Ep. 16 | Building Culture: The Uncomfortable, Dirty Work That Actually Makes It Stick
Building culture—but not the fluffy, feel-good version. We're getting into the practical, uncomfortable, dirty work that actually makes culture stick.
It's our first in-person episode at Not All Business! Heather & Blakely welcome Nicole Christensen, founder of CrossFit Roots in Boulder, Colorado, to our brand new studio. Nicole has built one of the top-performing CrossFit gyms in the country, but this episode isn't really about fitness—it's about the intentional, sometimes uncomfortable work of building culture that actually lasts.
Nicole doesn't shy away from the uncomfortable parts. She talks about "adult parenting"—teaching grown professionals basic standards like showing up on time and not cheating their reps. She explains why fairness doesn't mean equality, how to have hard conversations without shit sandwiches, and why protecting your culture sometimes means saying no to opportunities.
Key Takeaways:
Why "You're Not Special" Builds Stronger Teams - Treating everyone equally creates trust; making exceptions destroys credibility
The Hard Conversation Formula - How to hold people accountable without being a jerk (Nicole's done this 10,000 times)
Why Etiquette Matters More Than You Think - In a world where people can go entire days without human interaction, setting behavioral standards is an act of care
The Teaching Gap - Why most leaders skip the most critical step between defining standards and expecting compliance
What Makes People Stay 15+ Years - It's not about the product—it's about the standards you refuse to compromise
Follow Nicole:
Connect with Nicole: https://www.instagram.com/nicchristensen/
Follow CrossFit Roots: https://www.instagram.com/crossfitroots/
CrossFit Roots: https://crossfitroots.com/
Book Recommendation: Leading with the Heart: Coach K's Successful Strategies for Basketball, Business, and Life (https://a.co/d/66jBncz)
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