Meet Zeb Welborn

We were lucky to catch up with Zeb Welborn recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Zeb, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

My work ethic was born out of necessity. In 2009, during the Great Recession, I couldn’t find a job anywhere. Out of that challenge, I launched a tutoring business with little more than determination and a goal: to earn $1 million in my first year.

At the time, I didn’t know exactly how to get there, but I remember hearing, or reading somewhere, that success comes from doing five meaningful things every day that move you closer to your goals. Being an overachiever, I decided to do six. That first year, I worked from the moment I woke up until the moment I went to bed. I didn’t come close to making $1 million, but I was proud. I had taken nothing and turned it into something.

The following year, I did it again. Working tirelessly, I grew my business by 50%. I still didn’t hit the million-dollar mark, but I saw progress. And that’s when I understood: growth is rarely instant, but discipline and consistency compound.

Now, 15 years later, I can see how that mindset shaped my career. In the beginning, I forced myself to do six tasks each day. Today, I’m probably doing hundreds without even realizing it. My entrepreneurial journey has been built on that foundation of setting ambitious goals and working relentlessly toward them until I achieve them.

A tool that has helped me stay disciplined and focused is the OKR (Objectives and Key Results) system, which I first discovered in the book Measure What Matters. Each year, I set high-level goals for myself and my organizations, then break them down into actionable steps. This framework has pushed me to aim higher, measure progress, and hold myself accountable.

So, where does my work ethic come from? It comes from resilience during a time of uncertainty, from a decision to outwork my circumstances, and from a commitment to setting bold goals and pursuing them until they are achieved. It’s not about hitting the target immediately, it’s about building momentum, staying consistent, and trusting that effort, over time, creates impact.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I started my entrepreneurial journey in 2009 during the Great Recession, when I couldn’t find a job and decided to create one for myself. That decision launched me into a career of building businesses, helping others grow, and dedicating my energy to making a meaningful impact in my community. Over the past 15 years, my path has evolved from running a tutoring business to becoming President & CEO of Welborn Media and President & CEO of the Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce.

At Welborn Media, we help passionate organizations reach more people through digital and social media marketing strategies. I’ve always believed that when businesses and organizations succeed, entire communities thrive. Our work spans industries from golf, aviation, and hospitality to municipalities and nonprofits by helping them tell their story, grow their customer base, and strengthen their reputation. What excites me most is the combination of strategy, creativity, and impact. We take someone’s vision and turning it into a reality that reaches thousands of people.

At the Chamber, my focus is on creating transformative programs that support workforce, economic, entrepreneurship, and leadership development in our region. A few initiatives I’m particularly proud of include:

Upskill Chino Valley, a program dedicated to preparing our local workforce for high-quality jobs and ensuring businesses have the skilled talent they need to grow.

The Chino Valley Leadership Collaborative, which connects leaders across industries to build relationships and launch community projects that make a tangible difference.

FutureReady, which gives young people career pathways and entrepreneurial opportunities to prepare them for success in the modern economy.

Signature events such as our Women’s Conference, Business Expo, and Innovation & Entrepreneurship Forums, which bring together thought leaders, businesses, and changemakers.

What I find most rewarding is being at the intersection of business, education, and community. I get to connect with entrepreneurs, executives, educators, and policymakers who are all working toward a better future for the Inland Empire.

Looking ahead, I’m excited about expansion in three areas:

Building the Entrepreneurship Center in Chino Valley, which will be a hub for innovation, business growth, and collaboration.

Growing Welborn Media’s capacity by leveraging AI and new digital tools to help even more businesses tell their story and connect with their audience.

Continuing to create impact-driven events and programs that inspire, educate, and move people forward.

At the heart of everything I do is a simple belief: hard work, creativity, and community can change lives. That’s what drives me, and that’s what I want people to know about my story and my brand.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Looking Back: The Three Qualities That Shaped My Journey

When I graduated from high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do. In college, I experimented with different majors: accounting seemed too boring, marketing didn’t feel like the right fit, and journalism made me wonder if I could come up with stories or ask the right questions. Eventually, I landed on history and began my career as a high school history teacher.

Looking back now, I realize that each of those paths gave me skills that have been essential to my success as an entrepreneur and community leader.

Financial Discipline – From accounting, I learned the importance of numbers. Today, as a business owner, I need to understand financials and how our organization is performing. That foundation allows me to make smarter decisions and grow with intention.

Marketing & Storytelling – From marketing and journalism, I learned the power of telling stories and asking the right questions. Those skills helped me write The Social Golf Course, launch the Defining Success Podcast where I interviewed over 120 successful people, and build a marketing business that helps organizations connect with their audience in authentic ways.

Analysis & Synthesis – From history, I learned how to take large amounts of information, identify the key lessons, and communicate them clearly. That skill is vital in my current role, where I take input from businesses, educators, and policymakers and consolidate it into action plans that build a stronger, more resilient business community.

If I had to give advice to someone early in their journey, it would be this: be a lifelong learner. Every step of my path, from accounting to history, from teaching to entrepreneurship, has given me tools I still use today. My passion has always been learning new skills and then sharing those skills with others. That mindset has allowed me to adapt, grow, and do more than I ever thought possible.

For anyone just starting out: don’t worry if you don’t know exactly what you want to do. Stay curious, keep learning, and be willing to apply lessons from every experience. Over time, those skills compound and they’ll prepare you to do work that truly makes an impact.

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?

What Is the Number One Challenge You’re Facing?

For me, it’s not one single challenge, it’s five. Every five years, I re-evaluate what I call my five pillars, the values and areas of focus that I believe are most important to me. In 2025, I identified these pillars as Energy, Discipline, Leadership, Impact, and Presence.

Energy – As my businesses and responsibilities have grown, I know I need to take better care of my health. I have strong work ethic, but I also recognize that the healthier and more energized I am, the more I can give to my family, my team, and my community.

Discipline – Discipline has always been a strength of mine when it comes to work. The challenge is applying that same level of structure to my routines outside of work. I’m focusing on building habits that create balance and consistency in every area of my life.

Leadership – Growing an organization means constantly growing as a leader. Every day I’m learning how to lead more effectively, develop my team, and create opportunities for others to thrive.

Impact – I’m proud of the impact I’ve made so far, but I want to do more. I’m always looking for ways to expand my influence and connect with others who share the goal of creating meaningful change.

Presence – Because I spend so much time online and working in digital spaces, I know I can be more intentional about being fully present in my personal interactions, especially with my family.

So while I can’t point to a single obstacle, I see these five pillars as ongoing challenges and opportunities. They give me a framework for growth, and they keep me focused on becoming the best version of myself as a leader and as a person.

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Zeb Welborn

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