Welcome to Love in LeadershipOur first episode introduces the themes and mission of this podcastCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[0:39] - BIGGBY® COFFEE and the LifeLabTMTelling the story of how we got here At the episode’s start, Laura and Mike dive into a brief history of BIGGBY® COFFEE, LifeLabTM, and the concept of Love in Leadership. After a handshake agreement with an employer who hired Mike as a barista, the BIGGBY® COFFEE brand was born. As the company has grown, Mike and his partners developed an interest in going beyond just being a company that tried to turn a profit. They wanted to be the best place to work and help create the best people. After a company report showed that they were falling well short of this goal, they realized it was time to make a change.That’s when they launched LifeLabTM, an internal department at BIGGBY® COFFEE dedicated to supporting the human being behind all of their employees. The principles developed and implemented through LifeLabTM form the basis for much of what will be covered in this podcast.[15:24] - The Culture You Want and the Culture You HaveWhen company values become a punchlineThe early part of the BIGGBY® COFFEE's story is a cautionary tale that shows how wanting your company to embody certain values doesn’t always mean it will. BIGGBY® COFFEE’s tagline for a time was: “Be happy, have fun, make friends, love people, drink great coffee.”But after a report showed that the reality was far different — and that people across the company were unhappy, unmotivated, and unsupported — Mike and his team decided the time for change was now. They read the report to the company’s employees, and from that day forward determined to identify their true values and genuinely operate the company based around them.BIGGBY® COFFEE’s new, simplified Purpose? “We exist to support you in building a life you love.”[21:30] - Finding the “Why”Simplifying BIGGBY® COFFEE’s purpose to amplify its impactMike discovered that what he and his partners truly wanted was for people to feel empowered to show up to work and be their true, authentic selves. They wanted to support anyone that touched the company in building the life they loved.Then came the vision. That was where the “why” became the “how.” How are they going to support people? They started with workplace culture. They recognized just how responsible a company is for the wellbeing of the people they employ, particularly considering how big a percentage of their lives they spend in that employment. [31:32] - The Next PhaseTaking the message globalToday, LifeLabTM and the entirety of BIGGBY® COFFEE's unique approach to company culture is still a work-in-progress. It’s an ongoing experiment. But the purpose of this podcast is to invite the world to participate in that experiment — to see employees as human beings before employees, as whole individuals with needs, desires, values, and goals. That will be the journey of Love in Leadership, and it starts now.RESOURCES:[1:02] BIGGBY® COFFEE[10:26] Upcoming Workshops[12:04] About LifeLabTM[21:30] Take the “Life You Love” AssessmentFollow Laura Eich:LinkedInFacebookInstagramFollow Mike McFall:WebsiteLinkedInFacebookXInstagramFollow BIGGBY® COFFEE & LifeLabTM:WebsiteFacebookXInstagramLinkedInAbout LifeLabTMABOUT LOVE IN LEADERSHIP:At the Life You Love LaboratoryTM and BIGGBY® COFFEE, we’re out to prove that financial success and healthy workplace culture aren’t two separate goals. BIGGBY® COFFEE's own cultural transformation is proof that not only is it possible to have a successful company where people aren’t miserable at work, but that the happier your people are, the more your business will grow. Each week, join host Laura Eich, Chief Purpose Officer at BIGGBY® COFFEE, and her co-host and BIGGBY® COFFEE co-CEO Mike McFall as they’re joined by guests from around the world to learn how they are fostering a culture of love and growth in the world’s most innovative and people-centric companies. Get inspired. Get real. Ge