The Culture Matters Podcast

The Culture Matters Podcast with host, Jay Doran, is a platform to talk with business owners, executives, and cultural alike to get inside each individual's eco-system in which they practice culture in the workplace. We speak to some of the most interesting people about why culture is important.

The Culture Matters Podcast is a business podcast hosted by Jay Doran, with 1,000 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Jay Doran hosts The Culture Matters Podcast, a business show with 1,000 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #1115

  Season 93, Episode 1115: Guest: Todd Bitter: Answer Your Damn Phone

  Aug 20, 202646 minS93

  Success rarely comes from doing extraordinary things. More often, it comes from doing the ordinary things extraordinarily well. In this episode, Jay Doran sits down with Todd Bitter , National Sales Director at NEXA Lending, to unpack the principles that have guided his remarkable career in the mortgage industry. From surviving the 2008 housing crisis to helping thousands of families achieve homeownership, Todd shares why communication, consistency, and relentless service continue to outperform shortcuts and trends. Todd reflects on rebuilding his business from nearly nothing after the housing collapse, the unconventional survey that transformed his career, and the philosophy behind his well-known mantra: "Answer Your Damn Phone." What began as a commitment to returning calls evolved into a broader lesson about showing up, creating trust, and being available when people need you most. In this episode, you'll discover: How the 2008 housing crisis forced Todd to reinvent his business from the ground up Why relationships—not transactions—create lasting success The creative strategy that helped him build partnerships with real estate agents Why communication is still the greatest competitive advantage in business How optimism and personal accountability create resilience during difficult seasons The deeper meaning behind "Answer Your Damn Phone" Why homeownership remains one of the strongest long-term wealth-building tools available How successful professionals stay focused on opportunity instead of market headlines The daily habits that separate top performers from everyone else Throughout the conversation, Todd shares deeply personal stories—from rolling quarters to buy groceries during one of the lowest points of his career to keeping those same quarters in his desk decades later as a reminder to stay humble, disciplined, and grateful. His journey is a powerful example of what can happen when determination meets consistency. The biggest lesson isn't about mortgages. It's about showing up. Showing up when it's inconvenient. Showing up when others don't. Showing up long before success arrives. Because opportunities don't always announce themselves. Sometimes they simply call. The question is... Will you answer?

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  Episode #1114

  Season 93, Episode 1114: Guest: Nate Swink: Building Culture Through Accountability

  Aug 19, 20261h 14mS93

  What happens when a business grows faster than its culture? In this returning episode, Jay Doran welcomes entrepreneur and founder Nate Swink back to the Culture Matters Podcast to discuss the realities of leading a rapidly growing company, raising a young family, and rediscovering the leadership principles that built the business in the first place. Rather than celebrating growth for growth's sake, Nate offers an honest look at the challenges that come with scaling too quickly—and the humility required to rebuild what matters most. From launching his welding company as a teenager to leading a team responsible for supporting dozens of families, Nate reflects on the weight of leadership, the danger of losing sight of culture, and why founders can never delegate the responsibility of shaping identity. Along the way, the conversation explores excellence, accountability, ancient military strategy, parenting, and the timeless lessons found in history. In this episode, you'll discover: Why rapid growth can quietly erode organizational culture The difference between pursuing excellence and simply chasing revenue How accountability begins with ownership, not excuses Why founders can never fully delegate the responsibility of culture The importance of recognition, communication, and maintaining standards How preparation influences every leadership decision Lessons from Alexander the Great, Theodore Roosevelt, and The Art of War Why inspection and accountability preserve excellence as organizations scale How great leaders rebuild trust by returning to the fundamentals Throughout the conversation, Nate openly shares the mistakes he's made while doubling the size of his company, acknowledging where he lost focus and what he's doing to restore the culture that originally fueled its success. His transparency serves as a reminder that strong leadership isn't about pretending to have all the answers—it's about recognizing when you've drifted and having the courage to return to what works. As the discussion unfolds, one idea becomes increasingly clear: Growth is exciting. But excellence is sustainable. Organizations don't lose their identity overnight. They lose it one overlooked conversation, one missed standard, and one neglected relationship at a time. The leaders who endure are the ones willing to slow down, reconnect with their people, and remember that culture isn't something you delegate. It's something you demonstrate every single day.

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  Episode #1113

  Season 93, Episode 1113: Guest: Aleck Arena: Patience, Philosophy, and the Practice of Value Investing

  Aug 18, 202646 minS93

  What if becoming a better investor has less to do with finding new ideas—and more to do with deepening your commitment to timeless ones? In this returning episode of the Value Investor Series , Jay Doran welcomes back Aleck Arena of Arena Securities for a thoughtful conversation on the evolution of value investing, long-term thinking, and the discipline required to remain intellectually honest in an increasingly fast-moving financial world. Together, they explore why successful investing isn't driven by constant action, but by patience, conviction, and the willingness to wait for the right opportunity. Aleck reflects on the lessons that haven't changed, why great investors often refine rather than reinvent their philosophies, and how community, mentorship, and mental models shape better decision-making over decades—not months. The discussion extends beyond markets into philosophy, faith, and the importance of remaining grounded when the world encourages constant movement. In this episode, you'll discover: Why value investing is built on refinement rather than constant innovation The meaning behind Warren Buffett's quote: "The stock market is there to serve you, not instruct you." How patience becomes a competitive advantage in investing Why portfolios reveal an investor's true philosophy more than public statements ever can The role of community and trusted mentors in maintaining intellectual discipline Why inactivity is often the right investment decision The relationship between philosophy, mental models, and long-term capital allocation How conviction differs from stubbornness when evaluating investments Why the greatest investors measure success over decades, not quarters Throughout the conversation, Aleck emphasizes that investing is not a game of constant prediction. It is the steady application of sound principles over long periods of time. Great investors don't chase every opportunity—they patiently wait for the few opportunities that truly deserve action. The episode concludes with a heartfelt tribute to fellow investor Guy Spier, as Aleck shares words of encouragement and support following a difficult diagnosis, reminding listeners that while investing is important, the relationships built along the journey matter even more. In the end, successful investing isn't about being the busiest person in the market. It's about remaining faithful to a philosophy that continues to prove itself over time. Because the greatest returns often belong to those with the greatest patience.

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  Episode #1112

  Season 93, Episode 1112: Guest: Daniel Heller: Coaching Human Performance

  Aug 17, 202655 minS93

  What separates instruction from true coaching? In this thought-provoking conversation, Jay Doran sits down with educator, researcher, and performance coach Daniel Heller to explore what it really means to help people grow. Drawing from nearly two decades of experience coaching everyone from race car drivers and mountain bikers to hockey players and university students, Daniel reveals that performance isn't simply about mastering technique—it's about understanding the person behind it. What begins as an interview quickly becomes a live coaching session as Daniel helps Jay unpack a recent experience learning golf. Together, they uncover how fear, patience, confidence, and self-awareness influence not only physical performance but leadership, relationships, and everyday life. The conversation becomes a powerful demonstration of coaching in action rather than merely a discussion about it. In this episode, you'll discover: -The difference between teaching a skill and coaching a person -Why technique provides the foundation, but behavior determines performance -How curiosity fuels lifelong learning and personal development -The relationship between attention, patience, and mastery -Why reflection transforms experience into meaningful learning -How community accelerates growth in ways individual effort cannot -The role of psychological safety in unlocking better performance -Why the best coaches simplify complexity instead of adding more information -How vulnerability creates breakthroughs both on and off the field Throughout the episode, Daniel shares practical stories from coaching motorsports, hockey, mountain biking, and strength training while connecting them to universal principles of leadership and human behavior. His thoughtful approach reminds us that coaching is less about providing answers and more about creating the conditions for people to discover them for themselves. By the end of the conversation, Jay reflects on a surprising realization: the golf lesson he thought was about improving his swing was actually revealing deeper patterns about fear, confidence, and how he approaches challenges in life. It's a reminder that the greatest coaches don't simply improve performance, they expand awareness, and when awareness grows, performance naturally follows.

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  Episode #1111

  Season 93, Episode 1111: When Values Become Words Instead of Actions: A Monologue Series

  Aug 16, 202632 minS93

  Every organization has values. The question is whether those values are being lived—or merely talked about. In this episode, Jay Doran examines one of the clearest signs that an organization has fallen under the influence of the Liar Lid : when language begins replacing behavior. Mission statements become slogans. Core values become talking points. Leadership spends more time explaining what the organization believes than demonstrating it through consistent action. The result is a gradual erosion of trust, accountability, and performance. Jay explores how distortion shows up across every major function of a business—from sales and marketing to operations and finance—and why culture is ultimately revealed under pressure, not during periods of comfort. He argues that accountability is not something leaders impose from above; it is something teams create horizontally when leaders consistently model personal responsibility. In this episode, you'll discover: Why organizations become demoralized when values are discussed but not demonstrated How the Liar Lid creates blind spots that disconnect leadership from reality Why accountability is a result of personal responsibility—not fear How high-performing employees often become the first casualties of unhealthy cultures What distortion looks like inside sales, marketing, operations, and finance Why customer truth is the ultimate measure of organizational health How leaders can distinguish between authentic messaging and aspirational storytelling Why simplifying communication is often a sign of organizational maturity The structural changes required to realign culture with performance Throughout the conversation, Jay reminds listeners that culture is not a collection of posters on a wall or carefully crafted messaging. Culture is revealed by how people behave when pressure increases. It is reflected in everyday decisions, the consistency of leadership, and the willingness to align actions with stated values. The healthiest organizations don't spend their time convincing people what they believe. They simply live it. Because when values become actions, trust grows. When values become words, trust disappears. And in the end, culture is never defined by what an organization says. It is defined by what its people consistently do.

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