A Decade of Purpose, People, and Possibility
Ten years ago this month, Caroline and I took a leap of faith, equal parts prayer, passion, and “let’s figure this out as we go.” If I’m being honest, I never set out to start a sales consulting firm. Early in my career, if I’d found competent leadership and a company culture I could believe in as a Christian, I probably would’ve stayed. But God had other plans.
He needed us to build something different.
Topaz Sales Consulting was born on a road trip to Moab! Somewhere between hiking trails, mountain biking, river rafting, and soul-searching, the first drafts of Buyer Facilitator and our sales hiring system (originally called Recruiting with Results — gasp!) came to life. We filed our LLC in mid-June 2015, and we got to work.
Our first client was Larry Guyette with Office Furniture Now in Austin, Texas. Larry, if you’re reading this, thank you. That check you gave us? We framed it. It’s still hanging as a reminder of where we started and who believed in us when we were brand new.
I also joined C12 Forums early on to make sure we were building a great business for a greater purpose: to glorify God.
2016: Building the Plane While Flying It
That first full year? It was a blur. We were focused squarely on client acquisition and retention. Everything we offered, Buyer Facilitator coaching, training, and consulting, was delivered live. We created our first website, found our first office, and yes, even designed our first logo. We also 8x’d our first six months of income. Those were long days, but deeply meaningful ones.
2018: Metahire Is Born
In 2018, we worked with Sergio Luna at Rojo032 to refine our corporate identity and brand our sales hiring system with a new name, Metahire. That year, we also partnered with Carson Coots of Cognitive Films to record Metahire’s first professional training videos in his studio here in Austin.
2019: We Expand
In 2019, we hired our first sales consultant and started to see our vision of scalable, principled sales consulting take root. All Buyer Facilitator training remained live, but Metahire offered both on-demand training and live coaching. A hybrid model that proved effective.
On the personal side, our middle son, Nicolas, got married to our incredible daughter-in-law, Alisha. Another milestone, another blessing.
2020: Scaling with Systems
By 2020, it was time to evolve. We recorded our first Buyer Facilitator video training course to deliver consistency and efficiency without compromising the heart of our coaching. We discovered what a Learning Management System (LMS) was (a game-changer) and moved all our videos there. Live coaching remained the norm and still does to this day.
2021: Growth, Grit, and Gratitude
As video and Zoom became widely accepted, it made it possible for us to grow beyond our immediate network. We hired our second consultant and hit a milestone: our 1,000th invoice.
That year, our youngest son, Victor, joined the company. He affectionately calls it Topaz U, and in many ways, it’s true. He started by shadowing me and pitching in wherever needed. Today, he leads our hiring and manages our growing team of consultants.
2021 was also a year of major infrastructure upgrades. We partnered again with Carson from Cognitive Films to create our new corporate website, launch the Topaz Alumni Group platform, and produce numerous hours of high-quality video content that continues to serve our clients and community today.
2022: Equipping Sales Leaders
After years of working with salespeople, we realized a critical third leg was missing from the sales training stool: leadership. So, we built it. Over ten months, nights, weekends, and many cups of coffee, we consolidated a decade of C-suite mentoring into a new program: Sales Leadership Training. It’s now another successful offering, delivered through video and live coaching.
In 2022, we also began collaborating with J&S Digital Services to refine our SEO, sharpen our strategic direction, and deliver more value to our audience through thoughtfully written sales articles and content.
That same year, our oldest son, Mitchell, married our amazing daughter-in-law, Corey. Another joyful chapter.
2023: Family First, Business Anywhere
Last year brought even more change, growth, and joy. We fully embraced remote work and bought a 28-foot travel trailer, converting the back into an office, and hit the road. It’s not a vacation. We still put in full days. We’re just doing it from somewhere cooler than Texas in the summer.
We’ve trained, coached, and strategized from Golden, Colorado… Taos, New Mexico… Buffalo, Wyoming… Custer, South Dakota. Right now, we’re on a 100-day journey through Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, Montana, and Washington.
But the biggest and best moment of 2023? We became grandparents. Our first grandson, Henry James, was born. Holding that little boy in our arms gives us new meaning to everything we’ve built.
2025: A Look Back — and Ahead
As I reflect on the first 10 years of Topaz, I’m overwhelmed with gratitude. I get to build something meaningful every day alongside my wife and cofounder. I’m surrounded by a team that shows up not just to sell, but to serve, to lead, and to empower.
What we do at Topaz is bigger than metrics or methodologies. We help people become more of who they already are. Our clients learn to have real conversations, lead with authenticity, and build trusted relationships that endure beyond the contract.
The tools we’ve built are the vehicles: Buyer Facilitator, Metahire, and Sales Leadership Training. But the real transformation? That’s the person across the table. The one with a story, a dream, and sometimes a few doubts. We exist to help them move forward with clarity, confidence, and conviction.
Here’s to the next 10 years. Let’s build something together.
Jorge Chavez
President & Founder
Topaz Sales Consulting
