On October 18th, Rich will appear alongside his conversation partner, Joe Polish, the founder of Genius Network, in Tempe, AZ at the Changing Hands bookstore.
Raised in the close-knit, faith-driven world of Utah’s Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon) community, Rich Christiansen grew up with parents who embodied resilience, compassion, and integrity. His father, John Christiansen, blind from childhood, became a respected lawyer and a symbol of determination. His mother, Laurel, was a beacon of creativity and unwavering support. But at 53, Rich’s world was turned upside down by a DNA test that revealed a truth more complex than he had ever imagined.
What all started in fun—his youngest brother, the only dark-haired one of the four, decided to do a DNA test—raised serious, heart-wrenching questions. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the Christiansens had traced their Danish genealogy as far back in all directions as they could. How could one brother be 50% Ashkenazi Jew on his father’s side? Ultimately, Rich learned that he shared a biological father with only one of his three brothers—and their father wasn’t John.
In an interview, Rich Christiansen is eager to discuss:
- How to dismantle limiting beliefs, ignite clear insights into focused priorities, and how to embark on a transformative journey towards a harmonious life flow.
- How life-defining events from our childhood, teenage years and young adulthood shape us into the individuals we are.
- How to help your family connect better today so you feel confident in your ability to pass on your values to future generations.
- How families can create meaningful bonding experiences that are irreplaceable, unforgettable, and unique.
- The crucial significance of aligning values across personal, family, public, and financial realms.
- How to secure your future financially while maintaining a balanced lifestyle.
- How to embrace the opportunistic mindset.
- How, after his mother’s death and his nonagenarian father’s refusal to discuss the subject in depth, he grappled with why his reverent Mormon parents sought out a controversial path to parenthood and kept it a secret—and found the answer in their capacity for sacrifice and love.
- How he came to understand John’s refusal to father a child out of fear of passing on his genetic blindness—and why he believes that the decision to bear a child with a disability is an agonizing personal choice.
Rich founded the Entrepreneur Leadership Center and served as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Southern Utah University. He alsoserved on the Utah State Board of Higher Education. He has founded or co-founded 51 businesses, of which 16 have become multimillion-dollar successes. He and his wife are the parents of five amazing sons and ten grandchildren as well as a daughter who came from Nepal.
Rich is currently available for interviews.
