What does growth look like when the standard playbook no longer works?

In this episode of Grow Good, Anne Oudersluys sits down with Lara Dickinson, co-founder of One Step Closer (OSC), to discuss how founders can grow profitable businesses without sacrificing mission, values, or long-term resilience.

Drawing from decades in the natural products industry, Lara explains why many traditional paths to scale—venture funding, acquisition, or bootstrapping alone—often create hidden costs. She shares how OSC was built as an alternative model: a peer network where purpose-driven CEOs collaborate on shared business challenges, tackle industry-wide problems like packaging and climate, and build trust as a competitive advantage.

They also explore why brand is created through lived experience, not just messaging; how regenerative thinking can improve decision-making; why multi-generational businesses may be today’s most overlooked innovators; and how founders should sequence purpose initiatives as they scale.

A practical conversation for leaders trying to grow responsibly in complex markets.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

• Why many founders feel trapped between bad growth options: raise capital, sell, or struggle alone
• How CEO peer communities can accelerate better decisions and reduce isolation
• Why trust inside a business network creates real operating leverage
• The shared challenges purpose-led companies face beyond direct competition
• How OSC turned collaboration into action through packaging and climate initiatives
• What “regenerative thinking” means in practical business terms
• Why the best strategic decisions often begin by returning to a company’s founding essence
• How brand is shaped through experience, relationships, and consistency—not slogans
• Why multi-generational companies may be better positioned for today’s volatility
• How founders should sequence impact goals instead of trying to do everything at once
• Why focus matters equally in growth strategy and purpose strategy
• How long-term stakeholder relationships create resilience during uncertainty

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Welcome + Lara’s background
02:05 – Why traditional growth paths fall short for mission-led founders
04:35 – Founding One Step Closer
05:30 – Early challenges + why collaboration was needed
06:50 – Why competitors choose collaboration over competition
09:40 – Regenerative thinking explained simply
12:10 – Who regenerative thinking is for
15:20 – Applying systems thinking in practice
18:45 – Building communities that create real outcomes
24:50 – The “sanctuary” concept + trust-building environments
31:20 – Why experience—not messaging—is the real brand
36:30 – Multi-generational companies as innovators
39:00 – Managing the tension between growth and purpose
39:40 – What the Purpose Pledge is
42:00 – Sequencing impact + why focus matters
44:05 – Packaging progress + realistic sustainability decisions
47:55 – Lara’s advice for founders growing with integrity 

RESOURCES & LINKS

• One Step Closer
• Lara Dickinson LinkedIn
• Purpose Pledge
• Core Impact Strategy
• Anne Oudersluys LinkedIn 
• Core Impact Newsletter 

Cloverleaf was built to solve a specific gap: personality assessments create awareness, but rarely change behavior. Their AI coach brings that insight into daily work, helping people navigate feedback, conflict, and team dynamics in real time. At the core is a focus on self-awareness as the foundation for how people work together.

The conversation goes beyond product into operating decisions. Kirsten explains why they hire for belief alignment—not just values—how culture is built through small, repeated interactions, and how systems like Bonusly reinforce those behaviors. She also shares the harder tradeoffs: building an AI category before the market was ready, resisting easier paths to revenue, and navigating layoffs while maintaining trust.

This is a case study in designing a company where beliefs show up in how work actually happens.

What You’ll Learn

00:46 – How Cloverleaf turns personality insight into daily behavior change
Why most assessments fail in practice—and how real-time coaching helps people navigate feedback, conflict, and team dynamics.

03:16 – Why self-awareness is the foundation for better teams
How understanding your own tendencies—and others’—reduces friction and improves how work actually gets done.

06:55 – Why culture is built in small moments—not values on a wall
How everyday interactions (meetings, 1:1s, feedback) shape psychological safety and team performance.

08:30 – Work as a gift: the belief driving how Kirsten leads
How viewing work as meaningful—not a slog—changes expectations, energy, and how people show up.

11:08 – Why you can’t train people to care
What breaks when you hire for skills alone—and why belief alignment matters more than “values fit.”

14:30 – How to hire for belief alignment
The interview approach Cloverleaf uses to identify whether candidates already live the values.

16:42 – How to turn values into repeatable behavior
How systems like Bonusly make values visible, measurable, and reinforced across the company.

26:35 – Mission vs. market reality in a venture-backed company
The tension between building what’s right for users vs. what’s easiest to sell to buyers.

28:45 – What layoffs reveal about culture and trust
How two rounds of layoffs impacted employee perception—and how leadership responded with transparency.
32:15 – How leaders create psychological safety in practice
Why inviting dissent, asking for opposing views, and allowing anonymous questions changes team dynamics.

34:38 – Why mission doesn’t always belong in your marketing
When leading with purpose confuses buyers—and why clarity on what you do comes first.
35:32 – The cost of being early to a category
What it took to build an AI coaching product before the market understood it—and why they stayed the course.

42:42 – AI that serves human relationships—not replaces them
Why Cloverleaf rejects AI as a substitute for human coaching—and where it actually adds value.
46:15 – The role of resilience in mission-driven growth
Why staying committed to a long-term vision requires personal discipline, not just strategy.

Resources & Links

Kirsten Moorefield – LinkedIn
Cloverleaf
Bonusly
Anne Oudersluys:  Core Impact Strategy
Anne's LinkedIn -  LinkedIn
Anne's Newsletter - Core Impact Newsletter - Get monthly in-depth articles about marketing and growth strategy for purpose-driven brands 

From day one, he made a set of decisions that limit how the business can grow—using real fruit instead of concentrates, working directly with regional farmers, and choosing distribution partners that prioritize relationships over reach. Those choices show up everywhere: in cost structure, in how they enter new markets, and in how they spend marketing dollars.

Instead of flooding new regions or optimizing for efficiency, they expand by building local partnerships, supporting community organizations, and hiring people who are already embedded in those markets.

This episode is a look at what it actually takes to scale a business while holding the line on product quality, sourcing decisions, and how you show up in the communities you enter.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

• Why they chose real fruit and direct farm relationships despite higher cost and complexity
• How “farm to can” decisions impact margins, supply chain planning, and brand positioning
• The tradeoff between USDA organic certification and maintaining long-term farmer relationships
• How they evaluate new supplier opportunities that could lower costs but shift the product
• The role of weekly leadership discussions in pressure-testing decisions against company standards
• Why they avoided large-scale distribution early and instead partnered with beer distributors
• How beer distribution created stronger on-the-ground relationships and better account penetration
• Their approach to entering new markets through local nonprofits and community partnerships
• Why marketing dollars are spent in communities instead of on traditional advertising
• How they hire local operators to build credibility and relationships in new regions
• The tension between scaling production capacity and maintaining sourcing standards
• Why they prioritize depth in a market before expanding reach

TIMESTAMPS

02:00 – Patagonia story and early influence on business philosophy
04:40– Founding Devil’s Foot and identifying the product gap
10:39 – Real fruit sourcing and cost tradeoffs
17:35 – How decisions are filtered internally
22:00 – Marketing approach and storytelling choices
28:40 – Rejecting traditional scale strategies
31:20 – Distribution through beer networks
33:45 – Entering new markets through community partnerships
35:15 – Hiring locally to support expansion
36:30 – Scaling challenges and operational tradeoffs
42:50 – Advice for founders on staying aligned

RESOURCES & LINKS

• Devil’s Foot Brewing
• Ben Colvin LinkedIn
• Devil’s Foot Brewing LinkedIn 
• Core Impact Strategy
• Anne Oudersluys LinkedIn 
• Core Impact Newsletter 

This Episode features Jeff Wiguna, co-founder and CEO of Kuju Coffee, to explore how honesty, ownership, and long-term thinking shape the way a company grows.

Kuju pioneered the single-serve pour-over coffee category and has grown from a Kickstarter campaign into a brand carried by retailers like REI and Walmart. But Jeff explains that the company’s growth has been guided less by chasing distribution and more by understanding where the product truly belongs.

In this conversation, Jeff shares why Kuju walked away from grocery after achieving national placement, how he evaluates whether a channel fits the business, and why he believes “ownership determines destiny.” He also explains why radical honesty with buyers and partners has become a strategic advantage. For founders navigating pressure to scale quickly, Jeff offers a thoughtful perspective on building companies designed to last.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

• Why Jeff believes radical honesty creates stronger relationships with retail buyers
• What Kuju learned after initially being rejected by REI
• Why timing often matters more than pushing harder when entering a channel
• How Kuju grew from outdoor specialty retail into Walmart without chasing mass distribution
• Why grocery turned out to be a strategic misstep, even after national placement in Whole Foods and Sprouts
• The difference between products people like and products that behave like staples in grocery
• Why Jeff believes ownership determines destiny for every company
• How avoiding venture funding helped Kuju maintain long-term decision-making
• Why Jeff is skeptical of performative success signals like press and distribution milestones
• How Kuju’s brand focuses on real customers and real moments rather than curated brand imagery
• Why Jeff believes companies should serve human lives rather than consume them
• What founders should clarify early about their personal definition of success

TIMESTAMPS:

00:33 – The idea behind Kuju’s pocket pour-over
 03:40 – The gap in camping coffee that started the company
 05:18 – Getting rejected by REI the first time
 09:10 – Why timing matters more than pushing harder
 12:18 – Choosing not to chase every retail opportunity
 13:14 – Why grocery became a strategic misstep
 15:59 – What grocery taught him about staples vs novelty
 19:13 – Ownership determines destiny
 24:08 – Why Kuju never pursued venture funding
 28:13 – Radical honesty with buyers and partners
 32:55 – Building a brand around real customer moments
 42:14 – Jeff’s advice on defining your own version of success

RESOURCES & LINKS

• Jeff Wiguna LinkedIn 
• Kuju Coffee
• Kuju Coffee LinkedIn
• Anne's Newsletter - Core Impact Newsletter - Get monthly in-depth articles about marketing and growth strategy for purpose-driven brands
• Connect with Anne Oudersluys and learn about creating a marketing strategy that delivers business growth. 
• Work with Anne:  Core Impact Strategy 
• Anne's LinkedIn -  LinkedIn
  
  

What does it actually look like to build a company that puts people first—without sacrificing performance?

Greg Harmeyer is the co-founder of TiER1 Performance Solutions and CEO of TiER1 Impact, a certified B Corp and 100% employee-owned company that helps large organizations improve performance through people. Over the past two decades, Greg has led TiER1 through significant growth, 18 acquisitions, and major economic cycles—while intentionally rejecting traditional hierarchy, performance reviews, and individual incentives.

In this conversation, Greg shares how his company operates with “dynamically distributed authority” instead of static bosses, why they tolerate inefficiency in service of collaboration and innovation, how employee ownership shapes long-term decision-making, and what it costs to uphold your values during financial pressure.

This episode is a candid look at the real tradeoffs behind building a values-driven company—and what it takes to make those values operational, not aspirational.

What You’ll Learn

02:00 – What it means to operate without traditional bosses
 How dynamic authority replaces static hierarchy—and why most employees say they don’t really have a boss.

06:19 – What TiER1 actually does
 How the company helps large organizations drive performance through leadership alignment, change management, and people-centered transformation.

10:11 – Turning abstract values into “values in action”
 Why six simple values weren’t enough—and how rewriting them in first-person language made them operational.

14:31 – The power of “embracing the tension of the and”
 Why over-rotating on any one value—performance, relationships, or impact—creates imbalance.

18:48 – Why great companies tolerate inefficiency
 How leaving space for ideas, experimentation, and collaboration led to entirely new business lines—including federally funded research and internal creative teams.

23:33 – What real collaboration requires
 Why trust, incentive design, and removing fear of credit or competition matter more than saying you “value teamwork.”

27:24 – Why TiER1 doesn’t use traditional performance reviews
 How growth conversations, shared bonuses, and team-based success replace individual scoring systems.

30:12 – Navigating economic pressure without abandoning values
 How Greg approached a difficult financial year without defaulting to immediate layoffs—and what tradeoffs that required.

35:24 – Why employee ownership changes leadership decisions
 How becoming an ESOP created long-term alignment—and new responsibility.

39:57– When you have to be willing to walk away from revenue
 The mindset required to confront a major client when culture and team wellbeing were at risk.

43:56 – Decision-making without a rigid framework
 Why principles, not algorithms, guide tough calls—and why long-term thinking matters most.

48:36 – What makes a “good” company
 Greg’s belief that organizations should exist to serve people—not the other way around.

Resources & Links
Greg Harmeyer – LinkedIn
TiER1 Performance Solutions
Impact with Love: Building Business for a Better World

Connect with Anne Oudersluys and learn about creating a marketing strategy that delivers business growth.
Work with Anne:  Core Impact Strategy
Anne's LinkedIn -  LinkedIn
Anne's Newsletter - Core Impact Newsletter - Get monthly in-depth articles about marketing and growth strategy for purpose-driven brands 

Mike Zelkind is the co-founder and CEO of 80 Acres Farms, which grows leafy greens, herbs, and microgreens n indoor farms across the U.S. Their product line includes packaged lettuce mixes, pre-made salads and salad dressings.  Over the past decade, the company has expanded into thousands of retail stores, scaled production through acquisitions, and built a national brand in the produce aisle.

In our conversation, Mike shares how to simplify your value proposition when you have too many benefits to communicate, how to compete against larger incumbents without chasing them, how to be transparent with investors during industry hype cycles, and how authenticity and grit shape leadership as you scale.

What you’ll Learn: 

00:39 – Technology is only valuable if it serves the customer
 Why innovation alone doesn’t create differentiation — and what has to translate for consumers to care.

03:49 – Proximity as a competitive advantage
Why shortening the supply chain increases freshness, reduces waste, and builds trust.

10:03 – When industry failure becomes strategic clarity
 What environmental breakdowns in traditional agriculture revealed about system-level inefficiencies.

13:25 – Purpose as a filter for growth decisions
 Why a clear “why” should narrow your choices, not expand them.

15:05 – Too many benefits weaken your brand
 The discipline of choosing one or two promises instead of listing every advantage.

27:01 – Commoditization is often a strategy failure
Why categories become interchangeable when leaders stop defining a clear promise.

28:03 – Redefining value instead of reacting to price pressure
 What it takes to shift the conversation toward outcomes customers actually care about.

29:31 – Scaling through acquisition without lowering standards
 Protecting product quality and culture as distribution expands.

36:37 – Infrastructure is not software
 Why vertical farming requires patience, iteration, and realistic expectations from investors.

40:43– Authenticity, curiosity, and grit in leadership
 The habits that sustain growth when the industry cycle turns.

Resources & Links
Mike Zelkind – LinkedIn
80 Acres Farms

If you are interested in working with Anne Oudersluys to develop a marketing strategy that supports your growth, you can reach out through these channels: 
Anne's LinkedIn – LinkedIn
Anne's Website - Core Impact Strategy
Anne's Newsletter - Core Impact Newsletter - Get monthly in-depth articles about marketing and growth strategy for purpose-driven brands

Blair Kellison has spent more than 25 years leading natural products companies, often stepping in as the first non-founder CEO. Most notably, he spent 14 years at Traditional Medicinals, helping grow the business from roughly $20 million to well over $100 million in revenue while strengthening its commitment to organic sourcing, fair trade partnerships, and community impact.

In our conversation, Blair shares how to formalize values so they guide real decisions, how to protect product integrity while scaling, how transparency builds trust (even in moments like a product recall), and why culture—not strategy—is often the true engine of long-term growth.

What You’ll Learn

00:00 – Why aligning your personal values with your work changes everything
 How Blair’s decision to leave corporate life and take a 70% pay cut shaped the trajectory of his career.

05:20 – How to transition from founder-led to professionally led—without losing the mission
 Why companies are often strongest when founders remain deeply involved, just not necessarily in the CEO role.

07:05 – How to codify values so they actually influence decisions
 A practical framework for moving values from vague language to clear behavioral standards.

08:55 – How to embed mission into hiring, onboarding, and performance reviews
 What it looks like to operationalize values so they become part of the company’s infrastructure.

10:35 – Why efficacy must come first—even in purpose-driven brands
 How product performance (“it works”) builds the foundation for trust, retention, and word-of-mouth.

15:05 – How to scale without lowering your standards
 Why growth should increase rigor around quality, sourcing, and testing—not erode it.

19:45 – How relational supply chains create resilience
 What it means to invest in growers and build long-term partnerships that expand alongside your growth.

22:05 – How transparency during a recall can strengthen trust
 Why proactively communicating difficult news can ultimately reinforce credibility with customers.

27:45– How to compete ethically in an industry full of exaggerated claims
 Blair’s approach to building brand equity through consistency, education, and integrity.

33:15 – Why your story becomes your competitive moat
How deeply embedding your mission and operating principles into the brand creates differentiation competitors can’t replicate—even when they copy your product.

36:25 – Why culture—not strategy—is the true competitive advantage
 The “change the water, not the fish” metaphor and how leadership behavior shapes performance.

Resources & Links
Blair Kellison – LinkedIn
Traditional Medicinals 

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Connect with Anne Oudersluys and learn about creating a marketing strategy that delivers business growth. 
Work with Anne:  Core Impact Strategy 
Anne's LinkedIn -  LinkedIn
Anne's Newsletter - Core Impact Newsletter - Get monthly in-depth articles about marketing and growth strategy for purpose-driven brands 

In this trailer, host Anne Oudersluys explains the show's premise and what to expect in each episode: honest conversations with CEOs and founders about the real decisions and trade-offs involved in scaling—from strategy and marketing to culture and leadership.

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