Built On Purpose

Steve Hall - Founder & CEO of driversselect

Today we're interviewing Steve Hall, Founder & CEO of driversselect.

The quantity and quality of leadership lessons Steve shares on this podcast is incredible. Let's cut to the chase - driversselect is in the business of buying and selling used cars. So why is the founder and CEO of a used car business joining me to talk about purpose? Well, it just so happens that the success of driversselect is a direct result of 4 things:

1. Having a crystal clear purpose, which, by the way, has nothing to do with the product they sell.

2. Having a set of Core Values that they will not compromise, no matter how detrimental it could be to the financial aspects of the business.

3. Driving toward increased simplicity in the business strategy.

4. Steve recognizing that, as the CEO, the company will only develop as little or as much as he invests in his own personal and professional development.

If you are in a leadership role today, or aspire to be in one at some point in your career, this episode is full of powerful leadership lessons relevant to every industry.

Listen to this podcast interview and more episodes from the Built On Purpose Podcast at http://yscouts.com/podcast.

Eric Severson Podcast Part II - Transparency In The Workplace

Who doesn't love a great sequel? We're interviewing Eric Severson for a second time on this podcast—and it's one you won't want to miss. (Listen to his first interview here.)

Our first conversation with Eric was one of our most downloaded episodes to date, where we discussed some truly groundbreaking HR and People initiatives that Eric implemented during his time at the apparel giant, GAP. In this follow-up conversation, we dive deeper into some People issues, including transparency in the workplace, the candidate experience, and the realities of working with executive search firms. This episode is filled to the brim with great insight for any business owner or HR leader. You'll enjoy hearing from Eric Severson a second time around.

Listen to this podcast interview and more episodes from the Built On Purpose Podcast at http://yscouts.com/podcast.

Brian Burkhart - President & Chief Word Guy at SquarePlanet

Brian Burkhart is the Founder and President at SquarePlanet. Brian’s other official title is Chief Word Guy - you might be wondering what that means. Well, Brian is a master at storytelling. In this episode, Brian shares his wisdom and expertise on the most important elements to include in every message you share, whether it’s a sales presentation, keynote speech, a company vision or a fundraising pitch. Brian also shares his passion for why he believes it’s so important in today’s business world to stand out from the crowd, make waves and plant a flag for what you believe in. If you enjoy listening to people with a sharp wit, a healthy dose of sarcasm, an off-the-charts sense of humor and wicked brilliance, you will fall in love with this episode with Brian Burkhart.

Listen to this podcast interview and more episodes from the Built On Purpose Podcast at http://yscouts.com/podcast.

Adam Goodman - President & CEO of Goodmans Interior Structures

Adam Goodman is the President & CEO of Goodmans Interior Structures. If the name of Adam's company means very little to you, I’ll simplify: Adam and his team sell office furniture. So, why am I interviewing a leader of a office furniture company for a podcast all about Purpose? Adam’s story is the perfect example of how a 3rd generation commodity-driven company can evolve from a “sell more stuff to more people to make more money” to a company driven by a higher purpose. The Goodmans story and the way Adam articulates it is raw, unfiltered and powerful. In this interview, we cover everything from Adam’s dream of changing the community through journalism to the overwhelming feeling of nervousness, and dare I say embarrassment, he felt when sharing the newfound higher purpose in front of his 200 team members. This interview is packed with insightful stories and advice every leader can internalize and apply to his or her business or team. Humor, sarcasm, seriousness, profanity - it’s all here. Even if you’ve heard the Goodmans story before, I promise you’ve never heard it like this - I’m already declaring this interview a repeat favorite.

Listen to this podcast interview and more episodes from the Built On Purpose Podcast at http://yscouts.com/podcast.

Courtney Klein - Co-Founder & CEO of SEED SPOT

If we had to sum up Courtney Klein in a word, it would be "dreamer." From her early childhood dream of wanting to be Katie Couric, through the twists and turns that life has thrown her way, Courtney is on a mission to leave this world a little better than how she found it. 

Courtney is the co-founder and CEO of SEED SPOT, a social impact incubator responsible for helping ignite the dreams of entrepreneurs who want to use business as a force for good. In this episode, Courtney shares many valuable lessons she's learned—lessons like it’s better to take the business card, not the credit card, and how you should never doubt yourself because there are plenty of people who will do that for you. 

In this Courtney Klein podcast interview, we dive deep into the current state of our country’s educational system with a specific emphasis on how SEED SPOT is addressing the solution to give our high school graduates the real-life skills and knowledge necessary to make meaningful contributions to the world. We also explore why SEED SPOT chose to not take equity in the ventures they are supporting and how this controversial decision has served as a beacon for the organization. It's something that has landed SEED SPOT as one of the top 3 incubators on the planet. In addition to being the co-founder and CEO of SEED SPOT, Courtney is a new mom and an Ironman finisher. We’ll explore the impact both of these have had on her life. If Courtney represents the future of leadership, we'll be pretty satisfied with where the world is headed. 

Listen to this podcast interview and more episodes from the Built On Purpose Podcast at http://yscouts.com/podcast.

Matt Altman - Co-Founder, Sportiqe Apparel

Matt Altman is quite a unique individual. In fact, this concept of uniqueness is something we cover quite extensively in this podcast, as Matt has chosen to integrate this concept into every part of his life. After 12 years working for a variety of professional sports teams focused in merchandising, he and his fellow co-founder decided to launch a lifestyle apparel company called Sportiqe. What started out as a business focused on creating a more comfortable brand of clothing has evolved into so much more: a business that is focused on celebrating the unique fan inside of  everyone. Building and growing a business requires hiring the right people—and Matt shares his philosophy around the importance of aligning the right people to the company and its culture. We talk about the importance of learning as a continuous journey, and how Matt believes his role as a leader is to help people become the best version of themselves by creating the best environment in which people can grow and thrive. In addition to his role as the Principal of Sportiqe, Matt is an accomplished speaker and delivered a powerful TED talk about the 2 ingredients necessary to be rich. Matt is a deeply philosophical leader and there’s no doubt you’ll walk away from this episode with a deeper appreciation for everyone in your life.

Listen to this podcast interview and more episodes from the Built On Purpose Podcast at http://yscouts.com/podcast.

Matt Likens - Former President & CEO at Ulthera, Inc.

Matt Likens grew up in a lower middle class family and became quite familiar with the concept of scarcity. As a result of this upbringing, Matt learned quickly that he was going to have to work hard for anything he wanted. After graduating from college, he went to work for Johnson & Johnson representing the industrial tape division. Quickly realizing his drive to do more meaningful work, Matt left J&J and joined Baxter Healthcare, where he spent the next 23 years in a variety of roles across the globe. After experiencing working for many different leaders, Matt learned how to emulate the traits and behaviors he felt were the right leadership traits. He also learned the cruel effects of ego and narcissism in leadership and the damage it has on an organization. Taking all of his lessons learned, he took a leap and joined an Arizona start-up called Ulthera as their CEO—and his first stint as a CEO. After operating the company for a handful of years, Matt and the leadership team decided it might be important to declare a purpose for the organization—so we’ll explore what it means to “Lift Lives.” Matt Likens is a passionate storyteller and shares invaluable lessons for leaders across all industries with an emphasis on why culture matters so much in today’s business world. If you are in a leadership role, or are about to be, this is one interview you'll find full of gems.

Listen to this podcast interview and more episodes from the Built On Purpose Podcast at http://yscouts.com/podcast.

Kathy Sacks - Founder of COLEAP, Angel Investor & Advisor

In this episode, Kathy Sacks covers a variety of topics including the power of unlocking human potential, how playing it safe on the inside is a recipe for mediocrity, and why you should embrace the things you fear most. Kathy was one of the early employees and investors at Infusionsoft, which is widely considered one of the darling tech companies in the Phoenix area. After a very successful tenure helping grow the company from a few million to more than 60 million, she decided to leave - and we’ll explore her journey as well as how she has used the power of intention to guide her through unchartered waters. 

Kathy is the real deal: raw, passion-driven and on a path to create a wave of positive change in the world. Whether or not you know Kathy personally, by the end of this episode, you’ll walk away with a clear understanding of what makes her tick, and you will feel a blast of inspiration to live the life you’ve always wanted. Check out these takeaways of wisdom, success and women empowering the workforce from Kathy Sacks!

Listen to this podcast interview and more episodes from the Built On Purpose Podcast at http://yscouts.com/podcast

Eric Severson - Former Co-CHRO & Senior Vice President, Gap Inc.

Eric Severson spent the last decade and a half as a member of the People team at apparel giant, GAP, Inc. During his time at GAP, Eric was part of some truly ground-breaking HR and People initiatives including implementing a Results Only Workplace Environment (ROWE), becoming the first major apparel retailer to raise the minimum hourly wage to $10 for more than 60,000 employees, becoming the first major retailer in the world to release statistical evidence on paying men and women equally in all geographies, and leveraging neuroplasticity and mindset psychology as part of a leading-edge performance management system - some really heady stuff. 

In this podcast interview we also dive into the difference between work-life balance and work-life integration, a topic Eric is very passionate about. Eric is currently serving as an appointee on the US Commerce Department’s National Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship - a role that focuses on the key drivers of America’s global competitiveness. This episode is full of great insight with a specific focus on how to help your people become the best version of themselves to not only help your business grow, but to foster a spirit of personal growth within every member of the people you lead. 

Listen to this podcast interview and more episodes from the Built On Purpose Podcast at http://yscouts.com/podcast

John Shufeldt, MD, JD, MBA, FACEP - Relentless Learning

John Shufeldt is one of the most accomplished individuals I’ve ever met. He’s a practicing emergency room doctor, a practicing attorney, the Phoenix PD SWAT team medical director, the author of multiple books on the Ingredients of Outliers, an adjunct professor at ASU’s law school, the founder and CEO of MeMD, a pilot, a guitar player, and a recent TEDx speaker - and this is just a partial list. 

In this interview, we talk about life growing up as an adopted child, the 2 character traits that have come to define his life, what it’s like to save a life and, on the flipside, what it's like to watch someone pass away. We discuss his drive for constant knowledge acquisition, and the power of humility. 

I know you’ll agree with me after listening to this interview, for someone who’s accomplished so much, John is one of the most down-to-earth and kind individuals you’ll ever meet. And perhaps the most exciting part of this interview is our discussion around the right questions we need to be asking ourselves every day in order to live the meaningful lives we can. I’m thrilled to bring you this fantastic interview with John Shufeldt!