SUCCESS THROUGH NETWORKING

Lael Caldwell is the Co-Founder of Ben & Lael, Inc. She began Ben & Lael with her husband, Ben Caldwell in 1998. Her career started as a trainee with the Bissell Companies, a commercial real estate development company responsible for developing millions of square feet of hotels, shopping centers and office buildings in Charlotte, NC. During her 10 years with the Bissell Companies, she was promoted to Vice President of Marketing. Throughout her time there, Lael developed proposals and negotiated contracts with Fortune 500 companies to move their headquarters or take residence in one of the Bissell Companies’ properties. She was featured in Business Properties and shared her insights as to how she achieved her success.

After resigning from her position, Lael moved to Nashville to serve as a missionary in South Africa. While in training, she met Ben Caldwell and they married that year. Although Ben was working at Slingerland making guitars and drums, Lael encouraged him to take a year and work as an unpaid intern with Terry Talley, a world-renowned metal smith. After one year of being mentored, they began Ben & Lael, Inc.

Lael was very successful at networking yet wanted to create and teach a new strategy. Thus began Align, Define, and Achieve, a weekly networking meeting allowing CEO’s to share their story about their successes, failures and strategies. She also began a weekly meeting for medical professionals who were invited to share their stories of success and strategy to overcome adversity.

During her three years of weekly meetings with Dr. Terry Smith and Dr. Bob Sturgeon, Lael was introduced to the practice of Neuro Linguistic Programming. She obtained her certification as a Master Practitioner in NLP through The Tad James Group; allowing her to begin her Executive Coaching Business where she trains and strategizes with CEO’s and their staff.

Lael joined a direct selling company for two years. In two months, she became their number one new sales representative. She was featured in their national publication where she shared her success strategies.

Ben asked Lael to realign full time in the Ben & Lael business in 2015. She left her position as Regional Director of Tradebank to fully invest her time in their business. She set forth her strategies to increase revenue and drive business through commissions.

Since rejoining the business, Ben & Lael has been featured in Garden & Gun, Southern Home, Victoria Magazine, Cottage Journal and Nashville Arts Magazine. She created a master group of influencers and began working and training a new team.

Lael began to focus on the selling of enamels and within 2 years had tripled their sales. The Haslam’s commissioned the Tennessee Leadership Award. Ben & Lael also reinvigorated the jewelry line with the help of talented staff. The jewelry is now being shown in stores across the country and is also carried at The Hermitage Gift Shop in Nashville.

Ben & Lael won the commission for Starbucks Reserve in Birmingham, Michigan to create etched copper panels for the interior, as well as the commission to create the Ellis Island Family Heritage Awards 2017. They received the commission to create the enameled flag for the Tennessee Leadership Award 2018 for Dolly Parton.

Lael believes that the product is the human being. People connect to the human being first and your product second. Once you define who you are, align with the right people to inspire your dream, and you put forth the consistent effort to achieve, anything is possible.

Strong, timeless, and one of a kind.

Ben & Lael enamel paintings and large flags have been featured in the Wachovia Center in NY and Vanderbilt Medical Center lobby in Nashville, TN and their hand made copper and silver serving pieces can be seen in stores all over the country.

Dr. Tasha Dickerson