In this Business Blast Podcast episode, host Tyler Wagner interviews Chris Lawson, founder of Astute Social Media, a firm that helps local businesses dominate online. Lawson shares a pivotal 2004 mentor‑driven challenge where he was sent on a one‑way ticket to the Bay Area with only his ID and clothes, forcing him to walk 25 miles back to Los Angeles. He frames the story as proof that deliberately creating uncomfortable situations fuels growth. Lawson then outlines his core business principles: consistently producing high‑quality, problem‑solving content that never goes out of style; listening closely to customers to uncover value; and identifying one’s personal "superpower" (via tools like Myers‑Briggs, StrengthsFinder, Kolbe, DiSC) to solve problems daily. He discusses personal happiness, emphasizing meditation and present‑moment awareness, citing Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now as his most influential book. Lawson also shares his favorite quote, "Your business is not your life" (Michael Gerber, The E‑Myth Revisited), and provides his online contact points: astutespanish.com, christopherlawsonsocialmedia.com, and his full LinkedIn profile. The conversation blends personal anecdotes, actionable advice, and philosophical insights aimed at entrepreneurs and marketers.
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Welcome to the Business Blast podcast. I'm your host, Tyler Wagner. This episode is brought to you by Authors Unite. Authors Unite provides you with all the resources you need to become a successful author. You can learn more about Authors Unite and join the free community at authorsunite.com. Now let's jump into the episode.
Alright everyone, welcome back to another episode of the Business Blast Podcast. I'm your host Tyler Wagner. Today I have Chris Lawson with us. He's the founder of Astute Social Media where they help local businesses dominate their area online and generate a consistent flow of new customers. So welcome to the show, man.
Thanks for having me, Tyler. It's my pleasure.
Of course, grateful. To have you on, man. We'll jump into the first one. The first question I have for you is, what is the best story from your life that has an underlying valuable message?
Well, I, I've had a few, but I think the one that really stands out in my mind is I was having a rough patch in my business back in 2004. So I went to see one of my mentors and he said, you know, I know what you need. And he said, you have to agree that you're going to do whatever I say before I tell you what it is. So I said, yeah, all right, all right, shoot. And he said, here's what I'm going to do. You need to get out of your comfort zone. And so what I'm going to do is I'm going to buy you a one-way ticket to the Bay Area, and I'm going to do it on Thanksgiving Day. And basically all you can go up there with is your driver's license and the clothes on your back, and you've got to find a way back to L.A. And I said, sure, no problem. So long story short, over the next 36 hours, I got chased by a pit bull. I ate danishes from a Days Inn breakfast buffet. I panhandled, I slept in the Oakland airport, and I walked over 25 miles. But eventually I did get back. I played the perfect game and it was quite an adventure. And I'd have to say that what I really learned was that magical things can happen when you get outside your comfort zone. But the challenge with life is you have to purposely manufacture situations to get yourself out of your comfort zone on a consistent basis because the process is usually painful and it's not going to happen by accident.
Wow, dude, you have an awesome mentor. That's sick.
Very cool, man. Yeah, it was wild. It was really wild.
The next one I have for you is, what is the most valuable piece of information we should know that's within your expertise or industry?
That's a great question. I think the main foundation is that creating high-quality content that solves common problems will never go out of style as long as there is an internet. The internet is, you know, it's been described as a giant content hive and it's really Google's job to find relevant information for users and as long as you keep putting that high-quality relevant content, you know, like podcasts like this out there, it's never going to go out of style.
And what is your best piece of overall business advice, so not necessarily industry-specific?
Listen to your customers. You know, it can be just as simple as that. They're going to tell you exactly how to create value and how to serve them.
And if you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would that be?
I think it would probably be identify your superpower and use it every day to solve problems and create value for others. If you can get good at that, you'll always be able to figure out a way to make a good living. And, you know, there's lots of resources for doing that, whether it be the Myers-Briggs or the Strengths Finder or the Kolbe Index or the DiSC assessment. There's lots of ways to figure that out.
And in your opinion, what's the key to happiness?
For me, it's meditation. I found meditation about a decade ago, and it really showed me experientially, not intellectually, that what I already have is what I need, and that all my unhappiness really is coming from regretting the past or worrying about the future or craving things that I don't have.
And what is the best book that you've read and what was the number one thing you learned from that?
Oh boy, this is a tough one. I've read so many books. I think the number one book that I keep coming back to is The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. And I really learned that unhappiness is caused by worrying about the future or regretting the past. The only place of true power is really in the present moment. And that's helped me tremendously.
Just to dive deeper into that real quick, is meditation your main kind of strategy or driver to staying in the present moment? I'm always curious. It's almost like something some people are able to master and some people just are not able to master being in the present moment. How do you do it? Is meditation the way?
Yeah. Meditation is the way, and I think that a lot of it depends on your personal disposition. Some people can't really sit down on a cushion for an hour. That's just not their thing. But people meditate in different ways. I mean, some people do it through tai chi and sort of a movement-related. I meditate when I hike. I meditate— I mean, I am the kind of person that can sit on a cushion for an hour, and I love doing that. But for me, that's where I get centered. And then for the rest of the day, I can draw on that. So I remember the experience because— I'm as busy as anyone else. I get pulled in a million directions, and it's nice to at least have one time in the day that I can get grounded, and then I can remember that when my world just goes sideways and I get caught up in the moment.
Got it. I actually think that's a huge point there, is that meditation does not always mean sitting on the pillow for an hour. It could be while you're hiking.
Sure.
Yeah. And then what is your favorite quote and why?
My favorite quote is, "Your business is not your life." And that's by Michael Gerber in The E-Myth Revisited. Fantastic book.
Got it. Thank you so much for coming on, man. The last question I have for you before we let you go is, where's the best place for people to find and/or connect with you online?
People can always find me at my website, astutespanish.com. Christopherlawsonsocialmedia.com, or they can find me on LinkedIn. And on LinkedIn, it's my full name, Christopher T. Lawson.
Perfect, man. Thanks again for hopping on.
Thanks for having me, Tyler Wagner.
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