In this conversation from The Advisor with Stacey Chillemi, coach, author, and podcast host Rich Lyons breaks down why “life is sales” has nothing to do with pushy pitches and everything to do with service, awareness, and choice. Drawing on his journey founding and selling Lyons Consulting Group, then shifting into advisory work, sales training, and leadership cohorts, Rich shares a practical, human approach: build trust, solve real problems, and hold a higher vision for people—at home, at work, and in the market. He also previews his book Life Is Sales and points readers to his platforms.
What follows is a fast-moving Q&A that turns insight into action. You’ll find tools to translate awareness into decisive behavior, micro-choices that keep you on purpose, and simple systems for outreach and relationship-building. Rich walks through a 60-second opener/value/clean-ask script, shows how to track inputs when results lag, and closes with five concrete moves you can use this week to sell your life forward—on purpose and with integrity.
Thank you so much for joining us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory?
I built and ran Lyons Consulting Group for 14 years as an e-commerce digital agency and later sold it to a strategic acquirer, staying on for four more years to help guide the transition. Over the last several years, I’ve shifted into advisory work—serving on boards, coaching, and teaching. Along the way, I created a sales training platform and began running leadership cohorts because I care deeply about helping people grow in all areas of life, not just quota. That journey led to my book, Life Is Sales, which captures the mindset and methods I’ve lived and taught.
When you say “life is sales,” what do you mean beyond products and quotas?
Most people hear “sales” and picture someone pushing something you don’t need. I see sales as service—every day we’re selling ideas, standards, and belief in someone’s potential. With my daughters and my teams, I was always selling a bigger vision of who they could be and what they could do. When you hold that higher vision and help solve real problems, trust follows, and relationships become the real engine of results.
What’s a moment this week where the average person sold without realizing it?
Any parent who gets a child out the door with shoes on just sold value, timing, and momentum. A friend who reminds you that you’re capable before a tough exam just sold belief and commitment. A spouse who says, “You’ve got this, take the meeting,” just sold courage over hesitation. We’re all in these micro-moments of influence, transferring confidence until the other person can own it for themselves.
What belief keeps people from owning their inner salesperson?
Many of us carry old stories about sales from bad experiences, so we avoid them altogether. The antidote is redefining sales as relationship and integrity: connect first, seek to understand, and only offer help when it truly fits. I’ve built rapport by noticing books on a shelf, a family photo, or a college banner—small cues that open real conversation. And when you can’t help, introduce someone who can; that service-first posture builds trust that lasts.
If you’ve been burned before, how do you let go and move forward?
Start with awareness: fear and scarcity are human, and past burns can amplify them. Then make a conscious choice to trust again, knowing you can take care of yourself if it goes sideways. I’d rather live in a world where I extend trust and occasionally get burned than live closed and cynical. You can’t always control what happens, but you can always choose your response… and you’ll have to make that choice more than once.
Give us a replacement belief that actually moves results.
Replace “I must close today” with “I will own what I can control today.” In practical terms, that means setting daily inputs—calls, personalized emails, and outreach—then executing them like your life depends on it. I used to track tick marks in a notebook and define a successful day by the controllables, not just outcomes. Stack those wins and the meetings, proposals, and closes start to follow.
“Awareness without choice is trivia.” How do we turn awareness into decisions?
Get fluent in the five big feelings—fear, hurt, anger, sadness, joy—and notice the “tornado” inside. I’ve walked into meetings hot and had to trace it back to a comment that actually hurt my feelings two hours earlier. Once you name it, you regain choice: you don’t have to react, punish, or escalate. You can realign to the purpose of the moment and act with intention instead of reactivity.
What daily awareness checks tell you you’re slipping into autopilot?
I assume there’s a breakdown somewhere and go looking for it, usually with a breath or a short pause. If I’m going to opt out for the night, I decide it consciously rather than sliding into avoidance. Feelings don’t have to dictate behavior; I can be afraid or angry and still choose who I’m going to be today. A practical rule I love: give yourself five minutes to vent, then either take action or stop wasting energy.
Walk us through a micro-choice moment.
Notice your tells—jaw tight, fists clenched, breath shallow—and recognize anger often sits on top of hurt or fear. Name what’s true, then decide whether to act now or contain and process later. In a meeting, containment is a superpower: stay on the mission and deal with the feelings afterward in a healthy way. In close relationships, saying “That hurt my feelings” without punishment changes the entire trajectory of the conversation.
If somebody hates conflict, how can they still choose boldly?
You can be decisive without being loud. Ask a direct question, then let silence do some of the work—hold your intention steady. Clarity of will communicates more than volume: “This is important, and it’s going to happen.” You don’t need theatrics to lead; you need conviction aligned to purpose.
“Potential is unused capacity.” How do we convert it?
Think like an electrical circuit; direct current to what matters, and reduce resistance. The squeaky wheel isn’t always the priority; flip off the switches that drain energy from your purpose. When you route attention to the truly important, your capacity lights up the right bulb. That’s how intention becomes performance.
What’s your simplest system for consistent outreach or opportunity creation?
I calendar human moments—birthdays, anniversaries—and send a quick, sincere text to stay in relationship. After meetings, I jot simple notes so I can pick up exactly where we left off next time. It’s not fancy, it’s consistent—and consistency compounds. In a noisy world, remembering someone’s life details is rare and valuable.
How do you track progress when outcomes lag? What metrics matter week to week?
Track personalized outreach, meetings, pipeline adds, proposals, and then wins/losses. Two meetings a day—coffee or lunch—adds up to ten a week and keeps relationships moving. I’ve built weekly spreadsheets for entire years, so I know exactly what a dial, a meeting, or a proposal was worth. With that data, next year’s plan isn’t magical thinking—it’s math you can execute (and you can even gamify the grind with a friendly contest).
Give us a 60-second opener/value/clean ask script.
Start with a real icebreaker and a question that gets them talking: “Last time we covered X—has anything changed?” Listen for what matters now, and let your deck serve the dialogue—not the other way around. Personalize the pitch to what they just told you and show specific proof that maps to their goals. Close with a simple next yes—proposal, deeper scoping, or a calendar date to reconnect.
Listeners were promised five concrete things to sell their lives forward this week.
Begin with awareness by paying attention to what’s happening inside so you can see clearly. When hurt or fear spikes, breathe, reassess, and then decide instead of reacting. No matter how you feel, choose how you’ll show up, and practice containment so you can hold the internal charge without leaking it into the room. Finally, have fun by leading with service and relationship—ask about people, find common ground, and let trust do the heavy lifting.
Any final thoughts you’d like to share?
I’ve really enjoyed this conversation and hope readers take a few actionable ideas they can use this week. Awareness plus choice turns into momentum when you apply it consistently. Lead with service, build real relationships, and let the numbers reflect that integrity over time. That’s how you sell your life forward on purpose.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
You can find me at richlyons.com and lifeissales.com. On lifeissales.com, there’s a new book, Life Is Sales: a holistic approach to sales, self-discovery, and living a life of purpose, which is available for purchase on Amazon. There are also sales training programs with videos and a manual, and ways to join a sales group or get coaching if you feel isolated.
I also run leadership groups that meet every three weeks for a couple of hours to support growth across all the life areas we’ve discussed. The focus is practical structure paired with the inner work that sustains it. Community and cadence make a real difference when you’re carrying a quota or leading a team.
Please reach out, I am happy to connect and help however I can. You can find me on LinkedIn, Instagram, and X. I share training, videos, and updates there so you can go deeper whenever you’re ready.
Rich, thank you for such a thoughtful and practical conversation… this was packed with value.
Thank you, Stacey. I appreciate the invitation and the thoughtful questions.
