Moe and David Munson discuss the story of Saddleback Leather and how to build a business with purpose.
The Purpose of a Business isn’t Just a Customer
With so much being made of the lack of workplace engagement these days, it’s gratifying when a member of an organization thinks so highly of his leader, that he wants to share his approach with the world. Before Saddleback Leather founder and current president, Dave Munson was nominated for an interview with 33voices, none of us had heard of his company, but once we started to learn about the people behind the brand, we were hooked.
It’s rare indeed to chronicle the trajectory of a remarkable human being with the sincerest of intent to contribute to the wellbeing of society. The Dave Munson the world sees as the face of his Texas Leather company is certainly one to emulate, still it pales in comparison to the guy who shows up each day with the singular objective of uplifting the nearly 400 people who make his brand distinct. They love him because he cares. They follow him because they share his vision; and they work for him because he injects meaning and in each of their lives.
Before you listen to my conversation with Munson, I urge you to take a second and head over to the ‘contact us’ section of Saddleback’s webpage. What won’t surprise you is the ease of access to their customer support team, but what’s likely to catch you off guard is this opening statement – “we love our people here at Saddleback and their dignity is far more important than selling a bag. If someone is bullying by yelling or cursing at or threatening them in any way, that person will be fired as a customer. There are plenty of other bag companies who could really use their money and who don’t care so much about their people. By us banning them, it should help them make the purchasing decision between them and us so much easier.” Take a listen to what happens when a leader uses the “L—” word to describe his relationship with his team:
The correlation between gratitude and human integrity
Why within each struggle lies answers that few of us can see
The early years inside a business with a purpose
Why marketing is as much subtraction as it is about growth
Leadership and Faith – the mystery
How an upstart luxury brand gets the attention of its behemoth competitors
What is a great life