Transcript

Chris (0:00)

Cale Forester launched his plumbing business in 2022, doing $500,000 his first year as a sole proprietor and doubling his revenue every year, hitting $3 million in 2025. And the craziest part of it all, just a few years earlier, he was homeless. Hear his story how he battled back from drug addiction and living under a bridge to taking the leadership lessons from rehab and applying them to lead his team of five.

Cale Forester (0:27)

Pl.

Chris (0:43)

So, Kale, not too long ago, you were freaking homeless in the streets, and today you're running a successful plumbing business. You're going to do what, 3 million this year?

Cale Forester (0:51)

We'll do 3 million this year, dude.

Chris (0:53)

First of all, congratulations. That's freaking rad. Right? It's not too often that I get guys on my show that. That have lived on the streets, been in the lowest of low, that have, like, just, ugh. So give me a little bit more of that. So, obviously, there was, like, a huge transition. Something that, like, sparked, like, changed you. If I remember right, you were, like, living underneath a bridge.

Cale Forester (1:18)

I was living underneath the bridge in a. A place of tall. This town west or downtown Tulsa. And that's just kind of where I called home. It was the closest place from the hospital that I had just AMA'd myself out of.

Chris (1:30)

What does AMA mean?

Cale Forester (1:31)

Against medical advice.

Chris (1:32)

Okay.

Cale Forester (1:34)

All right, all right.

Chris (1:36)

A little bit of a rebel.

Cale Forester (1:37)

A little bit of a rebel. Okay.

Chris (1:38)

I like it.

Dylan (1:39)

Yeah.

Cale Forester (1:40)

I was in a. I got a. I got found by some police officers in a part of Tulsa that was not friendly to be in. Just beaten.

Chris (1:47)

Dude, how many times were you arrested over the years?

Summary

Next Level Pros – "Homeless to $3M: A Plumbing Owner’s Comeback"

Host: Chris Lee
Guests: Cale Forester & Dylan
Release Date: November 11, 2025

Overview

This powerful episode of Next Level Pros features Cale Forester, owner of a thriving plumbing company in Tulsa, OK that scaled from $500k to $3 million in just three years. Host Chris Lee, himself a serial entrepreneur, draws out Cale’s incredible transformation story—one that spans homelessness, addiction, jail time, recovery, and purposeful entrepreneurship. Joined by sales expert Dylan, they break down actionable lessons on leadership, growth, resilience, and the deeper meaning of building a business that serves both people and community.

Key Themes & Discussion Points

Cale’s Journey from Addiction & Homelessness to Entrepreneurial Success

Life at “Rock Bottom”
- Cale describes living literally under a bridge in Tulsa, struggling with addiction, and frequent run-ins with the law.
- “I was living underneath the bridge in a … west of downtown Tulsa. That’s just kind of where I called home.” — Cale Forester (01:18)
- Arrested at least 10–12 times. (02:13)
- “Day-to-day life looks like going to a gas station, asking for dollars from strangers… getting a free meal where my sister worked and then asked to leave.” (03:53)
Family Dynamics & the Turning Point
- Family attempted to help, but had to cut him off for their own well-being.
- “Nobody gets to dictate what your bottom is... the bottom for me... it’s more of a spiritual thing.” — Cale (11:49)
- The final straw: parents could no longer allow him home—caused near family implosion.
- “The most hurtful thing I ever did to my mom… was take her peace of mind.” (13:09)

Hitting Bottom & Turning the Corner

One Phone Call from Jail
- “There was just a voice that happens... it was like, ‘don’t do that.’ And I found myself in jail and I made one phone call—it was to my mom. It wasn’t for her to bail me out...” — Cale (14:09)
- Cale spends 8 months in county jail (not prison), racks up petty theft charges.
- The “jailhouse prayer” and spiritual surrender enable him to finally accept help. (16:06)
Rehab, Community & Finding Purpose
- Enters Veterans Treatment Court, finds path into rehab.
- “I did a 90-day stay in a treatment center. That’s where I met Brittany.” (18:12)
- The importance of camaraderie: “A group of men… walking the same road as me, but had found their way out.” (19:21)

From Recovery to Rapid Business Growth

Lessons from Recovery Applied to Leadership
- Cale emphasizes the transferable lessons:
  - “Just do whatever they’re doing and then that’ll work because they’ve been cleaner longer than me.” (19:33)
  - “In business, it’s the same strategy: follow the people that have found success where you want to have success.” (19:41)
- Another key: “There’s a level of [the addictive personality] that I carried with me. Whenever I get bought into something, I’m all in.” (19:52)
Launching & Scaling the Plumbing Business
- Start: Sole proprietor, “chuck in a truck,” $500k revenue year one (18:43)
- Doubles revenue every year to reach $3M by 2025.
- Key moves:
  - Continuous learning, mentorship, and relationship-building.
  - Hiring and mentoring employees—built a team of 5.

Meeting Dylan & The Power of Process

The Role of Mentorship
- Cale meets Dylan at a trades event in Las Vegas (COVID reopening, 2021). (20:47)
- Cale’s pattern: seeks out experts, “If I meet you and I get access to you, I’m going to talk to you.” (23:18)
- Dylan’s “claim to fame”—hit $3M as a plumbing salesman, which galvanized their relationship and peer learning.
Why a Rebrand Mattered (~24:13)
- “Branding is absolutely more than just a logo. It should evoke. I wanted to carry my story, my beliefs and my values … into what I’m doing today.” — Cale (24:41)
- Rebrand was an 18-month investment covering:
  - New vans and branded materials: shirts, hats, yard signs, door hangers, stickers.
  - Instantly elevated team confidence and customer perception.
  - Memorable moment: “From now on, I don’t care if they buy anything... give them a free [spigot cover]. Put them on. You don’t even ask them if they want it. Put them on.” (25:59)
Driving Growth with Systems
- Sales process: “We have three-ring binders. The sales flow process; step by step—simple, stupid, you can’t mess this up. Assigned to the vehicle, not the guy.” (27:04)
- Letting go of control: “What I’m finding is letting go of the control pieces and actually trusting somebody. You gotta verify too—trust but verify.” (27:19)
- Metrics & tracking:
  - “I look at [my Oura Ring] every day. I think that’s a good indication, like, how you gotta run business—know your key indicators across the board.” — Chris (28:02)
  - Importance of not using “bank account accounting” but tracking real metrics to avoid cash flow pitfalls. (29:09)

Sales Excellence & Keys to $3M

Dylan’s 2 Pillars of Sales Success
- “Having a game plan. We’re not going into houses just hoping to sell, hoping to provide solutions. We have a set process... a plan every single call.” (30:10)
- Even at 70% consistency, this process enables high-level, repeatable results.
- The rebrand doubled revenue by boosting technician confidence and professional appearance. (32:22)

Operating Principles & Financial Discipline

Operating with Integrity
- Cale: “Never used my company like it’s a piggy bank.” (32:44)
- Chris: “Quit robbing the growth capital from the business to fulfill your personal ego... wait for the exit.” (32:54)
Growth Mindset: Thinking Bigger
- Chris challenges Cale to dream beyond $6M/year, to 10, 15, and beyond.
- “When we set big goals, we think of different tools to get there...”—Chris (38:26)
- “Why not more?... We need more good people with cash.” (36:49)
- Chris draws parallels between value creation in entrepreneurship and spiritual purpose.
  - “The ultimate calling in this world is to be an entrepreneur. I think it’s the closest Christlike thing that you can ever do. It’s a value creator.” (35:19)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Hitting Bottom:
- “Nobody gets to dictate what your bottom is... For me, it’s more of a spiritual thing, feelings of self-degradation.”
  — Cale Forester (11:49)
On Recovery & Purpose:
- “I made one phone call... just for her [my mom], for her to know I was okay.... I was done. It’s just done.”
  — Cale (14:09)
On Branding:
- “I wish I would have done it sooner... it’s so much more than just a logo. It’s how to speak by just being seen.”
  — Cale (24:41)
On Leadership:
- “Letting go of the control pieces and actually trusting somebody. You gotta verify too—trust but verify.”
  — Cale (27:19)
On Value Creation & Ambition:
- “If you have a great product, you have a great service, then why wouldn’t you want to go and do it unlimited and impact the most lives possible?”
  — Chris (34:09)
On the Purpose of Business:
- “The highest aspiration of the human heart is to reach out and change the life of someone else.”
  — Cale (39:16)
- “Not only do it for you, but do it for everybody else. ... If you have the drive, you can change not only yours but everybody else’s lives around you.”
  — Dylan (39:37)

Important Timestamps

00:00 — Episode intro & Cale’s backstory
01:18 — Homelessness in Tulsa, law enforcement encounters
05:40 — What led Cale to the streets
11:49 — Defining the “rock bottom” moment
13:09 — Family cuts Cale off; impact on parents
14:09 — Jail as the turning point
16:06 — Jailhouse prayer & surrender
18:12 — Veterans Treatment Court & rehab, meeting Brittany
19:21 — The power of accountability & positive obsession
20:47 — Meeting Dylan and the importance of mentorship
24:13 — The rebrand: why, how, and impact
26:24 — Key decisions & changes for rapid business growth
27:04 — The sales process explained
28:02 — Tracking core business metrics
30:10 — Dylan’s sales process: plan, process, repeat
32:44 — Financial discipline & wellness
34:09 — On thinking bigger and setting ambitious company goals
39:16 — Final messages: purpose, growth, and changing lives

Closing Takeaways

Resilience & transformation are possible at any stage of life, no matter how low the starting point.
The traits that make or break us—obsession, energy, willingness to learn—can be redirected for immense good in business and life.
Building a lasting business is as much about people, purpose, and process as it is about money.
Think bigger; extraordinary impact starts with extraordinary goals.
It’s not just about you—relentless entrepreneurship uplifts families, employees, and entire communities.

Contact info for guests is available in the episode notes.