Jamie Henriod: Tony Hsieh’s Enduring Lessons on Building a Great Company Culture

About Jamie Henriod:

Jamie Henriod is a seasoned people leader and company culture architect with over 20 years of experience shaping high-performing teams at Zappos.com and other innovative startups. A trusted advisor to CEOs and Boards of Directors, Jamie has led people strategy, organizational culture, and employee engagement programs that drive both business success and meaningful workplace connections. With a career rooted in both employee experience and customer service, she understands that a thriving workplace culture directly impacts customer satisfaction. A recognized thought leader and sought-after speaker, Jamie shares actionable insights on leadership, company culture, and the intersection of employee and customer experience. Her real-world advice inspires transformation through resilient teams, meaningful connections, and strong organizational values.

In this episode, Dean Newlund and Jamie Henriod discuss:

• The relationship between internal company culture and external customer experience
• Leadership's role in cultivating and modeling organizational values
• Recruitment and performance practices driven by core values
• Personal connection and empathy in customer service
• The ongoing evolution and challenges of maintaining a strong company culture

Key Takeaways:

• Implement frontline training for all employees—regardless of seniority—so everyone understands the customer experience firsthand; even executives should spend time in direct customer service roles annually.
• Develop a structured core values review system that includes self-assessments, peer feedback, and manager evaluations tied to specific, behavior-based questions, then use these results for growth and recognition.
• Secure and protect cultural autonomy during mergers or acquisitions by clearly defining non-negotiables in the agreement, especially regarding internal processes and employee engagement practices.
• Reinforce your company values with action by making tough but necessary decisions, such as letting go of employees who consistently don't align—so the organization knows values are more than just words on a wall.

"The most powerful recruiting tool Zappos ever had was our culture.” — Jamie Henriod

Connect with Jamie Henriod:  

Website: https://www.chptr.com/ & https://www.zappos.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jnaughton/

See Dean’s TedTalk “Why Business Needs Intuition” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEq9IYvgV7I

Connect with Dean:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgqRK8GC8jBIFYPmECUCMkw

Website: https://www.mfileadership.com/

The Mission Statement E-Newsletter: https://www.mfileadership.com/blog/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deannewlund/

X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/deannewlund

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MissionFacilitators/

Email: dean.newlund@mfileadership.com

Phone: 1-800-926-7370

Show notes by Podcastologist: Hanz Jimuel Alvarez

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.