Podcast Episode Details
Back to Podcast Episodes
138: Robert Glazer - Uncover Your Core Values and Build a Business You Never Want to Retire From
Episode 138
If you don’t know your core values, you’ll likely build a business that looks successful on paper but leaves you burned out and misaligned in real life.
That’s why I invited my friend Robert Glazer on the podcast. He’s an entrepreneur, bestselling author, and someone I always learn from when it comes to leadership. Robert built a global business that won dozens of “Best Place to Work” awards, writes the Friday Forward newsletter read by hundreds of thousands each week, and has published five books translated worldwide. His new book The Compass Within is about uncovering the values that drive you—and using them to align your business and life so success actually feels fulfilling.
In this conversation, Robert and I dig into where core values really come from, why it’s so important to share them with your team, and how to infuse them into your culture so your firm can grow without losing what makes it special.
We also talk through his “three climbs” framework, and why so many advisors get to the top of the wrong mountain and wonder why it doesn’t feel like freedom.
3 of the biggest insights from Robert…
1. The Compass Within: Why Advisors Need a Core Values Framework
Robert’s new book isn’t just another leadership parable—it’s a tool to help you figure out the values that drive every decision you make. When you know those, you can build a firm that scales without burning you out, gives your team clarity, and actually supports the kind of freedom you want.
2. Core Values Are Formed Earlier Than You Think
Most values are rooted in childhood—they usually come from one of two places: the moments that lit us up, or the painful experiences we swore we’d never repeat. When you understand those drivers, you can lead more authentically, set clearer expectations, and avoid the blind spots that derail teams.
3. From Words on the Wall to Culture That Works
Values don’t matter if they just sit on a wall—they’ve got to show up in daily behavior. Robert shares how firms can turn values into real systems so your firm attracts the right people, and scales trust without the founder needing to be in every room.
4. The 3 Climbs: How to Build a Business You Never Want to Retire From
Too many advisors grind their way up the wrong mountain, only to find emptiness at the top. Robert explains the 3 climbs of entrepreneurship and how to design your firm so the journey itself is energizing.
SHOW NOTES
https://bradleyjohnson.com/138
FREE GIFT + JOIN THE DBDL INSIDER CREW
Today's Gift: Get copy of Robert’s book, "The Compass Within" [while supplies last]
To get access to today's free gift AND become a DBDL Insider with VIP access to future resources and exclusive content, text "138" to 785-800-3235. *Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP at any time to opt-out of receiving text messages.
FOLLOW BRAD JOHNSON ON SOCIAL
FOLLOW DBDL ON SOCIAL: