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/

In this episode of Culture From the Heart Podcast, hosts Larry Levine and Darrell Amy are joined by Tim Lupinacci, chairman and CEO of Baker Donelson, one of the nation's largest law firms. Tim elucidates his approach to leadership, focusing on influence, impact, and authenticity. He discusses the importance of investing in individuals and building trusted relationships within the organization. The conversation covers Tim's journey into leadership, insights from John Maxwell's teachings, and how Baker Donelson aims to serve both its clients and community. Tim also introduces his upcoming book 'Everybody Leads,' which extends his philosophy of leadership to a broader audience. The episode highlights key elements like courage, resilience, and purpose-driven service as foundational to effective leadership and thriving organizational culture.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Invest in Leadership: Tim emphasizes the importance of self-investment to understand and grow as a leader.
• Influence and Impact: Leadership is about influence; every individual can lead by impacting and inspiring others.
• Authentic Relationships: Building trust and authenticity within an organization is crucial for effective leadership and handling difficult conversations.
• Community Engagement: The firm focuses on community service and creating a unified approach to philanthropy through initiatives like Baker Cares.
• Leadership Aroma: Leaders must be conscious of their demeanor and presence, as it significantly impacts those around them.
• Courage in Leadership: Effective leadership requires showing up with confidence, resilience, and a willingness to encourage and uplift others.

QUOTES

• "Everybody's a leader, in the context when you think about influence and impact."
• "The more you know your people, the more you can grow with your people."
• "You have to make tough decisions in the best interest of the organization, even if it's impacting negatively, somebody that you have a very close relationship with."
• "How we show up really matters."
• "Leadership aroma means you can be really energized, optimistic, encouraging your colleagues, or you can go around with your head down."
• "Be a courageous leader and show up."

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 Tim Lupinacci.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-lupinacci/
https://everybodyleads.org/

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

In this episode of Culture From the Heart Podcast, hosts Larry Levine and Darrell Amy are joined by Ryan Hogan, founder and CEO of Talent Harbor, about “Culture From the Heart” as a people-first focus on developing those who solve the organization’s problems. Drawing from 24 years in the U.S. Navy, Ryan describes how observing leadership taught him that belief in mission and purpose drives performance, and he emphasizes learning through an accepted tolerance for failure that leaders must reinforce with consistent actions. He shares Talent Harbor’s core values, including a “go-giver” philosophy of giving without expectation, and explains how the team reinforces values through weekly Friday “fireside” meetings and peer shoutouts tied to specific values. Ryan contrasts recruiting norms with Talent Harbor’s “quality over quantity” approach and discusses culture fit as the hardest—and most important—part of hiring, advocating for simple, clear core values and an EOS-inspired keep/kill/combine exercise to refine them.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Culture starts with people first - Focus energy on developing your team, and business problems solve themselves
• Growth mindset is foundational - Accept failure as part of learning; create psychological safety for risk-taking
• Leaders must align words with actions - Don't just talk about embracing failure; demonstrate it through how you respond to mistakes
• Quality over quantity wins - Deep vetting of candidates (hundreds reviewed for one quality hire) creates better long-term fits
• Go-giver philosophy drives success - Give value without expectation; the universe rewards authentic generosity
• Core values should be 3-5 maximum - Simplicity allows for clarity and actionable implementation
• Culture is the make-or-break in hiring - Every hiring mistake stems from misaligned values, not lack of skills
• Peer recognition reinforces culture - Weekly team shoutouts tied to core values create organic learning
• Right person beats right resume - Cultural fit and values alignment matter more than credentials alone

QUOTES

• "If I focus my energy, my effort, my time on the people that are solving those problems, everything else just seems to take care of itself."
• "Good learning comes through failure. And you can only fail if you have an open mind that failure is a part of the journey."
• "You can tell someone it's okay to fail, but if you're scolding somebody for making an error, you're sending mixed signals."
• "We have this deep intrinsic belief that if all we do is give into the universe, everything else will take care of itself."
• "Every time I got hiring wrong, it's because I brought the wrong person through the door... their values probably align more with a different organization."
• "The Navy taught me that simplicity is best. The more clear you can get about what are the foundational core values, that's where you're gonna see success."
• "The hardest thing you can do is vet candidates for your culture as they're going through the interview process."

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 Ryan Hogan.

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

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 Brian Dosal, CEO of Strety, about building culture through authentic leadership, core values, and transparency. Brian defines “culture from the heart” as leaders being their authentic selves so the organization’s culture reflects who they are, and shares his core values—humble, passionate, and good—which he realized were also his personal values. He explains operationalizing values by hiring (and firing) by them, reinforcing them through frequent communication, and using EOS as a shared language. Brian describes Strety’s rally cry to reach 20,000 organizations running EOS on its platform, the company’s “goose” spirit animal, and the challenges of remote culture, including avoiding instant-message noise. He outlines intentional practices like asynchronous updates, automated check-ins, annual in-person gatherings, monthly company updates, and an eNPS survey that returned all tens, with feedback requesting more in-person time.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Culture starts with authentic leadership - CEOs must exemplify their organization's core values through transparency and genuine self-expression
• Core values (Humble, Passionate, Good) should guide every hiring and firing decision to maintain cultural integrity
• Small teams with the right people create exponential impact - one plus one equals ten when values align
• Remote culture requires intentional connection through over-communication, regular check-ins, and strategic in-person gatherings
• Transparency builds trust - share everything possible with your team except what would be detrimental to progress
• EOS provides the framework, but culture requires additional "soft" elements like emotional connection and consistent communication

QUOTES

• "Culture from the heart is the CEO, the founders, whoever's leading the organization needs to be who they are, their authentic self. And then the culture kind of feeds off of that."
• "We hire by values. We fire by values. It's simple as that."
• "Let's make those 40 hours like the most fun they can be and the most productive."
• "If everyone has as much information as they can have, they're rowing the same way, everything's going faster."
• "Just always opt to honesty. Always everyone can sniff out BS... You can never go wrong by being honest."
• "To know thyself, is to know thy values."

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 Brian Dosal.

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

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 the Culture From The Heart Podcast, hosts Larry Levine and Darrell Amy are joined by Steve Preston, the president of Performance Food Service, Fairfield, Ohio. Steve discusses his leadership philosophy focused on genuine engagement and care for employees. He emphasizes the importance of eye contact, listening, and leading by example. Steve explains the acronym 'CARE,' standing for Communicate, Awareness, Responsibility, and Energy, and how it serves as a guiding principle for creating a positive and engaged company culture. The conversation covers practical strategies for implementing and maintaining a caring culture, including the role of leadership, the significance of communication, and recognizing and celebrating employee contributions.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Importance of Leadership by Walking Around: Engaging directly with team members shows genuine care.
• Role of Care in Culture: The acronym CARE (Communicate, Awareness, Responsibility, Energy) is central to the company’s values.
• Building Authentic Relationships: Regularly engaging, listening, and showing empathy to employees creates stronger bonds and trust.
• Recognizing Positive Behaviors: Celebrating small wins and positive behaviors reinforces the desired culture.
• Consistency and Visibility: Leaders must consistently embody and communicate core values to instill them in the organization.

QUOTES

• "Leading by example, showing up means a lot more to people than dictating to them what you want them to do."
• "It's all about giving a rip about your people."
• "Feedback is a blessing."
• "Do the right thing when nobody else is watching."
• "Energy is very contagious, positively and negatively."
• "If your employees are happy at what they do, that's going to spill over to the customers."

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 Steve Preston and his works.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-preston-45194494/

https://www.performancefoodservice.com/

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

In this episode of Culture From the Heart Podcast, hosts Larry Levine and Darrell Amy are joined by Chris Polek, CEO of Polek & Polek, a distributor of copier and printer supplies to office equipment dealers across the U.S., about “culture from the heart.” Chris defines it as “caring with shared purpose,” describing caring as supporting team members personally and professionally by creating growth opportunities and challenges. He explains the shared purpose as supporting the dealer network to help them be more profitable and align work with a leader’s personal business philosophy, sharing his own: work hard, bring value, and be nice to people. Chris discusses practical leadership habits such as walking around to connect with everyone in the organization and the “three coin technique” to ensure daily positive recognition. He reflects on taking over the founder-led business about 26–27 years ago, shifting from centralized decision-making to empowering employees with autonomy, pushing them to bring solutions, and accepting mistakes as part of growth. He shares that a heart surgery absence tested the company’s culture, and operations continued smoothly because people knew how to handle challenges, with support available from outside resources. Chris attributes significant leadership and cultural development to more than 25 years in the CEO peer group Vistage, where he gained ideas, perspective, and friendships, and he recounts joining after his father declined and a humorous missed first meeting due to a Yankees rainout. He gives an example of involving employees in decisions by piloting a four-day workweek with a bonus program to address overtime fatigue and absenteeism, which employees chose to keep after three months. Chris closes by emphasizing that culture work is ongoing, evolves over time, requires continual attention and refocusing, and is never “done.”

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Culture from the heart means caring with shared purpose—supporting your people personally and professionally while aligning around a common mission
• The three-coin technique: Start each day with three coins in one pocket, transfer one each time you say something positive to a team member—it's harder than it sounds
• Give team members autonomy to make decisions and get comfortable with them making mistakes—micromanagement prevents organizational growth
• Culture work is forever—it requires ongoing attention, periodic refocusing, and continuous investment, not a one-time initiative
• Personal business philosophy guides leadership decisions: work hard, bring value, be nice to people

QUOTES

• "Culture from the heart is caring with shared purpose."
• "The three-coin technique sounds simple, but you try it. You'll probably get by lunchtime and find you've got all three coins still in that pocket."
• "My personal business philosophy: I work hard, I bring value, and I'm nice to people."
• "People are very capable. They can make decisions. And even when they go wrong, the company is not gonna implode."
• "The worst case scenario is if you try something and it doesn't work out, you can always go back to what you were doing before."
• "This work is forever. It's ongoing, it never ends. It evolves over time—it's not just a quick fix."
• "It's kind of like putting in a new, fresh set of batteries and things shine brightly again."

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 Chris Polek.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-polek-871205a/

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/