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Anarchy, Synergy, and Just Doing Good Work feat. Ari Weinzweig
‘Having a vocation is like falling in love, and it works out,’ says writer, anarchist, and philosopher, Paul Goodman. Ari Weinzweig holds the title of co-founder and CEO at Zingerman’s, but he is also an anarchist and philosopher. During this episode, he joins us in conversation to tell his story and share the guiding principles behind his life philosophy and business journey. Tune in to hear him challenge perceptions about anarchism and synergy, positive belief in human beings, and what it means not to think hierarchically about your achievements.
Making the distinction between data and culture, Ari unpacks his leadership style and why he believes that building culture is the true work of leadership. Going deeper, we discuss the relationship between belief, company health, and the imperfect art of working with people. We touch on the simple legacy Ari would like to leave behind, how he has managed to go off the grid with his business in order to live his values, and how Ari manages to truly be himself so much so that he is a rebel against expectation. Join us today to hear all this and more.
Guest Bio:
In 1982, Ari Weinzweig and Paul Saginaw founded Zingerman’s Delicatessen in Ann Arbor, Michigan, using a $20,000 bank loan. Weinzweig, equipped with a Russian History degree and four years of kitchen experience, opened the deli with two employees and a small range of specialty foods and sandwiches. Today, Zingerman’s has evolved into a nationally recognized food brand, expanding into the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses, which includes 11 distinct entities such as Zingerman’s Bakehouse and ZingTrain, employing over 750 people and generating more than $65 million in annual revenue. Each business operates uniquely, but they all adhere to a shared Vision and Guiding Principles, collectively delivering “The Zingerman’s Experience” with passion and commitment.
Key Points From This Episode:
- [02:25] Ari Weinzweig, co-founder and CEO of Zingerman’s and his journey to success.
- [12:29] How his choice of major, Russian history, illustrates an important principle.
- [13:54] The story of Zingerman’s as told by the 12 Natural Laws of Business.
- [20:05] Moving forward and prioritizing growth whilst staying true to their original vision.
- [23:13] How he has trained himself not to think hierarchically about his success.
- [26:30] The evolution of his leadership style and relationship to anarchism and synergy.
- [31:37] A description of the legacy he would like to leave behind.
- [38:26] Why he believes that building culture is the true work of leadership.
- [44:56] What motivated Ari to go off the grid with his business endeavors and book publishing.
- [49:31] An overview of this episode and how Ari lives his business values.
Quotes:
“Do what you want, not what everybody else wants you to do.” — Ari Weinzweig [0:12:51]
“I’ve tried to train myself to appreciate the little things because that’s really all there is.” — Ari Weinzweig [0:23:24]
“[Anarchism] is really about a way of being in the world, not about taking power.” — Ari Weinzweig [0:29:33]
“The thing about dignity is, it’s all free, and we don’t need permission, and we don’t need anyone else to do it, we can just do it.” — Ari Weinzweig [0:31:20]
“All day long, we’re all contributing positively and negatively to the culture and none of us get it right all the time.” — Ari Weinzweig [0:38:59]
RESOURCES:
- [04:46] Read poetry by David Whyte.
- [06:26] Learn more about anarchist and philosopher Paul Goodman.
- [14:15] Unpack Zingerman’s 12 Natural Laws of Business.
- [21:12] Find out about the work of Ruth Benedict.
- [26:59] Explore Stephen Covey, Peter Drucker, Max De Pree, Robert Greenleaf, and Margaret Wheatley.
- [26:59] Read Ari’s essay, Jewish Rye Bread.
- [29:41] Immerse yourself in the work of Howard Ehrlich.
- [46:22] Unveil Ari’s thoughts on Dignity and Working Through Hard Times.
FOLLOW:
Follow Laura Eich:
- Instagram
Follow Mike McFall:
- Website
- X
- Instagram
Follow BIGGBY® COFFEE & LifeLabTM:
- Website
- X
- About LifeLabTM
ABOUT LOVE IN LEADERSHIP:
At the Life You Love LaboratoryTM and BIGGBY® COFFEE, we’re out to prove that financial success and healthy workplace culture aren’t two separate goals. BIGGBY® COFFEE's own cultural transformation is proof that not only is it possible to have a successful company where people aren’t miserable at work, but that the happier your people are, the more your business will grow. Each week, join host Laura Eich, Chief Purpose Officer at BIGGBY® COFFEE, and her co-host and BIGGBY® COFFEE co-CEO Mike McFall as they’re joined by guests from around the world to learn how they are fostering a culture of love and growth in the world’s most innovative and people-centric companies. Get inspired. Get real. Get ready to transform workplace culture in America with us. This is the Love in Leadership podcast.
Learn more at: loveinleadershippodcast.com
ABOUT THE HOSTS:
Mike McFall began his journey with BIGGBY® COFFEE as a minimum-wage barista at the original store in East Lansing in 1996. Over the span of 23 years, alongside business partner Bob Fish, he has helped create one of the great specialty coffee brands in America. Today Mike is co-CEO with Bob, and BIGGBY® COFFEE has over 250 stores open throughout the Midwest that sell tens of thousands of cups of coffee each day. But more importantly to Mike and BIGGBY® COFFEE, the company is a profoundly people-first organization.
Mike is also the author of Grind, a book which focuses on early-stage businesses and how to establish positive cash flow.
Laura Eich is BIGGBY® COFFEE’s Chief People Officer, having worked in a variety of roles at BIGGBY® COFFEE for the last 11+ years. She helped launch BOOST, the department at BIGGBY® COFFEE which ultimately became LifeLabTM — BIGGBY® COFFEE’s in-house culture cultivation team designed to help people be the best versions of themselves and help companies support them along the way. In her role, Laura helps people build lives that they love through the process of building profitable businesses and robust, growth-filled careers.
View all episodes
By Laura Eich, Mike McFall‘Having a vocation is like falling in love, and it works out,’ says writer, anarchist, and philosopher, Paul Goodman. Ari Weinzweig holds the title of co-founder and CEO at Zingerman’s, but he is also an anarchist and philosopher. During this episode, he joins us in conversation to tell his story and share the guiding principles behind his life philosophy and business journey. Tune in to hear him challenge perceptions about anarchism and synergy, positive belief in human beings, and what it means not to think hierarchically about your achievements.
Making the distinction between data and culture, Ari unpacks his leadership style and why he believes that building culture is the true work of leadership. Going deeper, we discuss the relationship between belief, company health, and the imperfect art of working with people. We touch on the simple legacy Ari would like to leave behind, how he has managed to go off the grid with his business in order to live his values, and how Ari manages to truly be himself so much so that he is a rebel against expectation. Join us today to hear all this and more.
Guest Bio:
In 1982, Ari Weinzweig and Paul Saginaw founded Zingerman’s Delicatessen in Ann Arbor, Michigan, using a $20,000 bank loan. Weinzweig, equipped with a Russian History degree and four years of kitchen experience, opened the deli with two employees and a small range of specialty foods and sandwiches. Today, Zingerman’s has evolved into a nationally recognized food brand, expanding into the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses, which includes 11 distinct entities such as Zingerman’s Bakehouse and ZingTrain, employing over 750 people and generating more than $65 million in annual revenue. Each business operates uniquely, but they all adhere to a shared Vision and Guiding Principles, collectively delivering “The Zingerman’s Experience” with passion and commitment.
Key Points From This Episode:
- [02:25] Ari Weinzweig, co-founder and CEO of Zingerman’s and his journey to success.
- [12:29] How his choice of major, Russian history, illustrates an important principle.
- [13:54] The story of Zingerman’s as told by the 12 Natural Laws of Business.
- [20:05] Moving forward and prioritizing growth whilst staying true to their original vision.
- [23:13] How he has trained himself not to think hierarchically about his success.
- [26:30] The evolution of his leadership style and relationship to anarchism and synergy.
- [31:37] A description of the legacy he would like to leave behind.
- [38:26] Why he believes that building culture is the true work of leadership.
- [44:56] What motivated Ari to go off the grid with his business endeavors and book publishing.
- [49:31] An overview of this episode and how Ari lives his business values.
Quotes:
“Do what you want, not what everybody else wants you to do.” — Ari Weinzweig [0:12:51]
“I’ve tried to train myself to appreciate the little things because that’s really all there is.” — Ari Weinzweig [0:23:24]
“[Anarchism] is really about a way of being in the world, not about taking power.” — Ari Weinzweig [0:29:33]
“The thing about dignity is, it’s all free, and we don’t need permission, and we don’t need anyone else to do it, we can just do it.” — Ari Weinzweig [0:31:20]
“All day long, we’re all contributing positively and negatively to the culture and none of us get it right all the time.” — Ari Weinzweig [0:38:59]
RESOURCES:
- [04:46] Read poetry by David Whyte.
- [06:26] Learn more about anarchist and philosopher Paul Goodman.
- [14:15] Unpack Zingerman’s 12 Natural Laws of Business.
- [21:12] Find out about the work of Ruth Benedict.
- [26:59] Explore Stephen Covey, Peter Drucker, Max De Pree, Robert Greenleaf, and Margaret Wheatley.
- [26:59] Read Ari’s essay, Jewish Rye Bread.
- [29:41] Immerse yourself in the work of Howard Ehrlich.
- [46:22] Unveil Ari’s thoughts on Dignity and Working Through Hard Times.
FOLLOW:
Follow Laura Eich:
- Instagram
Follow Mike McFall:
- Website
- X
- Instagram
Follow BIGGBY® COFFEE & LifeLabTM:
- Website
- X
- About LifeLabTM
ABOUT LOVE IN LEADERSHIP:
At the Life You Love LaboratoryTM and BIGGBY® COFFEE, we’re out to prove that financial success and healthy workplace culture aren’t two separate goals. BIGGBY® COFFEE's own cultural transformation is proof that not only is it possible to have a successful company where people aren’t miserable at work, but that the happier your people are, the more your business will grow. Each week, join host Laura Eich, Chief Purpose Officer at BIGGBY® COFFEE, and her co-host and BIGGBY® COFFEE co-CEO Mike McFall as they’re joined by guests from around the world to learn how they are fostering a culture of love and growth in the world’s most innovative and people-centric companies. Get inspired. Get real. Get ready to transform workplace culture in America with us. This is the Love in Leadership podcast.
Learn more at: loveinleadershippodcast.com
ABOUT THE HOSTS:
Mike McFall began his journey with BIGGBY® COFFEE as a minimum-wage barista at the original store in East Lansing in 1996. Over the span of 23 years, alongside business partner Bob Fish, he has helped create one of the great specialty coffee brands in America. Today Mike is co-CEO with Bob, and BIGGBY® COFFEE has over 250 stores open throughout the Midwest that sell tens of thousands of cups of coffee each day. But more importantly to Mike and BIGGBY® COFFEE, the company is a profoundly people-first organization.
Mike is also the author of Grind, a book which focuses on early-stage businesses and how to establish positive cash flow.
Laura Eich is BIGGBY® COFFEE’s Chief People Officer, having worked in a variety of roles at BIGGBY® COFFEE for the last 11+ years. She helped launch BOOST, the department at BIGGBY® COFFEE which ultimately became LifeLabTM — BIGGBY® COFFEE’s in-house culture cultivation team designed to help people be the best versions of themselves and help companies support them along the way. In her role, Laura helps people build lives that they love through the process of building profitable businesses and robust, growth-filled careers.