The Dillon England Show

From Mud Hut in Liberia to Coaching Nonprofits Across 3 Countries | Chris Lambert

1 h 0 min · 20. mar. 2026
episode From Mud Hut in Liberia to Coaching Nonprofits Across 3 Countries | Chris Lambert cover

Description

Most people who want to change the world start with a cause, not with Chris Lambert, ‘coz he started with a crisis… Chris Lambert, Founder & CEO of Next Level Nonprofit, grew up in a small town in northern Indiana, gave his faith the finger at 16, then spent six years chasing whatever he thought would make him happy, but no, it didn't, then there became a chance encounter at a church service in Australia, and when he came home, he wasn't the same person who'd left. We covered: → How Chris's faith journey, from a small-town kid to a mud hut in Liberia, shaped everything he built after → What Life Remodeled actually did in Detroit and why the Gallup results shocked even him → The $300,000 check that completely rewired how he thinks about fundraising and donor relationships → How Indiana University's 16-0 season explains the one principle that separates great organizations from struggling ones There's a line Chris said that I keep thinking about, that is "Sometimes you just have to take the step forward even if you don't really know where it's going." He's done that more times than most people would be comfortable with, and it's produced something remarkable every single time! Chris, thank you for being so open about the whole journey, not just the wins. The stories you brought into this room were the kind that stay with you. Chapters 0:00 - Introduction & How Chris and Dillon Connected 2:16 - Who Is Chris Lambert? Defining Himself 3:01 - Faith Journey: Growing Up in Small-Town Indiana 4:06 - Walking Away from Faith at 16 4:34 - The Encounter in Australia That Changed Everything 9:21 - Returning to Indiana, Seminary, and the Call to Detroit 11:39 - Living in a Mud Hut in Liberia 13:25 - Moving to Detroit and Starting a Church 14:02 - The Birth of Life Remodeled (2010) 18:43 - What Life Remodeled Actually Does 21:35 - $56 Million, 87,000 Volunteers, and the Gallup Study 26:59 - Writing Next Level Nonprofit and Leaving Life Remodeled 33:07 - Why He Finally Wrote the Book (And Did It in 45 Days) 36:43 - Right People, Right Seats: The IU Football Story 44:00 - The $300,000 Check That Changed His Fundraising Mindset 47:50 - How to Actually Raise Money: Donations vs. Investment 55:06 - Building Capital for a For-Profit Studio: Dillon's Story 57:34 - Final Thoughts and Where to Find Chris Connect with Chris Web: https://www.nextlevelnonprofit.org/ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nextlevellambert Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-dillon-england-show--6370921/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-dillon-england-show--6370921/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss]. *Connect with Dillon* https://www.instagram.com/thedillonenglandshow/ https://twitter.com/imdillonengland https://www.linkedin.com/in/dillonmengland/ https://www.facebook.com/dillon.england.5 *Sponsor — Broadcast Brew (Low-Acid Coffee)* Order our LOW ACID COFFEE “THE BROADCAST BREW” Thank you to Cool Beans Coffee Brewery for your partnership. https://www.coolbeanscoffeemi.com/product-page/broadcast-brew-low-acid-blend *ABOUT THE DILLON ENGLAND SHOW* Authentic conversations with interesting people across personal growth, entrepreneurship, and lifestyle — direct, faith-forward, Detroit grit. Subscribe for full conversations and weekly clips. Share this with someone on your leadership team. Comment your biggest takeaway.

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83 episodes

episode Is This The Best Pastry Shop in Michigan? | Bobby Blake | Bobby Blake artwork

Is This The Best Pastry Shop in Michigan? | Bobby Blake | Bobby Blake

Most people know Blake's from the cider mill out in Armada, MI. Five years ago, Bobby Blake took that heritage and launched Bakehouse 46. Today they have six locations across Metro Detroit, from Ann Arbor to Grosse Pointe, and a menu that covers cupcakes, gourmet donuts, savory pastries, bagels, and a full cafe line. They make their donuts fresh in every single store, every morning. I invited Bobby on the show the week before our 313 Studio Launch Event because I needed to taste test what we were serving 130 guests… We ended up just recording the whole thing live! In the episode we covered: → How Bakehouse 46 grew from a cupcake concept to a full bakery and cafe operation → What makes the gourmet donut lineup different from the cider mill classics → The new savory pastry line and where that idea came from → Why they keep the classics on the menu alongside the monthly rotating specials Bobby, thank you for showing up and agreeing to record last minute. Your baking speaks for itself… But you made it an awesome conversation too. *Chapters* 0:00 - Welcome & Intro to Bakehouse 46 1:07 - Bobby Breaks Down the Bakehouse 46 Story 2:05 - Six Locations and What They Offer 2:36 - The Cupcake Lineup Explained 3:18 - Starting With the Donuts 4:32 - Classic Cider Mill Donut vs. Gourmet Donut 6:00 - Apple Pie Gourmet Donut Taste Test 8:27 - Moving Into the Savory Pastries 10:26 - Spinach & Feta and the Margherita Pastry 11:40 - Croissants and Bagels 15:07 - The Cupcake Taste Test 17:13 - Campfire Cupcake and the Monthly Specials 19:37 - Final Verdict and Event Preview 22:04 - Where to Find Bakehouse 46 *Connect with Bobby* https://www.linkedin.com/company/bakehouse46/ https://www.instagram.com/bakehouse46/ https://www.facebook.com/Bakehouse46/ https://www.bakehouse46.com/ Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-dillon-england-show--6370921/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-dillon-england-show--6370921/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss]. *Connect with Dillon* https://www.instagram.com/thedillonenglandshow/ https://twitter.com/imdillonengland https://www.linkedin.com/in/dillonmengland/ https://www.facebook.com/dillon.england.5 *Sponsor — Broadcast Brew (Low-Acid Coffee)* Order our LOW ACID COFFEE “THE BROADCAST BREW” Thank you to Cool Beans Coffee Brewery for your partnership. https://www.coolbeanscoffeemi.com/product-page/broadcast-brew-low-acid-blend *ABOUT THE DILLON ENGLAND SHOW* Authentic conversations with interesting people across personal growth, entrepreneurship, and lifestyle — direct, faith-forward, Detroit grit. Subscribe for full conversations and weekly clips. Share this with someone on your leadership team. Comment your biggest takeaway.

12. juni 202624 min
episode You Only Get 18 Summers... | George Rivera artwork

You Only Get 18 Summers... | George Rivera

At the peak of George Rivera building his company, he was practically printing money, but was working 90 hours a week and hating life. The business had everything. His family got what was left. He had to stop being the answer to everything inside his company. He built the systems, transferred the ownership, and stepped back. Two years later the business had scaled past $50 million and he was working 30 hours a week. Sometimes zero. In this episode, we covered: → Why founders build a prison for themselves, even when they're financially free → The "18 summers" framework that reframes how little time you actually have → How to start reclaiming time even as a solopreneur with zero team → What it costs your marriage when the business becomes your identity → The difference between scaling freedom and scaling chaos George, thank you for driving three hours to sit across from me and share your story with our audience! *Chapters* 0:00 - Welcome & How George and Dillon Connected 1:17 - George's Origin Story: Starting at 17 With $0 4:00 - First Six-Figure Year in College 5:11 - $400M in Lifetime Sales: The Full Career Arc 9:30 - First Major Business Collapse in 2005 10:25 - Seeking Dad's Approval: The Three-Way Bank Call 12:38 - "Son, You Did It Once. Go Do It Again." 14:21 - The $50M Year That Almost Cost Him His Family 16:39 - "Don't Miss Leo's Games": His Dad's Dying Words 20:44 - Cash Rich, Time Poor: Who George Helps Now 21:38 - Scaling Freedom vs. Scaling Chaos 27:51 - The Books: Buy Back Time Formula & Before They Stop Asking 31:08 - Biggest Business Lessons Learned the Hard Way 35:22 - How to Reconnect With Your Family Starting Today 36:12 - What Founders Get Wrong About Their Marriage 43:21 - Where to Find George & The Free Assessment 44:14 - The 18 Summers Framework *Connect with George* https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-rivera-53b3296/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-rivera-53b3296/] Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-dillon-england-show--6370921/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-dillon-england-show--6370921/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss]. *Connect with Dillon* https://www.instagram.com/thedillonenglandshow/ https://twitter.com/imdillonengland https://www.linkedin.com/in/dillonmengland/ https://www.facebook.com/dillon.england.5 *Sponsor — Broadcast Brew (Low-Acid Coffee)* Order our LOW ACID COFFEE “THE BROADCAST BREW” Thank you to Cool Beans Coffee Brewery for your partnership. https://www.coolbeanscoffeemi.com/product-page/broadcast-brew-low-acid-blend *ABOUT THE DILLON ENGLAND SHOW* Authentic conversations with interesting people across personal growth, entrepreneurship, and lifestyle — direct, faith-forward, Detroit grit. Subscribe for full conversations and weekly clips. Share this with someone on your leadership team. Comment your biggest takeaway.

5. juni 202647 min
episode Why Your Business Should Be on YouTube (Even If Nobody Watches) | Trevor Baker artwork

Why Your Business Should Be on YouTube (Even If Nobody Watches) | Trevor Baker

Trevor Baker built one of the most respected YouTube agencies in the world starting from a roach-infested apartment in New York - editing videos for $20 a pop. A LinkedIn message changed his trajectory: One conversation turned into a coffee meeting, which turned into a business partnership, which turned into even more partnerships. That gave Trevor the proof he needed that he could build something real in the media space.  He went all in on Astra Media, and the company hasn't stopped since. In the episode, we talked about: → Why most businesses are completely wrong about what YouTube is for → The YouTube feature in beta right now that Trevor calls the most exciting update in recent history → How the marketing funnel has shifted, and why organic content matters more than ever → What two core values Trevor hires and fires by → Why a 50 million-follower TikTok account isn't clearing six figures, and what that tells you about platform strategy The real ROI of YouTube isn't what happens in year one… It's looking back in year three and thinking, "We should have started this earlier."  Trevor, thank you for the energy and the honesty you always bring. Love you dude! *Chapters* 0:00 - Introduction and How Trevor and Dillon Met 2:45 - Their Shared Business Journey and the Coffee Meeting That Started It 5:40 - Five Years of "Absolute Hell" in Insurance 8:00 - The Phone Call That Brought Trevor Into Media 11:00 - Learning to Reap What You Sow (Faith and Patience in Business) 15:00 - Astra's Two Core Values: Great Work Consistently and Own It 22:00 - Building an Accountability Chart (Not a Hierarchy Chart) 25:00 - The Difference Between Being Honest and Being Open 32:00 - Fake Grinding vs. Actually Working: The Productivity Trap 37:30 - YouTube 101: Why Every Business Needs to Be There 44:30 - How the Marketing Funnel Has Completely Changed 48:30 - Trevor's Most Surreal Moment: Producing Marshawn Lynch's Show 52:45 - Dynamic Brand Insertion: YouTube's Most Exciting New Feature 59:00 - Live Streaming on YouTube: Worth It or Not? 1:07:00 - Where to Start on YouTube (The Realistic Version) 1:10:00 - Stop Overproducing: Make It for People, Not Production Budgets 1:14:00 - Why YouTube Is Still the Most Monetizable Platform on Earth 1:15:50 - Where to Find Trevor and Astra Media *Connect with Trevor* www.youtube.com/@tegbaker https://www.linkedin.com/in/tegbaker42/ https://www.astramedia.co/ Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-dillon-england-show--6370921/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-dillon-england-show--6370921/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss]. *Connect with Dillon* https://www.instagram.com/thedillonenglandshow/ https://twitter.com/imdillonengland https://www.linkedin.com/in/dillonmengland/ https://www.facebook.com/dillon.england.5 *Sponsor — Broadcast Brew (Low-Acid Coffee)* Order our LOW ACID COFFEE “THE BROADCAST BREW” Thank you to Cool Beans Coffee Brewery for your partnership. https://www.coolbeanscoffeemi.com/product-page/broadcast-brew-low-acid-blend *ABOUT THE DILLON ENGLAND SHOW* Authentic conversations with interesting people across personal growth, entrepreneurship, and lifestyle — direct, faith-forward, Detroit grit. Subscribe for full conversations and weekly clips. Share this with someone on your leadership team. Comment your biggest takeaway.

29. maj 20261 h 19 min
episode "Overnight Success" Is Usually 15+ Years of Invisible Work | Manager Jon artwork

"Overnight Success" Is Usually 15+ Years of Invisible Work | Manager Jon

Manager Jon has worked with TikTok, brokered KSI fights, built podcast studios, and managed some of the biggest creators on the internet. But that's only half of it, the version everyone sees. He’s spent years grinding through YouTube channels through a difficult childhood. After one rough night with his dad, his mom tried to comfort him with, "It's okay, son. We were never made to get out." As he sat on the steps as a young man, Jon decided those words were a lie which he refused to accept. We talked through the full arc: → How a high school video with 3 million views accidentally launched his career → Why the barber shop failure was the moment he finally understood what he was building → The King's Table framework for surrounding yourself with the right advisors → How he found a blue ocean in the construction industry by solving a problem nobody else was addressing → Why pricing too low actually harms your clients So many times, we look at personal and professional wins without knowing the failures and heartache it took to get there. Jon, thank you for coming back on. It’s always awesome getting to talk and work with you! *Chapters* 0:00 - Introduction and Who Manager Jon Is 2:15 - Growing Up in Section 8: Roman Road and Where It All Began 6:20 - Getting Into Content Through a High School YouTube Channel 9:00 - The $7,000 YouTube Check and Learning to Reinvest 11:10 - The Barber Shop: Building Something Real and Losing It 14:40 - The Media Collective and the First Terrible Offer 21:55 - Rock Bottom: The Car, the Kitchen Job, and His Mom's Words 27:40 - Choosing to Go All In From $70 in the Bank 31:20 - Why Resilience Can't Be Taught, Only Earned 33:10 - Dillon's Own Lowest Point: Chronic Illness and a New Business 41:55 - The King's Table: How to Build the Right Circle of Advisors 46:40 - Finding a Blue Ocean in the Construction Industry 52:10 - Offer Clarity, Pricing, and Why Low Ticket Hurts Your Clients 1:04:00 - Paying for Rooms, Relationships, and Why It Works 1:08:15 - The SIA Framework: Signal, Initiate, Affiliate 1:09:30 - Where to Find Manager Jon *Connect with Manager Jon* https://www.instagram.com/managerjon \https://www.instagram.com/creatorsdenofficial https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-cater-840185198 Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-dillon-england-show--6370921/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-dillon-england-show--6370921/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss]. *Connect with Dillon* https://www.instagram.com/thedillonenglandshow/ https://twitter.com/imdillonengland https://www.linkedin.com/in/dillonmengland/ https://www.facebook.com/dillon.england.5 *Sponsor — Broadcast Brew (Low-Acid Coffee)* Order our LOW ACID COFFEE “THE BROADCAST BREW” Thank you to Cool Beans Coffee Brewery for your partnership. https://www.coolbeanscoffeemi.com/product-page/broadcast-brew-low-acid-blend *ABOUT THE DILLON ENGLAND SHOW* Authentic conversations with interesting people across personal growth, entrepreneurship, and lifestyle — direct, faith-forward, Detroit grit. Subscribe for full conversations and weekly clips. Share this with someone on your leadership team. Comment your biggest takeaway.

22. maj 20261 h 13 min
episode Why Price Doesn't Matter (And What Actually Does) | Daniel Russell artwork

Why Price Doesn't Matter (And What Actually Does) | Daniel Russell

Daniel Russell is VP of National Sales at Trion Solutions, one of the fastest-growing PEO companies in the country. He’s been in sales for over 26 years and he helps businesses manage payroll and HR for over 1.2 million employees worldwide. And he has a 98.7% client retention rate. In this episode of The Dillon England Show, we covered: → Why the question "How much does it cost?" is never really about price → The heart surgeon mindset that redefined how Daniel approaches every client → What elite athletes transitioning out of professional sports taught him about identity → How Daniel built a marriage and a family of six kids with the same intentionality he brings to business → Why your accountability partner should never be someone who makes you feel good about yourself Daniel, thank you for making the drive to the studio. I'm grateful you shared your story here, in the new studio! Appreciate you man! *Chapters* 0:00 - Introduction & The Pro Athlete Community 4:20 - Daniel's Upbringing and the Seeds of Excellence 6:55 - Michigan State and Learning to Connect with Everyone 8:00 - The Guy in the Suit: How Daniel Found His Direction 10:00 - The $795 Moment That Changed His Career 12:00 - Why He Never Wanted to Be a Salesperson 13:30 - The Heart Surgeon Mindset for Business 17:50 - Being Intentionally Present: Family and Business 21:20 - What Real Success Actually Looks Like 27:40 - Why Price Is Never Really the Issue 34:00 - Knowing If Your Product Is Actually the Best 37:15 - Stop Dating Your Clients: The Right Sales Conversation 44:30 - Educating the Customer Changes Everything 47:40 - The Best Advice He Never Got Early Enough 51:10 - Accountability Partners and Finding Better Rooms 57:00 - The Kobe Mentality: What Greatness Demands 59:00 - Trion Solutions and Where to Find Daniel *Connect with Daniel* https://trionworks.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-russell-sr-b6373627/ Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-dillon-england-show--6370921/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-dillon-england-show--6370921/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss]. *Connect with Dillon* https://www.instagram.com/thedillonenglandshow/ https://twitter.com/imdillonengland https://www.linkedin.com/in/dillonmengland/ https://www.facebook.com/dillon.england.5 *Sponsor — Broadcast Brew (Low-Acid Coffee)* Order our LOW ACID COFFEE “THE BROADCAST BREW” Thank you to Cool Beans Coffee Brewery for your partnership. https://www.coolbeanscoffeemi.com/product-page/broadcast-brew-low-acid-blend *ABOUT THE DILLON ENGLAND SHOW* Authentic conversations with interesting people across personal growth, entrepreneurship, and lifestyle — direct, faith-forward, Detroit grit. Subscribe for full conversations and weekly clips. Share this with someone on your leadership team. Comment your biggest takeaway.

15. maj 20261 h 4 min