Contagious Culture

By Kyle S. King

The Contagious Culture Podcast with Kyle S. King is focuses on helping mission-driven leaders build strong teams an

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How many episodes does Contagious Culture have?

The podcast currently has 208 episodes available.

Contagious Culture episodes:

July 09, 2026#208 | The Power of Shrimp to Change Lives W/ Maxie Gluckman, Ph.D.
In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle S. King sits down with Maxie Gluckman, executive director of Friends of Fundesur, to explore leadership, global service, education, migration, and the power of listening.
Maxie shares how her journey as a teacher, researcher, and global citizen led her to support communities in southern Honduras through a foundation connected to the shrimp industry.
They discuss how environmental and economic changes affect families, why storytelling must center dignity instead of trauma, and how leadership often begins with one small act of courage and kindness.
The message is simple: you do not have to change the entire world at once. You can listen, take action, and create meaningful change one person at a time.
Episode History
00:00 — Introduction
01:00 — Maxie’s walkout song and educational journey
02:30 — Growing up as a first-generation American
03:30 — Teaching and learning from immigrant families
04:50 — The work of Friends of Fundesur
05:45 — Why shrimp farming has become more difficult
07:00 — How supply-chain changes affect children and families
07:30 — Why this work became Maxie’s calling
08:45 — Leadership through action
09:15 — A small act of kindness after a fundraiser
11:00 — Stories from migrant families
13:15 — Identity beyond professional titles
14:30 — Running toward motherhood and greater equity
16:30 — How listeners can support the mission
17:30 — Maxie’s slingshot moments
18:30 — Identity, allyship, and community work
19:30 — Reconnecting a mother and daughter
21:30 — Advice for sustaining meaningful work
22:30 — Where to connect with Friends of Fundesur
Key Takeaways
Listening to communities should come before designing solutions for them.
Leadership is choosing to act when doing nothing would be easier.
Small moments of kindness can hold as much meaning as large-scale initiatives.
Stories should highlight resilience, learning, and dignity, not only trauma.
Access and privilege create a responsibility to build bridges for others.
Community work requires humility, self-awareness, and a willingness to question your role.
Caring for yourself is necessary if you want to continue caring for others.
Relationships and introductions can be just as valuable as financial donations.
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28min
July 08, 2026#207 | From Boardroom Ideas to Meaningful Action W/ Kelly Beeland
In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with nonprofit strategy and execution advisor Kelly Beeland to explore why so many strategic plans stall after they are approved.
Kelly shares how boards and executive directors can create clarity, assess capacity, define roles, strengthen governance, and move from endless conversation to meaningful execution.
The message is clear: strategy only creates impact when people understand the plan, know their responsibilities, and have the capacity to act.
Episode History
00:00 — Introduction
02:30 — Kelly’s journey into change management
04:00 — Lessons from large-scale transformation
06:00 — Governance and nonprofit board leadership
09:00 — Seeing both systems and people
10:30 — Where struggling boards should begin
12:30 — Getting everyone on the same page
14:30 — Creating a culture of execution
17:00 — Capacity, alignment, and role clarity
19:30 — Building the right board
22:00 — The value of serving on an emerging board
24:00 — Developing high-performing boards
25:30 — Planning board development across the year
28:00 — What is next for Kelly
31:00 — Supporting burned-out executive directors
Key Takeaways
A strategic plan is only useful when it includes clear ownership, timing, and execution.
Boards often struggle because members do not understand their role or expectations.
Alignment and role clarity are different from capacity, but all three affect performance.
Boards should plan for the full year instead of moving from one meeting agenda to the next.
Committees need defined responsibilities, deadlines, and reporting structures.
Executive directors must honestly assess what their organization can accomplish with its current resources.
A strong relationship between the board chair and executive director is essential.
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40min
July 07, 2026#206 | Reclaim Your Story and Lead Unapologetically W/ Frank Velásquez Jr.
In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Frank Velásquez Jr. for a powerful conversation about authenticity, courage, joy, and reclaiming the stories that shape who we are.
Frank shares how values-aligned leadership can help people become more confident, lead with greater intention, and create environments where others feel seen, supported, and empowered.
The message is clear: meaningful leadership begins when you stop hiding, own your story, and give yourself permission to lead unapologetically.
Episode History
00:00 — Introduction
01:15 — Meet Frank Velásquez Jr.
03:30 — Frank’s origin story and leadership journey
06:45 — Reclaiming your personal story
10:00 — Authenticity and values-aligned leadership
14:30 — Leading with courage
18:00 — Practicing joy unapologetically
22:00 — Creating spaces where people can show up fully
26:00 — The leadership program and its impact
30:00 — Why Frank is determined to restart the program
33:00 — Advice for leaders who are hiding parts of themselves
36:00 — How to connect with and support Frank
38:00 — Final reflections
Key Takeaways
Authentic leadership requires the courage to be fully seen.
Your values should shape the way you lead.
Joy is not separate from serious leadership. It can strengthen your impact.
Your story can become a source of connection, purpose, and confidence.
Transformational programs give people space to discover who they are and how they want to lead.
Reclaiming your story allows you to lead without apology.
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33min
July 06, 2026 #205 | Why Nonprofits Need Infrastructure, Collaboration, and Clarity With RJ Caswell
In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with RJ Caswell, a Charlotte-based social impact leader with a heart for connecting people to purpose and helping organizations grow stronger.
RJ shares his perspective on leadership, collaboration, nonprofit sustainability, and the importance of building real infrastructure behind mission-driven work. He also discusses the role of Mission Charlotte, the challenges many nonprofit leaders face, and why organizations need systems, relationships, strategy, and support to create lasting impact.
Kyle and RJ explore the messy middle of social impact, the importance of cross-generational learning, and why collaboration requires leaders to set aside ego, logo, and competition for the sake of the mission.
Episode History
00:00 — Introduction
00:12 — Meet RJ Caswell
01:10 — RJ’s mission beyond titles
02:30 — What keeps RJ energized
03:40 — Learning from the next generation
05:15 — Innovation, earned revenue, and new nonprofit models
06:25 — How Mission Charlotte supports nonprofit leaders
08:15 — Sustainability, systems, and organizational development
09:50 — Where nonprofits should begin
10:55 — Collaboration versus competition
13:20 — Putting mission above ego and logo
14:00 — RJ’s 25-year leadership journey
16:20 — Advice for young purpose-driven leaders
17:30 — The power of mentorship
18:00 — Mark Hoffman’s impact on RJ’s leadership
21:15 — Personal clarity and understanding how you’re wired
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41min
July 05, 2026#204 | Building More Than Housing: Dr. Patrick Graham on Systems Change, Equity, and Community Impact
In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Dr. Patrick Graham, CEO of We Build Concord, nonprofit and public leader, and architect of economic and social justice initiatives.
Dr. Graham shares how his upbringing in Long Island, his Southern roots, hip-hop, church, and his mother’s role in a federal housing discrimination case shaped his passion for justice, housing, and community transformation. He explains why housing does not exist in a vacuum and why leaders must connect affordable housing to workforce development, economic mobility, public policy, and community trust.
Kyle and Dr. Graham also discuss systems change, community land trusts, down payment assistance, regional housing solutions, public-private partnerships, and why leaders must have courage, adaptability, resilience, and respect to create lasting change.
Key Topics:
Dr. Graham’s roots in Long Island, Southern culture, and hip-hop
How his mother’s housing discrimination work shaped his calling
Why equity and systems change must move beyond theory
How housing, workforce, policy, and economic development connect
Why you cannot build your way out of the housing crisis alone
Community land trusts and creative affordability models
The role of grants, public funding, and private partnerships
Why organizations must go into communities, not expect people to come to them
The L.O.V.E.R. framework for community engagement
Courage, adaptability, and resilience as leadership essentials
Episode History
00:00 — Introduction
00:15 — Meet Dr. Patrick Graham
01:15 — Growing up on hip-hop and grits
02:30 — Long Island, Southern roots, and the Great Migration
03:30 — Community institutions and early leadership experiences
04:30 — Dr. Graham’s mother and housing discrimination advocacy
05:00 — Defining equity and systems change
06:00 — Working outside traditional systems
06:30 — Community land trusts and permanent affordability
07:00 — Loaned equity and down payment assistance
08:00 — Building a sustainable affordable housing business model
09:00 — Using public dollars and partnerships to create savings
10:00 — Advice for leaders building nontraditional impact models
11:00 — Learning the craft while staying open to innovation
12:00 — Can affordable housing challenges be solved?
12:30 — Why housing does not live in a vacuum
13:00 — Building people and building homes at the same time
14:00 — Economic development must include housing
15:00 — Going into communities with trust and respect
16:00 — Exposure as the father of innovation
17:00 — The L.O.V.E.R. framework
18:00 — Why respect is the foundation of community love
19:00 — Courage, adaptability, and resilience in leadership
21:30 — Teaching young leaders patience, grit, and experience
24:30 — Going through the fire before leading the charge
Guest Bio
Dr. Patrick Graham is the CEO of We Build Concord, a nonprofit and public leader, and a strategist working at the intersection of affordable housing, workforce development, economic mobility, equity, and systems change. His career has focused on building stronger communities through housing stability, policy innovation, wealth-building strategies, and cross-sector partnerships that create long-term opportunity for individuals and families.
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40min
July 04, 2026#203 | Edited for Scale: Erin Peshoff on Building Smarter Systems, Clearer Operations, and Sustainable Growth
In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Erin Peshoff, chief curator of Vivid Operational Advisors for a practical conversation on systems, operations, infrastructure, and what it really takes for nonprofits to grow well.
Erin explains why organizations cannot scale if they are not optimized for growth. She shares how strong systems create predictability, reduce friction, support team clarity, and help people show up with more joy in their work.
Kyle and Erin also discuss why most nonprofit “emergencies” are created by poor systems, the importance of documentation, handoffs, project management, password management, board alignment, and why leaders must be willing to edit operations instead of simply organizing clutter.
Key Topics:
Why systems create predictability and safety
How joy can become an economic metric
Why most nonprofit emergencies are self-created
The difference between organizing operations and editing them
Why documentation matters during staff turnover
How poor handoffs create confusion and frustration
Password management, CRM issues, and hidden system gaps
Why leaders should not force old tools into new organizations
How boards can create chaos when they do not speak with one voice
Why organizations must slow down before they can scale
Episode History
00:00 — Introduction
00:20 — Meet Erin Peshoff
01:15 — What is giving Erin energy right now
02:00 — Hope, glimmers, and positive graffiti
02:30 — Personal systems and morning routines
03:00 — Why systems matter personally and professionally
03:30 — Systems create predictability and safety
04:00 — Joy as an economic metric
04:30 — Are there real emergencies in nonprofit work?
05:30 — How poor planning creates urgency
06:00 — Defining what a system really is
07:00 — CRM, reporting, and campaign tracking examples
08:00 — Why systems should feel like habits
08:45 — Editing operations instead of organizing them
09:30 — Pulling everything out before rebuilding
10:00 — Letting go of systems that no longer work
11:00 — Common system gaps in nonprofits
11:30 — Documentation and turnover
12:00 — Handoffs between development and finance
13:00 — Ownership, integrations, and broken workflows
14:00 — Passwords, shared accounts, and system access
15:00 — Why leaders should not force their favorite tools
16:00 — Clear expectations and team preferences
17:00 — Erin’s diagnostic process with organizations
18:00 — Listening to staff before changing systems
19:00 — Boards, alignment, and speaking with one voice
Guest Bio
Erin Peshoff is the chief curator of Vivid Operational Advisors, where she helps nonprofit leaders reduce friction, cut through clutter, and build operational infrastructure that actually supports growth. With experience across fundraising, customer experience, operations strategy, and AI-enabled workflows, Erin helps organizations strengthen systems, improve handoffs, document processes, and create healthier environments where people can do their best work.
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41min
July 03, 2026#202 | Cultural Humility, Belonging, and the Courage to Lead Differently W/ Dr. Joel Pérez, PCC
In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Dr. Joel Pérez, PCC, award-winning author, executive coach, belonging consultant, Gallup Strengths coach, IDI Qualified Administrator, and author of Dear White Leader: How to Achieve Organizational Excellence Through Cultural Humility.
Joel Pérez, PCC shares how leaders can create cultures of belonging by practicing cultural humility, leading with clarity, and learning to operate in ambiguity. He explains why leadership begins with self-awareness but must move beyond the individual into the organization, community, and systems leaders influence.
Kyle and Dr. Joel Pérez, PCC also discuss work-life integration, cultural humility, psychological safety, identity as a leadership superpower, mental health, intent versus impact, leading across difference, and what it takes to become a belonging-centered leader in a turbulent world.
Key Topics:
Why leadership requires comfort with ambiguity
The difference between work-life balance and work-life integration
What cultural humility looks like in practice
Why leaders must look in the mirror first
Leading with clarity and self-awareness
The four dimensions of a belonging-centered organization
Psychological safety and healthy conflict
Systems that work for everyone
Accountable leadership and daily habits that build belonging
How identity can become a leadership superpower
Why mental health matters for exceptional leadership
Intent versus impact in leadership
Leading across difference with curiosity instead of judgment
Episode History
00:00 — Introduction
00:15 — Meet Dr. Joel Pérez, PCC
01:00 — Dear White Leader and award recognition
01:30 — Balancing multiple roles and work-life integration
02:30 — Holding things loosely and living in the gray
03:30 — Why better people lead better teams
04:00 — How leaders can operate in ambiguity
04:30 — Leading with clarity
05:30 — Cultural humility and nonprofit leadership
06:30 — Looking in the mirror as a leader and organization
07:30 — Turning philosophy into practical frameworks
08:00 — The belonging-centered organizational framework
08:30 — Psychological safety
09:00 — Systems that work for everyone
09:30 — Accountable leadership
10:00 — Daily habits that build belonging
10:30 — Exceptional leadership in a turbulent world
11:00 — Identity as a leadership superpower
11:30 — Mental health and leadership
12:00 — Nostalgia is not a strategy
12:30 — Leading through turbulence
14:00 — Dr. Perez’s first-generation college story
15:00 — Growing up as the son of Mexican immigrants
16:00 — Learning to lead across difference
17:00 — Cultural humility coaching
18:00 — Identity, code switching, and belonging
19:30 — What belonging-centered leadership means
21:30 — Intent versus impact
22:30 — Apologies, accountability, and leadership repair
23:30 — Why belonging is both moral and strategic
Guest Bio
Dr. Joel Pérez, PCC is an award-winning author, executive coach, belonging consultant, Gallup Strengths coach, IDI Qualified Administrator, and founder of a coaching and consulting practice focused on helping leaders and organizations create cultures of belonging. He is the author of Dear White Leader: How to Achieve Organizational Excellence Through Cultural Humility, which was recognized with the Silver Award for Best New Voice Nonfiction by the Independent Book Publishers Association. Through his work, Dr. Joel Pérez, PCC helps leaders practice cultural humility, lead across difference, build psychological safety, and create organizations where people can thrive.
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35min
July 02, 2026 #201 | How Purpose-Driven Teams Create Unforgettable Experiences With Mark Maynard
In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Mark Maynard, keynote speaker, author, advisor, coach, and former managing partner at Union Square Hospitality Group.
Mark shares how hospitality, clarity, purpose, and community shape unforgettable customer and team experiences. He explains why great service is not just about a product, meal, or transaction. It is about helping people feel like they belong to something bigger.
Kyle and Mark also discuss why service teams need clarity, how purpose creates buy-in, why complaints are gifts, and how leaders can build organizations where every action connects back to the mission.
Episode History
00:00 — Introduction
00:26 — Meet Mark Maynard
01:30 — Mark’s connection to hospitality and service
03:00 — Why entertaining and hosting matter
04:00 — Customers versus guests
05:35 — Why your product is community
07:30 — Building loyalty through belonging
08:45 — Mark’s journey into hospitality
10:00 — Why teams need clarity, not another pep talk
12:25 — Purpose, buy-in, and shared direction
15:25 — Where leaders should begin
17:30 — Why complaints are gifts
19:30 — Receiving feedback with humility
21:30 — What extraordinary service teams do differently
23:00 — Connecting people to purpose
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38min
July 01, 2026#200 | I Am Still Standing: How Resilient Leaders Keep Growing
In this solo episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle S. King challenges leaders to reflect on the setbacks they have survived, the character they are building, and the future they are intentionally creating.
Drawing from the wisdom of Maya Angelou, personal leadership experiences, and stories about trust, courage, and perseverance, Kyle reminds listeners that experiencing defeat does not mean they have been defeated.
He introduces a practical four-part framework for personal and professional growth:
Learn constantly
Build meaningful relationships
Add measurable value
Develop other people
This episode is a call to stop measuring leadership only by titles, recognition, or achievement. Sustainable success is built through character, consistency, service, and the willingness to lift others while you climb.
Episode Action Items
Write down the phrase “I am still standing.”
Define what you want to be known for by June 2027.
Identify one skill you need to develop before your next opportunity.
Schedule a conversation with your manager about your professional goals.
Identify three relationships that could support your development.
Solve one meaningful problem without waiting to be asked.
Choose one colleague or emerging leader to mentor.
Create a 30-day plan for learning, relationship-building, value creation, and developing others.
Reflection Questions
What challenge have you survived that once made you question whether you could continue?
What does your response to pressure reveal about your character?
Would people trust you to lead them through uncertainty?
What do you want to be known for one year from now?
What problem can you solve for your team today?
Who are you intentionally helping grow?
Are you climbing alone, or are you lifting others with you?
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42min
June 30, 2026 #199 | Building Pathways for Underrepresented College Students with Dara Ashley
In this episode of the Contagious Culture Podcast, Kyle King sits down with Dara Ashley, founding executive director of the Dara Ashley Foundation, researcher, and nonprofit leader working to close the access and exposure gap for underrepresented college students.
Dara shares how her own experiences, mentorship, and time at Howard University shaped her passion for helping students see what is possible. She explains why exposure matters, why students cannot pursue opportunities they have never seen, and how mentorship can change the trajectory of a young person’s life.
Kyle and Dara also discuss the difference between access and ability, the power of one-on-one mentorship, data-driven program design, Leadership U, and what it means to build an organization that helps students gain the skills, networks, and confidence they need for life after college.
Episode History
00:00 — Introduction
00:40 — Meet Dara Ashley
01:00 — Dara’s mission and infectious spirit
01:30 — Closing the access and exposure gap
02:30 — Helping students identify what they do not know
03:15 — The power of exposure
04:00 — Dara’s origin story and early mentorship experience
05:00 — Where to start if you want to serve your community
06:00 — Former mentees returning as mentors
07:15 — Access versus ability
08:45 — Why exposure also shows students what they do not want
10:00 — Dara’s path into research
11:00 — Why leaders must mentor and reach back
12:00 — Staying connected to the audience you serve
13:00 — What Dara saw missing in the system
14:30 — What leaders get wrong about mentorship
15:30 — The power of one-on-one mentorship
16:00 — What success looks like for Dara
17:00 — The ten-year vision for the Dara Ashley Foundation
18:00 — Growing into 42 states and going deeper locally
19:00 — Leadership U and student-centered program design
20:00 — Using data to measure and build impact
21:00 — Turning vision into systems and deliverables

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👉🏽 Apply to Be in the Growth Alliance
👉🏽Connect with Kyle S. King

...more
36min

FAQs about Contagious Culture:

How many episodes does Contagious Culture have?

The podcast currently has 208 episodes available.