What does it take to move from carrying your business alone… to building a team that’s engaged, trusted, and thriving?

In this episode of The TrustBuilt Podcast, host Alan Bennett sits down with Steve Toth of Crestline Leaders to explore the foundations of team building, culture, and engagement.

Steve shares his journey from scrappy solopreneur to leading teams inside Fortune 500 companies and startups, and what he’s learned about:

• Why purpose and vision matter for keeping teams aligned.
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• How personal values shape company culture (and why that attracts A-players).
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• The link between accountability, trust, and employee engagement.
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• What happens when leaders stop delegating and start abdicating—and how to fix it.
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• Why a flourishing team is the real key to scaling any business.
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If you’re tired of carrying your business on your shoulders and want a team that buys in, sticks around, and thrives—this conversation is packed with practical insights you can apply right now.

👉 Ready to build a team you can trust? Learn more at https://www.trustbuiltsolutions.com/.

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 Why maximizing value also maximizes employee happiness

01:00 How Alan & Steve met at a family business event

02:30 Steve’s entrepreneurial beginnings: lawn mowing & Volkswagens

07:00 Lessons learned from W-2 roles and building trust through relationships

09:20 From solopreneur to team builder: why “just me” doesn’t scale

13:20 The People & Culture Model: why culture is the foundation

15:20 Flipping over rocks: uncovering hidden issues in organizations

20:00 Vision: how clarity drives team alignment

23:00 Building sticky, authentic values that attract A-players

26:00 Purpose as the driver of passion and culture

29:00 Why accountability is “purpose’s first cousin”

30:30 How purpose + accountability fuel employee engagement

33:10 Prioritization, scaling, and the “triangle model”

36:00 Enterprise value: why engaged teams grow business value

42:00 The tipping point of trust: what happens when it clicks

45:00 Where to connect with Steve Toth

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Connect With Steve Toth

🌐 https://www.crestlineleaders.com/

💻 https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-real-steve-toth/

team engagement, building trust at work, company culture, employee retention, small business leadership