While every member of the Clientown team is very different, we all share a very common DNA. Helping agents create and maintain a profitable, happy and successful real estate life is the common denominator we all love and share.
Founder and CEO
Nat Wallen is the Founder and CEO of Clientown and has been a licensed real estate agent since 1995. As a top Realtor® in Charleston, SC, Nat has become a subject matter expert for the real estate industry through his life experience and selling homes for nearly 30 years.
He feels positioning agents for success is one necessary, but still small step.
Yes, branding is important, but equally critical is surviving real estate. Mindset, attitude and feeling good about life as a career real estate agent is necessary in the shifting sands of the real estate industry. Nat started Clientown to help agents become known as “go-givers” in their markets to not only help agents sell more homes, but feel more human in the process.
Chief Operating Officer
John has nearly 3 decades of career experience in the Automotive Industry. He has created and led large engineering organizations to launch hundreds of new vehicle models. Having served in an executive capacity at several Automotive companies, as well as founding his own consultancy and being active in philanthropic endeavors, John is energized by start-up culture. John embraces the challenges of how to scale a start-up business to deliver the intended results by building thriving teams, operationalizing each business unit, and solving complex technical challenges.
Notably, John put these philosophies into practice in the explosive growth of Tesla having joined in 2009 as a founding member of test and validation when there were only 400 employees. Over the decade, John scaled his business unit’s exponentially as the company grew to more than 55,000 employees globally. Having worked directly with Elon and other executives at Tesla, John grew his organization from scratch to a global scale to launch all of Tesla’s products ranging from Roadster 2.0 to the development of the Model Y.
After leaving Tesla, John founded his own consultancy and worked to launch another new startup EV company, Canoo, into the market, and worked with a software company to mature their product for market introduction.
John found Nat Wallen through his YouTube channel when searching video content on relocating to Charleston, SC. Nat and John formed an instant connection and have been working collaboratively to bring Clientown to market. John is applying his talents and proven track record of how to scale start-ups for rapid growth while cultivating a healthy team centric culture. John is eager to help real estate professionals create more win-win relationships with their clients using Clientown, just like was the case between him and Nat.
Chief Content Officer
Appolos Laurient is an award-winning director, creative producer and executive with over 25 years of experience in media.
Appolos Laurient is an exceptional storyteller who possesses a deep passion for connecting people through the art of storytelling. Over the course of his impressive 25 year career, Appolos has collaborated with renowned international brands such as Paramount Global, CBS, BET, Viacom, Coca Cola, Sprite, Grey Goose, Remy Martin, Ford, Tylenol, McDonalds, and The Recording Academy, among others. Through his innovative approach, Appolos has consistently delivered award-winning content across various genres and platforms, demonstrating his ability to seamlessly merge creativity with data-driven analysis.
Appolos won a NAMIC Award for his multi-platform marketing content and a GLAAD Award nomination for critically acclaimed original documentary Holler If You Hear Me: Black and Gay in the Church. Appolos’ documentary work garned him the selection to the Cannes Film Festival for “Please Stand Up!” He also contributed to the award-winning feature Let’s Talk (Slamdance, Sundance Channel) and has worked on a variety of short form projects including movie trailers, commercials, and television promos.
With extensive expertise in digital video production, Appolos excels in managing production teams, overseeing post-production processes, and ensuring the highest standards of content quality. He possesses a remarkable ability to navigate budget and deadline constraints, continuously delivering exceptional results.
As the Supervising Producer at Paramount Global, Appolos spearheaded data-driven content strategies and provided comprehensive oversight throughout all stages of production. Collaborating closely with production designers, cinematographers, and creative partners, he consistently crafted captivating and concise award-winning content, all while meticulously adhering to client budgets and deadlines.
During his tenure as the Senior Editor/Producer at Viacom Digital Studios, Appolos expertly managed post-production for both short-form and long-form content across multiple platforms. Through his meticulous workflow oversight, collaborative approach with producers, and mentorship of editing staff, he optimized processes, increased production efficiency, and fostered personal growth within the team.
Appolos’s career is driven by his unwavering passion for storytelling, brand development, and team collaboration. Leveraging his extensive experience and skills, he empowers brands and media outlets to share content that not only informs and influences but also achieves measurable goals.
Co-Founder and VP of Software Development
Arun Prasath, with over 17 years in the software realm, has been instrumental to Clientown since its inception in 2014. His impressive journey includes leadership roles at industry giants like Honeywell and The Advisory Board Company, as well as pioneering initiatives with startups spanning Aerospace, Healthcare, Fitness, Real Estate, and Student Residencies. Possessing a Masters in Computer Science and Engineering, Arun transcends the title of a coding expert. He stands out as a visionary product strategist and an innate leader, helming the future innovations of our ecosystem. Stay engaged with our social channels, and you’ll occasionally witness moments of Arun’s brilliance!
Principle and Security Expert
Michael Wallen is a skilled product launch expert and a leader in the management and implementation in cyber sucurity and data protection. He has worked in various roles, namely with Adobe for 17 Years, and now with a security startup making products that everyone will one day use in some way. Michael is brother to Nat, trusted principle expert, and new friend to all the agents joining Clientown.
Board Member - Marketing
Mike Gastin is a brand and marketing strategist with 25 years experience creating growth. Mike is driven to help privately-owned companies—the unsung heroes of our society’s material success—to thrive. He works with these companies to create marketing strategies, develop their brands, and implement the people and processes necessary to drive and sustain growth. He brings conceptual thinking, problem solving skills, innovation, and pragmatism to every challenge.
Mike became convinced of the importance of private companies through his own entrepreneurial journey and like many entrepreneurs started young, mowing lawns and shoveling driveways. In order to save money for college, he ran a contracting business after high school. He got his professional start in corporate sales and marketing positions. As he progressed he returned to his entrepreneurial roots, starting and acquiring businesses, until he settled on his current work as a strategic business consultant.
In his corporate roles Mike always had revenue generating responsibilities. In two years he doubled sales in the North East US for a manufacturer by establishing high-volume OEM and private label relationships. He was recognized by a national publisher for winning more new business than any other rep across the country. And, he took the failing distribution division of an industrial products company and quickly lead it to profitability within a year.
All these experiences convinced Mike of the primacy of revenue generation, which is the impetus behind his main offering today: brand and marketing strategy.
In 2004 Mike purchased a distressed design agency and drove it to profitability and national recognition. During his years at the agency, he led multiple key client projects, including the creation of a unified brand system for Wegmans Food Markets’ organic line. The project was so successful that it resulted in an explosion of consumer demand, causing the line to outgrow its niche positioning and to become fully integrated into Wegmans’ core offering.
In 2016 he decided to close his agency in order to focus full-time on developing and delivering strategic solutions for his clients.
During his career Mike has worked with Wegmans, Kodak, Fisher Price Toys, Mattel, Birdseye Foods, NextPress, Corning, Xerox, and a host of mid-sized and smaller privately-owned business-to-business and consumer products companies.
Mike has been a board member for a number of organizations. He served multiple years on the board of the Western NY chapter of the Entrepreneurs Organization. He was part of the three-person executive committee of the Rochester Credit Bureau board of directors. He was Chairman of Rochester’s Agape Christian Counseling and is a founding board member of the Commission for Reproductive Health Service Standards. Mike also served multiple years on the board of the Rochester Chapter of the American Marketing Association.
In addition to his consulting work, Mike serves on a number of business advisory boards. He publishes business-related content to his website, www.mikegastin.com, as well as to YouTube and LinkedIn. He hosts a podcast called “The Currency” where he interviews entrepreneurs and talks about their entrepreneurial journey.
Mike Gastin studied Communication and Graphic Design at Roberts Wesleyan College.
Board Member - Finance Expert
Don King is a Big-4 CPA that began his career in public accounting, where he worked primarily on Real Estate, Energy, and Higher Education clients.
His King Consulting Group, LLC (KCG) and Hand-Up Financial Group, Inc. (HU) both leverage teams that have over 60 years of Corporate Finance and Higher Ed experience in a variety of Institutional Finance, Accounting and Student Finance roles.
Don previously served in a variety of roles in the post-secondary education industry, including: executive level finance positions focused on operational and financial oversight of multi-state and multi-national educational institutions, external auditor, and executive recruiter.
Don has over a decade of experience in the Private Student Lending Industry with particular expertise in building and managing loan programs through partnerships with schools, third-party servicers and sources of capital.
His team also has experience analyzing millions of federal and private student loan records for hundreds of thousands of students.
Don serves on the Regional Board of HOPE International, a global faith based nonprofit focused on addressing both physical and spiritual poverty through microenterprise loans and development.
Don is also the Founder of Hand-Up Financial Group, Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to help underserved individuals in the U.S. obtain access to higher education and the skills they need to better their lives.
This mission is accomplished via a “hand-up” in the form of creative financial products versus additional “hand-outs.”
Don holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, with a concentration in Accounting, Summa Cum Laude, from the College of William & Mary.
Board Member - Business Development Expert
Since 1995, Joe has worked on successful client experience and business development relationships. As an expert in business development, sales leadership, and product management, Joe challenges status quo and uses discernment to help businesses make smarter decisions with strategic solutions and tactical implementation. Over the course of his career, Joe has worked in a broad variety of industries, which helps him understand the unique landscape and emerging risks affiliated with each of the organizations he engages. As an experienced team leader and manager, Joe knows how to pull together the right people, tools, processes, and technology required to create success for his clients.
Board Member - Marketing
Mike Gastin is a brand and marketing strategist with 25 years experience creating growth. Mike is driven to help privately-owned companies—the unsung heroes of our society’s material success—to thrive. He works with these companies to create marketing strategies, develop their brands, and implement the people and processes necessary to drive and sustain growth. He brings conceptual thinking, problem solving skills, innovation, and pragmatism to every challenge.
Mike became convinced of the importance of private companies through his own entrepreneurial journey and like many entrepreneurs started young, mowing lawns and shoveling driveways. In order to save money for college, he ran a contracting business after high school. He got his professional start in corporate sales and marketing positions. As he progressed he returned to his entrepreneurial roots, starting and acquiring businesses, until he settled on his current work as a strategic business consultant.
In his corporate roles Mike always had revenue generating responsibilities. In two years he doubled sales in the North East US for a manufacturer by establishing high-volume OEM and private label relationships. He was recognized by a national publisher for winning more new business than any other rep across the country. And, he took the failing distribution division of an industrial products company and quickly lead it to profitability within a year.
All these experiences convinced Mike of the primacy of revenue generation, which is the impetus behind his main offering today: brand and marketing strategy.
In 2004 Mike purchased a distressed design agency and drove it to profitability and national recognition. During his years at the agency, he led multiple key client projects, including the creation of a unified brand system for Wegmans Food Markets’ organic line. The project was so successful that it resulted in an explosion of consumer demand, causing the line to outgrow its niche positioning and to become fully integrated into Wegmans’ core offering.
In 2016 he decided to close his agency in order to focus full-time on developing and delivering strategic solutions for his clients.
During his career Mike has worked with Wegmans, Kodak, Fisher Price Toys, Mattel, Birdseye Foods, NextPress, Corning, Xerox, and a host of mid-sized and smaller privately-owned business-to-business and consumer products companies.
Mike has been a board member for a number of organizations. He served multiple years on the board of the Western NY chapter of the Entrepreneurs Organization. He was part of the three-person executive committee of the Rochester Credit Bureau board of directors. He was Chairman of Rochester’s Agape Christian Counseling and is a founding board member of the Commission for Reproductive Health Service Standards. Mike also served multiple years on the board of the Rochester Chapter of the American Marketing Association.
In addition to his consulting work, Mike serves on a number of business advisory boards. He publishes business-related content to his website, www.mikegastin.com, as well as to YouTube and LinkedIn. He hosts a podcast called “The Currency” where he interviews entrepreneurs and talks about their entrepreneurial journey.
Mike Gastin studied Communication and Graphic Design at Roberts Wesleyan College.
Board Member - Finance Expert
Don King is a Big-4 CPA that began his career in public accounting, where he worked primarily on Real Estate, Energy, and Higher Education clients.
His King Consulting Group, LLC (KCG) and Hand-Up Financial Group, Inc. (HU) both leverage teams that have over 60 years of Corporate Finance and Higher Ed experience in a variety of Institutional Finance, Accounting and Student Finance roles.
Don previously served in a variety of roles in the post-secondary education industry, including: executive level finance positions focused on operational and financial oversight of multi-state and multi-national educational institutions, external auditor, and executive recruiter.
Don has over a decade of experience in the Private Student Lending Industry with particular expertise in building and managing loan programs through partnerships with schools, third-party servicers and sources of capital.
His team also has experience analyzing millions of federal and private student loan records for hundreds of thousands of students.
Don serves on the Regional Board of HOPE International, a global faith based nonprofit focused on addressing both physical and spiritual poverty through microenterprise loans and development.
Don is also the Founder of Hand-Up Financial Group, Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to help underserved individuals in the U.S. obtain access to higher education and the skills they need to better their lives.
This mission is accomplished via a “hand-up” in the form of creative financial products versus additional “hand-outs.”
Don holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, with a concentration in Accounting, Summa Cum Laude, from the College of William & Mary.
Board Member - Business Development Expert
Since 1995, Joe has worked on successful client experience and business development relationships. As an expert in business development, sales leadership, and product management, Joe challenges status quo and uses discernment to help businesses make smarter decisions with strategic solutions and tactical implementation. Over the course of his career, Joe has worked in a broad variety of industries, which helps him understand the unique landscape and emerging risks affiliated with each of the organizations he engages. As an experienced team leader and manager, Joe knows how to pull together the right people, tools, processes, and technology required to create success for his clients.
