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Building a successful business is one challenge. Building one that maintains strong values, accountability, and a healthy culture as it grows is another.

In this episode of The Culture Coach Podcast, Wendy Brand sits down with Shannon Badger, co-founder of Badger CPA, to talk about what it really takes to grow a firm while staying true to the values that matter most.

Shannon shares how what started as a small side hustle in 2009 evolved into a thriving accounting and advisory firm serving complex industries—including construction, engineering, nonprofits, and government contractors. Along the way, she and her team learned how intentional leadership, clear expectations, and strong systems play a critical role in shaping culture.

Together, Wendy and Shannon explore the connection between core values, leadership standards, and operational systems, and why culture isn’t just about what organizations say—it’s about what they consistently reinforce.

This conversation is full of practical insights for founders and leaders who want to build organizations where people feel valued, expectations are clear, and teams can truly thrive.

Shannon Badger is the co-founder of Badger CPA, a San Antonio-based accounting and advisory firm specializing in outsourced accounting, fractional controller, and CFO services.

The firm serves organizations in high-compliance and complex industries including construction, engineering, nonprofits, and government contractors. Shannon and her leadership team are passionate about building a firm that combines high accountability, excellent client service, and a strong commitment to people and family.

Website
https://badgercpa.com

Email
Shannon.badger@badgercpa.com

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With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.

The Aligned Leader Collective -Join today:
https://go.CultureCoachWendy.com/aligned

FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/

Online Community - The Culture Strategy Lab:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategylab/

FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout

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Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
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The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/

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What actually makes a culture real—not just aspirational?

In this episode, Wendy Brand sits down with Sabrina Parsons, CEO of Palo Alto Software, to talk about what it takes to build an intentional culture that holds up through growth, change, and hiring challenges.

Sabrina shares the turning point that led her team to articulate their culture (after several “perfect resume” hires didn’t work out), and how they operationalized six culture tenets—like relying on data, solving for the customer, and transparency—to create a workplace where people have the autonomy to be awesome and the accountability to deliver.

If you’re a founder, CEO, or senior leader who wants culture to drive strategy (not sit beside it), this conversation will give you both clarity and practical takeaways.

Sabrina Parsons is the CEO of Palo Alto Software, a SaaS company headquartered in Eugene, Oregon with a mission to help people succeed in business. She has led the company since 2007 and guided major transformations while building a culture rooted in transparency, autonomy, and mission-driven work.

Connect + Links

Connect with Wendy Brand / The Culture Coach

• Join the Culture Strategy Lab: https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/strategylab
• Explore the Aligned Leader Collective: https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/aligned

Palo Alto Software

• Website: https://www.paloalto.com/about-us/culture

____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.

The Aligned Leader Collective -Join today:
https://go.CultureCoachWendy.com/aligned

FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/

Online Community - The Culture Strategy Lab:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategylab/

FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout

CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy

The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/

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February is American Heart Month—a reminder of the importance of cardiovascular health and the signals our bodies send us every day.

In this deeply personal conversation, Wendy sits down with her dear friend Julie Habelmann—founder of Noble Tones, integrative sound healing practitioner, and women’s heart health advocate—to explore how a heart attack became a catalyst for profound life and leadership transformation.

After surviving a spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) in 2020, Julie was forced to slow down, listen to her body, and reevaluate everything. That experience ultimately led her to integrative sound healing and the creation of Noble Tones, a practice dedicated to helping others regulate their nervous system, restore balance, and reconnect with themselves.

Julie focuses on helping individuals move out of chronic stress and back into balance—supporting sustainable overall wellbeing of mind, body, and spirit.

Julie will also be facilitating mindset and nervous system sessions inside The Aligned Leader Collective.

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/nobletones/

Website:
https://www.noble-tones.com/

Substack:
https://substack.com/@juliehaberman

The Aligned Leader Collective is a 6-month leadership experience for high-achieving women who are ready to realign with themselves and their next chapter of leadership.

This is not traditional leadership development.

It’s a space to:

• Reconnect with your vision and direction
• Reset your energy and nervous system
• Gain clarity on what’s next
• Lead from alignment instead of obligation

Julie will be facilitating three dedicated mindset and nervous system sessions as part of the program.

The next cohort begins in March.

Learn more and apply here:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/aligned

____________________________
With 25+ years of leadership experience, spanning multiple roles across corporations and non-profits, I have gained a wealth of experience in understanding what makes organizations successful.

The Aligned Leader Collective -Join today:
https://go.CultureCoachWendy.com/aligned

FREE DOWNLOAD - The Culture Strategy Audit:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/cultureaudit/

Online Community - The Culture Strategy Lab:
https://culturecoachwendy.com/strategylab/

FREE Online Mini Course - The C.E.O. Reset:
https://culturecoachwendy.mykajabi.com/offers/zqP7fYvR/checkout

CONNECT WITH ME
Website: CultureCoachWendy.com
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/wendybrand/
Instram: Instagram.com/culturecoachwendy
YouTube: YouTube.com/@CultureCoachWendy

The CultureCoach Podcast Page: CultureCoachWendy.com/podcasts/