In this episode of Culture Architects, David Friedman interviews Brian Cali, a molecular biologist turned entrepreneur and investor. Brian shares his journey from a young science enthusiast to co-founding Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, emphasizing the importance of relationships, culture, and collaboration in building successful companies. As Ironwood grew, Brian navigated the challenges of maintaining a healthy company culture and adapting to organizational complexity. After a successful career in biotech, he transitioned to climate advocacy, focusing on community building and empowering others to engage in climate action. Brian's story highlights the significance of intentionality in leadership and the ripple effect of decisions made within organizations.

Part Two opens with the case for representation—why teams that reflect the communities they serve make better decisions—and explores the outsized role of language in building trust, shared meaning, and belonging. Leo closes with practical guidance leaders can use to translate inclusive intent into everyday behaviors.

Leo Sanders demystifies DEI by defining it in plain terms, grounding it in civil-rights practice, and connecting it to performance: attract broader talent, retain it, and remove barriers so people can thrive. He addresses the common backlash by showing how critics often reduce DEI to one tactic, and he offers a pragmatic approach—universal design and phased improvements—to make progress without breaking budgets.

Part Two picks up with the leader’s job of clarity and a practical discussion of value types (core vs. permission-to-play, aspirational, accidental) and how language choices either create dissonance or drive behavior. Ann and David explore how to translate purpose and values into daily practice—so culture lives in what people actually experience, not just what’s printed on the wall.

Ann Melinger, CEO of bink, joins David to chart the shift from “engagement” to culture—and why experiences, not perks, reveal who you really are under pressure. Ann introduces bink’s culture compass (values, behaviors, beliefs/mission/vision, experiences) and makes the case for leadership alignment, manager enablement, and writing behaviors instead of aspirational “we” statements.

Part Two picks up with John Bollman’s answer about Pella’s six culture accelerators and the link between culture and performance. John shares how Pella’s intentional focus on leadership development, recruiting for fit, and integrating acquisitions has helped the company outperform its industry for years. He also reflects on lessons learned throughout his career — and why he believes the greatest gift a leader can give is a culture where people can thrive.

John Bollman, CHRO at Pella Corporation, joins David for a conversation about how leadership and culture shape a company’s long-term success. In Part One, John traces his career from law to HR, the early lessons he learned at Whirlpool, and how Pella set out to define a culture anchored in caring, learning, and results. The episode ends just as David asks about the connection between culture and results — a question John answers in Part Two.

Part Two opens with Nathan Hall’s answer to the question: what do people most often get wrong about DEI? From there, Nathan reframes diversity, equity, and inclusion as foundational to all culture work, not separate initiatives. He explains why friction can actually fuel creativity and progress, and he previews Culture Check’s new Work of Us framework — designed to help leaders lower the temperature and align their teams to move forward together.

In Part One, David speaks with Nathan Hall, founder and CEO of Culture Check, about his path from sociology student to business leader, and how his turnaround work at Simple Story shaped his approach to culture. Nathan reflects on vulnerability, belonging, and the personal roots of his leadership philosophy. The conversation closes with David asking Nathan to weigh in on the biggest misconceptions about DEI — a question Nathan answers when Part Two begins.

In Part Two of their conversation, David and Dustin pick up the story with his leap into entrepreneurship. Dustin explains what it’s like to buy and run a company while writing the playbook in real time, the hard truths he learned along the way, and how that experience ultimately led to the creation of Persistently — and to joining forces with CultureWise.

David sits down with Dustin Campbell, co-founder of Persistence Management Holdings and Persistently, to unpack his journey from investment banking to private equity — and the powerful lessons he learned along the way. In Part One, Dustin shares how a turnaround mentor reshaped his thinking about systems and culture, and why those insights convinced him that culture is more than a differentiator — it’s the driver of performance.

In this second part of their conversation, David and Ari Weinzweig dive deeper into two specific components of the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses: their training arm ZingTrain, and their company’s 34 beliefs. Ari weighs in on how much a growing organization should reflect the essence of its founders.

Since their modest opening in 1982, Zingerman’s Delicatessen has cemented its place as an institution in Ann Arbor, Michigan — rejecting the typical franchise model for food retailers and instead growing into what is today known as the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses. David sits down with Zingerman’s co-founder and co-owner Ari Weinzweig to talk about this incredible journey. In this first of a two-part conversation, Ari distills open-book management and anarchism in business, and explains how he finds culture-building “as much a creative act as cooking.”

In this second half of their conversation, David and Andy Busser get into the day-to-day teaching and reinforcing of the culture at Pitcairn. Andy answers all the important culture questions around his firm’s historic first acquisition of Brightside Partners.

For over 100 years now, Pitcairn has served and advised ultra-high-net-worth families on matters of legacy and wealth. In 2023, the firm’s centennial year, Andy Busser was appointed its CEO — and in this episode, he and David discuss honoring a century-old culture while also leading with one’s own vision for the future. Andy offers a unique insight on the returns from investing in the company culture.

In this second part of their conversation, David and Chris Gheysens continue to discuss the systems with which they transfer and reinforce the culture at Wawa. Chris expands on the idea of culture as a feedback loop, and shares the advice he would give his younger self.

For over 60 years now, the Wawa chain of convenience stores has been supplying the US East Coast with fresh food and consistently positive customer experiences. In the course of this two-part conversation, David takes a deep dive into the company culture behind the success — with the CEO of Wawa himself, Chris Gheysens. In this episode, Chris talks about embedding the culture in new geographies as the company expands to more cities, and finding the balance between results and the welfare of their associates.

The conversation continues with Brian Roers of Roers Companies. In this episode, he shares with David some of the challenges that come with expanding to now over a dozen states in the US. Brian reflects on the importance of being loud as a leader and having the right team when looking to the future.

In this first of a two-part conversation, Brian Roers shares his journey of co-founding Roers Companies with his brother Kent, and becoming a culture champion along the way. Roers Companies is a multi-awarded multifamily and commercial real estate development firm based in Minnesota. It was founded in 2012 — and by 2024, was recognized by Inc. 5000 as the 344th fastest-growing private company in America. At the heart of their remarkable growth is their Culture Blueprint, and a daily commitment to their culture.

David resumes the conversation with Steven Shapiro and Nancy Shapiro Rapport on designing Our Family Culture. Nancy and Steven explain how Our Family Culture shapes the way conversations are taking place between parents and children, and why repetition matters when parenting with purpose.