Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Judy Cirullo. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Judy, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.
As a former clinician and 4x practice owner, I realized that many businesses have solid infrastructures to support their operations and administrative processes. However, gaps in the business culture indicate a need for an infrastructure to support people’s growth and development.
This is what I came to realize in my last practice. I ran a great business. It was a bustling clinic, but as the winds changed, I started to see the impact of not spending time on people who contributed to the business’s success.
Why is this absent in many medical, dental, or other healthcare businesses? Many business owners and leaders must focus on compliance regulations, marketing, and financial impact that they forget about their most important asset, their people.
As a result of this experience, I returned to school to become a certified professional coach and develop a system that supports the growth and development of people. This evolved into my PEOPLE FORST CULTURE FRAMEWORK.
A 6-step system that supports the people of the business while supporting accountability, self-directed team members, and a strong connection to the company’s core purpose.
Why does this matter?
People want to do the right thing, feel valued and connected to a business, and see opportunities for growth and development. Employers want to retain key people who want their people to model the core values and are aligned with the culture. The People First Culture Framework helps leaders and teams accomplish these goals. Leaders learn to coach, guide, and mentor, not dictate and micromanage.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am a seasoned business owner, a clinician of 40 years, and a certified professional coach for leaders and their teams. My work helps mitigate overwhelm, create accountability, and create self-directed teams, allowing owners and their leaders to create a culture where the business and its people thrive. My former clients implemented The People First Culture Framework, which resulted in a valued culture, happy employees, and owners who gained back more freedom.
“Judy is an outstanding team coach. She asked questions that moved our team forward. She moved back and forth from individual coaching to team coaching, making it possible for everyone to work better together. She prioritized fostering leadership qualities within our team rather than fostering dependence on her. She coached our team to maximize their own potential. Judy cared about each of us individually and collectively while guiding our team to help reach its goals.”.
Mary Ann Kurrasch, Registered dental Hygienist
👉 HOW SUCCESS OCCURS 👈
Clients have success and reach their goals when we work together regularly
✅Clients embrace growth mindsets, prioritizing self-development for effective leadership.
✅Implemented The People First Culture Framework.
✅Cultivated a culture of accountability and self-direction, driving business success.
✅ Owners transition from “business owners” to influential leaders.
MULTIPLE OWNER BUSINESS
➡️An Established dental business faced challenges post-COVID.
➡️Experienced a 35% attrition rate, a new phenomenon.
➡️Implemented The People First Culture Framework.
➡️Established clear expectations and accountability systems.
➡️Fostered peer-to-peer leadership between department leads.
➡️Attrition reduced by 32% post-implementation.
➡️Culture of trust, connection, and self-direction flourished
➡️Micromanagement dissolved, and owners began enjoying freedom and peace of mind.
SINGLE BUSINESS OWNERS
➡️Owner of a medium-sized healthcare business faced overwhelming challenges.
➡️Executive coaching helped the owner develop personally and professionally, gaining confidence
and courage in her leadership.
➡️Delegated effectively, nurturing leadership in others, eliminated micromanagement tendencies
➡️Reduced staff resignations by 80%
PERSONALLY
✅I make a point to laugh every day. I was raised on a small farm where work was fun, and I learned about responsibility for things other than myself and the value of delayed gratification.
✅I love sports, old movies, hiking, and exploring new places with my husband.
✅Love to challenge the minds of our 7 grandsons
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Marketing has a lot of nuts and bolts, technical systems, automation, and now AI.
But nothing replaces building relationships through connections. Relationships are built on trust, authenticity, vulnerability, and transparency,
Nurturing that relationship takes time and intentional effort to remain connected.
Social media, texting, and emails should only support genuine interaction when people converse in real-time. The neuroscience of conversations supports what happens when people interact, converse, and develop trust.
While conversations take time, relationships are meaningful and lasting when set on a foundation of trust.
Conversations about M&A are often focused on multibillion dollar transactions – but M&A can be an important part of a small or medium business owner’s journey. We’d love to hear about your experience with selling businesses.
I’ve sold two businesses, but the most transformational sale I learned from was my last one — seven years ago. I realized that keeping the door open, where safe interactions occur and each team member feels heard and understood during the transition, is important. A sale is an emotional time for your team, so keeping them in the loop and making them feel safe is essential.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://growstrongteams.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judycirullo/
- Youtube: Grownstrong teams
Image Credits
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