3 Key Takeaways from Kenny Katzgrau
Self-Awareness Is the Spark: A thriving culture begins when leaders clarify their "why" and lead from conviction, not just ambition.
Listening Is Leadership: Kenny’s whole approach to caring for his team boils down to one skill—authentic, curiosity-driven listening.
People Stay for Purpose: When employees feel seen and supported as humans—not just workers—they show up with passion and loyalty.
The Power of a Personal Why
Kenny Katzgrau, founder of Broad Street and publisher of Red Bank Green, is a thinker. Not a casual thinker, but a dive-to-the-core, find-the-truth, and let-it-turn-into-conviction thinker. And his conviction? That leadership starts when the why shifts from chasing money to LIFTing people.
As Kenny puts it, “Even if I started with the wrong reason, I accidentally ended up doing the right thing.” Over time, he realized that helping local publishers keep their communities informed wasn’t a side effect of business—it was the business. That clarity changed everything.
Listening That Changes Lives
Kenny’s practical leadership playbook is refreshingly simple: ask questions.
“Where do you want to be in 1, 3, or 5 years?”
“What would have to be true about your job for you to thrive?”
“When you’re 100, how do you want to look back on your work?”
He makes time for every employee to answer these. And here’s the kicker: he listens not to fix—but to care. He listens so well, he often ends up raising pay or adjusting roles based on real-life goals (like getting out of debt or spending more time with family).
Ancient Wisdom, Modern Results
The beauty of Kenny’s leadership is how ancient it is. He just lives the Golden Rule—at scale. “Lift” is an acronym he uses for sales training, but it isn’t just a sales strategy. It’s how he treats clients. How he recruits. How he builds culture. “
And here’s the invitation to you, leader reading this: if you want a healthier culture, start with this step—care. And if you’re not sure how to start caring?
Start listening.
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