Ounce of Wisdom with Ethan Martin
What if your company’s core values weren’t something you wrote down in a meeting—but something you uncovered through the people who already live them?
In this episode of Ounce of Wisdom, we sit down with Ethan Martin, Founder & President of PFD Group and a globally respected Scaling Up coach, to explore the real meaning of core values—and why getting them right is essential for any organization that wants to scale with purpose.
Ethan shares a powerful framework inspired by Jim Collins, including the “Mission to Mars” exercise, which helps leadership teams identify the cultural DNA already present in their organizations. He also explains why rushing to define values can backfire—and how to test and institutionalize them in a way that drives alignment, performance, and long-term success.
Highlights from this episode:
- Why core values must be discovered, not invented
- How to identify the people who already embody your culture
- The hidden risks of a single misaligned hire
- How to make your values visible, actionable, and real
Ethan has helped leadership teams around the world build cultures that scale—and in this conversation, he shares the exact steps to do it right.
Watch the full episode now.
Check out this blog post from PFD group for more follow up thoughts.
