Built On Purpose

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!

Andy Sernovitz, CEO of GasPedal

Andy Sernovitz is absolutely a “what you see and hear is what you get” type of person - no hidden agendas and no BS. He’s passionate about the concept of ‘word of mouth’ marketing - in fact, he wrote the book on it. Word of Mouth Marketing: How Smart Companies Get People Talking is a New York Times Bestseller. 

Andy is the CEO of GasPedal, a company dedicated to building communities. When you visit gaspedal.com, you’ll notice that the entire site is oriented around the employment brand of the company, a topic we dive into quote a bit during this interview. We also talk about Gaspedal’s imaginary recruiter, Preston Firestone, and how Preston has helped Andy and his team avoid some massive hiring mistakes. 

For those of you who care deeply about your company’s employment brand, and the importance of hiring the right people, this is one interview you’ll want to listen to more than once. Enjoy this stimulating conversation with Andy Sernovitz!

For more episodes from the Built On Purpose Podcast, please visit http://yscouts.com/podcast/

Ray DelMuro, Founder, Refresh Glass: Home of the 10 Million Bottle Rescue Mission

Ray DelMuro is the founder and CEO of Refresh Glass, a company on a mission to rescue 10M wine bottles and turn them into everyday glassware. Ray’s journey from aerospace engineer, to world traveler, to the founding of Refresh Glass is a story almost everyone can relate to. 

In this interview we talk about the power of complementary pairs, a theme that has guided Ray throughout his life. Style and Function, Emotional and Logical Connection, Utility and Design - these are examples of complementary pairs that we discuss in this interview. We also dive into the power of using business as a force for good and why following your passion may not be the best advice.

Enjoy this episode with Ray DelMuro and more episodes from the Built On Purpose Podcast at http://yscouts.com/podcast

Todd Nordstorm - Writer & Storyteller

In this episode of the Built On Purpose podcast, Todd Nordstrom shares his tips for crafting a compelling story - whether you're telling your story on a resume, or the story of your organization.

Todd knows a thing or two about stories. He is a Ghost Writer of 12 New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today and Amazon.com bestselling books as well as many that never made the list (reaching nearly 10 million book buyers). He has helped plan, execute, and strategize the marketing and launch of nearly 60 national and international bestsellers. He currently is a weekly contributor to Forbes, Director of Content for the O.C. Tanner Institute, and is the host of O.C. Tanner’s Great Work Insights podcast.

Enjoy this interview and many other Built On Purpose podcast episodes at http://yscouts.com/podcast

Gerald Chertavian - Founder & CEO of Year Up

This episode of the Built On Purpose Podcast features an interview with Gerald Chertavian, Founder & CEO of Year Up, a national program that empowers urban young adults to enter the economic mainstream. In this episode Gerald talks about the Opportunity Divide, why he founded Year Up to bridge the Opportunity Divide, and how to think about hiring in ways that taps into talent that is not being utilized.

Listen to this episode and more Built On Purpose podcast interviews at http://yscouts.com/podcast/