In this episode of the Know Your Why Podcast, Dr. Jason Balara sits down with Dr. Benjamin Granger, an organizational psychologist, to explore how leadership, workplace culture, and motivation shape both employee engagement and long-term organizational success. Dr. Granger explains how principles of organizational psychology apply directly to everyday business operations, from understanding core motivational drivers like achievement, affiliation, and power to recognizing how environment influences behavior. The conversation also examines evolving leadership dynamics, including the difference between prestige and dominance-based leadership styles, and how the rise of AI in the workplace is reshaping expectations, performance, and culture.

Key Highlights:

• Organizational psychology provides practical tools for improving workplace culture
  

• Leadership behavior directly influences team performance and engagement
  

• Achievement, affiliation, and power are core motivational drivers
  

• Workplace environment significantly shapes employee behavior and outcomes
  

• Prestige-based leadership fosters trust and long-term influence
  

• Dominance-driven leadership may create compliance but limits engagement
  

• Employee engagement is closely tied to meaning and recognition
  

• AI in the workplace is changing how leaders think about productivity and culture
  

• Intentional leadership is essential in times of technological disruption
  

• Culture is built daily through consistent actions and expectations
  

This conversation reinforces that strong organizations are not built by chance. Through intentional leadership, a deep understanding of human motivation, and a thoughtful approach to culture—especially in the evolving AI era—leaders can create environments where both people and performance thrive.

Get in touch with Benjamin:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-granger-7147991b/

Website: https://benjamingranger.com/

If you want to know more about Dr. Jason Balara and the Know your Why Podcast:

⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/jasonbalara⁠⁠

Audio Track:

Back To The Wood by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.⁠⁠ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/⁠⁠

Artist:⁠⁠ http://audionautix.com/

In this episode of the Know Your Why Podcast, Dr. Jason Balara interviews Christina Kovacs about her evolution from completing a live-in flip to building a brokerage and expanding into multifamily investments. She shares how intentional networking and strong partnerships fueled her growth, emphasizing the importance of trust, clear operating agreements, and performance-based accountability. Christina also discusses her preference for joint ventures for long-term holds, the role of hands-on asset management in protecting returns, and why diversification and financial literacy are essential components of sustainable real estate success.

Key Highlights:

• Christina began her career with a live-in flip before scaling into multifamily
  

• Networking played a pivotal role in forming strong partnerships
  

• Clear operating agreements and accountability protect all parties involved
  

• Joint ventures can provide better alignment for long-term investment strategies
  

• Active asset management is critical to successful property management
  

• Missouri offers attractive opportunities for multifamily investments
  

• Diversification strengthens overall portfolio performance
  

• Financial literacy supports smarter investment decisions
  

• Defining your “why” provides direction and resilience
  

• Strong relationships are foundational to long-term real estate growth
  

Christina’s journey highlights that long-term success in real estate is built on clarity, collaboration, and disciplined execution. By combining strong partnerships with intentional investment strategies and hands-on management, she demonstrates how aligning your actions with your “why” creates both financial growth and lasting impact.

Get in touch with Christina:

Website: https://www.christinakovacs.com/

If you want to know more about Dr. Jason Balara and the Know your Why Podcast:

⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/jasonbalara⁠⁠

Audio Track:

Back To The Wood by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.⁠⁠ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/⁠⁠

Artist:⁠⁠ http://audionautix.com/

In this episode of the Know Your Why Podcast, Dr. Jason Balara sits down with Garren Hilow, a biotech entrepreneur who built and exited his company for $190 million. Garren shares how growing up in an entrepreneurial household shaped his ambitions and how he successfully navigated the highly technical biotech industry without a formal science background. By leaning into sales, communication, and strategic thinking, he was able to drive significant business growth in a complex space.

Garren explains why sales is often misunderstood yet remains one of the most critical components of any successful startup or scaling company. He discusses lessons from his book, The Stuff In-Between, which focuses on the often-overlooked challenges entrepreneurs face between launch and exit. From managing fear to understanding finance and accounting fundamentals, Garren emphasizes that business strategy is learnable and that many barriers are internal rather than external.

He also reflects on life after exiting his company, sharing how blacksmithing became a creative outlet that provides balance and perspective. At his core, Garren believes entrepreneurship is a vehicle for positive community impact, strong families, and meaningful contribution.

Key Highlights:

• Garren’s entrepreneurial mindset was shaped early in life

  
  

• He built a $190 million biotech company without a scientific background

  
  

• Sales is foundational to business success and long-term growth

  
  

• Fear often limits entrepreneurs more than market conditions

  
  

• Financial literacy reduces uncertainty and builds confidence

  
  

• The “Golden Silence” technique can improve sales and communication outcomes

  
  

• The Stuff In-Between addresses the real challenges entrepreneurs face during growth

  
  

• Entrepreneurship is a skill that can be developed over time

  
  

• Strong businesses create positive ripple effects in communities

  
  

• Creative pursuits like blacksmithing can provide balance after high-growth seasons

This conversation underscores that success in startups and business growth is not reserved for a select few. With the right mindset, sales focus, financial understanding, and willingness to confront fear, entrepreneurship becomes a powerful path to impact, fulfillment, and long-term value creation.

Get in touch with Garren:

Website: https://garrenhilow.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrenhilow/

If you want to know more about Dr. Jason Balara and the Know your Why Podcast:

⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/jasonbalara⁠⁠

Audio Track:

Back To The Wood by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.⁠⁠ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/⁠⁠

Artist:⁠⁠ http://audionautix.com/