Rethink Culture Andreas Konstantinou

"I think business owners have to really rethink who and how they hire, our judgments, our biases, and what as a society we can do, even as a small business like mine, to make it a more vibrant and equitable place... I wanted to make sure that we were treating everybody, no matter what their background was, where they were from, what language they spoke, what addiction they were overcoming, what jail sentence they had served, I wanted all of those people to have a level playing field."
S02E14 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Gina Schaeffer, founder, CEO, and co-owner of a chain of 13 Ace Hardware stores across multiple cities in the United States. Ace Hardware is the world’s largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative. Gina oversees the operations and management of over 300 dedicated employees.
Gina discusses her commitment to community initiatives and her experiences in creating a thriving work environment based on open-mindedness and acceptance. A beacon of inspiration in the entrepreneurial landscape, she challenges leaders to rethink their assumptions and reimagine culture by embracing the notion of providing opportunities for everyone to thrive, regardless of their background, such as a history of addiction or imprisonment. Beyond her business endeavours, Gina's passion for exploration and creativity is evident in her travels across South America and her hobby of crafting personalized greeting cards. 
The podcast is created by Rethink Culture. Our goal is to help 1 million businesses create healthier, happier cultures, by turning culture into a KPI. Visit rethinkculture.co to see how you can create a healthier culture at your company.
Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.
Listen to this episode to discover:- How Gina defies conventional assumptions by hiring people who have experienced addiction, homelessness, or incarceration.
- Why extending opportunities to those with employment barriers promotes connection, support, and a strong community.- The significance of adapting core values and practices to reflect evolving circumstances.
- Gina's insights into openness, trust, fairness, and the embodiment of organizational core values.
- What is the principle of "inspect what you expect" in encouraging accountability.
- How to enhance customer satisfaction by reflecting customer diversity in employee composition.
- The value of curiosity, maintaining a beginner's mindset, and being open to learning from everyone.
- Why we should care about business transition readiness and the education of future business leaders.
Further resources: - Gina's website: https://ginaschaefer.com/ 
- Gina's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginaschaefer-speaker/- Community work of Ace Hardware: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YVROFpjX1M&ab_channel=AceHardware  
- Culture by Design, by David J. Friedman: https://www.amazon.com/Culture-Design-individual-organizational-performance/dp/0692100784 
- Recovery Hardware: A Nuts and Bolts Story About Building a Business, Restoring a Community, and Renovating Lives, by Gina Schaefer: https://www.amazon.com/Recovery-Hardware-Restoring-Community-Renovating/dp/B0B6M6P168

"If you're not properly leading yourself, it's hard to lead others... How you do one thing is how you do everything. And if… the three areas of your life, if they're in order, if… yourself, mind, body, spirit is good and your family and relationships is good, then it's much easier to be good in the work world."
S02E13 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on David Henzel, a serial entrepreneur who owns several businesses with over 500 employees. Among his recent ventures are TaskDrive, an AI-driven virtual assistance platform, and upcoach, a coaching platform. His successful track record includes having co-founded and sold MaxCDN, which hosted over 6 million websites.
David talks about "Love Not Fear" a concept that drives his personal development course, Managing Happiness, and his organizational development course, Love Not Fear. David's commitment to fostering a positive workplace culture is reflected in his company's impressively high Cultural Health Score, which is scoring in the high 90s. David spends his free time at his Bodrum farm with his wife, daughter, three horses, ten dogs, and two donkeys.
The podcast is created by Rethink Culture. Our goal is to help 1 million businesses create healthier, happier cultures, by turning culture into a KPI. Visit rethinkculture.co to see how you can create a healthier culture at your company.
Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.
Listen to this episode to find out:· Why acting out of love rather than fear can transform your life and business. 
· How David practices Love Not Fear in his daily habits.
· What makes aphantasia and SDAM his superpower. 
· What is the Managing Happiness framework and how it supports personal and professional goals.
· Why rethinking product development improved employee happiness and productivity.
· How David combines accountability and compassion in his feedback.
Further resources:
· David's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidhenzel/ 
· The Managing Happiness course: https://www.managinghappiness.com/ 
· Reinventing Organizations: A Guide to Creating Organizations Inspired by the Next Stage in Human Consciousness, by Frederic Laloux: https://www.amazon.com/Reinventing-Organizations-Frederic-Laloux/dp/2960133501

"What I would tell a leader is that culture starts with you, but it's made up of the collective. You have to set the tone for it and be that role model. You have to inspire people to be their greatest. Don't be afraid to put your people first… You have to be intentional about it… So don't tolerate people who are taking away from the culture… You are that beacon. You should be the culture evangelist. If you aren't, then I think that you are really missing out on an opportunity to build a lasting, strong company."
S02E12 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Kerry Siggins, CEO of StoneAge. A 45-year-old industrial cleaning equipment manufacturer, StoneAge, is one of the top 100 Companies to Work For. In 2023, Kerry was named EY Entrepreneur of the Year. She hosts two podcasts, including the popular Reflect Forward, and is a YPO member. She's the author of Ownership Mindset and is starting her second book on finding purpose and meaning at work.
Kerry is passionate about leadership, impact, disruption, and empowering people to be their best selves and grow together while bringing value to the company's customers. Kerry shares her insights on fostering an ownership mindset among employees. She invites leaders to trust their employees and help them thrive at work, resulting in financial as well as emotional benefits. Kerry's perspective should inspire more leaders to see their employees as integral owners of the business, rather than merely as resources, thereby allowing them to contribute more effectively to its success.
The podcast is created by Rethink Culture. Our goal is to help 1 million businesses create healthier, happier cultures, by turning culture into a KPI. Visit rethinkculture.co to see how you can create a healthier culture at your company.
Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.
Listen to this episode to find out:
· How an employee stock option plan created an ownership mentality at StoneAge.· Why an "Own-It" culture has both financial and emotional benefits. · The three main steps to instill an ownership mindset among employees.· What is the most crucial characteristic of effective leadership.· How to build trust within teams using frameworks like Lencioni's "6 Types of Working Genius".· What are the benefits of leadership transparency.· About Kerry's new writing project on purpose and its significance in the workplace.· How to create a positive workplace culture through intentional leadership and role modeling.
Further resources:
· Kerry's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerry-siggins/ 
· Kerry's Website: https://kerrysiggins.com/ 
· The Ideal Team Player: How to Recognize and Cultivate The Three Essential Virtues, by Patrick M. Lencioni: https://www.amazon.com/Ideal-Team-Player-Recognize-Cultivate-ebook/dp/B01B6AEJJ0 
· The 6 Types of Working Genius: A Better Way to Understand Your Gifts, Your Frustrations, and Your Team, by Patrick M. Lencioni: https://www.amazon.com/Types-Working-Genius-Understand-Frustrations/dp/1637743297 
· The Ownership Mindset: A Handbook for Transforming Your Life and Leadership, by Kerry Siggins: https://www.amazon.com/Ownership-Mindset-Handbook-Transforming-Leadership/dp/1637554346

"I tell founders this all the time, your goal is to build the company, the environment, to build the place where all the best people in your industry want to work and never want to leave."
S02E11 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Jeff Hoffman, a successful entrepreneur, CEO, motivational speaker, and Hollywood film producer. He has also the producer a Grammy-winning jazz album and served as executive producer of an Emmy-winning television show. Throughout his career, he has also founded multiple startups. Jeff rose to prominence as CEO of priceline.com, which morphed into booking.com, youbid.com and many more.
Jeff shares his valuable insights and stories with us, discussing how to attract and retain rock star employees, how to reward culture fit, and how to demonstrate compassion without undermining performance. Jeff's current focus is on working with creative young people through events like Junk Kouture, encouraging them to pursue their passions and forge their own paths in life.
The podcast is created by Rethink Culture. Our goal is to help 1 million businesses create healthier, happier cultures, by turning culture into a KPI. Visit rethinkculture.co to see how you can create a healthier culture at your company.
Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.
Listen to this episode to find out:· How to discover, attract, as well as keep rock star employees. 
· About the inspirational story of Natalie and the Golden Ninja award.
· Why putting culture on a poster but not living it yourself undermines your credibility.
· Why it is essential to do both skill and cultural assessments for your staff as well as business partners.
· How to strike a balance between compassion and accountability, as well as high performance and caring.
· Why scaling your business happens when you have empowered your employees to the point where you can trust them enough to get out of their way.
· What a Culture Committee does and how to treat each other every day by engaging in behaviours that make people feel respected and valued. 
· What is the impact of culture on your brand.
Further resources:
· Book: 'Scale: Seven Proven Principles to Grow Your Business and Get Your Life Back', by Jeff Hoffman & David Finkel: https://www.amazon.com/Scale-Seven-Proven-Principles-Business/dp/1591847249 
· Jeff's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffhoff/ 
· Jeff's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakerjeffhoffman 
· Jeff's website: https://www.jeffhoffman.com/

"If it was easy to become a great leader, we would have totally different politics, totally different companies, totally different burnout rates… "Okay, interesting, why is it so difficult for me?" I think investigating that makes us humans. And that makes you also a better leader if you understand what happens inside yourself. It's also easier to be compassionate with others."
S02E10 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Wendy Van Ierschot, visionary founder and CEO of VIE people, an advisory firm for fast scaling companies in the Netherlands. Beyond that role, Wendy wears multiple hats: she's a business angel investor, a podcaster (with over 160 episodes recorded for The Work Professor, a Dutch business radio news channel), a leading member of the Entrepreneurial Organization, and author. She recently published her book, 'Scale-ups & downs', which aims to guide an organization through the stages of growth. She has spent years researching this topic and generously shares her best insights with us.
Wendy's experience, however, is defined not only by her professional ability, but also by her resilience. Despite coping with visual impairment, which is elegantly hinted at by her distinctive spectacles, Wendy has emerged as a prominent figure in the global HR landscape, ranking among the top 100 HR influencers worldwide.
The podcast is created by Rethink Culture. Our goal is to help 1 million businesses create healthier, happier cultures, by turning culture into a KPI. Visit rethinkculture.co to see how you can create a healthier culture at your company.
Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.
Listen to this episode to find out:
What are the 4 stages of a company's growth from 0 to 100 employees.Why leaders should encourage their team to exhibit appropriate behaviour, core values, and high performance.Why founders need to transition from working in their company to working on their company in order to grow their business.How a combination of tests, mentorship, mentoring, education, and self-investment is the most effective way to develop your leadership style.Why it is essential to hire people who have the potential to advance into leadership positions within your company from the start of building your company.What is the significance of good formal education, an effective feedback system, and instilling a sense of ownership in your team.How to embrace vulnerability by removing bits of our armour through compassion every day.How Wendy's visual impairment changed her personally and professionally, and how she's adapting to it.Why you should prioritize based on what is needed to scale your company, not what your experience or others tell you.Further resources:
Wendy's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendyvanierschot/Scale-ups & downs: Gids je organisatie door elke groeispurt, by Wendy van Ierschot: https://www.amazon.com/Scale-ups-downs-Gids-organisatie-groeispurt/dp/9047016807/ Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future, by Ashlee Vance: https://www.amazon.com/Elon-Musk-SpaceX-Fantastic-Future/dp/006230125X

"The best organizations will win the battle for talent by creating cultures that allow people to be their best more frequently. And that means one of your practices as a leader needs to be gathering stories that tell you when your people are at their best."
S02E09 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Spencer Harrison, a professor of organizational behaviour at INSEAD Business School and a TED speaker. Spencer's expertise and research are widely recognized in the field, and his work has appeared in Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Money, and Inc. magazines. He co-founded The Creative Collaboratorium, the world's largest working group of creativity researchers, and serves as a culture advisor to some of the world's fastest growing companies, including Google, Salesforce, and Deloitte.
Spencer shares his journey from English to business professor and provides insight into ways of identifying outstanding management and leadership. He describes the differences and relationships between big C culture and small C culture, and highlights the value of a healthy work-life balance for employees. Despite their unpopularity, he stresses the role of office meetings in maintaining company culture and explains why leaders should take an interest in story-gathering and storytelling.
The podcast is created by Rethink Culture. Our goal is to help 1 million businesses create healthier, happier cultures, by turning culture into a KPI. Visit rethinkculture.co to see how you can create a healthier culture at your company.
Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.
Listen to this episode to find out:
Spencer's journey from wanting to be an animator and a poet to becoming a business professor.How to identify the excellent managers and the high-performing leaders.What is big C culture and what is small C culture.What anthropologists discovered conducting research on tribes sharing a sack of rice.The role of meetings in building a culture supported by visual information.How high-performing leaders transform meetings into cultural moments.Why leaders need to be story-gatherers and storytellers.How to give a sense of meaning to your team through stories.Why culture should not be abstract values and impersonal behaviours, but personal and relatable stories.Why culture needs to meet strategy, not just for breakfast but also for lunch, dinner and the after party.What you can do to create a better work-life balance for the people in your organisation.If we need the office to maintain culture.Further resources:
Spencer Harrison on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/curiosityatwork/ INSEAD: https://www.insead.edu/ Book of Questions, by Pablo Neruda: https://www.amazon.com/The-Book-of-Questions/dp/1592703224Odes to Common Things, by Pablo Neruda: https://www.amazon.com/Common-Things-Bilingual-Pablo-Neruda/dp/0821220802