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 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.⏱️ Chapters0:22 – Welcome back, Melanie Palmer1:03 – Melanie's CliftonStrengths results, revealed2:15 – What CliftonStrengths actually measures3:16 – Why "well-rounded" is a fallacy4:21 – Melanie reads Alan's top strengths: Positivity & Individualization5:49 – Where Individualization struggles — rigid rules and procedures6:39 – Managing opposite strengths on the same team7:36 – Why the owner-as-gap-bridge kills business value8:21 – Building a strengths-based culture so you're not the referee9:20 – Turning friction into a team asset (the "Deliberative" example)12:15 – The sports analogy: playing people in their strength position13:47 – Alan's DISC results — and why he and Melanie "resonate"15:29 – Natural vs. Adaptive style, explained17:46 – Mapping a team on the CliftonStrengths grid18:47 – Case study: a statewide nonprofit team21:22 – Building trust through connection and compassion22:11 – Using assessments for conflict resolution23:10 – The visionary/implementer partnership (Jobs & Ballmer)24:10 – DISC clashes: high-D vs. high-S styles25:22 – How people weaponize assessments — and how not to30:12 – Why an outside facilitator sees what you can't32:08 – Where to find Melanie Palmer32:27 – Final takeaway: know yourself firstConnect 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/⏱️ Chapters00:25 - Welcome & Meet Steve Blair01:16 - Steve's Mission: Creating Cultures Where People Love Their Work02:36 - Going Deep: The Art vs. Science of Building Culture03:22 - Two Types of Leadership: Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up05:03 - Finding Leaders Who "Get It"06:53 - Creating Heroes: The Power of Mentorship09:50 - Why Culture Can't Be Left to Chance11:12 - The Core Framework: Understanding Culture13:45 - Defining Culture: Values, Behaviors, and Results16:20 - The Anatomy of Culture: Breaking It Down19:30 - The Culture Stack: Four Critical Levels22:15 - Level 1: Vision & Leadership24:40 - Level 2: Organizational Systems & Processes27:10 - Level 3: Managers - The Linchpin of Culture29:45 - Level 4: Teams & Daily Work32:15 - Where Most Culture Initiatives Fail33:18 - Leveraging Tools at the Right Level34:28 - Communication Strategies Across Levels36:17 - Connecting Individual Purpose to Organizational Purpose37:21 - The Danger of Resource Gaps38:33 - Culture You Design vs. Culture You Deserve39:23 - 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/⏱️ Chapters1:19 – Meet Melanie Palmer: From Victim Services to Nonprofit Consulting4:38 – What It Really Means to Be on a Nonprofit Board6:17 – The Non-Negotiable: Passion for Mission (Not Resume Building)11:00 – The Three Questions Every Board Should Ask Before Recruiting15:00 – How CliftonStrengths Unlocks Board Potential22:00 – Why Nonprofits and For-Profits Have the Same Leadership Challenges30:00 – The Hidden Gap: When No One Is Driving the Bus35:00 – How a Strategic Plan Fixes Most Board Dysfunction37:15 – The Fundraising Plan Most Organizations Forget to Create45:13 – 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 ConsultingConnect with M. Palmer Consulting🌐 https://melaniepalmerconsulting.com 💼 Schedule a free consultation to assess your nonprofit's needsAre 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 principlesLearn more about how TrustBuilt helps business owners build trust-driven teams: https://www.trustbuiltsolutions.com/⏱️ Chapters:01:26 - The Realization That Changed Everything02:02 - From Business Owner to Accredited Business Coach03:33 - What is Leading with Empathy? (Not Sympathy)04:00 - Empathy in the Workplace: Putting Yourself in Their Shoes05:12 - The Power of Emotional Connection with Your Team05:41 - Empathy vs. Sympathy: The Well Analogy06:24 - Why You Shouldn't Anchor Bad Behaviors07:40 - The First Two Weeks: Intentional Onboarding08:09 - How Quick Trust Develops When You Show Up with Empathy09:00 - The Danger of Over-Tasking New Hires10:06 - Creating Purpose & Clarity for Your Team11:17 - Why Small Businesses Fail: The Team Development Gap12:55 - The Mentor Myth: Why You Need the Right Guide15:32 - How to Validate Team Members & Get Their Input17:17 - Why Business Owners Struggle to Let Go19:21 - The Bottleneck Problem: When Everything Runs Through You21:00 - Stop Micromanaging & Start Leading22:27 - How to Develop Leaders Within Your Team23:52 - What Happens When You Don't Develop Your People26:03 - Leading Teams of 5 to 500: The Same Principles Apply27:41 - The Greatest Success: When Your Team Speaks in Your Tone28:09 - Validate Individually, Recognize Publicly29:02 - The Magic Number for Direct Reports & Team Size29:34 - What Happens When Your Team Feels Heard & Validated31:14 - Turning Introverts Into Confident Trainers32:15 - Jim's Monthly Regional Team Meetings: What He Asks33:04 - The Textbook on Purpose in Organizations33:31 - How to Connect with Jim Robinson & CGP ConstructionConnect With Jim📧 Email: [email protected]🌐 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⏱️ Chapters0:30 – Welcome & Intro: What Is Zenith Coffee Company?2:25 – The Concept: Coffee That's Actually Good for Your Body3:16 – How She Funded It 8:27 – Alan's Three Buckets11:27 – The Trust Challenge: Handing Your Business Off to Other People13:04 – Understanding Your Behavioral Style as a Leader15:47 – Why Most Hiring Posts Attract the Wrong People21:46 – How Zenith Got 150 Applications in 4 Hours24:11 – Monthly Meetings, Feedback Loops & Leaning Into Strengths26:59 – The Three Pillars of Trust: Clarity, Connection & Consistency28:55 – Why Recognition Can Backfire (and How to Get It Right)33:24 – The Missing Piece in Most Onboarding Processes37:30 – Employee Engagement: Communicating Constraints to Your Team41:29 – How Stella's Team Solves Problems Together44:13 – Exit Planning, Business Value & Reducing Owner Dependence47:26 – Where to Find Zenith Coffee CoConnect with Stella & Zenith Coffee 🌐 https://www.zenithcoffeeco.com/💻 https://www.linkedin.com/in/stella-rodda-a9a440204/