The ROI of Why: Recent Episodes
Andrew Tuzson
Seeking to uncover the correlation between purpose and business, The ROI of Why explores all things impact related within different markets and sectors. Every week, Graham and Andrew investigate the growing shift that is placing people over profits. The two connect with business owners, entrepreneurs, and influential members of organizations to better understand what drives their business models to place a heavy emphasis on doing good within their communities, their markets, and the world.
In this week's episode of ROI of Why, Graham and Drew link up with JD Messinger to discuss the 12 Habits of Authentic Leaders. Jonathan D. (JD) Messinger is a corporate visionary, #1 best-selling author, inspirational speaker, and personal advisor. He began life as a fireman and went on to become CEO of Ernst & Young Consulting, South East Asia. Nominated as CNBC Asian CEO of the year, he was an advisor to the Singapore Prime Minister, Fortune 100 companies, members of parliament, and dignitaries around the world on global, industrial, and human evolution. His writing has been featured in major publications around the world.
On this week's episode of the ROI of Why, Graham and Andrew link up with Hamsa Daher of Small Giants to discuss the massive impact they have made within the purpose driven landscape. The Small Giants Community is a designated L3C organization, a hybrid between a for-profit and a nonprofit entity that prioritizes mission and social purpose. Passionate, purposeful business leaders from around the world look to Small Giants to train and develop future leaders in their organizations, connect with like-hearted peers, and learn how to run a values-driven business.
Graham and Drew kick off season two with a bang. They discuss silver linings, business as a force for good, and the concept of fellow travelers.
For the last episode of season one of The ROI of Why, we’re celebrating all the good we’ve discovered in our business community by looking back on our favorite conversations on this show. We’ll share the moments that inspired and enlightened us—and how we can apply these lessons to the unique world we live in now.
As everyday life shifts into a strange new normal, we’ve seen several nonprofits wonder how their fundraising fits in. These are tough times for everyone, but nonprofits can’t just pause their mission—those they serve still need them. GivingTuesday, the organization that usually facilitates charitable donations the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, has created GivingTuesday to take some pressure off concerned nonprofits. On Tuesday, May 5, GivingTuesday is hosting an online giving event that allows you to give to your local nonprofit organizations. Today, we’re discussing Firespring’s and Do More Good’s roles in GivingTuesday and how we can help nonprofits utilize the resources GivingTuesday provides. To learn more about GivingTuesday and how your nonprofit can participate, get in touch with us—we’re happy to help.
Electronic Contracting Company has provided custom designed electronic solutions to clients across the Midwest for over 60 years. Part of the reason they’ve survived for so long is willingness to adapt without compromising their service or vision. Matt Thorne, the executive vice president of Electronic Contracting Company, has been with the company for 24 years and is helping usher its culture into a new era. This week, Matt talks us through the process of redefining company culture by getting all team members involved in identifying company core values. When core values come from within and reflect the reality of all team members, everyone can take ownership of the principles that drive their purpose. This episode was recorded on 2/25/2020
Allo is a fiber optic internet, phone and cable provider powered by hundreds of team members based across Nebraska and Colorado. Allo’s core values—be honest, exceptional, local and hassle-free—are not only a reminder of what Allo stands for, they drive how the company acts and grows. Our guest this week, Dave Miller, Allo’s director of ethical engagement, discusses how and why core values should be a powerful driving force in any company. Even large, decentralized companies like Allo can benefit from staying honed in on their value system. As Dave says, “When your core values are the loudest voice in the room, everybody wins.”
Today at the round table of purpose and impact, we are joined by Randy Hawthorne and Graham Pansing Brooks to talk all things Launch Leadership. Randy, the executive director of Launch, has been involved in the organization for years and watched it grow from a student council organization to a comprehensive summer leadership workshop. The key tenet of Launch is that every student has the potential to be great leader in their own way—Launch provides them the skills and tools to put their leadership in action. This week, we discuss the power of developing leadership from a young age to build a stronger, more purposeful future. This episode was recorded on February 3, 2020. Visit launchleadership.org for updates on their summer programming.
In such a strange time as this, it’s not strange for individuals and organizations to feel a bit lost. And that’s okay—we’re all in this difficult time together. Luckily, there are a lot of amazing people and companies working hard to support their communities right now. Today, we would like to discuss some of the organizations we’ve seen go above and beyond to serve others in hopes of bringing our ROI of Why community some hope and inspiration. Stay safe, stay positive, stay rooted in purpose.
Graham Pansing Brooks joins us on the podcast once again this week with a treasure trove of knowledge from the Stagen Reunion—a conference for businesses who plan for the long, long game. Companies move quickly these days, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t value in planning through generations and legacy. Taking an occasional glance outside the scope of the day-to-day can provide a perspective that helps us set foundations that are built to last. Listen in for Graham’s experiences, insights and lessons learned from this future-focused conference.
Every day, your audiences are bombarded by endless content on the endless scroll of social media. It’s not hard to understand why people can feel social media fatigue—and why they cope by tuning out the majority of what they see. To cut through that endless scroll and really connect with someone must take magic then, right? Well in this day and age, a thoughtful, creative, intentional paid social post can be your magic. In this final installment of our social media storytelling series, we’ll be talking about how to harness the immense potential of social media advertising in ways that truly resonate with your audience. We’ll share our tips and tricks about how to create social media ad campaigns that actually accomplish your goals and move your brand forward.
As we discussed in the first installment of this miniseries, social media has so many awesome capabilities beyond just asking your audience to buy your goods and services. Selling shouldn’t always be your top priority on social—but eventually you gotta turn that devoted follower into a devoted customer. So how do we mindfully ask for sales in the volatile social media world? Today, we dive into some of our strategies for building awareness and relationships on social so audiences are ready to buy when the opportunity appears.
There are several competing philosophies about what social media engagement is and how to measure it. Tracking a number of likes, shares or comments is a valuable piece of engagement, but it’s part of something even bigger. The storytelling capabilities of social media open up a whole world of connections through engagement. So how can brands seek a kind of engagement that actually leaves an impact on people? In this social media storytelling minisode, we discuss our personal views on engagement and share some engagement-driving strategies to build a community around your brand.
Over the next four weeks, we’re taking a dive into the wild world of social media strategy with a focus on powerful storytelling. Purposeful brands have purposeful stories to share, and those stories can create invaluable connections with an invested audience. Week 1 is all about value-driven content—the fun, useful, intentional content that hooks your audience by giving them a taste of the wisdom you have and they need. We’ll discuss some ways we use value-driven content in our careers and strategies you can use to truly engage your social media audience.
All of us—individuals, brands, nonprofits, movements—have a story. But as we’ve learned from the great Joseph Campbell (check out Myths & Monsters on Netflix), we are all really telling the same amazing story of humanity. All we need to find is what we want to add to the story. This week, we discuss how storytelling is a key way organizations can create genuine community on social media. When organizations find what they contribute to our story and make content that guides people through that story, it can build a truly invested audience.
In business and life right now, there seems to be a need for speed and immediacy. Each task needs to get done ASAP so you can move to the next one ASAP. While moving quickly can be an essential skill, we want to talk about the value of planning, vision and tenacity for the 2020s. This week, we discuss how to keep an eye on the bigger picture when everyday demands and exciting new trends can pull us away from our true north. Playing the long game takes strategy and planning, but it might just be the key to a prosperous new decade.
People don’t like to be sold to. On the other hand, people love to learn and become empowered to make their own decisions, especially purchases. Too many brands overlook the opportunity of aiding consumers in their journey to discovery and prefer to sell, sell, sell. Something as simple as a Facebook ad has vast potential to leave a lasting impression on the right set of eyes. This week, we talk about social media’s unique ability to tell authentic stories, add value for customers and tie a brand genuinely to its purpose.
The meetings grind and distraction-ridden environments we’ve created for ourselves can lead to bad tendencies, hollow statements and communication breakdowns. But if we retrain to be more mindful, intentional and vulnerable, we can see work in a whole new light. There’s power in listening—not just hearing—and connecting with the people around you more genuinely. This week, we discuss becoming a better leader by forming new communication habits and bringing our best selves to work.
In order to change the culture of work to better fit modern families, we need start by changing our perspectives on how work should be conducted. We can then discover and solves the subtle inefficiencies that keep us tied to work. Decades ago, it was predicted that technology would help us attain a four day work week. So why does that concept seem more far away than ever? This week, we think beyond the 40-hour work week and discuss different ways businesses can maximize their resources to give employees more balanced, fulfilling lives.
Our chat with Jessica Charlsen last week inspired us to reflect on the modern work landscape, and we just had to spend another episode sharing our thoughts. Chasing career dreams is more possible than ever, but a side effect of this thriving entrepreneur landscape is a romanticization of overwork. This week, we discuss burnout, overwork and ways to combat them with efficiency and purpose to build a more focused, sustainable workforce.
This ultra-connected world means working parents are only a text away from everyone who needs them, but it also poses challenges in the pursuit of a healthy work/life balance. Jessica Charlsen, cofounder of Job Share Connect, is passionate about helping women re-enter the workforce after having kids and finding ways to make work cultures more accommodating to families. Through this passion, she discovered the immense positive potential of job sharing. This week, we chat with Jessica about how she came upon the idea of Job Share Connect and why she thinks job sharing can reshape the culture of work to maximize talents and lead to more fulfilling lives.
As a new decade approaches, new business technologies and strategies are emerging at a faster rate than ever. All of them are meant to make businesses better and more efficient in unique ways, but the sheer amount of choice can be overwhelming. Today, Angie and Andrew look forward to 2020 with an eye on rising business trends and how they can support purpose. They discuss how you can use some current trends to improve your organization while increasing its impact and how to avoid certain trends that may inhibit purpose. Here’s to a purposeful new year!
How can we genuinely commit to goodness beyond the holidays? The holidays are the primary time each year when giving back is at the forefront of most people’s and organization’s minds. The warm kindness of the holiday season naturally lends itself to helping others, but that generosity shouldn’t be confined to just a few weeks. This week, brainstorm with Angie and Andrew as they come up with year-round, authentic giveback strategies for any organization.
This week, with the holiday giving season in full swing, we’re taking a deep dive into a movement we really love: 1% For The Planet.
1% For The Planet is not only an organization that encourages businesses give 1 percent of their profit to environmental causes, it is a jumping-off point for consumers to prioritize the environment in their purchases. Listen in to learn how consumers have immense power to influence brands to do good and how movements like 1% For The Planet can make the world better through the holiday season and beyond.
Eighty percent of millennials think businesses should be committed to bringing positive change to society. Being a purpose-driven business is no longer just a nice thing to say, it’s expected by consumers. So what does that mean for employers, job seekers and the entire workforce? Today, Angie and Andrew discuss the ways consumers and employees have developed a need for purpose and how that’s changing our understanding of what business can do.
Today, Andrew and Angie break down organizational purpose, individual purpose and how they work together to crystallize a company’s goals. Purpose is each organization’s true differentiator, and clear purpose allows leadership to create an environment where everyone’s unique abilities work toward the greater good. Listen in to discover how purpose motivates and inspires, and how to identify a purpose that represents every member of your team.
Amy Infante is the CEO and owner of GitGo, a lead-generation company for the hotel and hospitality industry. She recently returned to her hometown of Wisner, Nebraska, and set up GitGo’s headquarters in the town of 1,200 people. As GitGo has grown, Amy has shifted the company’s focus to better serve her small community and positively impact the huge hospitality industry.
This week, we sit down with Amy to discuss how she built a culture of giving in GitGo and how she chose to expand GitGo’s purpose into a partnership with The Set Me Free Project, a human trafficking prevention organization.
This week, we’re reflecting on moments from the 2019 Do More Good Conference that inspired, shocked, amazed and reminded us how businesses of all industries are taking little steps every day to do good. Join us as we unpack the most goosebump-inducing moments of the conference and discover the ways any company can do more good by their employees, customers and community.
This week, we dive into the world of the Do More Good movement with native Lincolnite Graham Pansing Brooks. Graham’s career has taken him around the country and inspired him to return to the middle of everywhere to spark a spirit of giving in Nebraska’s businesses. Listen in to learn how Graham helps businesses build their purpose and giveback structures and discover the unique ways Conscious Capitalism, 1% for the Planet and B Corp certification can each help organizations be beacons of good.
“Any progress is good progress. Just get started.” Ken McCarty and his three brothers are dairy farmers at McCarty Farms in Kansas, Nebraska and Ohio. They are committed to sustainability and define it as creating an ecosystem that can support their business into the future and creating business practices to support the ecosystem and community. By educating others about agriculture and giving back to their communities, they are building a sustainable environment for their business to grow and do more good. In this episode, learn how McCarty farms promotes all forms of sustainability to ensure their business, environment and people are thriving for years to come.
“If it’s meaningful and you’ve got something to say, DO IT.” Lance Koenig, SVP of global strategy at The Martin Agency, is always cooking up new ways for brands to say something that means something. He develops marketing strategy for iconic brands like Oreo and isn’t afraid to take some risks for a brand’s message to be heard. But it isn’t enough for Lance for a message to just be heard. It has to have impact. In this week’s episode, learn how Lance anchors his strategies in purpose to energize brands and ignite connections between fans.
Tony Goins, director of economic development at the Nebraska Department of Economic Development and founder of Capital Cigar Lounge, believes everything can be a chance to learn and serve others. So when an opportunity appeared to climb Mount Kilimanjaro for the charity Waterboys, Tony didn’t hesitate to join the expedition.
In this week’s episode, Tony shares how his life-changing journey to the summit of Kilimanjaro, his service in the Marine Corps and his work in servant-leadership have impacted his business philosophies. Learn about Tony’s synergistic coaching style and discover the enduring power of purpose.
Becoming a great leader isn’t just a statement one can make. Rand Stagen formed the Stagen Leadership Academy to develop leaders that leaves people not only inspired but pairs them with a leadership coach and provides tools to generate true transformation. Beyond the Academy, Stagen joined co-founders John Mackey (CEO of Whole Foods Market) and Raj Sisodia (Ph.D., renowned author and business leader) to form the Conscious Capitalism movement. The Conscious Capitalism movement challenges business leaders to re-think why their organizations exist and to acknowledge their companies’ roles in the interdependent global marketplace.
Join us as we explore the Conscious Capitalism Movement and leadership with Rand Stagen.
How does a timeless brand like Disney stand out in today’s oversaturation of kids’ content? We sat down with John Rood, SVP of Marketing at Disney Channels Worldwide, to find out. By owning its niche market, Disney has mastered storytelling with a higher purpose. Its staff of high achievers knows the importance of a culture that gives back.
In this week’s episode, hear how saying “no” has empowered the Disney brand to remain true to itself and how the impact of the four Hs allows it to keep producing entertainment with heart.
Established in 1848, Hancock Lumber Company is a sixth-generation, family-owned business operating a land company, sawmill division, a network of retail lumber yards, home design showrooms and a truss manufacturing facility.
In 2010, CEO Kevin Hancock started losing his voice and was soon diagnosed with spasmodic dysphonia, an incurable neurological condition that causes spasms in the vocal cords and is made worse by stress. While going through his personal struggle, Kevin traveled to Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota where he truly learned what it meant to have no voice.
In this week’s episode, we dive into Kevin’s journey and how his experience propelled Hancock Lumber to a more employee-centric business culture.
Having a corporate giveback program isn’t just for B2C companies. Daycos is a family-run business that provides revenue-based services to transportation and moving companies.
Through the vision of the organization’s founders and leadership, Brandon and Tammy Day, Daycos made the decision to double down on their efforts to be purposeful and proactive in their giveback policies. Going all in, Daycos changed its company mission to “do good and be good.”
In this week’s episode, hear what inspired them to commit their business to do more good and how putting the decision in the hands of their employees has made everyone more accountable to their mission.
Lieutenant Colonel Jamie Peer is a former Professor of Military Science for the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. While in her role, she took civilian college students and prepared them for officer positions in the U.S. Army. Then and now, Jamie’s goal is to develop leaders who guide with dignity and respect.
Jamie breaks down the change in culture she witnessed from when she began basic training in 1996 to becoming an officer in 2002. Jamie experienced an army at war and witnessed how to take care of fellow troops and have the backs of those around you.
In this week’s episode, Jamie shares how developing a diverse field of cadets has changed her view of relationships in the workplace.
We are honored to have Jay Coen Gilbert, one of the three co-founders of the Certified B Corporation movement and B Labs, on the podcast. B Labs assesses companies’ social and environmental performance and holds them publicly accountable to stakeholders beyond shareholders alone through impact on employees, community and more. Join Angie and Andrew as they dive into what motivated Jay to lead this cultural shift in the for-profit sector and discuss his call for a reformation to capitalism.
This week's episode of The ROI of Why explores the energy and passion that fuels purpose. Angie and Andrew are joined by Ed O'Boyle to discuss his views around driving change within the walls of an organization and the markets they serve. Ed serves as Gallup’s global practice leader. He oversees the research and innovation efforts of Gallup’s Workplace and Marketplace practices as well as guiding Gallup’s leading-edge science and discoveries to drive impact and performance of Gallup’s clients. Ed was instrumental in developing the company’s Culture and B2B frameworks, which have generated increases in performance through customer engagement and impact. Before joining Gallup, Ed served in strategic leadership roles in brand management and innovation at Diageo, Capital One and Frito-Lay.
Roughly 1.3 billion people are affected by visual impairment and approximately 80% of blindness is curable. This powerful statistic gripped the founders of Physicians Thrive and compelled them to not only dedicate resources towards helping the blind see, but led them to develop a mobile app that pairs fitness tracking with financial donations to fund vision correction on a global scale. This week, Angie and Andrew connect with Justin Nabity and Reid Lancaster of Physicians Thrive to discuss this motivation, the growth they have experienced and how this trajectory shift has reinvented the way they approach business.
Spreetail is a fast-growing ecommerce organization that has placed purpose and impact at the forefront of their why. A percentage of every transaction is donated to a nonprofit or charitable organization of the customer’s choosing—a business model that has allowed Spreetail to shift the trajectory of the for-profit landscape drastically.
In this week’s episode, Angie and Andrew connect with Chad Kilpatrick and Andrea Wolfe to discuss the growth of Spreetail, the power of impact and the driving impetus of the organization to do more good in the world.
Note: Since recording, Andrea Wolfe has parted ways with Spreetail.
The first of many conversations from the Do More Good Conference, this week’s episode of the ROI of Why explores purpose, impact and culture from the perspective of Michelle Kinder.
Michelle is a speaker, writer, consultant, coach and the former executive director of Momentous Institute. She has worked in executive leadership for over a decade and is a Licensed Professional Counselor. Under Michelle’s leadership, Fortune magazine and Great Place to Work named Momentous Institute one of the top 100 Best Workplaces for Women and 50 Best Workplaces in Texas. Michelle has articles featured in TIME, Washington Post, Texas Tribune, Dallas Morning News, Mindful Magazine, Huffington Post and PBS’ Next Avenue.
Angie and Andrew discuss Michelle’s journey, her “ah-ha” moment and her family’s affinity for four-legged creatures.
A fresh perspective is permeating the business world. The much-needed trajectory shift is focused on organizations discovering their purpose to maximize the impact on their staff, clients, communities and our planet. In the for-profit free market, this concept may sound like a new undertaking, but the groundswell surrounding this holistic approach to business is the byproduct of years of research, heavy lifting, hard work, and execution.
In this week’s episode, Angie and Andrew connect with Firespring founder and CEO, Jay Wilkinson. Jay is a visionary and has dedicated the lion’s share of his life to doing more good in the world. Aside from leading and growing Firespring to the award-winning juggernaut that it is today, Jay spends a monumental amount of his efforts writing, speaking and mentoring entrepreneurs, business owners, nonprofits and young minds to consider the impact they can bring to their organizations and teams. Angie and Andrew discuss the chronology of his efforts and his latest initiative, the Do More Good movement.
The ROI of Why seeks to discover the motivation and implementation tactics used by businesses across the globe to drive their impact and purpose. In this week’s episode, Angie and Andrew discuss their backgrounds and the inspiration for launching the show. The two set the stage for the future of the show and outline what’s to come.