Connections

“Connections.” A simple yet powerful theme that defined every interaction at this year's Small Giants Community #SGCSummit2025.

Looking back, we’ve been involved with this community for nearly a decade.

Right out of the gate, Annie Gough greeted me warmly and welcomed me to the opening reception for the summit.

Once inside the room, my first deep conversation was with Paul Spiegelman . I sincerely appreciate the openness and vulnerability we can share, especially with weighty topics in life. We have several common bonds, and he graciously allowed me to share parts of my therapy journey on his Small Giants podcast, Growing with Purpose. I’m ready for round two, my friend, if you ever need a repeat guest!

Right after, I got to say hi to Bo Burlingham . He’s one of those people who immediately makes me smile when I see him. I could spend hours talking with him and never get bored or run out of subject matter. If it weren’t for his interest in purpose-driven businesses, which inspired the book Small Giants, none of us would have gathered here this week. I can say with certainty that my organization would not be where it is today without the community that developed from it.

After some enjoyable table conversation with Brad Herrmann (I wish you weren’t so shy and reserved), the night ended on the highest of notes with gigantic hugs from some of my best friends, JOHN J COSTELLO , and Beck Sydow 🤠 . I also can’t thank them enough for their genuine care and consideration for my health and well-being throughout the conference. It truly felt like being watched over by siblings who deeply care.

Day 1 began powerfully

Megan Gluth delivered an open and vulnerable keynote, challenging us to reflect deeply on our honesty with ourselves. Personally, I recognized some inner work to tackle—and clearly, I wasn't alone.

Next, we had a chance to make a new connection at our table through a quick exercise. Lance Shipp and I paired up and quickly discovered that “childhood” would be our connecting word throughout the summit. We both grew up in a time when you played outdoors and drank from the hose from sunrise until sunset. It reminded me of simpler times…

We then broke off into the CEO track, where one of my best friends, Hai Nguyen , treated us to an exercise that involved answering a few deep questions. He even printed them out for us tarot card style (see my two questions in the image at the top of the article) and let us keep them. 

But even more importantly, Hai and I had some time to talk, and he shared some beautiful writing with me that touched me so deeply that I am printing it out and hanging it in my home so I can reflect on it every day.

At lunch, I briefly said hello to my friend John Abrams , who graciously donated copies of his new book, From Founder to Future. The book may contain a small blurb about my journey to employee ownership at WEBIT (pages 122-123, if you’re wondering). Thank you, John, for being a friend to so many and a beacon of light in the push for employee equity.

The afternoon session started with a fun yet thought-provoking exercise created by my friend Carl Erickson . We charted inflection points in our personal and business lives while mapping out roles we’ve played and how they connect with our legacy. I’m still thinking about that exercise this weekend, and I’m looking forward to discussing a few things with Carl that came up in conversation later in the summit.  

I also had the pleasure of working through the legacy exercise with my friend and mentor Tom Walter , who was also extremely gracious with the community by giving everyone a copy of his book, It’s My Company Too! He was also the OG CEO inductee last year into the Small Giants Hall of Fame, and as humble as he is, he probably also cringes reading this about himself.

There are so many big hearts in the Small Giants Community that you would think a cardiologist would be the perfect event sponsor! 😊

Later in the afternoon, we were treated to a fireside chat involving two more friends. An open vulnerability was present as Christopher Arnold expertly navigated a discussion with my buddy, my pal, Steve 😁 Krull . Even though I already knew most of his story, it was still difficult not to tear up as he shared the ups and downs of his business and personal life with us and how he managed to navigate some very challenging times in his life.

Sadly, I missed the evening dinner and Hall of Fame inductee ceremony due to some health issues. It was a joyous event, though, as my mentor and brother from another mother, Rob Dube , was inducted into the Small Giants Hall of Fame! He was recognized for all his efforts in building ImageOne to be a great organization, along with the enormous impact he’s had on the Small Giants community at large. You can try, but you likely won’t find another human who is as caring, humble, and giving as much as Rob. He has impacted my life so much that it’s impossible to put it into words. And I’m sure if he’s reading this, it’s making him very uncomfortable. I sit in that awkwardness with you, my brother!

I am also very grateful for my friendship with Hamsa Yaqo , the OG former Executive Director for Small Giants. I appreciate the offer to tour Kintsugi Village Detroit the next time I am in town this summer and will definitely take you up on it. You are amazing, and I know this venture with Paul will change many lives.

Day 2 started just as strong

We kicked it off with a Hall of Fame Keynote Panel, and two things really stood out to me. First, I absolutely loved hearing Sabrina White speak about how Hai and Brad have given her space to grow into her leadership role at Text-Em-All. So many businesses struggle with helping their next-generation leaders grow into their new and expanded roles, and it was powerful to hear her talk about that journey. It reinforced the need for our next-generation leaders to enroll in the Small Giants Leadership Academy, and we already have four candidates at WEBIT Services, Inc. identified for the 2026 and 2027 cohorts.

The other thing that stood out was when Rob turned the tables a bit and asked Paul about his journey in business, one in which he could have retired a few times already but instead continues to reinvent himself and invest in opportunities (such as Kintsugi Village). Paul said he’s always “chasing purpose,” which resonated with me about as much as anything ever said at the Summit. The word retirement doesn’t exist in my vocabulary, and I would be willing to bet that most Small Giants feel the same way (at least the ones who don’t wash out after one Summit!).

Over at the CEO track, my good friend Deanna Corbo Walker led us in a Think Tank session that honestly could have been a full-day event on its own. At our table, we had at least three significant challenges presented, and given the time, we could have easily come up with half a dozen more.

We had a working lunch, during which discussions continued. Before the afternoon sessions began, I got to catch up with Ben Power to see how things were going north of the 60th parallel. It’s safe to say I wouldn’t do well during periods of 24-hour darkness (or 24 hours of sunlight, for that matter). I don't know how you do it Ben!

Before the afternoon session began, I was able to speak briefly with my good friend Jennifer Trakhtenberg . Honestly, if this were the only conversation I had during the entire Summit, it would have been worth the price of admission. Without getting into details, she shared with me some things that have given me a new track to pursue with my medical issues, and I will forever be grateful for our friendship.

The last part of the Summit involved three different “long short stories” that were all brilliant in their own unique way. But no one could have predicted Travis Slisher breaking into a rock/rap rendition of Linkin Park’s In the End. Not only did you nail every word, but your timing and delivery were on point, too. I think, in the end, it does matter!

Not to be left out, other highlights included conversations with Sara Habib ( Sam Adiv , we missed you this year, but congratulations on your newborn!), Emily Hicks-Rotella , Josh Britton , and Tom McCrary .

Going to the Summit isn’t solely about meeting people with whom you already have close relationships. It’s about making new connections and fostering them. This year, I had the privilege of becoming friends with Janee' Beville, MA LPC , Nancy Holtze MCC , Mark Tucker, SHRM-CP , and Darius Lana, Ph.D. (your long short story was amazing!).

There was no better way to end the Summit than by going out to dinner with some local friends and friends from across the pond. BBQ with Beck Sydow 🤠 , Nawal Motawi , Andrei Stoica , Joe Tabet , Jean Moncrieff , and his lovely daughter, whom I met for the first time (and now podcast producer!) Courtney Moncrieff .

I want to give a special thanks to Jean for being so thoughtful and bringing me a box of real Swiss chocolates (they were absolutely magnificent!) and to Joe for always bringing a smile to my face and being one of the warmest, kindest, most sincere friends I have. Whether at the Summit or Rob’s retreat, I always look forward to sharing time and space with you and partaking in deep, meaningful conversations.

Last but certainly not least, by any measure, thank you, Heidi Baumgart , Kathryn Sowa , and Bridget Bateman , for putting on an extraordinary Summit this year. I know how much time and effort go into planning this event, and you did an outstanding job. The Small Giants Community is in great hands, and I can’t wait to see where you take us.

If I missed anyone or forgot a tag or a story, my sincerest apologies. I tried to write down as much as possible in the moment or at breaks, but sometimes, things slip through, and my memory doesn’t serve me like it used to. Any omission is unintentional, and I welcome you to add to this story for all to see and share.

Reflecting on these days, I'm reminded that genuine connection, vulnerability, and shared purpose are not just nice to have—they’re essential. This Summit affirmed my belief that authentic community transforms not only businesses but also our personal journeys.

Were you at #SGCSummit2025? I'd love to hear your highlights and the connections that most impacted you!