A lot of rebrands stop at the surface — new logos, fresh colors, maybe a tagline. But true transformation starts inside the company. Culture, operations, and how people work every day are what really drive lasting change. And when there’s also a market pivot or strategic shift in play, that disconnect between image and reality can create real friction. Employees can feel lost, customers can feel confused, and the repositioning risks falling flat.

That’s exactly why I invited Mike Stolz onto the Klarhet Shift. Mike has lived this challenge: keeping revenue flowing from a legacy business while moving into a more lucrative market. His secret? Using core values as the anchor for alignment.

In this conversation, Mike and I cover:

• Why employee-driven values matter more than top-down mandates
• How core values became a filter for hiring, customer selection, and even performance reviews
• What it looks like to balance day-to-day operational reality with aspirational values like innovation
• How to pace change without losing people — and why transparency around mistakes builds trust
• The leadership lesson Mike wishes every CEO would take to heart

If you’ve ever wondered how to ground a pivot in something deeper than branding, this episode will resonate.

Connect with Mike Stolz on LinkedIn
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Learn more about Klarhet Compass and our services at k-compass.com/shift

In our first Compass Check episode we talk about Alignment to Values - a key success driver for high performing teams.

Meet The Klarhet Channel—two shows, one feed. Compass Check gives you a compact mentor moment with practical advice. Klarhet Shift shares real stories and lessons from meaningful business change—pivots, scaling/exits, and transformations. Send questions or guest pitches at k-compass.com/shift.