Chris Cavallini is a founder, CEO, public speaker and mentor to his employees at meal delivery service, Nutrition Solutions. But his reality today is a far cry from where he started out.
"I grew up under some pretty unconventional circumstances — I was arrested 17 times before I turned 18, I spent a lot of time in foster homes and group homes and juvenile detention centers," Cavallini says. "When you're coming up in those environments, you're not thinking that your life is going to hit a trajectory of where I am today."
Following his tumultuous teen years, Cavallini joined the military and served throughout his 20s. The experience provided necessary structure and discipline, laying the groundwork for the way he would approach his own life going forward, and eventually, the way he would build his business.
"I realized that I needed to make some changes and thought about what my life would look like if I didn't," he says. "I really worked on creating the mindset and skill set of a high-value man — what actually produces fulfillment at the highest level is being able to serve and help other people. I figured out a way to transform my life and go from one end of the spectrum to the next. It was my responsibility to provide that ecosystem within my company."
At Nutrition Solutions, which launched in 2012, Cavallini's team is made of up 50 individuals, and around a third
"In my situation, I've made years and years of mistakes. Who am I to judge an individual based on their criminal history or criminal record?" he says. "Some of my best team members are people who have been to prison. When they're in the right environment, under the right structure and you put them in the right role, they understand what rock bottom tastes like and they're willing to do whatever it takes to never return to that place."
Currently, 70-100 million people in the U.S. have some kind of criminal record, which can lead to
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Cavallini is determined to break down these barriers. At Nutrition Solutions, employees don't just get a paycheck — they walk into a culture that's invested in their total well-being.
"Whether they're convicted felons, or they've had history with substance abuse, they let us know, I used to live my life differently, and I am now doing everything in my power to create a better life for myself. That's what we want to hear. We will give these people opportunities," Cavallini says. "We provide them an outlet where they will be given a second chance, but also the support and the accountability to show them how to create value in themselves."
In practice, that means that the
"These are all things that are actually part of our company culture, they're part of our normal workday," Cavallini says. "We invest heavily in our team, so that they can produce the highest quality products and give our clients the highest quality service for our business. Leading by example is one of our core values — it's important to have a team that's on the same path and mission as our clients."
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For Cavallini, the benefits go way beyond any business success. His investment into his employees has fulfilled his personal mission, and brings him closer everyday to his own values and goals.
"I basically have a front row seat to witness people evolve in real time. When you're around a lot of positivity and you're in a very uplifting, healthy, positive environment, it changes you," he says. "It's awesome, because you see people that come in as one version of themselves and see them contribute and earn raises and promotions and recognition. In that process, they have the opportunity to create a better life for themselves and the people that they care about."
