Growing with Purpose
Business & Finance
About
The head of Small Giants Community, Jean Moncrieff chats with business leaders about what shaped their business and life.
Episodes
- Adria Marshall: Scaling a Business While Staying True to Your Values
Host Jean Moncrieff speaks with Adria Marshall, Founder of EcoSlay, about her journey from engineer to entrepreneur. They discuss scaling a business rooted in values, sustainability, and community, and defining success beyond revenue.
- Brandon Neely: Profit, Purpose, and the Discipline to Build What Lasts
In this episode of Growing With Purpose, Brandon Neely shares his experiences as a real estate investor and entrepreneur, detailing his journey launching a business during the 2008 financial crisis. He discusses profit, financial systems,…
- Ashish Kothari: Rethinking Success, Happiness, and Leadership
Host Jean Moncrieff speaks with Ashish Kothari about transforming anxiety and burnout into catalysts for personal growth, redefining success, and the importance of well-being for leaders. The discussion covers purpose, community, and micro…
- John Costello: Letting Go to Build a Company That Lasts
John Costello discusses his leadership journey and building a values-driven company, focusing on aligning personal and company values, navigating ownership challenges, and empowering others through transparency, gratitude, and employee wel…
- Megan Gluth: The Truth About Leading Through Uncertainty
Megan Gluth, CEO of Catalynt, shares her leadership journey on Growing with Purpose, discussing resilience, self-awareness, and leading through uncertainty. She reflects on building a unified company culture, managing crises with equanimit…
- Paul Spiegelman: From Small Giants to Kintsugi Village
This is a very special episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast. For the first time, longtime host Paul Spiegelman takes the guest seat as he officially passes the torch to new host, Jean Moncrieff. Paul reflects on his transition from…
- Leslie DeMent & Rob Dube: Meet the 2025 Hall of Fame inductees
This is a very special episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast. Not only are there two beloved return guests, but it’s also Paul’s last episode as host. As he transitions away from his role as the owner of the Small Giants Community to…
- Zach Mercurio: Creating a Mattering Movement
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman speaks with Zach Mercurio, a researcher, author, and leadership development facilitator specializing in purposeful leadership, mattering, meaningful work, and positi…
- Greg Toback: Bringing Smiles to the Healthcare Industry
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman speaks with Greg Toback, Founder and CEO of Resolute Dental Partners . As a periodontist and member of the healthcare community, Greg has seen various areas of the i…
- Hamsa Yaqo: Resourceful, reflective, and ready for new adventures
On this very special episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, I sit down with Hamsa Yaqo, formerly the Executive Director of the Small Giants Community, and now a board member. Hamsa is also the Co-Founder of Kintsugi Village , a non-p…
- Kevin Schnieders: Living the Servant Leader Life
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman speaks with Kevin Schnieders, Chief Servant Leader and CEO at Educational Data Systems, Inc. (EDSI). From sports broadcaster to English teacher to owner of the famil…
- Amy Courter: Flying High and Staying Grounded
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman sits down with Amy Courter , the Principle of Azimuth Centers of Excellence and a Certified EOS Implementer. Amy grew up outside of Flint, MI with humble beginnings…
- Kyle David: The Doogie Howser of Tech Consulting
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman sits down with Kyle David, CEO of The Kyle David Group . He is also a graduate of the Small Giants Leadership Academy Class of 2021. Kyle got his professional career…
- Bill Roark: ESOPs and Integrity
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman sits down with Bill Roark, co-founder of Torch Technologies, Inc. , as well as the founder of Starfish Holdings, Inc. and Freedom Real Estate & Capital, LLC. He is a…
- Danielle Krischik: Love, Loss, and a Chocolate Factory
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman sits down with Danielle Krischik, Partner and Chief Strategy Officer of Knight Agency . It’s no wonder that Danielle has a passion and a talent for storytelling, bec…
- David Friedfeld: Clear Vision, Full Hearts
On this live recorded episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman speaks with David Friedfeld, president of ClearVision Optical , one of the largest family-owned eye distributors in North America. The Clear Vision sto…
- Matt Hoying: The Value of Stargazing
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman speaks with Matt Hoying, President of Choice One Engineering . Matt grew up on a farm in Ohio with a loving and supportive family. And while both his parents held jo…
- Mikel Berger: Investing in Good Business
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman speaks with Mikel Berger, a self-proclaimed uncertified entrepreneur and Chief of Staff of Little Engine Ventures . Mikel grew up on a farm in northern Indiana, and…
- Sabrina White and Tom Walter: Meet our Inaugural Hall of Fame Inductees
On this very special episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman speaks with the inaugural inductees of the Small Giants Hall of Fame : Sabrina White and Tom Walter! Alongside celebrating 15 years of the Small Giants…
- 15 Years in the Making: A conversation with Bo Burlingham & Paul Spiegelman
It’s hard to believe that it has been 15 years since Bo and Paul started the Small Giants Community! Like many of us, Paul was inspired by Bo’s book and that started a series of conversations, leading to them bringing purpose-driven leader…
- Dawn Abbott: Turning Grief into Gratitude
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman speaks with Dawn Abbott. Dawn is an author , EOS implementer, and owner of three businesses: Fun Productions , Connections Team Building , and Abbott Coaching . Earl…
- Ron Alvesteffer: Balancing Growth & Culture
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman speaks with Ron Alvesteffer, President and CEO of Service Express , a data center solutions provider. While they started as a small IT company in Grand Rapids, MI, R…
- Chelle Neff: Changing the industry, one haircut at a time
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman speaks with Chelle Neff, CEO and founder of Urban Betty , an award-winning salon and spa with three locations in the Austin, TX area. Chelle grew up without a lot of…
- Britt Wiedemann: A Teacher, Mountain Guide, and Restaurateur Walk into a Bar…
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman speaks with Britt Wiedemann, president and owner of IWI Ventures, a company that runs various organizations in the hospitality industry. Britt is also a mentor in th…
- Tony + Tony Sr. Maione: Making a Father-Son Business Shine
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman speaks with our very first father-son duo. Tony Maione Sr. (henceforth called Senior) is Co-founder and Executive Senior Consultant of Core America , a janitorial an…
- Jean Pitzo: Building a Culture of Conscious Intelligence
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman speaks with Jean Pitzo, CEO of Ace Metal Crafts , a stainless steel fabrication company. Jean is also a mentor in the Small Giants Sounding Board program. In the 198…
- Heidi Baumgart: Empathy and Elbow Grease
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman speaks with Heidi Baumgart, COO of Skidmore Studio , a 65-year-old branding firm. As an only child growing up in rural Ohio, Heidi observed generations of her family…
- Eric Jones: The heavy lifting of purposeful leadership
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman speaks with Eric Jones, co-owner of Adamantine Spine Moving , a local and long-distance moving company based in Iowa. Eric didn’t always dream of owning his own movi…
- Andrew Barry: Building a Culture of Learning
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman speaks with Andrew Barry, founder and CEO of Curious Lion . Andrew got his start on the accounting side of business at KPMG. But as his passion for learning grew, he…
- Jason Fried: ”Out-teaching” the Competition
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman speaks with Jason Fried, co-founder and CEO of 37 Signals , as well as the co-author of several books such as Shape Up and It Doesn’t Have to be Crazy at Work . As s…
- Beck Sydow: Removing the Mask
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman speaks with Beck Sydow, the Founder of HumanKind Business Leaders , and former CEO of StickerGiant . Beck’s passion is bringing people-hearted and business-minded le…
- Corey Rosen: Mailbag Episode - Dispelling the Myths of Employee Ownership
On this mailbag episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman speaks with Corey Rosen to answer listener questions about the world of employee ownership. Corey is the founder of the National Center for Employee Ownershi…
- Carl Erickson: Give a Sh*t
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman speaks with Carl Erickson, the recently retired Executive Chairman of Atomic Object , a design and development software consultancy he co-founded in 2001. Previously…
- Lauren Adams: Financials with Heart
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman speaks with Lauren Adams, the Director of Operations at the Center for Financial Planning , a privately held wealth management firm. Lauren has always had a strong w…
- Taylor Vanden Hoek: Problem-Solving Through Art
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman speaks with Taylor Vanden Hoek, a delivery lead at Atomic Object , a custom software consultancy. Along with one of her colleagues, Taylor is currently working towar…
- Devyn Bachman: On the Road Again
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman speaks with Devyn Bachman, Vice President of Research at John Burns Real Estate Consulting . Devyn grew up surrounded by the entrepreneurial spirit. While her parent…
- Lauren Eckhardt: ”You don’t have to be a celebrity to share your life journey.”
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman speaks with Lauren Eckhardt, founder and CEO of Burning Soul Collective . Lauren grew up in rural Missouri with plenty of space to let her imagination roam. She took…
- Aaron Montgomery: Making Car Dealerships Fun
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman speaks with Aaron Montgomery, the CEO of Montgomery Development Group, Co-Founder of CarLotz and author of Suspend Your Disbelief: Short Stories That Are Long On Wis…
- Hai Nguyen: The Amateur Aficionado
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman speaks with Hai Nguyen, Co-Founder and Head of Product at Text-Em-All , an automated call and text company. For a man with such a calm, even presence, Hai’s life beg…
- Massimo Backus: Finding Integrity Through Vulnerability
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman speaks with Massimo Backus, Chief Coaching Officer of Massimo Backus Leadership. Massimo’s path to leadership was not a straightforward one, and was heavily influenc…
- Valerie Webster: Learning Through the Ups and Downs
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman talks with Valerie Webster, President of HealthWorks , a Cincinnati based health and well-being company. When Valerie first stepped into the role of president in a n…
- Eric Rieger: Unpacking the Past
On this episode of the Growing With Purpose podcast, Paul Spiegelman talks to Eric Rieger, founder and CEO of WEBIT Services , a people-focused IT strategy, service, and support company based in Naperville, IL. After working for other soft…
- Andy Fowler: The Accidental Entrepreneur
On this episode of the Growing With Purpose podcast, Paul Spiegelman talks with Andy Fowler, CEO of Nutshell, an all-in-one CRM and email marketing platform based in Ann Arbor, MI. “My trajectory in life was never to start a business, or e…
- Kate McCrea: The Sweet Side of Leadership
On this episode of the Growing With Purpose podcast, Paul Spiegelman talks with Kate McCrea, CEO and “Chief Caramel Visionary” of McCrea’s , a quality candy confectioner. Kate is also a longstanding member of the Small Giants Community. At…
- Angela Barbash: Empowerment Through Financial Literacy
On this episode of the Growing With Purpose podcast, Paul Spiegelman talks with Angela Barbash, CEO of Revalue Investing , a values-based investment advisory firm. She is also a current participant in the Small Giants Leadership Academy as…
- Mel Gravely: Reframing How We Think and Talk About Race
On this episode of the Growing With Purpose podcast, Paul Spiegelman talks with Mel Gravely, majority owner and CEO of TriVersity Construction. He is also the author of nine books, including his most recent, Dear White Friend . As a self-p…
- Conni Reed: From ”Un” to Fun
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman talks with Conni Reed, founder and CEO of Consuela. Starting with a computer science degree, Conni had a steady career in the corporate tech world. But she was feeli…
- Drew Patrick: The Company Is Yours Now
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman talks with Drew Patrick, owner and CEO of Skidmore Studio in Detroit, Michigan. In March 2020, Drew also founded Michigan Fields , an online specialty market that de…
- Leslie DeMent & Sabrina White: Dodgeball, Friendship, and Shonda Rhimes
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman talks with Sabrina White, Head of People & Customer Experience at Text-Em-All , and Leslie DeMent, Managing Director at Tailwind . Sabrina and Leslie are graduates o…
- Torey Carter-Conneen: Our Work Continues
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman talks with Torey Carter-Conneen, CEO of the The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) and a graduate of the Small Giants Leadership Academy, to talk about…