Culture From the Heart

Values as Verbs and Operation Gratitude’s Shift to a Virtual FOB featuring Emily Schwartz

In this episode of Culture From the Heart Podcast, hosts Larry Levine and Darrell Amy are joined by Emily Schwartz, president and executive director of Operation Gratitude. Emily says leadership is a privilege focused on taking care of people, and that culture is what leaders practice and reward—values should be written as verbs like “tell the truth,” “do the right thing,” and “find a new way to solve a problem.” She describes Operation Gratitude’s origin in 2003 when founder Carolyn Blashek began sending care packages after hearing a service member felt no one cared, and notes the organization has since sent over 4.5 million packages. Emily shares her connection through her brother’s Marine enlistment, her 2019 breast cancer diagnosis, and how it amplified her values. She explains the organization’s transition from a single California warehouse to a virtual “FOB” with tools like a zip-code hero lookup to expand nationwide participation and build a gratitude movement. KEY TAKEAWAYS * Values only become culture when written as verbs (behaviors), not nouns — "tell the truth," not "honesty" * Culture is not what you say; it's what you practice and reward * Leadership is a privilege — it's about taking care of the people in your charge, not being in charge * Personal adversity doesn't change your values; it amplifies them and clarifies what truly matters * Heart-centered culture doesn't mean soft — it means anchored: in mission, values, and the dignity of people * Leaders don't need to be the smartest in the room; they need to know how to get the smartest people in the room * Community involvement is not optional for leaders — it's how your company earns the right to stand for something * Gratitude is everyone's responsibility — not just one organization's QUOTES * "Leadership is not about being in charge, it's about taking care of the people in your charge." * "Culture is not about what you say, it's about what you practice and what you reward." * "Values are the words you put on a wall. Behaviors are what people actually practice." * "My values didn't change going through cancer — they got louder." * "I don't want people to think I'm the smartest person in the room. I want them to think I know how to get the smartest people in the room." * "Heart-centered doesn't mean soft. It means anchored." * "There's nothing more powerful than being seen in a community." * "When your company stands for something, people send that fish hook out and latch onto it — give them something worth latching onto." Learn more about Darrell and Larry. Darrell's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellamy/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellamy/] Larry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrylevine1992/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrylevine1992/] Connect and learn more from Emily Schwartz. https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyrich1/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyrich1/] Ready to begin realizing the full potential of your sales team? Hire Great Salespeople with Confidence. SCHEDULE YOUR EXECUTIVE BRIEFING. https://sellingfromtheheart.net/hiring [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 [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/ [https://hiringguide.salesindex.ai/]

Leading Virtual Team Culture with Emotional Intelligence featuring Hugo E. Gomez

In this episode of Culture From the Heart Podcast, hosts Larry Levine and Darrell Amy are joined by Hugo E. Gomez, founder and CEO of HispanicMarketing.com, about “culture from the heart” as leading with emotional intelligence. Hugo explains that in a mostly remote company this means being present digitally, reading tone and body language, and regularly checking alignment with the company mission while recognizing whether team members are emotionally capable of handling small-business “valleys.” He describes hiring for resilience and lived adversity, filtering for comfort with failure and autonomy through questions about failed projects, and operating a performance-based, data-oriented culture using EOS-style scorecards. For virtual teams, he recommends intentional in-person gatherings, building trust through stronger screening, and using objective accountability systems with measurable metrics, response-time expectations, and meeting readiness as indicators for when someone may be struggling, followed by empathetic check-ins. KEY TAKEAWAYS * Emotional intelligence is the foundation of leadership — it's not about making people happy, but ensuring they're aligned with the company's mission. * Emotional capability matters more than credentials — the ability to handle failure and adversity is a better hiring indicator than an Ivy League degree. * Hire for resilience, not pedigree — candidates who've faced and overcome hardship bring the grit small businesses actually need. * Failure is built into growth — 90% of experiments will fail; a leader's job is to find the 10% breakthrough and double down on it. * Remote culture demands intentional in-person connection — virtual teams must schedule regular gatherings (at least annually) to sustain real culture. * Trust + accountability systems = remote success — metrics, scorecards, and red/green/yellow dashboards replace the visibility you lose in a physical office. * Autonomy to fail is a cultural asset — empowering team members to make decisions and fail independently is undervalued in small businesses. * Before assuming disengagement, ask questions — a culture-from-the-heart leader checks in on the person behind the performance. QUOTES * "People are your biggest leverage in a business. If you know how to work with people on the people level, you're going to get the most out of them." * "All the lights on the dashboard have to be green — stable income, predictable days, good relationships at home. You have to remove as much dissonance from your life to be a high performer." * "Our job is not to make sure they're happy — it's to make sure their version of peace is aligned with the mission of our company." * "Have you seen the worst happen, and have you come out on the other side? If the answer is yes, then we really need to talk." * "Getting punched in the face is when you learn the most." * "If you can't measure it, you can't manage to it." * "You could still have a great culture even if your employees aren't connected every day. You just have to work harder on it." Learn more about Darrell and Larry. Darrell's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellamy/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellamy/] Larry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrylevine1992/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrylevine1992/] Connect and learn more from Hugo E. Gomez. https://www.linkedin.com/in/bilingualmarketing/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bilingualmarketing/] Ready to begin realizing the full potential of your sales team? Hire Great Salespeople with Confidence. SCHEDULE YOUR EXECUTIVE BRIEFING. https://sellingfromtheheart.net/hiring [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 [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/ [https://hiringguide.salesindex.ai/]

Culture in a People-First AI Organization featuring Rob Levin

In this episode of Culture From the Heart Podcast, hosts Larry Levine and Darrell Amy are joined by Rob Levin, chairman and co-founder of Work Better Now, about building “culture from the heart” through values-led leadership in a fully remote company spanning two continents and 15+ countries. Rob explains that their culture reflects the shared values of the founders, including putting talent first, pursuit of excellence, transparency and integrity, and an ownership mentality, and notes they plan to reexamine values this year. He describes reinforcing values through weekly meetings and peer-nominated “W awards,” plus operational structure via EOS, L10 meetings, KPIs, rocks, and a focus on creating “wow experiences.” Rob also outlines Work Better Now’s move to become AI-first while staying people-first, positioning AI as a multiplier that frees time, requires human oversight, and is supported by training, experimentation, and clear communication to reduce fear. KEY TAKEAWAYS * Culture starts with core values — and those values must be lived daily, not just posted on a wall * In a remote, distributed team, over-communication is not optional — it's the glue that holds culture together * Clarity is the operating system of culture: articulate what "good" looks like so people can deliver it * Going AI-first doesn't mean people-last — AI is a people multiplier, freeing humans for higher-order thinking * Leaders must personally build something with AI to truly understand its potential and lead transformation * Recognize and reinforce values publicly — programs like "W Awards" make culture visible and repeatable * Core values should be revisited periodically as the company evolves — what fit five years ago may need updating QUOTES * "AI is a people multiplier — it's not about putting AI before people, it's about leveraging AI so people can contribute more." — Rob Levin * "Core values are there to help you make a decision when the decision is not clear." — Rob Levin * "Whether somebody's in Peru or Peoria, it's the Work Better Now culture that matters." — Rob Levin * "Every CEO needs to build something with AI — not just use it — to unleash what's possible in their mind." — Rob Levin * "Technology today becomes the bridge builder to culture." — Larry Levine * "Culture is the heartbeat of every organization." — Darrell Lambe Learn more about Darrell and Larry. Darrell's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellamy/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellamy/] Larry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrylevine1992/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrylevine1992/] Connect and learn more from Rob Levin. https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertslevin/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertslevin/] Ready to begin realizing the full potential of your sales team? Hire Great Salespeople with Confidence. SCHEDULE YOUR EXECUTIVE BRIEFING. https://sellingfromtheheart.net/hiring [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 [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/ [https://hiringguide.salesindex.ai/]

Leading with Mental Health in Mind featuring Dr. Wayne Chappelle

In this episode of Culture From the Heart Podcast, hosts Larry Levine and Darrell Amy are joined by Dr. Wayne Chappelle, founder and lead psychologist at PsyOPTIMAL and co-author of Healing Your Hurting Mind, to talk about building a culture aligned with core values. Dr. Wayne shares values like integrity, honesty, resilience, and a strong mindset, emphasizing getting comfortable being uncomfortable, not fearing failure but fearing not improving, expecting the unexpected, finding “diamonds” in hardship, and focusing on controllables. He illustrates thriving under pressure with special-ops pool training and applies these principles to leaders facing uncertainty, urging proactive growth and daily habits that make ordinary excellence possible. He discusses workplace realities of anxiety, depression, trauma, burnout, and stigma, encouraging leaders to normalize mental-health care, provide resources, model openness, and be intentional about personal well-being and home life. KEY TAKEAWAYS * Get comfortable being uncomfortable — growth only happens when you put yourself in challenging situations * Fear not getting better, not failure itself — failure is inevitable; the real danger is not learning from it * Expect the unexpected — when you anticipate uncertainty, you respond with less panic and more clarity * Sift through the mud to find the diamonds — even the hardest experiences contain lessons and strengths you didn't know you had * Focus on the controllables — who you are, how you think, and how you respond are always within your power * Nobody rises to the occasion; we fall to the level of our training — proactive preparation beats reactive crisis management * Do the ordinary with excellence every day — the foundation of extraordinary performance is consistent, disciplined daily habits * Mental health is a continuum, not a binary — everyone struggles at some point; leaders who normalize this create psychologically safer cultures * You don't have to be suffering to benefit from mental conditioning — train your mind like your body, before the storms hit * Home life shows up at work — you can't be a great leader if your personal life is falling apart; intentionality in both is essential QUOTES * "Culture from the heart is creating an atmosphere that's consistent with and in alignment with the values that are most important to you." * "Never fear failure. Fear not getting better." * "When you focus on what you can control versus what you cannot, you become extraordinary." * "Nobody ever rises to the occasion — we always fall to the level of our training." * "You have to do the ordinary with excellence every day in order to be extraordinary." * "You don't have to be suffering in order to benefit from mental strength and conditioning." * "If you've failed as a husband, a father, a mother, a wife — that's going to eat at you. Be intentional in both." * "Who you are today should be different than who you were a year ago." Learn more about Darrell and Larry. Darrell's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellamy/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellamy/] Larry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrylevine1992/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrylevine1992/] Connect and learn more from Dr. Wayne Chappelle. https://www.linkedin.com/in/wayne-chappelle-3990b6185/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/wayne-chappelle-3990b6185/] Dr. Wayne Chappelle’s Book: https://www.amazon.com/Heal-Your-Hurting-Mind-Depression/dp/0310366747 [https://www.amazon.com/Heal-Your-Hurting-Mind-Depression/dp/0310366747] Ready to begin realizing the full potential of your sales team? Hire Great Salespeople with Confidence. SCHEDULE YOUR EXECUTIVE BRIEFING. https://sellingfromtheheart.net/hiring [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 [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/ [https://hiringguide.salesindex.ai/]

REWIND: Challenges and Solutions in Real Estate featuring Joe Killinger

In this rewind episode of the Culture From The Heart Podcast, hosts Larry Levine and Darrell Amy are joined by Joe Killinger, co-founder of Commercial Brokers International. Joe discusses the importance of company culture in the workplace, emphasizing the need for alignment with employee values and work ethics from the top down. He shares his insights into building a supportive and positive work environment in an industry often lacking in trust and collaboration. He highlights the importance of active hiring practices, employee appreciation, and continuous training. The conversation also delves into how Joe has actively sought to fix broken aspects of the commercial real estate industry to create a thriving, collaborative culture at his company. KEY TAKEAWAYS * Importance of Culture: The significance of establishing and living a genuine company culture that reflects in day-to-day operations. * Top-Down Approach: The creation and enforcement of culture should come from the top of the organization. * Collaboration and Trust: Building trust and collaboration among employees and even with competitors can be a major differentiator. * Investing in Employees: Ongoing training, support, and genuine investment in employee growth can create a highly motivated workforce. * Recognition and Rewards: Regular acknowledgment and rewarding of employees for their contributions fosters a supportive work environment. * Adaptive Leadership: Being open to changing industry norms and continually seeking better ways to operate. QUOTES * "Alignment. It's hiring alignment. It's like, Hey, here's the culture. Here's the culture we've developed inside this company. It's either going to align to your values and your work ethic, or it's not, but y'all are going to sniff this out pretty fast." * "It's about recognizing that somebody in your company is doing something for somebody else and then rewarding it." * "Just because things are the way they are doesn't mean that's the way they're going to be forever. And it's up to leaders to search out and look for better ways to do things." Learn more about Darrell and Larry:  Darrell's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellamy/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellamy/] Larry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrylevine1992/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrylevine1992/] Connect and learn more about Joe Killinger. https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-killingerrealestate/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-killingerrealestate/]