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 first time, and they use their own results to unpack how personality and strengths assessments actually build (or break) trust on a team.

If you're a business owner or leader trying to build a team that runs well without you standing over it, this conversation gives you the language to do it.

🔔 New episodes every week. Subscribe if you're a business owner building a team, and a business, that can run without you.

⏱️ Chapters

0:22 – Welcome back, Melanie Palmer

1:03 – Melanie's CliftonStrengths results, revealed

2:15 – What CliftonStrengths actually measures

3:16 – Why "well-rounded" is a fallacy

4:21 – Melanie reads Alan's top strengths: Positivity & Individualization

5:49 – Where Individualization struggles — rigid rules and procedures

6:39 – Managing opposite strengths on the same team

7:36 – Why the owner-as-gap-bridge kills business value

8:21 – Building a strengths-based culture so you're not the referee

9:20 – Turning friction into a team asset (the "Deliberative" example)

12:15 – The sports analogy: playing people in their strength position

13:47 – Alan's DISC results — and why he and Melanie "resonate"

15:29 – Natural vs. Adaptive style, explained

17:46 – Mapping a team on the CliftonStrengths grid

18:47 – Case study: a statewide nonprofit team

21:22 – Building trust through connection and compassion

22:11 – Using assessments for conflict resolution

23:10 – The visionary/implementer partnership (Jobs & Ballmer)

24:10 – DISC clashes: high-D vs. high-S styles

25:22 – How people weaponize assessments — and how not to

30:12 – Why an outside facilitator sees what you can't

32:08 – Where to find Melanie Palmer

32:27 – Final takeaway: know yourself first

Connect with Melanie: 

https://www.melaniepalmerconsulting.com/

Connect with Alan: 

https://www.trustbuiltsolutions.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanbennettcepa/

#LeadershipTrust #CliftonStrengths #DISC #BusinessPodcast #TeamBuilding #BusinessOwner

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 "culture stack" framework—revealing the four critical levels where culture either flourishes or falls apart.

Whether you're a founder, leader, or manager, this episode will change how you think about building culture in your organization.

👉 Learn more about how TrustBuilt helps business owners build trust-driven teams: https://www.trustbuiltsolutions.com/

⏱️ Chapters

00:25 - Welcome & Meet Steve Blair

01:16 - Steve's Mission: Creating Cultures Where People Love Their Work

02:36 - Going Deep: The Art vs. Science of Building Culture

03:22 - Two Types of Leadership: Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up

05:03 - Finding Leaders Who "Get It"

06:53 - Creating Heroes: The Power of Mentorship

09:50 - Why Culture Can't Be Left to Chance

11:12 - The Core Framework: Understanding Culture

13:45 - Defining Culture: Values, Behaviors, and Results

16:20 - The Anatomy of Culture: Breaking It Down

19:30 - The Culture Stack: Four Critical Levels

22:15 - Level 1: Vision & Leadership

24:40 - Level 2: Organizational Systems & Processes

27:10 - Level 3: Managers - The Linchpin of Culture

29:45 - Level 4: Teams & Daily Work

32:15 - Where Most Culture Initiatives Fail

33:18 - Leveraging Tools at the Right Level

34:28 - Communication Strategies Across Levels

36:17 - Connecting Individual Purpose to Organizational Purpose

37:21 - The Danger of Resource Gaps

38:33 - Culture You Design vs. Culture You Deserve

39:23 - What Resources Really Mean (It's Not Pizza Fridays)

40:09 - Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up

---

Connect with Steve

💻 https://www.linkedin.com/in/blairsteve/

🌐 https://www.fulcrumcollective.com/

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 organizations, Melanie shares powerful lessons on strategic planning, meaningful board engagement, and why clarity is the foundation of everything.

Together, they dig into how to recruit the right board members, the critical role of strategic planning, why CliftonStrengths assessments transform team dynamics, and how to align your board with your mission—not just fill seats.

👉 Whether you lead a startup nonprofit or manage a mature organization, this episode will help you see trust and strategic clarity as your ultimate competitive advantage.

Learn more about how TrustBuilt helps business owners build trust-driven teams:

https://www.trustbuiltsolutions.com/

⏱️ Chapters

1:19 – Meet Melanie Palmer: From Victim Services to Nonprofit Consulting

4:38 – What It Really Means to Be on a Nonprofit Board

6:17 – The Non-Negotiable: Passion for Mission (Not Resume Building)

11:00 – The Three Questions Every Board Should Ask Before Recruiting

15:00 – How CliftonStrengths Unlocks Board Potential

22:00 – Why Nonprofits and For-Profits Have the Same Leadership Challenges

30:00 – The Hidden Gap: When No One Is Driving the Bus

35:00 – How a Strategic Plan Fixes Most Board Dysfunction

37:15 – The Fundraising Plan Most Organizations Forget to Create

45:13 – Starting with Assessment: Where Is Your Board Now?

47:24 – "It's Hard to Read the Label from Inside the Bottle"

48:05 – Connect with Melanie Palmer Consulting

Connect with M. Palmer Consulting

🌐 https://melaniepalmerconsulting.com

 💼 Schedule a free consultation to assess your nonprofit's needs

Are you a business owner who is ready to break free from the day-to-day grind & build a self-sustaining company?

👉 Set up a time to talk to Alan

 🔗 https://app.reclaim.ai/m/alan-trustbuiltsolutions/quick-meeting

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 Learn:

✅ The difference between empathy and sympathyand why it matters

✅ How to validate employees individually while building team alignment 

✅ Why making every team member a trainer transforms your business 

✅ The exact framework for developing trust in one-on-one and group settings 

✅ How to lead teams of 5 to 500+ with the same core principles

Learn more about how TrustBuilt helps business owners build trust-driven teams: https://www.trustbuiltsolutions.com/

⏱️ Chapters:

01:26 - The Realization That Changed Everything

02:02 - From Business Owner to Accredited Business Coach

03:33 - What is Leading with Empathy? (Not Sympathy)

04:00 - Empathy in the Workplace: Putting Yourself in Their Shoes

05:12 - The Power of Emotional Connection with Your Team

05:41 - Empathy vs. Sympathy: The Well Analogy

06:24 - Why You Shouldn't Anchor Bad Behaviors

07:40 - The First Two Weeks: Intentional Onboarding

08:09 - How Quick Trust Develops When You Show Up with Empathy

09:00 - The Danger of Over-Tasking New Hires

10:06 - Creating Purpose & Clarity for Your Team

11:17 - Why Small Businesses Fail: The Team Development Gap

12:55 - The Mentor Myth: Why You Need the Right Guide

15:32 - How to Validate Team Members & Get Their Input

17:17 - Why Business Owners Struggle to Let Go

19:21 - The Bottleneck Problem: When Everything Runs Through You

21:00 - Stop Micromanaging & Start Leading

22:27 - How to Develop Leaders Within Your Team

23:52 - What Happens When You Don't Develop Your People

26:03 - Leading Teams of 5 to 500: The Same Principles Apply

27:41 - The Greatest Success: When Your Team Speaks in Your Tone

28:09 - Validate Individually, Recognize Publicly

29:02 - The Magic Number for Direct Reports & Team Size

29:34 - What Happens When Your Team Feels Heard & Validated

31:14 - Turning Introverts Into Confident Trainers

32:15 - Jim's Monthly Regional Team Meetings: What He Asks

33:04 - The Textbook on Purpose in Organizations

33:31 - How to Connect with Jim Robinson & CGP Construction

Connect With Jim

📧 Email: jim@cgpconstruction.com

🌐 Website: www.cgpconstruction.com

📚 Upcoming Book: "Lead with Empathy" (Co-authored with Chris Voss)

#TrustBuiltPodcast #LeadershipDevelopment #BusinessCoaching #TeamBuilding #Empathy #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #LeadWithEmpathy #ScaleYourBusiness #BusinessFreedom #TrustInBusiness #ChrisVoss #TeamDevelopment #CEOInsights

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 Stella dig into what it really means to build a team you can trust, why hiring for personality beats hiring for a résumé, and how systems and vulnerability can coexist in a tiny mobile workspace. Alan also unpacks the three pillars of trust — clarity, connection, and consistency — and how Stella is already applying them without even realizing it.

👉 If you're a business owner who's doing everything yourself and wondering how to step back without things falling apart, this episode is for you.

Learn more about how TrustBuilt helps business owners build trust-driven teams: trustbuiltsolutions.com

⏱️ Chapters

0:30 – Welcome & Intro: What Is Zenith Coffee Company?

2:25 – The Concept: Coffee That's Actually Good for Your Body

3:16 – How She Funded It 

8:27 – Alan's Three Buckets

11:27 – The Trust Challenge: Handing Your Business Off to Other People

13:04 – Understanding Your Behavioral Style as a Leader

15:47 – Why Most Hiring Posts Attract the Wrong People

21:46 – How Zenith Got 150 Applications in 4 Hours

24:11 – Monthly Meetings, Feedback Loops & Leaning Into Strengths

26:59 – The Three Pillars of Trust: Clarity, Connection & Consistency

28:55 – Why Recognition Can Backfire (and How to Get It Right)

33:24 – The Missing Piece in Most Onboarding Processes

37:30 – Employee Engagement: Communicating Constraints to Your Team

41:29 – How Stella's Team Solves Problems Together

44:13 – Exit Planning, Business Value & Reducing Owner Dependence

47:26 – Where to Find Zenith Coffee Co

Connect with Stella & Zenith Coffee 

🌐 https://www.zenithcoffeeco.com/

💻 https://www.linkedin.com/in/stella-rodda-a9a440204/

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 marketing but unsure what’s working—or frustrated by silos between departments—this episode will help you regain clarity, control, and confidence.

👉To learn more about how to build a business that runs without you subscribe to The TrustBuilt Podcast

⏱️Chapters

01:00 – What Is a Fractional CMO? (And Why Small Businesses Need One)

04:35 – From Broadway to Business: Marketing Is About Being Heard

08:20 – Why Most Marketing Agencies Work in Silos

11:20 – Sales vs. Marketing

16:04 – The Metrics That Actually Matter

22:22 – Marketing KPIs Every Service Business Should Measure

28:34 – Client Retention & Trust

31:44 – Why Busy Marketing Doesn’t Equal Growth

33:18 – Free Marketing Resources & How to Use AI

---

Connect with Marc & LoudMouse

🌐 https://loudmouse.com/

💻 https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcensign/

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 actually lasts.

If you're a business owner trying to build a team that performs without you micromanaging every move, this episode will hit home.

If you want your business to grow beyond you, this conversation is required listening.

👉To learn more about how to build a business that runs without you subscribe to The TrustBuilt Podcast

⏱️ Chapters

05:00 – The Leadership Tension Every Owner Faces

11:00 – The Foundation of Every High-Performance Culture

15:00 – When You Lose the Locker Room (Or the Team at Work)

24:30 – Scaling Trust: How to Build a Culture Across Multiple Locations

28:00 – The “Secret Sauce”: Connection + Competence = Trust

31:00 – Recognition as a Leadership Tool 

36:00 – Creating Memorable Moments That Build Loyalty

44:00 – How to Design an Experience People Want to Come Back To

46:30 – The Legacy Question: What Will Your Team Say About You?

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Connect with Luke Gromer

💻 https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-gromer/

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 that doesn’t collapse without them.

⏱️Chapters 

02:00 — Understanding Your “Customer”

04:20 — The Hidden Cost of Mistrust in Leadership

08:10 — Trauma, Behavior, and Why Rules Alone Don’t Work

11:15 — “You Don’t Become Homeless When You Run Out of Money”

14:45 — Building Trust Before Enforcing Accountability

17:00 — The ‘Pennies in the Cup’ Approach to Leadership

19:15 — Purpose Drives Engagement 

22:40 — Compassionate Accountability That Actually Works

26:40 — Leadership as Gardening, Not Controlling

30:30 — Horizontal Accountability vs. Top-Down Control

34:15 — Recognition, Care, and Why It’s Free but Rare

38:25 — What Business Owners Can Learn from Nonprofit Leadership

---

Connect with Solomon & New Beginnings NWA

💻 https://newbeginningsnwa.org/

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 GRACE Toolkit, a practical framework leaders can use to interrupt destructive patterns, rebuild self-trust, and lead with steadiness instead of burnout.

This conversation is for business owners who feel stretched thin, stuck in reaction mode, and ready to regain control—without hustling harder.

⏱️Chapters

02:15 – The Moment Everything Breaks: Rock Bottom, Wake-Up Calls & Leadership Growth

05:40 – The GRACE Toolkit: A Framework for Breaking Self-Sabotage

09:50 – Self-Sabotage at Work: Rationalization, Perfectionism, and Control

14:10 – Why Leaders Struggle to Trust Themselves (and How to Rebuild It)

18:00 – Perfectionism vs. Progress: Why ‘Good Enough’ Builds Better Businesses

23:45 – One Step at a Time: Creating Real Change Without Overhauling Your Life

29:40 – Morning Habits, Mental Nutrition, and Leadership Energy

35:30 – Emotional Intelligence Is a Perishable Skill (And How to Protect It)

41:00 – Helping Leaders Who Don’t Know They’re Stuck Yet

Connect with Amanda Horn

💻 https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-thiebaud-horn/

💻 https://www.beewellyoga.com/reiki-yoga-appts

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 a healthy culture—yet still face high turnover, disengaged employees, and a business that can’t run without them. This conversation bridges therapy, leadership, and business ownership to show how trust is built (or broken) in real time—and why it directly impacts scalability, retention, and exit value.

If you’re tired of carrying everything yourself and wondering why your team won’t fully step up, this episode is for you.

👉To learn more about how to build a business that runs without you subscribe to The TrustBuilt Podcast 

—

⏱️Chapters

02:10 — The Hidden Trust Problem in Owner-Dependent Businesses

05:28 — How Childhood Conditioning Shapes Leadership Behavior

08:58 — Accountability Without Fear: Reframing Leadership Responsibility

12:01 — Why Business Owners React Defensively to Accountability

16:15 — Psychological Safety: The Missing Link in Team Performance

21:00 — Designing a Team Model That Attracts the Right People

25:14 — Alignment vs. Misalignment in Partnerships & Teams

32:17 — Scarcity vs. Insecurity: What’s Really Driving Control Issues

37:21 — Kinship-Based Leadership & Why It Scales Better

—

Connect with Beth & Stacey

🌐 https://www.creativenwa.com/

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 that doesn’t depend on the founder to survive

This is a must-watch conversation for business owners who are tired of carrying everything themselves and want to build a team that truly shows up.

⏱️Chapters

03:10 – From Passion to Business: Building a Studio That Lasts

11:58 – The Burnout Trap Most Business Owners Fall Into

14:10 – The 4-Day Workweek: Less Time, Better Results

17:32 – Remote Teams, Real Accountability (Without Micromanaging)

21:26 – Trust as a Leadership System, Not a Vibe

27:44 – Shipping Faster by Building Trust First

31:02 – Recognition, Purpose, and Why Teams Need to See Impact

38:10 – Conflict, Feedback, and Healthy Disagreement

47:30 – One Piece of Advice Every Business Owner Needs to Hear

—

Connect with Kjartan Kennedy & Causeway Studios

💻 https://www.linkedin.com/in/kjartankennedy/

🌐 https://www.causewaystudios.com/

—

Feeling stuck carrying everything yourself?

TrustBuilt helps business owners build teams they can trust—so the business runs with them, not because of them.

👉 Learn more at https://www.trustbuiltsolutions.com/

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 trust, how personal life changes inevitably shape business direction, and why building a business that can evolve is critical for retention, leadership clarity, and sustainable growth. 

If you’re exhausted from carrying everything yourself and wondering how to get your team bought in again, this conversation will hit home.

👉 Looking to build a business that runs without you? Visit https://www.trustbuiltsolutions.com/

---

⏱️ Chapters

02:10 – The moment “purpose” changed the conversation

03:30 – Feeling trapped by your own brand

04:30 – Established businesses hit this wall more than startups

05:45 – Alan’s personal pivot: when life demanded change

07:05 – Freedom is why most people start businesses (but lose it)

08:20 – Work-life balance isn’t real — harmony is

09:35 – Building a sellable business makes it easier to run

12:45 – Purpose + accountability = the gateway to trust

14:05 – Why teams disengage when purpose is unclear

16:20 – Purpose isn’t always about the product

17:30 – “My purpose is to make money” (and why that’s not enough)

20:10 – The danger of choosing a path just because you’re good at it

22:00 – When purpose becomes a trap instead of a guide

23:40 – Purpose as the front door to everything else

25:00 – Communicating purpose so people actually buy in

26:20 – Credentials don’t build trust — stories do

28:10 – How trust changes decision-making and leadership ease

29:30 – External trust matters too (vendors, partners, advisors)

31:00 – What most owners miss about their suppliers and advisors

33:10 – Trust as a force multiplier in business

35:20 – Final thoughts: purpose is the starting point

---

Connect With Cari 

🌐 https://www.storytellerwordsmith.com/

💻 https://www.linkedin.com/in/carikaufman/

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 his life in the hands of his team — to illustrate what trust really means. And more importantly, how business owners can build that level of confidence, discipline, and buy-in inside their own culture.

If you’re a leader who’s tired of carrying everything yourself, this conversation will help you breathe again. You’ll walk away with simple tools to lower stress, increase employee engagement, and create a culture that scales because people are aligned, accountable, and trusted.

👉 Want a team that can run the business without you? Learn more at https://www.trustbuiltsolutions.com/

---

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 — The Rule of Responsibility: Why You Can’t Do Everyone’s Job

00:20 — Meet Tim Keck: Police Chief, SWAT Commander & Leadership Coach

01:49 — What Crisis Teaches About Leadership

03:07 — The Team-Building Exercise That Hit the New York Times

04:12 — Stress vs. Crisis: Why Leaders Misread Their Own Bodies

06:24 — How Stress Sabotages Decision-Making (and What to Do Instead)

07:55 — Tactical Breathing: A Tool Every Leader Should Learn

10:15 — Emotional Intelligence: The Four Skills Every Owner Needs

14:18 — Why Most Leaders Mislabel Their Emotions

17:12 — Managing Conflict Without Escalation

20:14 — The Hidden Cost of Wanting to “Win the Argument”

21:05 — How Your Emotions Affect Your Team (Read the Room)

25:11 — Why High-Performing Teams Need Someone “Watching Their Six”

26:44 — SWAT-Level Trust: Doing Your Job So Others Can Do Theirs

34:07 — What Business Owners Can Learn from Real-Life Training

37:41 — Purpose, Clarity, and Why Most Teams Row in Different Directions

41:30 — The Story: Putting His Life in His Team’s Hands

45:18 — Final Lessons on Trust, Vulnerability, and Leadership Freedom

---

Connect with Tim

💻 https://www.linkedin.com/in/timkeck/

🌐 https://www.safehavensecuritygroup.com/

🌐 https://www.gobulletproof.com/

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 as I do.” Calvin shares lessons from 20+ years of entrepreneurship — the wins, the mistakes, the dumb tax — and how leaders can finally break the cycle of doing everything themselves.

We talk about building trust, creating alignment, getting honest about your own limitations, and how systems and processes (done right) actually create freedom rather than restrict it. If you’re tired of carrying the whole business on your back, this episode shows a better path forward.

👉 Want a team that’s engaged, accountable, and capable of running the day-to-day?

Visit https://www.trustbuiltsolutions.com/

---

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 — Why Trust Starts With the Leader

01:00 — Corporate vs. Entrepreneurship Mindset

02:30 — The Passion Problem: Why Entrepreneurs Burn Out

03:45 — Defining Your Personal “Why” Before You Build Your Business

05:10 — When Your Team’s Why Doesn’t Match Yours

06:40 — The Power of Vulnerable Leadership (A Story That Changed Everything)

08:00 — Why Trust Backfires When You Hold Too Tightly

10:45 — Culture Reality Check: Are You Living What You Say You Value?

12:05 — Hiring People Who Actually Care About the Work

14:10 — The 90-Day Culture Pulse: Keeping Your Team Aligned

17:00 — Commitment, Discipline, and Trusting Yourself First

18:40 — How Your Personal Life Mirrors Your Business Performance

23:00 — Letting Go as You Scale: Why Leaders Must Evolve

33:00 — Systems & Processes: Why They Create Freedom (Not Rigidity)

41:00 — The Horror Story of an Owner-Dependent Business

45:00 — How to Help Employees See That Their Work Matters

48:00 — The Books That Changed Calvin’s Leadership Journey

---

Connect with Calvin

💻 https://www.linkedin.com/in/calvin-smith/

🌐 https://calvinsmith.co/

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 stress, why your brain shuts down under pressure, and simple, practical steps to regain control, reduce cortisol, and make better decisions. 

If you’re a business owner drowning in responsibility, struggling with turnover, or trying to build a team that truly steps up, this conversation offers a roadmap to relief.

👉 Want a team that runs the business with you — not one that drains you? Learn more at https://www.trustbuiltsolutions.com/

⏱️ Chapters

01:10 – Eliz Greene’s Backstory: A Life-Changing Heart Attack

02:52 – Parenting Twins & Early Lessons in Stress

06:05 – What Stress Really Is (and Why It Builds Up)

07:40 – The Physical Side of Stress: Cortisol & Health Risks

08:58 – Recognizing Your Body’s Stress Signals

11:04 – Why We Crave Control (and Why It Backfires)

12:52 – A Simple System: What Can I Control? What’s Possible?

15:30 – How to Physically Reduce Stress in the Moment

17:49 – Making the Unpredictable More Predictable

19:48 – Leaders Letting Go: Discipline vs. Rigidity

24:02 – The Power of Feeling Seen and Valued at Work

29:27 – Stress, Turnover, and Why People Really Quit

42:34 – Eliz’s One Message to Every Leader

—

Connect with Eliz

🌐https://elizgreene.com/

💻https://www.linkedin.com/in/theelizgreene/

—

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 powerful trust-building tool in your organization

• How to identify culture creators, keepers, and consumers (and what to do when the ratio gets out of balance)

• How vulnerability and consistency are the two key ingredients of authentic leadership

Whether you’re leading a team of 10 or 100, this episode offers a clear path to creating a culture where people want to stay, contribute, and grow.

👉 Ready to build a team that runs with you, not just for you?

Visit https://www.trustbuiltsolutions.com/ to learn more about building systems and teams that scale through trust.

⏱️ Chapters

 02:00 – Rebuilding Culture After It’s Been Lost

03:30 – The Real Cost of Turnover and Disengagement

06:00 – How Growth Changes Culture (and How to Keep It Healthy)

08:00 – Culture Creators, Keepers, and Consumers

11:00 – How to Spot and Support Culture Keepers

13:00 – The Simple Framework to Measure Engagement and Trust

14:00 – W.A.L.A. Method: Wonder, Ask, Listen, Act

18:00 – The Flywheel That Builds Organizational Trust

20:00 – What Trust Really Means: Consistency + Vulnerability

22:00 – Creating Safe Feedback Loops That Build Engagement

25:00 – The Role of Recognition and Care in Employee Growth

30:00 – Giving Feedback That Builds Instead of Breaks

34:00 – The Power of “Buy-In Based” Feedback

38:00 – Coaching the What vs. the How

40:00 – Using Assessments Responsibly to Strengthen Teams

44:00 – Steve’s Top 3 Books on Leadership and Growth

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Connect with Steve

💻 https://www.linkedin.com/in/blairsteve/

🌐 https://www.fulcrumcollective.com/

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 felt burnt out or unsure how to reconnect your team—or your business—to its purpose, this conversation will remind you why authentic stories matter.

👉 Learn how TrustBuilt helps business owners build teams that run without them: https://www.trustbuiltsolutions.com/

⏱️ Chapters

1:00 – Meet Danielle Keller & the Return of Peekaboo Magazine

3:00 – The Origin Story of Peekaboo and Its Legacy

5:00 – From Burnout to Balance: What Sparked Danielle’s Entrepreneurial Leap

7:00 – The Power of Connection in Community Media

9:00 – Why Trust Starts with Empathy and Compassion

12:00 – How Vulnerability Builds Trust and Belonging

15:00 – The Challenges of Reviving a Legacy Brand

18:00 – Pricing, Partnership, and Rebuilding Advertiser Trust

20:00 – The Emotional Side of Print: Why People Smell Magazines

24:00 – Nostalgia, Tangibility, and the Need for Connection

26:00 – How Storytelling Strengthens Communities and Teams

29:00 – Giving Families a Voice Through Peekaboo

32:00 – Vulnerability: The Fastest Way to Build Trust

34:00 – Representation and Why Every Story Matters

36:00 – How Small-Town Roots Shape Great Storytellers

40:00 – Purpose and Vocation: Living Out Your Calling

45:00 – The Art of Being Present as a Leader and Podcaster

48:00 – Where to Find Peekaboo Magazine and People of NWA

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Connect with Danielle & Peekaboo

🌐 https://peekaboomagazine.com/

🌐 https://podcast.peopleofnwa.com/

💻 https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielles-keller/

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 through compassion and trust.

They explore the emotional intelligence behind effective leadership, how clarity and connection shape culture, and why partnerships thrive on understanding and self-awareness. Whether you’re leading a small team or dreaming up a new idea, this episode will remind you that progress doesn’t require perfection — just the willingness to start.

👉 Learn more about building trust-driven businesses at https://www.trustbuiltsolutions.com/

​​⏱️ Chapters

01:30 — From accidental designer to entrepreneur

03:00 — Launching Change Creative Co. for nonprofits

04:40 — Learning to lead: from implementer to visionary

06:00 — The moment she decided to “just start”

07:15 — First client success: when purpose meets opportunity

08:40 — How trust starts with shared passion and compassion

10:30 — Resourcefulness vs. selflessness in leadership

12:30 — Dreaming up a creative coalition for good

14:20 — How theater shaped emotional intelligence

17:00 — Translating emotional awareness into better client work

19:00 — Connection, empathy, and listening as leadership tools

21:30 — Building clarity before branding: why alignment matters

25:00 — The power (and pitfalls) of business partnerships

27:00 — How trust supports conflict and friction in teams

30:00 — Why connection matters more than clarity in marketing

34:00 — Advice for new marketers: do it scared, serve with trust

36:00 — Where to find Alex and Change Creative Co.

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Connect with Alex

🌐https://www.storytellerwordsmith.com/

🌐https://www.changecreativeco.com/

💻https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-andrews-65993b158/

leadership growth, building trust, small business culture, nonprofit branding, team connection, business partnerships, leadership freedom

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 marketing for wine country brands, Stacie shares powerful lessons on building loyal teams, managing transitions, and creating a legacy that lasts.

Together, they dig into how emotional connection fuels engagement, why transparency matters more than perfection, and how clarity, consistency, and communication turn clients into lifelong partners.

👉 Whether you lead a small team or run a legacy brand, this episode will help you see trust as the ultimate competitive advantage.

Learn more about how TrustBuilt helps business owners build trust-driven teams: trustbuiltsolutions.com

⏱️ Chapters

 1:00 – Meet Stacie Jacob: From PR to Wine Country Leadership

2:15 – What Moving to Paso Robles Taught Her About Roots and Growth

3:30 – Midwest Work Ethic and the Power of Small-Town Values

5:40 – How 4-H and Public Speaking Built Her Storytelling Skills

8:00 – The Link Between Commitment, Connection, and Trust

9:00 – The Importance of Doing What You Say You’ll Do

10:30 – How Leaders Build Trust Through Transparency

12:00 – Building Culture in Wine Country: Passion and Purpose

14:30 – Storytelling That Differentiates Brands

15:30 – Building Trust with Clients (and Quick Wins That Matter)

18:20 – How Introverts and Extroverts Build Trust Differently

19:00 – What “Legacy” Really Means (and Why It Changes)

22:00 – Handling Ownership Transitions and Team Fear

24:00 – The Role of Communication During Change

26:00 – Culture Alignment and Knowing When to Let Go

27:00 – The Four C’s of Trust: Clarity, Commitment, Connection, Consistency

28:00 – The 80/20 Rule of Trust and Innovation

29:00 – Why Stacie Reads Articles, Not Books (and Who She Follows)

31:00 – Emotional Intelligence, Wine, and Building Human-Centered Brands

32:30 – Final Thoughts: How Trust Shapes Legacy

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Connect with Stacie Jacob & Solterra Strategies

🌐 https://solterrastrategies.com/

💻 https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacie-jacob-802b98/

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 career uncertainty into ownership, the lessons he learned about trust and communication from his business partner, and what it really takes to build a growing team that doesn’t burn out. 

From hiring and delegation to leadership maturity and client trust, this conversation is packed with insight for business owners who are scaling fast and trying to stay sane.

If you’ve ever wondered how to keep your people engaged while your business grows—or how to build a partnership that doesn’t implode—this one’s for you.

👉 Learn more about building a trust-driven, engaged team: trustbuiltsolutions.com

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – The Question Every Leader Should Ask Their Team

00:30 – Introducing Dustin Murphy & Pitch Retail 

01:00 – What Pitch Retail Actually Does

02:00 – Growing Up in a Walmart Family

03:40 – From Intern to Industry Expert

05:00 – Climbing the Corporate Ladder (Rubbermaid, PepsiCo, Disney)

06:00 – The Leap: Leaving Corporate for Entrepreneurship

08:00 – Taking Control of Your Own Exit

09:30 – Buying Out the Business: How Pitch Retail Began

11:00 – Getting Clients and Building Early Trust

13:00 – From Scrappy to Structured: Learning to Lead a Team

14:00 – Why Partnerships Work (When They’re Built on Trust)

16:00 – Learning to Communicate Like a Mature Leader

18:00 – Growing Pains: When to Hire and How to Scale

20:00 – Removing Bottlenecks and Empowering Employees

22:00 – Letting Go: From Doer to Leader

24:00 – The 80/20 Rule and What Really Moves the Needle

25:00 – How Reflection Fuels Growth

27:00 – Lessons from Working with Walmart

29:00 – The “Hug of Death” and Managing Growth Wisely

32:00 – Defining Real Success: It’s About Sell-Through

34:00 – Be Careful What You Ask For (Alan’s Catering Story)

35:00 – Who Pitch Retail Serves and How They Help

36:30 – How to Connect with Dustin Murphy

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Connect with Dustin Murphy

🌐 https://www.pitchretailsales.com/

💻 https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustin-m-84828470/