THE
COACHES
Life Is Sales was created to illuminate the ways in which sales is not black and white, and that no two deals follow a fixed formula. Leaning into their own soft skills and social-emotional intelligence, Rich and Drew don’t shy away from sharing honest and authentic stories from their experiences in sales. Students will hear about mistakes that were made along with successes that were earned.
LYONS
RICH
MEET
Summing up a person’s career with a single title is hardly simple, and I’m certainly no exception to the rule.
While I have essentially spent my entire professional career mastering one area—sales—as an entrepreneur, engineer, marketer, business owner, leader, and now advisor and investor, I’ve worn many hats over the last 35 years, and I’ve got the stories to prove it.
With a degree in electrical engineering and computer science from the University of Michigan, I’ve always been fascinated by the concept of “potential energy,” particularly in how it plays out in our human experience. While I never became an electrician, I’ve used the concept throughout my career, both in the way I strive to realize my potential and in how I have challenged clients, peers, and team members to do the same.
I put my own potential to the test at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, the number one-ranked business school in the world at the time, where I completed my MBA in finance and marketing.
I did it again when I founded Lyons Consulting Group (LYONSCG) in 2003, growing it to become the premier eCommerce Digital Agency and Global Commerce Service Provider in the world.
I went through the trenches with LYONSCG, leading the strategy and vision, scaling our revenue and our people, always with a core focus on culture, and ultimately bringing exponential growth and an eventual nine-figure acquisition by Capgemini in 2017
Under Capgemini, I led the Digital Customer Experience Practice and Alliances for North America, and was the Global Offer Leader for Commerce. Since transitioning out of Capgemini in 2021, I now focus on sales and business consulting, board advising, and teaching courses on emotional intelligence. I can teach you how to scale and nurture a successful business, lead your team, build a thriving culture, and even how to have a happier marriage.
Over the course of my long and fruitful career, I’ve come to realize that everyone is a salesperson in one respect or another. “Life is sales,” as I like to say, so much so that I’m writing a book about it, slated to publish in 2024.
I’m passionate about investing in and advising businesses that align with my interests and expertise. I’m equally as passionate about investing my time with nonprofit organizations and currently serve on the Deacon Club board for Wake Forest University.
I learned long ago that business, like life, is not all about you, but about service.
Rich’s services: Investor, Board Member, Executive Level Support
ALLISON
DREW
MEET
In work and in life, I am inspired by the desire to do good.
The tagline of my sales consulting firm, Cape & Cowl Consulting, states: Let’s Do Good, Together. I enjoy building and enhancing sales processes that help propel mission-driven people and companies to the top of their industries.
My B.A. in Philosophy from Suffolk University and MBA in Transformational Leadership & Coaching from Wright Graduate University set me up for a psychology-based approach to sales and business leadership.
I view sales as a way to creatively serve, educate, and support my community. My experience in small businesses and international companies has proven that my methods work across multiple business models.
I have sold everything from custom American-made shoes to millions of dollars in insurance coverage. Over the past two decades, I have managed my own sales pipeline in multiple industries. While at Guaranteed Rate Insurance I grew our sales team from 20 to 60 producers and our monthly premium from $900k to $2.8mil.
Sales is as much an art as it is a science, and my methods support growth on both sides of that coin.
Drew’s services: Fractional Sales Leader, Business Development Consultant, Sales Group Facilitator, Individual Coach
THE
MEET
TEAM
Rich and Drew are joined by a team of experienced sales coaches, each of whom bring their own diverse background and expertise to the program.
Jillian Eichel-Dobray coaches brand-new and experienced salespeople by supporting them to learn the hard and soft skills of closing business. She enjoys helping clients develop and hit their sales goals, align with their “why” for selling, and deepen their ability to build rapport with potential and recurring customers of all personalities.
For over 25 years, Jillian has been facilitating transformation for clients in the areas of work and relationships through individual coaching, group coaching, retreats, corporate workshops, and webinars. She has a BA in Psychology from Northwestern University, a MEd in Counseling from Loyola University Chicago, and an MA in Coaching and Leadership from Wright Graduate University.
EICHEL-DOBRAY
JILLIAN
Andrew Ettenhofer fell in love with sales because he liked how it put him in touch with people every day. He enjoys collaborating and problem-solving with diverse clients on a variety of projects. Andrew got his informal sales training through years of sales leadership roles at various event and media companies while completing his formal training through the Wright Foundation. He has helped a wide range of salespeople—new and seasoned, solo entrepreneurs and VPs—in a wide range of industries. The eclectic mix helps him stay on top of trends, incorporate new best practices, and be a well-rounded coach to sales professionals.