Fielkow learned the secret to business success at an early age; working in his father’s store. He watched his father’s business grow in direct relation to the culture his dad created, Brian said, “I worked in his store and watched the focus he put on developing and empowering his employees. My dad was never concerned about what the competition was doing. He was only concerned about being strong on the inside so that we could offer the best service to our customers.”

In a recent interview, Fielkow explained, “After I had earned my law degree, I practiced corporate law focusing on emerging companies. Through this experience, I learned from the successes and failures of a myriad of entrepreneurial clients. In 1996, I joined my favorite customer, The Peltz Group, a Midwest recycling company, as its COO. Waste Management purchased the business in 2002, and I relocated to Houston as EVP of Waste Management’s recycling subsidiary. Then in 2006, I made the decision to purchase Jetco Delivery, a 30-year-old trucking company. When I purchased Jetco, I immediately realized that it would be our culture that would allow us to de-commoditize ourselves. And, building that has been my focus. I think our magic is our culture, and I’m fortunate to have started a business outside of Jetco – speaking to business leaders and giving them the tool to grow their own company’s culture. This is how we de-commoditize our businesses. My presentations aren’t about theory; they focus on the “how to,” and practical ways that leaders, no matter the size of their business, can create a world-class culture. Like my dad, I want to empower my employees. That’s what’s going to ensure we are giving our customers the best service. The real magic happens when, as leaders, we can step away and watch our team successfully run the business. Culture is not owner-centric. It’s about empowering our employees, and I’m fortunate to witness that daily.”

Brian has discovered that many times business leaders have a vision for what they want when it comes to their company’s culture, but they don’t know where to start. There is a lot of theory out there about culture and there are a lot of good ideas, but they often don’t always work for Main Street businesses.  Fielkow explained, “What leaders must realize is that the power exists within their organization, and recognizing that, and then developing it is essential. You don’t need a high-priced consultant to tell you how to grow your culture; you need the support of your team and to learn how to bring your opinion leaders and front-line employees in.”

Fielkow’s first book, Driving to Perfection: Achieving Business Excellence by Creating a Vibrant Culture, was published in 2014. He is now working on two books: one that is an extension of his first, and the second, which he is co-writing with his mentor, focuses on creating a culture of prevention (for those in safety-sensitive industries).

To find out more information about Brian and book him to speak to your company or group go to: http://www.brianfielkow.com