In this episode of Culture From the Heart Podcast, hosts Larry Levine and Darrell Amy are joined by Rob Levin, chairman and co-founder of Work Better Now, about building “culture from the heart” through values-led leadership in a fully remote company spanning two continents and 15+ countries. Rob explains that their culture reflects the shared values of the founders, including putting talent first, pursuit of excellence, transparency and integrity, and an ownership mentality, and notes they plan to reexamine values this year. He describes reinforcing values through weekly meetings and peer-nominated “W awards,” plus operational structure via EOS, L10 meetings, KPIs, rocks, and a focus on creating “wow experiences.” Rob also outlines Work Better Now’s move to become AI-first while staying people-first, positioning AI as a multiplier that frees time, requires human oversight, and is supported by training, experimentation, and clear communication to reduce fear.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Culture starts with core values — and those values must be lived daily, not just posted on a wall
• In a remote, distributed team, over-communication is not optional — it's the glue that holds culture together
• Clarity is the operating system of culture: articulate what "good" looks like so people can deliver it
• Going AI-first doesn't mean people-last — AI is a people multiplier, freeing humans for higher-order thinking
• Leaders must personally build something with AI to truly understand its potential and lead transformation
• Recognize and reinforce values publicly — programs like "W Awards" make culture visible and repeatable
• Core values should be revisited periodically as the company evolves — what fit five years ago may need updating

QUOTES

• "AI is a people multiplier — it's not about putting AI before people, it's about leveraging AI so people can contribute more." — Rob Levin
• "Core values are there to help you make a decision when the decision is not clear." — Rob Levin
• "Whether somebody's in Peru or Peoria, it's the Work Better Now culture that matters." — Rob Levin
• "Every CEO needs to build something with AI — not just use it — to unleash what's possible in their mind." — Rob Levin
• "Technology today becomes the bridge builder to culture." — Larry Levine
• "Culture is the heartbeat of every organization." — Darrell Lambe

Learn more about Darrell and Larry.

Darrell's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellamy/

Larry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrylevine1992/

Connect and learn more from Rob Levin.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertslevin/

Ready to begin realizing the full potential of your sales team? Hire Great Salespeople with Confidence. SCHEDULE YOUR EXECUTIVE BRIEFING.

https://sellingfromtheheart.net/hiring

Unlock The Power of Team Growth with Learnit’s Live Training Platform. CLAIM your 45-day trial of unlimited training now!

https://www.learnit.com/lp/culture

Stop gambling on interviews. Combine analytics with a sales recruiting system to screen out non-performers so you only interview candidates that can become great salespeople.

https://hiringguide.salesindex.ai/

In this episode of Culture From the Heart Podcast, hosts Larry Levine and Darrell Amy are joined by Dr. Wayne Chappelle, founder and lead psychologist at PsyOPTIMAL and co-author of Healing Your Hurting Mind, to talk about building a culture aligned with core values. Dr. Wayne shares values like integrity, honesty, resilience, and a strong mindset, emphasizing getting comfortable being uncomfortable, not fearing failure but fearing not improving, expecting the unexpected, finding “diamonds” in hardship, and focusing on controllables. He illustrates thriving under pressure with special-ops pool training and applies these principles to leaders facing uncertainty, urging proactive growth and daily habits that make ordinary excellence possible. He discusses workplace realities of anxiety, depression, trauma, burnout, and stigma, encouraging leaders to normalize mental-health care, provide resources, model openness, and be intentional about personal well-being and home life.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Get comfortable being uncomfortable — growth only happens when you put yourself in challenging situations
• Fear not getting better, not failure itself — failure is inevitable; the real danger is not learning from it
• Expect the unexpected — when you anticipate uncertainty, you respond with less panic and more clarity
• Sift through the mud to find the diamonds — even the hardest experiences contain lessons and strengths you didn't know you had
• Focus on the controllables — who you are, how you think, and how you respond are always within your power
• Nobody rises to the occasion; we fall to the level of our training — proactive preparation beats reactive crisis management
• Do the ordinary with excellence every day — the foundation of extraordinary performance is consistent, disciplined daily habits
• Mental health is a continuum, not a binary — everyone struggles at some point; leaders who normalize this create psychologically safer cultures
• You don't have to be suffering to benefit from mental conditioning — train your mind like your body, before the storms hit
• Home life shows up at work — you can't be a great leader if your personal life is falling apart; intentionality in both is essential

QUOTES

• "Culture from the heart is creating an atmosphere that's consistent with and in alignment with the values that are most important to you."
• "Never fear failure. Fear not getting better."
• "When you focus on what you can control versus what you cannot, you become extraordinary."
• "Nobody ever rises to the occasion — we always fall to the level of our training."
• "You have to do the ordinary with excellence every day in order to be extraordinary."
• "You don't have to be suffering in order to benefit from mental strength and conditioning."
• "If you've failed as a husband, a father, a mother, a wife — that's going to eat at you. Be intentional in both."
• "Who you are today should be different than who you were a year ago."

Learn more about Darrell and Larry.

Darrell's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellamy/

Larry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrylevine1992/

Connect and learn more from Dr. Wayne Chappelle.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/wayne-chappelle-3990b6185/

Dr. Wayne Chappelle’s Book: https://www.amazon.com/Heal-Your-Hurting-Mind-Depression/dp/0310366747

Ready to begin realizing the full potential of your sales team? Hire Great Salespeople with Confidence. SCHEDULE YOUR EXECUTIVE BRIEFING.

https://sellingfromtheheart.net/hiring

Unlock The Power of Team Growth with Learnit’s Live Training Platform. CLAIM your 45-day trial of unlimited training now!

https://www.learnit.com/lp/culture

Stop gambling on interviews. Combine analytics with a sales recruiting system to screen out non-performers so you only interview candidates that can become great salespeople.

https://hiringguide.salesindex.ai/

In this rewind episode of the Culture From The Heart Podcast, hosts Larry Levine and Darrell Amy are joined by Joe Killinger, co-founder of Commercial Brokers International. Joe discusses the importance of company culture in the workplace, emphasizing the need for alignment with employee values and work ethics from the top down. He shares his insights into building a supportive and positive work environment in an industry often lacking in trust and collaboration. He highlights the importance of active hiring practices, employee appreciation, and continuous training. The conversation also delves into how Joe has actively sought to fix broken aspects of the commercial real estate industry to create a thriving, collaborative culture at his company.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Importance of Culture: The significance of establishing and living a genuine company culture that reflects in day-to-day operations.
• Top-Down Approach: The creation and enforcement of culture should come from the top of the organization.
• Collaboration and Trust: Building trust and collaboration among employees and even with competitors can be a major differentiator.
• Investing in Employees: Ongoing training, support, and genuine investment in employee growth can create a highly motivated workforce.
• Recognition and Rewards: Regular acknowledgment and rewarding of employees for their contributions fosters a supportive work environment.
• Adaptive Leadership: Being open to changing industry norms and continually seeking better ways to operate.

QUOTES

• "Alignment. It's hiring alignment. It's like, Hey, here's the culture. Here's the culture we've developed inside this company. It's either going to align to your values and your work ethic, or it's not, but y'all are going to sniff this out pretty fast."
• "It's about recognizing that somebody in your company is doing something for somebody else and then rewarding it."
• "Just because things are the way they are doesn't mean that's the way they're going to be forever. And it's up to leaders to search out and look for better ways to do things."

Learn more about Darrell and Larry:

Darrell's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellamy/

Larry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrylevine1992/

Connect and learn more about Joe Killinger.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-killingerrealestate/