OLN Inc. isn’t your typical sales company. It doesn’t rely on flashy ads or social media trends. Instead, it focuses on something much older — talking to people, face-to-face.
Elijah Medge started OLN Inc. in Nashville back in 2007. As a young immigrant, he didn’t have much, but he had drive. He believed big companies needed a better way to reach small businesses. So he built one. That idea became a network. Today, OLN Inc. operates in 30 cities across the U.S., representing major brands like Amazon, Verizon, and Staples.
But the company isn’t just about closing deals. It’s about growing people. New team members learn sales on the ground, then earn the chance to run their own branches. Medge gives them real responsibility — and real ownership.
What makes OLN Inc. stand out is how it faces challenges. During the pandemic, when field sales were impossible, they didn’t shut down. They pivoted, fast. They kept everyone employed. They found new ways to succeed.
Elijah’s focus is always on people — not just customers, but team members. He plans his goals, maps out leadership paths, and keeps his energy on solving problems. He tells his team not to dwell on setbacks, but to keep moving.
Many who joined OLN Inc. with little experience now lead teams, train others, and run offices. OLN Inc. didn’t just give them a job. It gave them a start.
In a fast world, OLN Inc.’s story is proof that steady, human-centered work still matters. And it’s changing lives.
You started OLN Inc. in 2007. What made you take that leap?
I came to the U.S. without a safety net. That changes how you look at opportunity. You learn quickly that if you don’t figure things out, no one else will do it for you. I saw a gap — big companies wanted to reach small business customers, but traditional marketing wasn’t cutting it. I knew I could create a real, human solution. That’s how the first branch began.
How did the business model come together?
Small business owners are hard to reach — they ignore ads, skip emails, and hang up on cold calls. But if you walk into their shop and start a real conversation, they’ll listen. The big companies didn’t have time or people to do that kind of work. I did. We became the team that could represent them face-to-face, in a way that earned trust.
Was there a moment you thought it might not work?
Definitely. In the early days in Nashville, I was still out knocking on doors myself. I remember one week when rent was due, and we didn’t have enough in the account. It was cold, raining, and I was running solo appointments just to keep the lights on. But I stayed focused. I don’t freeze up when things get hard — I switch into fix-it mode and start moving.
How do you think that attitude helps you inspire confidence in others?
People don’t need you to be perfect. They need to see you moving forward, even when things are messy. I’ve always believed that action is more inspiring than speeches. When my team sees me stay calm under pressure or admit I don’t have the answer but keep going anyway, it gives them permission to do the same.
When the pandemic hit, you pivoted OLN Inc. into remote sales. What did that teach you about taking risks?
It taught me that we were more flexible than we thought. We’d never done remote work — our whole business was built on face-to-face sales. But when that became impossible, we made a deal with Amazon and launched an inside sales team from scratch. We kept our staff, we adapted, and we actually grew. That experience showed me that risk isn’t always about danger — it can be about discovering something new.
You’re known for building leaders internally and giving them the chance to run their own branch. Why does that matter to you?
Ownership changes how people work. When someone knows they’ll eventually run their own team, they take things more seriously. They’re not just learning how to sell — they’re learning how to lead. We don’t just teach people business skills. We show them how to build something for themselves, with our support behind them.
What does your weekly or yearly planning process look like?
Every Sunday, I take an hour to map out the week. I think about who on my team is ready to be pushed or promoted. Every year, I set one big revenue goal — something slightly scary — and I say it out loud to the team. That way, we’re all accountable. I don’t just plan for comfort. I plan for growth.
What do you tell someone who’s stuck in doubt or hesitation?
Don’t try to eliminate the fear. Just don’t feed it. Doubt grows when you stand still. So take one action, even if it’s small. Make the call. Write the plan. Start the thing. Confidence is a byproduct of doing. Most people are waiting for clarity before they act, but clarity usually comes after the action.
Where do you find inspiration?
From people who are further ahead than me — not just in business, but in how they think and how they treat people. I once sat down with a chess coach who talked about decision-making six moves in advance. That changed how I think about hiring and scaling. I look for those moments in everyday life.
What keeps you going, nearly two decades in?
Seeing people win. Watching someone walk in with no experience and later become a branch manager or a mentor to others — that’s it for me. Sales is our medium, but what we’re really doing is helping people build confidence and a future. That never gets old.
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