The CultureCon Podcast

Want great insights to help you lead your people? You need data. "Actionable People Data" is the fourth driver of cultural competitive advantage in the acronym ATLAS. Data helps you increase employee engagement. Plus, by informing decisions, data reduces the burden on you to know the right thing to do. ADVISA CEO Heather Haas and leadership consultant BJ McKay discuss the critical importance of un...

What happens when every leader in your company defines "leadership" their own way? Spoiler alert: chaos. Live from the CultureCon 2025 studio in Madison, Wisconsin, Nikki Lewallen Gregory teams up with Coleman Williams, co-founder of Wrestling With Talent, to get real about the chaos that comes from undefined leadership. From inconsistent one-on-ones to unclear goal-setting, they explore how struc...

What if the key to thriving teams isn't just better benefits or ping pong tables, but bold conversations, deep listening, and shared ownership of culture? Live from CultureCon2024, Nikki Llewellyn Gregory sits down with Gianna Driver to unpack the real meaning of employee engagement. From Silicon Valley boardrooms to culture-shifting conference stages, Gianna shares her personal journey through pi...

The best moments at CultureCon West 2025 didn't happen on stage. They happened in the spaces in between. This episode unpacks why that matters. Nick and Zach reflect on what made CultureCon West 2025 truly stand out, and it wasn't just the speaker lineup. From an unforgettable dinner where no one talked about work to a surprise "Hamilton" performance that brought the room to its feet, they explore...

Your leaders are your culture carriers. And if your organization wants to achieve and sustain cultural competitive advantage, your leaders must be crystal clear on a few critical behaviors. In this episode, CEO Heather Haas and leadership consultant BJ McKay of the consultancy ADVISA have a lively and insightful conversation with Todd Wuestenberg, Chief Culture Officer of Haverkamp Properties, abo...

What if your company values weren't just words on a wall, but a lived, breathing part of your culture that drives every hire, fire, and daily decision? Live from CultureCon 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin, Nikki Lewallen Gregory sits down with Eliza Jackson of ButcherBox for a conversation that flips traditional HR playbooks on their head. With a colorful background that spans finance, kindergarten cla...

What if the best patient experience starts with taking care of your people first? In this episode of "WorkPossible," Elaine and Hattie get into conversation with Sven Gierlinger, Chief Experience Officer at Northwell Health, one of the largest and most progressive health systems in the United States. But Sven's impact goes far beyond patient experience. He's a powerful advocate for something many...

If you're investing in culture but not seeing impact, the problem might not be the budget… it might be the signals you're sending. 🚨 Pete Savage and Greg Livings are back to decode one of the most overlooked drivers of company culture: culture signals. From a restaurant that turned things around by upgrading its patio decor to a company that fumbled a milestone moment for 7,000 employees, this ep...

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...

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 m...

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...

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 buzzw...

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 a...

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 q...

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 fron...

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-s...

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...

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...

What would the employee experience be like if we binned the playbook? In a world where the workplace is being redefined daily, we're ditching the checklists and reimagining what leadership, culture, and employee experience. Welcome to WorkPossible. In this kick-off episode, hosts Hattie Roche, Co-Founder and Strategy Chief at Fauna, and seasoned Chief People Officer, Elaine Page team up with Cultu...

Welcome to the very first episode of The CultureCon Podcast 🎉 Nick and Zach kick things off with the wild and wonderful origin story of CultureCon: from blizzard-filled roundtables and zero event planning experience, to surprise Vegas marquees and full-on imposter syndrome. Along the way, they share the heart behind why CultureCon exists: to make work suck less and to build authentic connections...

Introducing the Official CultureCon Podcast! 🎙️ Hosted by Nick Lombardino and Zach Blumenfeld, they're taking the CultureCon experience beyond the conference. Launching this week, the Official CultureCon Podcast brings you candid conversations with bold thinkers, everyday culture shapers, and unique voices pushing to make work better for everyone. Each episode offers fresh perspectives, real stori...