of Soljan Power and the current leader of Next Level Pros. Chris shares his remarkable journey of scaling a company from the ground up to a $233 million enterprise in just four years, culminating in a successful $120 million acquisition. Beyond his impressive business acumen, Chris emphasizes the importance of faith, family, and purposeful leadership in building sustainable and impactful businesses.
Guest Background and Current Endeavors
Chris Lee provides an overview of his current role and past accomplishments:
"I run an education and training community called Next Level Pros. We mainly work with brick and mortar businesses, but we have people from all different industries." [01:05]
Chris highlights his hands-on experience as a business owner rather than just a coach who learned strategies from seminars. His tenure at Soljan Power saw the company grow to one of the largest solar firms in the country before its acquisition by private equity in 2022. He stepped down as CEO in March 2023 to focus on mentoring other business owners.
Morning Routine and Personal Habits
A pivotal part of Chris's success lies in his disciplined morning routine, which balances spirituality, fitness, and continuous learning:
"One of the first things I do is I pray. And then I head to the gym and I go and work out... a big focus on relationships, education and spirituality during that morning routine." [02:20]
Chris incorporates prayer, physical exercise (alternating between gym and home workouts), cold plunges, sauna sessions, audiobook listening, and scripture reading into his mornings. This holistic approach ensures he remains grounded, healthy, and informed to tackle daily challenges effectively.
Scaling Principles and Business Design
Chris delves into the strategic principles that fueled Soljan Power's rapid growth:
"Everything in that business was done by design. It was done on purpose and with forethought." [04:31]
Having faced bankruptcy in his first venture, Chris learned the hard way the importance of intentional business planning. He spent four and a half years studying high-growth CEOs, developing a clear roadmap, and focusing on scalable systems. Key principles include:
- Purposeful Design: Every aspect of the business was meticulously planned to align with growth objectives.
- Culture Building: Emphasizing a strong, values-driven culture to attract and retain the right talent.
- Delegation: Avoiding the pitfall of trying to do everything himself, Chris built a team capable of driving the business forward.
Company Culture and Leadership
A central theme of the discussion is the significance of cultivating a robust company culture, regardless of the industry:
"Culture is independent of whatever industry you're in. You can build incredible culture in a dumpster business... because culture is about people." [06:29]
Chris believes that prioritizing the development of employees—physically, economically, and spiritually—creates a unified team committed to the company's mission. By valuing employees as holistic individuals, Chris fostered loyalty and passion, which were critical in scaling Soljan Power.
Integrating Faith and Family into Business
Chris underscores the role of faith and family in his business philosophy:
"From the very early stages, we do potlucks and we pray over food... we're all spiritual beings having a physical experience." [07:44]
He integrates spiritual practices into the workplace, promoting a sense of community and purpose beyond mere profit. Additionally, Chris prioritizes his family, ensuring that his business growth does not come at the expense of personal relationships:
"I chose to have a family and build a business around a family rather than the opposite." [08:59]
This balance instills a servitude mindset within the organization, aligning business success with personal and spiritual fulfillment.
Strategic Decision-Making for Scaling
Chris discusses critical strategic decisions that contributed to his company's exponential growth:
"You have to design with whatever your target profit margin is... I like to target a 25 to 30% profit margin." [10:25]
Key Strategies:
- Profit-First Approach: Ensuring high profitability allows for better employee care and customer satisfaction.
- Premium Positioning: Charging higher prices than competitors to afford superior service and operational flexibility.
- Reinvestment in Growth: Continuously reinvesting profits into marketing and expansion rather than capitalizing on short-term gains.
- Avoiding the Middle Ground: Positioning the business either as a premium or low-cost leader to prevent being undercut.
These strategies enabled Soljan Power to achieve impressive revenue milestones, ultimately reaching $233 million.
Talent Recruitment and Team Building
Attracting and retaining top talent was pivotal in Chris's scaling strategy:
"He who has the greatest vision will always win the recruiting battle." [20:42]
Recruitment Tactics:
- Inclusive Recruiting Culture: Encouraging every team member to participate in recruiting efforts, fostering a collective ownership of company growth.
- Strong Personal Brand: Building a reputation for reliability and trustworthiness, making the company attractive to high-quality candidates.
- Clear Vision and Roadmap: Presenting a compelling vision and a structured plan for growth to prospective employees.
- Equity Structures: Offering equity incentives to align team members' interests with the company's success.
These practices not only attracted talented individuals but also ensured their long-term commitment and contribution to the company's objectives.
Overcoming Failure and Embracing Resilience
Chris shares a transformative personal experience of bankruptcy and how it reshaped his approach to business:
"I realized the monster that I created around failure wasn't as bad as reality." [26:25]
Key Takeaways:
- Facing Zero: Experiencing complete financial loss taught Chris the importance of resilience and the ability to restart.
- Maintaining Faith and Family: Despite losing everything materially, Chris retained his faith and family support, which were crucial in his recovery.
- Action Over Fear: Understanding that fear of failure often holds entrepreneurs back, Chris advocates for taking decisive action even when restarting from zero.
This experience instilled a fearless mindset, allowing Chris to pursue ambitious goals without being paralyzed by the possibility of failure.
Instilling Work Ethic and Legacy in Family
Balancing business success with family values, Chris emphasizes teaching his children the importance of hard work and financial independence:
"Everything that I own is going to be donated to charity." [29:23]
Family Principles:
- No Inheritance: Ensuring children understand the value of earning rather than expecting unearned wealth.
- Hands-On Experiences: Involving his children in agricultural work on their hobby farm to teach them the rewards of physical labor.
- Financial Literacy: Educating his children about money management, investment, and entrepreneurship from a young age.
- Encouraging Hustles: Supporting his children in developing their own ventures, fostering independence and initiative.
These practices aim to cultivate self-reliant, hardworking individuals who appreciate the origins of their privileges and understand the value of creating their own success.
Future Goals and Vision
Chris outlines his personal, family, and business ambitions, reflecting his commitment to continuous growth and impact:
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Personal Goal: Maintaining a consistent 12% body fat ratio, highlighting his dedication to health and discipline.
"I want to keep a 12% body fat consistently." [35:02]
-
Family Goal: Building a relationship with his wife that she is proud of, ensuring mutual respect and admiration.
"A family goal that I have is to have a relationship that my wife is proud of." [35:02]
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Business Goal: Through Next Level Pros, Chris aims to design lives that impact the world, targeting an additional $125 billion in revenue spread across community businesses within five years.
"Impact125 stands for... adding an additional $125 billion of revenue... to impact and change the world." [35:02]
Additionally, he emphasizes community service, aiming for an extra 3 million hours annually, reinforcing his belief that entrepreneurship is a primary driver of global change.
Closing Reflections
In his final thoughts, Chris expresses confidence in his life's work and legacy:
"When I show up at those pearly gates, he's going to be pretty excited." [37:44]
He envisions a life dedicated to continuous improvement and impactful entrepreneurship, grounded in faith and family values. Chris's story serves as an inspiring blueprint for entrepreneurs seeking to scale their businesses responsibly while maintaining personal integrity and purpose.
Conclusion
In this episode of "Coffeez for Closers," Chris Lee offers invaluable insights into scaling businesses with intention and purpose. His emphasis on culture, strategic financial planning, relentless vision, and personal integrity provides a comprehensive guide for entrepreneurs aiming to build successful and meaningful enterprises. By intertwining faith and family with business ambitions, Chris exemplifies a holistic approach to leadership that transcends traditional metrics of success.
Notable Quotes:
- "Everything in that business was done by design. It was done on purpose and with forethought." [04:31]
- "Culture is independent of whatever industry you're in. You can build incredible culture in a dumpster business... because culture is about people." [06:29]
- "You have to design with whatever your target profit margin is... I like to target a 25 to 30% profit margin." [10:25]
- "He who has the greatest vision will always win the recruiting battle." [20:42]
- "I realized the monster that I created around failure wasn't as bad as reality." [26:25]
- "Everything that I own is going to be donated to charity." [29:23]
- "When I show up at those pearly gates, he's going to be pretty excited." [37:44]
This comprehensive summary encapsulates the essence of Chris Lee's conversation on "Coffeez for Closers," providing valuable lessons on scaling businesses with purpose, building a strong company culture, and maintaining a balance between professional success and personal fulfillment.