In this powerful episode of The People Playbook, Jason Taylor sits down with Ryan Dymond, President & COO of FIKA Company – one of Canada’s fastest-growing cannabis retail organizations with over 237 locations.

Ryan brings 25+ years of hospitality experience into the cannabis space and reveals how he’s flipped the traditional retail script: leading with genuine human connection instead of transactions, treating every guest interaction like a hospitality experience, and building a decentralized, trust-first culture that scales.

You’ll hear raw insights on:

• Why hospitality principles create deeper loyalty than discounts ever could
• How to shift from “manager” to “coach” with young frontline leaders
• The biggest mistakes leaders make during acquisitions (and how empathy prevents cultural disasters)
• Staying grounded and humble when everything is moving at lightning speed
• Why trust deposits/withdrawals and radical authenticity are non-negotiable

If you’re leading (or building) a high-growth team and believe culture eats strategy for breakfast, this conversation is pure gold. Ryan proves that people-first leadership isn’t just nice-to-have – it’s the ultimate competitive advantage.

What does it really take to scale a company from $20M to $300M+ while actually putting people first?

In this powerful episode, scale-up expert and former EVP Brad Furtney pulls back the curtain on the leadership playbook that transformed founder-led software businesses into high-performing, culture-driven powerhouses at Evercommerce.

Brad shares the exact moves he makes on day one when stepping into a growth-stage company, why OKRs became his secret weapon for alignment and accountability, how he built a 5-year leadership development engine that skyrocketed culture scores and profitability, and why most companies talk about “people first” but never actually measure it.

If you’re a leader who believes culture isn’t just a feel-good buzzword - it’s the ultimate growth multiplier - this conversation is pure gold.

Key takeaways:

• The first leadership move that creates instant strategic alignment
• How to turn individual OKRs into real accountability (and what to do when someone doesn’t buy in)
• Why the best performers don’t always make the best leaders (and how to spot the ones who will)
• The unexpected power of investing in first-time managers and “next-gen” talent
• One simple piece of advice Brad wishes he could give his 20-year-old self (and every young leader today)

If you’re ready to stop treating culture as a side project and start building a team that scales with you, hit play now.

In this episode of The People Playbook Podcast, Jason Taylor sits down with Matt Bell, CEO of Shelmerdine Garden Centre and founder of Geller's Design, to discuss what it takes to scale multiple businesses while keeping culture, leadership, and people at the heart of it all.

Matt shares his journey from growing Gellers into Winnipeg’s largest residential landscape company to acquiring Shelmerdine Garden Centre, revealing how thoughtful delegation, profit-sharing, and clear career paths drive engagement and retention. He also opens up about his personal experiences with cancer and how vulnerability and perspective have shaped his leadership style.

If you’re a CEO, leader, or aspiring entrepreneur, this conversation is packed with actionable insights on culture-building, leading with empathy, and staying grounded while scaling your business.