The Core Value Equation: How to Design an Unbeatable Company Culture | Darius Mirshahzadeh

01/31/23 • 61 min

In just three years, Darius Mirshahzadeh went from being a one-man show to having the 40th fastest-growing private company in the U.S. He was a 28-year-old CEO who brought his dream to life... until it hit him.
He hated his company, and it was his fault.
Darius realized that his organization didn’t reflect his core values, making limitless scale impossible. His journey to create a company grounded in core values resulted in Glassdoor ranking him the number nine CEO in America for small and medium-sized businesses. Now, having exited his company, Darius helps other companies scale to 8 and 9-figures using the principles he discovered.
Darius Mirshahzadeh is an author, entrepreneur, and expert in scaling businesses. Within three years of founding Twin Capital Mortgage, he grew it from one employee to 150 employees with a 2500%+ revenue growth. His new book, The Core Value Equation, discusses how to use core values to create limitless scale and build an unbeatable organization.
In this episode, Dart and Darius discuss:
- Darius’ new book, The Core Value Equation
- Designing company values
- Whether or not employees must share company values
- Core values as the language of accountability within an organization
- Measuring employee efficacy and engagement
- When polarization in business is a good thing
- Finding your calling
- And other topics...
Darius Mirshahzadeh is an author, entrepreneur, and expert in scaling businesses to eight and nine figures. Within three years of founding his first company, Twin Capital Mortgage, he grew it to have 2500%+ revenue growth and reach #40 on the Inc. 5000 rankings. By focusing on core values and honesty within a company, Darius was ranked #9 by Glassdoor’s Ranked CEOs in America for small to medium businesses. His new book, The Core Value Equation, discusses how to use core values to create a limitless scale and build an optimal organization.
Darius participated in the Birthing of Giants at MIT and the Gathering of Titans at MIT, was a TEDx curator, and graduated from the world-renowned Stagen Integral Leadership Program. His six core values are happiness, love, passion, curiosity, creativity, and balance.
Resources Mentioned:
The Core Value Equation, by Darius Mirshahzadeh: https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708
Bain & Company’s eNPS: https://www.netpromotersystem.com/about/employee-nps/
Gallup Q12 Employee Engagement Survey: https://www.gallup.com/workplace/356063/gallup-q12-employee-engagement-survey.aspx
Connect with Darius:
https://therealdarius.com/
The Greatness Machine podcast

Work with Dart:
Dart is the CEO and co-founder of the work design firm 11fold. Build work that makes employees feel alive, connected to their work, and focused on what’s most important to the business. Book a call at 11fold.com.

Previous Episode

The Unorthodox Manager: How to Eliminate Turnover and Run Successful Teams | Dan Clein

Dan Clein has fought corruption in communist Romania and dismantled mines in the Israel Defense Forces, but his latest mission is a covert one – to assist weak and defeated teams, creating his own army of capable and courageous managers. His newest book, The Unorthodox Manager, uses his unconventional experience to break the mold of what managers should be and teach us what management is really about – thinking outside of the box, defending your team, and showing grit.
Dan Clein is an author, the owner of CoMeT-IC Consulting, and the current Chief Strategy Officer of LeadIC Design Canada Inc. As a Canadian, Israeli, and Romanian citizen who speaks four languages, Dan has trained people across backgrounds and within the tech industry for the last 35 years.
In this episode, Dart and Dan discuss:
- Dan’s latest book, The Unorthodox Manager
- The difference between a manager and a leader
- A manager’s duty to defend their team
- How to negotiate
- The importance of acting preemptively in business
- Creating a fulfilled and effective team
- Knowing who is management material
- Dan’s experience in communist Romania and the Israeli army
- And more...
Dan Clein is an author, the owner of CoMeT-IC Consulting, and the current Chief Strategy Officer of LeadIC Design Canada Inc. He has spent 35 years in the tech industry, training others in everything from hardware implementation to management courses. As a Canadian, Israeli, and Romanian citizen who speaks four languages, Dan has worked with people across backgrounds, countries, and professions. His latest book, The Unorthodox Manager, arms readers with out-of-the-box strategies for successfully managing modern teams.
Resources Mentioned:
The Unorthodox Manager, by Dan Clein: https://www.amazon.com/Unorthodox-Manager-Eliminating-Turnover-Successful/dp/1525591975
Connect with Dan:
Dan Clein LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-clein-43b2581/?originalSubdomain=ca

Next Episode

Designing Your Legacy: How to Get Unstuck and Live Your Legacy Forward at Work | Jeff Saperstein

Jeff Saperstein watched his father spend his life in a job that used only a tiny portion of his true capabilities. By day, Jeff's father worked as a postman, but in his spare time, he read deeply and broadly in the classics, and he was a national chess champion and master. That would've been fine if Jeff's father had been okay with it, but he really wasn't.
Jeff resolved to live a different life. He moved from New York to California where he felt the ethos was much more sky's the limit and future-oriented. He reached for and attained senior marketing roles in top companies, wrote nine books, and now helps others live their full potential through his work as a university instructor and career coach.
In this episode, Dart and Jeff discuss:
- Creating a legacy through your work
- Managers as mentors
- Finding purpose at work
- Three aspects of connecting meaningfully with others
- Creating an inner circle of people who share your values
- Company culture
- What to do when you feel stuck in your job
- And other topics...
Jeff Saperstein is an author, university lecturer, and certified career coach. After climbing the corporate ladder in advertising, nonprofit marketing, and fundraising, Jeff decided to follow his calling and founded his own company. Now, Jeff helps accomplished professionals experience value-based growth through meaningful career transitions.
Jeff has written nine books and five case studies on business, including one bestseller. He is a lecturer at San Francisco State University, where his legacy includes promoting the growth of his students from diverse socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds.
Resources Mentioned:
The Inner Ring, C.S. Lewis speech: https://www.lewissociety.org/innerring/
The Purpose Economy, by Aaron Hurst: https://www.amazon.com/Purpose-Economy-Personal-Community-Changing-ebook/dp/B00JEMUB1S
"8 Ways Women Can Use Their 'Relationship Capital' To Build Powerful Careers," by Jeff Saperstein: https://www.yourtango.com/self/relationship-capital-career
Connect with Jeff:
https://jeffsaperstein.com/