Episode #29
700 Employees Later, This Is What Really Builds a Great Company | Charles Wachsberg | The Power Of Influence
What does it really take to build a company that lasts for more than three decades—and grow it to hundreds of employees along the way? In this episode of The Power of Influence, John sits down with Charles Wachsberg, Founder and CEO of Apollo Health and Beauty Care, to unpack the leadership principles, culture, innovation, and long-term thinking behind a company that has been operating for more than 35 years and employs roughly 700 people. Charles shares how his upbringing, education, early career experiences, and desire to improve an established industry ultimately led him to build Apollo. But as he explains, lasting success was never about simply entering a good market. It required continuously challenging the status quo, investing in innovation, staying close to customers, adapting through difficult seasons, and surrounding himself with people who genuinely believed in the mission. A major theme of the conversation is people. Charles explains why Apollo does not view employees as transactional, why the company hires slowly, why culture matters just as much as technical ability, and how treating team members like stakeholders has helped create long-term loyalty throughout the organization. In this episode, you'll discover: How Charles built a company that has lasted more than 35 years What he has learned from leading a team of roughly 700 employees Why Apollo hires for culture in addition to technical ability Why great companies should treat employees like stakeholders—not expendable workers How innovation and product development became a competitive advantage Why being first to market can create an enormous business advantage How strong customer relationships can compound over decades Why simply copying competitors is rarely enough to build something exceptional ⚙️ How Charles stays involved in the details instead of leading only from “35,000 feet” What resilience looks like after experiencing the inevitable white-knuckle moments of entrepreneurship How Charles’s background in microbiology helps him understand the products while still operating primarily as a business leader Why millions of consumers may have used products manufactured by Apollo without ever knowing the company behind them Whether you're an entrepreneur, CEO, executive, team leader, or someone trying to build something that lasts, this conversation is packed with lessons on leadership, hiring, culture, innovation, customer relationships, adaptability, and the discipline required to stay relevant for decades. ️ **Watch the full episode or listen on your favorite podcast platform:** https://linktr.ee/Johnharemza If you're enjoying these conversations, subscribe so you never miss an episode of The Power of Influence, where John sits down with world-class leaders, entrepreneurs, athletes, and industry experts to uncover the principles behind lasting success. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
