The Founder Factor Designli, Word of Web

"We will never sacrifice a person for a dollar." Geoff Wasserman has lived by these words at The Brand Leader for over 24 years. In today's episode, Geoff shares his biggest inside tip to being a sucessful leader: stop guarding the door. For Geoff, this meant being financially tranparent with his staff and giving them permission to make mistakes, change roles, and leave when they are ready. Improving quality of life for a diverse staff community at work ultimately contributed to The Brand Leader's long standing success.

Love and business aren't often mentioned in the same sentence. In this episode, Marty Osborn breaks down this stereotype, expressing the love he has for his employees, customers, and company. He reveals that cultivating a caring and considerate culture in the workplace is what ultimately drove the financial sucess of his businesses. In this episode, discover how stepping up as a successful, entrepreneurial leader means understanding who your employees are as individuals, and relinquishing control to let them grow.

Some people are destined for jobs they never expected to have. With an accounting background, Brandy Amidon never thought she would be a co-president of a creative agency. But year after year, as the company grew, her skillset was just what it needed to adapt to an ever changing market. Amidon discusses her opinion on what being a leader means, how to stay calm and focused during times of change, and how to rely on others to make the whole team better.

Many people unconsciously think about startups as a company selling a product... but what if you are selling your time and knowledge? Scaling a service company looks different than commodifying a product. Josh Tucker & Keith Shields of Designli chat through the pros, cons, and paths to growth they experienced while growing their software development business.

In this special episode, you get to learn more about your host, Caroline Jennings. Having studied psychology and neuroscience in school, Caroline never dreamed of starting her own business. But when her web design hobby grew into something bigger, she decided to embrace the entrepreneurial path and launch her business full-time. Discover Caroline's journey with Word of Web – and her successes, challenges, and learnings along the way.

When Nicole Johnson and her husband co-founded Boyd Cycling back in 2009, they had no idea it would become as successful as it is today. In this episode, Nicole dives into the importance of leveraging your network, the art of creating a work environment that people enjoy, and the resilience required to navigate big business challenges.