Shows
Amazing Teams PodcastDelete Half Your Meetings — and Why Gratitude Beats Cash 75% of the TimeSend us a textIn this episode of the Amazing Teams podcast, we sat down with Marc Cenedella, CEO of The Ladders, to explore the evolving landscape of work culture. We discuss the shift to remote work, the key drivers of productivity, and the power of gratitude in the workplace. Marc shares insights on standing out in a competitive job market, the impact of AI on job applications, and the importance of crafting resumes that highlight measurable achievements. The conversation also touches on the role of meetings and how they can influence creativity and efficiency.2025-05-0632 min
Amazing Teams PodcastTacoBytes: Cringe No More - How to Make Your Appreciation Messages Actually Mean SomethingSend us a textIn this episode of Amazing Teams: TacoBytes, Una andDoug Dosberg tackle a spicy topic—cringe appreciation messages. You know the ones: "Thanks for all you do," "You're the best," or "Thanks for everything." We’ve all sent them. But are they actually meaningful?Una and Doug break down why these messages often fall flat—and how just a little more specificity can turn generic gratitude into something personal, memorable, and powerful. Learn a simple framework for writing better thank-you notes and hear real-time rewrites that hit all the right notes.2025-04-2912 min
Amazing Teams PodcastWhat Are You Doing on the Fifth Day? How COLAB Made the 4-Day Workweek WorkSend us a textIn this episode of the Amazing Teams podcast, we sit down with Morgan Witham, CEO of COLAB, about her journey from investment banking to leading a digital agency and how her team embraced a four-day work week. Morgan shares insights on workplace culture, employee retention, and the power of gratitude in building a thriving company.We dive into:Morgan transitioned from investment banking to CEO of COLAB to help scale the business.The four-day work week was implemented to combat burnout and attract talent.Retention is influenced by overall workplace...2025-04-2238 min
Amazing Teams PodcastTacoBytes: From Beer Emoji to Taco Nation - The Origin of HeyTacoSend us a textIn this episode of TacoBytes, Una Japundza sits down with Doug Dosberg, founder of HeyTaco, to dive into the origin story of everyone's favorite peer recognition tool. From his early days at The Motley Fool to his unexpected leap into building a culture-shaping product, Doug shares the behind-the-scenes moments that brought HeyTaco to life.You'll hear how a frustrating experience with clunky HR software sparked a big idea, how game design principles helped fuel user engagement, and why Doug chose customer funding over investor dollars. This is a conversation about building...2025-04-1517 min
Amazing Teams PodcastGIF Wars, Taco Tuesdays & Global Teams: Making Work Fun with Skyler Birk-StachonSend us a textSummary: In this episode of the Amazing Teams podcast, we sit down with Skyler Birk-Stachon, the go-to-market lead at Optemization, a Notion consultancy that helps startups and businesses organize their Notion pages. Skyler shares his insights on the importance of enjoying work, the cult following of Notion, and how he built a global team at Optimization. He emphasizes the role of fun in the workplace and discusses his unique approach to team building through community events like pickleball. Skyler also highlights the significance of gratitude a...2025-04-0833 min
Amazing Teams PodcastTacoBytes: Season 2 reflection Ask-Me-Anything style with Doug Dosberg and Una Japundza - E32Send us a textIn this special "Ask Me Anything" episode, Doug and Una reflect on the journey of the Amazing Teams podcast and the lessons they've learned about teams along the way. They celebrate the podcast’s milestones and engage in a candid discussion about the dynamics that make teams thrive. Together, they delve into the importance of alignment, enthusiasm, and shared goals as foundational elements of successful collaboration.Doug and Una share personal stories from their leadership experiences, unpacking challenges they've faced and the values that have guided them through pivotal moments. Drawing pa...2025-01-2817 min
Amazing Teams PodcastTrust, Clarity, and Recognition: Keys to Thriving Teams with Heather Haas - E31Send us a textWhat makes a team truly amazing?Heather Haas, CEO of ADVISA, shares her insights on leadership, culture transformation, and the unseen yet critical work that builds thriving organizations.Heather’s journey from classroom educator to running a 30-person company reveals her passion for helping people discover their strengths and develop self-awareness. In this engaging conversation, Heather dives deep into creating self-aware leaders, fostering trust, and using recognition to transform workplace culture.Key Takeaways:The Key Ingredients for Amazing Teams: Self-awareness, clarity about roles an...2025-01-2130 min
Amazing Teams PodcastTacoBytes: Recognition and Rewards are not the same thing with Doug Dosberg and Una Japundza - E30Send us a textIn this conversation, Una Japundza and Doug Dosberg explore the concept of rewards in the workplace, emphasizing the importance of intrinsic motivation over extrinsic incentives. They discuss the potential pitfalls of calculated rewards and the introduction of gift cards in Hey Taco, highlighting the need for thoughtful implementation. The conversation also touches on different types of rewards, including collaborative rewards, and personal experiences that illustrate the impact of recognition and appreciation in a team culture.Key TakeawaysCalculated rewards can diminish genuine appreciation.Rewards should enhance recognition, not...2025-01-1422 min
Amazing Teams PodcastOn hiring for attitude, measuring outcomes vs tactics and human-first customer support with Lav Crnobrnja - E29Send us a textIs your team culture prepared for the challenges of modern remote work?Lav Crnobrnja, co-founder and CEO of Vacation Tracker, shares his journey from building a leave management tool to scaling a fully remote, thriving startup. Learn how Lav’s team grew from a small experiment in Slack to a 19-person global operation, his hiring philosophy, and how he cultivates confidence and gratitude in his team.Key Takeaways:Delegation is about accountability, not micromanagement. Lav explains how shifting from overseeing tactics to focusing on out...2025-01-0731 min
Amazing Teams PodcastTacoBytes: The importance of rituals in building teams with Doug Dosberg and Una Japundza - E28Send us a textIn this conversation, Una & Doug discuss the significance of rituals and habits in fostering a culture of gratitude within teams. They share various creative practices that teams have implemented to enhance appreciation and connection among members, including the concept of the 'golden taco' and the annual 'TacoCon'. The discussion also highlights personal experiences with team rituals, emphasizing the importance of shared meals and fun traditions in building strong team dynamics.TakeawaysIt's about the habits and the systems you build around a tool.Creative rituals can...2024-12-1711 min
Amazing Teams PodcastThe Evolution of Remote Work with Sondre Rasch - E27Send us a textHow will countries function in a world without borders?Join Sondre Rasch, Co-Founder and CEO of SafetyWing, as he discusses building a global social safety net for the future of remote work. Sondre explores how evolving trends in remote work reshape industries, social structures, and even the way we view countries as products.Alongside co-hosts Doug and Una, Sondre shares insights into leadership, creating company culture, and why remote work is the inevitable future.Key Takeaways:● Countries as Products: Sondre predicts a fut...2024-12-1040 min
Amazing Teams PodcastTacoBytes: Inside CultureCon - fanness and the future of employee engagement with Doug Dosberg and Una Japundza - E26Send us a textKeywordsCultureCon, organizational culture, employee engagement, leadership, followership, networking, gratitude, team dynamics, company culture, motivational strategiesSummmaryIn this conversation, Una and Doug catch up on Una's experience at CultureCon, a conference focused on improving organizational culture. She highlights the importance of being a diehard fan in leadership, the ongoing challenge of employee engagement, and shares actionable insights for businesses to foster a culture of gratitude and connection among employees.TakeawaysCultureCon...2024-12-0307 min
Amazing Teams PodcastFeedback Loops and Trust Falls: A Designer's Approach to Building a Team with Francesco Vetica - E25Send us a textWhat does it take to build a culture of feedback that transforms teams and strengthens client relationships?Francesco Vetica, Head of Design and Employee Experience at Fifth Beat, joins the Amazing Teams podcast to share how his design and business background shape his approach to fostering growth, communication, and collaboration. From embedding feedback into daily operations to creating open, safe spaces for constructive dialogue, Francesco reveals the strategies that drive his team’s success. Learn how Francesco’s innovative feedback practices create value for employees, clients, and the organization alike...2024-11-2635 min
Amazing Teams PodcastTacoBytes: Why you shouldn't trust engagement surveys with Doug Dosberg and Una Japundza - E24Send us a textJoin Una and Doug as they discuss insights from a recent webinar with Eddie Geller of SKOR, where they dive into why traditional employee engagement and pulse surveys may fall short in assessing and fostering company culture. Eddie's unique culture assessment approach goes beyond symptom-based questions to tackle root causes, allowing companies to address issues proactively instead of reacting to lagging indicators. They explore ideas around measuring everyday experiences, fostering happiness, and ensuring employees feel valued—key elements to creating a thriving culture.2024-11-1907 min
Amazing Teams PodcastOn Leading Kids vs. Adults, Running Otus Without HR, and Building a Team of Developers and Teachers with Chris Hull - E23Send us a textHow can data and technology transform education while keeping the human connection alive?Chris Hull, Co-founder and President of Otus, joins the podcast to discuss his journey from a seventh-grade social studies teacher to leading an edtech company focused on making student data accessible and actionable for educators. Chris shares how Otus centralizes diverse student data—grades, attendance, behavioral insights—to support teachers, districts, and families, creating a complete picture of each learner. Chris also opens up about the challenges of building a remote team, fostering a strong culture with...2024-11-1234 min
Amazing Teams PodcastTacoBytes: myths and facts about workplace happiness with Doug Dosberg and Una Japundza - E22Send us a textIn this episode, Doug and Una dive into the myths and facts surrounding happiness at work. They challenge common beliefs, revealing that workplace happiness goes beyond perks like free snacks and ping pong tables. Instead, they emphasize purpose, recognition, and belonging as the true drivers of satisfaction and engagement. They discuss how productivity and happiness are connected but distinct, exploring research that shows happy employees are 20% more productive and 25% less likely to leave their jobs.Una and Doug also delve into the power of recognition, with insights on how appreciation fosters...2024-11-0506 min
Amazing Teams PodcastWhy Learning is the Key to Building Your Team (and How to Make it Not Suck) with Lisa Lie - E21Send us a textHow can companies inspire a culture of proactive learning?In this episode of the Amazing Teams podcast, Doug and Una welcome Lisa Lie, founder of Learna, to discuss the transformative role of proactive learning in building resilient and adaptable teams.Lisa, who has transitioned from a career in advertising and HR to founding her own company, shares her journey of blending her passions for product development, people operations, and continuous learning. She explores how reframing learning as problem-solving can help employees take initiative and contribute more meaningfully to team...2024-10-2931 min
Amazing Teams PodcastTacoBytes: Is unlimited PTO a trap? With Doug Dosberg and Una Japundza - E20Send us a textIn this conversation, Doug and Una discuss the concept of unlimited PTO (Paid Time Off) and its implications in the workplace. They explore whether unlimited PTO is a trap or a beneficial policy, with Doug expressing skepticism about its effectiveness. They emphasize the importance of having structured time off to encourage employees to take the necessary breaks without guilt. The discussion also highlights the role of trust and autonomy in high-performing teams, suggesting that a culture built on these principles can lead to better employee satisfaction and productivity.Takeaways2024-10-2207 min
Amazing Teams PodcastFrom Startup to 250 Employees: The Power of Culture at Limble with Bryan Christiansen - E19Send us a textWhy should companies prioritize culture in growth? In this episode of the Amazing Teams podcast, Doug and Una chat with Bryan Christiansen, founder and CEO of Limble, a B2B SaaS company focused on maintenance management. Bryan discusses the pivotal role culture has played in scaling Limble from a small startup to a 250-person company over nine years. He shares insights into Limble’s core values—embodied by the acronym Moth Tacos—which emphasize merit-based success, customer obsession, transparency, and a strong no-asshole policy, all of which contribute to building...2024-10-1533 min
Amazing Teams PodcastTacoBytes: Living your company values, actually with Doug Dosberg and Una Japundza - E18Send us a textIn this short Taco Byte, Doug and Una chat about whether software tools are the answer to reinforcing company values, the role of leadership in living the values and how HeyTaco was designed to encourage meaningful and intrinsic value recognition.2024-10-0807 min
Amazing Teams PodcastLet's Talk Comp (Without the Corporate Snooze-Fest): Fair Pay, Transparency, and What Really Matters with Lola Han - E17Send us a textWhy should companies rethink compensation strategies? In this episode of the Amazing Teams podcast, hosts Doug and Una sit down with Lola Han, founder and CEO of Kamsa, a company dedicated to helping businesses create data-driven compensation strategies. Lola, a seasoned expert with experience at companies like Zendesk, shares her insights into how organizations can structure fair, equitable compensation that cultivates employee growth and satisfaction. The conversation dives into the nuances of compensation philosophy, pay transparency, and how to keep employees motivated and appreciated in the long term. ...2024-09-3035 min
Amazing Teams PodcastTacoBytes: Season One’s Unmissable Moments with Doug Dosberg and Una Japundza - E16Send us a textIn this episode of the Amazing Teams podcast, Doug and Una reflect on the journey since the podcast's inception in September 2023. Having interviewed 15 diverse guests, including entrepreneurs, founders, coaches, and team leads, Doug and Una share their insights from season one, emphasizing that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to building an amazing team, as each team's path is unique. Empathy emerged as a recurring theme, highlighting the importance of trust and relationships. They discuss the challenges of implementing these values consistently, especially in remote settings, and how the podcast aims to keep such...2024-07-2324 min
Amazing Teams PodcastEnding with a Question, How to Measure Culture & 3 Things You Can Do Today to Affect It with Eddie Geller - E15Send us a textWhat are the 3 Cs of Culture, and how can you effectively employ them in your organization? Doug and Una dig into cohesion, clarity, and courage with Eddie Geller, founder and CEO of SKOR, a company focused on measuring and improving corporate culture. His entrepreneurial journey has taken him to founding 3 companies with 1 IPO and 2 exits. SKOR delivers clear insight into your company culture, compared internally and against industry peers, providing a playbook to making the most of your team. In this episode of the Amazing Teams Podcast, hosts D...2024-07-1033 min
Amazing Teams PodcastYes, And… to Better Teams! How Improv Games Boost Confidence and Connection | Jordan Hirsch & Sarah Filman - E14Send us a textHave you considered using improv techniques to improve communication within your organization? After this episode with Jordan Hirsch and Sarah Filman, you’ll want to! Sarah is the Founder of Playful Perspectives, and with experience as a product manager and certified coach, she brings unique insight to team building. Jordan is the Founder and CEO of FishTree who uses his experience in consulting, improv comedy, and public speaking to create “a world where fear doesn’t hold good people back.” In this episode of the Amazing Teams Podcast, Sarah and Jordan take Doug...2024-06-2534 min
Amazing Teams PodcastForget Compliance—Build a Culture of Buy-In & How to Engineer Real Engagement | Aaron Schmookler - E13Send us a textIs your organization keeping up with the company culture revolution? Aaron Schmookler is on a mission to engineer healthy company cultures through his company, YesWorks. As CEO of YesWorks, a consulting firm specializing in training and support for world class collaboration, Aaron, along with his team, work with a variety of organizations to improve their company culture. One of the ways this is done is through Teamification, building foundational structures in your business that support a healthy culture, providing experiential training for your team, and creating a culture of ongoing growth. Aaron’s mi...2024-06-1133 min
Amazing Teams PodcastHow Giving Back Brings Your Team Together: The Power of Shared Experiences | Jason Piasecki - E12Send us a textDid you know that a die-hard baseball fan and CEO of a marketing agency took his team on a 24-hour marketing marathon to give back to the community? But here's the unexpected twist: this CEO's team-building strategy involves not just typical team retreats, but real-time, high-stakes client work! Jason Piasecki, the partner and CEO of Revel, brings his unique marketing expertise to his passion for team dynamics. With a love for baseball and a commitment to his company's values of humility, hunger, curiosity, and helpfulness, Jason's approach to team building is both engaging...2024-05-2832 min
Amazing Teams PodcastFrom West Point to Industry, Using Empathy and Discipline to Lead, | Steve Hedrick - E11Send us a textThis week we sat down for a chat with Steve Hedrick, Chairman, President, and CEO of AVN Corporation, right in the heart of South Charleston, West Virginia. Now, Steve's not your average CEO. He's got this cool mix of petrochemical savvy and military know-how from his West Point days. And boy, does he have some stories to share! From the importance of being understanding as a leader to the magic that happens when teamwork kicks in, Steve spills the beans on how he's been steering the AVN ship through some tough times. He's...2024-05-1433 min
Amazing Teams PodcastThe Coach’s Playbook: Serve Up Success by Fostering Team Values | Malia Shoji - E10Send us a textMalia Shoji, the head volleyball coach at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, really dives deep into what it takes to build a successful team. She talks about how important it is to have strong connections among team members, a commitment to growth, and everyone being on the same page with their goals. Before taking on this role, Malia had a great run at Utah, where she helped lead the team to six NCAA Tournament appearances in a row. She played a big part in getting players recognized as First Team All-Americans and...2024-04-3036 min
Amazing Teams PodcastTranslating Sports Team Principles to the Business World | Lloyd Fobi - E9Send us a textHey friends! Recently, we had the pleasure of chatting with Lloyd Fobi, a senior technology leader and former soccer coach. Lloyd brings a wealth of insight on building empathy and trust within teams. We kick things off talking about Lloyd's leadership approach - caring for people while still holding them to high standards. He shares a story from his first week leading a new team, using engaging questions to break down assumptions and get to know them as human beings. The heart of our conversation explores how to practically build empathy on a...2024-04-1636 min
Amazing Teams Podcast‘The Swing’, What Gives a Team the Edge and How to Start a Movement | Liz Hofreuter - E8Send us a textLiz is the head of Wheeling Country Day School, an independent private school in Wheeling, West Virginia, established in 1929, almost 100 years ago. She’s also the founder of EDGE. which is a virtual and campus based tutoring center that specializes in helping students aged 4 to 24 with language-based learning differences. She also was the coxswain for the rowing team at Princeton University.Key Takeaways:Know how to motivate your team to perform beyond their capabilitiesAwareness of your full responsibility as a leaderGood communication at all levels to...2024-04-0231 min
Amazing Teams PodcastHow to Engage, Give Back and Have Fun with a Fully Distributed Team | Brad Williams - E7Send us a textBrad Williams is the CEO and Co-Founder of WebDevStudios, a WordPress website design and development agency. His company of over 40 people has done work for Microsoft, Campbell’s Soup Company, Starbucks, and so many more. Work like this can only be done with amazing teams, so listen in as Brad shares how they’ve accomplished this while maintaining a remote work model from the very beginning. In the modern world of distributed work places, this episode is a must-listen!Key Takeaways:Why it’s important to giv...2024-03-1933 min
Amazing Teams PodcastOrganizational Feedback Loops, Working with Me Guide, Open Door Quitting Policy, and Transitioning from Contributor to Leader | Chris Coffey - E6Send us a textChris Coffey is the Head of Engineering at CollegeVine, which is a networking platform for connecting high school students with colleges and advisors. After working as a software engineer, Chris transitioned into management where he has learned what it takes to build an amazing team. Today, we’ll hear how Chris uses the ‘working with me document’ to explain his values and mental models, encourages small wins to keep his team motivated, and cultivates an ownership mindset within his team.Key Takeaways:How to transition from a technical to a m...2024-02-2640 min
Amazing Teams PodcastStop Managing and Start Leading | Katie Regan - E5Send us a textKatie Regan is a seasoned communications professional with over 15 years of experience in business, PR, crisis management, brand, and change communication. As the founder and CEO of the Kirkpatrick Group, she leads a small but powerful team of remote communication experts, specializing in reputation and crisis management for Fortune 500 companies, higher education, and the industrial sector. With a core team of 14, all female professionals, Katie's team-centric approach is rooted in her early experiences, including playing on the women's soccer team at Robert Morris University, shaping her philosophy of achieving common goals through...2024-02-1348 min
Amazing Teams PodcastBuilding Player-Led Teams | Diana Futrovsky - E4Send us a textDiana Futrovshy is the Managing Director at CRA Admired Leadership. She advises clients on how to engage employees, generate organizational alignment, and build leadership credibility. She has expertise in designing strategic messages, developing communication strategies, and executing large-scale change initiatives. Diana also has experience in leading CRA’s proprietary cascade process, a series of carefully orchestrated team conversations that foster employee understanding of business priorities and generate alignment among all levels of the organization.In this episode, Diana shares her views on what constitutes an exceptional team, emphasizing that it goes be...2024-01-3141 min
Amazing Teams PodcastCultivating Connections, Care, and a Thriving Virtual Workspace | Michael Stevens and Mary Grecz - E3Send us a textWhen it comes to your team, you've probably been told to just look for competency and hope for the best, but that approach often leaves you feeling like something is missing. It's time to stop aimlessly searching and start building a team you can rely on. Get ready to discover a game-changing interview technique that will transform your hiring process and help you find the perfect fit every time. Michael Stevens and Mary Gretz are partners at the law firm Derrevere Stevens Black & Cozad. They share insights on finding the right p...2023-12-3039 min
Amazing Teams PodcastUnleashing the Power of Trust, Empathy, and Influence to Build Amazing Teams | Erin Corr Miller - E2Send us a textErin Corr Miller is a progressive Human Resources and People Development professional passionate about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). With her empathetic leadership style and keen understanding of the power of coaching, Erin has been a driving force in implementing and operationalizing successful DEI strategies within the organizations she has worked with. Additionally, she is a certified Agile Coach and is Certified in Crucial Conversations.Connect with Erinhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/erincorrmillerAbout the Amazing Teams PodcastWe started this podcast...2023-10-3048 min
Amazing Teams PodcastDriving Success by Building Meaningful Relationships | Influence Mobile, CEO Daniel Todd - E1Send us a textDo you want to create a work environment where your team is engaged, motivated, and happy? I have the solution to help you achieve that positive corporate culture.Daniel Todd's journey into understanding the importance of team dynamics and corporate culture began with a pivotal experience in his early entrepreneurial days. He candidly recounts the challenges of hiring salespeople with a focus solely on their skills, which resulted in a toxic work environment and almost led to the downfall of his company. This humbling experience became the catalyst for a fundamental...2023-09-1428 min