Mike Claudio 

CEO & Coach

I have spent the last 17 years not just selling products and services but learning how to go out and actually develop business, create routines and consistency, develop discipline, and make a bigger impact on those around me then just money!

My sales and management career started in retail with Verizon Wireless before working in their enterprise business to business sales team. During my time in Corporate America, I was given some of the best training in the world and really developed an obsession-like energy for consistency, communication and the client experience.

While my formal training is in the corporate setting, I’ve always been pulled towards smaller companies where I could work with entrepreneurs to help them bring big changes to grow their business. I was a great salesman, but I found my love and passion for the people, processes and services of the construction industry. When I was given the opportunity work with a residential general contracting business in Charlotte, I jumped at the idea of using my experiences and training to help create a sales and client management system specific for this market.

I have proven my system and processes to Identify, Target, Qualify and Acquire clients works. With a heavy focus on communication, follow-through, and follow-up I believe any company can increase sales and profits and I want to be the one to help you do that!

I brought massive success to companies I worked for but want to help more business owners get out of the daily grind and develop a business that worked for them instead of wearing them out. Since starting WinRate Consulting I have helped hundreds of paying clients and 10's of thousands of business owners through my free online content on my podcast and YouTube channel.

I have been on dozens of stages and spoken in front of thousands of people to get the message across that YOU can be different and YOU can dream bigger and YOU can make it come to life! At this point I am 100% confident I can help any size business improve, I can help any owner or leader create better habits and a more disciplined life, and I can change the culture of a company into a place people want to work instead of constant frustrations and lack of buy in!

Clifton Muckenfuss

Director of Coaching

Coach

Clifton Muckenfuss is an Entrepreneur with an extensive background in Sales, Marketing and Leadership. He has Co-Founded several successful service based companies, one being a multi-million dollar Home Improvement Company. 

With a passion for people, Clifton is hyper focused on Client Experience, and his companies have won numerous awards for Service Excellence. He / his companies have been featured in Inc. Magazine, Qualified Remodeler, and Remodeling Magazine.

Clifton now works with Contractors and Service-based businesses in the areas of Sales, Training and Marketing to help them implement systems and processes to create Customers for Life and "own a business" instead of a "job."

Sam Kaufman

Director of Revenue

Coach

 Sam Kaufman is an entrepreneur, leader, husband and father of 2.  He is a firm believer that we must never stop building ourselves in our businesses, homes, and self.

Sam started out as a sole proprietor cabinet installer in a van and grew to 7 figures in under 3 years. He has operated businesses in multiple cities and is an avid core value implementer, standard operating procedure creator, and team builder. That cabinet installation business became a kitchen and bath remodeling business, a design company, and a retail flooring store in under 6 years.

Sam is passionate about growth and improvement. A natural leader he is deeply passionate about helping other business owners become the BEST versions of themselves and sees a better future for the home services industry.

Nate Griffin

Coach

Nate Griffin is an entrepreneur with background in finance and business management. Over the last 10 years, he has built successful companies. One of which is now a multi-million dollar design build construction company. He has been around the construction industry his entire life.

Nate has a passion for helping people change their relationship to money through their business and finances. With a thorough understanding of cash flow, finance, and investing, Nate wants to share his experience to help others move into the CEO role of their own companies and lives.

Nate lives in Wilkesboro, NC with his wife, Lydia. He loves the outdoors, wakeboarding, cool cars, and great coffee.

Les Brannen

Coach

Les is an entrepreneur that is the CEO of Mountain High Mulch. After spending 20 years in the corporate world as director of operations he had a burning desire to open his own business and lead from the front.

He has a strong background in leadership, culture building, and overall customer experience. His company has been featured on Netflix Instant Dream Home, and continues to be recognized for outstanding community leadership and business growth within his community.

Les lives in Marietta, GA with his wife Jen and together have 3 children Skyla(20), August (17), and Jude (14). He is very passionate about physical fitness, mental clarity and developing business owners with a servant leadership mentality.

Lyle Nearby

Coach

With 30 years of experience in sales/customer service, Lyle decided to leave the corporate world and open AdvantaClean of Monroe in 2010. Lyle and his family live in Union County and are very involved in the local community. He has coached Tee Ball, Coach Pitch baseball and soccer. Lyle is a board member of the American Red Cross of Union County, a board member for A Champion’s Shoes, involved in the Union County Chamber, and supports various local charities.

Tiffany Claudio

Chief of Staff / Director of Events

Hi, I’m Tiffany Claudio and you guessed it, I’m Mrs. WinRate herself. I joined WinRate full time in May of 2021 to help Mike and Lindsey (aka my sister wife) with the day to day administrative activities, in addition to event planning.

I come from a corporate career in Agile IT environments. There I coached teams on how to strategically plan out their annual goals, by breaking them out into smaller more manageable deliverables. I also helped identify and develop metrics to ensure the teams stayed on track with their objectives and understood if/when they needed to pivot.

Originally from Roanoke, VA with a short stint at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, I now reside just outside Charlotte, NC with the one and only Mike Claudio and our two boys, MJ & Everett.

Lindsey Kandrack

Chief Operations Officer

Lindsey assists with the WinRate team’s backend operations, she brings over 15 years’ experience of business and entrepreneurship.

From selling environmental control products in corporate America, to owning her own mattress and furniture business, to managing operations to 50+ dealers within the furniture and case goods industry. She has a marketing degree in her back pocket but her experience of working in and with small businesses she can easily relate to entrepreneurs having to wear many “hats!” Lindsey has been with WinRate and Mike and since 2019!

Originally from Syracuse, NY with a stretch in Pittsburgh, PA she currently resides just outside Charlotte, NC with her husband Keith and two children Kasey and Quinn. She loves the outdoors, and you may find her coaching or competitively exercising in her spare time ;-)

Mallory Matthewson

Operations Asst. / Onboarding

Mallory assists with the WinRate Team's backend operations. She is new to the coaching world, but brings a fresh perspective with over 12 years' experience in Customer Relations. From Pest Control to Logistics, and Manufacturing to Finance, she has worked in various fields across the board but has a true heart for the customer experience. She has a Business Management degree, but with her experience in multiple industries, she's able to relate to all customers on a personal level.

Originally from the Foothills of the NC mountains, she now resides outside of Charlotte, NC with her husband and their two daughters (Abby and Allie). She enjoys reading, traveling, and spending intentional time with her family.

Mia Vecchio

Event Manager - Hall of Fame

Executive Assistant to Mike

Mia has been with the WinRate Team since December 2022! She loves throwing events and and has 8 years' experience in customer service which makes her role as Director of Hall of Fame the most fulfilling fit.

Mia was born and raised in Connecticut and is now living in Greenville, SC. She loves the beach, she loves the mountains and loves spending time with her dogs Henry and Obie. She looks forward to making an impact alongside her WinRate Team!