Growing with Purpose

On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman talks with Ty Hagler, founder and Principal of the industrial design firm, Trig .  As a teenager volunteering at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, Ty was exposed to the sport of flatwater kayaking for the first time. That was the start of what became a decade-long career: Ty eventually grew into a world-class kayaker an...

On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman talks with William Vanderbloemen, founder and CEO of the  Vanderbloemen Search Group . After more than 15 years of ministry experience as a Senior Pastor, William Vanderbloemen came up with the idea to bring the best practices of executive search to faith-based organizations. Prior to his founding Vanderbloemen, William stud...

On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman talks with Kornel Grygo, the newly-named CEO of Tasty Catering .  Kornel Grygo grew up in Poland until he moved to the United States at the age of ten. His childhood was defined by working hard and taking responsibility, two traits that would serve him well as he climbed the ranks at Tasty Catering. Kornel originally came to...

On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman talks with Courtney Kingston, founder of Kingston Family Vineyards in Casablanca Valley, Chile.  Growing up, Courtney Kingston's imagination was constantly captured by her family's 100-year-old cattle ranch in Chile. In the early 1900s, her great grandfather settled on the land, and five generations of Kingstons have since g...

On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman talks with Susan Leger Ferraro, a social entrepreneur and the founder of a family of transformational organizations  with global impact. Susan started her first business at age 17, when she boldly went against her parents' wishes and started her own company instead of attending college. For years, Susan had known that her li...

On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman talks with Kris Maynard, co-founder and CEO of Essential Ingredients . For twenty-three years, Kris Maynard has been at the helm of Essential Ingredients, building it into one of the most successful Small Giants companies around. With $114 million in revenue, 84 employees, and more growth around the corner, it's no wonder Es...

On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman talks with Rob Everts, Co-Executive Director of Equal Exchange , a worker-owned cooperative and online marketplace for fair trade goods. Equal Exchange is the oldest and largest fair-trade coffee company in the U.S. and one of the most successful worker-owned cooperatives in the country. Driven by its core principle of peopl...

On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman talks with Anisa Telwar Kaicker, CEO and Founder of Anisa International , a global leader in cosmetic brush design and manufacturing.  Anisa started her company in 1992 at a time when men held most leadership positions in the cosmetics industry. In fact, Anisa International is the only female-owned brush manufacturer in the...

What do core values, employee ownership, and craft beer have in common?  Today on the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman talks with Dan Kenary, CEO and Co-Founder of Harpoon Brewery , a Boston-based craft brewery. Harpoon Brewery was founded in 1986 on a strong foundation of values and mission. Today, Harpoon Brewery is a shining example of a Small Giant — the company has nearly $6...

Since she was a child, Elizabeth Colón has been the voice of the voiceless.  Today on the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman talks with Elizabeth Colón, President & CEO of Metaphrasis , a comprehensive interpreting and translation company. Elizabeth grew up in a Spanish-speaking home with five siblings, two of whom had hearing issues. From an early age, Elizabeth was tasked with ad...

Megan Driscoll believes that all people are equal and worthy — and she has the business practices to back it up.  Today on the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman talks with Megan Driscoll, CEO and Founder of  PharmaLogics Recruiting , a Boston-based global recruiting firm exclusively focused in life sciences. Megan's career as an entrepreneur is defined by hard work, innovation, an...

There's no way to fake authenticity. If you really love your business and care about it, people will naturally gravitate to you. After over a decade of building his t-shirt company, Michael Draper knows firsthand that it takes hard work every day to build a truly great business. Today on the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman talks with Michael Draper, Founder and Owner of  RAYGUN...

Tracy Dahlin is a self-described "bull in a china shop" and a rumored "occasional pain in the ass." She's also a passionate, purpose-driven business leader. Today on the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman talks with Tracy Dahlin, Owner and President of  Iron River Construction , a women-owned, full-service Minneapolis contractor and remodeler. Although Tracy is a licensed contracto...

It doesn't happen often, but it happened to Lester Thornhill: his CEO took him out to dinner and asked Lester to leave his role as IT Director and take over as Chief Executive Officer. Today on the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman talks with Lester Thornhill, President and CEO of  Life's Abundance , a company that provides healthy products for people, pets, and the planet. Althou...

UncommonGoods is an award-winning company, most recently winning  the 2018 Forbes Small Giants award . But UncommonGoods doesn't do it for the awards — their culture is driven by their core values and using business as a force for good, even when no one is watching. Today on the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman talks with David Bolotsky, Founder and CEO of  UncommonGoods , an onl...

Can a high-ranking corporate leader make the switch to purpose-driven leadership? Michael Spinosa, CEO of Unleashed Technologies, hit the reset button on his career to pursue building his own business as a way to escape his unfulfilling career in the corporate world. Today on the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman talks with Michael Spinosa, CEO of  Unleashed Technologies , an awar...

When a leader is struck by personal tragedy, how do you persevere? Ellyn Davidson was diagnosed with breast cancer as a rising leader at her agency and with three kids at home. Today, she is President of Brogan & Partners and a mentor to women facing their own diagnoses.  Today on the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman talks with Ellyn Davidson, President of  Brogan & Partners , a...

How late is too late to find your true calling? If you ask Howard Spector, every step we take is a lesson learned and valuable in its own way. Today on the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman talks with Howard Spector, Co-Founder and CEO of  SimplePractice , a software company serving health and wellness professionals. Howard is something of a late bloomer — he's held many jobs in h...

If there's one thing that Betsy Pepine knows to be true, it's that all good things come from lessons learned the hard way. But you wouldn't know it from looking at Pepine Realty today — Betsy's award-winning real estate firm has grown to three locations all while maintaining a people-first culture.  Today on the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman talks with Besty Pepine, Broker-Own...

After building a successful career in engineering and manufacturing, Zawadi Bryant was surprised when her friend, Dr. Anastasia Gentles, approached her about starting an after-hours, pediatric urgent care center — where Zawadi would be the Chief Executive Officer. Today on the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman talks with Zawadi Bryant, CEO of  NightLight Pediatric Urgent Care . In...

By many measures, Askinosie Chocolate is a small company — they work in small, artisan batches, they focus on developing their 17 employees, and they're not afraid to hit the breaks and decelerate in order to achieve goals other than growth for growth's sake. But the impact of Askinosie Chocolate is anything but small.  Today on the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman talks with Ask...

When tragedies touch our lives, we're left to either sink or swim. Webb Weiman, Founder and Executive Director of  Jump! , used his personal tragedies as inspiration to start a non-profit organization that helps seniors achieve what's left on their bucket list. Today on the Growing with Purpose podcast, Paul Spiegelman interviews longtime family friend and inspiring leader, Webb Weiman. After buil...

As a leader, how are you showing up in the world? Today on the Growing with Purpose podcast, Paul Spiegelman interviews Anese Cavanaugh, Creator of  the IEP Method®  (Intentional Energetic Presence) and author of  Contagious Culture: Show Up, Set the Tone, and Intentionally Create an Organization That Thrives . Anese's simple yet impactful methodology taps into the intention, energy, and presence...

Jon Dwoskin, executive coach and Founder & CEO of  the Jon Dwoskin Experience , has faced several life-altering challenges. From being diagnosed with dyslexia in his early 30s to surviving testicular cancer, Jon realized early on that life is short and decided to follow his dreams. Jon's passion for helping others began when he was just 18 years old and his father gave him Brian Tracy’s audiotape...

Larry Jones, President and CEO of  Pot O' Gold Coffee Service  was just seventeen-years-old when he had the idea to get into the office coffee supply business with his family. As a high schooler with no driver's license, Larry would walk on foot to sales meetings, carrying with him a coffee machine in a bag. After graduating, Larry continued helping his family run the business until he decided to...