Meet Mahla + Lane Hoffbeck | Consultants + Partners

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mahla + Lane Hoffbeck and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mahla + Lane, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Lane and I (Mahla) believe risk is baked into the whole thing. Doing something risk-free or less risky is just a perception because risk is inherent to the human experience. Everything has a level of risk tied to it. It’s just how you look at it. Sure, some things are less risky than others. But the reality is, getting out of bed and getting in your car to drive to the store is a pretty risky thing to do – yet because we do it all the time in today’s world, we don’t think of it as risky.

When it comes to a career, it can sound less risky to go the corporate route, get a job for a big company and work your way up the ladder – but then suddenly the economy takes a turn and next thing you know you find yourself getting laid off and don’t know what you’ll do next. So much for safety and security.

Lane and I operate from the belief that the least risky route to go in life is actually to do what you love the most – what lights you up, what you feel most drawn to, what you get excited about, what you can’t stop talking to people about. When you choose to put your time, energy and effort into something you care deeply about, you’ll be driven to run after it, figure it out, find a way, and make magic happen. You’re more creative. Your grit and hustle comes out in full force. You are more committed and have more fun along the way because you believe in what you’re doing and the need for it in the world.

We’re risk takers. We always have been and always will be. We’ve taken so many risks along our journey of life together that we can’t imagine functioning any other way. Now what sounds and looks risky to some people is just another Tuesday for us. Many people would look at decisions we’ve made in our past 12+ years together as crazy, irresponsible even, but each step of the way we’ve done what we knew in our gut was the right next step for us. Our risk taking started day one together. We met in Ecuador. We got married super young. Lane was 22, and I had just turned 21. We both grew up in the Midwest (Minnesota and Missouri) and knew no one in California, but we dreamed of creating a life there. So one year into marriage, we said peace out to the Midwest and headed West. Three years into marriage after I finished my undergraduate degree at Pepperdine, we had the opportunity to move to South Africa to work with our friends’ nonprofit. So we sold almost all of our stuff, packed up and moved across the Atlantic.

Our time in South Africa ended up being shorter than we originally anticipated, so we had to pivot and upon returning to the States, we knew we had to get back to California but we had no jobs lined up and limited money in the bank. But we loaded up and just said, okay – we gotta figure this out. We lived out of a hotel for one week – connected with people like crazy and I ended up landing a job in LA with an immediate start date within 7 days of getting back to California. Lane started consulting with small businesses several years before he did it full time, then he quit his consulting job at Accenture to do it full-time – and seven months later I quit my job to work with Lane full-time at Hoffbeck + Co.

It was scary, but here we are over six years later. We bought a house in Oceanside in 2020, and we now have two boys. We’re living the days we could only dream of ten years ago. It’s not easy. It never is. But if we played it the “safe” route – we’d still be living in Minnesota. Lane would be working for Wells Fargo, and I’d probably be working for a university or another big corporate company like Target HQ. If that’s your jam, I’m not hating. It just was never our dream.

What should our readers know about your business?
Hoffbeck + Co is a boutique consulting firm based in Oceanside, California that helps small businesses with finance, marketing and operations. Our mission is two-fold:

We help small businesses:
– Create disruption so they serve their customers better, and
– Create holistic healthy businesses so they grow and so business owners maintain their physical and mental well-being along the way

We exist because innovation and business health are a must.

After working with more than 100 small businesses, we’ve seen that lots of them miss opportunities to grow because they’re playing it safe. At Hoffbeck + Co, we help businesses disrupt their industries so they make more money and help more people. We believe there are better solutions out there to people’s problems. Thus, people (aka: customers) are waiting for businesses to create disruption. They’re waiting for businesses to be innovative – to jump, break the status quo, reject the rules, blaze a new trail and be bold enough to try something new.

We also know that most small business owners are overwhelmed with the burden of getting all the things done that their business needs to be healthy. They often have certain areas of their business working pretty well, but then have totally let other areas go. Or, they’re doing just enough across the business to keep it moving forward, but nothing is actually optimized or healthy. This is a huge problem because the owners are so burned out they aren’t at their best physically or mentally – which has direct ripple effects on the overall health and growth of their company. It’s all connected. We help business owners solve their business problems so they can run a profitable healthy company – which in turn also positively impacts their personal life.

What makes us unique in what we do compared to other firms or agencies is that we specialize in working with small businesses, and we offer a wide range of services to our clients. Most firms or agencies focus only on one main service like branding, social media, bookkeeping or CFO services. The benefit our clients get when they work with us is a holistic perspective, which we have found increases the quality of what we deliver and the results our clients get. Research continues to build that having a range of expertise and experience instead of just being a specialist actually leads to more creative and innovative solutions. We were inspired and even more confident in what we do when we came across David Epstein’s book, Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World. Epstein found that people with a broader range of interests and skills discover more creative solutions and connections than siloed specialization. We believe business departments are ripe for connection. Finance, law, marketing, and operations are ready for new solutions and creative connections that may only be possible to find by a team that is competent and dangerous across these departments. Just as everything is connected in physical and mental health, the same is true for business health. We believe in treating the whole rather than putting a bandaid on the part.

Our education and team also set us apart. Lane has his B.A. in Business Finance and a Master of Legal Studies with an emphasis in Dispute Resolution from Pepperdine Caruso School of Law. I (Mahla) have a B.A. in Organizational Communication, became a Certified StoryBrand Guide in 2018, and have been a Writing Coach with Find Your Voice. Beyond our own education and experience, we have a top-notch team that specializes in a variety of services including: website design and development, graphic design, copywriting, finance, software support, and general management and strategic consulting services.

We started Hoffbeck + Co in 2016. We’re really proud that over the last six years we’ve been able to serve over 100 businesses all over the United States and even a few internationally. It’s also been pretty cool to grow our team and see how the vision the two of us started with has broadened. We’ve been able to expand our offerings to better serve our clients. We’re able to provide jobs for people. We’re helping small businesses transform their trajectory – increase profitability, discover new ways to serve their customers better, save time and money, and create healthy companies. Hoffbeck + Co is so much more than Lane and Mahla now, and we love that.

Something we’re really excited about is how we are leaning more into a focus on business health. This is a huge passion of ours because after working with a ton of small businesses, we’ve seen the toll running a business has on the owners. We’re not licensed therapists, but we’ve seen how much business health is tied to mental and physical health of the people running small companies. We are establishing some new rhythms and rituals into our own day-to-day schedules and routines in our lives and for Hoffbeck + Co. Additionally, we are in the process of designing a framework that focuses on holistic business health, which will guide clients and bring clarity to the areas that need attention. Eventually we hope to turn this into a book.

Education has played a big role in helping us get to where we are today. Not only do we both love learning, but we also knew that if people were going to trust us and take us seriously that we had to be educated. As consultants, we are in the business of knowledge. We have been and continue to be intentional – from the books we read, to the universities we chose, to the degrees and certifications we have earned. We see the value in continued education, and we feel it’s essential to stay up on what’s going on in the world and in business. We read a lot. And now with two little kids, we listen to a lot of audio-books and podcasts.

Building a business is not a walk in the park. It takes grit and persistence to push through challenges, to stay positive, to keep the vision, and keep moving forward. We’ve done a lot of that too. Like I shared earlier, we’ve also continuously taken risks. That’s been at the heart of how we’ve gotten where we are today. I’d also say that we have an insatiable curiosity towards business. We’ve learned that being curious is one of the best ways to uncover the problems our clients are facing, and it’s one of the best ways to actually help our clients – asking questions, rather than just telling them what to do. Lane and I are always asking questions and analyzing other brands. We’re always looking at how things are connected and wondering – if I change this input, what happens? Curiosity drives us. Lastly, I’d say we’ve gotten where we are because we’ve had a clear vision, dream and direction to focus on helping small businesses make it in the world and grow. We love small businesses and believe the world needs them because behind every small business is a person who started it with a dream and a passion. The world is better off with people going after what they love.

At Hoffbeck + Co, we’re about helping create disruption because people don’t like change – but it’s what’s needed. Disruption makes new worlds. Change is what brings us to the next thing. Living things grow. If you’re not growing and changing, you’re dying. When you hold onto what always has been or how things have always been done, you’re falling behind and maybe even on your way to dying. Businesses do this all the time. We want to come alongside small businesses and help them discover the ways they can disrupt in order to grow and to serve their customers better.

To us, good isn’t good enough. In the same breath, we also often quote Kevin Hart “Progress over perfection.” But when we say good isn’t good enough, we mean the status quo or “normal” isn’t good enough. Too often people and brands settle for good enough, and we’re pushing businesses to shoot for excellence. This is where you really stand out in the marketplace. We’re not okay with just getting by. We actually don’t think anyone is really okay with that. When someone says, “Oh it’s fine” or “We’ve always done it that way” – we hear “There’s work to do”. Boring is not what we’re here for.

When you hire us, we will push you. We will challenge you. We will ask the hard questions, and yet we intentionally create a judgment free zone. We want our clients to feel like Hoffbeck + Co is a safe space to show and talk about what’s really going on. That’s how we can best help our clients anyways. That’s what we would want for someone helping us with our business.

We’re kind of like a personal trainer or therapist for businesses. We will push you, AND we will hold space as we work together with care and without judgment. We’re here not to be agreeable (neither is your trainer or therapist). We’re an outside voice to bring fresh perspective and fresh eyes. It’s not always comfortable, but when is growth comfortable? Part of growth is painful, and most things worth doing are difficult. Working out can be painful, but we’re better for it. When you go to therapy and work through your past or trauma, it can be painful, but it’s worth it to help improve your quality of life. When you work through old habits, norms or ways of doing things with your business, it can feel overwhelming. But it’s healthy and what’s gotten you here won’t take you there — your destination . The same people that got you to where you are today likely won’t be the same people to help you get to where you’re going — new ideas and skill sets are likely needed. And with all of this – we get it. We’re running a small business too! We aren’t going to put your nose in it and make you feel bad, no one wants that. Instead, we will create a judgment free zone to work through the issues and help you create disruption. The new world isn’t going to create itself. Let’s go!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We’re biased, but Oceanside is THE BEST! There’s a little bit of everything to do, eat and drink here! If you’ve got one week to spend in and around Oceanside, we’ve got you covered.

Day 1
– Breakfast at High/Low with ocean and pier views
– Walk down the Oceanside Pier, the longest wooden pier on the western U.S. coastline
– Get a massage at Sunny’s Spa at the Seabird Resort
– Lunch at Craft Coast Tacos
– Then post up at the beach for the rest of the afternoon
– Dinner and drinks and sunset views at the Rooftop Bar at the Mission Pacific Hotel

Day 2
– Coffee and the most delicious pastries at Revolution Roasters
– Walk down Oceanside Boulevard to check out local shops like Reap & Sow and Surf Ride
– Lunch at Privateer Coal Fire Pizza
– Take a drive down coast highway and stop and enjoy the ocean views and different north county beach towns
– Dinner at Pacific Coast Grill (Cardiff) right on the water

Day 3
– Buccaneer Cafe for breakfast burritos and coffee – walk across the street to enjoy in the sand
– Surfing at Cassidy Street Beach
– Lunch at Best Pizza and Brew
– Take a nap
– Sushi dinner at Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub

Day 4
– Coffee and breakfast at The Rising Co’s Seaborne Coffee
– Shop at The Rising Co and Landmark Plant Co
– Lunch at In-N-Out
– Go for a hike at Guajome Regional Park and Trails
– Dinner at Bagby’s Brewery

Day 5
– Coffee and breakfast at Vigilante Coffee
– Rent bikes at SoCal Bike and cruise around Oceanside and Carlsbad
– Smoothies at Choice Juicery (Carlsbad)
– Early dinner at Campfire (Carlsbad)
– Return the bikes
– Drinks at South O Brewing

Day 6
– Coffee and breakfast at Communal Coffee
– Shop at the Tremont Collective
– Wine Tasting and lunch at Monserate Winery in Fallbrook
– Dinner at The Flying Pig
-Ice cream at Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream

Day 7
– Breakfast at Don’s Country Kitchen
– Get food and drinks at Cream of the Crop for later
– Rent a boat at the marina and get out on the water
– Enjoy lunch and drinks on the boat with food from Cream of the Crop
– Dinner at Local Tap House (LTH)

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
We wouldn’t be where we are today without a few key influential people and places in our lives.

Both of our parents laid the groundwork for us to pursue our dreams and have a love for entrepreneurship and small businesses. My dad (Mahla’s dad) owned and ran his own engineering firm for 25 years, so that’s what work looked like to me growing up. Lane’s parents started their own business, a wedding venue on the farm where he grew up, in more recent years – but it’s been this cool full circle connection for both of us with our parents and a deep understanding of the grit, hard work and care that goes into running your own business. Our parents are some of our biggest supporters, and for that we are forever grateful.

We also 100% would not be where we are today without the education, influence, connections and friendships that Pepperdine University has brought us. I transferred to Pepperdine’s Seaver College to complete my undergraduate degree in Organizational Communication. More recently, Lane completed his Masters of Legal Studies (MLS) degree at Pepperdine Caruso Law. For both of us, since graduating from our degree programs, we could point to so many people and opportunities that have led to key life decisions and experiences all because of our Pepperdine community. From job opportunities after I completed my undergrad, to life-long friendships, to connections like Bob Goff and traveling to Uganda – I could go on and on. Ayo Waves! Thank you!

And we have to give a shout out to the incredible author and marketing mastermind, Seth Godin and his book, The Dip: A little book that teaches you when to quit (and when to stick). It’s a super short book, but a couple of the key principles Godin talks about in the book are ones we’ve pointed back to SO many times over the years of running our business:
The dip weeds out the people who don’t have what it takes for your craft or your trade, so if you can get through that dip, then you make it. We’ve had our fair share of moments where we’ve had to rally and remind ourselves of this – we can get through the dip. While we definitely wouldn’t say “we’ve made it”, it feels amazing to have pushed through to the other side.
You have to know when to quit. We’ve quit a lot of things in our life that weren’t what mattered most to us so we could say yes to better things. This has been critical for us to be where we are today.

Website: https://www.hoffbeck.co/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hoffbeckco/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hoffbeckco/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hoffbeckco

Image Credits
204 Made – Levi Hoffbeck