The CultureCon Podcast

ADVISA CEO Heather Haas and leadership consultant BJ McKay spill the T in ATLAS, delving into the second of five essential drivers for creating cultural competitive advantage: Trust and Shared Purpose.

Heather and BJ define what this driver really means and provide practical tactics any organization can use to promote it.

This episode decodes the importance of mission, vision, and values, and what makes the difference between wall art and valuable tools for alignment.

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• Trust builds speed and lowers cost in business operations.
• Leaders must align behavior with stated mission and values.
• Culture needs clarity: mission, vision, and values defined.
• Communication trust forms when leadership consistently shares strategic direction.
• Rituals and accountability bring values to life organization-wide.

Why are we still using resumes like it's 1995?! 📄

Live from CultureCon 2025, Nikki Lewallen Gregory is joined by Natasha Nuytten, CEO of CLARA, for a rapid-fire convo on shaking up everything we thought we knew about HR.

From blowing up the resume to embracing AI in ethical and human-first ways, Natasha dishes on how leaders can stop playing it safe and start rethinking talent. They explore the magic of unlearning, why potential matters more than pedigree, and how to build hiring processes that actually reflect the world we live in today.

If you're tired of rinse-and-repeat recruiting and ready to reimagine the future of work, this episode is your permission slip to challenge the status quo and lead with heart and strategy.

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• Unlearning outdated HR practices creates room for innovation.
• Skills-based hiring outperforms resume-based filtering.
• Culture fit should evolve into culture value-add.
• AI must be ethical, transparent, and human-first.
• Potential matters more than traditional career paths.

What does it really mean to show up authentically at work?

In this special live episode from CultureCon 2024, Nikki Lewallen Gregory sits down with Faatima Khan, former Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at WPS Health Solutions, to unpack how leaders can create trust-filled, brave spaces where people feel safe enough to be real. 💬

From mood elevators to hilarious office pranks that turned into powerful moments of connection, Faatima reminds us that authenticity takes intention, grace, and vulnerability.

This conversation is filled with stories and strategies that will challenge you to slow down, ask better questions, and rethink what true culture-building looks like. 🌱

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• Authenticity requires leaders to first create trust-filled spaces.
• Brave spaces go beyond psychological safety for deeper inclusion.
• Vulnerability from leaders fosters openness across teams.
• Grace in the workplace strengthens trust and belonging.
• Equity means slowing down to ask better questions.

What if shaping culture felt less like guesswork and more like strategy? 🎯

Nick and Zach sit down with Greg and Pete from CultureShape to dive into the tools and insights that are helping leaders make culture intentional, measurable, and lasting. From the "Culture Wheel Playbook" to lessons learned from hundreds of conversations with leaders, this episode explores how to move culture from a buzzword to a business driver, and why intentional planning makes all the difference.

Whether you're a culture team of one or twenty-one, you'll leave inspired to plan smarter, gain executive support, and turn big ideas into sustainable impact.

Additional Resources:

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• Culture needs planning, not just good intentions.
• Executive support is critical for sustainable culture growth.
• Simple tools create clarity and alignment across teams.
• Culture parallels marketing's rise to strategic importance.
• Everyone on the culture team owns the business case.

In this episode, ADVISA CEO Heather Haas and leadership consultant BJ McKay discuss the concept of Cultural Competitive Advantage, focusing on the ATLAS framework – five drivers that organizations can leverage to align their culture with the goals of the business.

Heather and BJ delve into the importance of the first driver, 'Activation from Above' – emphasizing the role of leadership in shaping and maintaining a healthy organizational culture.

The conversation highlights the necessity of data in understanding cultural dynamics, the time it takes to effect meaningful change, and practical steps to jump-start cultural transformation.

Additional Resources:

Get Your Culture Check!

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• Lead by Example – Culture starts with leadership behavior.
• Own the Culture – Leaders must actively shape it.
• Let Data Guide You – Use insights to target improvements.
• Invest to Grow – Time, attention, and budget are essential.
• Culture Drives Results – It's a business strategy, not fluff.

What does it really take to grow a business from your garage into an international company with 300+ employees… and then turn that experience into a career helping leaders build thriving cultures? 🚀

Dr. Julia Wiener takes Nick and Zach inside her journey from corporate life to co-founding one of Inc. Magazine's fastest-growing companies, and now leading JW Strategies. She shares how agility and quick pivots kept her business alive, why creating space to "fail fast" sparks innovation, and how subtle leadership behaviors can shape culture more than any words on a wall.

From navigating messy team mergers to scaling culture in high-growth environments, Julia brings stories, lessons, and a refreshing dose of honesty. Plus, she looks ahead at how AI is transforming the way we work and what leaders need to do to keep the human side of business strong. 🌟

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• Agility and quick pivots fuel growth.
• Failing fast only works if you also learn fast.
• Leadership is about influence, not titles.
• Scaling requires structure and clear communication.
• Small leader behaviors can outweigh stated values.

What if the way we've always done things at work is exactly what's holding us back?

In this episode of "WorkPossible," Elaine and Hattie sit down with Martin Fitzpatrick, Global Employee Communications and Engagement Director at Ericsson, to challenge some of the most outdated practices in the workplace.

From the uninspiring employee handbook that kills excitement on day one, to why we expect frontline managers to become brilliant communicators overnight without any support, to leaders hiding behind polished spin instead of saying, "I don't know," Martin pushes for a more human approach to communication and leadership.

This is a conversation about ditching the rulebook, designing experiences that work for humans, and reimagining how leaders and employees engage with one another. Because work should feel possible, not prescribed.

Martin brings lived experience from the shop floor to the boardroom - from his days as a Vodafone retail advisor watching corporate decisions fail in real time, to creating award-winning campaigns that connect with people. Listen as he reveals why the best communicators listen first, why proximity matters more than seniority, and how small authentic moments can transform cultures.

No scripts. No safe answers. Just honest conversations about what's possible when we stop doing things by default and start doing them by design.

Tune in for fresh perspectives, future-focused thinking, and ideas bold enough to change things.

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• Onboarding should spark belonging, not bury new hires in rules.
• Trust grows when leaders admit, "I don't know."
• Communication works best as two-way listening, not one-way spin.
• Frontline leaders need support, not more tasks.
• Authentic moments drive engagement more than polished messaging.

What happens when two self-proclaimed non-event planners accidentally create one of the most meaningful culture conferences around?

In this recap of CultureCon 2025, Nick and Zach pull back the curtain on the behind-the-scenes chaos, lessons learned, and the magic that made this year's event unforgettable. From 3,200+ connections and Madison, WI's food trucks to silly puppet shows and the not-so-sexy "Boxed Lunch Experience," they share the highs, the hiccups, and the hilarity of building a community-driven conference.

Stick around for a sneak peek at what's next 🎲 and their first-ever topic-specific conference on AI 🤖.

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CultureCon West 2025

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• Connections matter more than content.
• Smaller scale fosters deeper conversations.
• Built-in breaks boost authentic connection.
• Authenticity beats perfection on stage.

Welcome to the kickoff of "Culture Starts Here," a fresh new series from The CultureCon Podcast in partnership with Advisa! 🎉

Meet Heather Haas, CEO of Advisa and former elementary school principal, and BJ McKay, a track coach-turned-leadership guru. Together, they break down how culture isn't just a feel-good HR project, it's a strategic lever for growth, alignment, and performance.

Heather and BJ introduce ATLAS, a five-part framework designed to help leaders build cultures that actually work, where systems support people, data drives clarity, and leadership is intentional from the top down.

With powerful client stories and no-BS insights, this episode shows you how to move from culture confusion to culture advantage. 🎯

Additional Resources:

Get Your Culture Check!

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• Culture can drive or derail business success… alignment matters.
• Leaders set the tone; they carry and shape culture daily.
• The ATLAS framework offers five clear culture drivers: Activation from Above, Trust and Shared Purpose, Leader Effectiveness, Actionable People Data, and Systems.
• Systems and processes must support the culture you want.
• Start with data and link culture directly to business outcomes.

Ever wondered if doing good can actually grow your business? Nathan Stuck proves it's not only possible—it's the future of work.

In this kickoff to the CultureCon Podcast, Nick and Zach welcome their first-ever guest: Nathan Stuck. purpose-driven leader, TEDx speaker, author, and founder of Profitable Purpose Consulting. He breaks down what B Corp certification really means (hint: it's more than a sticker on your packaging 🏷️), why employee volunteer hours matter, and how brands can walk the tightrope between impact and authenticity.

Whether you're B-curious or already in the community, Nathan brings the insight, laughs, and straight-up strategy to help you rethink what success really looks like. 🎯

Additional Resources:

Connect with Nathan on LinkedIn

Learn more about Profitable Purpose Consulting

CultureCon 2025

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• B Corp certification boosts brand, talent, and impact.
• Align purpose with business strengths for real change.
• True transformation takes long-term commitment.
• Impact storytelling should highlight others, not hype.