The TrustBuilt Podcast

Can your team perform without you constantly refereeing the differences between them? That's the leadership trust question Alan, CEPA, and returning guest Melanie Palmer dig into in this episode. Melanie Palmer of Melanie Palmer Consulting joins Alan again — and this time, they turned the tables and assessed each other. Alan took CliftonStrengths for the first time, Melanie took DISC for the f...

Welcome back to The TrustBuilt Podcast! Host Alan Bennett sits down with culture expert Steve Blair for a deep dive into what it really takes to build and maintain a thriving organizational culture. Steve Blair is a master at culture, people, and community who works alongside leaders and founders to create cultures where the best people can thrive. In this episode, Steve breaks down his powerful &...

When your nonprofit board isn't functioning, everything suffers—fundraising stalls, strategy gets murky, and passionate leaders burn out trying to do it all. In this episode of The TrustBuilt Podcast, host Alan Bennett sits down with Melanie Palmer, founder of M. Palmer Consulting, to explore how nonprofits can build high-performing boards that drive real impact. From victim services to arts o...

What if the secret to building a thriving business isn't just about systems, it's about empathy? In this episode of The TrustBuilt Podcast, I sit down with Jim Robinson, CEO, founder, speaker, and coach with 41 years of business experience. Jim shares the powerful moment that changed everything: realizing he needed a business coach when he thought he had all the answers. What You'll Le...

What does it take to build a thriving business at 20 years old out of a converted school bus, with no bank loan, and a product almost nobody was making? In this episode of The TrustBuilt Podcast, host Alan Bennett sits down with Stella Rodda, founder of Zenith Coffee Company, a mobile coffee business built on one bold premise: coffee that's actually good for your body. Together, Alan and Stell...

Most business owners don’t have a marketing problem. They have a leadership alignment problem. In this episode of The TrustBuilt Podcast, Alan sits down with Marc Ensign, founder of LoudMouse, to unpack what a Fractional CMO actually does, why most marketing agencies fail businesses, and how misalignment between sales and marketing quietly destroys trust and revenue. If you’re spending money on ma...

What do youth sports, coaching, and business leadership have in common? More than you think. In this episode of The TrustBuilt Podcast, Alan sits down with Luke Gromer, founder of RYG Athletics, and operator of Nike Sports Camps across multiple states. What starts as a conversation about youth sports quickly becomes a masterclass on building trust, creating engagement, and developing culture that...

In this episode, Alan Bennett sits down with Solomon Burchfield, founder of New Beginnings NWA, to explore what business leaders can learn about trust, accountability, purpose, and culture from an organization working with chronically homeless individuals. While Solomon leads a nonprofit, the leadership lessons apply directly to business owners who want stronger teams, deeper buy-in, and a culture...

What happens when the biggest obstacle to growth isn’t your team, your market, or your systems, but you? In this episode of The TrustBuilt Podcast, Alan Bennett sits down with Amanda Horn to unpack how self-awareness, trust, and emotional regulation directly impact leadership, decision-making, and long-term business sustainability. Amanda shares her powerful personal journey and introduces her GRA...

What if the thing holding your business back isn’t strategy… but trust ? In this episode of The TrustBuilt Podcast , Alan Bennett is back with therapists and business owners Beth Tellez and Stacey Bankston to unpack one of the most misunderstood leadership challenges business owners face: vulnerability, accountability, and trust inside growing teams . They explore why many owners believe they have...

What if building a high-trust team actually made your business move faster—not slower? In this episode, Alan Bennett sits down with Kjartan Kennedy, co-founder of Causeway Studios, to unpack how trust, clarity, and intentional leadership allowed his team to: -Operate fully remote -Eliminate burnout in a high-pressure industry -Launch a major product in one year (instead of 3–5) -Build a culture th...

What happens when you evolve as a business owner, but your business doesn’t? In this episode of The TrustBuilt Podcast, Alan Bennett sits down with Cari Kaufman of Storyteller Wordsmith for a candid, unscripted conversation about purpose, identity, and what happens when successful businesses start to feel misaligned.  This episode dives deep into why purpose and accountability are the gateway to t...

Most business owners don’t lead in life-or-death situations…but they feel like they do. In this episode of The TrustBuilt Podcast, former police chief, SWAT commander, executive coach, and leadership trainer Tim Keck breaks down what crisis leadership teaches us about building engaged, reliable teams in everyday business.  Tim shares unbelievable real-world stories — including the moment he put hi...

Building a business that doesn’t depend on you isn’t about grinding harder — it’s about learning to trust your people, lead with vulnerability, and build a culture that can stand on its own. In this conversation with longtime entrepreneur and EOS implementer Calvin Smith, we dig into what really holds business owners back: fear, control, burnout, and the belief that “no one will ever care as much...

Stress doesn't just wear you down. It silently erodes trust, engagement, and team performance. In this episode of The TrustBuilt Podcast, Alan sits down with Eliz Greene, stress researcher, author, and resilience expert, to unpack why so many small business owners feel constant pressure and what that stress is really doing to their teams. Together, Alan and Eliz break down the science behind s...

What happens when a once-thriving company culture starts to slip? Chief People Officer Steve Blair knows firsthand what it takes to rebuild trust, re-engage employees, and restore a sense of ownership in fast-growing organizations. In this episode, Steve joins host Alan Bennett to talk about: The real cost of culture drift and disengagement Why employee surveys—when done right—can be the most powe...

In this episode of The TrustBuilt Podcast , host Alan Bennett sits down with Danielle Keller , owner and Editor-in-Chief of Peekaboo Magazine and co-host of the People of Northwest Arkansas Podcast . Danielle shares her journey of reviving a beloved community magazine and how storytelling has become her way of building trust, connection, and compassion across Northwest Arkansas. If you’ve ever fel...

In this episode of The TrustBuilt Podcast , Alan Bennett sits down with Alex Andrews , Co-Owner of Storyteller Wordsmith and Founder of Change Creative Co. , to talk about the courage it takes to create something new — even when you’re nervous. Alex shares her journey from designer and implementer to visionary entrepreneur, building a business that helps nonprofits tell their stories and connect t...

When trust becomes your foundation, your business can weather anything — markets shift, teams evolve, and leadership transitions. In this episode of The TrustBuilt Podcast , host Alan Bennett sits down with Stacie Jacob , Chief Strategist at Solterra Strategies , to explore how trust drives long-term success in business, leadership, and life. From her roots in rural Nebraska to leading PR and mark...

What happens when you trade corporate comfort for entrepreneurial chaos? In this episode of The TrustBuilt Podcast, host Alan Bennett sits down with Dustin Murphy, founder of Pitch Retail, to talk about how he went from working for corporate giants like Walmart, PepsiCo, and Disney to leading a small but mighty team that helps suppliers break into Walmart the right way. Dustin shares how he turned...

What happens when trust becomes the through-line of everything you build—your team, your brand, and your business partnerships? In this episode of The TrustBuilt Podcast, host Alan Bennett sits down with Windy Elstermeier, CEO of Pivotal Solutions and founder of Jane Wick, to talk about the power of connection, compassion, and trust in leadership. From her days leading teams at Walmart to launchin...

What does it take to move from carrying your business alone… to building a team that’s engaged, trusted, and thriving? In this episode of The TrustBuilt Podcast , host Alan Bennett sits down with Steve Toth of Crestline Leaders to explore the foundations of team building, culture, and engagement. Steve shares his journey from scrappy solopreneur to leading teams inside Fortune 500 companies and st...

What if your employees didn’t just “do their job”… but felt empowered to lead, make decisions, and act in the company’s best interest without waiting to be told? That’s the culture Jonathan Brooks has built at Warehouse on Wheels, where his team scaled from 2 locations to 37,000 trailers in just a few years. In this episode of The TrustBuilt Podcast, host Alan Bennett talks with Jonathan about how...

Do you ever wonder if your business could run without you ? In this episode of The TrustBuilt Podcast , host Alan Bennett interviews Steven Schmitt of Willow Financial , about building a trust-driven business that thrives even when the owner steps away. Steven shares his real-world experience of going from sleepless nights as a solo founder to creating a team and systems that allow his firm to gro...

If you're an entrepreneur craving freedom, purpose, and a team you can trust, this episode is for you.  Jessica Crum, founder of Silverlake Design Studio, shares her incredible journey from the high-pressure world of Los Angeles fashion to building a thriving marketing agency in Arkansas. In this inspiring conversation Jessica opens up about career pivots, the real struggles behind entrepreneu...