Podcasts

This episode of the Culture Crush Business Podcast explores the imperative of fostering inclusive company cultures through a fruitful conversation with Elena Joy Thurston and Gabe Hagen. The discussion underscores the need for inclusive leadership, especially with changing workforce demographics, emphasizing small changes to enhance belonging and engagement.  Additionally, the conversation delves into communication challenges in food service businesses, with Gabe using digital checklists to facilitate staff feedback. Elena advocates for non-binary thinking, emphasizing impact over intent, and both guests stress the importance of vulnerability, learning, and adaptation in creating inclusive work cultures. Overall, the episode emphasizes fostering inclusive cultures in corporate settings to attract diverse talent, focusing on communication, accountability, and continuous improvement.

This episode of the Culture Crush Business podcast is a real one- are you ready for it? This conversation includes insightful moments on personal journeys, mental health, and workplace culture. Host Kindra Maples and guest co-host Karen Nowicki dive in with guests Mathew Blades and Eric Brooker, to discuss the power of vulnerability in fostering connections and supporting employees through challenges.  They highlight the importance of initiating difficult conversations, building relationship capital, and creating empathetic workplace cultures. Hear impactful stories, like Eric Brooker’s, illustrating the significance of addressing personal struggles promptly, and gaining insights into navigating high-stakes jobs while prioritizing self-care. Join the conversation to learn how to foster resilience and empathy in your workplace today.

In the latest Culture Crush Business Podcast episode, host Kindra Maples and guest co-host James Christensen dive into the dynamic intersection of military culture, personal values, and high-performance leadership with esteemed guests Waldo Waldman and Dan Clark. The conversation weaves through a captivating exploration of resilience, identity, and the pivotal role belief plays in shaping organizational culture.  Dan, drawing from his triumph over paralysis, outlines a three-step approach to nurturing a positive culture—expanded belief, elevated expectations, and empowered behavior. He emphasizes the leader’s crucial role in instilling shared beliefs and fostering transparent communication. Waldo chimes in by stressing the significance of mutual support, admitting mistakes, and aligning with team values. The podcast’s second half delves into the art of professional speaking, emphasizing the importance of customization, embracing discomfort for growth, and the role of vulnerability in ineffective leadership. Dan and Waldo passionately advocate for leaders to connect with all levels of employees, address trust and ego challenges, and embrace a culture of continuous improvement. This riveting and enlightening episode delivers a comprehensive view of leadership, seamlessly weaving together military principles, personal narratives, and actionable advice for fostering a positive and growth-centric organizational culture. There is a take away in here for everyone!!

In this insightful episode of the Culture Crush Business podcast, the concept of culture is explored from various perspectives. Kindra Maples, sets the tone by defining culture as the shared rhythm and essence that emerges when people come together, emphasizing its pervasive influence across all aspects of life. Guests Stephen Smith and Jay Rayhons contribute their experiences in sports and business, discussing the importance of understanding and defining one's culture. The conversation deepens as Jay Rayhons shares his approach to financial work, prioritizing understanding clients' personal goals and values before delving into financial details. This emphasis on recognizing deeper values beyond monetary concerns is connected to leadership and organizational culture. The discussion expands with insights from Stephen Smith on maintaining strong connections within remote or hybrid teams, emphasizing proximity, time, and energy investment. Consistency in leadership is highlighted, drawing parallels to military training and the Ooda loop. Trust within organizations is explored, with mentions of the "Trust Factor" book and its O-factor assessment tool. The episode concludes with the guests encouraging listeners to seek the good in others, contributing positively to organizational culture. The importance of genuine inclusivity, openness, and ongoing improvement is emphasized, providing a holistic exploration of culture in the business context. A few books that were talked about in the conversation: Trust Factor: The Science of Creating High-Performance Companies by Paul J. Zak Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World by General Stanley McChrystal , Tantum Collins Creativity, Inc. (The Expanded Edition): Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration by Ed Catmull and Amy Wallace Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success by Phil Jackson and Hugh Delehanty Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy Seals Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin A few finals thoughts to take from the conversation:  Know yourself and include others on the journey. Look for the good in someone and you will find it.

This Podcast Episode is on “from the vault.” This episode has a very personal side and connection for Kindra and her guest, Jean Brunson. In this podcast episode, Kindra dives into a candid conversation about the evolution of the podcast and its focus on improving company culture. They reflect on how Jean was the one that pushed Kindra towards a more inclusive approach, emphasizing the significance of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Belonging (DEIAB). The conversation touches on the challenge of addressing diversity and inclusion in the workplace, acknowledging the reluctance some individuals may have in expressing their feelings or concerns due to fear of repercussions. The hosts highlight the need for safe spaces to have open conversations about diversity, recognizing the unique struggles faced by different communities. As the discussion weaves through personal experiences and the impact of diversity in various settings, it emphasizes the multifaceted nature of company culture. They share insights on how the podcast evolved to embrace a broader definition of company culture, extending beyond big corporations to encompass small businesses and diverse groups. The episode also delves into the significance of Juneteenth, tying it to the broader conversation on diversity, inclusion, and belonging. The hosts discuss the recent federal recognition of Juneteenth as a holiday and reflect on the importance of acknowledging historical events that have shaped the experiences of black communities. Throughout the episode, there is an emphasis on the power of conversations, the importance of listening, and the need to create spaces where diverse voices can be heard. Kindra and Jean share their personal growth through this journey, illustrating the transformative impact of intentional efforts to embrace diversity and foster inclusivity in both professional and personal spheres. Thank you Jean Brunson for your contribution to the growth of the Culture Crush Business and Podcast.

In our latest podcast episode, we had the pleasure of hosting Lindsay, a seasoned leader with almost 17 years of dedicated service at Desert Financial Credit Union, and Nikki, a passionate advocate for employee engagement and the driving force behind PeopleForward Network. This conversation, as the others that we have, was open, authentic and natural. The conversation led to examples of both companies leading in a human centered and people focused direction.  Lindsay highlighted the importance Desert Financial places on employee satisfaction and creating a workplace culture that empowers and values its staff. This commitment translates into exceptional service for members, where every interaction is more than a transaction. The organization focuses on connection, community, and service to others. Nikki, from PeopleForward Network, provided insights into their mission of sharing resources and insights with a global community of people-first minded leaders. From podcast production to growth consulting, PeopleForward Network collaborates with partners to make a meaningful impact on business development and marketing. These women are making waves in their industries in order to build companies with great cultures. If you are looking for examples, stories, and support for growing your company culture, then this is an episode for you to listen to.

In the modern business landscape, a company’s culture is not just an internal matter. It has evolved into a valuable asset that can significantly impact a company’s success and reputation. We know this! However, having a fantastic company culture is not enough. It’s equally crucial to communicate this culture to the broader community and potential partners. One effective way to achieve this is by partnering with experts that specialize in marketing and telling the story of your company’s exceptional culture, such as achieving recognition as one of the best places to work. Having an outstanding company culture is a remarkable achievement in itself, but it’s not enough if it remains hidden within the walls of your organization. To truly reap the benefits of a great culture, you must share it with your community, industry peers, and potential partners. Many companies face the challenge of being the best-kept secret in terms of culture because they don’t proactively communicate their strengths. We had the chance to highlight two amazing ladies from BestCompaniesAZ to talk about the importance of company culture, the benefits of telling the story of company culture, and discussing the work that led them to this space to help shine the light on other companies. BestCompaniesAZ has the expertise to craft compelling narratives around your culture, highlighting what makes your company unique and showcasing the human side of your organization. They are the cheerleaders that you didn’t know you needed! When potential partners and clients hear stories about your great company culture, they are more likely to view your organization as a desirable partner and provider of goods or services. So let’s start telling more stories about great culture! Are you a company interested in sharing the remarkable story of your outstanding corporate culture? Are you a business seeking to demonstrate to the community just how exceptional your company culture is? Do you specialize in conducting employee engagement surveys that reveal the excellence of your company’s culture?  Are you in search of the perfect awards to highlight and elevate the narrative of your company’s culture? Well, then you should listen to this episode!!!

This was a unique episode for the Culture Crush Business Podcast. We are always talking about ways to improve company culture so companies can thrive, and this episode was no different in that aspect. The topic was one that is often left out from the conversation of thriving company cultures, the focus on process improvement and the technology for improving the operations and culture of the company.  We discuss the need to focus on technology and resources that will help with the strategic side of the company in order to treat employees as humans rather than machines, which is essential for preventing burnout and maintaining a motivated team. Effective leadership involves identifying and leveraging employees’ strengths and interests. This allows them to excel in their roles and contribute to the company’s growth. Offloading repetitive tasks to AI or outsourcing can free up employees to concentrate on their core competencies. AI can be a game-changer for businesses, especially when handling data-intensive tasks. It can optimize scheduling, automate processes, and even enhance customer experiences, as demonstrated by the example of creating a Taylor Swift-inspired AI bot. The conversation highlights the need to adapt to rapidly evolving technology. The emergence of new career paths, such as prompt engineering, underscores the importance of staying current and embracing technological advancements. Many companies use numerous software tools, often without realizing the extent of their tech stack. Lauri Erickson emphasizes the importance of integrating these tools to streamline operations and data management, ultimately saving time and resources. This episode focuses on a few key takeaways for our listeners: Empower the employees to focus on the true strengths The power of AI in enhancing efficiencies Continuous adaptation to evolving technology Integration of software and tools Overall, the episode emphasizes the value of fostering a positive company culture, empowering employees, and leveraging outsourcing, technology, and AI to enhance efficiency and employee satisfaction. It also underscores the importance of staying open to new possibilities in the ever-changing business landscape. Thank you to James Christensen, the President of Gateway Bank, for joining in this conversation and adding his additional insight and stories as the co- host for this episode with Lauri and Ben. Located in Tempe, Arizona, Project Pros is a family-owned business that’s dedicated to alleviating the administrative burdens faced by small business owners. Their comprehensive support services are designed to give business owners more time, spanning areas like bookkeeping, HR, social media management, phone answering, and virtual administrative assistance. Project Pros emerged from CEO Lauri Erickson’s understanding of the need to shift small business owners from working ‘in’ their business to working ‘on’ it. The team at Project Pros fosters a synergetic environment, collaborating to find solutions for each client’s unique needs. Their approach emphasizes collaborative problem-solving, ensuring that every team member’s skills contribute to the clients’ success. Project Pros goes beyond traditional outsourcing, streamlining processes to save their clients both time and money. They serve as an extension of their clients’ businesses, partnering at every stage to facilitate the growth and success of those businesses.

When it comes to improving company culture, there are a tremendous amount of resources out there to help companies. Finding which resources are the right fit for your company is the tricky part. Lucky for you, we brought together two amazing ladies that offer support that can improve all companies! These resources help to bring creativity and clarity to your teams! This conversation talked about the support and structure that both Sarah’s company and Anca’s company can help provide to others. There is a fear of failure and these ladies are here to help build the teams so that the fear can be concurred and supported. Investing in outside support and facilitation is one of the best things a company can do to help improve their teams and company culture. Facilitators use techniques that stimulate creative thinking and innovation- and these ladies are the pinnacle of creativity! You should listen to this podcast if you….  are having trouble communicating with your team and trying to find the right resources to help. would like to find a unique way to improve your meetings and sharing top highlights with the company. need a little support defining the goals of the meetings and the communication taking place. are ready to invest in your company to improve the culture of the people and the company as a whole. if you need a little help capturing and synthesizing the details from your meetings. Culture Crush is here to support and it starts with these two amazing women led companies!

When it comes to inclusion, it is all about education. Surrounding yourself around others that are not like yourself is going to push you to learn more about others. This education then leads to the ability to be more inclusive and helping to be more accessible to other groups. On this show, we had the chance to talk with two amazing gentlemen, both who started their lives out with vision and are now legally blind. The things that these gentlemen are doing to “change the perception of blindness” for others is instrumental! In this discussion, they talk about the fears that set in when it comes to inclusion and accessibility. There is fear from one side when it comes to asking. Asking if a blind individual needs help. Asking how you can support them. There is fear from the blind community when it comes to applying for jobs, getting support, etc. We all have fears when it comes to taking steps to change AND change is necessary. Asking the questions is something the simplest place to start. This episode is a vital episode to listen to if you are wanting to support different communities in being more inclusive and accessible and you don’t know where to start. This podcast gives encouragement to just start. It can start with simply asking questions. Ask how to help, how to change, how to improve… and then let’s do it! Did you know? 7 out of 10 working age people in Arizona who are blind or visually impaired are not working Estimated to be about 20K 45% of hiring managers believe there are no jobs within their organization that a person who is blind could do Changing the perception of blindness is the biggest barrier to employment and inclusion So, ask the questions to start to make the change. We are in this together and can make the changes to help others in the blind community. We can help this community and others to feel included and have the tools to allow them the access to resources and jobs. Arizona Industries for the Blind (AIB) is a solution provider… Solving today’s complex business problems by providing quality products and value-added Business Process Outsourcing services that matter to their customers.

Have you ever wanted to hear from a company that was really crushing it with their company culture? Did you ever want to just listen in on the things that they were doing to improve their company culture? Well now is your chance. We brought James Christensen from Gateway Bank and Tierra Terry with the Better Business Bureau Serving the Pacific Southwest together to hear about the various things they are doing to try and improve their company culture. From putting a gym in the office and providing time for employees to take a break during the work day, to bringing in a specialist to work on a resilience strategy with the company. The list goes on with the variety of things that Gateway Bank and the BBB are implementing. The company culture does not just come from space that is built in the office and programs that are implemented. It comes from the leadership. Culture comes from the leaders that really do allow the staff the opportunity to come talk to them. It comes from the leadership that is open and raw about their own struggles and journeys. It comes from the leadership being willing and open to new ideas and change. If the leadership is not open, authentic, and raw, then the rest of the work that is implemented is pointless. This is a great episode to listen in on if you are looking to hear how leaders open up to their employees to set the tone for the company. Listen in to hear the variety of ways to implement change in the workplace such as; flexible work schedules, maternal support, catered lunches, gym space, life guides, resilience strategy, mental health support, and more. It starts with the leadership and then continues on from there. Take a listen and learn from Gateway Bank.

This conversation of culture is brand new. Every time you turn the corner there is a new thing that has never been tried and never been done before.” So how do leaders and employers take all of these new things and learn to implement them into their workplace- through support.

Do you ever feel like you are moving through the motions at work and not really connecting with the people there? You want to know them more and truly connect but you aren’t.

From first glance and the start to the podcast, you may not see the amazing alignment and similarities between Jonathan and April. We see them though! Jonathan and April are both very aligned with growing conscious businesses and supporting people in a very selfless manner. What they do helps people and companies grow; Whether it is Jonathan giving advice to other business leaders about how to grow a business and not being ruthless, or April going into the company to guide and coach them to growing their business through the principles of Generosity Culture. They are both supporting the growth of great conscious and caring leaders.

Culture is a hard thing to measure but that doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be an area that companies continue to focus priority on. It might be hard to track culture with metrics (and things like self care for employees) but it is possible and your company will see the long term shifts in the revenue, retention, and overall company improvements when focusing on company culture.

Authenticity, humanity, and integrity are just a few of the words to describe the two gentlemen on this show and the direction that the conversation went in.  When it comes to pairing guests for the Culture Crush Business Podcast, we pair strategically. We tend to pair a company that has a great culture with a company that offers resources to improve culture. For this show, each of the two companies that were on the show fit into both of these categories. BOTH companies are growing a great culture while ALSO supporting companies with improving their company culture.

Another great LIVE show in the books! It was great to have Randy and Lloyd on the show together. Not only was there alignment in the conversation around conscious business, community focus, and education improvement, there is also a new relationship built between the two of them in the Phoenix Business Community. This is another beautiful example of how we can make change in the community- one relationship at a time.

This conversion of culture and conscious business was so fluid that you would have thought that Kindra and her two guests, Adam and Thomas, had known each other and talked for years.This conversion of culture and conscious business was so fluid that you would have thought that Kindra and her two guests, Adam and Thomas, had known each other and talked for years.

Andy and Kristy were another perfect pairing for the Culture Crush Business Podcast. Kristy discussed what her team does to help leaders to enhance culture and optimize performance, while Andy gave us insight into the heart of his company and ways other leaders can support their internal teams. According to Kristy and her team, the four main areas that individuals in the workplace are searching for is to be known, grown, included and inspired. These four pieces are areas that Kristy and her team focus on improving but these are four main areas that your team and company can start to focus on as well! When improving company culture and focusing on your people, the ROI is there in the end. There are a handful of tips that came from the conversation that can help improve the company culture, increase retention, and attract the right new candidates. So where do you start? Take the time to know your people and who they are. Support and grow your people. Provide them professional development support and stop being afraid that they “might” leave the company. Guess what? They might stay too! Reach out to your staff and ask for their thoughts and input. Allow your staff the opportunity to feel inspired with the work that your company is doing. Both Know Your Talents and ESI are perfect examples of companies that are doing great things and allowing their staff to feel inspired with what they are doing. The next step is honesty. This means that leadership is honest to the staff and they provide a space for the staff to be honest as well. This opens the opportunity for staff to be open with their bosses and management about their goals and future growth. Maybe the employee wants to grow in the company or maybe they want to have a food truck someday. You’ll never know unless you give them the space to open up. This podcast is for any level leader that understands culture is going to happen whether you work on it or not. So why not work on it and make it better? You don’t have to be sick to work on your health and your culture doesn’t have to be bad to want to work and improve it. All in all- when you start to focus on improving the company culture at your company, once you start you have to keep going. You can’t talk to employees about their feelings, thoughts, and ideas and then not consider them as you grow and improve. Andy put it simply, “You can’t put the genie back in the bottle.” In the end- as a leader- be bold, courageous, purposeful, and mindful. 

We had a wonderful open conversation about culture, transparency, honesty, trust, and leadership. We knew this conversation would be powerful with Andrew Kolikoff and Christine Rogers.

On this podcast, we do a deep dive into companies that are crushing it with a great company culture and this show was no different. We matched up two great companies that are doing amazing things in their companies to grow their company cultures. APS and co:collective were the star companies on the show. Whether it’s a company that has been around for over 100 years like APS or over 11 years like co:collective, they understand that growing culture is vital and at the root of continuing to grow a successful company overall. We discuss the importance of growing this culture on the inside, with employees, and on the outside with customers and clients. The culture should be transparent and consistent from all angles. One of the ways co:collective does this is by bringing the clients “into the sandbox” to build with them and be part of the process. The journey and the process is key in growing a good culture. The first step in the process is self transformation which can then drive into company growth and transformation. APS does this through growth mindset focus when growing and adapting in new areas. This is a great episode to listen to if you are another “company culture” guru that is loving to learn new ways to grow company culture. You can hear the passion and experience in Kit and Leila’s voices, as well as the knowledge that Derek brings from his Cultural Anthropology background.

On the podcast, we love matching a great company with a company or individual that supports company culture. This time we went the route of just focusing on resources to help improve company culture. Stephanie and Larry both dedicate their careers to supporting companies to improve their company culture and they do so both in person and virtually around the world! When it comes to improving company culture and finding the right person to help (either Larry or Stephanie possibly?) it all starts at the same place- the CEO and leadership HAS to WANT to improve the company culture. Ask the CEO what they want and this will help lead the conversation so they realize that improving company culture is at the root of all of their answers.

Let’s be honest, we have been waiting to meet and record with this team for a while. It is one thing to be able to highlight companies around the world that have a great culture. It is different when we have the opportunity to highlight a company that we frequently visit. Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. is more than just a restaurant or brewing company. They are a company with a passion to protect and conserve the great state of Arizona through growing a great culture that can help with that mission. We know that Jon and Pat will succeed in growing their company because of the purpose and the passion in what they are doing.

We knew going into it, that this show was going to be impactul, and it was exactly that. Both Brad and Michelle have amazing backgrounds that have led them to where they are today. When you listen to the podcast, be ready to pull out a map to track Brad’s amazing background and upbringing, and then you’ll be astonished to hear the longevity and growth that Michelle has had with Televerde. These two have the passion for supporting the growth of purpose driven companies in two areas that overlap through the entire conversation. The topics of mental health programs and supporting the growth opportunities for incarcerated women were the strong threads through the conversation. While talking about growing a purpose driven business it is important to also mention the importance of profit at that level as well. People, purpose, and profit can all thrive and grow at the same strong level. This is a principle that both Michelle and Kindra are familiar with through their work and alignment with Conscious Capitalism. This podcast is a great one for leaders to listen to. It is important to hear and understand the need for mental health programs to support employees. This is not a new topic but a topic that companies are not familiar with talking about, and they need to get over it. When it comes to the topic of diversity and inclusion, then the conversation of hiring previously incarcerated men and women in the workplace should be part of the conversation or companies are not truly hiring in a fully inclusive manner.

It may sound odd at first, but Rick relies on his decades of studying and working with non-human animals to best serve as a coach for individuals and a consultant for businesses. And he attributes his skills in observation and decoding behavior to his dyslexia. Growing up with dyslexia, Rick was forced to learn in a system that he could not fit into. Adapting and seeing the world differently, Rick learned the importance of shifting perspectives from his own to others and vise versa.

From growing up in a coal mining town to growing a company with a great company culture- it was a good thing Kindra and Rick had the full hour to talk together. The conversation was so open and honest from Rick as he talked about the ways that he has open arms towards his employees. He fully understands the way to support his people. Even when it comes to having BBQ’s and get togethers with the staff, they invite back past employees to attend as Alumni to the events. This show is a great show to listen to for some snippets of positive thoughts and feedback for CEO’s to take care of their teams. “Don’t under emphasize how important it is to work on and improve your people and processes. If one of those are broke then you are toast.”

This was such a great show, with two wonderful guests, to round out the first year of the Culture Crush Business Podcast. This first year has been a blast and we have plans to grow even more this year. It was so great to have Darren Thompson from DiverseCity and Brian Mohr with Anthym on the show this month. We are thankful for their honesty and openness to discuss the real things that really grow company culture. The show also reached some very honest and real discussions surrounding company culture when it comes to diversity and inclusion and supporting your people as real people with feelings. This show was also lighthearted and fun, with momma Maples (Kindra’s mom Connie) in the studio as well. Company culture is deeper than just the values on the wall that people align with though. It is important to understand the others that you are working with as more than just what their job is. Who are they? We spend the majority of our days with the people that we work with, so why not understand them on a deeper level. It is also extremely important to understand the importance of diverse teams and making sure that everyone truly feels included and accepted. Once your company has been able to include diverse teammates and see them as people with feelings, then they can grow the culture of the company even further.

This is the first episode of a new series that is solely focused on coaches and consultants. We have found that there are a large number of coaches and consultants out there that focus on helping companies to improve their company culture- so we thought- why not highlight them! The coaches and consultants that we will highlight in this series have a unique background that has brought them to become a coach or a consultant that focuses on company culture. The really fun part about this series is the tangible takeaway that our audience will have to walk away with after listening to the episode as well. We have asked the coaches and consultants to bring something tangible on the podcast that they can share with our listeners. This means our community will have something actionable that they can take back to the office with them. This first episode in the series is actually a long time friend of our Culture Crush Business Podcast host.

As the show wrapped up, handshakes and thank yous were exchanged, and Danny and Ken walked out of the studio to face the evening traffic, producer Darrol turned to Kindra, the host of the Culture Crush Business Podcast “I think that was one your best shows so far.” Each show gets better and better. The conversations are deeper, the list of resources for companies continues to grow, and the guests seem to get even more comfortable in the studio discussing the ups and downs of company culture. Ken McElroy and Danny Openden were upfront and honest with the conversations that they discussed surrounding company culture. According to Ken, “company culture is made up of the traditions, rituals, rules, consistency and especially, the human capital of the company.” For MC Companies and Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center, these contributing factors of culture were flipped upside down during covid. Their leaders and teams have had to work through this. The two of them discussed ways they are working through this and how they are trying to grow their culture again and even stronger. Both companies are doing amazing things to support their community and their people. We hope that everyone takes the time to listen in and follow both companies to see what they are up to next.

Our Culture Crush team has gotten into the groove of making great matches. We used to say that the matching was like great wine and cheese, but this time it was more like great soup and a bread bowl (get it?). Katie Wall from CutlureBiz and Louis Basile from Wildflower Bread Company were a great pairing to discuss the importance of growing company culture in a way that is intentional, consistent and fun. Whether you are bringing a blow horn to a meeting or starting your meeting off with a facilitated game (from CultureBiz), it is important to bring a level of play into the workplace.

This match was like pairing great wines. We love when we have a company that has a great culture paired with a company that supports great culture. This show was just that perfect match for the Culture Crush Business Podcast. Kelle and David both bring so much knowledge and expertise to the discussion around company culture. This fluid conversation took us in the direction of discussing companies with unhealthy company culture, how to deal with companies that do not have a good culture, and how to support others in leaving those companies in their search for a company with a great culture. We live in a time where there is no need to stay stuck with a company that has an unhealthy culture. Companies are hiring everywhere and many of those companies are ones with a great company culture. The consensus in the discussion was to encourage people to find the best fit for them, especially if it means leaving and finding a position somewhere else. Although we discussed many situations of companies with unhealthy culture and what to do, we also discussed that there are companies with a great company culture that still might not be the right fit. If you are a person that likes flexibility then it would not make sense for you to work at a company that is very strict. If you are not an outdoors type of person then it would not make sense for you to work for a company that has a strong culture that focuses on being outdoors. Finding the right company is like finding the right soulmate online on a dating app. This conversation is yet another one that we will have to plan on doing a part two in the future. Listen to this podcast: If you are working for a company that has a good culture but is wanting to grow it better If you are working for a company with an unhealthy culture If you are thinking of leaving your company for a company with a better company culture If you are interviewing for a new position with a different company and are trying to find the right fit If you are wanting to learn more about company culture and resources to support you in this journey

This podcast was a unique and different podcast compared to the normal Culture Crush Business Podcast. This was an opportunity for our host, Kindra Maples, to join another podcast in the Phoenix community. Kelly Lorenzen, the host of the Collaborative Connections Podcast and the owner of KLM Consulting, brings 3 individuals together from the community to connect and collaborate. The best part of this podcast conversation was the topic that it quickly leaned toward- CULTURE! This is a conversation that people can always contribute to and as we saw in the discussion here, it was a topic that they wanted to bring up and be part of. This was a great opportunity for the Culture Crush Business Podcast and we hope to join forces with Kelly again in the future.

This episode of Culture Crush focused on the conversation of employee recognition. We were able to highlight two great individuals leading two employee recognition companies. Dan Silivestru with Chocolate Soup and Jonathan Fields with Assembly provided insight into the need for company recognition to the employees as we way that can increase company culture, brand recognition, and increase engagement and retention of the staff. Their two companies compliment each other with the support they give to employee recognition. Assembly allows the employees the opportunity to provide recognition to their peers while Chocolate Soup allows the leadership team to provide recognition to the employees on all of their special days. 85% OF HR LEADERS SAY EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION PROGRAMS ENHANCE THEIR ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE. 79% OF EMPLOYEES SAY THEY WOULD BE MORE LOYAL TO THEIR EMPLOYERS IF THEY RECEIVED MORE RECOGNITION. This episode is great for all listeners. We can all connect with working for a company with a good culture or a bad culture, so we can all connect to the discussion of employee recognition as well. We encourage company leaders to listen to this episode to gain two new resources that are designed to help employee recognition and therefore the overall health of the company culture. These two resources can drastically help improve the engagement of the staff by showing them the recognition they need.

The Culture Crush Business Podcast is a podcast that we hope is for all listeners. With that being said, this is great episode to listen to if you are leading a company or working for a company that is trying to build their company culture into the onboarding and training for employees. Culture starts at the very beginning and Journeyage is helping to make that possible.

This show was a very unique show that we were excited to finally execute on. The Culture Crush Business Podcast and the People and Profit Podcast, sponsored by Conscious Capitalism Arizona, came together for a special crossover episode. Matt Altman, with Sportiqe, was the best guest for this crossover experience. His knowledge and understanding of running and growing a conscious business was perfect for the conversation with co-hosts Jeremy Neis and Kindra Maples. Yes, businesses are here to make money and be profitable, but this can be done while also supporting the employees as humans. People and Profit should be on the same level. Your people are the ones that are going to take care of your customers. It is important to try and support their fundamental human needs; freedom, independence, community, family, and teamwork.

This was a very special episode for our Culture Crush Podcast team. Our sponsor, Catholic Education Arizona, was on the show! Not only is Catholic Education Arizona a great sponsor, but they are also a company building a great company culture. Nancy Padberg has been an amazing leader and advocate for building a great company culture. Nancy had the opportunity to invite a guest on the show with her that is leading a company with a great company culture, and Eric Olsen with Fasturtle Digital Marketing was her choice. What a great choice it was too! The energy with Nancy, Eric, and the Culture Crush host, Kindra Maples, was so dynamic and fluid that the hour flew by. This conversation dove into a variety of different angles of company culture including what culture is and what it is not. The trio discusses the need to grow positive company culture in all teams, the importance of values that align the team, and remembering that company culture not just having a foosball table in the office.

The Culture Crush Business Podcast team wants to make sure that we are always sharing great companies with our audience. We want to make sure that we are highlighting companies that are crushing it with a great company culture but there is more to it all then that. We want to make sure we are also proving our listeners with the best resources out there to help with building a great company culture. A great company culture starts at the top. The CEO is the individual that the team looks up to and follows. This puts a lot of pressure on that individual to show strength in leading the team in the right direction. It is important to see the leader as more than that. They are humans too; learning to balance work, family, teams, budgets, emotions, and more. Our two guests are two amazing resources that help support the CEO’s in order to give them the tools and support they need to grow their teams and their companies. Andy Maurer, Emotional Wellness Coach Tom Goodman, Vistage CEO Chair New research around neuroscience and leadership shows that there is a large disconnect between logic and emotion that greatly limits a leader’s capacity to perform at optimum levels in their life, work, and relationships. Leaders rarely have a place to safely and confidentially process and make sense of their inner struggles. As an emotional wellness coach, and a former licensed therapist specializing in leadership, Andy has created a space for them to show up and reclaim their humanity and true identity. Although you might have heard of Vistage before, Tom is one of the best Vistage Chair’s out there. Vistage is the world’s largest CEO executive coaching and peer advisory board organization, with over 24,000 members worldwide. Executives join Vistage groups to connect with other high-performing presidents & CEOs to help them become better leaders and accelerate their company’s growth and profitability. Who should listen? This episode is a great episode for everyone to listen to but the focus is definitely on support for CEOs. Do you know a CEO that you would like to support and provide some resources to? Are you the CEO of a company and you are needing support from other CEOs that you can connect with? Are you a CEO that is looking for personal support that allows you a safe space to help dive into some inner struggles? Or if you are a CEO that thinks you are doing “fine” leading your company, you should listen to this episode. Thank you to Catholic Education Arizona for sponsoring this episode! For 23 years, Catholic Education Arizona has helped serve underserved children with $268 million in scholarships. Catholic High Schools have a 99.4% graduation rate and 97% move on to higher education or military service. Participating partners like APS, BBVA, and Grand Canyon University receive a dollar for dollar Arizona State Tax Credit. The corporate partners enjoy helping our future work force, Building the Arizona community and future leaders! The partners also enjoy promotion in our newsletter, social media channels and podcast! Please call us at 602-218-6542 or visit www.ceaz.org – they are changing lives one scholarship at a time! #leadership #entrepreneurship #smallbusiness #culturecrushpodcast #culturecrush #mentalhealth #emotionalwellness #CEOsupport

We are so thankful to have Sidnee Peck, from Source Global, and Brian Stinson, from Peak Fleet on the podcast. We were able to go a little deeper in the conversation around values, alignment, and company culture being intentional. Sidnee talks about how their CEO and Founder, Cody Friesen, was very intentional about growing the strong company culture from day one. A company culture needs to be both organic and intentional and that is truly what he has tried to do. This intentionality starts during the hiring process with making sure that each hire truly is the best fit. Sidnee even discusses an example where there was a company hire that was brought on and shortly after it was revealed that the person was not the best fit. Sometimes it can be better to leave the seat empty instead of filling it with the wrong fit. Brian brings expertise to the table from his background and experience working with Intel, to the position he holds now as the Culture Engineer with Peak Fleet (we love that title name). He has worked with many companies, from start ups to larger organizations, to help build and develop their values which allowed for a very fluid conversation with Sidnee. There was so much to talk about and definitely not enough time- there will have to be a part two to this conversation. This episode is great for any listener and we really mean that. We talked about values, cultural alignment, misalignment, growing culture intentionally and organically, working together on a purpose and mission, having inspirational leaders at the forefront, growing a cultural legacy through storytelling and more. This conversation is for both leaders at the top and employees striving to grow to the top. At the end of the day, culture is not one size fits all. It can be difficult at times, but it is not rocket science. Thank you to our sponsor Catholic Education Arizona! For 23 years Catholic Education Arizona has helped serve underserved children with $268 million in scholarships. Catholic High Schools have a 99.4% graduation rate and 97% move on to higher education or military service. Participating partners like APS, BBVA, and Grand Canyon University receive a dollar-for-dollar Arizona State Tax Credit. The corporate partners enjoy helping our future work force, Building the Arizona community and future leaders! The partners also enjoy promotion in our newsletter, social media channels and podcast! Please call us at 602-218-6542 or visit www.ceaz.org , that’s www.ceaz.org – they are changing lives one scholarship at a time!

We have heard a lot about the company culture at Carvana, but this podcast was our opportunity to get a deeper dive with an inside perspective. Neil Shah was able to give us the inside look at the growth of Carvana and how they have continued to support their employees through the past year (in the middle of a pandemic if you forget). Carvana has grown rapidly since its inception and due to the innovation and the concept behind Carvana, the company has continued to grow over the past year, where many other companies have struggled. Since the concept of Carvana already included limited contact with others and had a foundation set in technology to make car buying easy, this allowed Carvana to focus on their people during the beginning of the pandemic instead of the business platform itself. While other companies were struggling to find the right forms of technology to support their company becoming contactless, Carvana was able to put focus on their employees first. In a matter of three fast weeks, Carvana was able to shift their employees to working remote, with a similar and comfortable set up that they had in their office. They cut back hours on some staff, but never cut their health care coverage. Carvana changed their sick plan to include support for those that got covid so they never had to tap into their PTO. The leadership team even took cuts in their own salaries to make sure that the employees were covered.

Iron Mountain Data Centers, is so much more than just a data center. IMDC is part of a larger global organization that supports their people, their community, and their global reach. A strong culture is at the root of IMDC and it shines through the staff as well as Dan and Julia on the podcast. With Dan having been part of the company for 6 years and Julia for 8 months, they were both able to give their insight into the recruitment and onboarding of the company. Although, their onboarding took place at different times (Julia during the pandemic) the culture was able to show strong for both. A great culture begins before the onboarding process though. Because IMDC has grown a strong culture of team members that care and feel connected to the overall mission, their people have become their best marketing and recruitment tool. A strong culture helps the bottom line, and while that isn’t the number one goal, it allows IMDC to lower the cost of recruitment and retention. It leads the company to be successful when their employees are happy and feel supported. This conversation had so many highlights about the company and the things that they are doing to grow, not only the company, but their people and the communities where the data centers are located. IMDC offers Management training to promote and grow its employees from within. IMDC has focused greatly on sustainability and reducing their carbon footprint. With 100% renewable energy, they understand the need to be an industry leader, providing their customers with green power. IMDC Cares is a program that launched in 2020 due to the continued desire to give back to their global communities. There is a large focus on STEAM organizations and providing students with the skills that need to be successful in the future. This company is a great example of how amazing culture can help to grow the company, help the bottom line, and support new initiatives that support communities outside of the company. This podcast is great for leaders that are looking for new ways to support their team and their culture. This is also a great podcast to listen to if you are growing a start up company and need to see the examples of how a great culture can help the return and the bottom line of the company. 

This is a show that we have been wanting to do for a while now. We love highlighting the secret companies that have a great company culture. The companies that are doing amazing things that might not be the companies that people think of as having a great culture- these companies are our favorite to showcase to the community. Have you ever had a doctor give you their personal number so that you can reach out after a procedure? Well then you have not been to Carrot Eye Center to have your eyes taken care of. Dr. Hammond and Dr. Herion do amazing things when it comes to LASIK, Cataract surgery, and more. What sets them apart from other practices that focus on these same areas is the attention they provide to their patients and their staff. The people come first. Yes, they work on eyes, but the eyes are attached to a person, and that person is what comes first. They had the chance to talk about the practice, how it all started, the focus on the staff, the focus on the patients, and the ups and downs through COVID-19 over the past year. Even through it all they are now continuing to grow their “family” at the practice.

Culture Crush continues to highlight leaders and companies that have a great company culture and Ken Smerz, the CEO of Zelus, was a perfect leader and company to highlight for the relaunch of the show. Zelus has grown dramatically over the first three years but at the core, they stay true to their four tenants; gratitude, passion, freedom, and truth. They strive, through all levels of the organization, to be a family that follows these tenants together. Through the conversation, Ken mentions many other “bites” that he uses to lead the company with including communication, mentorship and being care-frontational. This podcast is full of many “bites” from the company Zelus on how they have grown and maintained their strong company culture. The listeners will want to listen in to hear the bites that can help their company culture as well This is a great podcast to listen to if you are wondering what great company looks like. This podcast is perfect for company leaders that are looking for new ways to strengthen their own company culture. This is also a great podcast to listen to if you are just passionate about good company culture and how to grow and support your company personally. Resources: Along with highlighting companies with great culture, Culture Crush also tries to provide other great resources and role models through the conversation as well. This episode will mention some amazing resources and quotes from Marcus Buckingham, Jocko Willink, and Michael Gerber.

This was such an impactful conversation with Susan Anable, Vice President of Public Affairs- Southwest Region with COX Communications. She gave us insight into the history, the people, and the passion of the employees. We could have listened to the stories of the culture and the people all day, but unfortunately the show is only 60 minutes. If you thought you knew about the great culture at COX and the amazing people that work there, there is so much more that Susan tells on the podcast. This podcast dives into areas of the company culture that our host didn’t even know about. It’s a company culture all about connections and doing the right thing. This is a great episode to listen to if you are trying to grow the culture at your company, if you are looking to partner with an great company, if you want to hear about a company that is supporting the community, and if you want to hear about people just doing the right thing and making a difference.

Culture Crush continues to highlight leaders and companies that have a great company culture and Ken Smerz, the CEO of Zelus, was a perfect leader and company to highlight for the relaunch of the show. Zelus has grown dramatically over the first three years but at the core, they stay true to their four tenants; gratitude, passion, freedom, and truth. They strive, through all levels of the organization, to be a family that follows these tenants together. Through the conversation, Ken mentions many other “bites” that he uses to lead the company with including communication, mentorship and being care-frontational. This podcast is full of many “bites” from the company Zelus on how they have grown and maintained their strong company culture. The listeners will want to listen in to hear the bites that can help their company culture as well This is a great podcast to listen to if you are wondering what great company looks like. This podcast is perfect for company leaders that are looking for new ways to strengthen their own company culture. This is also a great podcast to listen to if you are just passionate about good company culture and how to grow and support your company personally. Resources: Along with highlighting companies with great culture, Culture Crush also tries to provide other great resources and role models through the conversation as well. This episode will mention some amazing resources and quotes from Marcus Buckingham, Jocko Willink, and Michael Gerber.