HPP Episode 41 - Find a Way to Say Yes With James Boettcher

When James Boettcher was just starting out as a young entrepreneur, the new business he had just bought burned to the ground right before opening day – after he had already invested all of his loan money in renovations. That was Fiasco Gelato, a now-thriving purpose-driven enterprise. James explains how he persevered to bring Fiasco to where it is today, and the benefits of Fiasco’s flexible and humanistic workplace culture.

• James says Fiasco Gelato isn’t really a gelato company, even though they do make delicious desserts. Kevin and James discuss purpose and how entrepreneurs can build something bigger than themselves for their communities.
• It’s the little things that matter in creating a purposeful workplace culture – and you never know what little thing is going to matter most, to whom, when. James shares some of the not-so-little things that Fiasco Gelato does, from providing every employee with free lunch every day, to running a breakfast program for schoolchildren in the community, to simply making sure the employees have good coffee to drink!
• Have you ever heard of a business where employees are free to leave at any time if something comes up in their personal lives? What about a business where employees still get paid, even if they go travelling in Europe for six weeks? Kevin and James discuss how employees are treated differently at Fiasco, and how a flexible and understanding philosophy allows workers and enterprise to thrive together.
• James has a saying – “find a way to yes.” People often find reasons not to do things, or reasons why things are impossible. James says that we need to focus on finding a way we can say yes instead.
• “Workplace culture” is a buzzword these days – but what does it mean? James says it is the DNA of your organization – what your organization does when no one is looking. He shares some of the specific things Fiasco does differently.
• For more information about Fiasco or to hear more from James, follow @jamesboettcher on Twitter, @fiascogelato on Instagram, or visit www.fiascogelato.ca.
• If you or someone you know is interested in bringing the benefits of innovative workplace culture to your enterprise, let us know! Email Kevin at kevin@higherpurposepodcast.com.