EMPATHY-LED: Recent Episodes
THE GRIO AGENCY
Empathy-led is a show about empathetic leaders, organizations and brands and for people who aspire to infuse a great dose of empathy into their lives and organizations. We started this show because our vision at the grio agency is a world with more empathetic leaders, organizations and brands. And we hope that you will come along with us on this journey, and that together we can make the work a more empathetic place.
Building a great company culture isn’t about winning the amenities race, but about having an organization where everyone feels a sense of belonging and ownership for the missions.What you end up with is a company full of people who think like the CEO, where an engineer feels compelled and comfortable enough to share his ideas about how to improve marketing.This is the culture that Adeola Adedewe and his team at Kredete are working really hard to create.Watch the full conversation to hear just what it takes to make it happen.In this conversation with Adeola, we talked about the power of immigration to help strengthen our self-awareness and empathy muscles. We discussed #Africa and why it is the place to be right now. We explored how #entrepreneurship, #education and the #internet will play a role in shaping the future of Africa, and the world, in the next 50 years.The revolution will not be televised. It will be broadcasted. Adeola Adedewe is one of the brilliant and socially-conscious young people who are leading the revolution currently taking place in Africa. While the cultural richness, talent, and ambition that fuel this revolution are not new, wide access to the internet is. And it is giving investors a window into Africa and the land of opportunity that it represents. ....Connect with Adeolahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/adeola-adedewe-033998208/Learn more about Kredetehttps://www.kredete.com/
When I asked James Yoder what the secret to scaling a business is, he answered it as most empathetic leaders would: "Building your team and trusting them."To some people, trust-- like empathy-- seems too mushy or impractical when applied to business. But I think about it in very practical ways. The hardest part about scaling a business is that the founder(s) get further and further removed from daily operations. They no longer have their hands in everything and now have to trust other people with their vision. In that transitional phase, leaders become painfully aware that while they remain ultimately accountable for anything that happens with the business, they are no longer fully responsible for delivering it. They have to rely on other people and are essentially at their mercy. I call it the paradox of leadership. Simply put, without trust, there's no growth. I can't think of anything more practical than that. In this episode with James Yoder, we talked about entrepreneurship, leadership, and kinship. I even asked James how he wants to be remembered. Tune in to episode 04/ season 03 of Empathy Led, to hear his answer, and more. CONNECT WITH JAMES ON LINKEDINhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/yoderjames/NOT JUST COFFEEhttps://www.notjust.coffee/visit.UNDERCURRENT COFFEEhttp://undercurrentcoffee.com/NIGHT SWIM COFFEEhttps://nightswimcoffee.com/
In this episode we talked about the power of self awareness to make us more empathetic as people and as leaders. We discussed what it takes for leaders to lead empathy and for us to build organizations where people feel seen, heard, and cared for. If any of these ideas resonate with you, then this episode is for you.Helton is a certified Mindfulness Meditation & Yoga Educator that finds purpose in bringing calm and ease to others. In his practice he believes that helping others to better connect with themselves can activate self actualization.With a background in MBSR, Human Design & Meditation training in Tibetan Buddhism, his focus is on informational and light hearted practices to help drive others to the hidden potential that lies within.He brings a grounded approach to his teaching & guidance that makes mindful practices and meditation something anyone can find connection to.Find himhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/heltonbrito/Hire Him https://www.nicetoseeme.ca/
Welcome to Empathy Led. Season 03, Episode 02Five powerful takeaways from my conversation with LauraWe need more representation of the disabled community in the media and marketing. It doesn’t need to be dramatized to have an impact, either. Normalizing it is impactful. People with disabilities are, first and foremost, people. Disability is just another way of existing, not better or worse than any other human experience.Disability is not a tragedy. There can be tragic circumstances associated with how someone becomes disabled. But disability in and of itself is value-neutral. People with disabilities are not inspirational because of their disability. Like everyone else, they earn that label only after doing something inspirational, not simply for existing. Let disabled people lead the conversation. They are the authority and the subject matter experts. Learn more about Laurahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lauraastinson/Check out her online store FairyNerdyhttps://www.etsy.com/shop/FairyNerdyListen to her podcasthttps://www.badattitudespod.com/
For companies like Bella Tunno, and founders like Michelle Buelow, the debate around the effectiveness of brand purpose is strange because, to them, purpose isn't a tactic. It's in their DNA. Purpose isn't a scheme to lure customers, get a sales advantage, or attract and retain the best employees. It's a fundamental belief that business is a tool to make society, and the world, a better place. On this Women's Day we pay our respect to women on a mission. Michelle and Bella Tunno are perfect examples of the kind of world we can build when women lead. This episode will enlighten, inspire and challenge you to broaden your definition of business. It will also provide you with philosophical and practical nuggets support and sustain you on your respective world-changing journeys. Welcome to Empathy Led-- Episode 01, Season 03
To learn more about Bella Tunno
https://bellatunno.com/
To connect with Michelle Buelow
https://michellebuelow.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelletunnobuelow
Did you know that Kidney Diseases are one of the ten leading causes of death worldwide?
I certainly didn’t. Not before my conversation with Steven Rick.
Steven is intimately familiar with the devastating effects of kidney diseases. Several of his family members have been affected and continue to battle against this silent killer.
Fighting against Kidney Disease is a two-prong problem that Steven and others are working hard to solve. And we should certainly join the fight. First, we need to raise awareness. Second, we need to raise funds for research and kidney care.
Over the years, Steven has personally raised £6k for various charities focused on Kidney Diseases. This year, he is raising funds for Kidney Care UK by completing the London Classics.
Watch my full conversation with Steven Rick.
In this episode, we talked about the power of surrendering by saying YES to life; the importance of #curiosity to help us find our path in life or at least our next step; and of course the role #empathy plays in #education, #marketing and #design. . . . Steven is one of those people that perfectly embody the idea that not all who wander are lost. As he puts it, he’s “going through life just bumbling along” with the curiosity and surrender required to treat life as the adventure that it is.
Steven started his first company as a 19 year old, dissatisfied with his professional path and determined to make his own way. Though that first venture failed by all conventional measures, he looks back fondly at that time of his life because of the lessons it taught him.
In the aftermath of his failed business venture, Steven read the book Yes Man, which quickly became his life mantra. And thus started a very unconditional career path that includes arts, education, marketing, technology and design.
Today, he works as product and service designer for The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB), where he has the important responsibility to help people in the engineering industry worldwide acquire the knowledge and skills needed to get us to net zero faster.
Steven is also a serial fundraiser for charities focused on Kidney Disease, having personally raised over £6k over the past few years. This year, he is raising funds for Kidney Care UK by completing the London Classics. https://2023tcslondonmarathon.enthuse...
Empathy- Led EP23/S02
At the grio agency, we often warn our clients against the dangers of competition.
We remind them that when you compete, you often use your competitors as a reference for what you should do, instead of focusing on those you seek to serve and trusting in your own vision.
But it would also be foolish to completely ignore other players in your industry.
So we advise them to think of their competitors not as enemies but as allies that are out to solve the same fundamental problem for customers. Allies that simply have different points of view, approaches and solutions.
We call it Competitive Allyship.
Just Her Rideshare is a perfect illustration of Competitive Allyship in action. Kimberly Evans isn't focused on beating her mighty competitors or on building the next unicorn.
Her focus is on obsessively and generously serving a segment of the market that, for too long, has been neglected.
So this is not a David vs Goliath story. Hers is a story about purpose and community building.
Kimberly Evans is a serial entrepreneur, community builder, founder and CEO at Just Her Rideshare , Inc.
While many deemed the number of attacks on women using rideshare services concerning but statistically insignificant to justify systemic change, every new story about a woman being attacked or harassed only created more urgency for Kimberly to act.
With features like S.O.S, which makes it easy to notify the police or a person of contact when you are in an emergency situation, or Track My Ride, which gives you the ability to share your itinerary with a loved one, Kimberly is committed to giving every woman a safer and more comfortable alternative to ridesharing.
And it's not just the riders Kimberly wants to empower. By hiring primarily women drivers, Kimberly's vision is to create a community of empowered women uplifting and looking out for other women.
Before starting this company in 2020, she founded three other companies, all while building a career with the United States Postal Service, where she spent 21 years in distribution, client support and management.
Empathy-Led EP22/S02
Learn more about Just Her Rideshare https://www.justherrideshare.com/
A few years ago, Grant McCraken made a compelling case for why every company needs a Chief Culture Officer .
He argued that, although corporations are often blind and deaf to the world around them, they need to have a better pulse on Culture in order to succeed in this rapidly-changing and interconnected world.
His point was that we need people like Michael McConnell who have not only the cultural fluency but also the ability to translate their observations into actionable insights.
In this episode, we covered a wide range of topics: the symbiotic relationship brands have with Culture; the power of empathy to connect brands with customers and people to each other; the role responsibility, community and therapy play in our respective healing journeys.
Michael McConnell is a brand consultant, innovator, community builder, and wellness advocate.
Michael began his career as an intern for Sean Combs, where he learned the true meaning of entrepreneurship.
He went on to create his own brand marketing and consultancy firm, the Rebel Camp, helping start-ups and large corporations connect authentically with their desired consumers. He has also taken on he role of head of culture and marketing director for Uncle Waithleys Beverage Company.
As an innovator Michael helped raise nearly $30 Million dollars for charity, through Text to Pledge®, which he helped launch. Michael is again at the forefront of innovation and is a founding board member for EquityCoin, a securities token focused on building affordable homes for homeless families.
Michael is also a master community builder and outspoken advocate for mental health and wellness. He has dedicated his life to ensuring that people of color get the tools necessary to live full and healthy lives.
Empathy-Led, EP21/S02
Learn more about his company The Rebel Camp https://www.therebelcamp.com/
Despite our uncanny ability to understand and relate to other people, some human experiences, like living with substance use disorder, are too complex for us to understand without having experienced it ourselves.
Even someone like Kristin Kelly Blinson, CFRE, who has spent almost a decade working with and helping people in recovery, admits she still doesn’t have all the answers.
But our conversation was full of insightful nuggets for anyone genuinely seeking to understand the experiences of people impacted by substance use disorder and those in recovery.
Kristin Kelly Blinson, President/CEO of Hope Haven Inc.-- a Therapeutic Community that provides a foundation of recovery for individuals and families impacted by substance use disorder, so they can build healthy independent lives.
I often caution people to not define their purpose by WHAT they do but WHY they do it.
If your purpose is to be a teacher, for example, and that for some reason you can't do it, then you're likely to feel lost, without purpose.
However, if your purpose is to help people reach their full potential, then you could do it as a teacher, but also as a coach, entrepreneur or therapist.
A close look at Kristin's professional trajectory reveals the power of this idea in motion.
She started her career as a public school teacher, where she witnessed the impact of the systemic inequities of race, socio-economic status, and educational opportunity.
It was a formative experience that led to a career in fundraising at Davidson College, where she helped raise millions of dollars for need-based financial aid.
Prior to joining Hope Haven, she worked at Charlotte Rescue Mission, playing an integral role in the launch of Community Matters Cafe, a social enterprise and Life Skills Program in uptown Charlotte.
Though I'm sure the dots didn't always seem to connect looking forward, it's clear how purpose connects them looking backwards.
Empathy-Led EP20/S02
To learn more about Hope Haven and to support the mission https://hopehaveninc.org/
In this episode, Dr. Leigh George makes a compelling case against using demographic markers or a product-centric approach to try to build inclusive brands. The first is inherently exclusive, while the second limits brand expansion.
Instead of alienating some people using demographics, or defining your brand by what you do, make it about an idea that is fundamental to our humanity and our shared human experience.
If you're trying to be truly inclusive, she recommends that you "build your brand on an idea that everyone can potentially believe in.”
To be clear, she isn't advocating for trying to be all things to all people. She's simply stating that to be truly inclusive, your brand may not be for everyone, but everyone should be invited.
It's a subtle, but profound, difference.
Dr. Leigh George is a marketing provocateur, founder of Freedom--a brand and marketing strategy consultancy--, and one the few people on the planet with a PhD in branding.
Dr. George calls Freedom an un-agency, which not only speaks to her rebellious spirit but also points to the many unconventional ways she is building and running her consultancy business.
In her words, she "cuts through the crap" to help people identify what's most important for their brand.
She is not beholden to traditional marketing ideas and frameworks and she isn't afraid challenge or discard them-- "whether that’s freeing you from the tyranny of the persona, helping you dodge bland brand stories or extricating you from cardboard cut-out marketing strategies that please no one, including your customers."
Dr. Leigh George is a true expert, one whose ideas and opinions always challenge my own thinking, forcing me to reconsider everything about marketing that I took for granted.
Empathy-Led EP 19/S02
Learn more about her un-agency Freedom https://find-freedom.co/
Education is something most of us feel a deep connection to, which is why we are all so vocal about all the ways it should improve to meet the needs of those it is designed to serve.
While we have an opinion, and are certainly entitled to one, I love hearing directly from those on the front lines about how they think we should reform education.
Mathu Gibson's perspective reflected just how much empathy he has for students, families and educators.
Rashaan Peek has over 20 years of experience working in, and with, nonprofits to help them advance their respective causes. She has experienced and seen firsthand what an uphill battle it is to use nonprofit as a vehicle to create systemic and lasting change.
While she continues to celebrate and support nonprofits, her advice to aspiring change-makers is usually not to start one.
Instead, she recommends starting a business and to use it as a tool to create the change they want to see in the world, while in the process creating job opportunities, reducing the wealth gap, and ultimately changing the dynamics of the system.
My perspective is that many people choose the nonprofit route because there’s this misconception that businesses can’t do good in the world. But I believe that the purpose of a business is fundamentally to enhance the human experience— in big and small ways. It is, or at least it can be, a powerful tool to improve the human condition.
We are fortunate to have examples like Yvon Chouinard and Patagonia to prove that profit and purpose do not have to be on opposite ends of a spectrum, but instead, they can be two sides of the same coin.
Empathy-Led EP17/S02
Follow Rashaan on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/rashaanpeek/
Learn more about here business Your Girl Inc https://www.yourgirlinc.com/
Production: Anesu Brian Simango
My guest, Lucas Cuadros, is a deep thinker. Someone who is as comfortable wrestling with abstract concepts as he is solving practical problems.
I asked him why empathy mattered so much in business, and his answer reflects the depth and clarity of his thinking.
"Business exists in our collective imagination", he said. "It only exists in the human world and therefore it works under human laws [...] The way to be good at anything that exists in the collective imagination of humans, is [to] understand humans first. And the only way to [do that] is through empathy."
This episode is full of these kind of introspective and insightful answers to difficult questions and those that seem straightforward, at least at face value .
If you're seeking to find work you love, or someone early on the entrepreneurial journey, this episode is for you.
Empathy led EP16/S02
Learn more about Unblended. unblendedcoffee.com
Tell the truth!
This is the simple charge Juliet D'Ambrosio has for companies.
Telling the truth is how people people become trustworthy and how they build meaningful relationships. Since customers are people, it’s also how brands can earn their trust and loyalty.
When brands fall short of this simple mandate, it leads to the false promises, purpose signaling, greenwashing, and performative allyship that are eroding the trust people have in brands to help them make progress in their lives and change our world for the better.
In her role as Chief Brand Officer at Adrenaline, Juliet is a fierce advocate for telling the truth. She challenges her clients, and companies everywhere, to identify, communicate and exemplify the enduring, immutable, truth about their brand.
She guides them on their soul searching journeys; empowers them to bravely speak up and live out their values; and shows them a path forward for building a successful business with an enduring brand.
In this episode with Juliet D'Ambrosio, we talked about the role and power of empathy to make us better entrepreneurs, brand builders, leaders and parents.
If you aspire to any of these things, this episode is for you.
Learn more about Juliet D' Ambrosio https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliet-d-...
Learn more about Adrenaline: https://www.adrenalinex.com/
Empath-led EP15/S02
"Being a University President is closer to being the Mayor of a small town than it is being the CEO of a company because of how democratic college campuses are by design." -- Rhett Brown, Wingate University
This is the perfect quote to help you understand the kind empathetic leader Rhett Brown is. One who values casting a clear vision, having a passion for the mission, collaboration, diversity, and consensus building.
Though he calls himself an "accidental leader", there's nothing accidental about Wingate University becoming one of the fastest growing universities in North Carolina under his leadership.
We covered a lot during our short conversation: the purpose of higher education, the criticism it often fairly and unfairly receives, the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion, and a myriad of other topics.
I asked him what an empathetic approach to education would look like.
His answer was simple: "Meet the students where they are."
This sentiment was echoed multiple times throughout our conversation.
We all have a personal relationship with education, which explains why each of us have an opinion on the topic.
Higher education is regularly criticized and its usefulness increasingly questioned.
I asked Rhett Brown, President at Wingate University what he thought were the fairest and least fair critiques of higher education.
He acknowledged higher ed's resistance to change and its sluggish adoption to new ideas and technologies that best reflect current realities.
However, his belief in education's power to change lives is unwavering and the critics that argues otherwise only stoke his passion for giving as many people as possible access to this life-changing opportunity.
Empathy-Led EP14/S02:
Who comes to mind when you think of the people whose love, kindness, generosity or support shaped or even changed the entire trajectory of your life?The people who invested and in poured into you so you can become the best version of yourself. The ones who believed in you long before you believed in yourself. Those who showed you a love so powerful and so unconditional that it scared you at first because you didn’t know that such love existed or that you were worthy of it. Micheal knows firsthand the power of having someone in your corner who believes in you more than you believe in yourself. After a successful professional soccer career playing for Charleston Battery, then Seattle Sounders FC, Colorado Rapids Soccer Club, Montreal Impact, and Chicago Fire FC, Micheal founded the Azira Foundation in 2020 as a way to pay his debt of gratitude to his benefactor(s), whose love and support can only be repaid by paying it forward.The Azira Foundation is on a mission to give children in Uganda access to education, nutrition and character development. Their vision is to serve as a beacon of hope for the children and the community they serve, and as example to inspire us all to also find ways to practice the highest form of gratitude: PAYING IT FORWARD.
EmpathyLed EP13/S02
Lear more about Micheal Azirahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/azira-mic...Support the foundationhttps://azirafoundation.com/
The biggest lesson I've learned from Tony Hsieh, the late founder of Zappos, is that brand and culture are two sides of the same coin. Tony understood, better than most, that your brand is a cumulative expression of everything you say and do, and ultimately, it is defined by how you show up in the world. Without a culture to support, uphold and deliver on your company values and promises, you can't possibly build a great brand. Bill is one of those rare leaders that understand how to build a great brand. He's built an entire career crafting two amazing brands Focus Lab and Odi, and rebranding some of the most successful B2B companies in the world, including Adobe Marketo, Salesloft, Zuora, Braze, Outreach, LaunchDarkly, Twilio, Adobe, ASAPP, Luminate, Netflix, and Shopify, among others.In this episode, we talked about the kind of clarity, intentionality, and consistency required to build great brands. We talked about the opportunity that brands in the B2B space have to show up in the world with more humanity and empathy since those who do are so few and far between. I asked Bill a closing question about how he wanted to be described and remembered as a leader. His answer could be summarized with "caring".
EmpathyLed EP12/S02
Learn more about Focus Labhttps://focuslab.agency/Odihttps://odibrand.agency/
Entrepreneurship, for me, has been a spiritual journey– a quest to find the truest expression of who I am and the contribution I want to make in the world. It’s a means to leverage my passions, gifts and talents to advance causes that I find meaningful and exciting. When I first met Julius, it quickly became obvious that he, too, treated entrepreneurship as a spiritual journey. And our connection was immediate. Julius is one of those entrepreneurs with whom I share the fundamental belief that the purpose of a company is to enhance the human experience. Products, services and companies are worthless, in and of themselves, because they only gain value in the context of people’s lives. So the challenge for every entrepreneur is to understand that context, then to design products, services and experiences that reflect that level of empathy for those they seek to serve. Creating more human and authentic experiences is the throughline that stitches together Julius’ work. At MUA, his latest venture, he explores the power of reflection, introspection and mindfulness to transform people’s relationship with their work and change companies’ cultures in the process. In our conversation, we talked about finding one’s purpose in life, and letting that purpose guide and inform how we choose to show up in this world and the kind of contribution we want to make.
Empathy-Led EP11/S2
To learn more about Juliushttps://www.juliusgeis.com/To learn more about MUAhttps://www.wemua.com/
Given the immense power of art, fashion, music, film and advertising in pop culture, artists and marketers may have more power than lawmakers and politicians to change our world.However, they first have to accept the responsibility to tell diverse and authentic stories; uphold ideals of equity and fairness; fight for representation in every room and on every stage. As a spoken word poet, filmmaker, and adman, my guest Ndukwe Onuoha has certainly accepted this responsibility. In this episode, we talked about his various contributions to this important mission. We reflected on Africa’s place and being African in the context of the modern world. We discussed how to best raise the next generation of independent thinkers, leaders and change agents.
Empathy-Led EP10/S2
To learn more about him and his workhttps://ndukwe.co.uk/
Trust takes time to build. But when you're a qualitative researcher, like Susan (Rubenstein) Collin , you're not always afforded the luxury of time. You have to jumpstart and fast track the trust process with interviewees; people with whom you'll only have a fleeting relationship. Hers is one of those jobs where you constantly have to flex your empathy muscles to build connection fast; to understand others' world and, at times, even inhabit it; to escape your egocentric bias in order to hear others' truths and let the Truth emerge from your research. During our conversation Sue walked us through how she accomplishes this seemingly impossible feat and what she's learned about people in the process. Susan Collin, spends a lot of time thinking about people-- whether it's personal, business or the fleeting relationships she has with participants for qualitative research during in-depth interviews and focus groups.After many years doing quantitative research at her company RTi Research, she switched to the qualitative side and now serves as the Senior Vice President, Director of Qualitative Services. While most people either identify as left or right brain, she is highly analytical and fluent in people. It's a rare, and powerful, combination. Her left and right brain synergy was evident during our conversation.
Empathy-Led EP09/S2
To learn more about Susan Collinhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/susancollin/To learn more about RTi Researchhttps://rtiresearch.com/
In this episode with Jonny, we talked about life as a parent, partner and business owner, and the importance of looking after ourselves and protecting our energy. We talked how to build an empathetic culture; the kind they have at his company Seed, where they live by the mantra "Be useful. Be Kind"Finally, Jonny made a compelling case for how to solve one the greatest challenges of our time: climate change. Jonny believes that to get to Net Zero we need creativity. We need to understand and empathize with our audiences in order so to create campaigns and deliver content that have a better chance of motivating people to lead more sustainable lives.
Empathy Led S2 Episode 8
To learn more about Jonnyhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jonprest/To learn more about Seedhttps://seedcreativity.co.uk/
In this episode with Curtis Drafton, we talked about life growing up as a Cuban African-American and how his roots and family values prepared him for a life of service.
After serving in the military, Curtis returned home to challenges that many veterans face, ultimately experiencing homelessness for a few months. After putting his life back together, he founded the US Veteran Hall Fame to help give his fellow veterans the hero’s homecoming and support they deserve.
My conversation with Curtis is full of shocking and heartbreaking insights into how challenging that transition can be for many veterans, as well as what we can do, as individuals and businesses, to serve those to whom we owe our freedom and privileges upon their return home.
Empathy-Led EP07/S2
To learn more about Curtis
https://www.linkedin.com/in/curtisdrafton/
To learn more about the Veterans Hall of Fame
https://www.usvetshalloffame.org/
In this episode, our conversation with Ronnie Quillen took us across various topics, from psychology, neuroscience, storytelling, marketing, and advertising, to the unbreakable nature of the human spirit.
Ronnie is a master storyteller who is driven and fascinated by the seemingly unlimited power of the human spirit. Ronnie founded a media company, turned marketing agency, to tell stories of limit breakers-- those constantly pushing and redefining the boundaries to the human potential.
Through his company Limit Breaker Media Inc, Ronnie is on a mission to curate stories that celebrate the incredible power of the human spirit and inspire us to find and push past our own perceived limitations.
There are wonderful insights and practical nuggets in this episode about the power of empathy and storytelling to make us better entrepreneurs, marketers and leaders.
To learn more about Ronnie
To learn more about Limit Break Media Inc
In this episode with Marc Gibson, we talked about #technology: its fundamental purpose and incredible evolution over the years, as well as how it powers our lives and businesses today.
We talked about #entrepreneurship and how, fundamentally, business is about risk management– making the best of the opportunities others often can’t see or aren’t brave enough to seize, while also protecting ourselves from ruin by capping the downsize-- to borrow the finance term.
Finally, we talked about leadership, and the role of a leader to cast a clear vision and assemble a team willing to contribute their gifts, talents and passion in pursuit of that common goal. In the process, Marc highlighted the importance of remembering and understanding the humanity of those in our charge so we can best align their needs and aspirations with those of the business. That’s empathy-led.
To learn more about DTHREE TECHNOLOGIES
Stillness is key. In that space of heightened awareness lies our opportunity to choose what deserves our attention and to choose our response to external stimuli. In that space we also learn to be more empathetic and more creative because empathy and creativity both require that we suspend our judgment in order to seek understanding and truth. In this episode with Tim Elliott, we talked about his journey to finding stillness and how this new found skill bleeds in every aspect of his work and life. Tim is a facilitator, a speaker, Ultra and trail runner and a climate reality leader from Derby England. He spent the first 25 years of his career working with leaders and leadership teams in the creative services industry as a brand and marketing strategist. Today his work is still firmly embedded in the world of creativity but he now believes that it's not enough to use creativity to sell stuff, we have to use it to change stuff.
Learn more about Tim https://www.linkedin.com/in/timelliottuk/
Learn more about climate reality project https://www.climaterealityeurope.org/
Learn more about The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) https://www.thecalmzone.net/
In this episode, we sit down with Anessa Powell, a passionate advocate for people with disabilities in the workplace. Anessa has extensive experience working in the field of disability rights and has dedicated her career to creating more inclusive and equitable workplaces for people with disabilities.
She shares her personal story of overcoming barriers and discrimination, and offers valuable insights and strategies for employers and employees alike on how to create more inclusive and welcoming workplaces.
Whether you're an employer looking to diversify your workforce or an employee with a disability seeking to advance your career, this episode is a must-listen. Anessa provides actionable advice and a wealth of resources for anyone looking to promote greater inclusion and equity in the workplace.
Join us as we explore the important topic of disability rights and learn from one of the leading voices in the field.
To learn more about Anessa
To learn more about AllAbility Recruiting
In this episode with Rob Volpe, we got very practical about how to become more empathetic.
Rob is an astute observer of life and a master storyteller who brings empathy and compassion to the human experience. As CEO of Ignite 360, he leads a team of insights, strategy, and creative professionals serving the world’s leading brands across a range of industries. He is the author of Tell Me More About That: Solving the Empathy Crisis One Conversation at a Time, which I absolutely recommend to every human being I encounter.
As a thought leader in the role of empathy in marketing and the workplace, he is a contributor to Entrepreneur’s Leadership Network and frequently speaks on the topic at conferences, corporations, colleges, podcasts and with the media.
He is a graduate of Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and lives in San Francisco with his husband and 3 cats.
Empathy is a skill that requires practice and Rob offered practical steps each of us can take in every encounter to become a little more empathetic.
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Suspend your judgement
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Listen actively
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Ask great questions
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Integrate knowledge through understanding
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Use solution imagination
Listen to the episode and, most importantly, pick up a copy of the book to understand what each of these steps means.
To learn more about Rob
To order a copy of his book
To learn more about his company Ignite 360
In this episode, Michael Smith, CEO of the Charlotte Center City Partners, shared with us the key ingredients required to build a great city. And he would know since his organization is largely responsible for turning Charlotte into the attractive, vibrant and dynamic city it has become over the past 20 years.
To build a city where people can live, grow and thrive while feeling like they belong, Michael says it's important to start with values and to not compromise on those values. He added that it requires empathy to understand people's needs, wants and aspirations so you can build a city where people can hear and see themselves represented.
More about Michael Smith
More about the Charlotte Center City Partners
In this episode, we had an amazing conversation with Jeni Bukolt, founder of Haven Creative where it's their mission to create community inside and around companies. Jeni talks about the power of empathy and storytelling to build great organizations and brands. She believes that all problems within organizations are communications problems and that once you get people talking, collaborating and working together, you're not only able to build high performing teams but also strong cultures.
To learn more about Haven Creative visit https://havencreativeagency.com/
Find Jeni on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenibukolt/
grio is a brand consultancy in Charlotte, North Carolina and we are on a mission to help companies find their souls– who they are and who they serve, why they exist and what distinguishes them. Whether your company is looking for market fit, growth, or reinvention, our empathy-led approach to branding and marketing will help you transition from one phase of your business to the next.
Although maximizing business profit should be the same as increasing customer value, it only is in theory. In practice, maximizing business value often comes at the cost of customer value. However, that's often shortsighted. To scale and grow in a sustainable way, companies have to be intentional in aligning business and customer value. To that end, at grio, we challenge our clients to focus on maximizing customer profit.
In this episode, we had a conversion with HR and diversity expert Kamella Emmanuel. From her years as a British diplomat traveling the world and as an executive coach, Kamella reveals that the highest aspirations for leaders should be to ensure that every employee feels a sense of belonging.
In this episode of Empathy-Led, Marisa Ciesluk, a leadership coach, talks about the importance of leading with empathy. She talks about the level of self-awareness and bravery required to lead people and help them be and perform at their best.
One of the biggest takeaways is the crucial change in belief leaders need to adopt in order to lead with empathy. They have to believe that, fundamentally, most people are always trying their best. It's the only way they can support employees instead of berating them when they fall short.
In this episode of Empathy-led, we asked David "Dae Lee" Arrington, like we do guest, how leaders can flex and strengthen their empathy muscles. His answer was, in short, to lean on the power of relationships to build bridges. David believes that seeking to build genuine and authentic relationships is key to connecting with those we seek to serve or influence.
David is co-founder at Hue House, a creative agency connecting client goals to culturally competent stories via consulting, creativity and community. He is also the founder of Bridge Builder Consulting, an innovative consulting agency, developing bridge-building leaders and organizations that will change the world.
Hue House: https://www.itshuehouse.com/
Bridge Builder Consulting: https://www.webridgebuild.com/
ABOUT GRIO
grio is a brand consultancy in Charlotte, North Carolina and we are on a mission to help companies find their souls– who they are and who they serve, why they exist and what distinguishes them. Whether your company is looking for market fit, growth, or reinvention, our empathy-led approach to branding and marketing will help you transition from one phase of your business to the next. Ultimately, grio helps companies find the truest expression of who they are and the contribution they want to make in the world
To learn more visit grioagency.com
Follow us on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/75760213/admin/
In this mini episode we talk image-perception gap-- a concept that is central to our empathy-led branding framework. There's a gap that exists between image (our internal understanding of our brands) and perception (how the brand is actually perceived externally). At grio, we believe that branding is the art and science of closing this image-perception gap.
First, we have to be clear about who are as a company because only then can we have a shot at shaping and influencing others' perception. Next, we have to deploy enough empathy to understand how people form their perception.
At grio, we believe that success in business ultimately depends on our ability connect with the people we seek to serve-- both inside and outside our companies. And connecting with others requires empathy. In this episode, our guest Todd Buelow, co-founder of a Charlotte-based software company called Dualboot Partners, talks about the power of human connection to help build great software and great companies.
In this episode we explore a question we get asked all the time at grio: why empathy? Our answer is always that business is fundamentally about people. And success hinges on our ability to connect with various stakeholders-- inside and outside our companies. Through this lens, empathy is therefore very practical and fundamental to business.
In this first episode, we had an amazing conversation with Christopher Sottile, the founder and owner of The Loyalist Market-- A cut-to-order cheese and charcuterie shop offering over 60 artisan cheeses and cured meats from the US and abroad, along with artisan food products from the best producers the South has to offer.
The Loyalist stands for loyal to organic/high quality food and local suppliers; loyal to customers, employees and the community at large.
Loyalty is one of marketing's most coveted prizes and Chris walked us through what he thinks are the secret ingredient of earning the loyalty of those you seek to serve.
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Always put people first. Don't make it transactional. Make it about creating relationships
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Be authentic: do what you said you would even when it's inconvenient. Be consistent with it.
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Be transparent: to build community you need let people in. Building a business is a process of co-creation.
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Be a force for good-- for employees, customers and the community
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Focus on building a strong culture. Have a team approach. Find the right people, who understand and share the vision, mission and values. Culture builders.
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