"DEI is often seen as something off to the side—something we can easily discard because people still don’t always see its benefits,” says Ericka Hines, founder of Black Women Thriving. This week, she joins Alex Raymond to shed light on the vital role of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Drawing on over 14 years of experience, Ericka shares insights from her Black Women Thriving Report, which explores the unique challenges Black women face in the workplace and provides actionable recommendations for creating environments where they can truly flourish.

Ericka emphasizes the need to move beyond traditional DEI training to foster genuine cultural change. She introduces the concept of thriving—a state of vitality and learning at work—as the ultimate goal once diversity and inclusion are achieved. A striking finding from her report is that 88% of Black women experience burnout, often due to a lack of personal time and negative workplace environments. Ericka advocates for organizational policies that prioritize well-being, such as implementing rest periods between meetings and discouraging after-hours emails.

For entrepreneurs, Ericka advises embedding DEI principles into their businesses from the outset by tailoring them to their industry and integrating them into daily strategies and practices. She cautions against relying solely on unconscious bias training and stresses the importance of a comprehensive approach to building an inclusive culture. Ericka urges entrepreneurs to lead the charge in evolving workplaces to meet the expectations of millennials and Gen Z, who place a high value on diversity and inclusion.

Quotes

• “There are definitions of DEI, and you should have a shared language about those. But what I’m saying is, if we understand that diversity means we want different perspectives, lived experiences, and identities, right? What does that mean in the context of the business or industry I’m in? What does that mean to us? Once you have those operational definitions, I think the strategies and knowledge you need will flow from that.” (27:35 | Ericka Hines)
• “As an entrepreneur, I think DEI work should become one of the pillars of your business. In doing so, you want to embed it across operations, how you hire, how you conduct performance reviews, and how you choose vendors.” (29:24 | Ericka Hines)
• "DEI is often seen as something off to the side—something we can easily discard because people still don’t always see its benefits.” (40:20 | Ericka Hines)
• “People who are Black, Indigenous, people of color, trans, gay—we’re not going away in the workplace. So, yes, it’s still a good time to do this. To me, it doesn’t make sense not to be doing this. And this really isn’t from a place of, ‘Oh, this is my business.’ It’s more like, look at who’s in your workplace. Why would you not try to make it a place that people want to work in?” (41:25 | Ericka Hines)

Links

Connect with Ericka Hines:

Website: https://everylevelleads.com/

Connect with Alex Raymond:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/

Website: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/

HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

“I worked for people who have achieved a lot but didn’t seem all that happy in life,” shares Jim Barnett, a seasoned CEO with leadership roles at Wisq, Glint, and LinkedIn. This realization sparked a 35-year journey into happiness and consciousness, leading Jim to explore meditation and conscious leadership.

Introduced to meditation by a monk in Los Angeles, Jim’s daily practice has since become a cornerstone of his personal and professional life. Through YPO and transformative retreats, he deepened his commitment to conscious living, eventually partnering with Diana Chapman of the Conscious Leadership Group. Her teachings on the 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership impacted his approach to leadership.

Jim discusses how shifting from a stress-driven mindset to one focused on awareness and intentionality transformed not just his well-being but also the culture within his organizations. He also highlights the potential of AI to fill gaps in traditional HR, offering accessible coaching and support to managers and employees.

For entrepreneurs, Jim emphasizes the importance of building a strong company culture from the outset. His advice? Prioritize actions that reflect thoughtfulness, inclusion, and collaboration to create a workplace where happiness and success can thrive.

Quotes

• “I’m so dedicated to helping people be happy and successful at work that I see this as a way of being of service to humanity, rather than trying to achieve a specific business outcome.” (17:33 | Jim Barnett)
• “I think the role of a manager is to be a guide for the team and the people on the team in all areas. The challenge is that a lot of managers don’t have the skill set required to be a good manager. Typically, what we do is find the highest performer, and that performer then becomes the manager.” (25:53 | Jim Barnett)
• “I would say one cheat code for approaching anything consciously is to approach it with curiosity. If you come from a place of “I’m right, they’re wrong,” that’s not likely to lead to the best outcome.” (32:48 | Jim Barnett)
• “Don’t just talk about culture. Let your actions show how important culture is. Dedicate yourself to creating a culture of thoughtfulness, inclusion, empowerment, responsibility, communication, and collaboration. Be very thoughtful and purposeful about it. I think it’s super important.” (42:51 | Jim Barnett)

Links

Connect with Jim Barnett:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-barnett-a5312/

Website: https://www.wisq.com/

Connect with Alex Raymond:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/

Website: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/

HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

“Leadership isn’t about doing certain things; it’s about being a certain type of person,” says Ryan Gottfredson, a professor and consultant specializing in leadership development. In this episode, Ryan, the author of “Success Mindsets” and “The Elevated Leader,” sits down with Alex Raymond to explore vertical development—a powerful approach to growth that goes beyond just acquiring new skills.

Ryan’s journey into this field started back in high school when a sports psychology class ignited his passion for personal development. That passion eventually led him to pursue a Ph.D. in organizational behavior and human resources, where he noticed a gap in traditional leadership research. Most studies focused on what leaders should do, rather than who they need to become. This insight redirected his work toward helping leaders and entrepreneurs focus on their way of being, not just their actions.

The three stages of vertical development are key to understanding this approach: the first stage focuses on safety and comfort, the second on standing out and advancing, and the third on contributing to the greater good. How do we shift from a mindset of self-protection to one of value creation? Ryan explains that while most people operate at the first level, true transformation happens when we move beyond it, advancing to stages where the focus shifts to making a meaningful impact.

Courage plays a critical role in this journey. Transitioning from one level to the next means letting go of certain needs and embracing new ones, which requires significant bravery. Ryan shares practical tips for entrepreneurs to start this transformation, like daily affirmations, journaling, and adopting growth-oriented mindsets.

This episode offers a deep dive into vertical development, providing actionable insights for entrepreneurs who want to move from survival mode to making meaningful contributions. By focusing on who they are, and not just what they do, listeners will learn strategies to overcome challenges, unlock their potential, and achieve transformative growth in both their personal and professional lives.

Quotes

• “Leadership isn’t about doing certain things; it’s about being a certain type of person.” (04:19 | Ryan Gottfredson)
• “It’s one that’s very rare for people to take, but as I mentioned, it’s transformational. This path is what we call vertical development. Vertical development isn’t about adding apps to our iPad; it’s about upgrading our internal operating system so that we think and strategize at a higher level than we currently do.” (09:13 | Ryan Gottfredson)
• “Our mindsets are the most foundational aspect of everything that we do. How we see our world shapes how we think, how we learn, and how we behave. And we all have mindsets, and they are all driving our unconscious thoughts and processes. Most people think that they have good mindsets, but most people actually don’t even know the quality of their mindsets.” (33:47 | Ryan Gottfredson)

Links

Connect with Ryan Gottfredson:

Website: https://ryangottfredson.com/

Connect with Alex Raymond:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/

Website: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/

HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Traditional corporate hierarchies are being replaced by dynamic, self-managing organizations that embrace wholeness and evolutionary purpose, as explained by Frederic Laloux in this week’s episode of The Conscious Entrepreneur. Frederic, the author of Reinventing Organizations, joins Alex Raymond to mark the 10th anniversary of his influential book and discuss its impact on modern organizational management.

With an MBA from INSEAD and a successful career at McKinsey, Frederic was well-acquainted with conventional business paradigms. However, personal experiences and a transformative coaching session led him to question traditional corporate structures. Influenced by Ken Wilber’s developmental theories, Frederic introduced a color-coded framework showing the evolution from rigid hierarchies to adaptive, purpose-driven “teal” organizations.

Frederic outlines three key principles of teal organizations: self-management, wholeness, and evolutionary purpose. Self-management eliminates traditional hierarchies, replacing them with flexible systems where decision-making is distributed based on competence and interest. Wholeness encourages individuals to bring their full selves to work, fostering creativity and authenticity. Evolutionary purpose shifts focus from profit maximization to a mission that aligns with stakeholders’ values and aspirations.

This episode offers valuable insights for entrepreneurs and leaders on the future of work. Frederic’s perspectives provide a compelling vision of how businesses can evolve to meet modern complexities while creating humane and fulfilling work environments, urging entrepreneurs to embrace these innovative paradigms.

Quotes

• “When we redesign the organization, we create a blueprint. It’s all of that engineering language because fundamentally we view an organization as a machine. This was a very successful model… But now we’re reaching the limits of that model. The world has become so much more complex, but we’re still trying to run it in that way with the good old pyramid structure.” (13:20 | Frederic Laloux)
• “If I was really honest with myself, behind closed doors with leaders, I had these amazing conversations... The structures were so unhealthy that, once I left, the same thing happened during sessions with executive committees. We would finally discuss the taboos, the power relations, the politics, the lack of trust, and everyone would feel relieved that these issues were being addressed. However, once I left the room, the same behaviors would resurface. What I realized was that it wasn’t a lack of capacity on their part. It was the system, the structures, and the pyramid—how we’ve set up things—that naturally pushed people to behave in those ways.” (26:01 | Frederic Laloux)
• “The term self-management is both great and frustrating. As soon as you mention it, people often imagine it means no structure, that everyone can do whatever they want, and that decision-making is done by consensus, requiring everyone’s input on every decision. But it’s actually the opposite of that.” (35:51 | Frederic Laloux)

Links

Connect with Frederic Laloux:

Book: https://www.reinventingorganizations.com/

Video Series: https://thejourney.reinventingorganizations.com/

The Week: https://www.theweek.ooo/

Connect with Alex Raymond:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/

Website: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/

HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Can startups truly innovate by partnering with corporate giants, or as Dr. Shameen Prashantham puts it, “dancing with gorillas”? In this episode, Dr. Prashantham, professor of International Business & Strategy at the China Europe International Business School, joins Alex Raymond to share his research on corporate-startup partnerships. They explore how these collaborations have evolved, emphasizing the shift towards equity-based models and the critical role of non-equity partnerships in fostering innovation.

Dr. Prashantham stresses the importance of startups balancing optimism and caution when engaging with large companies. He advises focusing on core expertise and being strategic about revealing information to maintain leverage. Success stories like Techstars-backed Sphero’s partnership with Disney to create the BB-8 droid and Microsoft’s rise in the startup ecosystem illustrate the power of these collaborations.

The episode also delves into the democratization of partnerships, highlighting sustainability and positive impact initiatives. Dr. Prashantham underscores the necessity of complex arrangements involving city governments, NGOs, and United Nations agencies to tackle societal challenges. He showcases how startups can drive meaningful outcomes through innovative solutions, leveraging their unique strengths to create a global positive impact.

Quotes

• “Essentially, the insight was that you could bring together managers from big companies and entrepreneurs from startups to achieve something beyond what either could do on their own. Having studied many companies in different parts of the world and different industries, I realized that, knowingly or unknowingly, they were addressing what I call the paradox of asymmetry. On one hand, you have a potential win-win situation between these two different sets of companies, each having something the other lacks. Startups, for example, have agility, while big companies have scale.” (09:51 | Dr. Shameen Prashantham)
• “The big advantage of working with a large company is leveraging economies of scope to build partnerships across different units and regions. By being proactive and seeking introductions, startups can gain champions within the corporation. Many have benefited, but it’s crucial to keep future options open.” (27:54 | Dr. Shameen Prashantham)
• “For me, the idea that very different, asymmetric actors and nontraditional partners can come together is key. In terms of startups, particularly those leveraging digital technology, this is making a huge difference in many areas, helping people who are not privileged enough to have access to real-time information.” (39:26 | Dr. Shameen Prashantham)

Links

Connect with Dr. Shameen Prashantham:

Book: https://www.gorillascandance.com/

Connect with Alex Raymond:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/

Website: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/

HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Courage means choosing growth despite uncertainty. How can entrepreneurs adopt this mindset? Joshua Steinfeldt, a renowned coach and host of “The Courageous Life” podcast, joins Alex Raymond to discuss the psychology of courage, fear, and personal growth.

Joshua’s coaching journey began during the 2008 economic downturn when he noticed fear as a prevalent challenge. This led him to explore courage deeply, culminating in his master’s thesis on its four key components: choice, fear, risk, and a worthwhile goal. He emphasizes aligning actions with core values and regularly reassessing motivations to stay true to oneself.

Joshua’s research highlights that effective coaching requires courage—honest feedback, self-awareness, and empathy are essential. He distinguishes coaching from therapy, noting that coaching focuses on future goals without diagnosing clinical issues. Entrepreneurs must clarify their goals and approach coaching with openness and vulnerability.

Community and support are also crucial. Joshua debunks the lone hero myth, stressing the importance of feeling connected and supported. Alex reinforces this, sharing feedback from the Conscious Entrepreneur Summit about the desire for deeper connections.

This episode is a must-listen for entrepreneurs looking to navigate their journeys with courage, authenticity, and community. Joshua Steinfeldt’s insights provide a clear roadmap for overcoming fear, staying aligned with values, and leading with bravery.

Quotes

• “So often, living well, leading well, or doing what we really want to do in life requires some degree of risk. There might be fear around it, and often there’s a sense of courage, whether small or big. This is the centerpiece of what I tend to focus on.” (07:19 | Joshua Steinfeldt)
• “As entrepreneurs, we want to provide value for customers and clients. That’s such a natural thing… And I think, to work through some of that, being able to continually ask for feedback from a client, and to be able to receive it—to be able to hold that, take it in, and learn, ask questions to get better—I think there’s courage in that, as there is in leaders asking their team for honest feedback. And not shaming your team members, but really making it safe, and taking those learnings and putting them into action to get better, to grow.” (25:10 | Joshua Steinfeldt)
• “I think coaching is more about working. It’s a very collaborative process, working more to kind of help the client find their own answers in many ways.” (31:43 | Joshua Steinfeldt)
• “To be a leader right now is so hard. You have to be with uncertainty, which is so human, but people like control too. There has to be a part of you that’s willing to let go and be willing to go with it to some degree, like relaxing into uncertainty. I think that is the superpower of our time—being able to deepen and relax into uncertainty, to be with it. That takes courage because the natural response for so many people is to want to control it.” (36:49 | Joshua Steinfeldt)

Links

Connect with Joshua Steinfeldt:

https://www.practicingcourage.com/

Connect with Alex Raymond:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/

Website: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/

HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

“A bit of a puzzle around finding the right piece to fit and being willing to say no to the pieces that don’t—that was what got me excited about the M&A process,” says Brenda Jacobsen, the managing director of STS Capital Partners. “The last piece is just creating a win for all because there’s nothing worse than making someone who’s given up or agreed to sell you their life’s work and feeling like they were cheated out of what they feel it was worth,” she adds, emphasizing that transparency and realistic valuations are crucial to prevent either party from feeling shortchanged, thus fostering trust and successful outcomes in M&A deals.

In this episode, Brenda joins Alex Raymond to explore the intricacies of mergers and acquisitions. Brenda shares her extensive experience in M&A, stressing the importance of transparency, realistic valuations, and building strategic partnerships. She attributes much of her professional success to mindfulness and conscious leadership principles, which she learned from the Conscious Leadership Group. These principles have helped her navigate her career with resilience and responsibility.

The episode touches on Brenda’s experiences in the healthcare sector, where she led acquisitions of physician-owned practices, highlighting the importance of trust and transparency in these deals. She advises entrepreneurs to prepare for exits by focusing on profitability, growth, and reducing dependency on the founder. She also shares insights on raising capital and the significance of a supportive community, such as the Young Presidents’ Organization.

Join Alex and Brenda for practical advice and insights on navigating the complexities of M&A, grounded in mindful and conscious leadership principles.

Quotes

• “I have a very high threshold for staying uncomfortable for as long as I need to in order to make decisions. As an entrepreneur and a leader in any company, but especially in earlier stage companies, that is incredibly valuable.” (06:10 | Brenda Jacobsen)
• “One of the things that makes M&A scary, both for companies being acquired and for companies acquiring, is that no matter what you’re buying, you are also buying this talented group of people that make that company work. You may not have plans for all of them to continue on in the new entity, but you need them for a certain amount of time, even if it’s just for the transition. By really thinking people first through that process, it doesn’t have to be hard. It just has to be intentional.” (23:02 | Brenda Jacobsen)
• “I think bringing in outside capital can feel like market validation, but I see it as giving away what you’ve invested blood, sweat, tears, and sleepless nights into, often at a valuation that’s not favorable to you in the future. I try to encourage people to think about using the proceeds from the business to reinvest and grow, even if that means the pace is slower, because then the upside is yours instead of someone else’s.” (42:57 | Brenda Jacobsen)

Links

Connect with Brenda Jacobsen:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendajacobsen/

Connect with Alex Raymond:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/

Website: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/

HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

“Should I stay or should I go? Every founder asks themselves this question at one point or another,” says Alex Raymond, as he tackles the often taboo topic of CEO succession and transition with Evgeny Shadchnev, author of “Startup CEO Succession: A Founder’s Guide to Leadership Transition.” Evgeny shares his experience of stepping down as CEO of Makers, a software developing bootcamp he led for seven years, and discusses a nine-step roadmap for succession planning.

In this episode, Alex and Evgeny emphasize the importance of early and open conversations about succession, addressing fears, and the need for careful planning. Evgeny highlights the emotional challenges founders face, like burnout and loss of identity, and underscores the necessity of recognizing and managing these issues. He also explores post-transition pathways for founders and stresses the importance of supporting the new CEO without undermining them.

Join Alex and Evgeny in this episode to gain valuable insights for strategic and thoughtful planning to support a smooth succession and successful transition.

Quotes

• “What I find really, really meaningful on a personal level is making a difference in someone’s life on a personal level.” (12:20 | Evgeny Shadchnev)
• “One thing I learned since stepping down is that nearly every founder CEO considers it at some point. I was absolutely not an exception. Not everyone chooses to. But everyone asks themselves the question: ‘Am I the right person for the next stage of the journey as the job inevitably changes?’” (21:50 | Evgeny Shadchnev)
• “The job of a founder or CEO really changes over time. And the more the founder reflects on what’s going to come next year or in two years’ time, and the more alignment there is with the board, the higher the chances that a win-win, successful, smooth transition is going to be found.” (24:34 | Evgeny Shadchnev)
• “No one leaves their startup they’ve been running for 10 years full of energy. Nearly everyone needs time to rest and recover, slow down, and just get in touch with what it is that they need deep inside. It’s also important to reflect because founders often quite literally don’t see opportunities ahead of them… So taking time to slow down and rest and reflect on your career options can be invaluable because this moment is truly precious.” (32:02 | Evgeny Shadchnev)
• “CEO succession takes time. The more time you have, the higher the chances that you will have a good succession.” (37:48 | Evgeny Shadchnev)

Links

Connect with Evgeny Shadchnev:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shadchnev/

Website: https://www.evgeny.coach/

Connect with Alex Raymond:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/

Website: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/

HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm