People who have benefitted from The Lamplighter
“It’s not just about making a living; it’s about making a life.” —Maryella Gockel
Major - Sheriff Department
In late 2006 I accepted a leadership position with a large organization in Western North Carolina that employed close to 400 men and women. The organization had been experiencing substantial turmoil and strong leadership would be required to reach the goals desired. During my first conversation with Dr. Eley I knew that he was going to play a vital role in making my organization successful. Dr. Eley detailed a flexible, principle based plan that would give the organizational leadership the tools necessary to make everyone successful. Dr. Eley was asked to meet with the senior management staff to present his strategy and principles of effective leadership. Before the first session was complete it was apparent to us all that every member of the organization should be given the opportunity to benefit from his coaching and teaching. Dr. Eley has the ability to inspire personnel at all levels of an organization and his teachings are beneficial on both the personal and professional level. Dr. Eley continues to play a vital role in developing the leadership skills of our personnel as well as myself.
Major Scott J. Bissinger BCSO
Commissioned Sales Representative
I am in Business Development for my company. I have 7 different customer service reps servicing my customers and several other key people within our company that provide me, and our customers valuable time, resources and expertise. One of the things I was struggling with was how to thank these folks with more than just a verbal and sometimes handwritten “thank you’s”. I am always appreciative of this internal support group and I know I could not do my job without them. I wanted to give them something more. While meeting with Dr. Eley one day we had this discussion and he gave me some great advice on what to give and a way to track these “thank yous”. Now I am consistently providing the hand written notes of thanks and I am including such things as gift certificates from Starbucks, Target, Wal-Mart or restaurants in their area that they may enjoy. I am also able to keep track of who I have thanked, when I thanked them and what I gave them. This has made a tremendous impact on my relationship with these folks as well as their willingness to help me and our customers. I am getting better service and this helps me be more productive. I have more time to sell! The bottom line is that they had heard me thank them in the past, but now they have seen firsthand that I mean it!
Joe Compton
Small Business Owner
Prior to coaching I had goals (vision) that I wanted to accomplish, but they were not as clearly defined as I wished them to be. One of the greatest assets of being coached by Dr. Eley is the fact that I am held accountable for achieving my goals (vision) and dreams.
Having my own personal coach has really helped me achieve things I thought were near impossible to achieve. Dr. Eley helps me navigate through obstacles and illuminates the pathway to success.
My life is more balanced and thanks to my coach I am eagerly attacking my goals (vision) both personally and professionally.
Dewayne Tillman
Owner – Custom Home Builder
After being in business for myself for two years, I felt like I needed help creating a strong foundation for growing a successful company. I wanted to find someone to help me determine the best route to growth, from hiring new employees to developing a business plan.
After meeting Dr. Eley at church, I was pleased to find out that he was a Life/Leadership Coach. We met over lunch to discuss our respective backgrounds and expertise. After our meeting, it became clear to me that his experience was exactly what I was looking for. We began working together, focusing on my personal values and time management. After a few months he began to work with my employees to help develop our company’s values and manifesto. We have set our company goals for the next one, three and five years and put together a detailed plan to achieve them. My initial commitment to Dr. Eley was to work with him for 9 months. Now, 17 months later, we continue to meet every week for breakfast to discuss our goals and strategies for the upcoming week. He challenges me to reach outside my comfort zone, providing both guidance and accountability.
Since I began meeting with Dr. Eley, my company has been very successful during a time when our industry as a whole has seen a significant decline. I truly feel that he has helped us become a stronger company, focused on our core values and continued growth. As I look to the future, I am excited about the important role that Dr. Eley will play in our company’s success.
David Mayo, Providence Custom Homes
Manager – Major Pharmaceutical Firm
While attending my nephew’s wedding my brother introduced Dr. Eley to me as “one of the most important individuals of my life – a person who had a profoundly positive effect.” He suggested that I too would see a profound difference in my life, if I went through Dr. Eley’s Leadership Program. It was not until I was truly at my wits end that I finally listened to my brother’s sage advice and made the phone call. The day I called Dr. Eley I was feeling totally overwhelmed with a “todo” list that seemed to only get longer, with a family who was frustrated because I never seemed happy or “had the time” to spend with them. My performance at work was suffering and my own health was deteriorating rapidly due to the stress of disorganization and lack of direction. It was clear after the first 90-minute call that Dr. Eley would be able to help. I found myself looking forward to our weekly calls and within the first 45 days I was focused and had my arms wrapped around the direction in which I wanted to head. I was able to get ahead of my “to-do” list and map out short and long-term goals – personal and professional. By 120 days I had a 5 year plan for my personal and professional life. For the first time in my life I felt like I knew my purpose, my direction and had a plan – and the energy to implement the plan. I was spending more time with family and friends. My health was improving and I was able to participate in and finish my first marathon. This had been a goal of mine for over 5 years. Before I had never “found the time” to train, yet with the help of Dr. Eley I did it. The sense of accomplishment and increased confidence cannot be described in words. I did not make the call to Dr. Eley at first because I did not know where “I would fit it in.” My only regret today is that I did not call sooner because the time spent with Dr. Eley was returned to me 10 fold.
Marietta Stalcup 
