Celebrating the 200th Episode of Agency for Change!

Announcer: 0:02

Welcome to Agency for Change, a podcast from KidGlov that brings you the stories of changemakers who are actively working to improve our communities. In every episode, we’ll meet with people who are making a lasting impact in the places we call home.

Lyn Wineman: 0:29

Hey everyone, this is Lyn Wineman, president of KidGlov. Welcome today to a very exciting episode of Agency for Change. We are celebrating because this is our 200th episode and so, as a purpose-driven business, KidGlov is all about celebrating changemakers, and back in 2020, we launched this podcast as a space to talk with people we admire and spread the word about all the great things they’re doing. If you rewind, you’ll remember that 2020 was the beginning of the pandemic, so this was one of the few ways we could reach out and connect. We started back then with a wishlist of guests and you know a few good ideas, but I will tell you we never imagined that by mid 2024, we’d be closing in on the 200th episode.

Lyn Wineman: 1:25

So my great team has done some research and what they have learned is we’ve devoted over 7,000 minutes to engaging conversations with remarkable guests. That has encompassed 56 nonprofit organizations, 15 certified B Corps organization, 14 published authors and just a lot of fantastic conversations. So we have talked to guests from 16 different states and four different countries and we did a little research, we’ve also learned that only 5% of all podcasts even make it to 50 episodes. So we have to thank you, our loyal listeners, our fantastic guests and the great team at KidGlov who puts this together, for hitting this point with our 200th episode. So today, what’s going to happen is the team is turning the tables on me and I will be the guest and I’m going to be answering questions from our audience, our clients, and past guests. So let’s dive in.

Katherine Warren: 2:35

Hello, I’m Katherine Warren, KidGlov’s COO, and I’m kicking off the questions from the KidGlov team. Lyn, what is the one thing you’ve learned from a podcast guest that you’ve shared with others at least five times?

Lyn Wineman: 2:51

Ah, that is such a good question and, Katherine, you know me, you know that I love sharing things that I learned from people and here on podcasts, so you also know that I probably can’t narrow this down to just one, but I’m going to give you a couple that really stand out in my mind. One is from a CEO named Eddy Badrina who is the leader of Eden Green Technology, and his episode was all about vertical farming and how they’re revolutionizing how our food is grown and what the jobs are like for people who are in that industry. So I’ve thought about that a lot, I’ve talked about it a lot, I’ve become a proponent of vertical farming and really thinking about where your food comes from. So that’s been a great one, I think, and I’ve shared a lot about Helen Fagan, who is a well-known DE&I consultant from Lincoln, Nebraska. She first came on the podcast after she published her book that’s called Becoming Inclusive, and she’s told so many beautiful stories of her family immigrating from Persia to America and what it was like for them and kind of the responsibility she felt representing an entire country, and so I’ve thought about that a lot too in my own journey and KidGlov’s journey related to becoming more aware of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging issues. So those are two.

Lyn Wineman: 4:33

The third one if you’ll give me three, the third one is Patty Connor from Our Gorongosa. That’s a certified B Corp. One of the first CEOs I met after KidGlov became a certified B Corp. They’re a coffee company that sources all of their beans from Mozambique and a percentage of their profit goes back to causes in Mozambique, and so what I loved about the conversation with Patty is they don’t judge their progress as a company just on sales and growth. They judge it on how many girls they can give scholarships to in Mozambique and how many acres of forest they help support, or how many elephants, one of their blends is Elephants Never Forget, it’s a great blonde light roast coffee how many elephants they’ve helped. So those three stand out in my mind, but so so many more. I know we can’t take the whole episode on question number one, can we?

Katherine Warren: 5:36

Well, what tremendous insights and how cool that you’ve got a handful more that you could share, and probably more than that. That is awesome, and so thanks for that. Question number two is not from me, but from one of your former podcast guests, Uma Gopaldass, and she would like to ask you is transitioning to a more socially and environmentally responsible business tough, and how is marketing and branding helping?

Lyn Wineman: 6:09

Well, first of all, I’m going to give a shout out to Uma, one of my favorite people and another one of my favorite podcasts, and even though her name is difficult to pronounce, she is very easy to talk to and get advice from. So you know when I think about becoming a more responsible company, it’s interesting because, being in the business of advertising, it’s not like we’re doing a lot of things that seem to be wasteful or unjust, right. But what I learned in our journey to become more conscious as a company and me to become more conscientious as a person and being part of the B Corp ecosystem now, is not doing harm is not good enough. And I think what I’ve learned is to really examine our process and our beliefs because sometimes you’re doing things that are causing harm or are excluding people or are not supporting diversity or sustainability, and you don’t even realize it because you’ve always done them. Nobody’s ever alerted you to the fact that it may not be a best practice.

Lyn Wineman: 7:31

So becoming more aware, I think, has been part of that journey and being willing to say, oh, we did things before in a certain way, but now that we know better, we’ll do them different. And, Katherine, you’ve been a big part of that journey as well, with being a B Corp and being our culture warrior at KidGlov, being under the microscope there and figuring out some new things. And then I think, the element of how marketing and branding is helping. I think all companies have marketing and branding as part of their voice and you can choose to continue to do marketing and branding in the same old ways or you can choose to make your marketing and branding part of that voice for positivity, that voice for good. And I’m excited about the work that KidGlov is doing, both for ourselves and our clients, because that’s something we’re very aware of and help our clients do.

Katherine Warren: 8:38

Well, Lyn, I think you can add to your list of things to share with people. Not doing harm is not good enough.

Lyn Wineman: 8:45

I love that. Maybe we can count that as my quote for this episode. Katherine, Thank you for that.

Katherine Warren: 8:53

That’s all the questions from me.

Neil Wineman: 8:58

Hi, I’m Neil KidGlov’s, business manager. Lyn, can you share any leadership themes that have shifted or become more prominent over time?

Lyn Wineman: 9:25

That is such a good question and as I think about my career, Neil, which you know has spanned a few decades now.

Lyn Wineman: 9:26

I think about having this perception that leadership was all about being in control and being perfect and kind of themes along that line, and I feel like over the years and in recent years, leaders have really become charged with the task of being more empathetic, being more vulnerable, being more authentic, which is very different than I, in my mid-twenties, thought leadership was going to be, and I think it’s a good change because I think it’s made the workplace more fun, more human. I even think back to, Neil, a few years ago I had the chance to do a presentation called Pioneers, Peacocks and Purpose for an event called Ignite, and one of the facts I found in that presentation, in the preparation for it, was that people who have purpose in their lives are happier. But then the second part of that research was people find their purpose often in the work that they do. So also being a leader that helps people connect to a purpose that makes their lives better is an interesting aspect that I think wasn’t even part of the conversation when I started in leadership.

Neil Wineman: 10:53

Thanks for that. Our next question is from Craig Jonas. He’s wondering what are some of the benefits and some of the challenges being a fully certified B Corp based in Nebraska.

Lyn Wineman: 11:09

Craig Jonas is one of my favorite B Corp CEOs. If you listeners are not familiar with CoPeace, they are just a great company that does social impact investing. They’ve been a great advisor and friend to KidGlov, but you know, I think that an advantage of becoming a certified B Corp is it’s made us more aware of how we could get better in various aspects of our jobs and its put us into different ecosystems with other B Corps, where we can freely share ideas and best practices and issues. And that has been so great. On the flipside, I think the only challenge of being one of the only certified B Corp in Nebraska is that the movement is still pretty small here in the center of the Midwest. As of this moment, there are 10 Nebraska certified B Corps. I’m proud to say we have interviewed them all on this podcast, so it’s been great to connect with and to learn from them.

Lyn Wineman: 12:19

And what I think is really interesting is that most business owners that I know in Nebraska are doing the things, all of the great things taking care of their employees, their communities, the environment, having great governance policies and transparency. They’re already doing all of the things. So I think the movement is going to really catch on and I predict that in the next few years we might double or triple or gosh, maybe even quadruple, the number of B Corps in the state of Nebraska. So Nebraska business owners who are not B Corps, this is me issuing a challenge to all of you and, Neil, I want to turn the tables and ask you a question. Is that all right?

Neil Wineman: 13:04

Sure.

Lyn Wineman: 13:05

Some people may or may not know that you and I are married, and so my question for you is what’s it like working with your spouse and be gentle with me?

Neil Wineman: 13:20

Wow, that is a great question. I think we’ve tried to avoid this for the longest time, but it finally came to fruition here earlier in the year. I think that, you know, what you were talking about or referring to earlier is having purpose and a mission in your work, and I think it’s been very fulfilling for me to get to work with you more closely. You know I’ve been on the peripheral of this over the years, but now, being a part of the, I guess, behind the scenes operations, it’s really fulfilling to you know work together towards, you know, the strategic goals we have for the business and and also working with the great team members that we have.

Lyn Wineman: 14:15

Yeah, thanks for that, Neil. I just broke one of my cardinal podcasting rules. I generally let everyone know what the content of the podcast is going to be, and I completely surprised Neil with that question, and with his typical grace and eloquence he answered it perfectly and graciously. So thanks for that, Neil.

Neil Wineman: 14:39

You got it.

Katie Ripa: 14:41

Hi, I’m Katie Ripa, Account Director at KidGlov. Lyn. I would love to hear about a moment during a podcast interview when you felt a deep sense of fulfillment from the impact a business has had on others.

Lyn Wineman: 14:57

Wow, Katie, that is such a good question and, just like earlier when I was talking with Katherine, it’s so hard to narrow it down to just one. But if I think about a big moment during the podcast that I will always remember, it will be when I was interviewing Dave Newell from the Children’s Home Society of Washington, which has recently rebranded to Akin, and oddly it was a very strange day in that there was a blizzard and it was during the pandemic and we were working from home and I had extended family I think I had four people working in my house and I had a brand new podcast microphone and it was picking up all the little noises. So I, in a moment of panic, literally pulled my microphone into my closet with all of my clothes hanging behind me and my shoes around me on the floor, and I did the podcast from my closet. I spoke with Dave Newell, their CEO, who is a lovely human. We talked about all of the amazing things their organization does and at some point during the podcast Dave said Lyn, do you know what’s happening nationally right now? And I was like no, I have no idea. I’m sitting here in my closet, you know, in this soundproof area, trying to record a podcast. And he said, Lyn, they’ve just breached the Capitol. And so it was January 6th. And so not only was it a moving podcast, it was a crazy day. Dave Newell and I now have this memory together and we email each other on January 6th and say remember that day, and we have a little conversation.

Lyn Wineman: 16:49

But it also takes me back, that little cue, to just thinking about that great nonprofit that started 130 years ago in adoption and foster care that’s now doing so much for kids and families across the state of Washington. And before you move on, I got to tell you two more. I’ve had the chance to interview two executive directors of food banks: the Food Bank of Lincoln and the Food Bank of the Heartland, and they both serve a little bit differently, but just thinking about how lucky I am in that I don’t think I’ve ever really known food scarcity or hunger. And to think about, you know, that’s such a basic need for families, and to think that you know we had the ability to tell the story of food banks that are doing such good work is important too. So those are three. If you’re going back to listen to podcasts, those are three that I would highly recommend and um, but there’s so many more. I could go on, but I won’t.

Katie Ripa: 18:01

All three of those are so memorable on different levels. Love it. Thank you, okay. Next up, I have a question from Josh French, and he wants to know what’s been the key to your success in both digital marketing and podcasting, and how do you integrate the two to amplify your message and reach.

Lyn Wineman: 18:31

Josh is one of the few people I know who also hosted a podcast that had over 200 episodes and, being with our friends at Zova Marketing, knows a lot about digital marketing.

Lyn Wineman: 18:44

I think. When I think about the key to success in digital marketing and in podcasting, I think it’s kind of that classic blend of staying on top of the latest trends and knowing what’s going on. I mean both digital marketing and podcasting. Like the way people are interacting with content. What they’re looking for in content is changing all the time and you have to be on top of the technology. But that alone is not enough, and I think sometimes it’s so easy to get caught up in what’s going on with the algorithm and what are the trends that you forget about the classic marketing question of what is your goal and who is your audience and how are you going to make it work. So I think you know, blending that classic understanding and focus with the staying on top of what’s fresh and new is the perfect combination for success in both of those areas. So, Josh, thanks for the great question.

Katie Ripa: 19:49

Thanks, Lyn. I love your responses and such great work on this podcast.

Haley Wineman: 19:56

Hi. I’m Haley Wineman, Account Manager at KidGlov. Lyn. How do you feel Agency for Change has evolved since you started it and what impact do you think it has had on listeners and the guests you’ve interviewed?

Lyn Wineman: 20:11

Haley, can I tell you a secret, to you and all of our podcast listeners? My secret is when I recorded the first episode, I was terrified. And when I recorded the second episode and the third and the 10th and maybe even the 50th, like I just I was so, first of all, I was so nervous that people were going to write in and complain about my voice. So if you’re listening to this, don’t write in and complain about my voice. But nobody ever has, and you know how you feel weird about your voice. But it’s just different. I’m used to being behind the scenes for our clients and being on a podcast is very much about being out front, even though we’re interviewing change makers. So I think the biggest change, quite frankly, we’ve kept the format the same. We’ve asked similar questions in all of them. I think the main difference is I’ve gone from being terrified to when I wake up in the morning and I see there’s a podcast recording on my schedule. I am really excited about it because I can’t wait to hear and tell someone else’s story.

Haley Wineman: 21:20

Cool, that’s a great answer. Next, Lana Temple-Plotz has a few questions for you.

Lyn Wineman: 21:28

Okay, I’m going to interrupt and say I’ve known Lana Temple-Plotz since she was in college. We went to college together and she’s always been an overachiever, so it does not surprise me that she’s asked three questions.

Haley Wineman: 21:43

Great. Well, here we go. One, how has your approach to leadership changed as you’ve grown as a leader? Two, what is the overriding theme you’ve gleaned from all the leaders you’ve interviewed on your podcast? And three, what’s one daily practice you cultivate that keeps you grounded and curious?

Lyn Wineman: 22:05

Oh, so good, All so good. Lana, thank you for those. So my approach to leadership, I think, has evolved by me becoming more of a servant leader, and I was first introduced to the concept of servant leadership when I participated in a program called Leadership Lincoln, and Dean Finnegan was the leader of that effort, and she taught us all about servant leadership. And those ideas then grew when I read what is still my favorite book on leadership. It’s Simon Sinek’s Leaders Eat Last, which is all about how the leaders are in charge of carrying the water for the team to make sure people have what they need to do their jobs. And so, to take that into the second part of the question, which is what is an overriding theme I’ve gleaned from leaders that have been on the podcast, I think the consistent thread is that they all care so deeply and they all have the belief that they can make a difference, and so I think what makes the stories in the podcast so powerful, then, is it’s all about them exhibiting that great care and really sharing their vision for making a difference, which you know, once again, as the host of this Agency for Change podcast, I feel so lucky to interact.

Lyn Wineman: 23:36

And then the third part one daily practice that keeps me grounded and curious. This might sound a little woo woo right, but since we started the podcast during the pandemic and it was a very stressful and, I think, isolating time for most of us during the pandemic I picked up a habit of daily meditation and even had the luxury of doing meditation midday, and I just think that getting in touch with your thoughts and calming your mind at different times throughout the day is very helpful. So, and then, when your mind is calm, then you can be more curious. So I think that it has that benefit as well. So I do try, and I love that KidGlov in our Lincoln office has a meditation space that people can go into and and I’m glad that I can go into that and and have that daily practice.

Lyn Wineman: 24:35

And, Haley, can I turn the tables on you and ask you a question? So some of our KidGlov team is based in Nebraska, but as we grow we now have team members in other parts of the country. You’re coming to us from Portland, Oregon. What’s it like being part of a remote part of the team?

Haley Wineman: 25:05

I love being a remote team member at KidGlov. As much as I really, really, really love Lincoln, Nebraska, and being shoulder to shoulder with my coworkers, having the freedom to step outside and see all the beautiful nature in Portland, like your midday meditation, it really helps me kind of clear my mind. If it’s been a busy day I’m been in and out of a ton of meetings, being able to be in a space that I feel very grounded in helps me a lot too. So I’m thankful to have that freedom and our team does a really great job of even though we’re not face-to-face all the time, being connected in so many different ways.

Lyn Wineman: 25:44

Ah, that’s wonderful. Thank you for sharing that. It’s the second time on this podcast I’ve broken my rule of asking surprise questions that you weren’t expecting, and so thank you for giving us that tidbit of information, Haley.

Lexie Moore: 26:02

Hi. I’m Lexie Moore, Senior Account Manager here at KidGlov. Lyn. You always ask our guests for an inspiring quote. What are your favorite words of wisdom for our listeners?

Lyn Wineman: 26:13

Oh, Lexie, I love asking this question and it’s much harder to answer the question right. But I’ve thought about this a little bit, because I obviously knew it was coming, and the thing that I’ve been thinking about lately which leads to the quote or the words of wisdom that I’m going to share is that everyone intends to do the right thing in the moment, and the reason I believe that is because I think that when you’re in a situation or a conversation, or you’re observing other people, I do believe in the good in people, and I do believe everybody intends to do their best, and I think we all come to a situation with things that are, you know, below the surface or behind the mask, and we don’t always know what’s going on with other people, and so sometimes that thing doesn’t work the way they intend or it doesn’t land the way they intend, but I do want to believe in people’s good intentions.

Lexie Moore: 27:24

I love that. What a great thing to think about throughout our days. Next, I have a question from Cristina Amigoni, and she wanted to know what is your favorite thing about hosting your podcast and what motivates you to keep doing it.

Lyn Wineman: 27:38

I love my friend, Cristina Amigoni and honestly she’s part of the reason that I love doing the podcast because we got to know each other, because we did each other’s podcasts and we had so much fun in those two conversations that even though we live in different states, we now are good friends and we work together whenever we can and whenever I’m in Colorado we get together and someday I’m going to convince her to come to Nebraska so we can get together in Nebraska as well. But I have loved the opportunity to talk to so many interesting, passionate people that are just doing good things to make the world a better place that when I get up in the morning and I see a podcast on my schedule, I get really excited about getting into the office and setting up my microphone and and having that great conversation.

Ashley Stuhr: 28:45

Hello, I’m Ashley Stuhr, Creative Director at KidGlov. Lyn. I want to know about your experience recording your very first podcast. Were you nervous, and what lessons have you learned since then about encouraging guests to open up during interviews?

Lyn Wineman: 29:01

Ashley, I was so nervous, I was so nervous. Our very first guest is your friend and mine, Jen Landis, and at the time Jen was with us at KidGlov as a Creative Director at KidGlov and she she already had done her own podcast, so she knew what she was doing. So she was the perfect first guest because she could watch for the technology. I think in the first 20 or 25 episodes I was so nervous that I would forget to hit record or that I wouldn’t have my microphone on right and that we’d have to redo it. And the amazing thing is, in 200 podcasts I think there’s only one that we had to rerecord and that was because on the guests in their recording device didn’t work very well. So I was very nervous about that. I mentioned this earlier to someone else’s question. But I was also nervous that people were going to call in and complain about me having a terrible voice. I just was so nervous about my voice.

Lyn Wineman: 30:15

But now I just do everything I can to make a guest feel comfortable. I try to have some banter in the beginning. I try to let them know all the things that are going to happen. I let them know that we do some light editing, so if they mess up we’ll fix it. But you know, I think the best advice I have for any guest and it’s something I do myself when I go on other people’s podcasts is to read through the questions, kind of get your notes together, have your facts together if you want to, you know, share a fact or something, but don’t go too deep into preparing because you don’t want to sound too mechanical. So that’s how it’s changed over the years and now I just have fun, Ashley. I just look forward to having fun, yeah.

Ashley Stuhr: 31:11

I love that. That’s such a good tip. I also have a question from Dr Helen Fagan. How has your approach to business changed as your organization has grown?

Lyn Wineman: 31:21

Absolutely so, Dr. Fagan, or Helen, as I’ve come to know her also. I met through the podcast. She’s been on twice now. She’s written one of my favorite books. I mentioned her earlier today but she’s just a fantastic human. I think that my approach to business, even just in the last 12 months, has changed, based upon something I’ve become familiar with called the Working Genius from Patrick Lencioni and Ashley. I know you know this because we talk about it.

Lyn Wineman: 31:57

Yeah, we talk about it all the time at KidGlov and where I am right now is based on this working genius framework and anybody who wants to look it up, just Google Table Group Working Genius. What it’s taught me is not to try and change who I am, and also not to try and change who other people are either. We all have unique gifts and strengths, and we also all have things that we’re not great at. So, instead of investing our time in getting better at the things we’re not great at, I am such a huge believer in investing our time in doing the things we are uniquely talented to do and finding another person on the team that can help us with the others. So it’s kind of a revelation, but I I’m really intrigued with this idea right now.

Ashley Stuhr: 32:58

Yeah, I love working genius and how we’ve been using it at KidGlov. It’s great to be able to phone a friend when you’re frustrated.

Lyn Wineman: 33:07

Yeah. Ashley, thanks for the great questions.

Ashley Stuhr: 33:12

Yeah, of course, Lyn, it was great talking to you.

Erin Clark: 33:18

I’m Erin Clark, KidGlov’s Senior Art Director. My question for Lyn is what was a moment from your past that has left a lasting impression on your years down the road.

Lyn Wineman: 33:32

Oh, Erin, that is such a good question and such a hard question because I feel like my life is flashing before my eyes right now. So I think there’s probably one that stands out most for me at KidGlov and that is when we were a fairly new business, I had a client handed to me and it was at a time I mean, when you’re in a startup business, you always need new business it was at a time when we really could use the business, but the client just wasn’t the right fit. As a matter of fact, you know, I’ve always believed that you should never do anything that you wouldn’t want to tell your kids about or your family about, and I ended up declining the client because I felt like I had a philosophical difference with what they were doing and I wouldn’t be able to do my best work and I wouldn’t be proud of the work. So you know, I think that as a business owner, as hard as it is, there are some times when you have to say no to an opportunity that’s not the right fit.

Lyn Wineman: 34:54

I think that’s why today I’m so focused on KidGlov putting a megaphone in front of those who are doing good in the world, because I think that that is the type of client that we can all on our team get behind and want to support.

Erin Clark: 35:13

That’s a great answer. Okay, we also have a question from Maddy Hager to finish out this episode. What advice would you give your 30 year old self?

Lyn Wineman: 35:28

Oh well, this must be looking forward, since I’m not 30 yet, right? Okay, we all know that’s a joke. I’m well beyond 30. I think I would tell my 30 year old self is that you are okay, you are enough. I think that I have struggled with a lifetime of probably negative self-talk and feeling like I’m not good enough, I’m not ready yet. And the reality is we’re all good enough, we’re all ready and, yes, we should always be in a mode of learning and improving. But you know, we need to learn to be accepting of ourselves and maybe a little bit more gentle.

Lyn Wineman: 36:24

That actually makes me think of a quote from one of our early guests, and I don’t have it in front of me, so I might mangle this slightly, but I think I’m pretty close. But Jennifer Knecht, who is a dear friend of mine and was a client of KidGlov’s, was on the podcast in our first year and her quote was something to the effect of you can listen to the mean voice in your head or you can tell that voice it’s wrong and stop listening. And I think that’s such a great quote and such a great advice for so many of us, and so that’s how I would answer that question.

Lyn Wineman: 37:02

Maddy Hager, if you’re listening, thank you for the great question and, Erin, I wonder if I could ask you a question. I know you’re not planning on this, but I have a question for you. So, Erin, if you don’t mind me mentioning this, you are scheduled to have a new baby on June 18th, and we are very excited about this. This 200th episode of the podcast is scheduled to come out on June 13th. Do you have a prediction for which will come first, the baby or the podcast?

Erin Clark: 37:45

Well, physically, I hope the baby comes first. However, I don’t know if I’m mentally prepared, so I might need this podcast to get me through.

Lyn Wineman: 37:55

Okay, thank you for being willing to answer a personal question on the podcast. I appreciate you asking questions today. As we wrap up this 200th episode, I just need to say thank you. Thank you to the KidGlov team for being my partner in crime in putting together 200 episodes of the podcast. I want to thank everyone who submitted questions and asked questions today, and I want to thank you, our listeners, for being a part of this journey. I fully believe the world needs more people like you.

Announcer: 38:54

We hope you enjoyed today’s Agency for Change podcast. To hear all our interviews with those who are making a change in our community or to nominate a changemaker you’d like to hear from, visit kidglov.com at K-I-D-G-L-O-V.com to get in touch, as always. If you like what you’ve heard today, be sure to rate, review, subscribe and share. Thanks for listening and we’ll see you next time.