As co-founder of The Design Gym consultancy, Andy Hagerman has spent over a decade tackling the challenge of aligning employee needs with business strategy—an issue that can make or break organizational success. Working with clients like Marriott, Cisco, HP, and Kellogg’s, he has honed his craft by addressing complex organizational needs. In this episode, Andy unpacks a large case study with a major retailer, revealing how understanding the employee experience can create new opportunities for both business growth and workforce engagement.

Andy Hagerman is the co-founder and managing partner of The Design Gym, a consultancy dedicated to work experience design and organizational transformation. The Design Gym has trained over 20k individuals and partnered with over 300 organizations, including Marriott, Kellogg’s, Cisco, and HP.

In this episode, Dart and Andy discuss:
- Designing work experiences with The Design Gym
- Andy’s latest case study
- Exploring alternatives to product managers
- Tools and principles for employee design research
- Connecting employee life and work dynamics
- Actionable insights from research and journey mapping
- How retail experts drive business success
- And other topics…

Andy Hagerman is the co-founder and managing partner of The Design Gym, a consultancy dedicated to work experience design and organizational transformation. With a focus on co-creation, employee research, and delivering actionable insights, Andy helps organizations align employee experiences with the organization's strategic objectives. Over the past decade, his consultancy has trained over 20,000 individuals and partnered with over 300 organizations, including global leaders such as Marriott, Kellogg’s, Cisco, and HP.

Before founding The Design Gym, Andy served as a business and innovation strategist at Jump Associates, where he honed his expertise in developing forward-thinking strategies for complex challenges. Andy is also a former guest lecturer for NYU, Columbia University and Parsons, and has led breakout workshops at both TED and TEDMED conferences.

Connect with Andy:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewhagerman/
www.thedesigngym.com

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.

Companies have long treated employees like children, micromanaging their tasks and monitoring every move, hoping to boost productivity. The problem is that this approach undermines trust and stifles innovation, parenting employees instead of supporting them. Sammy Burt, author of What Is a Grown-Up Anyway, is working to shift this mindset. She helps organizations embrace a “grown-up” approach that fosters autonomy, confidence, and more empowered, innovative workplaces— treating employees as the adults they are.

Sammy Burt is a professional facilitator, systems coach, and leadership consultant at Farleigh Performance. Her upcoming book, What Is a Grown-Up Anyway, explores the complexities of adulthood and personal growth through insightful storytelling and practical guidance.

In this episode, Dart and Sammy discuss:
- How companies “parent” employees
- Treating employees as adults at work
- Distinctions between adults and grown-ups
- Joy, grieving, and empathy in the workplace
- The link between child-like behavior and innovation
- Transactional analysis in the workplace
- Adult development theory
- And other topics…

Sammy Burt is a professional facilitator, systems coach, and leadership consultant at Farleigh Performance. With a background in psychology and extensive experience in both corporate and creative industries, she specializes in empowering clients to build resilience, develop leadership skills, and navigate change with confidence. Sammy is also the author of the upcoming book What Is a Grown-Up Anyway, where she explores the complexities of adulthood and personal growth through insightful storytelling and practical guidance.

Resources mentioned:
What Is a Grown-Up Anyway, by Sammy Burt: https://www.yourbackpack.co.uk/whatisagrownupanyway
Design for Belonging, by Susie Wise: https://www.amazon.com/Design-Belonging-Inclusion-Collaboration-Communities/dp/1984858033
Useful Not True, by Derek Sivers: https://www.amazon.com/Useful-Not-True-Derek-Sivers-ebook/dp/B0D86K4XF5

Connect with Sammy:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammyburt
www.farleighperformance.com

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.

Award-winning entrepreneur and author Robert Glazer has identified a core issue in today’s companies: the traditional “growth-at-all-costs” mindset is unsustainable. After a decade of relentless expansion, many companies are struggling to grow without burning out their employees along the way. Robert believes there is a better way—one that brings teams along on the growth journey to benefit employees and the company alike.

Robert Glazer is an award-winning executive, speaker, author, and the Founder and Chairman of Acceleration Partners. Under his leadership, his company earned accolades like Glassdoor's Employees’ Choice Award and was named a Best Place to Work by Inc. and Fortune. Robert was also named Glassdoor’s #2 Top CEO for small and medium companies in the U.S.

In this episode, Dart and Robert discuss:
- How Robert became #2 CEO on Glassdoor
- Growing people vs. growing a company
- The 4 attributes of transformational work
- How core values shape leadership styles
- The true origin of company culture
- Building agency and resilience within teams
- Overcoming learned helplessness at work
- And other topics…

Robert Glazer is the Founder and Chairman of Acceleration Partners, a global partner marketing agency that has consistently been recognized for its exceptional company culture and business performance. Under his leadership, the company earned accolades like Glassdoor's Employees’ Choice Award and was named a Best Place to Work by Inc. and Fortune. Robert was also named Glassdoor’s #2 Top CEO for small and medium companies in the U.S.

A passionate advocate for personal and professional growth, Robert is the bestselling author of five books, including Elevate and Friday Forward. He is also a sought-after speaker and host of The Elevate Podcast, sharing insights on leadership, business, and building capacity. Through his writing and work, Robert inspires individuals and organizations to reach their full potential.

Resources mentioned:
Rethinking Two Weeks Notice, by Robert Glazer: https://www.amazon.com/Rethinking-Two-Weeks-Notice-Employees-ebook/dp/B0DGRZRXYY
Elevate, by Robert Glazer: https://www.amazon.com/Elevate-Beyond-Limits-Success-Yourself/dp/1492691488

Connect with Robert:
www.RobertGlazer.com

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.