Will Power Podcast by Will Humphreys
Freedom isn’t just possible—it’s the point.
If you’re a healthcare leader or entrepreneur tired of burnout, constant busyness, and feeling stuck in your own success story… this podcast is your reset button.
Hosted by Will Humphreys—former physical therapist turned serial entrepreneur, speaker, and founder of Virtual Rockstar—The Will Power Podcast dives deep into what it really takes to build a business that serves your life, not the other way around.
Expect raw coaching moments, unfiltered conversations, and powerful lessons on leadership, business, and family—the real pillars of lasting freedom.
You’ll laugh, learn, and walk away ready to lead with love, live on purpose, and never give up your freedom.
Will Power Podcast by Will Humphreys
Co-Creating Culture, Vulnerability in Leadership, and Hiring for Heart with Amy Somerville
In this dynamic episode of the Will Power Podcast, host Will Humphreys sits down with Amy Somerville, CEO and founder of Moment of Clarity and former CEO of Success Enterprises, to explore the vital connection between leadership, culture, and personal transformation.
Amy, a veteran in the personal development and human growth space with over 20 years of experience (including executive roles at RE/MAX and Buffini & Company), shares her deep-seated passion for serving entrepreneurs and helping people reach their highest potential.
Key Takeaways & Discussion Points
- Culture is Strategy, Not Luxury: Amy breaks down the common misconception that culture is a "nice-to-have." She emphasizes that your organization's culture is your strategy, defining success, product development, and team loyalty.
- Culture is What You Allow: Learn why a top-down mandate doesn't work. True, thriving culture is co-created by the entire team, weaving through the soul of the organization and empowering members.
- The 'We' vs. 'I' Language Test: Discover key trigger words that reveal a toxic or selfish culture. A healthy culture shifts from "I" and "me" to "we" and "ours."
- Leadership is a Behavior, Not a Title: Amy shares her journey of shedding the "duck" mentality (calm on the surface, paddling furiously underneath). Vulnerability and authenticity build trust far more than the facade of perfection.
- The Art of Storytelling in Leadership: Find out how leaders can use their imperfections, failures, and lessons learned, not just their successes—to create an empathic connection and a non-judgmental coaching space for their teams.
- Hiring for Heart, Training for Skill: Amy outlines the strategy of making your culture crystal clear in job descriptions to act as a natural magnet or repellent. Plus, she reveals her favorite non-obvious interview question ("perfect or on time?") and what the best answers reveal about a candidate's team focus.
- Protect Your Culture: Understand the importance of consistently revisiting your co-created mission, vision, and values, and why neglecting behavioral misalignment is a fast track to culture decay.
Tune in to learn Amy's hard-won lessons on servant leadership, co-creating vision, and protecting the culture you allow.
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Hey Rockstars, today's episode will help you become the kind of team member that every leader wants to keep forever. You're gonna learn how great company culture is really built, how leaders think, and most importantly, how you can stand out in any team. Amy Somerville is a genius. She's one of the most powerful leaders I've ever met. She breaks down why curiosity beats perfection, how to communicate with confidence, and how to avoid burnout by understanding your client, their expectations, and the culture you're stepping into. So if you want to grow, lead, or make a bigger impact, this episode is your roadmap. Let's jump in. Amy Somerville, I am so excited to have you on the podcast today. Thank you so much for taking time out of your schedule to be with us.
SPEAKER_01:Oh my gosh, I'm so excited to be here. Honored. Thank you for inviting me.
SPEAKER_00:We had the privilege of meeting at Brian Wright's three-day MBA back in August. And to say that we had a connection was an understatement. I felt like I was meeting my twin sister from a, you know, I mean, I just feel like we were so aligned in terms of how we viewed people and business and all of that. And man, it was such a pleasure. I can't believe I got you on the show. Um, why don't you introduce yourself and talk a little bit about, you know, set the table just for a few minutes about who you are, what you're passionate about.
SPEAKER_01:Okay, great. Yeah. And I I will say I completely agree. It was one of those moments of how do we not know each other? How our entire lives and not known each other, but are so connected and so, you know, in our belief systems and our heart and our drive and our passion, the impact that we want to have. Um, so I'm honored to be here. Uh Amy Somerville, I am the uh founder and CEO of Moment of Clarity, which is a leadership and consulting uh company that um that I formed uh several years ago. I have been, I would say, in the personal development, uh, human growth, human transformation side of uh, or we'll say, we'll call it an industry or passion place, uh, most of my career. So 20 plus years. It was uh tied to real estate um on the front end. So I was an executive at Remax World Headquarters for many, many years. Um, I also worked with uh Brian Buffini and Buffini and Company in uh the coaching and development space, again, touching entrepreneurs primarily in uh in areas that touch real estate. And then uh more recently uh was the CEO of Success Enterprises, uh, which is home to uh a 130-year-old uh brand that a lot of people know, Success Magazine, uh which also included success coaching and success events. And I've I've had the opportunity to serve entrepreneurs, which I would say is my passion. I'm passionate about serving uh people who you know are looking to have a massive impact. Um I think uh my calling, my mission statement actually is to impact and improve the lives of others. And no matter what that means, right? So it could be in leadership, it could be personally, it could be with their families, it could be in just connecting great people together and uh seeing what uh what people you know develop uh you know together with with complementary skill sets or passion points. So I guess I'm just uh ultimately passionate about help helping people transform their lives and reach the their highest potential that help them be as successful as they choose to be.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I love how you say that. You know, in Rockstars as we're talking to Amy, I want you to understand this is a real force of leadership with Amy. You've got an interesting background in that you've been an executive of very large companies. Remax was how big when you were an executive in that space?
SPEAKER_01:Oh my gosh, uh 125,000 agents worldwide.
SPEAKER_00:So, I mean, so I want you guys to hear that. You know, Amy's background has been on both sides of it. She's been an entrepreneur for very massively successful companies and then leader of companies that led in training leaders. You know, success being a good example in that space. I we're not gonna name drop, but any of the bigger names out there in terms of development that have books or major, major followings, she has rubbed elbows with these individuals and very humbly has been working to help support not just like you know your clients, but your teams as well. That is something that I see you as this kind of a mix of being able to do both. Because usually a business owner focuses more internally on their teams, and then you have someone who's more outfacing. You've done a lot of the both of those things between your podcast and that. So, you know, for for you as a leader now, as you're looking at developing leadership, what is your vision for the future? What is it that you want to create in the world?
SPEAKER_01:Oh gosh.
SPEAKER_00:You know, a nice light, you know, softball question. Wow, yeah, big time.
SPEAKER_01:That's like, don't mess this up. Um, you know, again, I think even if it is in the space, uh, I think I'll always be passionate about helping entrepreneurs who have a big dream, who have a big goal. Um, I will always be passionate about helping leaders become better leaders, um, and actually, you know, team members becoming great leaders uh within their own. I think you and I agree uh on the sentiment that leadership is not a title. Um, it is a behavior, it is a practice, and so you know, some of that tactical, strategic, but also just you know, behavior and and daily practice that um I can I can spread or share or you know contribute, um, you know, that that that will always be meaningful to me. But more recently that has expanded into you know pace, you know, places of um contribution and and charitable work for communities that don't have access to, like you said, you know, I I've I've had the the opportunity to bump elbows with the best of the best in the personal development growth leadership spaces. Not a lot of people get that opportunity. So how can I help those who who don't have that opportunity gain some of the same tools, the same resources, and change their lives and their mindsets?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, it's this real like global focus on on leadership development. And before we hit record, we were talking about some things that we just unfortunately won't have a lot time for, but these international, you know, projects that you and I are sharing in terms of wanting to make a difference in the global economy of leadership and helping rise the tide. And um, you know, we talked, you mentioned developing leaders in the team. I think one of your hallmark moments, and this will be like one of the things I'd like to dig on in this episode, is culture. You know, culture and how you develop a team at that level. I was privileged to be with Alex Ramosy, who told me that Layla, his wife, will never get the credit that she deserves because she's not as famous, and all of her work is focused on culture and people. And having been in that space, you know, when I talk to people who work at acquisition.com, I always say, So, what do you like about it here? Everyone's answer was Layla. It was the leader that facilitated the culture. So, Amy, that's you. So let's talk, let's dig into culture. How do you define culture? What is, you know, what is that for you, and how do you we'll get into the details around that?
SPEAKER_01:So I have so many definitions of uh culture, and I have so many beliefs around it. I think ultimately on the front end, um, I will say I think it's really important that culture is not what you say it is, it's what you allow. Um, it is something that is co-created. So, you know, people aren't, I I can't imagine, saying Leela you know, has has created a culture that everybody has to follow. It's right I into this culture, I feel empowered by this culture. I am I am weaved through the the soul of this culture. And I think when you, you know, you the the the things that um start to show up with culture. Actually I remember you saying, and uh you and I might have different days on this quote, uh, but culture is how your team feels when they show up on Monday morning.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:You know, are they excited? Did you say Monday or Friday or Sunday night?
SPEAKER_00:Well, it was Sunday night is what I think. Sunday night on Monday morning. That's Sunday blues.
SPEAKER_01:This is how connected we are. Um mine was always to my team. How did you know how do you feel? I want I want to know that you wake up in the morning and we were, you know, 100% virtual in multiple organizations that I've led. But when you walk up to your computer and you log on to the first meeting, you're excited on Monday morning. You are amped, you're energized, you are you know pumped for whatever it's gonna be, not only just the connection with your team members, but the impact that you get to to make and the things you get to create. Um, if if that is not what is felt, there's something, there's something going on with the culture and you feel it. Um other things that are triggers for me in culture, I know it's I know it's working, I know it's there when words go, you know, the the focus of language goes from I and me to we and ours. I've worked this hard, I put this together. How does this impact me? I'm like, I mean, those are trigger words, like, okay, something's wrong with the culture here, right? Like we've got to figure out and refine uh what this all means. We're too selfish mission over here. Uh when the conversation starts to use language that is, you know, we're gonna knock this out of out of the park, our impact is going to be immeasurable. You know, we're going to exceed our our yearly goals in the in the first couple of months of the year. That is that community focus, the community feel, people are proud of it. You you build a culture that people have helped build, have helped sew. And that I will say I divine by um and actually in a process uh that is co-creating the mission, vision, values, beliefs, and behavioral expectations of a team or a company. That it is not something uh that the leader by title creates and you know sends down to the team, just so you know, this is our culture, right? This is who we are. Uh that doesn't that doesn't work. Um, I think culture, some people still believe that culture is a luxury or a nice to have. And I'm a strong, strong believer that culture is your strategy. That's it. Like your certainly you have your your products, your services, your your uh technical decisions, yeah, those things that but a lot of that is framed after you've created and gotten clarity on your culture. If you know what your mission is and everybody's got buy-in, if you know what your vision is and everybody has buy-in, and that vision is a reflection of you as a leader and them as leaders in their own areas of value and values. Uh, I mean, these are people who will be dedicated and loyal to you for the rest of time and they will do the best work of their lives with you. So to me, it is about, you know, getting co-creating that culture, refining it where it needs to be refined. Uh, but it's a it's a team deal. This is not a not a you know top-down uh this is what I say, do as I say kind of thing. It doesn't work out.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I there's so many things you said around that, Amy, that I want to unpack. You know, from the very beginning, the first thing you said is culture isn't what we uh create as much as what we accept. Is that is that what you said?
SPEAKER_01:Allow either one of those words.
SPEAKER_00:Allow. What what can you unpack that a little bit more for me? What does that mean from what you've seen in the past?
SPEAKER_01:Right. So if you have co-created a culture, um people know it. They feel empowered by it, but they also uh know and that they have intention and clarity around it. So people, uh, once they have that buy-in, they're not willing to step out of the lines because the rest of the culture will, I mean, it's like it's like you you you got a big, you know, highlighted uh yellow mark on your forehead. Right. Have you adhered to the culture, right? So you've got clarity of culture. And when it comes to anything from, hey, you know, team members are not necessarily getting along, there's a behavioral thing, there's a um, you can see there's a motivational thing, it really comes down to culture. So it is if you were to, you know, uh be clear on your culture and then allow everybody, you know, great, we we put it together, we co-created it, we spent the day together, maybe two days, uh, we put it on a you know, a piece of paper that everybody hangs in their office, and then that's it, we never revisit it again. Um, there's no commitment to that behaviorally, right? And then then it goes from that to like, oh well, so-and-so did say this, or this there was a rude comment, or these people are bickering, or you know, things weren't you know done in the right order or scope or what have you. Um we'll just let it go this time.
SPEAKER_00:Right. So you're saying it's like they are letting these culture killers in because it takes work to hold that accountable.
SPEAKER_01:No, it's it is a constant reminder. We I mean starting with starting meetings with a reminder of the reciting of the mission, vision, values, beliefs, and expectations. Something as simple as um this, hey, before we kick off, you know, I I don't know about how you run your meetings, but I like I like to I like to be a little bit of a mess, right? On the front end, it's uh hey, socially, personally, how was your weekend? How was your evening? How did things wrap up? Tell me something fun, uh, you know, whatever it, whatever it is, be uh uh more personal and uh connected to each other outside of just the work, right? Yeah, you spend your whole, I mean, I it's something ridiculous, like you know, 68, 70% of your life with the people that you work with, not with your families, not with yourself, not like these are your people. So building a culture where people are excited to show up for each other. Um, they want to share who they are personally and professionally, and then like, okay, let's, you know, let's move into the the business of the day. You know, who wants to, who wants to jump in and reminder of mission, vision, values, and beliefs, right? Um, it's something that's simple. It's I mean, it could be even dialed down to you know what those things are, but it's tied to uh a rally cry. Yeah, right. Like something that is, you know, could be goofy or a motto or something that you put on shirts and you're proud of just being a part of that community and that culture, and then you move into the business of the day. But it just, you know, kind of kind of comes back and it just is that backboard, that um, I hate to say scorecard, but that backboard for every tough conversation, for every great conversation, right? Like as you're meeting with, you know, your team members and the people that you lead, like, hey, phenomenal day today. Like, not only were you such a steward of the culture, but you accomplished this, that, and whatever on top of it. Like, amazing. Hey, saw that you were kind of struggling in the meeting today. Like, you know, where where do we feel like there was um conflict of culture there, right?
SPEAKER_00:So you have that wonderful rapport with your people. It's funny because I think where a lot of business owners get messed up, I know me included. I initially erred on the side of making everyone my best friends. And I learned that was a mistake. I think when we're talking about closeness, especially as it talks about your culture that bleeds into the personal world where people have personal relationships. One distinction that I I I want to know your thoughts on. My experience has been that I can make work the primary priority in that connection, and it still becomes very personal because we're connected around a mission, where a vision. We want to rally and make a difference in the world around this thing called the company's purpose. And then in that space, 80%, 90% of our communication is professional or whatever that division is for people. But for me, with most of my people, it's 80 to 90 percent is but there's still that very deep, meaningful 10 to 20 percent of like, I know what's going on in their world, they don't necessarily see me as their life coach, but I'm aware of things, we're supporting things, we we bonus to things, we give awards. And ironically, even though that's not like a deep, you know, it's not like the first person I would call if my mother died was someone who's on my you know direct team necessarily, but they would be my second or third call. Like those relationships are still some of the most personally endearing of my life. Right. Despite that. So you're talking about a culture of like results, and I think what you're saying is where most people err is on the opposite side, where they're keeping it so professional that they're not allowing the magic of like the personalization come in and really transform how that feels as a company. I will tell you that the way you described your meeting rhythms, I want you to go after this. I'm gonna send you our meeting of our agenda because it's so similar to what you said, it's hysterical. But like, talk about the elements of culture. What are the key components that you see in a company that help provide that balanced personal and professional culture? What are the things that you like to see or do in order to keep that growing?
SPEAKER_01:Well, I think it it ties very closely related to your comment that um a lot of leaders have a misconception. And I was absolutely that leader for a long time. So I mean, like where we are today is a is uh you know, a journey, right? Um, of a lot of mistakes and learnings along the way of like, okay, that wasn't exactly the right approach, and let's refine and ooh, good lesson there. And you know, many years into uh the leadership journey, you know, still not perfect, but like I feel in more of the sweet spot than the the than the pain points and the learning lessons, right? Um, so I think most leaders do feel one, um, if they're put in a position of leadership or if they are um working at a position of leadership, that they have to have it all right.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:They have to have all the answers, they have to be confident, um, you know, it's all business all the time, don't show any emotion. Um, I will tell you that was absolutely the map that was drawn for me early in my leadership career. I remember hearing right off the bat, and I had uh I'm gonna give you this visual. Maybe this is something you've heard before. Have you ever heard that great leaders are like ducks?
SPEAKER_00:I haven't heard that.
SPEAKER_01:Calm and cool and serene, floating on the top of a pond, but underneath their little feet are just gone crazy.
SPEAKER_00:But you never know.
SPEAKER_01:Leaders, great leaders never show they're in panic. No, you know, leaders don't ever ever show that you know they're pedaling faster than their little hearts can take it underneath the surface. And so in my head, in my early leadership career, that was it. I was confident, I was cool, I kept my personal and business life's completely separate. Um, I was not vulnerable enough to say when I didn't have answers, I mean, I would make them up on the spot. Had to have all the answers, right or wrong, I'm the leader. That's what that's the charge through. And many, many, many, uh too many to share, but so many examples and stories of like, wow, people don't trust perfection. Right, they trust authenticity, they trust uh a leader's willingness to be vulnerable. And it took me a really, really long time, and it's just not um inherently who I am uh or even how I was raised. And so learning the softer side of myself, learning the softer side of um of allowing vulnerability to come into leadership. And I think that's where you get to see um a little bit of the balance of the personal and professional. So um I insert that from a leadership perspective and storytelling.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I was gonna say, how does that look? Like showing I I think the concept's very inspiring and everyone connects with that. But what does that look like for Amy?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I think for me, it's not telling. It's sharing. It's letting people experience through you. So that if they feel some connection in the story, they're like, okay, cool. I get that. I see that. I've been there. I understand. I empathize with that. Um, so I think, you know, first and foremost, storytelling is such a great way to not impose your personal beliefs, not but but say, hey, it's okay. Like this is where I have messed up. Not, and when I say stories, I don't mean this is the success stories. Like, let me tell you how great I am and when I made this really great decision. It is like, huh, that reminds me of a time.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:You mind if I share a quick story with you, right? So get the permission, right? You're not just dumping in and uh using it as your own personal therapy session.
SPEAKER_00:Like, did you guys think I did the right thing? What do you think? Yeah, you're not really using that for therapy.
SPEAKER_01:It really is, you know, storytell revealing all the vulnerabilities, the failures, the lessons learned so that people can see themselves with you and not, okay, you know, leave this is what I have to do, this is the leader's rule, you know, it all needs to be separate. So I think you can share more about yourself, your authentic self through storytell. I think that uh you can share that, you know, your imperfections through storytell. I think it allows people to see themselves in you and your stories and their scenarios, and they can, and it is a form of coaching, right? That they can take what they want and leave what they don't want. Um, but it but it uh creates a space of relationship that is um, I'm not expecting you to know all the answers, I don't know the answers, right? Um but but it takes away the the veil and the facade of um uh do it the right way first or else. Um it it provides that that trust foundation so that if there is something personal, like hey, uh notice that um, you know, in this meeting, or hey, you know, we're we're missing deadlines here. Um is is there anything I can help you with?
unknown:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Right? They're willing to say, look, I got some, you know, maybe not even the details, I got some personal stuff going on. This is not here. I'll give this right. Okay, great. How can I help you um, you know, get caught up, meet the deadline, exceed your goals, you know, what what have you? So it is um a place of staying out of judgment and in curiosity, um, something that I just live by. And it took me again a long time to get to that place. Is it's okay. I have coaching clients that will uh have been annoyed by me when they are like, this is what's going on with my staff, or this is what's going on with my team. And I'm like, you know, like, well, I don't know this, and this is what I think is going on. I'm like, well, do you know at last? And they're like, I don't want to ask them, you know, I just want to know. I just want to like you gotta, you know, ask the questions. You might be creating a narrative that doesn't exist. You may be skipping over, you know, that somebody has something, you know, uh going on personally, and you actually have a tool or resource that can help them uh in this time. So it is um through storytelling with your willingness to be vulnerable about yourself, shedding the the skin that you are have to be perfect in every way and have all the answers, and even saying things like, I don't know, we're gonna figure it out together.
SPEAKER_00:I think that's the leader component of it, isn't the knowing of the answers, it's the confidence in the team.
unknown:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:And I I think I love how you said shedding because truly, in my experience, it was either wanting to be seen as because I was super, I went through like the first lie I told myself as an entrepreneur is that I wasn't good enough. And so I covered that with a lot of like performance and extra hard work, little legs running underneath the thing, calm exterior. And then later it flipped to when I knew I was enough, at least you know, from a a value add perspective. And then I had this opposite problem of need of like everyone was couldn't help me because I was so good.
unknown:Right.
SPEAKER_00:And it was like, no, I can't find good help. There's no good help these days. Like I might that it was a ironically, the major lesson I learned was it was never about meat in the first place. Right. But in those, in those steps where people are shedding those those exterior, you know, problems or or needs to be seen as, that's where I think you're saying authenticity comes into place and really gets right to the human element of the relationship at work because it's still product results driven, I should say, but it's about service more than anything else, is how I'm hearing it from you.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I'm uh I I again didn't start out this way, but servant leadership means something to me. Um, and that is, you know, based in empowerment and asking the questions and uh arming you know people with the tools and the education and the knowledge and the you know whatever exterior that they may not have to accomplish what they want to accomplish. Um so I think it is, you know, the the job as leaders find out, you know, our job is to, well, I don't know. You and I have different definitions, but I like yours more. Um my I I believe, I believe our job is as leaders is to create leaders, right? Um, whatever that means for our people. And I know yours is defining leadership is love, which I love so much because that is that ties in everything I was just saying, is that that empathy and that heart and that connection is okay.
SPEAKER_00:Absolutely.
SPEAKER_01:It's okay to have those things and it's okay to care about your people. Um, and it's actually I think it's unbelievably important. So um, yeah, I think it, I think that's um absolutely, absolutely key is is just understanding where people are coming from, what their perspective, what their goals are, and arming them with the tools to to reach those goals.
SPEAKER_00:So, you know, this is so insightful as you're talking, and I I do believe the same thing, you know, purest form of leadership love, greatest purpose of a leader, build more leaders. As people who are listening to this are feeling inspired to do this, I I am sure a percentage of our audience is feeling a little scared because I I don't think you know employees ever realize how often we get fired and and truly like the trauma business owners go through in terms of when they hire the wrong fit and then apply these principles to it. Right. So, like as as a leader opens themselves up and becomes just like the servant leader and is pouring into their people, how do they distinguish and protect themselves against the individuals, those few and far between, who are truly disdructive, on a lesser dramatic extent, just not aligned. How does that hurt or help those relationships? I'm kind of curious from your perspective if that approach is something that sets us up for failure, or if there's a way to help protect us, or is there a way that accelerates the understanding? Tell me what you think about that.
SPEAKER_01:Um, so I I kind of fundamentally believe that you hire for heart and train for skill. And so if you are clear about your culture and you are inviting someone into that culture, as clear as you can be about the culture that they are interviewing for, is um, I mean, it creates either a magnet, right? If they're drawn to that culture and they're like automatic buy-in, it's a magnet toward. Uh, if you are so specific about like this is what the team has created, these are the behavioral expectations that have been lined out that everybody on the team is dedicated to, and they don't feel like it's a match, it will be, you know, magnets turn the other way. It will kind of repel people naturally. So I think um clarity is provides uh a lot of the success of hiring. Um, if there's a, you know, and that but that happens. You hire someone who you believe is 100% connected to the culture that has been created, um, they fill a great skill set that's needed, uh, they come in with with uh all the tools and you know, what a great compliment to the team, and something changes. Those are conversations, like, okay, right. And again, the clarity is so important because you are intentionally growing from that, that culture. Um, your job is to protect the culture that you've built, right? It says just as much to the people who are watching someone veer off from the culture and you're not doing anything about it as you know, hiring somebody and building that culture from you know, from the starting point. So it's just as and I'm like protect your culture with everything you've got. And so, you know, somebody could come in and it starts out great and it's not going well, and then the conversations are hey, you know, want to have a conversation, things don't seem to be, you know, you don't seem to be happy. Um, that's not the goal here. Let's review the culture. Um, where are you feeling conflict with the culture? Right? Or where are things not in alignment with the culture? And either you hear it in the form of uh, yep, my I know that this is not a fit for me, or it comes out in, well, you, well, they, well, right?
SPEAKER_00:That's a big indicator. I love that's a as a side note just to jump in. I I think when they when it's all deflective and and you and they and the generalizations, well, everyone, she always says, or they are always, it's like, oh, okay, red flag.
SPEAKER_01:Like, are you sure? How do you know? I just like to ask questions. Are you sure? How do you know? Um, are you sure that that's how they feel? Are you sure that that's what they're doing? Um, you know, that you know uh this is the our defining culture. If there's a conflict with a human being, like let's sit down and and have you to address that, right? From a place of uh of real curiosity and not judgment. Um, but yeah, I mean, there are time I have been schooled. I have been uh in that position where I thought I had hired the perfect um, actually it's like a a uh second in command, if you will, position. Uh my contingent, well, not contingency, my succession plan, right? Like here's my succession, I win the lottery and I'm out of here. This person's going to run this company or the division or what have you. And I'm going to invest a lot of time into developing uh them into that that person. And in short order, I I think um unfortunately, I think you intuitively know right away, uh, for the most part. And when I say unfortunately, you know after you've hired them. Uh typically.
SPEAKER_00:I I sometimes, you know, I've had I for me intuitively, and I consider myself a master recruiter, like there's been times where I beforehand, I'm like, oh, this is gonna I almost worry when it's like there's no reservation. Right. Like for me, it's like when I've gone in the past where I'm like, they're a hundred percent perfect, no concerns on any level whatsoever, is sometimes where that's gone sideways. Now, to your point, after we've hired people, then usually we get a pretty quick in the tuition of the fit because we're seeing it application-wise.
SPEAKER_01:Right. Well, and so you know, I I do, I do subscribe to the you know, take your time in the hiring process. Yeah. Um, but as soon as you recognize that there's not a fit, um, that there's a conflict where there's a misalignment with the culture and it's not going to progress forward. There you've worked through, you know, decent conversations and it's just gonna be a miss. Um, you know, you owe it to them as well for them to find their perfect fit where they're going to excel and grow. And so if our job as leaders is to help develop other leaders, developing other leaders also means helping them to develop in other spaces, right? That would be, you know, uh best for them. So I think it's a also a fire fast. Um, but it's a you know, it's a fire fast with, hey, I, you know, I would be remiss if I, you know, didn't share with you, like, look, there, this is just a miss here, uh, but I want the best for you, right? I I wouldn't have hired you if I didn't believe that you are a great human being and have incredible talents and wonderful things to give. Let me help you find that somewhere else.
SPEAKER_00:That's powerful. You know, you talk about the big, you know, we that was a great way of explaining what do we do when someone's not culturally a fit, when we thought they were, and how do we address that? I think that was an a masterclass on how to maintain your culture but still be holding the values of your company as the protective thing that you're doing. You mentioned hiring for culture, training on skill.
SPEAKER_01:Yep, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:What are what are two or three key things that you do? Obviously, that could be like a series of podcasts is how you would hire on culture. But what are some of the things that you like to do or see, or how do you indicate that someone is a cultural fit during that dating period of recruiting?
SPEAKER_01:I put it in the job description.
unknown:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Well, first and foremost, the first thing they see is like, and these, you know, this is you know, then this is the mission, this is the vision, this is the the you know, expectations, here's the the values and beliefs that we adhere to. Um, so that people on the front end, even before the very first interview, are like, huh, is this something that matches what I want, or is this something that like, ooh, like, gosh, this, you know, Amy lady sounds a little frou-fruit of me. And I, you know, I don't know if I believe in these things, or you know, that that, you know, the team is all about this. Uh, you know, I don't know. So I think there there is a filter system in and also just be putting it out there. Don't don't let it be like, and surprise, here's our culture. Hope it works out for you. Like, put it out there first um in in job description. I I weave it through the questions of my interview. I mean, you could, you know, simply easily, you know, now with uh uh technology with ChatGPT, plug in your your culture, your mission, vision, values, beliefs, uh, behavioral expectations. What are, you know, three great interview questions that will help me identify if this is a great person for a culture fit? And I'd say that as not an HR professional who doesn't want to be sued for anything, um, but you know, give you an idea of the kinds of questions that um might help you understand, you know, and and questions that like um you put people into, I mean, it could be situations that you've been in, right? Here's a challenge. Um, if you were in this type of situation, you know, what would that look like? What I have I have a I have a favorite interview question, which is not what you asked me, but I have right now that's all I want to know.
SPEAKER_00:That's all I want to know is this favorite.
SPEAKER_01:And so simple, but most people that have worked for me even in the past are like, yeah, I remember that question. Um uh when you're working on a project, uh, would you rather have it delivered perfect or on time?
SPEAKER_00:So what do you glean from the answer of that question?
SPEAKER_01:Uh flexibility. And not just uh flexibility, but um uh an understanding of uh the team goal. Okay, that it's not about you, right? Even if you're a specialist, right? Even if you're a specialist, it's not about your specific mission of I need to have it perfect or I need to always on time. And it's funny to throw that question out and you see, you know, uh personality profiles come real clear through disc profile or whatever personality profile you know well, like, oh, always on time. Always on perfect every time perfect. Um I prefer the answer of well, what's the goal?
SPEAKER_00:Right, more questions because like my mind immediately went to this idea of like, okay, how do you know what's the end in mind and what are the were the variables that I that aren't being mentioned? What's the project? Because then you're getting more of some flexibility as someone who's able to also think on their feet. It kind of reminds me of that Google question.
SPEAKER_01:Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00:Where like you're three feet tall and you're in a blender, how do you get out? Or three inches tall and you're in a blender. Oh, that's a good one too. Yeah, I yeah, it's it's a it's they're just looking to see how your brain works. But in your case, I see where you're trying to get to see how their brain works from a teamwork perspective.
SPEAKER_01:Teamwork and a willingness to be a little vulnerable, right? Uh don't have to have all the answers correct, right? You don't have to pick one side or the other, or have the right answer or the wrong answer, or be worried that you have the wrong answer. Did I answer right? Is that what you were looking for? Uh, but uh I I mean I guess it depends on the budget. You're right, it does. I guess it depends on the client. I guess it does. Uh, you know, I guess it depends on what the team is working on. Are we a part of uh, you know, a pipeline of development? Am I in the front part of the development or of the project or the last part? Do I bring it on home? Um, anybody who's willing to ask the questions, get more information, and recognize that I don't want them to give me an answer right away.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. Uh it's funny, it reminds me of a story. The CEO of acquisition.com tells this story about how he was being interviewed to be a CEO of a different large company. And um the uh the the person interviewing him said, Okay, I want you to I want you to get this person. Um right now I'm gonna give you the cell phone number of this person. I want you to close right now this deal. Um, and you're gonna sell this, and this is the product you want. Like he did like a 30-second training, it was this real intense moment. He's like, I want you to do that right now. And he said, Great, can you tell me what you say on your calls then before I start? And like, I just want to learn from you. And he goes, You're hired. And he's like, What do you what just happened? And he goes, he goes, You're the first person I interviewed that didn't just pick up the phone and start calling. And like, you know, for you you asked questions, you were curious about things. So there that's a beautiful question because it's this creative way of allowing you to see how people are, because the stress in that moment isn't different than the stress of working for you and being given an assignment in that exact circumstance comes up. Because then you get to see how they react under stress and how their brain works. And there's like you said, there's no wrong answer. There's value in someone saying, Gosh, do I have to choose between the two of those? Because I'd like to do both. And you know, what else can you tell me? Like, oh, okay, we got someone who's a thinker.
SPEAKER_01:Well, and I and I gotta be honest, like it's not it's almost unfair that I'm hoping people go there young, when I say young, early in their careers and in their development, because again, that was one of those lessons I had to learn over time. Actually, it was a super painful lesson. I'll tell you the quick story.
SPEAKER_00:Please.
SPEAKER_01:You, you know, go through uh an unbelievable coursework, but there's also um half of the event where you're building in simulation a public company and you're competing with other teams for the value of the company that you ultimately launch, right? Um, so there's the learning piece of things, there's uh a dynamic, you know, you're participating in different activities to solidify the things that you've learned, and then in the afternoons you are building a company, you're buying and selling product, right? So uh first couple of days, so people are very particular about who's on their team. The roles, the job descriptions, the titles. Um, I was uh attending this course with people, super, super, super impressive human beings. CEOs, uh CFOs of large, large companies and banks that you know. And there I was from a personal development and growth standpoint, you know, for franchises. And we were like, well, I don't know what that means to me. How are you gonna contribute? We're building a public company. Anyway, so I had massive insecurities. Um, I was feeling um very intimidated that I was not the smartest person in the room. And uh we had a uh uh activity that was a negotiation activity. And in my head, I was like, I got this one. Whatever this is, I'm the winner, right? Um and it was a negotiation that is too long to tell you about, but the concept being uh everybody was told, everybody had a little piece of paper, we'll say team of five, five people went into a room, one person was selling eggs, rare eggs. One person was told that they, you know, in private that they needed to get only egg whites, one needed only yolks, one needed shell, one needed all the eggs, right? So everybody had what they needed to go get out of this negotiation, but there were rules you cannot say what you're going in for. There were all kinds of Rules of what you couldn't say, what you couldn't share, but you had to go negotiate your little tail off and be the winner of the negotiation.
SPEAKER_00:Got it.
SPEAKER_01:So I walked into this negotiation, unbelievable people in my group, super uh respectable, crazy smart, intelligent, experienced human beings, all men. Yes. So I'm like, even bigger chip on my shoulder. I got this. I'm gonna, you know, I'm gonna, I'm gonna show these guys. That's exactly watch this. And I, I mean, I did my best negotiating. I didn't get what I wanted, but nobody else did. So we go back into the classroom, and the professor's like, okay, so which groups uh in which groups did everybody get what they needed out of the negotiation? And I'm like, no way. Multiple teams. Everybody who went into the negotiation walked away with what they needed.
SPEAKER_00:Oh my gosh.
SPEAKER_01:And I I mean I couldn't figure out what the deal was. And it came down to, right, not going in Billy Badass, thinking you're going to run a negotiation, not going in with a selfish mission that I'm going to win this, I'm gonna bully this, I'm gonna, you know, I'm gonna have the right answers, I'm gonna whatever. The teams that won were teams that went in and said, okay, here's what I don't need. Does anybody else need this? Right? So they figured out how to ask the questions and stay in curiosity to wiggle around the rules.
SPEAKER_00:Right.
SPEAKER_01:Everybody can be happy, Will, if you ask the questions and you stay in curiosity and you don't go in with your selfish mission and your chip on your shoulder and that kind of thing. So um I had to learn that. I mean, I it destroyed me. I I be honest with you, I went back to my my little dorm, cried my eyes out, and I'm like, I am that person. Big lesson. I am that person. I don't want to be that person. Um, and what do I need to learn about self? That is and and confidence in my, you know, in me and my abilities to have good relationships and conversations so that everybody can be a winner.
SPEAKER_00:I love that story. And I'm that person too, or at least I can be. Yeah. You know, I I think there's something talk about modeling culture in that story, by the way. This wasn't the story of I walked in and I saw and I won. It was here's a painful lesson I learned that was so humbling to me. And I think you just modeled everything that you've said up to being how to develop leadership through uh culture through leadership in that one story. And I feel I respect you more because you were willing to share that element because I relate more to that than being like, you know, I just kind of felt the answer and I saw within me what I could do to serve. And you know, the only way I've learned to do things productive now, honestly, has come through repetition and failure of me going, Oh, I am an idiot. Why would I decide to not I am, I just I acted like an idiot in that case. Why would I do this or that? But the truth of the matter is, is like I think that's how most people like the vast majority of the people in the world would have negotiated the way that you negotiate. That's like the common thing. We realize that that thing about being kind and like being in curiosity is the difference. And and it's weird because there's a big perception for a lot of people that there's weakness in that. Like I don't know if you've experienced that, but like a lot of times in my world, people have have been in my my my world and gotten to know me, and they're just like, Wow, that guy, like I've had multiple people just be like, that guy is so like emotional, and this is what a waste. And when some people think I'm gay, like it's all these things, and it's like I'm just you know, and and by the way, that's not how I used to be. Like my initial way was the way I was raised, very masculine energy, very like to the point. And there's nothing wrong with that when we're that's an element of what we need to build, but there's this other thing called people, and with people, it's about love and nurture, it's about helping support and grow and authenticity and all those elements. So I really appreciate you sharing that story. I felt like I learned a lot as well about the power of how we can stay in curiosity and everyone can win.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, no, it's it's a it's a tough lesson to learn, and I'm sure people are like, well, okay, so but this interview question, if people get it wrong, you just don't hire them. No, it's just one of my interview questions that helps me tell the story about who we are as a culture. Yeah, right? So it and what you see is either epiphany or well, no, that's ridiculous. Um, you know, I or people open up. I'm coming from a company where all that mattered was the bottom line.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Right? So it's on time. That's had to be the answer. Well, that's not who we are. Oh gosh, I love that. That will be a refreshing change for me, right? So it really, they're just conversation starters. There's no, I don't have any uh necessarily interview questions that are no's. Um, you know, there I have silly ones like um how would you describe opening an orange? In the journalism world, right? Um, in the world of media, the details, the smells, the um uh the extras, I get to hear a little bit about people's personalities and what they value or how they experience things. And I'm like, that's so good, right? Um so it's they're not yeses and no's. There's not, oh, that's you know, nope, you said you wanted to be a lion instead of a seal. Check, you know, those questions.
SPEAKER_00:Oh, yeah. I know a question.
SPEAKER_01:Tell me more about people's personalities, their profiles, where they've been, their stories. It opens up the opportunity to share my stories.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, it's powerful. Um, it's neat too because there are people who legitimately want the bottom line. They want to work for companies. We had an employee resign. He was a bookkeeper, of course, uh, in that regard because his brain worked, he worked as a virtual assistant for other companies. He was seen as a cog and a wheel. In our first team meeting, we're like, so how does it feel to be a part of the team? And we're gonna go around and say something nice about each other and what you know, like all these things that we do in our culture. And he quit the next week and he's like, Hey, listen, I don't want to be offended, I don't want to offend you guys, but like I don't know what all that stuff is, I don't want anything to do with it. So some companies can function in that way. What we're talking about are culture-led companies that honestly just like totally kill in the market. It that's the byproduct of all this. So you have people who would take a bullet for each other. Absolutely. They they build they build better, more sustainable, or at least more pivotable to where they can they can go where they need to go to thrive. And those are the cult the cultures that this generation that's coming up, they thrive, they want, they're desperate to look for a community where they can feel like they belong. And um that happen that has to happen in that way. So, what other questions do you have? The orange question is brilliant. Do you have any other questions like that? Silly ones?
SPEAKER_01:Gosh, I can't think anything off the top of my head. Um, you know, I I sometimes it's a scenario that's just happened within the organization.
SPEAKER_00:I see. Real time.
SPEAKER_01:Yep. Here's a situation that just happened. Which yeah, any thoughts around that? How would you have approached that? The same, different, um, or here's a challenge we're facing. So it could even just be real time. You know what? Actually, real time, this is what's going on right now. Um, tell the story. Like, and then again, are they asking more questions? Okay, well, so tell me about this. Have you ever worked with these people before? What is their expectation? I love all that. Like, then it's, you know, you're gonna have some longer interviews, I'll say. Um, but do you you know um if the if the culture fit is there, if the um personality profile need and want, like, again, to your point, the people who don't want to be part of something like that and are not willing to uh ask the questions, like it will be a very uncomfortable interview, and they're gonna walk away just as disenchanted as you are. There's not gonna be confusion where they're like, I nailed all those answers. They're gonna be like, that was weird, and you're gonna say that was weird. Um, you know, so I think I think those uh the the more conversational the you know the the interviews can be and more showing who you are and that kind of thing. Um uh I remember being in an interview and I carried this one one through, is like, and it actually applies to both of our backdrops right now. Sure. Tell me a story about the picture that's hang hanging behind me.
SPEAKER_00:Oh wow.
SPEAKER_01:There's no right or wrong answer. Just tells me more about you. If I'm gonna ask you that question, I probably already know I'm hiring you.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. Right?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. Because then I'm just like, ooh, this is I'd love to know more about you and how you would like. So tell me, tell me a story about the picture behind you.
SPEAKER_00:You're starting to learn how that person thinks because you're already in it's it's a probable yes. Right. And now you're asking something. Well, it serves two purposes. I think you learn more about that person, but then there's nothing better in life than being different when it comes to like competitive advantage. So Steve Martin's the one who said that. He's like, it's better to be different than good because when you're different, you're automatically good because you stand out. So like I've never heard that question before, but that pay that person will never forget that question. Like, if they're if that's a real desired hire, they're they're not getting these kinds of like off-the-wall questions, which culturally is part of who you guys are, and that would attract them if that's who they are too.
SPEAKER_01:Well, and I do it to be fair, I also have worked um in a lot of creative um industries, right? So I love to hear, like, you know, just go wild, man. Like, I want to I want to hear how how wild this can actually get and like have fun with it. Are we people that will have fun working together every day um and creating? Or if it's like uh, I mean, I it's trees and a path, pretty much that's the story.
SPEAKER_00:Um I was on a hike and then it was over at the end.
SPEAKER_01:That's right. So I like that reminds me though of um of well, and I I might be messing up this quote a little bit, but uh Marcus Buckingham, and it's something I've always believed is that uh people join companies or cultures and they leave managers slash leaders, right? So if you've got someone who's incredible and they decide, like, hey, this isn't the place for me, um, there's one place you should be looking, right? Um it, you know, you you hired to the culture, they're unbelievable skill set, they've built relationships, all's well, and they decide to leave. I mean, it could be growth opportunity, which again is still leaving you if you're not able to provide that for them. Um, but it I I I stick to that one as well because that a lot of learning lessons in that along my journey is you know, the pain of losing somebody amazing.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:And acknowledging, like, okay, what can we change about this culture that will not uh not encourage somebody of that caliber to ever leave us again? Uh, what do we need to change about um you know our mission? How do we need to expand our parts of our culture or the way that we do things um so we attract a higher level personality?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I love that because you know, no matter what happens when someone leaves, it is always tied to the owner. You know, even if even if the person is off the wall and just well, I hired them. So, you know, it there's something, whether it's compensation, culture, appreciation, all the things I don't know about myself, I think that's the hardest thing and the best thing about owning a business is learning from those moments, for sure.
SPEAKER_01:Well, and I I think that's key. We were talking about, you know, things and meetings and and kickoffs. Um, I and again, it makes for longer meetings. So I have always been the person who's like, yep, our Monday morning meeting, you know, let's block it out for 45 because I might say 30, but it's gonna go 45 because you know, we get to talking about some other things and some squirrel moments, and I think that's the connective tissue. And that connective tissue is um, you know, what was your favorite Halloween costume?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:What's your favorite, you know, Christmas or Hanukkah memory? Um, what's you know, your like just kind of funny, random, out-of-the-bucket questions that you know you can kind of rotate around the team, who comes up with a question and who initiates that part of the meeting? Um, so everybody, you know, gets an opportunity to take ownership and have a little fun with things. And their answer, I still to this moment, I can tell you uh an employee who doesn't like any condiments. Like the question was, what's what's the favorite, you know, what's the favorite condiment you put on your sandwich? She's like, I don't like condiments, not ketchup.
SPEAKER_00:It was like, what? You mean none of them?
SPEAKER_01:Right? Um, I can tell you stories about um employees 20 years ago who had uh their f getting their first bike, the memory of getting their first bike and getting on their first bike. Um I can tell like things that are that again, that connective tissue that may not tell you like it's not counseling, they're not telling you I'm having a really hard day right now because I had a fight with my husband and da da da. You don't need all that. You need the connective tissue. What makes you tick? What were your building blocks? What are some of your fondest memories? Why is it fond? What's your favorite, you know, tradition for such and such? And then you can bring some of those things to the table and surprise those people in in places where maybe the the culture feels a little fragmented and you need to bring it back together.
SPEAKER_00:That's such a powerful uh masterclass is the only word that comes to mind because as you're giving those examples out, I know my audience is going, oh yeah, I do some of that, I could do more, or I don't do any of that. You know, one of the greatest uh indicators of a culture for me is who is planning and showing up to the company parties. You know, it's you know, like in the early days, I remember going, like, hey guys, we're gonna take everyone out to dinner. Don't worry, it's just gonna be an hour and a half, and I'm gonna give you prizes. And everyone's like, oh, do we have to? No. Versus the end of my career of that physical therapy business where someone else was planning it and um and they're like, hey, we really want to do this big thing for the people, can we get budget approval for that? And and you know, so and so is wanting to bring their friends. Is it okay if he brings his friends? You're like, oh my gosh, like the difference that's a good indicator right there.
SPEAKER_01:If people love their company and their team so much that they want to bring their spouse, their kids, their friends, knocked it out of the park. Well done.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, and I will say, I think everyone who's listening to your Amy is going, how do I work for Amy?
SPEAKER_01:It's not working for Amy, it's working for yourself and working for a team and a culture. And then, you know, we I just get to come along and and serve and be a part of it.
SPEAKER_00:Did you guys hear that? Listen to that. Like, there's so many layers. We can have a whole like podcast on her answer to that comment that I made that we could dissect. But Amy, listen, it's been so great to have you on the show. We're gonna do some rapid-fire questions here towards the end. Okay. Um, I love these, they're super, super fun. Uh, maybe along the lines of what you were just describing a little bit there. Maybe, and maybe one of those questions is to tell me a story about the picture behind you. I'm just kidding. All right, so the first the first one is what's a book recently that you've read that's blown your mind in the last year or two.
SPEAKER_01:Oh my gosh. Uh blowing my mind. So many. I read a lot, a lot of books. Uh, was was uh recently in an industry where people were sending me all of their books. Uh like I I can't catch up, I can't read enough books. Um a book that I could so the Let Them Theory Mel Robbins was a big one for me. Um and it was something that was big for my family, so I got to share that with them.
SPEAKER_00:Um I that's a big one. That's a big one. One of my key executives, I just asked for her to read it, even though I haven't uh because I just felt like that was something that's useful. I've gotten seen so many Mel Robbins videos, she's amazing.
SPEAKER_01:So I just recently was driving home from the airport, and somebody driving in front of me had let them as their um license plate. So I had to take a little picture and send that off.
SPEAKER_00:Oh, I thought maybe it was Mel Robbins.
SPEAKER_01:No, I well, but no, she needs to have this photo. I just think like that's you know, I the the story behind uh or what's going on with that kind of movement is the number of people who are getting tattoos, physical tattoos that say let them. And uh it's become quite the quite the movement. So yeah, I would say let them had a had a huge impact um on the you know the personality trait of mine that is still a little bit of a control freak. Yeah um, you know, uh still insecure, like you know, did I do this the right way? Why is this happening? Why are, you know, what's going on in this scenario? Let them.
SPEAKER_00:Let them it's okay. Okay. All right, here's my next question. What is a culture building what's what what's a good use of a hundred dollars or less that has that can build your culture in a company?
SPEAKER_01:Oh, I love I love a good scavenger hunt. Um, I that's so cheesy and old school, but I love a good scavenger hunt, whether it's an online scavenger hunt or like physically, if you're all in an area um and you can do something like that, you're not all you know, 100% virtual. I mean, it's virtually free. And the fun that comes out of it, I mean, you know, go to 7-Eleven and slurp down a Slurpee in you know 30 seconds and go to Target and buy a you know$1.50 puzzle in the discount aisle and make a puzzle, you know, at the at the table and take a picture of it and you know, uh go ask this team the history of this story. Go ask, you know, so simple little things, but um any kind of teamwork I feel like is so fun. But I will tell you another one that I love, love, love. Um uh I used to call it Genius Hour. And genius hour costs uh depends on how how much you have how many people you have on your team, but a quick, you know, ice cream run or something so that the whole team, whole company is uh in a in a physical space together. Um but you could also do it virtually, uh, and maybe it's not ice cream, just saying you want it to be. And the question is uh, you know, you just pose a company challenge that doesn't have anything to do with a specialty or a human being. How do we make our clients feel more special? Hmm. What ideas do you have? One hour. It's rapid fire, one hour, it's exploring ideas, no idea is a bad idea, you get ideas from you know, IT about uh customer service, you get ideas from customer service about IT. So people get out of their defining blocks and just feel like they're contributing to the outcome.
SPEAKER_00:Oh, that is such a good answer. Okay. Um, next question. You get in a space, you get in a time machine, you go 20 years in the future, and you meet future Amy. What's the first thing that future Amy says to you in terms of gratitude about who you are today?
SPEAKER_01:Oh gosh. Um, I do. I visit her as much as I possibly can.
SPEAKER_00:I thought you did, especially with your protein group that you're in. Yep.
SPEAKER_01:I do. Uh yeah, I get on a spaceship and I go to the future, and uh and I'm so, so grateful looking back. And and the advice is um take gratitude every step of the way, even probably more from the pain points than the things that seem easily good and easy to um feel gratitude for. Dig for the gratitude in the in the toughest times because all those are the building blocks and you've done it the right way.
SPEAKER_00:Love that answer. Okay, last question. Now it's the reverse. You're going back in back in time 20 years. Yeah. What is something about young younger Amy that you appreciate today?
SPEAKER_01:Um I feel like uh younger Amy um was on a mission to um help people and help people connect. And I appreciate now looking back that that was such a driver because here in in kind of the mid area of my leadership career, I wanna say I don't want to say we're like where we are in that timeline. More mature area of my literature development. Um, that has returned to be uh like the the the driver for me is just connect great people with great people and great things happen.
SPEAKER_00:Okay. Well, Amy, you've been just a treat. This has been one of my personal favorite episodes. You are a phenomenal. Because I give you.
SPEAKER_01:You just talk to yourself for an hour.
SPEAKER_00:I'd like to take a lot of credit that we're similar, but I don't I look up to you. I think there's so much that you bring to the table that's powerful and it is your authenticity with your focus of making a difference in the world. And I'm confident as people are listening, they're gonna want to get in touch with you for various purposes. What can you can you is there anything you can do? Is there anything you're working on that would serve them? You know, anything from a book that you're writing to like a you know, where you're working, or is there just like a piece of contact that you can give them in case they need to reach out to you on something?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I mean, I think uh if you check out this episode, you'll have all of my contact information uh on from a social media perspective. Do reach out. I would love, I like I said, I'm on a mission to just meet incredible people and connect incredible people to other incredible people and see what happens. Um, but yeah, no, I'm I'm kind of uh in a space where I'm I'm in my connection phase. So if you uh think that you've got someone or something or very, you know, uh we'll say specifics, like, hey, you mentioned this, I'm looking for somebody I can learn from, you know, this, or I'm looking for this kind of a connection. Um, that's I feel like that's the mission I'm on right now. So, you know, reach out anytime. Uh, podcasts, I'll be bringing podcasts back here in the future. So look for that.
SPEAKER_00:Are you really?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, it's gotta be it's it's one of my most favorite things is meeting people and just learning from their experiences. Uh, I think that's how you grow.
SPEAKER_00:So I am so excited because I know a little bit behind the scenes that we can't get into here about your previous experience, and I'm so excited you're doing that. The world needs your podcast.
SPEAKER_01:Oh, thanks.
SPEAKER_00:Well, Amy, thank you for being on the show again. Yeah, it's been such a pleasure. And and Rockstars, thank you for tuning in. I am so grateful. As always, this is Will Humphreys reminding you to live with purpose, lead with love, and never give up. Until next time.
