In this episode of Culture From the Heart Podcast, hosts Larry Levine and Darrell Amy are joined by Justin Ricklefs, the founder and CEO of the Guild Collective. They discuss the importance of incorporating heart-centered leadership within organizations. Justin shares his personal journey of transitioning from a head-focused to a heart-focused leadership style. They explore practical strategies such as curiosity-driven dialogues and structured feedback sessions for understanding employee perspectives. Justin emphasizes the significance of storytelling as a powerful tool for sales and building authentic connections with both employees and customers. The episode highlights actionable advice for leaders aiming to cultivate a culture of empathy, connection, and trust.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Heart-centered leadership requires personal work - Leaders must understand their own hearts, pain, and challenges before building authentic culture

• Curiosity over certainty - Leading with compassionate curiosity and sourcing team perspectives creates better outcomes than command-and-control approaches

• Structured heart connection - Implementing regular "Perspectives" meetings (biannual 90-minute sessions) helps surface important team issues that wouldn't emerge through open-door policies alone

• Story is the ultimate sales strategy - Humans connect through stories, not facts and figures; brands that position customers as heroes (not themselves) build loyalty

• Heart work is hard work - Building heart connectivity is more difficult than surveillance and control, but essential for authentic leadership and healthy culture

QUOTES

• "It's really, really challenging to lead well from a shallow heart."

• "Story is the greatest sales avenue ever created. Story is the best sales strategy period."

• "I've never regretted sourcing the perspective of my team."

• "The heart connectivity piece is really difficult. Don't fool ourselves. It's hard work. It's much easier to try to command and control and surveil people."

• "The distance between the head and the heart feels like a mile away, even though it's 18 inches."

• "You can't have culture from the heart if the leadership team isn't doing their own work to understand their own journey, their own pain."

• "The brand thinks of itself far too highly. The customer is the hero of the story."

Learn more about Darrell and Larry.

Darrell's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellamy/

Larry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrylevine1992/

Connect and learn more from Justin Ricklefs.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinricklefs/

Ready to begin realizing the full potential of your sales team? Hire Great Salespeople with Confidence. SCHEDULE YOUR EXECUTIVE BRIEFING.

https://sellingfromtheheart.net/hiring

Unlock The Power of Team Growth with Learnit’s Live Training Platform. CLAIM your 45-day trial of unlimited training now!

https://www.learnit.com/lp/culture

Stop gambling on interviews. Combine analytics with a sales recruiting system to screen out non-performers so you only interview candidates that can become great salespeople.

https://hiringguide.salesindex.ai/

Let’s revisit a powerful conversation on the Culture From the Heart Podcast with hosts Larry Levine and Darrell Amy, featuring Michael Harding, an owner-operator at Chick-fil-A. In this rewind episode, Michael shares the transformative power of heart-centered leadership, including his “51/49” philosophy of out-serving his team and why he encourages employees to bring their full selves—emotions and all—to work. From intentional onboarding touchpoints and personalized dinners to his wife’s famous homemade birthday desserts, this conversation highlights how consistent acts of love drive high engagement and guest satisfaction. It’s a masterclass in building a culture where people feel truly seen, valued, and empowered to excel.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Culture is defined by what you repeatedly do to intentionally love and support the people around you.
• The "Cared for people, care for people" principle shows that employee engagement directly correlates with guest satisfaction.
• Hiring "Grade A" talent is worth the wait; it is better to run short-staffed than to compromise on cultural fit.
• Methodical onboarding is essential, using intentional touchpoints over the first year to eliminate chaos and build trust.
• Leaders should leverage unique personal skills—from baking to writing notes—to show genuine, personalized appreciation.
• Authentic leadership supports the "whole person," including their lives, challenges, and celebrations outside the workplace.

QUOTES

• “Culture for the heart is how are we intentionally and consistently loving on the people around us.”
• “We are not in the chicken business. We're in the people business.”
• “Cared for people, care for people.”
• “Our team members will never treat their guests better than they are treated.”
• “If you can love on your people... they will actually run through a brick wall.”
• “The more you know about your people, the more you grow with your people.”

Learn more about Darrell and Larry. Darrell's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellamy/ Larry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrylevine1992/

Connect and learn more from Michael Harding. https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelharding/

Ready to begin realizing the full potential of your sales team? Hire Great Salespeople with Confidence. SCHEDULE YOUR EXECUTIVE BRIEFING.

Unlock The Power of Team Growth with Learnit’s Live Training Platform. CLAIM your 45-day trial of unlimited training now! https://www.learnit.com/lp/culture

Discover How To Unlock the Hidden Growth Inside Your Sales Team. Access The Sales Blindspots in the C-Suite: Four Critical Risks You Can't Afford to Ignore, recording here: https://webinar.salesindex.ai/home-page-222146-313544

In this episode of Culture From the Heart Podcast, Larry Levine and Darrell Amy reflect on their first year of interviewing visionary heart-centered leaders. They discuss the importance of authenticity, love, and trust in the workplace. The episode revisits inspiring conversations with CEOs who have created exceptional company cultures focused on empowering employees, serving clients, and uplifting communities. The dialogue emphasizes the significance of nurturing genuine relationships, fostering emotional security, and the role of leadership in cultivating a supportive and loving work environment. As they move into the next year, the hosts express gratitude to their guests, sponsors, and listeners, reiterating their commitment to continue showcasing leaders who practice heart-centered leadership.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Leading with heart and authenticity transforms organizations and empowers people.
• Love, care, and vulnerability are essential for building strong workplace cultures.
• Investing in people and culture yields long-term success, even in challenging times.
• True leadership means serving others, listening deeply, and fostering trust.
• Culture is intentional—shape it, don’t leave it to chance.

QUOTES

• “We’re not in the chicken business, we’re in the people business.”
• “You can’t take the human away… it’s going to take people, it’s going to take culture, it’s going to take heart.”
• “Using people to build a business versus using a business to build people.”
• “If you could love on your people, they will actually run through a brick wall.”

Learn more about Darrell and Larry.

Darrell's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellamy/

Larry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrylevine1992/

Ready to begin realizing the full potential of your sales team? Hire Great Salespeople with Confidence. SCHEDULE YOUR EXECUTIVE BRIEFING.

https://sellingfromtheheart.net/hiring

Unlock The Power of Team Growth with Learnit’s Live Training Platform. CLAIM your 45-day trial of unlimited training now!

https://www.learnit.com/lp/culture

Stop gambling on interviews. Combine analytics with a sales recruiting system to screen out non-performers so you only interview candidates that can become great salespeople.

https://hiringguide.salesindex.ai/