Coming Soon: Walk the Walk, a podcast for entrepreneurs running values-based businesses

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Walk the Walk Podcast

I’m so excited to finally put this podcast out into the world. It’s been percolating behind the scenes for at least half a year now; then we got hit with the pandemic and things ground to a screeching halt.

In running my agency, I come across some amazing business owners and entrepreneurs who run successful values-based businesses. Who I see making decisions that are best for their people, their communities, and their businesses. What I’ve found is that doing the right thing can be really difficult sometimes, but that it always, always comes back in spades, often in the form of loyal clients, customers, employees and fans.

This podcast is a compilation of thoughts, ideas, and interviews with experts and entrepreneurs who run purpose-driven, values-based businesses. Who make tough decisions and attract major


Transcript

Starting and running a business is hard. 

Starting and running a values-based business is even harder.

Doing so requires making decisions that put people before profits. That honor individuals as humans. That sacrifice short-term wins for long-term, sustainable growth.  

Hey there. 

I’m Andi Graham, the CEO, and founder of a digital marketing agency called Big Sea. When I started my business in 2005, I knew I wanted to build a business that I’d love working at if I were an employee.

At first, that was pretty easy and my needs were simple.

I wanted to do valuable work for clients and projects I believed in. I wanted to work with employees who were both passionate and compassionate. 

As the business has grown and we’ve expanded to a second state, the choices I’ve had to make to keep the people-first, values-based focus have become more and more complex and difficult. 

With more people, more money. and more distraction, there is a seemingly infinite struggle between personalities and profit, between delivering value and saving time. and between fulfillment and growth.

Through many difficult days, I’ve discovered that running a values-based business isn’t about keeping people happy.  It’s not about providing video games and beer.  It’s about so much more than treating people right.

Running a values-based business requires hard choices and making sacrficies. It means saying no even when it’s very tempting to say yes and it means relinquishing control in the name of empowerment and growth.

These lessons were hard-won, and just like you, I’m still learning every day. But these lessons, these stories, are not unique.

I meet entrepreneurs all the time who are really good at talking the talk, but when the rubber meets the road, they cave. Their values are just a mural on a wall or a page on their website, and the decisions they make defy them in every way.  

Then, there are those of whom I stand in awe.Those with the murals and web pages who also walk the walk. Whose business practices and decisions align with the things they profess to hold dear. 

Walk the Walk is about those people. It is a podcast for entrepreneurs who make tough choices in the name of integrity every day, even when it’s hard.