Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova.

I have the pleasure of welcoming Kristi Herold to the show today. Kristi is the founder and CEO of JAM, a multi-million-dollar global business that has connected millions of people through play since its inception in 1996 and has grown to be one of the world's largest adult recreational sports leagues. JAM has also produced and delivered over 4,000 playful corporate team-building events in over 30 countries since the summer of 2020, and the JAM team consults organizations, helping them integrate fun and play into their "workPLAYce culture." She's also the best-selling author of It Pays to PLAY – How Play Improves Business Culture. She has been named to Canada's Top 100 Most Powerful Women, was a top 3 finalist in the Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards, and was awarded the Governor General's Queen's Diamond Jubilee in recognition of her contribution and giving back to the community. Her vision is to get 1 million people playing annually.

THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…leaders, people managers, and culture-builders who want to strengthen remote and hybrid teams without forcing another Zoom brainstorm or awkward icebreaker.

TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…you don't have to choose between productivity and fun at work. Kristi Herold is on a mission to prove you can (and should) have both. In this episode, we discuss how Kristi helps companies around the world integrate play into their culture, virtually and in-person, to boost engagement, build stronger relationships, and drive real business results. From playful daily huddles to rethinking your team-building events, she shares tangible ways to make fun a part of your workplace DNA.

Key Takeaways:

• How virtual play can build culture even across time zones

• Why "laughter guarantees" work better than mandatory fun

• How to structure quick, daily team check-ins that actually feel good

• Ideas to bring play into remote meetings without making it weird

WHAT I LOVE MOST…Kristi's approach is practical, energizing, and incredibly human. Her belief that "you don't have to stop working to play" is a game-changer for leaders trying to build stronger cultures remotely.

Running Time: 25:35

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Find Kristi Online:

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Kristi's Offer for What's Next! Listeners:

https://www.kristiherold.com/whatsnext25/

Kristi's Book:

It Pays to PLAY: How Play Improves Business Culture