Ten years ago, we ended a toxic relationship and made the impossible decision to leave our biggest client. Just like that, I had to replace 55% of our portfolio. It was more important to protect our people and culture than protect our revenue. So we got very intentional about how we wanted to work (and who we would work with).Replacing this client meant rethinking the way we ran TXI. We saw the power in this: to establish values that really meant something. We took action to protect the culture we wanted to see flourish. TXI (which stands for Technology, Experience, Innovation) has since established strong company values that guide how we act and interact together. We have grown to over 70 strategists, designers, & developers across 3 countries, delivering award winner software because of the incredible dedication & skill of our team. Learn more: https://txidigital.com/After that BIG decision, I wanted to meet with other leaders who knew a lot about building an organization that cared not just about the money - but heavily focused on their craft, their clients, & their culture. Rather than a general CEO peer group, I wanted a community of “Cooperatitiion”- where I could actively cooperate with our competitors to learn from and challenge each other.I founded a community of competitors who all shared a passion for doing great work for their clients while providing fulfilling careers for their employees. This community grew becoming the “Kermit Collective” - a safe space where we could connect with respect & openness. We recognize that we can be direct competitors AND collaborators seeking to share best practices that will help all of us grow our businesses. Learn more: https://kermitcollective.com/As I sought to connect with other inspirational leaders, I co-founded “Walkshop” as a multi-day hiking + thinking experience where these leaders go offline for a week to be out in nature, far away from Zoom. Rather than facilitating a "workshop", we get to go offline and build new connections as we hike across Tuscany, the black forest of Germany, highlands of Scotland, etc. Learn more: https://www.walkshop.ioOn one of the Walkshops, we discussed ways that companies fail at innovation when a bad culture can crush a creative idea. So I created the Inclusion Meeting Card game, designed to make meetings more inclusive of the diverse opinions and communication styles in a room, so everyone has a voice. Challenge your company culture: https://www.meetingsdoneright.coChallenge your culture, improve innovation, and get connected: https://markrickmeier.com