In this episode of The Steward Chair, Brad Herrmann and Hai Nguyen, Co-founders of Text-Em-All, share their journey of rewriting the SaaS success script by prioritizing greatness over growth and people over profit. They explore how an audacious 100-year vision and the transition to an employee ownership trust drive meaningful, long-term success.

We discuss the intentional process of leaders defining "enough," the creation of an employee-driven culture code, and how shared ownership acts as a "silo buster" for political friction. This conversation provides actionable takeaways for leaders committed to stewardship, integrity, and building an organization that remains a joy to do business with.

Key Takeaways
Defining "Enough" as a Leadership Prerequisite: Transitioning to an employee ownership trust requires founders to confront personal concepts of security and scarcity to determine what financial outcome is "enough" to safeguard the company's future.
Institutionalizing Culture Through Documentation: Moving beyond oral legend to a written "Culture Code" allows a company to hire, coach, and even fire based on shared values like authenticity, compassion, and shared excellence.
Shared Ownership as a Unifying Factor: Employee ownership aligns the entire team around the company's ultimate bottom line, ensuring that business decisions and product development are driven by the best ideas rather than internal politics .

Resources Mentioned
Visit Text-Em-All: https://www.text-em-all.com/
Follow Brad Herrmann on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradherrmann/
Follow Hai Nguyen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hainguyen/
Follow Text-Em-All on social media:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/textemall/
Twitter / X: https://x.com/textemall
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/textemall/

Join the Conversation
The Steward Chair is about equipping and inspiring business leaders to build organizations that stand the test of time. If this episode resonated with you, share your biggest takeaway and tag us on LinkedIn:

Chat With Leaders Media https://www.linkedin.com/company/chatwithleaders/ and End of the Line Productions https://www.linkedin.com/company/end-of-the-line-productions/. 

Elevate your podcast, company meeting, or industry event strategies to better engage stakeholders and drive meaningful growth! Visit ChatWithLeaders.com to learn more about how we can help.

In this episode of The Steward Chair, Brad Herrmann and Hai Nguyen, Co-founders of Text-Em-All, share their journey of rewriting the SaaS success script by prioritizing greatness over growth and people over profit. They explore how an audacious 100-year vision and the transition to an employee ownership trust drive meaningful, long-term success.
We discuss the intentional process of leaders defining "enough," the creation of an employee-driven culture code, and how shared ownership acts as a "silo buster" for political friction. This conversation provides actionable takeaways for leaders committed to stewardship, integrity, and building an organization that remains a joy to do business with.
Key Takeaways
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Defining "Enough" as a Leadership Prerequisite: Transitioning to an employee ownership trust requires founders to confront personal concepts of security and scarcity to determine what financial outcome is "enough" to safeguard the company's future.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Institutionalizing Culture Through Documentation: Moving beyond oral legend to a written "Culture Code" allows a company to hire, coach, and even fire based on shared values like authenticity, compassion, and shared excellence.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Shared Ownership as a Unifying Factor: Employee ownership aligns the entire team around the company's ultimate bottom line, ensuring that business decisions and product development are driven by the best ideas rather than internal politics .</li>
</ul>
Resources Mentioned
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Visit Text-Em-All:<a href="https://www.text-em-all.com/"> https://www.text-em-all.com/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Follow Brad Herrmann on LinkedIn:<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradherrmann/"> https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradherrmann/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Follow Hai Nguyen on LinkedIn:<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.linkedin.com/in/hainguyen/"> https://www.linkedin.com/in/hainguyen/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Follow Text-Em-All on social media:</li>
<ul>
<li aria-level="2">LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/textemall/</li>
<li aria-level="2">Twitter / X:<a href="https://x.com/textemall"> https://x.com/textemall</a></li>
<li aria-level="2">Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/textemall/"> https://www.instagram.com/textemall/</a></li>
</ul>
</ul>
Join the Conversation The Steward Chair is about equipping and inspiring business leaders to build organizations that stand the test of time. If this episode resonated with you, share your biggest takeaway and tag us on LinkedIn:
Chat With Leaders Media <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/chatwithleaders/">https://www.linkedin.com/company/chatwithleaders/</a> and End of the Line Productions <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/end-of-the-line-productions/">https://www.linkedin.com/company/end-of-the-line-productions/</a>.&nbsp;
Elevate your podcast, company meeting, or industry event strategies to better engage stakeholders and drive meaningful growth! Visit <a href="https://chatwithleaders.com">ChatWithLeaders.com</a> to learn more about how we can help.

The Steward Chair is a podcast that explores business leadership as stewardship – the responsibility of guiding organizations, people, and industries with integrity, long-term thinking, and a commitment to doing good while doing well.

Through deep, candid conversations with CEOs, Presidents and Founders that have stood the test of time, we unpack the challenges, decisions, and strategies that define values-driven leadership. This is a space for leaders who recognize that success is about more than personal achievement – it’s about leaving a lasting, positive impact on their organizations and communities.

Each episode provides real-world insights on how to navigate key business decisions while maintaining ethical integrity, long-term sustainability, and a legacy-driven mindset.

This show is produced in collaboration between Chat With Leaders Media and End of the Line Productions. 

The Steward Chair is a podcast that explores business leadership as stewardship &ndash; the responsibility of guiding organizations, people, and industries with integrity, long-term thinking, and a commitment to doing good while doing well.
Through deep, candid conversations with CEOs, Presidents and Founders that have stood the test of time, we unpack the challenges, decisions, and strategies that define values-driven leadership. This is a space for leaders who recognize that success is about more than personal achievement &ndash; it&rsquo;s&nbsp;about leaving a lasting, positive impact on their organizations and communities.
Each episode provides real-world insights on how to navigate key business decisions while maintaining ethical integrity, long-term sustainability, and a legacy-driven mindset.
This show is produced in collaboration between <a href="https://chatwithleaders.com/">Chat With Leaders Media</a> and <a href="https://www.eotlproductions.com/">End of the Line Productions</a>.&nbsp;

The Steward Chair is a podcast that explores leadership as stewardship—the responsibility of guiding organizations, people, and industries with integrity, long-term thinking, and a commitment to doing good while doing well.

The Steward Chair

In a world defined by disconnection, human connection is your most powerful asset in building companies that last. At Chat With Leaders Media, we're dedicated to helping you unlock that power by delivering actionable insights from leaders who are leveraging business as a force for good.

Through our podcasts – The Steward Chair, The People Experience Pulse, and B The Change Georgia – we cut through the noise to bring you candid, real-world strategies for building a better business. We explore what it takes to elevate people, grow your business with integrity, and build a legacy that goes beyond the bottom line.

This isn't just about inspiration; it's about giving you the tools to elevate your influence and make a tangible impact on your organization and the world.

In a world defined by disconnection, human connection is your most powerful asset in building companies that last. At Chat With Leaders Media, we're dedicated to helping you unlock that power by delivering actionable insights from leaders who are leveraging business as a force for good.
Through our podcasts &ndash; The Steward Chair, The People Experience Pulse, and B The Change Georgia &ndash; we cut through the noise to bring you candid, real-world strategies for building a better business. We explore what it takes to elevate people, grow your business with integrity, and build a legacy that goes beyond the bottom line.
This isn't just about inspiration; it's about giving you the tools to elevate your influence and make a tangible impact on your organization and the world.