Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast

This episode is a celebration—literally! Joel Zeff brings his signature humor and insight to the mic, showing us why fun isn’t a frivolous extra—it’s a fundamental part of vibrant leadership and team success. Nicole and Joel dive into what it really means to lead with passion, how celebration fuels performance, and why your workplace desperately needs more "Ta-Da!" moments. From his unforgettable "magic harmonica" story to...

In this powerful episode of Build a Vibrant Culture, Nicole Greer welcomes Jim Collison—CliftonStrengths Community Manager at Gallup—for an energizing and practical conversation about building strengths-based cultures. Jim shares real-world insights from his journey, coaching advice, and why focusing on what’s right with people is a game-changer for engagement, wellbeing, and performance.

Together, Nicole and Jim unpack...

What if your team’s best innovation is stuck behind a lie - like “I’m not creative”? In this episode, Nicole Greer sits down with Melissa Dinwiddie, author of The Creative Sandbox Way: Your Path to a Full-Color Life, to smash that myth and uncover the truth: creativity is your birthright—and it’s the key to building a vibrant, energized culture.

Melissa shares her personal journey from self-doubt to singing jazz, thrivi...

In this exceptionally vibrant episode of The Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast, Nicole Greer sits down with Taylor Scott—author, keynote speaker, and former Disney leader—to explore how hospitality principles can transform leadership. With decades of experience at Disney, Gaylord, and The Cosmopolitan, Taylor shares practical wisdom from his bestselling book, Lead with Hospitality, and previews his upcoming leadership fable,...

Buckle up—this week's episode lights the fuse on culture-changing conversations, showing you how a single powerful question can ignite an entire organization! In this episode, Nicole Greer sits down with powerhouse duo Cheri Torres and Jackie Stavros, co-authors of Conversations Worth Having, to explore how the practice of Appreciative Inquiry (the other AI) can transform your workplace culture—one conversation at a time.<...

In this energizing episode of the Build a Vibrant Culture podcast, Nicole Greer sits down with creativity expert and leadership consultant Dr. Amy Climer, author of Deliberate Creative Teams: How to Lead for Innovative Results. Together, they unpack what makes teams truly innovative and how leaders can clear the path for creativity.

You’ll discover Amy’s three-part model for team innovation, why most brainstorming fails...

In this episode of the Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast, Nicole Greer sits down with Bryon Beilman, CEO of iuvo Technologies and author of Leadership at the Edge. Bryon introduces his innovative "Hyperloop Mindset"—a high-speed, low-friction approach to culture and leadership that propels business forward. Together, they unpack how to hire A+ players, empower leaders at every level, and embed change into your weekly rhythms...

What if innovation wasn’t just for Research & Development? What if every employee had permission—and a process—to contribute game-changing ideas? In this episode of Build a Vibrant Culture podc, Nicole Greer sits down with Ben Bensaou, professor, innovation expert, and author of Built to Innovate, to explore the systems, habits, and cultural practices that embed innovation into a company’s DNA.

Together, they dive into:

What if the secret to building a vibrant culture starts with redesigning your own life? In this episode of the Build a Vibrant Culture  host Nicole Greer sits down with visionary Ryan Rigterink, author of Redesign Life, to explore how purpose, passion, and personal transformation can shape both individual lives and organizational culture. A tech entrepreneur and thought leader in human-centered AI, Ryan shares the powerful...

In this episode of the Build a Vibrant Culture podcast, Nicole sits down with people-first HR leader Carrol Ostendorf to talk about building leadership from the inside out. Carrol shares her bold vision for Delta |v| University, a homegrown development platform that’s energizing engineers, elevating young talent, and reinforcing culture across five states. With a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and a heart for people, Ca...

Welcome to the Build A Vibrant Culture Podcast, where clarity, energy, and results collide! This week, Nicole Greer dives into the world of compensation with Jason Smith, Principal Compensation Consultant at Gallagher's Compensation and Rewards Consulting practice. With a career journey that started behind the bar at Applebee’s and led to becoming a recognized expert in compensation strategy, Jason is here to pull back the...

What happens when you combine mentorship, emotional intelligence, and people-first leadership? You get the award-winning culture of Novant Health Rowan Medical Center. In this episode, Nicole Greer, the Vibrant Coach, sits down with two transformational healthcare leaders: Kendra Bowman, Radiology Manager and engagement award-winner, and Gary Blabon, President and COO of Novant Health Rowan Medical Center.

Together, the...

What if the secret to stronger teams, better performance, and real engagement isn’t a new system—but a more human approach to leadership? In this powerful episode of the Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast, Nicole Greer sits down with Genevieve Retzlaff, a certified transformational coach and organizational development expert with a background as colorful as her insights—including a stint with Cirque du Soleil! Genevieve bring...

Are your hiring practices building a vibrant culture—or inviting lawsuits? What if you could create a workplace people never want to leave? In this episode of Build a Vibrant Culture, Nicole Greer sits down with Adam Kemper, founder of The Workplace Law Firm, to unpack the full employee lifecycle—from attracting top talent to letting someone go—with practical legal advice every business leader needs. With humor, clarity, a...

Are your internal emails building trust—or fueling confusion? Is poor communication quietly killing your company culture? In this vibrant conversation, host Nicole Greer sits down with Alejandra Ramirez, a seasoned internal communication strategist and founder of Ready Cultures. With two decades of experience and a passion for creating thriving organizational cultures, Alejandra shares her signature "3H Framework"—Head, He...

In this episode, Nicole sits down with Karl Sakas, a seasoned leadership advisor and operations expert for creative businesses, to explore his latest book, Calm the Chaos. They dive into what it really takes to lead a thriving business or agency without losing your mind—or your weekends. Karl shares powerful insights about managing your energy, delegating intentionally, building strong teams, and yes, surviving meetings th...

In this energizing episode of Build A Vibrant Culture, host Nicole Greer sits down with virtual assistant guru and author Melissa Smith to demystify the world of virtual assistants (VAs). Whether you’re an overwhelmed entrepreneur, a high-performing exec, or someone just tired of doing it all, Melissa offers empowering advice on how the right VA can give you time back, increase your energy, and even save your sanity.

From ...

What happens when you walk into a workplace filled with chaos? In this episode, Nicole sits down with the powerhouse author, leadership expert, and former deputy mayor, Irma J. Neal, for a jaw-dropping conversation about Leading in Chaos — the title of her book and the essence of her leadership journey.

Irma shares real, raw stories from her time leading a government department in Washington, D.C. under extreme dysfunct...

Could saving your organization thousands (or even millions) of dollars affect the vibrant culture you're working to build? How about your ability to hire or retain the right people? In this episode of Build a Vibrant Culture, Nicole sits down with Robert L. Day, founder of WeAudit.com and author of The Great American Heist: How Credit Card Processors Steal Businesses' Profits. With over 30 years of experience in finance an...