In this episode of the Default Profitable Podcast, host Matt Nettleton chats with longtime acquaintance Chris Theisen about the rollercoaster of building a marketing business in Indianapolis. They dive into Chris’s 15-year evolution from social and digital marketing roles to founding Bullpen Consulting in early 2024, sparked by a corporate layoff. Key topics include navigating the shift from employee to owner, blending sales strategies with marketing tech, the pitfalls of solopreneurship, and practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs on positioning, pipeline building, and validating offers that clients actually want to buy.

Have you ever wondered what it takes to turn repeated layoffs into a thriving solo venture, especially in the ever-shifting world of marketing technology? What kind of mindset shift is needed to prioritize client needs over personal passions when crafting your business offer? How do you avoid the trap of overcommitting to delivery work while neglecting sales pipelines that keep the revenue flowing? And what lessons from co-owning a digital agency during COVID can prevent first-time founders from bashing their heads against unsellable strategies? On a lighter note, Chris shares the heartwarming trivia that his daughter, who had her pancreas removed at age three due to rare acute pancreatitis, tricked her liver into producing insulin and enjoyed eight insulin-free years of just being a kid—complete with way too much eating and zero baths missed.

Learn more about Chris Theisen and Bullpen Consulting at https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisjtheisen.

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