Gallup estimates that disengaged employees cost U.S. companies nearly $1.9 trillion annually. Yet most CEOs measure financial performance with precision while leaving workforce performance largely to instinct. The result is one of the biggest hidden profit leaks in business.

On The Bliss Business Podcast, Mason Duchatschek, CEO of Workforce Alchemy, revealed how turnover, disengagement, and misalignment quietly drain millions from organizations each year. A bestselling author and workforce strategist, Mason shared insights that every CEO should know about reclaiming lost ROI hidden in their people systems.

The Hidden Cost of Turnover and Disengagement

According to Mason, replacing an hourly employee costs about 16 percent of their annual salary, while replacing a salaried professional costs around 21 percent. For executive roles, the cost skyrockets to over 150 percent of salary. When companies lose even a handful of people in these categories, the financial impact is staggering.

But the larger leak comes from disengagement. Gallup’s research shows that only 31 percent of employees are actively engaged. The rest are coasting or, worse, actively undermining results. Mason explained that a $10 million payroll operating at 60 percent engagement means $4 million of potential productivity is simply being left on the table.

“You can’t solve problems you don’t know exist,” he said. “These leaks don’t show up on your P&L, and your accountant can’t point them out. Yet they’re real, and they’re draining your profit every day.”

The Illusion of “Hiring and Hoping”

Many CEOs assume that training can fix a bad hire. Mason cautioned that this approach is expensive and rarely works. “You can’t out-train a hiring mistake,” he said. “Skill can be taught, but values and work ethic can’t.”

He outlined three critical dimensions that determine whether a new hire will thrive:

1. Skill: Can they do the job?
2. Attitude and values: Will they do the job, and why?
3. Behavior: How do they do the job?

Mason’s data shows that mismatched behaviors are one of the most common and costly sources of turnover. A technically skilled employee who clashes with their supervisor or role expectations can damage morale and productivity far beyond their own output. “It’s like being in the right shoe but the wrong size,” he explained. “Eventually, it hurts.”

Measuring Alignment Before It Breaks

Through Workforce Alchemy, Mason has developed a behavioral analytics platform that helps leaders assess alignment between jobs, supervisors, and teams. By mapping what success looks like in top-performing roles, companies can identify gaps in their existing workforce and make data-driven decisions about where to invest in development or realignment.

“Good to Great gave us the phrase ‘right people in the right seats,’ but it didn’t give us the tools,” he said. “That’s where the science comes in.”

He shared a case where a company discovered through behavioral analysis that its employees were operating at roughly half their discretionary effort. Once they realigned roles and addressed cultural friction, output nearly doubled without increasing payroll.

Fixing the Root Cause, Not the Symptoms

Mason compared most corporate problem-solving to rescuing people downstream without ever asking who is throwing them into the river upstream. “CEOs try to solve turnover, engagement, or productivity problems reactively,” he said. “But if they took the time to identify root causes, they could prevent them altogether.”

The key, he explained, is proactive matching and ongoing communication. When team members and leaders understand each other’s behavioral styles, annual reviews shift from judgment to dialogue. “It’s like having a psychologist in the cloud,” he said. “You can see where you click and where you clash, and address it before resentment sets in.”

Onboarding as Imprinting

Mason also highlighted the importance of “imprinting” during onboarding. From day one, new hires should understand why they were chosen, what success looks like, and how their natural strengths align with company goals. This early alignment builds a sense of belonging and purpose that drives long-term engagement.

“It creates a self-fulfilling prophecy,” he said. “When people believe they’re built to succeed, they start performing that way.”

Love as a Leadership Advantage

When asked about the role of love in business, Mason drew on the cult classic Office Space to illustrate the opposite of love at work: apathy. “It’s not that people are lazy,” he said, “they just don’t care.” In environments that lack trust, respect, and connection, employees do just enough not to get fired.

“The opposite of that is love,” he explained. “Love in business is trust, respect, and mutual care. When that exists, engagement thrives, performance rises, and resentment disappears.”

Key Takeaways

• Workforce disengagement costs far more than turnover.
• Skill can be taught, but values, work ethic, and behavior determine success.
• CEOs need data to uncover hidden profit leaks in their people systems.
• Matching people to the right roles and supervisors drives discretionary effort.
• Love, respect, and alignment are measurable drivers of workforce ROI.

Final Thoughts

The future of leadership lies not in reacting to problems, but in understanding people. As Mason Duchatschek reminds us, every organization has untapped potential hidden within its workforce. When CEOs measure engagement with the same rigor as revenue, they unlock exponential ROI. Profit doesn’t just come from productivity. It comes from alignment, trust, and love in action.

Check out our full conversation with Mason Duchatschek on The Bliss Business Podcast.

Originally Featured on The Bliss Business Podcast Blog

Visibility often gets mistaken for vanity. Yet as Brooke Clark, Founder and CEO of Seat One A Advisors, shared on The Bliss Business Podcast, visibility is not about self-promotion. It is about service. When leaders share what they have learned, they pass along insight, courage, and connection to others who are still finding their way.

Brooke has spent two decades helping leaders in life sciences and beyond treat visibility as a career asset. Her message is simple but transformative: visibility is not about being seen, it is about seeing clearly who you are and what you can give.

Reframing Visibility

Brooke began her career in public relations, where storytelling was about uncovering the meaning behind the message. Later, as a recruiter and talent strategist, she realized that the most talented professionals often struggled to tell their own stories. Many believed that sharing their accomplishments felt self-centered.

She learned that visibility becomes authentic when it is reframed as an act of teaching. Every leader has insights that could guide someone else’s journey. When they express those lessons openly, they create a legacy of shared wisdom. As Brooke put it, “Visibility is not self-promotion. It’s an opportunity to teach what you wish you had known earlier.”

Systems for Sustainable Presence

For many executives, visibility feels overwhelming. Between managing operations and leading teams, it can seem impossible to stay consistently present. Brooke’s answer is to build systems around visibility rather than leaving it to chance.

Her process starts with reflection: What matters to you? What do you want to say? Who is your audience? Once those answers are clear, leaders can establish a cadence that fits their life, a newsletter every other month, a LinkedIn post each week, or one speaking engagement per quarter. Sustainability matters more than volume. “You don’t need to be everywhere,” she said, “just consistent in the places that matter.”

Brooke also helps clients create what she calls a career brand architecture: the stories, proof points, and differentiators that define how they show up. These elements form the structure of a leader’s public presence, allowing them to communicate with authenticity and confidence.

The Ripple Effect of Visibility

When leaders become visible, they do more than elevate themselves — they spark courage in others. Brooke has seen the ripple effect countless times. One client, a scientist turned product leader, went from quietly doing her work to speaking at conferences and mentoring young professionals. Her visibility inspired others in her organization to find their own voices, creating a culture of shared confidence and curiosity.

Visibility multiplies impact. It helps leaders attract new opportunities, strengthens company culture, and builds trust across teams. It also shapes the next generation by showing that leadership is not about perfection, but about participation.

Courage, Connection, and Community

Visibility requires courage. For many, the hardest part is not speaking — it is showing up. Brooke encourages those who hesitate to “just attend the thing.” Whether it is a conference, a networking event, or a local meetup, courage grows through small acts of presence. Each interaction builds confidence and connection.

She also believes that love belongs in the process. When leaders approach visibility through humility and service, it shifts from ego to empathy. The goal is no longer to perform, but to contribute. “You have to believe in what you are saying,” Brooke shared. “It has to serve someone else.”

Key Takeaways

• Visibility is not self-promotion; it is service and teaching.
• Sustainable visibility comes from systems and clarity of purpose.
• Authentic storytelling builds trust and alignment.
• Courage and vulnerability create deeper connection.
• Love and humility turn presence into leadership.

Final Thoughts

Brooke Clark reminds us that leadership begins when we stop hiding our light. Visibility is not about being the loudest voice in the room, it is about being the most genuine one. When leaders share their stories, they give others permission to grow, connect, and believe in their own potential.

Check out our full conversation with Brooke Clark on The Bliss Business Podcast.

Originally Featured on The Bliss Business Podcast Blog

In business, numbers often take center stage, but data alone rarely inspires change. People don’t move because of metrics. They move because of meaning. On The Bliss Business Podcast, Gavin McMahon, engineer-turned-storyteller and author of Story Business, revealed how the most effective leaders connect not through information, but through emotion.

A former builder of submarines and steel plants, Gavin’s career began in logic and engineering. Over time, however, he discovered that systems and structures are only part of what drives success. The other part is story, the human narrative that helps people understand why their work matters.

From Engineering to Empathy

Early in his career, Gavin believed success was a matter of skill and hard work. But as he led complex projects in diverse environments, he realized that people, not plans, often determined whether a project succeeded or failed.

When he returned to manage a steel plant he had once built, he found that communication, not machinery, was the bottleneck. Clear, empathetic storytelling was what turned confusion into collaboration.

He came to understand a powerful truth: we all see ourselves as the hero of our own story. Leaders who fail to recognize this disconnect from their teams. Leaders who embrace it can inspire others to act.

Why Storytelling is the Language of Leadership

Gavin explained that storytelling is not about entertainment; it is about understanding. Every organization, department, and team tells itself stories, about who they are, what matters, and what success looks like. The challenge is aligning those stories so everyone is moving in the same direction.

He described storytelling as information wrapped in emotion. Data engages the mind, but emotion engages the will. When a message lacks emotional context, it rarely leads to action.

He also pointed out that corporate jargon is one of the biggest barriers to connection. “If you wouldn’t use it on the weekend, don’t use it at work,” Gavin advised. Authentic communication happens when people use real language to express real ideas. It’s not about being casual; it’s about being clear.

Building Systems That Sustain Story

Storytelling can’t be left to chance. Gavin believes systems must reinforce it. He compared this to the communication chain between engineering, marketing, and sales. When teams stop translating ideas for one another, meaning gets lost.

He offered a simple exercise: replace complexity with clarity. Ask, “How can we make this easier to understand?” every time you share an idea. Great organizations, he said, are those where everyone, from the engineer to the executive, can explain what the company does and why it matters.

When storytelling becomes a cultural practice, alignment follows. People don’t just know what to do; they know why they’re doing it.

The Cultural Cost of Losing the Story

To illustrate the importance of storytelling, Gavin shared two contrasting examples: Boeing and Fifth Third Bank.

Boeing, once synonymous with engineering excellence, began prioritizing financial outcomes over its founding culture of innovation. When leadership moved away, literally and figuratively, from the factory floor, the company’s story shifted from craftsmanship to shareholder return. The results were catastrophic.

In contrast, Fifth Third Bank preserved its story by embedding it in the culture. The organization maintains a corporate museum, celebrates its history, and appoints a corporate storyteller to ensure every new employee understands its purpose. In Gavin’s words, “Culture is the machine that creates all future things.”

When companies forget their story, they lose their compass. When they live their story, they build resilience.

The Human Element in the Age of AI

In a world rapidly shaped by artificial intelligence, Gavin believes storytelling is more essential than ever. AI can accelerate the path between idea and outcome, but it cannot create meaning. Humans provide the emotion, nuance, and empathy that transform communication into connection.

Brands that tell better stories don’t just sell more, they build worlds people want to belong to. Whether it’s through design, messaging, or culture, storytelling reminds us that business is ultimately human.

Key Takeaways

• Storytelling is information wrapped in emotion.
• Clarity and authenticity are the foundation of meaningful communication.
• Systems should make stories simple, not complicated.
• Purpose and story must stay aligned to sustain culture.
• AI can automate processes, but only humans can create connection.

Final Thoughts

Storytelling is not a skill for the few. It is a responsibility for everyone. In every organization, from startups to Fortune 500s, story is what aligns people behind a common vision. As Gavin McMahon reminds us, the universe is not made of atoms, it’s made of stories.

When leaders learn to tell them well, they don’t just communicate. They connect.

Check out our full conversation with Gavin McMahon on The Bliss Business Podcast.

Originally Featured on The Bliss Business Podcast Blog

A recent McKinsey report estimates that generative AI could add up to 4.4 trillion dollars annually to the global economy. But for leaders, the real question isn’t about how much AI can produce. It’s about how it will reshape people, purpose, and the very design of work.

On The Bliss Business Podcast, Joseph Fuller, Professor of Management Practice at the Harvard Business School, joined hosts Stephen Sakach, Mike Liwski, and Tullio Siragusa to explore how AI is redefining the workplace. As the co-lead of the Managing the Future of Work Project and founder of Monitor Group (now Monitor Deloitte), Professor Fuller has spent decades studying how demographic shifts, technology, and cultural change intersect to shape the future of organizations.

The AI Acceleration Gap

Half of all Americans already use AI, but mostly outside of work. Professor Fuller calls this the “science project effect” people experimenting at home while their companies lag behind. Many organizations are adopting AI more slowly than expected, even though the technology itself is improving faster than anticipated.

This gap highlights a core challenge: simply bolting AI onto existing systems doesn’t work. “You have to rethink the way you’re doing things and reorganize the process to maximize the AI,” Fuller explained. “You can’t just add it on top.” The implication is clear. Success with AI is not just about software, it’s about systems design, culture, and the courage to reimagine how work gets done.

The Next Productivity Revolution

AI, Fuller argues, is the most transformative technology for organizations since electricity. It promises to make work more productive, but it also requires a new kind of workforce readiness. With the U.S. facing zero population growth and low workforce participation, productivity growth will be essential to sustain economic progress.

That means AI’s role is not just to replace tasks but to amplify human capability. By automating statistical analysis, data management, and repetitive tasks, AI can free people to do what humans do best: think critically, collaborate creatively, and lead empathetically.

Fuller believes this could make work more inclusive. “If AI handles the technical side, it widens the pool of qualified candidates,” he said. “It helps people without traditional credentials demonstrate value in new ways.”

The Organizational Challenge: From Control to Collaboration

While AI has the potential to democratize knowledge, many organizations risk using it to reinforce old hierarchies. Tullio Siragusa raised a key concern: could AI unintentionally deepen command-and-control structures instead of enabling autonomy and empowerment?

Fuller’s answer was clear: “There’s no reason it shouldn’t be a major boon to both.” He pointed out that fear and misunderstanding often drive corporate hesitation. Leaders worry about data privacy, intellectual property, and risk, but this caution slows learning and innovation.

AI, when used well, can flatten hierarchies by giving every employee access to insight and creativity once reserved for specialists. It can also make decision-making more dynamic, improve communication, and even coach employees in real time with near-human accuracy.

The question isn’t whether AI will change organizations. It’s whether leaders will allow it to change them for the better.

The Data Problem No One Talks About

When it comes to failed AI initiatives, Professor Fuller doesn’t mince words. “Eighty percent of AI experiments fail — and that’s actually a good number,” he said. “We’ve never done this before.” The main culprit isn’t the technology itself but the data feeding it.

Fuller describes corporate data systems as “polluted lakes” filled with inconsistent, poorly tagged information drawn from incompatible systems. “Some pipes come from beautiful freshwater springs,” he explained. “Others come straight from sewage plants.” Until data quality improves, AI outcomes will remain unreliable.

Another issue: lack of training. Many employees running AI experiments haven’t been properly educated in how to use it. Combine that with limited vendor support and you get a pattern of disappointment. But Fuller sees this as a temporary phase, much like the early days of the internet. “Every major technology shift starts with messy experiments,” he said. “What matters is that we keep learning.”

Reimagining Workforce Access

One of Fuller’s most compelling insights is how AI could finally break down degree inflation. For decades, companies have relied on proxies, like college credentials or years of experience, to filter talent. But these filters often exclude capable candidates with nontraditional backgrounds.

AI-driven assessment tools can change that by evaluating real skills and performance data rather than assumptions. “Recruiting has always been a relative process,” Fuller noted. “It’s not about whether someone is qualified, but who seems like the best choice. AI can help make those choices more objective, if we train it right.”

He warns, however, that bias is still possible. “AI will reflect the data it’s trained on,” he said. “So if the data is biased, the results will be too.” The solution isn’t to avoid AI but to use it consciously, aligning its outcomes with organizational purpose and human values.

Purpose as the Anchor in an AI World

As the conversation turned to purpose, Fuller reframed the discussion: “You have to be very cognizant of your purpose as you deploy AI.” Organizations must ensure that technology decisions align with their core values, not just profit motives. He used an example from the insurance industry, where AI might recommend low settlement offers for claimants, as a warning. “AI doesn’t get paid for nuance,” he said. “It follows the data, not the ethics.”

Empowering employees to act on purpose-driven principles becomes essential. When people understand that the company stands for something more than efficiency, they are more motivated, more innovative, and more loyal. “Purpose keeps culture human,” Fuller explained. “And that’s what makes AI sustainable.”

The Human Edge: Skills That Can’t Be Automated

For younger professionals entering the workforce, Fuller’s advice was simple: focus on what AI cannot do. Social and emotional intelligence — skills like empathy, communication, and judgment, will only grow in value.

He coined a new term for the future of human work: context engineering. Unlike prompt engineering, which focuses on inputs, context engineering is about understanding the broader environment in which work happens — customers, culture, systems, and ethics. “Context engineers will be the ones who train AI well,” he said. “They’ll know what good looks like and why it matters.”

The Role of Love in Leadership

When asked what role love plays in business, Fuller reflected on his experience as a leader, teammate, and mentor. Love, he said, is about caring deeply for outcomes, for people, and for the shared mission. It’s the difference between treating colleagues as partners versus counterparts. “That capacity to empathize and see the best in others,” he said, “is integral to high-performing teams.”

In his view, love is not sentimental, it’s strategic. It builds trust, fosters collaboration, and sustains performance long after the novelty of technology fades.

Key Takeaways

• AI is the most transformative technology since electricity, but its success depends on human systems and data integrity.
• Emotional intelligence and social skills will define the next era of leadership.
• Purpose alignment ensures AI enhances rather than erodes culture.
• Context engineering is the future of human work in an AI-driven world.
• Love and empathy remain the most powerful technologies of all.

Final Thoughts

Professor Joseph Fuller reminds us that the future of work is not about replacing people with machines, but about redesigning work so people can thrive alongside them. Generative AI may change everything we do, but it cannot replace who we are. The organizations that will lead the next era are those that treat technology as a partner in human progress, not a substitute for it.

Check out our full conversation with Professor Joseph Fuller on The Bliss Business Podcast.

Originally Featured on The Bliss Business Podcast Blog

Harvard Business Review found that leaders with high emotional intelligence outperform their peers in decision-making, collaboration, and resilience. Yet in today’s boardrooms, emotional intelligence often remains undervalued, viewed as a “soft skill” instead of a strategic advantage.

On The Bliss Business Podcast, Dr. Ron Stotts, a three-time bestselling author, psychologist, and leadership mentor, shared how true emotional intelligence begins with self-awareness. Through five decades of integrating psychology, neuroscience, and ancient wisdom, he has helped thousands of leaders awaken to a deeper kind of success, one rooted in love, purpose, and consciousness.

A Journey from Fear to Awareness

Dr. Stotts’ journey began with a moment of reckoning. While serving in the Marine Corps, he was confronted with the reality that training for combat meant learning to harm others. That experience became a catalyst for his life’s work, understanding the mind, healing the heart, and helping others discover who they truly are.

He soon realized that leadership transformation begins not in strategy, but in stillness. When people pause long enough to listen to what is happening inside, they uncover the patterns that drive their reactions and shape their relationships. Fear, ego, and old conditioning often block leaders from connection, empathy, and creativity.

As Dr. Stotts explained, most executives operate from the neck up, analyzing problems and chasing results. But true leadership happens when the heart and mind work together. Awareness becomes the bridge that connects performance with presence.

From Achievement to Fulfillment

Dr. Stotts described how many high achievers build success through grit, ambition, and willpower, qualities that serve them early in life but often create burnout and disconnection later. The same drive that fuels performance can become the barrier to fulfillment if it is not balanced by emotional intelligence.

He calls this the “shift from doing to being.” When leaders stop identifying solely with their achievements and begin to understand who they are beyond their titles, they naturally lead with more compassion and clarity. This doesn’t make them less effective; it makes them more authentic. Their energy shifts from control to collaboration.

Through his coaching work, Dr. Stotts guides leaders to look inward and recognize the fears that keep them from openness — fear of failure, fear of not being enough, fear of vulnerability. Once these are acknowledged, they lose their power. What replaces them is presence, and from presence comes true leadership.

Emotional Intelligence as a Competitive Advantage

In today’s organizations, emotional intelligence is not a luxury, it is a requirement. Dr. Stotts shared examples of companies that transformed their cultures simply by helping leaders understand themselves. When employees feel seen and valued, they give their best. When leaders model humility and self-awareness, they inspire trust and loyalty.

Emotional intelligence drives better communication, sharper decision-making, and more cohesive teams. It also impacts the bottom line. Studies from Deloitte and Korn Ferry show that emotionally intelligent leaders produce teams with up to 50 percent higher productivity and 37 percent higher retention.

Dr. Stotts noted that emotional awareness is contagious. Leaders who cultivate mindfulness and empathy create ripple effects throughout their organizations. Meetings become more collaborative. Feedback becomes a dialogue rather than a defense. Even conflict turns into an opportunity for understanding.

The Courage to Evolve

One of the most powerful insights Dr. Stotts offered is that emotional intelligence is not about perfection, it is about evolution. Every time a leader chooses to pause, to breathe, or to listen instead of react, they are reshaping how they lead.

He spoke about “the sacred pause,” a practice of noticing before responding. In that moment of pause, emotion transforms into insight. Leaders who master this practice find that they can guide their teams with calm, even amid chaos. They become the steady presence others rely on.

Dr. Stotts also emphasized that this evolution requires courage, the courage to face oneself honestly and the humility to grow. Leaders who embrace this journey unlock a deeper kind of freedom. They stop striving to prove their worth and start serving from it.

Leading with Love

In a world that prizes speed and scale, love may sound out of place in business. Yet Dr. Stotts believes love is the most transformative force in leadership. Love, in this context, is not sentimentality, it is the ability to see and support the potential in others.

When leaders genuinely care, they create psychological safety. Teams innovate more freely, take risks more confidently, and recover from setbacks more quickly. Love brings humanity back into systems that have become mechanical. It is the foundation of empathy, trust, and purpose.

Dr. Stotts shared stories of executives who shifted entire cultures by practicing love in action, listening without judgment, celebrating growth, and leading from presence rather than pressure. These changes did not just improve morale; they redefined success itself.

Key Takeaways

• Emotional intelligence begins with self-awareness and the willingness to confront fear.
• Awareness connects the head and heart, turning ambition into authenticity.
• Conscious leaders create environments where trust, empathy, and collaboration thrive.
• Emotional intelligence is measurable and directly tied to business performance.
• Love is not a weakness in leadership, it is the foundation of courage and connection.

Final Thoughts

Dr. Ron Stotts reminds us that the future of leadership will not be defined by control, but by consciousness. Emotional intelligence is the bridge between success and significance. It transforms leaders from achievers into inspirers, and organizations from structures of compliance into communities of purpose. The path to conscious leadership begins with awareness, and that awareness begins with you.

Check out our full conversation with Dr. Ron Stotts on The Bliss Business Podcast.

Originally Featured on The Bliss Business Podcast Blog

Modern healthcare often measures success in numbers, efficiency, patients seen, prescriptions written. But behind every chart is a person seeking understanding, not just treatment. On The Bliss Business Podcast, Craig Larsen, Co-Founder and CEO of Excel Medical and Dr. Peter Fotinos, its Chief Medical Officer, shared how they are reimagining medicine through connection, education, and empathy. Their story challenges an outdated “sick care” system and offers a model for proactive, purpose-driven health leadership.

 

From Sick Care to Self-Care

For Dr. Fotinos, the realization that traditional healthcare had lost its human touch came early. “I felt like I was putting bandages on problems, not fixing anything long-term,” he explained. Instead of preventing illness, medicine had become reactive, focused on symptoms, not systems. At Excel Medical, his mission became clear: empower patients to take charge of their health through prevention, hormone balance, and education.

Craig Larsen echoed that transformation from a business perspective. Once a patient himself, he experienced firsthand how personalized hormone therapy changed his life. What began as a search for better health turned into a calling to scale access to this kind of care. “I saw an opportunity to get other men and women like me the help they needed — and to do it in a way that puts people, not profit, at the center.”

 

Scaling Connection in a Digital World

In an era dominated by telehealth, one of Excel’s greatest challenges was how to maintain trust and intimacy with over 100,000 members while operating virtually. The solution wasn’t just technology, it was thoughtful design. Patients meet with providers every 60 days and can communicate asynchronously through a digital system that monitors symptoms and progress. Providers review data regularly and proactively reach out when something seems off.

To make the process even more personal, Excel created at-home blood testing kits, allowing patients to manage their care conveniently while maintaining clinical oversight. “We digitized the system,” Craig said, “but we never removed the relationship.”

 

Redefining Medical Education and Leadership

While most companies invest in technical training, Excel is working to take it a step further. Dr. Fotinos is expected to soon announce the creation of the Society of Proactive Medicine, an organization that develops evidence-based guidelines for hormone replacement and preventative health, areas long neglected by traditional medicine.

Comprehensive Training with In-House Providers a Differentiator

Every provider undergoes four weeks of onboarding, followed by weekly training sessions, case reviews, and biannual summits. “We don’t just teach medicine,” he said. “We teach compassion. Our goal is to help providers unlearn the authoritarian model of care and become partners in healing.”

 

Building Purpose into Practice

Purpose is the thread that runs through Excel’s work. For Dr. Fotinos, it’s about dismantling stigma around hormone replacement therapy and showing that aging doesn’t have to mean decline. “People think getting older means losing energy or joy,” he said. “That’s not true. We can live with vitality at every age.”

For Craig, purpose comes through leadership that treats employees with the same compassion extended to patients. When he learned an employee was living in her car, he didn’t defer to HR policy, he invited her into his home. “We’re not selling washing machines,” he said. “We’re dealing with people’s health, something deeply personal. Love has to be part of how we lead.”

 

Love as a Leadership Principle

Both leaders agreed that empathy is not just a moral choice, it’s a business advantage. By increasing pay for medical liaisons and investing in their well-being, Excel strengthened engagement and retention. “When people feel cared for,” Craig said, “they care more about others.”

Dr. Fotinos shared how Craig’s mentorship transformed his own leadership style. “I wasn’t always patient with staff. Craig taught me that compassion shouldn’t be something you turn on for patients and off for your team. It should always be on.”

 

Key Takeaways

• True healthcare begins with prevention, not reaction.
• Connection can scale when technology serves empathy, not efficiency.
• Education is empowerment, for both patients and providers.
• Purpose-driven organizations treat people as whole, not transactional.
• Love in leadership builds loyalty, trust, and long-term impact.

 

Final Thoughts

In a system too often ruled by metrics and medication, Excel Medical is proving that compassion and community are the most powerful forms of medicine. Their work reminds us that leadership in healthcare, like in any business, starts with a simple truth: love heals.

Check out our full conversation with Craig Larsen and Dr. Peter Fotinos on The Bliss Business Podcast.

Originally Featured on The Bliss Business Podcast Blog