The Brutal Truth About Building A Great Culture No Founder Wants to Hear (Burt Levy)

Описание: Building a great culture isn’t about perks, slogans, or “values” on a wall. It’s what happens when revenue gets tight, standards get tested, and leaders have to choose between fear and trust.

In this Founder Talk episode, Alex Sheridan sits down with Burt Levy of Revenue Mountain—an operator with 30+ years across media and technology, known for building sales teams, leading multi-million-dollar revenue targets, and helping business owners grow revenue through the right technology decisions.

Together, they unpack the leadership moves most founders avoid—because they’re uncomfortable, not because they’re unclear.

Founders will hear a practical blueprint for building a culture that actually performs: how to hire when experience is missing, how to set a real bar for excellence, and how to avoid leadership habits that quietly destroy retention. Burt also breaks down how strong teams collaborate (and why leaders should speak last), why “flat is the new up” in certain markets, and how revenue growth often starts with the relationships you’ve ignored—not the leads you’re chasing.

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:16 How does Burt Levy describe his expertise today?
A: He’s a former major-market media operator turned tech problem-solver who helps business owners grow revenue by choosing and using the right technology.

00:15:14 If revenue is flat, is the business dying?
A: Not always. In some industries, staying flat is a win—because you didn’t lose ground. The real danger is staying flat without evolving when the market is shifting.

00:18:34 What’s a better alternative to layoffs when times get tough?
A: Burt argues for “everyone suffers a little” approaches like furlough programs—because mass layoffs create fear, kill innovation, and damage culture long after the cuts.

00:23:51 What’s the secret to building strong teams?
A: “Hire for character, train for skill.” You can teach skills, but you can’t teach passion, dedication, or hard work—those are the foundations of culture.

00:27:05 What standard should founders set for their team—and themselves?
A: Have a clear bar (like “excellence”), coach people up when possible, but don’t keep someone in a role if they can’t meet the standard—especially in high-initiative positions.

00:31:46 How should leaders run discussions to get real input and buy-in?
A: Collaborate and let everyone speak—then the leader speaks last. If the leader leads with “the answer,” the room shuts down and you lose better ideas.

00:34:20 What’s one underrated way to grow revenue fast?
A: Revive dormant relationships. Reach out without asking for anything. Start with genuine connection, and business often follows.

00:43:45 What’s the right role of AI in business leadership?
A: AI should sharpen the mind, not replace it. Use it as a tool, but don’t outsource judgment, relationships, intuition, or human trust-building.

Watch the full episode to hear the complete conversation, and hit subscribe for more authentic, no-fluff founder interviews.

🔗 CONNECT WITH Burt Levy
Website: revenuemountain.com
LinkedIn:   / burt-levy-38821013  
  / revenue-mountain  
Email: [email protected]

If you are a B2B company that wants to build your own in-house content team instead of outsourcing your content to a marketing agency, we may be a fit for you! Everything you see in our podcast and content is a result of a scrappy, nimble, internal content team along with an AI-powered content systems and process. Check out pricing and services here: ⁠https://impaxs.com⁠

Head to our website to stream every episode on your favorite platform, join the Founder Talk community, and submit questions for future guests–all in one place: https://foundertalkpodcast.com/

#foundertalkpodcast #EntrepreneurPodcast #StartupLessons