You know when a company brags about its “great culture,” but the employees look dead inside? That’s because culture isn’t what leaders say it is — it’s what customers feel. In this episode, Mark Rampolla, founder of ZICO Coconut Water and managing partner at Ground Force Capital, tells us how culture quietly shapes every customer interaction. From Liquid Death’s branding genius to why “culture fit” hiring is a terrible idea, Mark breaks down what it really takes to build a company people actually want to engage with.

We also dive into the “need behind the need” (AKA why customers don’t buy what you’re selling but what it does for them). Mark shares how ZICO won over yoga studios by solving problems beyond hydration and why understanding where your customers make their money is the key to selling. If your culture, hiring, or customer experience feels off, this conversation holds the solution you’re looking for.

Key Moments:

00:00 Who is Mark Rampolla, founder of ZICO & managing partner at GroundForce Capital?
01:02 Building a Movement
02:13 Why Company Culture Matters
03:35 Culture in Action: Real-World Examples
08:27 Hiring a Culture Add & Customer Obsession
17:36 Assessing and Evolving Company Culture
24:42 Understanding the Need Behind the Need
25:06 Real-World Examples of Customer Empathy
26:17 Building Relationships with Yoga Studios
29:31 Marketing Strategies and ROI
31:34 Hypothesis Testing & the Opportunities in Operational Failure
38:17 Active Listening and Empathy in Business
41:24 Impressive Brand Experiences
43:18 Mark’s Key Advice for CX Leaders

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