From our desks to yours

A Legacy Beyond Blood – an Interview with Jay Wilkinson

May 9, 2023 | Leadership, Podcast, Recruiting

To build a great culture, it is a journey, not a destination.  Culture and great places to work can happen anywhere – you could be running a business that has nothing glamorous about it and still make it a great place to work if you focus on it. 

Our guest today works in the printing industry. It’s not glamorous, it’s got tight margins, and is very competitive, but he’s created an amazing place to work – people don’t leave – if they do they come back as “rebounders.” 

This company is profitable and give an enormous amount back to their community all while creating a legacy.  Can you imagine waking up everyday and being excited to go to work?  Even better, can you imagine knowing that you’ve created that place for people to feel that way?  

Jay Wilkinson is the founder of Firespring – a Nebraska-based company that serves thousands of purpose-driven companies and nonprofit organizations in all 50 states and on 6 continents. Jay has founded 17 companies and has invested nearly a hundred more as an Angel Investor.

Today, Jay spends the majority of his time working on the Do More Good Movement – an organization with the grand ambition to reclaim capitalism. You might have seen Jay’s TEDx talk on a company culture that has more than 1 million views… or on CNN or other cable networks… in Forbes, Inc., the Huffington Post or other publications… Or it’s quite possible that you’re meeting Jay for the first time today. In any case, you’re in for a real treat.

In this episode, Jay shares:

  • why innovation is moving faster than ever and leaders need to keep up
  • changes he’s made for his team to thrive in a hybrid format including the daily 11 minute meetings
  • how the company’s “culture club” ensures everyone feels heard, seen, and connected
  • why putting this foot down and demanding people come to work in the office isn’t part of the culture he’s building
  • and more!