63: The People-First Approach That Led to 3x Best Culture Awards in Canada | Dan Turner

Sep 17, 2024

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What if a creative sales move could land your company its biggest contract yet? In this episode of The Learn-It-All Leader Podcast, Dan Turner, CEO of Xperigo, a company renowned for its exceptional culture and customer experience solutions, reveals how he secured a game-changing deal with Apple before the world even knew about the iPhone. This engaging episode offers powerful lessons for business leaders who want to stand out in competitive industries by making bold moves and fostering a winning company culture.

From his humble beginnings as a tow truck driver to leading a multimillion-dollar business, Dan offers inspiring lessons for entrepreneurs and business leaders on taking calculated risks, creating a strong culture, and achieving success through persistence and creativity.

This episode covers:

- Dan’s inspiring story of going from tow truck driver to CEO

- How to break down audacious goals into achievable steps

- The importance of persistence and taking risks in your career

- Building a positive corporate culture that wins awards

- Why treating people the way you want to be treated is key to leadership

Episode Highlights:

(00:00) Introduction to Dan Turner – Damon introduces Dan Turner, President and CEO of Xperigo, and shares how his leadership has shaped the company’s award-winning culture.

(01:55) From Tow Truck Driver to CEO – Dan shares his career journey, explaining how a pivotal story from the AAA president inspired his long-term goal to become a CEO.

(05:35) Setting and Achieving Big Goals – Dan talks about the importance of setting a "big hairy audacious goal" and breaking it into smaller, manageable steps.

(08:40) The Risks that Lead to Success – Dan explains how taking bold risks, like purchasing a computer early in his career, helped him stand out and get promoted.

(12:10) How Confidence and Sports Shaped Leadership – Dan shares how his background in sports built the confidence and persistence needed for success in business.

(16:00) Learning from Failure – Dan discusses two key failures in his career, including a business he started that didn’t succeed, and the valuable lessons he learned from those experiences.

(20:32) The Bold Move that Landed the Apple Contract – Dan shares the creative approach he took to win a major contract with Apple, including attending a conference and presenting a proposal before the iPhone was even announced.

(29:22) Building an Award-Winning Culture – Dan explains the approach that led Xperigo to win Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Culture Award three times, and how the company has built a culture of teamwork and transparency.

(34:45) The Power of Purpose in Leadership – Dan discusses how the pandemic helped create a unifying purpose for his company, and how they’re working to maintain that purpose post-pandemic.

(44:33) Where to Connect with Dan Turner – Dan shares how listeners can connect with him on LinkedIn.

About Dan:

Dan Turner is the President and CEO of Xperigo, a global leader in providing innovative mobility services and customer experience solutions. Under Dan’s leadership, Experigo has won Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Culture Award three times. Dan’s remarkable career journey from tow truck driver to CEO highlights the importance of persistence, risk-taking, and building a people-first culture.

Resources Referenced:

- Dan Turner’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danturner

- Experigo Website: https://www.xperigo.com/

Podcast Contact Information:

Website: www.learnit.com

Email: podcast@learnit.com