It's not a breakup, just a break...the CULTURE goodr Podcast will be on a brief hiatus until early 2024. Until then, sit back, relax, get comfy, listen to those episodes you may have missed, and we'll see you next year!

Problems are opportunities at goodr, and big problems need an all-hands-on-deck event to solve them. In episode #84 of CULTURE goodr, Stephen and Shaun get into F***ed to Fixed, a trimesterly event at goodr dedicated to identifying and solving company-wide issues.

How do you make someone great at something? In episode #83 of CULTURE goodr, Stephen and Shaun discuss the evolution of learning + development at goodr. Autonomy, mastery, and purpose have always been in our DNA, but now we've got SYSTEMS, baby!

How does your Enneagram type affect how you interact with others and the world around us? In episode #82 of the CULTURE goodr Podcast, Shaun Tinney gets into the nine Ennegram types with internationally-renowned Ennegram expert, speaker, and author Ginger Lapid-Bodga, Ph. D.

Shift happens, and it happens a lot at goodr...including a BIG shift we made this year when we moved from a quarterly to a trimesterly system for internal events, reviews, and celebrations. In episode #81 of the CULTURE goodr Podcast, Stephen and Shaun get into why we made the shift and what we've noticed since the change.

Did you know Stephen's writing a book about goodr's culture?! In episode #80 of CULTURE goodr, our Chief Executive Octopus shares all the details. (Fingers crossed his next book is about flamingo mating habits!!!) Highlights: 01:25: Why Stephen's writing a book about goodr's culture 06:25: What does it mean to challenge the status quo? 12:21: Stephen shares his writing process, from inception to the first draft to rewrites 19:01: What's next? A CULTURE goodr conference, with marketing workshops 26:36: What you can learn from reading Stephen's book, Status the Quo Challenge

Kim Scott wrote the bestselling book Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity, which has revolutionized modern management. In this episode of CULTURE goodr, Stephen talks to Kim about everything Radical Candor. Highlights: 05:46: Kim explains the concept of Radical Candor 12:49: Why bosses and employees both need Radical Candor 15:48: How Radical Candor equals kindness 20:48: Stephen & Kim discuss the C.O.R.N. method of giving feedback 27:48: Kim describes how her new book Just Work seeks to root out bias, prejudice & bullying Listen now!!!

How do you design the life you want to live? In this episode of CULTURE goodr, Stephen interviews author, speaker, executive, and coach Mike Williams about productivity. Mike created Doing To Done: Productivity Made Simple, Illustrated for Busy People Like Us, a book and system to turn chaos into clarity. Listen now!!! Highlights: 4:35: Using productivity systems to design your life 7:07: Mike shares his productivity journey, from chaos to clarity 15:21: How to bring a system like Doing to Done into your team's culture 20:48: The benefits of having a productivity system 34:23: What being a parent taught Mike about "a beginner's mind" Listen now!!!

Liz Wiseman is the bestselling author behind Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter and Impact Players: How to Take the Lead, Play Bigger, and Multiply Your Impact. She's also a researcher, lecturer, speaker, CEO, AND the new guest on CULTURE goodr!!! In episode #77 of the pod, Stephen and Liz talk about Multipliers, Impact Players, and Playing Big. Highlights: 05:58: How do we create space for people to do brilliant work? 11:12: The difference between contributors and impact players 18:38: Questions you should ask about your company culture 28:51: How bosses can be accidental diminishers 35:59: The benefits of wearing 'opportunity goggles' Listen now!!!

You've seen goodr's photos and videos...but have you ever wondered about the thought process behind our content? In episode #76 of CULTURE goodr, Shaun talks to Barret Bowman, our Head of Content, about goodr's content story. Highlights: 6:08: Our philosophy on content 14:33: How we make great content with budgetary constraints 20:29: What Barret learned about cadence, scaling, and connection from an early photoshoot 25:40: Explaining goodr's 'absurdometer' 32:55: Barret shares the 'moon moment' he had during the Snow G photoshoot Listen now!!!

Hanssie Ho is goodr's Director of goodr Experience, which means she's in charge of bringing the goodr experience to the world. In episode #75 of CULTURE goodr, Shaun interviews her about what it's like to throw internal and external events. Highlights: 4:40: What Hanssie was thinking when she found herself in a flamingo suit three days into a new job 8:29: What makes an event a success 16:40: How Hanssie makes events fun and authentic without spending a ton of money 18:49: The origin of 'shot o'clock' 24:16: How she scaled our internal connection event 'Speed Dating' as the company rapidly grew in size Listen now!!!

Seth Godin is an entrepreneur, speaker, and bestselling author. His books include The Song of Significance: A New Manifesto for Teams, Purple Cow, and, goodr CEO Stephen Lease's favorite book, What To Do When It's Your Turn (and It's Always Your Turn). (If you're friends with Stephen, there's a 90% chance you got it as a gift.) On this episode of CULTURE goodr, Stephen talks to @sethgodin about leadership, commitment, culture, and what sound a flamingo makes (VERY important). Highlights: 07:24 How leaders of companies can create a culture where every employee feels like they have the best job they've ever had 11:55 Leaders vs. managers and the value of making mistakes 18:26 Companies should ask what changes they seek to make 22:50 Meetings vs. conversations: the importance of not wasting people's time 29:22 How to create conditions for significance, where employees put their hearts into their work Listen now!!!

This month, goodr celebrated the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community by launching the themed sunnies WE ARE GOLDEN. A portion of sales goes to Stop AAPI Hate. It's all part of our Amplify Series, which honors our commitment to making the world a better place. In episode #73 of CULTURE goodr, Shaun interviews Hanssie Ho and AJ Jimenez (the goodr employees who spearheaded the platform) about amplifying AAPI voices. Highlights: 01:54: How the Amplify Series originated in 2020 07:13: AJ & Hanssie share how grateful they are for the platform and for their coworkers' support 12:42: AJ & Hanssie reflect on how the process impacted them based on their personal backgrounds 19:52: How organizations can provide support to the AAPI community 22:38: Behind the name "We Are Golden," and what else goodr is doing to celebrate the AAPI community Listen now!!!

What's Game Day at goodr? Six times a year, the entire company gets together, and every department delivers presentations to share their work. But what does it mean to show up to Game Day like a professional? In episode #72 of CULTURE goodr, Stephen and Shaun break it down. Highlights: 06:03: What the crowd is like, and how last trimester's 17 speakers CRUSHED IT 11:47: Magic doesn't just happen. It's created through fundamental excellence. 16:23: Public speaking tip: Tell YOUR stories. Don't tell somebody else's. 21:03: How prioritizing autonomy and accountability brings out the best in everyone. 30:06: Sometimes on Game Day, we see what's NOT working. That's by design. Listen now!!!

What does fundamental excellence mean at goodr? It means magic doesn't just happen. It's created by keeping a sharp axe and honing the basics. In episode #71 of CULTURE goodr, Stephen and Shaun break down why fundamental excellence is important. Highlights: 02:22: Magic doesn't just happen. It's created through fundamental excellence. 08:13: Don't overcomplicate things. Simplify. 15:46: Why it's important to celebrate the work over the results. 28:36: Be a sponge and use other people's work to work for you. 32:25: View life and work as an infinite game.

In episode #70 of CULTURE goodr, Shaun interviews The People's Champ (Culture & Organizational Development Manager) Maya Morales about how we prioritize DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) and Purpose in our culture. 04:15 - Maya breaks down what DEI means at goodr 06:38 - How companies should think about DEI 10:22 - What we all can do to be better stewards of DEI 14:11 - Maya describes goodr's Purpose Project program 21:29 - What it means to land on a "Best Places To Work" list Listen to the full episode now!

In episode #69 (hehe) CULTURE goodr, Shaun interviews two employees about what it's like to work at goodr. Allie, our Office Manager. has worked here for four months, while Karla, our Marketing Project Manager, has worked here for two years. 03:12: How goodr's onboarding is different from other companies 07:34: What's great about working for goodr, and what's challenging 23:15: The expectations about working for goodr vs. the reality 27:18: Getting comfortable with giving and receiving feedback 33:24: What's changed at goodr over the past two years (A LOT) Listen now!!!

In episode #68 of CULTURE goodr, Shaun interviews Fitz (Head of D2C Sales + Marketing) and Crafty (Head of Account Management) about what it’s like to become a Flock Leader at goodr. They discuss: Fitz’s experience as an individual contributor on the digital team transitioning to Flock Leader how Fitz’s deliverables, schedule, and relationships changed with his new role the rewarding parts of leadership, and the most challenging parts Crafty’s experience coming from outside of goodr to become a Flock Leader the challenges of managing everyone’s expectations, from her team members to her Flock Star to Stephen what Crafty’s learned as a Flock Leader, and the most important thing she can do for her team and MORE!!!

In episode #67 of CULTURE goodr, Stephen interviews Alli Meyerhardt, the executive director of Breaking Silence. Breaking Silence is a nonprofit that inspires communities to take action against interpersonal violence through the power of empathy, healing, and open dialogue. Stephen and Alli discuss: how a childhood experience at a McDonald's PlayPlace made Alli openhearted and unafraid to approach people how she created Breaking Silence 10 years ago and fostered its growth while working other jobs (including head of sales at goodr!!!) how to create safe spaces at businesses to have tough conversations about topics like sexual assault and domestic violence goodr's history of supporting Breaking Silence through collaborations, and the powerful responses from survivors Breaking Silence's traveling exhibit, where visitors tour immersive rooms while listening to stories from survivors and perpetrators of interpersonal violence the Breaking Silence podcast, where Alli interviews others about the healing journey, suicide prevention, story ownership, and more what's next for her nonprofit, and why her primary objective this year is "to disrupt" how YOU can support Breaking Silence, and what status quo in businesses needs to be challenged the most Listen now!

For the first time, CULTURE goodr has a guest who doesn't work for goodr!!! In episode #66, Stephen interviews New York Times bestselling author, Daniel H. Pink. (Pink wrote To Sell is Human, When, A Whole New Mind, The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward, and Drive, which heavily influenced the culture at goodr.) They discuss: - how Dan's childhood was shaped by growing up around libraries - Dan's day-to-day writing routine, and why you shouldn't wait for inspiration to create - why you should use David Allen's GTD to get stuff out of your head and into a system - what culture means to Dan, and how companies can foster a meaningful, emergent culture - how companies like goodr can support night owls, instead of just early birds and larks - Dan's thoughts on working remotely vs. in-office, and why companies should be 'scientists' - the perils of 'if, then' reward systems, that appeal to extrinsic motivations, not intrinsic ones - Dan's thoughts on goodr's AMP (Autonomy, Master & Purpose) evaluation system, which was influenced by his book Drive - Dan's new book, The Power of Regret, and how one can be totally satisfied with their life but still have regrets. - what kind of company culture Dan would create, and what current status quo we need to challenge the most Listen now!!!

In Episode #65 of CULTURE goodr, Stephen interviews Hannah Williams, his assistant (aka the Octopus Wrangler). They talk about: - how Hannah's dad (Mike Williams, author of Doing To Done) disguised productivity projects as games - her day-to-day tasks, which range from gigantic skill projects to the tiniest, weirdest things - the hardest part of her job, and the most annoying thing Stephen does - her experience as goodr's first intern, and what new role she will be taking on - taking Stephen's storytelling workshop to deliver a huge presentation at goodrSTOCK - coining the term Moon Moment (a time to stop and appreciate how amazing things are), and sharing her favorite Moon Moments at goodr - the plethora of Taylor Swift fans at goodr and how she used her pull to change the rules at an all-staff meeting so Swifties could buy concert tickets -what feedback she'd give Stephen, and what she's learned about his body language and tics - and MORE!!! Listen now!

In Episode #64 of CULTURE goodr, Stephen interviews Mike Eddy, the Flockstar (Creative Director) of the Creative Herd (production, design, copy, and product management). Mike and Stephen talk about: - what Mike learned from an embarrassing experience "playing" electric bass in 7th-grade jazz band - his focuses for 2023 (storytelling and agility) - his experience working for Easton Sports and AT&T, then taking a risk to leave a steady job and be employee #1 at goodr - his love of Pitch-a-Palooza, a recurring opportunity for employees to pitch wild, absurd product ideas (or content ideas) to the whole company - his mapmaking skills, learning from failure, and the importance of providing context for projects (like goodr's box redesign) - what he loves about goodr, what feedback he'd give Stephen, and how the company has changed over years of rapid growth - creating the Flock-Up of the Year award, which gives risk-takers a useful prize Listen to the full episode now!!!

On this episode, Stephen sits down with Brian Kingston, the Flockstar of goodr’s Money Herd (aka Chief Financial Officer of the finance department) to talk about how he helps create a stable financial foundation so we can stay recklessly committed to fun. They discuss: how being an artist, paddleboarder, and growing up in Manhattan Beach led Kingston to becoming the leader he is today. goodr’s growing financial team and how they’re bringing Business Intelligence into sharp focus. how Kingston’s background in sales, marketing, and content creation is invaluable to his success as a CFO the radical fiscal transparency inside of goodr (and how strange it was to him at first) what the interview process was like to land the position of goodr CFO as an external hire predicting the financial future of a rapidly growing company like goodr (plus how “Levermania” is our secret weapon to staying agile) how Kingston promotes and protects financial discipline at goodr without infringing on autonomy or fun. Listen now!!!

In the NEW episode of CULTURE goodr, Stephen interviews Mike Mountain, the Flockstar (Chief Operations Officer) of The Operations Herd (product team, supply chain team and distribution center, aka DC). They talk about: Mountain's primary focuses for this year (scale, product quality, speed to market) the importance of weekly reviews, and how his teams are like 'three dogs in a bathtub' how his 15-year experience in sports product development benefits him in his current role what he's learned from being a father that's made him a better leader the joy of seeing hardworking DC team members win Flamingo Awards the daily Flamingle, and our strides to infuse goodr culture with the DC our goal for 'jaw-dropping' delivery (bringing products to 95% of the US in 48 hours) And MORE!!! Listen to the full episode now!!! (Or you'll never get that 'three dogs in a bathtub' analogy.)

Stephen interviews Dan Weinsoft, the Flockstar (Chief Customer Officer) of goodr's Customer Herd (customer service team, B2B team, digital team, and channel sales strategy team). They discuss: how Dan randomly got into marketing in high school and entered marketing competitions his herd's primary focuses for 2023 (including the "omni-channel") his day-to-day life at goodr (the fun parts and the hard parts) his experience teaching digital marketing to graduate students and goodr employees his 17 years of experience in digital marketing for various companies, like Sony and Nike why he's always greeted with boos when he takes the stage at goodr all-company meetings how his woodwork hobby (refinishing axes) has helped him become a better leader his decision to move from Bend, Oregon to Los Angeles, California why he loves directness, organizational change, authenticity, and dumb 'dad jokes' Listen to the full episode now!!! (Dan tells a 'dad joke', and it's a must-hear if you like groaning.)

Stephen interviews Kelley Puckett, the Flockstar of goodr's Energy Herd, aka Chief Marketing Officer of the marketing team (paid media, PR, social strategy/communities, and The goodr Cabana, our retail storefront). They discuss: Kelley's primary focuses for the year and day-to-day life How her previous work experience at Paramount Pictures benefits her as a CMO How she strives for excellence in professionalism (and professionally mentors Stephen) What she's learned by running ultramarathons, like Badwater, a 135-mile trek in Death Valley goodr's exciting funts (fun stunts), like a pop-up in New York City and a billboard awareness campaign in Carl, GA, a town with a population of 200 Her purpose project at goodr, a monthly speaker series called Squawk Talks How she challenges the status quo, and what projects excite her right now Listen now!!!

Nicole is goodr's Chief of Flamingos, the Flockstar (leader) of the People Herd, which include the Help Desk, goodr University, and the Guardians of the Galaxy. In this episode, Stephen interviews Nicole about wtf that means. Basically, she creates and activates teams, so that we live our cultural values and hire the fewest amount of people coached to the highest level. Nicole also crushes it as a trainer, nutritionist, and highly ranked savate kickboxer. Listen to the episode now, or she'll kick you in the face!!!

Should you write a Slack, record a Loom, or talk to them IRL? In this episode, Stephen and Shaun share digital communication hacks. At goodr, we banned internal email in favor of Slack, use Google Slides decks to paint projects done, and block off "no-meeting space" for remote work. (You only have to be in the office on Tuesdays & Thursdays, you're welcome.) But sometimes it's best to talk in person to read body language/tone, and gain empathy. (And right now it's best for YOU to stop reading this and LISTEN TO THE FLOCKING EPISODE!!!)

Flock the sunk cost fallacy!!! At goodr, the only constant is change. In this episode, Stephen and Shaun talk about maintaining agility. What worked for us in 2017 doesn't necessarily work in 2023. We shifted from the quarter system to the trimesters, analyze the metrics after every launch, and constantly re-invent TWC (Tuesdays with Carl, our weekly all-staff meeting), using O.W.L.S. (That's meetings to discuss Opportunities, Wins, Losses, and Snext actions. As SDL says, we love stupid acronyms!!!) 

How did goodr's structure change while growing from a handful of employees to 140? What does it take to be a Flock Leader? How do we define growth? In this episode, Stephen and Shaun talk about the evolution of goodr's ecosystem. Right now we have 16 flocks of flamingos bundled into six herds. If you listen to the pod, that'll make sense. (And if you don't listen, Carl the Flamingo curses you to be stuck in a dead-end job with no real growth path, forever!!!)

How do you balance self-accountability vs. being mean to yourself? In this episode, Stephen and Shaun talk about practicing self-awareness at goodr. The Enneagram Personality Test reveals how different people react to stress. (Do you know what types Stephen & Shaun are?!) During quarterly reviews, there are self-awareness bonus points. (WOO-HOO!!!) And we encourage everyone to seek clear, actionable, recent, legit feedback.

Ever say you don't care where you have dinner, but you totally do? Do you want people to tell you if you have spinach in your teeth? Do you tell them? In Episode #54 of the CULTURE goodr Podcast (Building a Bridge Between Yourself and Others), Stephen and Shaun discuss authentic communication: setting boundaries, being direct, and managing expectations. "Painting it done" is the path to happiness, whether announcing post-lockdown office protocol, giving personal feedback, or planning a dinner date. (Btw, you have spinach in your teeth.)

At goodr, you don't get in trouble for screwing up...as long as you take ownership and fix it. In this episode, Stephen and Shaun discuss their biggest f*ck-ups (cough, buying 82,000 Super Flys, cough), the benefits of owning your mistakes (trust, power, self-awareness), and the unique ways goodr makes it safe to own failures (Carl's Flock-Ups, the Flock-Up of the Year Award, which is a wrestling championship belt, obviously).

At goodr, we define connection as engaging with others in a meaningful way. In this episode, Stephen and Shaun discuss how connections are created in thousands of small moments: making people laugh, admitting mistakes, giving and receiving feedback, taking the Enneagram personality test, and more. Relationships between brands, employees, and consumers are not just transactional. They're also about building meaningful connections.

How do we come up with crazy sunglasses names? Who is Carl the Flamingo? Wtf are the Flamingo Awards?! In this episode, Stephen and Shaun discuss goodr's strive to be remarkable with amazing packaging, a quarterly pitch festival, a hilarious billboard campaign in Carl, GA, and The goodr Cabana, a "tropical surrealist" experiential store in Venice, CA. (Yes, there are 14-foot pink sunglasses on the roof!)

Starting a company. Training for a marathon. Writing an album. The hardest thing about achieving big goals isn't the idea. It's creating a plan for the vision with systems and processes to keep you motivated and on track. In the 50th episode of CULTURE goodr, SDL and Shaun talk about executing visions with clarity, structure, flexibility, accountability checkpoints, and space for problem-solving. (Also, Stephen spills the tea on his misadventures online dating before meeting his partner. Systems are useful for relationships, too!!!)

At goodr, we teach ownership and demand professionalism. The more prepared you are, the more fun you can have. In this episode, SDL and Shaun talk about celebrating the work over the results, the importance of fundamentals, the need for scalability, why we call sloppy work "salty feet," and the powerful experience of leading a Storytelling Workshop. (Eight employees spent four months practicing 15-minute presentations to the entire company...and CRUSHED IT!!!)

What's it like to work at goodr? Fun, and challenging. You must draw a picture of an octopus fighting a pirate (not a joke), have a growth mindset, learn the Doing To Done productivity system, celebrate the work over the results, and embrace the constantly changing culture while the company rapidly grows. In this episode, SDL and Shaun spill all the piña colada-flavored tea!!!

What's recently changed at goodr? A lot. The only constant at goodr is change. We transformed from a launch brand to a brand brand, embraced an agency mindset, shifted structure from flocks to herds, created plans with 321 Vision, adopted the NASA mindset, started quarterly PDA, and...ahhhhh it's too much to explain here, just listen to SDL and Shaun explain it in this episode!

Here at goodr, our Mission Statement is: We exist to give you permission to be unabashedly yourself…unless you're an asshole. We want to give you permission to come as you are and be YOU!!! Even if that means you're a middle-aged, pansexual, klepto flamingo named Carl. (Who also just happens to be our CEO.) Be sure to check out this episode to get the nitty-gritty on why we exist.

Closing out this season with an episode chock full of answers to your burning questions. You asked, we answered. We aim to please. And hope we do with answers like the biggest fuck-ups occur when clarity isn’t made a priority. Always paint what you want done. And if you’re hoping to get hired by goodr, listen to the podcast. TAKE THE HINT. And Stephen wouldn’t mind working out with the Rock. In a baby bjorn attached to the Rock’s chest as he does lunges laps.

The waters are murky and stormy moving through this newly innovative space in the goodr ecosystem. Our newest vertical, Game goodr, is all about cultivating community in the gaming space and showing there’s more to gamers than just staring at a screen day in and day out. Real people, real goals, real interests, just like everyone else. Get ready for your noodle to be blown as we learn that changing your mind and staying agile in this space can actually be superpowers. Let’s hear from the Game Shark herself (aka the Games Community Manager), Theresa.

Movin’ and groovin’ through the goodr ecosystem, we shift gears in this next episode to discuss the five verticals that encompass goodr. In 2018, we launched our beast vertical, the second vertical after run. Beast athletes consist of CrossFitters, weightlifters, and OCR peeps, all which are community-driven and love to have fun. As we began navigating this vertical, we didn’t anticipate the lack of CrossFit retailers in the U.S., so we had to stay on our toes and stay agile with our model.  Let’s talk to Stephany, former Crossfit Coach, and our beast community manager to see how she transformed our beast vertical. 

Movin’ and groovin’ through the goodr ecosystem, we shift gears in this next episode to discuss the five verticals that encompass goodr and today we focus on GOLF. Golf, for a reason that is wildly unknown, is swarming with birds: birdie, albatross, ostrich, eagle...but something is clearly missing that we have to change. There are no FLAMINGOS! And thus, the golf campaign was born “it's not a bogey, it’s a flamingo,” because, at goodr, we believe that +1 over par should be celebrated, not shamed. A common goal throughout this vertical is to celebrate all you Flamingo golfers out there and create an inclusive community. Let’s chat with Taylor, the GOLF Community manager, about how he amplifies this campaign through social media, partnerships, and a lot of bird talk. 

 Movin’ and groovin’ through the goodr ecosystem, we shift gears in this next episode to discuss the five verticals that encompass goodr. In 2019, we launched our bike vertical, the third vertical after run. It took us a while because we were making an ASS out of YOU and ME, ever heard that? Alright, we will dumb it down, we made assumptions based on interactions with cyclists previously in the run space. Once we started celebrating cyclists, and we mean ALL TYPES, we noticed a deep, meaningful connection across the entire vertical. And that, friends, is extremely powerful shit. Let’s talk to Doug, our bike community manager to see just how the magic is made.  

Movin’ and groovin’ through the goodr ecosystem, we shift gears in this next episode to discuss the five verticals that encompass goodr. Yes, we began at the conception of time as a run brand, but since then have not been letting the grass grow beneath us, meaning, we’ve been pretty damn busy. goodr has evolved into bike, beast, golf, and game and *spoiler alert* more to come *gasp*. But the unique thing about the run vertical is that it’s been in the shadow of the overall brand over the course of its time until now. BAM, enter Han, our Brand on the Run aka our Run Community Run. Let’s sync up with Han and see how the run vertical is making some big waves this year. 

Remember when we chatted with our content team a few episodes back revealing a marketing secret that content is king? Well, that is true in the marketing world. But in the business world, CASHFLOW IS KING. That seems pretty obvious, but what may not be obvious is the accounting, planning, and risk management that goes into running a business like goodr. Let’s chat with the cash queen herself, Lauren, or our leader of the Finance Flock and hear how she and her flock (aka Scrooge McDuck’s Bastards) add backup plans to backup plans to keep goodr from chaos. 

As we keep swimming through the goodr ecosystem, we pause to tread water and dive deep (literally) into the “algae” that is goodr, The Brand & Design Team. Wait what, MORE ALGAE? Yeah, yeah, we know the Department of Dreams is the algae too, AND THAT’S OKAY BECAUSE IT'S SO DAMN IMPORTANT. This flock, better known in goodr world as The Illuminati, creates dope as hell designs, builds relationships and takes risks to propel the brand forward. Sound like fun? It is. Like the algae of the underwater world, The Illuminati flock is essential. Without it, growth would diminish, energy would subside and all hell would break loose with the goodr brand standards. Let’s talk to the leader of it all, the Schemin’ Demon himself, Mike Eddy. 

If you’re new to the marketing world, then we will let you in on a well-known secret. Ya ready? Content is KING. Say it with us now, CONTENT IS KING. And why’s that? Without content, there would be nothing to talk about. At goodr, we like to call our content team aka the Department of Dreams, the algae within the goodr ecosystem. They attract and feed the shrimp (our Digital and Sales flocks) so they can facilitate badass growth and connection with customers. Without the Content Team, there would be no goodr. Let’s chat with Keri to see just exactly how the Content Team shows up unabashedly as themselves and gets sh*t done. 

What do the karaoke jams Mambo Number 5, Closing Time and Stacey’s Mom have in common? Other than them being super catchy, sing at the top of your lungs one hit wonders, not a ton else. When we released our first product ever created, the OG’s, we were hellbent on continuing to innovate our products to be better each time, and sidestep the common “one hit wonder” trap. So, how do we do it ya say? Well, let’s talk to Mountain, our ringleader for the product team, or in goodr speak, the Fungineer Flock. 

Sure, your standard decapod crustaceans aka shrimp get a rep for being tiny, overlooked and inconsequential. Well, we are here to blow your mind people, our sales team, or the storysellers in goodr speak, are anything but that. Actively supporting our ecosystem from the ground up, making sure we have the raddest in-person presence and creating partner connections are just a few of the key functions they conquer with a take-risk attitude.

Ok, maybe that title needs a bit of an explanation. Guano is the excrement of birds and bats that is used as fertilizer to create the ideal microbial environment for growth. The Activations are that guano at goodr. They create the connection and build the hype that stuffs our customers and fans with all the goodr-ness. [Insert poop joke]. 

The Mother of Dragons is here to BURN EVERYTHING TO THE GROUND. But only if you’re late on your tasks. Hanssie is our Project Manager (read as: Puppet Master) flock leader and she lets us in on the secrets of how her team pulls the strings to make all the things happen at goodr. PROJECT MANAGERS - STAYING SAFE WITH THE "CONTROLLED BURN"IN GOODR'S ECOSYSTEM

It’s the episode you’ve all been waiting for… Everyone’s favorite corporate enforcers and squashers of all fun and laughter. Basically the employee’s version of the principal’s office. HUMAN RESOURCES [insert evil laugh]. But at goodr, we get our chuckles from turning the status quo on its silly little head. Meet Nicole, the flock leader of our “HR” or the Ministry of Culture, who’s team is tasked with supporting individual growth, creating connection and making sure we’re all having fun, all of which bring goodr’s culture to the next level.

Get ready to exercise your brain muscles because we’re visited by Aileen, the Profit Prophet at goodr who leads the Operations team AKA the Crystal Ballers. While this episode is jam packed with the emotional rollercoaster that is data analysis, logistics, and inventory at goodr, Aileen keeps us grounded with her motto of sharing complex data in a simple way. Because if you can’t explain something simply, you probably don’t know sh*t.

Episode Description: In this episode of the CULTURE goodr Podcast, Stephen and Shaun bring in goodr customer #32 to discuss the e-commerce and marketing strategy we've developed over the years. That guest also just so happens to be our very own PROFESSOR REX (a.k.a. Dan), the flock leader of the D.I.N.O. team! Don't know what that acronym stands for? Listen in! But we'll give you a hint... The "O" stands for Olive Garden Eaters. 

In season 3, episode 3 of CULTURE goodr, Shaun and Stephen do a deep dive on Squawk & Awe, aka the goodr Customer Service team. Crafty, the flock leader, explains that in CS you can either choose to be right or happy, but not both. At goodr, they choose to be happy. If they choose to be right, it’s wrong, even if they’re not wrong, because the customer is always right, even if they’re wrong. Right?

In season 3, episode 2 of CULTURE goodr, Stephen and Shaun do a deep dive on the Distribution Center (aka the DC) at goodr. In the ecosystem, they are the nest to safely deliver the offspring. Flamingos lay eggs filled with sunglasses, didn't you know that? They're also known as the Rack Pack. Sarah is the Flock Leader (lame title: Warehouse Manager) and joins Stephen and Shaun to talk about her department.

In this REMIX episode, Stephen Lease is a guest on the SMOGcast Podcast hosted by Bryan Mineo. While goodr is a main subject, the two focus more on being authentically yourself and finding the community that supports you.

Ready for PART TWO of this epic, monster of an episode from the Story of a Brand podcast?  Host Ramon Vela is back with Stephen Lease to continue the conversation on how goodr began and what SDL recommends for those hoping to start a new company. They also go over unique aspects of the goodr culture like the hiring process and goodrstock and how we stay authentically ourselves as we grow out of our stumbling toddler phase. 

Run a marathon? I can do that. Start a company? I can do that. Wear a different crazy patterned shirt to work every day? I can do that. Stephen Lease is the king of "I can do that" and in this part 1 episode of the Story of a Brand podcast, he talks with host Ramon Vela about how everyone should be taught some fundamental lessons if they're just starting out and interested in launching their own venture. 

Episode description: Stephen joins Olympian Carrie Tolle on her podcast C Tolle Run to tell the goodr story, how once upon a time he looked in the mirror and saw only an @$$hole with expensive running gear and performance sunglasses staring back. He'd lost his fun and fashion. Since anyone who can run a mile is a runner, anyone should be able to afford functional, fun, and fashionable sunglasses to run in. 

goodr's Law Dog, Ben Abell joins SDL as they guest on the Conquer the Noise podcast to discuss how partnerships can play out and what important features of goodr's culture keep us happy and healthy and constantly growing in our personal and professional lives.

SDL joins Alex Moehn and Apostoli Evreniadis of the Cream City Pacers podcast to discuss the origin of goodr (where TF is the “e”?!?!), using your fear as a strength (slurp up that power like pre-race pasta), and the meditative state runners find themselves in whether it’s three or 30 miles (or 300, but please, train for that one first).

So you f*@#%ed up. How do you move forward? It’s way too easy to point fingers or give a performative apology that means nothing to anyone. goodr’s own Chief Executive Octopus, Stephen Lease, went on Tina Muir’s Running4Real podcast to talk about how we owned our biggest mistake a few years ago and have used it as an opportunity to learn, evolve, and ultimately become a stronger brand. After all, if the goal is being authentic and people don’t like you, it’s ok. But if the goal is being liked and people don’t like you, you’re f*@#%ed. 

Are your teeth starting to hurt because finding time to go to the dentist is too challenging? At goodr we strive for “work-life integration” because “work-life balance” is fool’s gold. Our goal is to create a culture where you can show up as yourself everywhere and do what you need to do (like go to the dentist…) while excelling in your career.

Black Friday and Cyborg Monday will look different this year. That’s probably a good thing. Listen to what goodr has in store as a brand that is constantly challenging the status quo.

Season one of this podcast was f’d from the hot garbage pandemic that rattled the world. We created this bonus episode to bring you up to speed on where we are now.

At goodr we believe that voting is a right. It doesn’t matter who or what you vote for. Because of these beliefs, Election Day is an official paid holiday at goodr.

How did you come up with the idea of using funny names for your glasses? How did the birth of Carl the Flamingo come about? Is it hard to get a job at goodr? ...We know you want to know. Got a Q? Ask it at goodr.com/culture!

“I’m not your boss, you’re your boss.” This a phrase used quite often at goodr. We all say we don’t want a boss… but it’s harder than you think. We built our own performance and review system based on Drive by Daniel Pink with the goal of no bosses.

Imagine a company where the goal is to be “chill” over “busy.” At goodr we have an initiative called “Chill is the New Busy,” designed to keep people from working more than 40 hours per week-- because you don’t need to hustle for your self-worth at goodr.

Corporate America has brainwashed us all. We’ve realized that our culture is so different that we need to de-program all new hires. That’s why we created a detailed three month onboarding.

Hear how we use the Enneagram to harness our superpowers. It allows us to understand and work with different personality styles and team dynamics, creating deeper connections.

Imagine a world with no internal office emails… Learn how we banned internal email by using Slack and project decks, creating ultimate transparency.

We empower every team member at goodr to run with any idea and take on any project instead of hiding behind the word “should.” We do this by teaching them GTD (Getting Things Done), a productivity project management system

During every new hire’s first week we teach team members the “Clearing Exercise” and how to have tough conversations with each other. The result is a company with no gossip.

Let's be clear-- if you want leaders you need to cultivate leaders. At goodr we use Brené Brown’s best seller Dare to Lead to teach leadership, vulnerability, values, and a bunch of other impactful stuff.

Our two core values at goodr are FUN & AUTHENTICITY and we do more than just profess them, we live them. We’ve created over 50 supporting and slippery behaviors that speak to each value.

In five years goodr has grown to over 60 employees, is sold in over 1,500 stores in 30 countries, and has won multiple awards. It has been a fairytale... haha… kind of...

Get as jazzed for more episodes as we are! (How are we liking “jazzed”? We’re trying to bring it back...) Join us while we tease each upcoming episode in 2 minutes or less.

In this episode we share how we created connection with our internal team and our customers. Hopefully you can steal some of our ideas. 

From only having to be in the office two days per week pre Covid-19 to how we internally communicate with Slack, this episode discusses why our culture is able to thrive under shelter in place. 

Black Lives Matter

We’ll outline our NWO (New World Order) and how we leaned on transparency to create a plan that got us through the first wave of Covid-19. 

We'll dive into how Covid-19 trashed this podcast and how the company culture at goodr allowed for success amidst turbulent social and economic times.