In this concise "6 questions in 7 minutes" interview, host Pete Alexander speaks with Creighton Wong—a multidisciplinary professional who blends animal physiology, neuroscience, law, elite athletics, and entrepreneurship. Wong introduces himself as the founder of Exponential Clients, a digital‑nomad based in Ho Chi Minh City, and shares his passion for helping businesses grow through authentic, human‑to‑human (H2H) relationships. He emphasizes that businesses should prioritize genuine client connections over generic hustle, recommending a focus on authenticity, honesty, and referral‑based goodwill. Wong recounts his first high‑pressure sales role in the boiler room of Shearson Lehman Brothers, likening it to the film Glengarry Glen Ross, and credits that experience with shaping his business mindset. He also highlights fellow business leader and podcaster Sean Flynn as a trusted resource. The episode concludes with practical contact details—LinkedIn, his website exponentialclients.com, and email—so listeners can reach him for further conversation.
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This is Professor Pete Alexander with the Winning at Business and Life podcast, where business leaders share their insights. It is 6 questions in 7 minutes because successful business leaders are busy and rarely have more time to spare. So let's get to it. Question number 1: In a few sentences, please tell me who you are and what you do.
Yeah, hi Pete, thanks for having me on. My name is Creighton Wong. I am an animal physiologist and neuroscientist. I'm a champion co-ed inner tube water polo, you know, um, a player and attorney in the great state of California, a former world-class para triathlete, and currently I am a digital nomad Hanging out in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. I'm a serial entrepreneur and the current owner, founder, and brainchild behind Exponential Clients.
Creighton, it's so great to have you on the show. Question number 2: What's the best thing about working in your industry?
You know, the best thing is I get to work with a lot of different businesses, and I love working and helping different businesses grow and be profitable and, you know, make a positive impact in the world. I sincerely believe that everybody has something to offer to this world, and my expertise is the strategy and the execution on delivering it to it. Because if nobody knows that you've opened up your shingle online, offline, whatever, You know, that's our job. We get to let them know. Yeah, awesome. You are—
it's classic. Yeah, if, you know, if there's, you know, no promotion or anything about the site, nobody's gonna find it. So yeah, it's a great point. Question number 3: I have a fictitious book with all the answers for business. Chapter would you think most companies should read?
I think that, uh, you know, they should teach this in schools. They should teach this, uh, you know, at every single level from grade school, middle, you know, high school, and, and college and graduate school. And that's really whatever business that you're actually in, uh, read the chapter on how to create authentic relationships and just to fall in love with your clients. Because if you don't put your clients first, you know, and you're just in it for the money or whatever ulterior motive because your parents decided that this was going to be your life path, it becomes a struggle. It becomes a struggle. But once you can flip to that point where, man, I'm just here to help people, things just open up and become better.
I love how you say that. Thank you so much. Question number 4: Other than the generic work harder, have a great attitude, and care for customers, what advice or insight would you give to other business leaders?
Yeah, yeah, and work harder doesn't always work either, I'll say that. But again, just to echo what I said earlier, be authentic and be honest. And, you know, because we need more of that, and especially in today's world where, where I mean, every news outlet and political party, like, everybody's yelling at each other and fighting each other and not listening to each other. It's important to remember now more than ever that it's not B2B, it's not B2C, but it's all about H2H. It's all about human-to-human relationships. And, uh, there's somebody else that's got your pro— you know got your product, there's somebody else that's got your service. But if you treat people right, they're gonna keep coming back for more. And so I also think, especially today during this COVID-19 social distancing time where people are going crazy, you know, staying at home, there's even a bigger want and a bigger need and a, you know, and a bigger craving for, uh, human-to-human interaction. And people, people, especially the bigger the ticket price, they're going to go with the person that they trust, the person that they have the relationship with. And, um, you know, just to piggyback on that, you know, just genuinely try and help people. I mean, if, if you've got this awesome solution, but it's not the right fit to the person you're talking to, but you know who would be a better fit, you know, introduce that person and just build up some good karma and, you know, be known as that guy that connects people to the right places instead of trying to force everything into your own solution.
I think that's really sage advice too because you're providing additional help to that person or that company if you're referring them to somebody who can truly help them because you have been a resource for them as well. So I assume that's—
Yeah.
Getting at. Yeah, that's a great idea. Great idea.
Absolutely.
Question number 5: What other business leader like yourself would you like to acknowledge and invite to be on my podcast?
Gosh, you know, I didn't look through the litany of, you know, all the episodes that you have. And so, when I was thinking about this question, the guy that came up to me is a guy that I think you introduced me to, Sean Flynn, who owns his own podcast. It's the Silicon Valley Podcast. And, you know, thank you to you. I've gotten to know the guy and he's just an awesome, you know, again, human-to-human interaction. I mean, he's just gone above and beyond for me. He's a venture capitalist. I had some questions on venture capitalism and he was willing to take the time. And so it just— he's good on film and he's good on radio because he owns his own podcast. But also more than that, he's just an exceptional guy that, you know, I feel like I can always get a trusted answer from him.
I couldn't agree with you more. I'm a big fan of Sean, so thank you for that. And question number 6, please tell me about your first job?
Well, my first real job was, I was working in the boiler room as a high school kid for Shearson Lehman Brothers, the now defunct or dead brokerage firm. And so, I wasn't just watching Glengarry Glen Ross, I was living it, you know, the high-pressured of being a stockbroker. You know, I was the one that was, you know, trying to set up the appointments and, you know, and everything and dialing for dollars and ABC, always be closing. So that was my first introduction into the business world.
Oh, and I love how you refer to it as the boiler room. It's such a great visual and story.
Yeah, yeah. And by the way, I mean, the movie's a little bit old now, but for the youngins out there, do watch Glengarry Glen Ross. It's a sales classic.
Yep, I agree with you. When I watched it too, it's still relevant today.
Totally, totally.
And some of the historical stuff that you see in the film is definitely worth it as well. So Creighton, thank you so much for being on the show. How could people find you?
Yeah, you can find me, just look up Creighton Wong on LinkedIn. I'm there a lot and I, you know, I'm pretty open to having, you know, conversations and helping. And, you know, if you want to go to my website, it is exponentialclients.com. And if you scroll down to the bottom, you can find my email address there hidden and you can reach out to me that way. But yeah, LinkedIn or email, either way, it's a great way to get in touch with me.
Perfect. This is Professor Pete Alexander with the Winning at Business and Life podcast. Thanks for listening.
