Too often, companies treat social impact like a PR campaign, something to announce rather than embody. But when doing good is baked into your DNA, customers can feel the difference.

On The Bliss Business Podcast, Colin McIntosh, Founder and CEO of Sheets & Giggles, joined Stephen Sakach and Mike Liwski to unpack how conscious capitalism isn’t just a philosophy. It’s a daily decision to be helpful, human, and unapologetically values-driven.

Colin built a fast-growing company in a highly competitive category not by chasing market share, but by doing what felt right, from making eco-friendly sheets out of eucalyptus to turning down unethical partnerships. And it turns out, that approach isn’t just good ethics. It’s good business.

Helpful Is a Strategy

At Sheets & Giggles, being helpful is more than a customer service policy. It’s the heartbeat of the brand. Colin shared how building a business around help, not hype, creates loyalty that advertising can’t buy.

Whether it’s shipping supplies to wildfire victims or donating sheets to shelters, the company’s actions reinforce its purpose. This isn’t about virtue signaling. It’s about making decisions that align with both customer values and company vision.

Saying No Can Be More Powerful Than Saying Yes

One of the most compelling insights in this conversation is the courage it takes to turn down opportunities that conflict with your ethics. Colin discussed saying no to mass retailers who didn’t meet their standards, even when the deals were tempting.

That kind of clarity requires more than a mission statement. It demands a deep understanding of your values and the willingness to stand by them. In a world where short-term wins often dominate decision-making, this long view sets a powerful example.

Humor and Humanity Can Coexist

Colin also reminded us that being a conscious company doesn’t mean being overly serious. Sheets & Giggles is known for its clever brand voice, full of puns and personality. But underneath the laughs is a brand that takes its impact seriously.

Humor, when done well, can disarm cynicism and invite people into your mission. It creates a sense of intimacy and shared understanding that formal language can’t. And for Colin, it’s simply more fun to build a company people smile about.

Key Takeaways

• Doing good doesn’t have to come at the cost of growth. It can drive it.
• Saying no to misaligned opportunities is a sign of brand maturity.
• Humor and mission can go hand-in-hand when done with care.
• Being helpful is not a marketing trick. It’s a business philosophy.

Final Thoughts

Colin McIntosh didn’t wait for a market trend to tell him doing good was in. He built it into the DNA of his company from day one. His story is a reminder that conscious capitalism isn’t about perfection. It’s about persistence, principles, and showing up with integrity — one decision at a time.

Check out our full conversation with Colin McIntosh on The Bliss Business Podcast.

Originally Featured on The Bliss Business Podcast Blog

For many leaders, empathy is a value that shows up during team celebrations or crises. But what happens when the loss isn’t visible? When the silence of grief sets in and business keeps moving?

We caught up on the Bliss Business Podcast with Justin Clifford, who is the CEO of Bereave, a platform helping companies support grieving employees with compassion and clarity. He joined us to share how his team is tackling the often-ignored topic of bereavement in the workplace and why businesses can no longer afford to treat grief as a personal issue with no professional impact.

From Random Acts of Kindness to Systems of Support

One in nine employees experiences the death of a loved one every year. And yet, 51 percent of them leave their jobs within a year of that loss, according to Harvard Business Review.

Justin explained that most companies still rely on what he calls “random acts of bereavement”, a few kind words, flowers, maybe an EAP brochure, then expect employees to return to full capacity after three to five days. It’s no surprise that retention drops and morale follows.

His platform, Bereave, is changing that with a clear playbook for HR leaders, managers, and employees’ families. The goal is to build a repeatable system of compassion that can scale.

Building Love Into the System

At Zero Company, we talk often about the power of building love into scalable systems. Justin is doing exactly that. Rather than waiting for managers to awkwardly navigate these moments alone, Bereave offers:

• Self-guided manager training
• A framework for communication and return-to-work planning
• Family support tools to create a shared language across the grieving process

Justin noted that even something as simple as having a colleague walk a grieving employee into the building on their first day back can make all the difference. It doesn’t cost a thing, but it speaks volumes.

Why Grief Is a Business Issue

There’s a financial case to be made here, too. Grief-related productivity losses cost U.S. companies over $75 billion a year, according to the Grief Recovery Institute. Retaining talent, preventing burnout, and creating a culture of care all impact the bottom line.

Justin encourages leaders to stop seeing bereavement as a soft benefit. Instead, he frames it as an essential part of purpose-driven leadership. The way a company shows up in hard times says more about its values than any mission statement ever could.

Key Takeaways

• 1 in 9 employees experiences a major loss each year, and over half leave their jobs within 12 months
• Most bereavement policies are still modeled on taking time off for a funeral, not holistic support
• Bereave helps managers and HR teams prepare for and respond to grief with thoughtful systems
• Simple gestures — like making a conference room temporarily off-limits after bad news — can be deeply meaningful
• Purposeful bereavement support boosts retention and employee trust

Final Thoughts

This conversation was a powerful reminder that business is personal. Loss is inevitable, but loneliness doesn’t have to be. As Justin shared, even leaders who once saw empathy as a weakness can evolve when they understand the full cost of silence.

Check out our full conversation with Justin Clifford on The Bliss Business Podcast.

Originally Featured on The Bliss Business Podcast Blog

The future of work isn’t about ping pong tables or open floor plans. It’s about meaning, flexibility, and the systems that allow people to thrive.

In today’s evolving landscape, traditional 9-to-5 models and top-down leadership structures are quickly losing their appeal. What’s emerging instead is a new blueprint, one that gives employees agency over their time, space, and priorities. And for those willing to embrace it, the return is not just greater retention, but a workforce that feels trusted, engaged, and deeply invested in the company’s success.

On The Bliss Business Podcast, Carnie Fryfogle, CEO of CR3 American Exteriors, joined Stephen Sakach and Mike Liwski to share how a people-first mindset and operational innovation can help franchise systems thrive, especially in industries where 70 percent fail within their first five years.

As a talent and leadership expert who has worked across multiple industries, Carnie helps organizations break away from outdated paradigms and reimagine what sustainable work actually looks like. His approach is deeply human. It centers on listening first and designing systems that support rather than squeeze employees.

One of his biggest insights? The future of work is already here, it just isn’t evenly distributed yet.

What Employees Want Is Not a Mystery

Research continues to show that people are willing to work hard, but not at the cost of their health, families, or identities. They want to contribute meaningfully and be part of something they believe in. But they also want to be treated like adults, with clear expectations, supportive leadership, and flexibility in how they meet those expectations.

Carnie shared how some companies are embracing output-based models that replace “seat time” with clear deliverables. Others are experimenting with hybrid structures that let teams co-design how and where they work best. These models require trust, but they also build it. And when employees are part of the process, performance tends to follow.

Stop Treating Burnout Like a Badge

One of the most powerful themes in this conversation is the danger of normalizing overwork. For too long, burnout has been seen as a side effect of ambition, rather than a signal of broken systems. Carnie challenges that thinking and invites leaders to ask harder questions:

• Are our expectations realistic and human-centered?
• Do our rewards reinforce balance or encourage sacrifice?
• Are we celebrating sustainable performance, or just the loudest effort?

He also reminds us that leaders set the tone. If executives are emailing at midnight, taking no vacation, and rewarding urgency over thoughtfulness, the team will follow suit. Redesigning work requires new norms, ones that value well-being as a driver of success, not a nice-to-have.

From Control to Collaboration

At the heart of Carnie’s work is a shift in power dynamics. Moving from control to collaboration doesn’t mean chaos. It means co-creating expectations, aligning on purpose, and building in the autonomy people need to perform at their best.

Organizations that lead this shift are already seeing stronger engagement, faster decision-making, and more adaptive cultures. They’re also attracting top talent, especially from younger generations who expect meaning, impact, and choice in their careers.

Key Takeaways

• Employees thrive when they’re trusted, not micromanaged.
• Burnout is not a leadership strategy. Sustainable performance starts with healthy systems.
• Flexibility isn’t just a perk. It’s a powerful driver of loyalty, innovation, and productivity.
• Redesigning work means shifting from rigid control to shared ownership.

Final Thoughts

The most successful companies of the future won’t be the ones that get people back to the office. They’ll be the ones that design work around the realities of people’s lives.

Carnie Fryfogle is one of the voices leading that charge. He’s not offering silver bullets, but a mindset shift, one rooted in empathy, clarity, and courageous experimentation.

Check out our full conversation with Carnie Fryfogle on The Bliss Business Podcast.

Originally Featured on The Bliss Business Podcast Blog

Connection is more than a buzzword. It’s the foundation for creativity, loyalty, and long-term growth. Yet too often, business leaders focus on operational metrics while overlooking the emotional infrastructure that holds a team together. Community is not just about camaraderie. It’s about creating a shared identity that fuels purpose and performance.

On The Bliss Business Podcast, Aaron Morfin, CMO of Cilantro Taco Grill, joins the conversation to unpack how leaders can cultivate connection across both business and brand.

What emerges is a blueprint for leadership that centers belonging as a business advantage.

Community Is a Strategy, Not a Perk

Aaron’s approach to brand-building is grounded in community. As the CMO of a family-owned franchise rooted in culture and local pride, he understands that authentic connection doesn’t come from campaigns. It comes from consistency, visibility, and care.

Whether it’s celebrating staff milestones or showing up for neighborhood events, Aaron emphasizes that real brand affinity is earned by being present. That presence builds trust, which in turn builds loyalty. Marketing becomes less about promotion and more about participation.

Relationships Before Results

One of the most resonant parts of Aaron’s conversation was his insistence that people come first. In a world that often treats workers as resources and customers as transactions, Aaron chooses to lead with empathy. He shared how this philosophy influences hiring, partnerships, and even the tone of internal communication.

When people feel seen and valued, they don’t just perform better. They contribute ideas, take ownership, and stay longer. By prioritizing relationship over short-term return, Aaron has helped Cilantro Taco Grill become more than a restaurant. It’s a place where people feel they belong.

Brand Is Built From the Inside Out

Aaron believes that external marketing is only as strong as internal alignment. When employees are proud of where they work and understand the mission, they become brand ambassadors without being asked. That’s why leadership needs to model the values they promote publicly.

From consistent messaging to shared rituals, Aaron shows how culture and brand are two sides of the same coin. Leaders must ensure both are nurtured with intention.

Key Takeaways

• Brand affinity is built through community presence, not just marketing spend
• Empathetic leadership creates loyalty among both customers and employees
• Culture and brand alignment drives organic growth
• Relationships drive sustainable success more than short-term tactics
• Belonging is a business advantage that cannot be outsourced

Final Thoughts

Aaron Morfin’s leadership offers a powerful reminder that connection isn’t soft, it’s strategic. When companies take the time to build genuine community, they create spaces where people thrive, stay, and contribute their best. Business becomes not just a vehicle for growth, but a source of shared pride and belonging.

Check out our full conversation with Aaron Morfin on The Bliss Business Podcast.

Originally Featured on The Bliss Business Podcast Blog