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What if the fastest way to grow wasn’t fear or control, but compassion?

In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Dr. Bruno, TEDx speaker, researcher, and author of The Art of Compassionate Business, joins Chelsey Reynolds to explore how trust, generosity, and empathy create a flywheel of performance that benefits employees, customers, and leaders alike.

You’ll hear from his research:

• why fear-based management backfires,
• how to build a culture where people actually want to stay, and
• why serving instead of selling turns customers into your loudest advocates.

Whether you’re leading a startup team or scaling a global org, this episode shows why compassion is more than a nice-to-have; it’s a growth strategy.

To learn more:

Read the Art of Compassionate Business

Visit: www.brunocignacco.com

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Each week, we interview founders, business leaders, and experts in their field about how to grow a business and the personal growth that comes with the journey. #LetsGrow !

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Wendy Jensen spent decades leading corporate teams and strategy in a fast-paced environment at a major internet company. Then she walked away to start something entirely her own— a purpose-driven retail and lifestyle brand rooted in Scandinavian values, family heritage, and genuine human connection.

In this episode, Wendy joins host Chelsey Reynolds to share how she left executive leadership to build Scandinavian Hearts, a business that brings joy and meaning into people’s lives through design, storytelling, and intentional growth. They talk about the mindset shifts required to move from corporate leadership to creative entrepreneurship, how to find purpose after burnout, and why it’s okay (and often powerful) to start small and grow on your own terms.

Whether you're a founder seeking clarity, a leader ready for reinvention, or a dreamer wondering what’s next, this episode will challenge your assumptions about success and leave you inspired to lead with heart.

Topics Covered:

• Purpose-driven brand strategy
• Corporate to entrepreneurship transitions
• Founder burnout and reinvention
• Scandinavian lifestyle and slow living
• Building a brand with values and story
  
  

Follow Wendy's journey:

Wendy's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendyjangaard/

Learn and shop: https://scandinavianhearts.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scandinavianhearts/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ScandinavianHearts/

Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Wendy-Jangaard-Jensen/author/B0BJ9QQZX8,

Stay in the know with all-things Growth Department:

Website | LinkedIn | TikTok | YouTube | X

Each week, we interview founders, business leaders, and experts in their field about how to grow a business and the personal growth that comes with the journey. #LetsGrow !

Send us a text

When sales, finance, and operations pull in different directions, growth stalls. But when those teams align, momentum builds fast.

In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey Reynolds sits down with Marcus Rien (scratch golfer, COO, and CFO turned founder of Waves CPAs) to explore how founders can create operational clarity, unlock faster decision-making, and build systems that support scale.

Marcus unpacks real-world examples of silo breakdowns and shares a powerful model for fractional CFO support that integrates with go-to-market teams.

You’ll walk away with insights into cash flow strategy, automation tips, and how to make your numbers actually useful across departments.

00:00 The Importance of Alignment in Business Functions
03:03 The Role of Finance in Business Success
05:07 Implementing Effective Collaboration Strategies
07:37 The Integrator's Role in Company Dynamics
09:57 Consequences of Misalignment in Departments
11:58 The Impact of Overselling on Company Culture
14:38 Leveraging Financial Insights for Growth
17:31 Creating Accountability Through Data
19:56 The Dangers of Fudging Numbers
23:14 The Psychology of Sales Teams
25:33 Operations and Customer Feedback
27:10 Collaboration Across Functions
27:47 Financial Performance and Sales Strategy
31:32 Balancing Optimism in Forecasting
34:19 Cohesion in Business Functions
36:33 Aligning Sales, Operations, and Finance

Check out Waves CPAs here: https://wavescpas.com/

Stay in the know with all-things Growth Department:

Website | LinkedIn | TikTok | YouTube | X

Each week, we interview founders, business leaders, and experts in their field about how to grow a business and the personal growth that comes with the journey. #LetsGrow !