
People On Purpose® S2E8: Why the Best Teams Feel a Little Bit Like a Cult
Apr 1, 2026
35:04
Not an actual cult. But kind of. The teams that show up fully, carry the business when things get hard, and genuinely care about the mission all have something in common — and it has nothing to do with skill set.
In this episode, we're getting personal about a really hard year, a team member who let us down, and what it taught us about what actually makes a team work. Spoiler: it's not the offer letter.
Listen in to hear:
- What cult-like community actually means in a small business context — and what it definitely doesn't
- Why hiring someone you already know and trust can teach you everything about culture
- The real reason our best revenue year happened during our hardest personal year
- Why engagement has nothing to do with perks and everything to do with connection
- Why you can mess up the onboarding paperwork and still build an incredible team — and exactly when that excuse runs out
