Strengths On Fire | Peter Lars, Cornerstone Photography: The Interview

Peter Lars, Cornerstone Photography: The Interview

March 11, 2025 / 01:06:51/E23

What do a photographer-turned-entrepreneur, a free CliftonStrengths coaching session, and a boomer with futuristic vision have in common? This episode of Strengths on Fire brings all that and more. You’ll hear how Peter Lars, founder of a wildly creative photography company, uses his top 10 strengths to lead with fun, spark innovation, and build a company culture people want to be part of. Whether you’re a business owner, team leader, or someone trying to figure out your strengths in action, this conversation is packed with real-life ways strengths show up in leadership, growth, and everyday decisions. You’ll laugh, learn, and walk away inspired to lean into your talents and maybe even start a strengths board of your own.

To contact Peter:
https://cornerstone.photo/

Takeaways

When you know your top strengths, you can stop trying to fix your weaknesses and start growing with intention.
Investing in what you do naturally well makes leading and building a business feel energizing, not exhausting.
You don’t need all the Influencing themes to be influential—relationships and passion speak volumes.
Knowing your team’s strengths gives you a roadmap for better communication, delegation, and success.
A strengths-based culture is built by weaving recognition into everyday work—not just once a year.
Entrepreneurs thrive when they double down on the zones where they find flow, fun, and impact.
Strengths like Woo and Positivity aren’t just “nice”—they’re business drivers that attract both clients and talent.
Leaders with Developer sometimes hold on too long—knowing when to let go is part of strengths maturity.
When Ideation runs wild, structure and intentional timing are key to getting buy-in and execution.
Being in the trenches with your team builds trust and loyalty that no policy can replicate.
Strengths awareness helps you see where you shine and where others need to step in, no one does it all alone.
Even the best strengths can be a dumpster fire if not filtered through self-awareness.
You can be successful and still have fun—joy, laughter, and strength-based strategy go hand in hand.
The right environment amplifies your talents, especially when you’ve created it with purpose.
Strengths give you the language and clarity to build a company where people want to stay and grow.

Sound Bites

My whole life I was focused on what I wasn’t good. Turns out, I should’ve just let that go.
We don’t just know our strengths—we talk about them, recognize them, and celebrate them.
That positivity strength? It’s how I turn crying toddlers into giggles and smiles.
Ideation can be a dumpster fire—I’ve got three-year-old ideas just waiting for the right moment.
Our team puts strengths colors on balloons, cream cheese, and grapes. We live this stuff.
Strengths changed the way we hire—now we put the right people in the right seats from the start.
The photos we reprint after a fire—that’s significance in action. That’s why I do this.

Peters Top 10 CliftonStrengths
1) Futuristic
2) Positivity
3) Communication
4) Adaptability
5) Ideation
6) Woo
7) Developer
8) Activator
9) Maximizer
10) Significance

Bill's Top 10 CliftonStrengths

1) Individualization

2) Developer

3) Activator

4) Woo

5) Restorative

6) Empathy

7) Harmony

8) Connectedness

9) Relator

10) Learner

Sarah's Top 10 CliftonStrengths

1) Positivity

2) Woo

3) Communication

4) Harmony

5) Activator

6) Developer

7) Input

8) Individualization

9) Responsibility

10) Arranger

Official Strengths On Fire Website: https://strengthsonfire.transistor.fm

Creators and Guests

Host

Bill Dippel

Bill Dippel is a certified, professional Strengths coach with a 35-year career in nonprofits and higher education. His passion is working with organizations, teams, and individuals to ensure they are performing and communicating at the highest levels. As president of Bill Dippel Strengths Coaching, he travels frequently for large events and public speaking, as well as working with whole companies through their management teams.

Host

Sarah Collins

Sarah Collins is a certified CliftonStrengths coach and founder of Collins Collective, with over 12 years of experience in strengths-based coaching and leadership development. Her passion lies in empowering businesses, teams, and individuals to communicate and perform at their best by focusing on what they do well. As the leader of Collins Collective, Sarah combines engaging workshops, high-impact keynotes, and in-depth coaching to foster growth and connection. Based in Nebraska, she partners with businesses to drive meaningful change and create high-performing teams.

Guest

Peter Lars

Owner of Cornerstone Photography located in SoCal that specializes in volume portraiture since 1994. In addition, co-owner of Interactive Images, a software and service application for Augmented Reality focusing on the music industry.

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