Case Study

Clarifying the founder’s role to accelerate growth

Culture Craft

“Generic business advice is useless. Categorically useless. Situational business advice proven from similar situations is the only thing worth paying for. If it’s delivered in a way that you can actually hear, own, and implement? That’s why I keep writing Brad’s check each quarter.”

Nick Richtsmeier, Founder at CultureCraft

CultureCraft is a brand house. The mostly Colorado-based team of creatives provide high-level brand strategy and management, website design, and corporate ID and experiences. They’ve been helping clients turn audiences into communities for the past three years and have a pretty phenomenal set of values: curiosity, plurality, and grit & grace. 

After meeting Brad in a networking group, Nick sought out Brad’s services a couple of years into his work at CultureCraft. When he talks about Brad’s coaching support he points to an ecosystem impact – “when you’re getting really good support, it helps every aspect of your life.”

What’s different at CultureCraft because of your work with Brad?

Brad helped me get clear about the value our team provides. I also have a much better understanding of my role as a founder and principal, including who I need on my team and how to support them.

“I’m a big believer that the most successful people are, in part, successful because they have incredibly strong support systems and Brad is a critical piece of my support system. I don’t believe in the great man theory; people get to be great because they stand on the shoulders of people like Brad.”

Nick Richtsmeier, Founding Principal

What’s your favorite thing about working with Brad?

This probably isn’t the best marketing quote, but it’s true: Brad is incredibly kind.

It’s rare in the business world to find someone with such deep insight and also so much compassion. If I’m having a terrible week, I look forward to meeting with Brad even more than usual. And it’s not because he’s going to give me happy-rainbow answers. I look forward to meeting with him because he’s going to help me address the situation that I’m struggling with and he’s going to do it in a way that makes me feel supported.

How would you describe Brad’s services to a colleague?

Brad works alongside agency owners, founders, and executives, helping them understand what’s needed of them on both a human level and a leadership level to get where they want to go.
As leaders, we have a tendency to externalize – this client is driving me nuts, this employee is so tough, the economy sucks; Brad’s magical skill is his ability to say, okay, but all those problems out there are actually just mirrors, which is great news, because we can impact what’s going on internally – that we can change.

And if you had to describe Brad’s services in just three words?

Strategic, incredibly personal, and proven.

“Proven” is really important. Agencies are very weird places and Brad knows them inside and out. When I tell him about an issue I’m running into, Brad’s never like “oh, maybe you could try this” he’s like “yep, I’ve seen this before and this is how people address it.” Like any good guide, Brad is taking you where he’s already been. He knows where the footfalls are and he shows you the path with humility and grace.