Find A Circle

Floyd became an Inner Circle member in 1992, and was so impressed, he decided to become a franchisee. Floyd has rolled up his sleeves and built companies from the ground up as well as worn the hat of CEO in a mature business. In addition to growing up in a family business that ultimately became a public company, he owned a chain of franchise stores, sold companies and has developed numerous complex marketing campaigns.

"I was a business owner who loved being in business. After selling my company, I still needed to be involved. Inner Circle was the clear answer for me. Inner Circle allows me to be involved in 30 or 40 businesses all at the same time. It really keeps my juices going. I enjoy the process of meeting new people and learning about their businesses - whether they choose to become members or not."

Linda has a long and rich history with Inner Circle. Prior to purchasing her own Inner Circle franchise in St. Cloud in 2005, Linda played an instrumental role in developing and growing Inner Circle International’s corporate organization as the Sales and Marketing Director. She immersed herself in the business as she recruited, trained and supported our franchisee team.

But her history goes even deeper than that. Her passionate endorsement of Inner Circle and its positive impact on business owners is born out of real life experience: she was a charter member in one of the first Inner Circles over 20 years ago when she was running her own manufacturing business. As owner of Raven Machine and Tool for 23 years, she acquired the kind of business savvy — along with some bumps and bruises — that enables her to relate credibly and authentically with other entrepreneurs.

“It can be very frustrating when you’re facing a tough challenge and you don’t feel that you have options from which to choose,” says Laitala. “I think that feeling of being backed into a corner is one of the greatest sources of stress out there for business owners. When you’re mired in a situation, it’s very difficult to see your choices. A peer group provides a fresh perspective and alternatives you would never come up with on your own. And when you have more alternatives available to you, not only will you make a better choice, you’ll also feel better — have a greater sense of control — about the final outcome.”

Jeff had been an Inner Circle member for two years when he decided he enjoyed the experience so much he wanted to purchase a franchise and start his own circles.

With over twenty years of experience as a business lawyer, and having recently opened his own law firm, Jeff is well acquainted with the tough issues entrepreneurs face in defining, growing, and protecting their businesses. While he had no desire to stop practicing law, he was interested in an adjunct business that would be a source of recurring revenue.

Inner Circle proved to be the perfect fit. As he explains, “I’m able to keep everything I love about practicing law — the intellectual challenge, the variety, the focus on problem solving, the chance to influence major decisions in several different businesses, and the meaningful relationships — while I step away from some of the pressures of the billable hour. It’s been invigorating for my career, and the experience as a facilitator, especially the concentrated focus on listening is making me a much better lawyer.”

One other thing from the past that Jeff holds on to is his original Inner Circle membership. He now gets sage advice from his peers on growing both his law firm and his Inner Circle franchise.