Culture Over Coffee
Welcome to Culture Over Coffee, a podcast focused on improving company culture and fostering employee engagement hosted by Beth Sunshine, SVP/Partner at Up Your Culture. Every week we chat with experts and thought leaders about the latest proven practices that succeed in reducing regrettable turnover, increasing productivity and retaining key customers. So, pour a cup of your favorite brew and join us. Up Your Culture, an employee engagement and company culture firm, was designed by The Center for Sales Strategy which has almost 40 years of experience improving business performance.
All Episodes
Culture Snapshot: Almost Leaders - From Good Intentions to Real Leadership Impact
What separates almost leaders from always leaders? In this Culture Snapshot, Beth explores how small gaps in consistency (missed feedback, delayed recognition, or forgotten check-ins) can quietly erode engagement, and how one extra step can transform trust, culture, and results. Evaluate Your Company Culture: https://uyc.thecenterforsalesstrategy.com/quick-culture-assessment Beth Sunshine: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethsunshine/ Culture Over Coffee: https://uyc.thecenterforsalesstrategy.com/culture-over-coffee-podcast Up Your Culture: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethsunshine/The CEO as Listener-in-Chief: What Executives Really Hear (and Miss) from Employees
In this episode of Culture Over Coffee, Catherine Badalamente, President and CEO of Graham Media Group, joins Beth to talk about what it really means to lead as listener-in-chief, and how active listening can strengthen trust, reveal hidden cultural challenges, and help employees thrive. Catherine shares powerful takeaways including: - Why real listening goes beyond surveys and meetings - How to make it a daily intentional practice - How toxic high performers quietly erode the culture - And what leaders can do to hold people accountable without sacrificing performance. Catherine Badalamente: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherinebadalamente/ Graham Media Group: https://www.grahammedia.com/ Evaluate Your Company Culture: https://uyc.thecenterforsalesstrategy.com/quick-culture-assessment Beth Sunshine: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethsunshine/ Culture Over Coffee: https://uyc.thecenterforsalesstrategy.com/culture-over-coffee-podcast Up Your Culture: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethsunshine/Culture Snapshot: Culture Debt - The Hidden Cost of Neglecting People Problems
In this quick-hit Culture Snapshot, Beth spends a few minutes breaking down a powerful concept every leader should understand: culture debt. Much like financial or technical debt, culture debt builds up when we avoid tough conversations, ignore toxic behaviors, or push past early signs of burnout. Beth shares relatable, real-world examples of how culture debt sneaks into teams and outlines practical ways to start addressing it. You’ll learn why dealing with issues early is the best investment you can make in trust, engagement, and long-term team health. Evaluate Your Company Culture: https://uyc.thecenterforsalesstrategy.com/quick-culture-assessment Beth Sunshine: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethsunshine/ Culture Over Coffee: https://uyc.thecenterforsalesstrategy.com/culture-over-coffee-podcast Up Your Culture: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethsunshine/Culture Snapshot: How Often Are You Actually Giving Feedback?
Feedback fuels growth, but most employees aren’t getting enough of it. In this quick Culture Snapshot episode, Beth takes a few minutes to explore what data from ENGAGE 2025: The Company Culture Report reveals about the frequency and quality of workplace feedback. Also, she offers bits of actionable advice to help leaders make feedback a consistent, impactful habit. ENGAGE 2025: The Company Culture Report: https://uyc.thecenterforsalesstrategy.com/company-culture-report Beth Sunshine: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethsunshine/ Culture Over Coffee: https://uyc.thecenterforsalesstrategy.com/culture-over-coffee-podcast Up Your Culture: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethsunshine/