Jeff Hughes

Jeff began his career as a litigation attorney in Menomonee Falls, WI. In 2003, a friend and client approached him about starting a business selling DISH Network satellite. Jeff felt this was an opportunity that would play to his strengths of setting strategy and discovering business patterns. That is when Sterling Satellite was born.

The first year in business was a gut-wrenching challenge. Jeff endured a competitor's frivolous lawsuit (it was thrown out of court), fought through a painful learning curve, applied for as many credit cards as the risk-loving banks would give him, and came within days of personal bankruptcy. Despite high odds and Jeff's white knuckle death grip on anything that would help the company escape to another week, Sterling survived its first year and has grown spectacularly ever since.

The story, however, is not all "happy, happy – joy, joy" since Sterling broke through in early 2005. Jeff and his team went on a wild business ride between 2006 and 2008 as they started many other business ventures then ended in failure and disappointment. Sterling remained as the notable exception to the failures.

Throughout the years of carnage and near-death experiences, the idea for BizLab emerged. Today, BizLab is holding company and incubator for internet-based businesses. We have Sterling, RocketClicks.com, BeYourOwnIT.com and Godsell & Hughes Financial. We also have several other developing companies in our incubator system.

From Jeff's point of view, the most rewarding aspect of BizLab has been the joy of watching his teammates grow and experience success, both personally and professionally. He genuinely believes that "if you help enough people in life get what they want, then you will get what you want." (Zig Ziglar) Although it may sound cliché, the personal success of individual staff members is just as important to Jeff as the success of the company as a whole. His most memorable moments in the company's history are those times when the team has won and lost together.

At home, Jeff is Winona's husband. They have been delightfully married since 2001. He also gets to be dad to two really cool little boys: Liam and Jack. He is devoted to his sons and prioritizes his responsibilities to parent them daily. Jeff's passions include traveling the world (especially with Winona), teaching leadership and team development, reading voraciously, snow skiing, playing basketball, personal growth, and building businesses / teams that add value to the world. He is a committed follower of Jesus Christ and to authentically and humbly living Christian values.

Jeff has a B.A. in History from Bob Jones University and a J.D. Law Degree from Southern Illinois University School of Law.