{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Give a Damn: Why Caring Companies Win in Business |  Justin Ricklefs","description":"The Brands That Win Care More. In baseball, you can feel when a team cares. You walk into the clubhouse\u2026 You watch how players treat the equipment manager\u2026 You see the energy in batting practice. You know immediately. The same thing happens in business. Customers can feel when a company actually gives a damn. And when they do\u2026 they become your biggest promoters. In this episode of WINNERS FIND A WAY, Trent Clark sits down with Justin Ricklefs, founder of Guild Collective and author of Give a Damn, to talk about the real competitive advantage in business today: human connection. Justin shares how brands win when they stop shouting about their products\u2026 and start telling stories that connect with people. This conversation covers: \u2022 Why your brand story matters more than your marketing budget \u2022 The biggest mistake companies make when communicating with customers \u2022 Why Chick-fil-A, Nike, and Apple dominate through emotional connection \u2022 How great leaders build companies that people actually care about \u2022 The power of customer delight in a noisy marketplace As Justin says:  \u201cYour brand is the story people tell about you when you're not in the room.\u201d Winners Find a Way_ Guest-Justi\u2026  The question every leader should ask is simple: What story are people telling about your company?   ABOUT THE GUEST Justin Ricklefs is the Founder and CEO of Guild Collective, a Human-First brand agency helping organizations grow through clarity, connection, and creativity. Before launching Guild Collective, Justin spent years working in sports organizations including the Kansas City Chiefs, helping build partnerships and revenue through strategic storytelling. Justin is also the author of Give a Damn: The Catalyst for Caring Companies, a book that challenges businesses to rediscover the power of caring about customers, employees, and community. He lives in Kansas City with his wife Brooke and their five children.   RESOURCES MENTIONED Justin Ricklefs Website: https:\/\/guildcollective.com Book: Give a Damn Connect with Justin LinkedIn: https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/justinricklefs\/   WATCH \/ LISTEN TO THE EPISODE \ud83d\udcfa YouTube https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@leadershipity \ud83c\udfa7 Podcast Page https:\/\/podcast.winnersfindaway.us\/podcast&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; Our friend Andy Whittier is chasing his Olympic dream in Skeleton for the 2026 Winter Olympics \u2014 a sport where athletes race head-first down an ice track at nearly 80\u201390 mph. Olympic athletes often fund much of this journey themselves. If you'd like to support Andy and the mission, you can contribute here: \ud83d\udc49 Support the Olympic Journey https:\/\/trent-clark.com\/olympic--2026 &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; ","author_name":"Winners Find a Way","author_url":"http:\/\/WFAW.libsyn.com\/website","html":"<iframe title=\"Libsyn Player\" style=\"border: none\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/40350175\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/yes\/direction\/forward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/88AA3C\/\" height=\"90\" width=\"600\" scrolling=\"no\"  allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen><\/iframe>","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/assets.libsyn.com\/secure\/content\/199350585"}