Soul is the blueprint inside of every thing that tells it what it is and what it can become. When we meet anything at that level, we will respect, protect, and love it.
Capitalism as it is practiced today is designed to destroy the two resources it needs to function – the planet and the people. Compassionate Capitalism may sound like an oxymoron AND it is the most powerful model we have for ensuring sustainable success - for ourselves, our businesses and our planet.
Every organization has a “soul” or spirit that is its founding source. It is a non-replicable creative advantage that connects to literally everything. This connection is fueled by compassion and knowing how to access and leverage this unique “soul” is a crucial key to sustainable success for all life on the planet!
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Check latest episodes from Soul of Business with Blaine Bartlett podcast
How Leaders Use Coherence To Produce Trust and Growth
2026/11/09
SPONSORED BY: Soul of Business™ Experience
Find out more at https://leader.blainebartlett.com/sobecommunity
What if the biggest challenge facing your business isn’t your strategy—but your level of coherence?
In this episode, Blaine speaks with Sam Kukathas, founder of Soul Purpose Leaders (soulpurpose.com) and creator of Resonance OS, about the connection between leadership, authenticity, body intelligence, and organizational alignment. Sam explains how leaders can move beyond limiting beliefs, ego, fear, and the pressure to prove themselves and reconnect with what their business is truly here to create.
In this conversation, you’ll discover:
Why every organization has a unique “soul” or DNA
How leaders can create greater coherence within their teams
Why trust and vulnerability are essential to effective leadership
How unresolved fear, anger, and scarcity patterns influence business decisions
What happens when leaders stop operating from tension and control
How Resonance OS helps people align intention with real-world creation
Why authenticity begins when we stop managing other people’s perceptions
How deeper coherence can support creativity, innovation, and growth
Sam also shares powerful examples from his work with leaders, including how hidden emotional patterns can influence conflict, financial decisions, team dynamics, and
organizational performance.
If you’re a founder, executive, coach, or leader who wants to build from a deeper place of alignment, this episode offers a fresh perspective on what it means to lead with purpose.
Subscribe for more conversations about leadership, conscious and compassionate business, authenticity, and the human potential.
#SoulOfBusiness #Leadership #BusinessCoherence #AuthenticLeadership #SoulPurposeLeaders #CompassionateCapitalism
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Leadership Runs On Story
2026/11/02
SHOW NOTES SPONSORED BY: Soul of Business™ Experience Find out more at https://bit.ly/SOBECommunity
Story Is How Business Becomes Human
Story is not decoration in business - it is the operating system. Blaine and Gavin McMahon unpack why the companies that win are the ones that keep their original intent alive in the form of story, and why leaders who understand story shape culture, behavior, and growth far
more effectively than those who rely on facts and data alone.
Blaine, frames the conversation around a powerful idea: every business begins with a story blueprint, but over time focusing on operational efficiency can bury the soul that created it.
Gavin, CEO and co-founder of fassforward (fassforward.com), and author of Story Business, shows how stories keep ideas, values, and leadership decisions connected to that deeper purpose.
In this episode you’ll discover:
Why story and idea are inseparable, and why every new product or initiative needs a narrative to survive
How the six genres of storytelling in Story Business help leaders apply story across product, culture, leadership, and brand
Why IKEA, Starbucks, and Apple are revealing case studies in protecting or recovering a company’s soul
How “world building” creates unmistakable brand experiences that shape customer behavior
Why values only matter when they become creative constraints, not wall art
What great leaders learn from comedians, coaches, and athletes about getting better through feedback
Gavin also shares the parable of the first storyteller, the story of Adam Smith and the division of labor, and a memorable example of a Verizon leader whose bathroom cleaning story became a lesson in standards, humility, and leadership by example.
This is a conversation about business, yes, but more than that, it’s about how meaning gets passed on, how cultures stay coherent, and how leaders use story to influence coordinated movement toward a worthy ideal.
Essential listening if you lead teams, build brands, guide change, or sense that your organization has drifted from why it exists in the first place. If you want better decisions, stronger culture, and a more human way to lead, this episode gives you the language and the lens to do it.
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Story Over Product
2026/10/26
SHOW NOTES SPONSORED BY: Soul of Business™ Experience
Find out more at https://bit.ly/SOBECommunity
Summary
In this episode, Blaine interviews Shawn Walchef about building a successful restaurant and media business, storytelling, and the importance of authenticity and connection in scaling. They explore how sharing truth and embracing constraints can lead to growth and legacy.
What if the key to scaling your business isn’t just about products or services, but about cultivating an authentic story that resonates deeply? After returning from a two-week journey through Japan’s culinary and entrepreneurial landscapes, Shawn Walchef reveals how blending storytelling, hospitality, and media can transform even the most challenging business environments — like Cali BBQ, a small San Diego barbecue spot — into a community-driven media empire. As host of Restaurant Influencers, produced by Cali BBQ Media and published with Entrepreneur Media, Shawn has built one of the most impactful shows in the hospitality industry. The podcast and video series has been viewed more than 71 million times and features top executives, operators, founders, and innovators shaping the future of restaurants, hospitality, and restaurant technology.
In this episode, we explore how Shawn’s journey from opening Cali BBQ during the 2008 recession to building a media powerhouse reveals timeless lessons on maintaining the soul of your business. Discover how storytelling acts as the new location—carving out mental real estate and deepening customer loyalty. Shawn shares insights on how to turn constraints into creative opportunities, why repetition is vital for mastery, and how authenticity and truth can accelerate growth faster than any gimmick. You’ll learn concrete tactics for building a brand that lives beyond products – from the importance of storytelling in defining your why, to leveraging social media omnichannel storytelling effectively. Shawn’s approach emphasizes that scaling isn't just about growth—it’s about preserving and expressing the soul that drove you to start. We break down the critical role of curiosity, involvement, and asking for help in sustaining your core mission as you expand.
If you’re a solopreneur, small business owner, or leader seeking to scale with integrity, this conversation is your blueprint. We also delve into how founders can navigate the inevitable disruptions of scaling, keep teams motivated, and embed their legacy in every story they tell. Shawn’s inspiring story about honoring his grandfather’s Bulgarian roots and preserving a legacy reminds us all: Your story matters—and sharing it correctly is what makes your business unforgettable.
Perfect for entrepreneurs craving practical wisdom, emotional resonance, and a reminder that authenticity drives impact. If you believe your business’s true growth stems from storytelling that touches the heart, this episode will accelerate your journey. Don’t just grow—do it with a soul.
Key Topics
The role of storytelling in branding and marketing
How Shawn Walchef built a media company around his restaurant
The importance of authenticity and truth in business
Strategies for scaling while maintaining the soul of the business
The impact of constraints and creative problem-solving in growth
The significance of legacy and storytelling in Bulgaria and Japan
The relationship between location, story, and brand presence
The value of curiosity, involvement, and asking for help in leadership
Takeaways
Storytelling is a craft that must be studied and iterated upon.
Sharing your authentic truth creates resonance and trust.
Consistent storytelling helps carve out mental and emotional real estate.
Scaling requires removing oneself from daily operations to focus on growth.
Inclusion and communication are vital when managing change during scaling.
Creative constraints can inspire innovation and new solutions.
Your story and legacy matter, and documenting them preserves your impact.
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Moving From Founder To Architect
2026/10/19
SHOW NOTES SPONSORED BY:
Soul of Business™ Experience Find out more at https://leader.blainebartlett.com/sobecommunity
Growth capital is supposed to fuel expansion, but if you choose the wrong partner, it can quietly damage the culture that made your company worth scaling. In this episode my guest Rick Ford (richardaford.com) explains why the real question is not just how much money you can raise, but whether your business is ready, your values align, and your company’s soul can endure the journey.
Rick built RFJ Auto Partners from one dealership to more than 50 locations, 2,000 employees, and roughly $3.5 billion in annual revenue. Along the way, he learned that rapid growth is more than a numbers game: it is a test of culture, leadership, and judgment.
In this conversation, he shares the four pillars that guided RFJ’s growth: employee satisfaction, customer satisfaction, market share, and profitability. He explains why employee care comes first, how a simple creed card helped reinforce company values, and how customer feedback can reveal culture problems early.
We also explore the challenges of acquisition-driven growth: Evaluating culture fit before a deal closes, walking
away from an attractive opportunity that is not the right fit, and knowing when it is time to redeploy capital. Rick discusses the shift from founder to architect—building systems and leadership structures that helped the business
grow across multiple states without losing its identity.
Now, those lessons inform Ford Family Investments, where he begins evaluating opportunities with a fundamental question: Who is leading the business, and do their values align? For entrepreneurs considering outside capital, this episode offers practical guidance on preparing for growth, choosing the right partner, and protecting what made the business special. Essential listening if you’re scaling, considering an exit, or weighing whether outside capital will help your business grow—or change it beyond recognition.
Summary
Scaling Without Losing What Matters
In this episode Blaine talks with Rick Ford about scaling a business without losing the culture, values, and purpose that made it successful in the first place. Rick shares hard-earned lessons from building RFJ Auto Partners from one dealership to a multibillion-dollar enterprise, then transitioning into Ford Family Investments to help entrepreneurs think more clearly about growth capital.
This conversation is especially useful for founders considering outside capital, rapid expansion, or an eventual exit. It is grounded in real operating experience, not theory, with a strong focus on leadership, culture fit, and knowing when a business is actually ready to grow.
Key topics
Why the "soul" of a business is really its culture, values, and operating principles
Rick shares how RFJ Auto Partners grew from one dealership to more than 50 acquisitions and about 2,000 employees
Why employee satisfaction came before customer satisfaction in Rick’s four-pillar framework
We discuss how market share and profitability were measured alongside culture, not instead of it
Rick explains why due diligence on acquisitions had to include people and culture, not just financials
How to know when a company is ready for outside capital and why many founders are not
We discuss why the best financial offer is not always the right deal if the culture fit is wrong
Rick shares how he filtered leaders by values first, then looked at the business model and numbers
Why rapid growth can expose weak infrastructure, bad fits, and scaling problems
We discuss the shift from builder to architect as companies become larger and more distributed
Rick explains how Ford Family Investments evaluates opportunities and why leadership is the first screen
Why capital is only useful when it supports the right people, the right timing, and the right goals
Action items
Evaluate whether your business is actually ready for outside capital before pursuing it
Screen partners and investors for cultural fit, not just valuation
Build your growth strategy around people, process, and leadership, not only revenue
Use customer and employee feedback as early indicators of culture problems
Define the few metrics that matter most to your business and revisit them consistently
Be willing to cut losing opportunities and redeploy capital where it fits better
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From Adversity To Influence
2026/10/12
SHOW NOTES
SPONSORED BY: Soul of Business™ Experience
Find out more at https://leader.blainebartlett.com/sobecommunity
Summary
In this episode, Tim Castle (timjscastle.com) shares his journey from overcoming adversity to becoming a negotiation expert, emphasizing the importance of authenticity, influence, and self-awareness in negotiations and leadership. Tim is an award-winning author, internationally recognized negotiation expert (named one of the Top 30 Negotiation Professionals in the World), and a trusted advisor to leaders navigating high-stakes conversations in an AI-driven world. He is the author of bestselling books including The Art of Negotiation, The First Domino, The Momentum Sales Model, and Magnetic Influence, helping thousands of professionals master influence, persuasion, and commercial success.
Key Topics
The importance of authentic influence in negotiation
How self-awareness impacts leadership and negotiation
Strategies for dispelling myths about manipulation and influence
The role of physiology and body language in negotiation
Building trust through connection and value addition
The concept of being unattached to outcomes in high-pressure situations
The significance of mental and emotional states in negotiation
Physical space and body language as tools for influence
The importance of preparation and clarity in negotiation strategies
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Kindness IS A Business Strategy
2026/10/05
SHOW NOTES
SPONSORED BY: Soul of Business™ Experience
Find out more at https://leader.blainebartlett.com/sobecommunity
Kindness IS A Business Strategy
In this episode, Blaine engages with serial entrepreneur and leadership expert David Guttman (guttmanmedia.com) to explore the intersection of kindness, leadership, and entrepreneurial spirit. Dave is a 3x Inc. 500 entrepreneur and 2x TEDx speaker, with one talk ranking among the top 1% most viewed of all time. We delve into innovative projects, leadership lessons, and the transformative power of serving others.
This episode highlights the profound impact of kindness-driven leadership and innovative initiatives that cultivate a more compassionate and connected world.
Key Topics:
The inspiration behind starting 15+ businesses across diverse industries
The impact of personal experiences, including near-death, on leadership and purpose
The significance of servant leadership and influencing for positive change
Insights into mentoring youth and bridging generational gaps in entrepreneurship
The "Acts of Kindness" initiative aiming for ten billion acts globally
The role of pattern recognition and societal programming in decision-making
Strategies for fostering a culture of kindness within organizations
The importance of financial literacy and employee equity in leadership
Lessons learned from founding, exiting, and leading multiple ventures
How nature’s distribution model inspires acts of generosity
#PurposeDriven #ServantLeadership #KindnessInBusiness #SoulofBusiness #CompassionateCapitalism
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Sometimes You Should Be Late
2026/09/21
We live in a culture that worships urgency. Many people move through their days in a near-constant state of rushing, multitasking, reacting, and catching up. Many of us may be quietly wondering: What are we losing in the process? In this episode my guest, former federal executive, Alex Snider (www.slowmindfulness.com) and I explore the hidden emotional, relational, and moral costs of chronic urgency and ask a deeper question: How does the way we move through time shape the people we become?
SHOW NOTES
SPONSORED BY: Soul of Business™ Experience
Find out more at https://leader.blainebartlett.com/sobecommunity
Summary
In this episode, Blaine and Alex Snider explore the transformative power of slowing down through mindfulness and meditation, especially in high-pressure business environments. They discuss how slowing pace can enhance creativity, compassion, and decision-making, challenging the modern obsession with speed and punctuality.
Key Topics:
Blaine reflects on his four decades of meditation practice and its influence on business success.
Alex explains the concept of slow mindfulness and how it counters the modern culture of speed.
The paradox of punctuality and being "late" as a pathway to deeper connection and creativity.
The famous Good Samaritan study illustrating how urgency diminishes compassion and awareness.
The historical roots of modern urgency—religion, capitalism, and technology—and their costs.
Practical techniques for leaders to model calmness and intentionality under pressure.
The importance of designing environments (ontological design) to foster awareness and compassion.
The relationship between speed, memory, and wisdom, informed by Kondurra’s Slowness.
How to manage expectations around deadlines while cultivating presence and patience.
The role of stoic philosophy in acceptance, control, and resilience.
As Blaine and Alex highlight, cultivating presence through slow mindfulness can be a powerful act of leadership, personal growth, and societal renewal. Embracing the paradox of being "late" in schedules to be "on time" with life and consciousness can lead to more sustainable success, connection, and well-being.
#soulofbusiness #blainebartlett #compassionatecapitalism #mindfulness #meditation #sleep #creativity #presence #stoicism
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The secret sauce that can turn a $50M company into a $350M powerhouse?
2026/09/14
SHOW NOTES
SPONSORED BY: Soul of Business™ Experience
Find out more at https://leader.blainebartlett.com/sobecommunity
Connecting Leadership, Culture, and Execution with Melissa Franks
Discover how true success in business comes from staying connected to the core purpose and culture of your organization. In this episode, Melissa Franks shares insights from her experience as a fractional COO, emphasizing the importance of operational clarity, leadership connection, and strategic execution to sustain and grow thriving businesses.
Summary:
Growth must be managed with intentionality, staying true to your vision and culture. External operational expertise, especially via fractional COOs, can help navigate scaling challenges while preserving the soul and unique value of your business. Remember, in nature, distribution is key—be a conduit of value in your organization.
In this episode: Blaine interviews Melissa Franks, founder of On Call COO (www.melissafranks.com), about maintaining the soul of a business during growth, effective organizational scaling, and the role of a fractional COO in transforming companies.
Key Topics:
The importance of staying connected to the original vision and soul of your business
How growth can lead to a disconnect from core values and what to do about it
The role of a fractional COO in assessing and optimizing organizational operations
Strategies for aligning data, performance metrics, and company culture
Case studies: transforming a $50 million company into a $350 million powerhouse
How to productize services to accelerate scaling and improve profit margins
Overcoming resistance to external expertise and integrating a fractional COO successfully
The significance of a people-first approach in organizational development
Takeaways:
The soul of a business is rooted in its founding spirit and connection to its original purpose.
A fractional COO acts as a part-time embedded leader, delivering tangible results within the first 30 days.
Productizing services and understanding cost structures can lead to exponential growth and higher
margins.
Effective organizational assessment involves analyzing data, communication, and leadership rhythms.
Maintaining organizational culture is crucial for long-term success and can be assessed externally without
emotional bias.
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The Real Issue Isn’t Disengagement...
2026/09/07
SHOW NOTES
SPONSORED
BY: Soul of Business™ Experience
Find out more at https://leader.blainebartlett.com/sobecommunity
Summary
The $10 Trillion Loss with Dave Garrison
Gallup just sent a warning signal that business leaders can't afford to ignore: According to the State of the Global Workplace: 2026 Report, employee engagement has dropped to 20%, marking the first time global engagement has dropped for two consecutive years. Last year, this cost
the world economy an estimated $10 trillion in lost productivity.
But according to my guest Dave Garrison, a nationally recognized business strategist and co-founder of Garrison Growth (www.garrisongrowth.com), this crisis is being widely misdiagnosed: “Disengagement is the symptom,” he explains. “Buy-in is the cause. And when buy-in breaks down, the financial impact shows up everywhere leaders aren’t looking.”
In this thought provoking episode Blaine and Dave explore why disengagement is usually a symptom, not the root problem. The conversation centers on Dave’s idea that the real issue is buy-in and not motivation or compliance, and that leaders create better results when they treat people as full human beings rather than headcount or "our greatest asset." In this episode they also dig into practical ways to build buy-in through clearer values, better meetings, shared decision-making, and learning to ask the right questions instead of relying on command-and-control habits.
Key Topics
Buy-in is the deeper issue behind disengagement, and leaders need to focus on human energy, not just output.
Blaine frames business as something with a soul or blueprint, meant to enhance the experience of being
alive on the planet.
Dave distinguishes basic employee engagement from true buy-in, saying engagement is a low bar and often only measures comfort.
The discussion challenges the idea that people are merely an expense line rather than an investment.
Examples from companies like Starbucks and Nokia show how values can guide real decisions instead of
decorating office walls.
People only do what they are told, key talent leaves, meetings drag, initiative disappears, and frontline employees cannot explain priorities clearly.
Dave shares a four-step approach: individual thought, small-group discussion, criteria setting, and voting to surface collective wisdom.
Both speakers emphasize that effective leadership is done with people, not to them.
#leadershipdevelopment #soulofbusiness #employeeengagement #buyin #compassionatecapitalism
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Leadership Under Pressure
2026/08/26
The true power of culture: It eats strategy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
SPONSORED BY: Soul of Business™ Experience
Find out more at https://leader.blainebartlett.com/sobecommunity
In the complex world of business, strategy is vital, but without the right culture, even the best plans fall flat. Culture isn’t just HR's job or employee behavior; it’s the hidden system of policies, relationships, and shared beliefs that influence how everyone acts.
Think about it: A new hire comes in eager, but within months, disengagement sets in — often because the organizational 'causal factors' aren’t aligned with their motivations or values.
The real game-changer? Leaders need to see culture as an active design, not just an organic byproduct. Revisit your policies, onboarding, and day-to-day interactions — are they shaping the culture you want? Or merely maintaining the status quo?
If you're navigating rapid change, understanding and intentionally shaping your culture can mean the difference
between thriving and just surviving.
Discover the evolving landscape of organizational culture and leadership in this insightful episode. Blaine speaks with renowned culture expert John Childress (www.johnrchildress.com) about the critical
role of culture in business success, especially amidst rapid disruption from AI, remote work, and diverse generations.
In this episode:
The genesis of John’s latest book, Culture 4.0, and its importance in today's volatile marketplace
How culture influences strategy implementation and organizational resilience
The causal factors that shape organizational culture and how to identify them
Strategies for assessing and reshaping workplace culture to foster engagement and innovation
The significance of middle management in translating strategic goals into everyday actions
Navigating diversity, generational differences, and the politicization of DEI initiatives
Practical approaches for embedding culture into hiring, onboarding, and leadership development
The role of trust, relational dynamics, and the importance of real human connection in a remote-first world
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There Is No Tiger!
2026/08/17
There is no tiger! I kept thinking about that line after this conversation with Neal Foard, founder of Storyfire (www.storyfire.net). Not because it’s clever. Because it’s true.
SPONSORED BY: Soul of Business™ Experience
Find out more at https://leader.blainebartlett.com/sobecommunity
We spend so much of our lives letting the wrong story run
the room. A bad meeting. A missed opportunity. A moment of embarrassment. And suddenly the nervous system acts like the house is on fire.
Before founding Storyfire, Neal served as worldwide head of creative learning for Saatchi & Saatchi and spent many years as Executive Creative Director in both New York and Hong Kong. Across those roles, he witnessed firsthand how stories form the backbone of teams and organizations, from ad campaigns for global brands like Lexus and Budweiser
to workshops for leaders at Amgen, Major League Baseball, and Lexus.
In our conversation, Neal shared a story from early in his career that landed hard: He completely botched a presentation in front of 200 clients at the Drake Hotel in Chicago. That night, he walked into the hotel bar convinced he’d blown up his career. Instead, he met a bartender who poured him a drink and told him, in effect: There is no tiger. That story stayed with him. And I can see why. Because it names something most of us forget: Fear is real. But it is not always accurate.
We can shape the story we tell ourselves.
We can regulate.
We can breathe.
We can choose what gets to be made bigger (or smaller) than it deserves.
That’s not just good psychology. That’s leadership. That’s business. That’s life. And maybe that’s why this conversation resonated with me so much. Neil’s whole view is built around the idea that small intentional acts of care can shift outcomes.
A story can do that.
A leader can do that.A message can do that.
And maybe that’s the point.
#storytelling #leadershipdevelopment #businesspurpose #compassion #effectivecommunication #soulofbusiness #compassionatecapitalism
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Do More Nothing: The Thinking Reset That Clears Mental Clutter
2026/08/12
SHOW NOTES
SPONSORED BY: Soul of Business™ Experience
Find out more at: https://leader.blainebartlett.com/sobecommunity
Managers are drowning in invisible overload, and it is quietly wrecking performance, decisions, and relationships. Dr. Liane Davey (www.thoughtload.com) reveals why the real problem is not time, it is thought load, and how to free your team from the emotional, cognitive, and energy drain that makes great work nearly impossible. Blaine Bartlett brings the conversation into sharp focus by connecting thought load to the Soul of Business, the hidden source of creativity, meaning, and long-term organizational health.
Together, they expose why so many teams get stuck in grievance instead of productive conflict, and why the way we reward work today often pushes people to pull harder in the wrong direction.
You’ll discover:
Why emotion and feeling are not the same thing, and why that distinction changes leadership
How to spot when a team has grievance, not conflict, and what to do about it
Liane’s tent-and-tarp metaphor for understanding
competing stakeholder demands
Why attention, not time, is the scarcest resource at work
How the “treacherous triad” of cognitive load, emotional burden, and low energy compounds overwhelm
A simple “thinking sabbatical” approach that creates room for insight
The three priority lists framework for doing the right work in the right part of your calendar
Dr. Liane Davey is a New York Times bestselling author, a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review, and a trusted advisor to leaders at organizations like Amazon, Walmart, RBC, MD Anderson, and Google. Her latest book, Thought Load: Manage the Madness and Free Your
Team to Do Great Work, gives managers a practical way to reduce overload and restore effectiveness. If you manage people, lead teams, or feel buried under constant demands, this episode gives you language, frameworks, and a fresh way to think about what is really stealing your best work. Essential listening for leaders who want more than
productivity - they want impact.
Remember to subscribe and leave a review if you enjoyed this episode. For more insights and resources, visit Blaine’s website and stay inspired to lead with purpose.
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Finding the Soul of Your Business Isn't What You Think
2026/08/03
SHOW NOTES
SPONSORED BY: Soul of Business™ Experience
Find out more at https://bit.ly/SOBECommunity
Summary
In this episode, Blaine interviews Dan Rochon (www.teachtosell.com) about the Soul of Business, ethical
influence, and building trust through teaching. They explore how top performers lead with service, integrity, and purpose, sharing practical insights from Rochon's experience and his new book 'Teach to Sell.'
Discover how the essence of a successful business goes beyond transactions and delve into trust, influence, and
ethical leadership with Blaine and Dan. In this episode, they
explore the core principles that sustain long-term success and meaningful impact.
In this episode:
The concept of the "soul of a business" — businesses as living entities driven by people, culture, and systems
How ethics and trust transform transactional sales into relationship-driven influence
Dan Rochon’s insights on never having a "broke month" since 2008 in real estate
Key strategies from Teach to Sell: leading through teaching, guiding client expectations, and building loyalty
The importance of pre-decision frameworks to make proactive, integrity-driven choices
The role of packaging and quality in customer experience, exemplified by Apple’s product presentation
Building brands with higher purpose: Patagonia and HubSpot as models of mission-driven commerce
Practical tools for business decision-making, including the pre-decision compass
The impact of authentic service and leadership on long-term business health and personal peace
How aligning with purpose and acting as a “center of distribution” fosters thriving, sustainable growth
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Happiness Is Cause, Not Effect."
2026/07/27
SHOW NOTES
SPONSORED BY: Soul of Business™ Experience
Find out more at https://leader.blainebartlett.com/sobecommunity
SHOW NOTES
In this episode, Blaine and Bose Akadiri (golandgrind.com) explore the transformative power of joy in the workplace, discussing how it can coexist with conflict, drive performance, and enhance team cohesion. They share practical tools like the Stay Joyful Method and emphasize the importance of leading with empathy and curiosity.
Main Topics:
The relationship between happiness, joy, and organizational success
Using joy as a tool to prevent burnout and sustain high performance
The "Stay Joyful Method": a framework for joyful leadership
The importance of understanding individual and team joy points
Strategies for modeling joyful leadership and fostering a joyful culture
The role of questions and language in inspiring creativity and joy
The connection between nature’s joy and human well-being
Practical insights from Bose Akadiri’s books and work with global organizations
In this episode:
Real-world examples from Bose’s experience at Salesforce, JP Morgan, and Boeing
Bose Akadiri shares her journey from corporate work to authorship and leadership coaching
Insights into how joy can coexist with conflict and high-pressure environments
The "Three C’s" of joyful living: Celebrate wins, Cheer success, Connect with community
How understanding personal vs. shared joy boosts team cohesion and retention
The negative impact of ignoring employee engagement and how joy can close that gap
Actionable steps to integrate joy into daily leadership practices
The importance of curiosity, language, and empathy in nurturing joyful workplaces
How to implement the "Goal and Grind" philosophy with joy as a foundation
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The Timeless Power of Situational Leadership with Sam Shriver and Suzie Bishop
2026/07/20
SPONSORED BY: Soul
of Business™ Experience
Find out more at https://bit.ly/SOBECommunity
Join me and my guests Sam Shriver and Suzie Bishop from the Center For Leadership Studies (https://situational.com) as we explore the evolution and application of Situational Leadership. Discover how this timeless model adapts to modern organizational challenges, emphasizing influence, relationships, and navigating change. This episode highlights the enduring importance of adaptive leadership, emphasizing how timeless principles remain vital amidst modern complexities. Whether managing change, developing leadership capacity, or fostering strong relationships, situational leadership provides practical frameworks applicable across personal, family, and organizational contexts.
Main Topics:
Origins and development of the situational leadership model
Impact of generational shifts on leadership styles
The role of influence versus command in modern leadership
Navigating change and building resilient relationships
Key competencies for effective leadership and communication
How organizations can adapt leadership models to contemporary challenges
In this episode:
Blaine highlights the enduring importance of situational leadership amidst digital disruption
Sam Shriver shares insights from over 45 years of applying the model in various organizations
Suzie Bishop discusses how generational perspectives shape leadership development today
Detailed comparison of the original and modern formulations of situational leadership
Perspectives on influence, trust, and relationship-building in contemporary workplaces
Practical advice for leaders to navigate change effectively and build psychological safety
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Podcast reviews
Read Soul of Business with Blaine Bartlett podcast reviews
5 out of 5
10 reviews
★★★★★
GusRazzetti 2026/05/04
Blaine is a masterful conversationalist
Every business has a soul that shapes how people behave –– and great conversations are how you uncover it.
Blaine is a fantastic conversationalist. H...
★★★★★
VaughanElizabeth 2023/12/19
Great podcast find! 5 Stars!
I just wrapped up Episode 159, featuring guest, Damon Lembi. This episode offers a compelling dialogue on integrating personal values into business pr...
★★★★★
caitlin dos ramos 2023/12/06
Blaine is a leadership Masterclass!
Blaine Bartlett is so knowledgeable and experienced in the leadership field! He’s passionate about this subject and it comes through in every conversa...
★★★★★
Bightyt 2023/10/28
A Masterclass in Conscious Entrepreneurship
Blaine Bartlett's "The Soul of Business" podcast is nothing short of transformative. Each episode dives deep into the very essence of what it means to...
★★★★★
Alex Sanfilippo | PodMatch.com 2020/02/21
Every business has a soul 👍🏻
Blaine is a great interviewer and value adder! Love the perspective he shares on this podcast and the way he directs the guests! A+
★★★★★
Woodsy974 2020/01/13
heart and soul
Blaine's heart is in the right place, and is bringing a much-needed soul-approach to business.