Next Level Pros Podcast - Episode #156: How I Built a 9-Figure Business by Outworking My Mind

Host: Chris Lee
Release Date: July 17, 2025

Introduction and Context

In Episode #156 of Next Level Pros, host Chris Lee delves into his personal journey of building multiple successful businesses, ultimately achieving a nine-figure enterprise. Originally recorded during his earlier podcasting days with the Founder Podcast, this episode has been revitalized to align with the Next Level Pros branding, ensuring timeless lessons for entrepreneurs, particularly those in the trades and home services sectors.

Early Life and Influences

Chris Lee opens up about his upbringing in the small town of Cornell, Washington, emphasizing the foundational role his family and early experiences played in shaping his work ethic and personality.

• Family Dynamics: Growing up in a household where his father was the sole breadwinner and his mother a stay-at-home mom, Chris was one of seven siblings, also helping raise his younger cousin. He reflects, "My dad was a workhorse, and my mom was the dreamer, and together they formed a wonderful family."
  [02:45]

• Sports and Discipline: Sports were a central part of Chris's childhood, serving as a cost-effective way to channel energy and build discipline. His father, a school teacher and head football and wrestling coach, instilled the values of teamwork and perseverance.

• Early Work Ethic: At nine years old, Chris began delivering newspapers, a job that taught him the value of hard work. By sixteen, he and his brother managed their paper route, waking up at 4:30 AM every day. He notes, "This set a foundation for the rest of my life of becoming an early riser."
  [10:15]

Discovering Sales Skills

Chris's foray into sales began at eighteen with a Cutco sales position, marking his first significant success in earning beyond minimum wage.

• First Sales Job: At Columbia Basin College, Chris was attracted to a Cutco sales opportunity offering $13 per presentation, significantly higher than his previous earnings. "This was where I realized I had a gift for connecting with people."
  [18:30]

• Sales Philosophy: Emphasizing authenticity, Chris shares, "Never sell a product that you don't absolutely believe in and that you don't use." His success in sales not only provided financial rewards but also instilled confidence in his ability to influence and persuade.

High School and Overcoming Challenges

Chris discusses the intersection of his academic strengths and athletic pursuits, highlighting pivotal moments that tested his resilience.

• Academic Excellence: Identified early as a math prodigy and a state champion with his math team. "Numbers have always been a language I speak fluently, which later translated seamlessly into business."
  [26:50]

• Athletic Setback: Aspiring to be a quarterback, Chris faced disappointment when he was cut from the position during his junior year. This setback became a turning point, teaching him adaptability and perseverance. "Sometimes you don't hit your goals the way you think you will, and that's okay."
  [35:20]

Personal Life and Family

Balancing personal aspirations with familial responsibilities, Chris reveals how his early marriage and parenthood influenced his career trajectory.

• Early Marriage: At twenty-one, Chris married his high school sweetheart Andrea, prioritizing family over immediate career success. "We chose each other first. I knew that I wanted to establish a family as my priority."
  [50:10]

• Parenthood: Father of five, including a daughter diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, Chris emphasizes the importance of teaching resilience and self-reliance to his children. "We have diabetes, but we aren't diabetics. This doesn't determine who we are."
  [62:45]

Battling Type 1 Diabetes

A significant portion of Chris's narrative revolves around his diagnosis with type 1 diabetes at age ten and how it shaped his discipline and resilience.

• Diagnosis and Management: Chris recounts the severe onset of diabetes symptoms and the life-altering diagnosis. "When they told me I was a diabetic, I decided I was never going to identify as one. I have diabetes, but I am not a diabetic."
  [40:30]

• Impact on Identity: This experience fostered a mindset of self-reliance and dedication, traits that would later underpin his business success. "Diabetes has taught me to be dedicated and disciplined, and not to be a victim of my circumstances."
  [47:15]

Mission Experience

Serving a two-year mission in Oklahoma City as a Spanish-speaking missionary, Chris gained invaluable skills and insights that would later influence his entrepreneurial ventures.

• Faith and Discipline: The mission strengthened his reliance on God and himself, enhancing his disciplined approach to life and work. "I learned how to develop greater sales skills and spiritual consciousness."
  [55:50]

• Building Relationships: Engaging with diverse communities, including the Marshallese, honed his ability to connect with people from different backgrounds, a crucial skill in sales and business.

Transition to Business

After excelling in sales during his college years, Chris made a pivotal decision to pivot from a medical career to entrepreneurship.

• Sales Success: While attending Brigham Young University, Chris excelled in pest control sales, earning $65,000 in just three months—a stark contrast to his peers. "I was making as much as my dad had worked his entire career."
  [70:00]

• Decision to Pivot: Influenced by a professor’s advice that impactful businesses can save more lives than doctors, Chris decided to leave the medical path. "You can save more lives running a successful business than any medical doctor could ever do."
  [82:20]

• Entrepreneurial Leap: In 2008, amidst the financial turmoil of the year, Chris dropped out of the Marriott School of Management to launch his first business, marking the beginning of his entrepreneurial journey. "I was ready to spread my wings and build something real."
  [90:15]

Key Lessons and Insights

Throughout his narrative, Chris imparts several key lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs:

1. Resilience in the Face of Adversity: From overcoming diabetes to shifting career paths, Chris highlights the importance of adapting to challenges without losing sight of one's goals.

2. Value of Authentic Salesmanship: Genuine belief in the product and connecting with customers are fundamental to successful sales and business growth.

3. Prioritizing Discipline and Hard Work: Early life experiences ingrained a strong work ethic, essential for building and sustaining successful ventures.

4. Leveraging Personal Experiences: Transforming personal struggles into strengths can lead to innovative business strategies and empathetic leadership.

5. Faith and Community: Building a support system through faith and relationships provides stability and inspiration during entrepreneurial endeavors.

Conclusion and Next Steps

As Episode #156 concludes, Chris Lee reflects on the intertwining of his personal experiences with his professional achievements. This episode serves as both an inspiration and a roadmap for entrepreneurs seeking to overcome internal and external obstacles to build impactful businesses.

Chris teases the continuation of his story in the next episode, promising to delve deeper into his first business venture and the strategies that led to his monumental success.

Notable Quotes:

• "This set a foundation for the rest of my life of becoming an early riser."
  [10:15]

• "Never sell a product that you don't absolutely believe in and that you don't use."
  [24:05]

• "Sometimes you don't hit your goals the way you think you will, and that's okay."
  [35:20]

• "We chose each other first. I knew that I wanted to establish a family as my priority."
  [50:10]

• "Diabetes has taught me to be dedicated and disciplined, and not to be a victim of my circumstances."
  [47:15]

• "You can save more lives running a successful business than any medical doctor could ever do."
  [82:20]

Join the Conversation:

If you found Chris Lee’s story inspiring, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or YouTube and share your thoughts. Engage with the Next Level Pros community as Chris continues to share valuable insights from his journey to building a nine-figure business.