We were lucky to catch up with Bob Ludke recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Bob, thanks for joining us today. Any advice for creating a more inclusive workplace?

In March 2025 I am publishing a book entitled, “Case Studies in Disability-Driven Innovation: A Better Future Through an Inclusive Economy”. The book will present compelling evidence that disability inclusion is not just about compliance or social responsibility—it’s a powerful catalyst for innovation, market expansion, and sustainable profit. Central to innovation is fostering inclusive workspaces – be they at startups or established, Fortune 500 Companies. Inclusive workspaces are both emotional and physical.

On the emotional level, creating psychological safety is paramount to becoming an inclusive workplace. Psychological safety comes from effective leadership behaviors, such as openness, admitting mistakes, vulnerability, and encouraging respectful dialogues.

For psychological safety to really stick in a culture, integrating accessibility and universal design into all physical settings is very important. Accessibility and universal design help drive openness, collaboration, and sharing. Yet, accessibility and universal design do not just happen. Doing so requires leaders to be deliberate and proactive in thinking about the different types of spaces that people like to connect, whether it be a social or a work environment.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am the founder of Ludke Consulting, LLC, a consultancy built on my passion for scaling ideas into initiatives that create lasting value for society. My collaboration with clients, partners, and friends is guided by one of my favorite quotes – as Paul Newman once said, “I am not running for sainthood. I just happen to think that in life we need to be a little like the farmer, who puts back into the soil what he takes out.”

Hopefully, my work allows all of us to put a little back into the soil so that we share in our health and prosperity – now and far into the future.

I am a leading expert demonstrating the value proposition of employing persons with disabilities, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) strategy best practices, sustainability, and corporate innovation. As an advisor to Fortune 500 companies, global nonprofits, and government agencies, I brings over two decades of experience in helping organizations create lasting value through responsible business practices.

In addition to my work advancing disability employment and innovation, I am the author of Transformative Markets, soon to be author of Case Studies in Disability-Driven Innovation, and host of the Voices of Nature Podcast, which explores the ways in which each of us can help protect and promote the health of nature. I specialize in helping organizations navigate complex challenges in reputation management and crisis communications while building more resilient and inclusive business models. My writing combines rigorous analysis with practical insights, making complex business concepts accessible to diverse audiences. Through my work I demonstrate how organizations can simultaneously drive innovation, generate sustainable profits, and create positive socio-economic impact.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I will never forget when the COVID-19 pandemic became a harsh reality in March 2020. Client projects stopped cold (a potential death knell for solo consultants like me), my book – Transformative Markets – was about to be published, and I had a poorly designed website that I could not get launched (pro tip – never, ever, allow someone to convince you that they can build you a great website cheaper than anyone else). Worst of all, the fun book launch parties planned by friends and family were all cancelled. I never felt so alone.

April came and my book launched. It was a fun experience. I had a lot of exciting support and a lot of nice things were said about the book – but it was still a disappointment. Clients were still hard to come by and my website was a disaster.

What I learned at that time was just getting out of bed every morning was the equivalent to “Winning the day”. I forced myself to get up early, go outside, exercise and get fresh air. While life was still scary, I stopped myself from doom scrolling on social media and dwelling on the negative. Instead, I made three proactive outreaches every day – some times to friends, other times to strangers. I build a new and amazing network of collaborators that is still with me today. And, by May, I started getting clients again. By the end of the summer I carved out a new career specializing in the intersection of corporate strategy and disability employment – a place where very few people operate and where I can (hopefully) make a positive contribution to society.

I also promised myself in May 2020 that I would use my platform to help give a voice to others who are doing interesting things but operating in challenging environments. Case Studies in Disability-Driven Innovation was written because there are stories of innovators and entrepreneurs with disabilities that need to be told. The Voices of Nature podcast was launched because there are people living and working in some of the most challenging places on this planet with a mission to save nature for all of us – and their stories need to be heard.

I never talk about it (and am surprised I am writing about it right now) but I will forever be proud of how I handled the adversity of March and April 2020.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

One thing that really helped me build my reputation and clientele is writing projects. I have authored a number of papers, published one book and am about to publish a second. The Voices of Nature podcast is akin to a creative writing project as well. Reaching out to people for interviews or to be on a podcast is a great way to build a network of collaborators, friends, and supporters. I have had the pleasure of meeting amazing people, reconnecting with old friends, and becoming closer to current friends. Each project is its own journey. They have their ups and downs but there always is a finish line. And when the finish line is crossed there is a sense of accomplishment that no one can ever take from me.

Just as important, the substance and rigor that goes into writing or leading a podcast establishes you as a serious thinker who has the ability to condense tough, complex topics into words that are easy to understand or into stories that are compelling. Those are skills prized by many and helps me bring in new business to my consultancy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ludkeconsulting.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rludke?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_contact_details%3BF2tuWav0QNeSfc%2FcbZPzVw%3D%3D
• Youtube: https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC7iwoJ670HVOneM7mk27hCQ/videos/upload?filter=%5B%5D&sort=%7B%22columnType%22%3A%22date%22%2C%22sortOrder%22%3A%22DESCENDING%22%7D

Image Credits

Image #1: Robert Ludke
Image #2: Robert Ludke / Global Conservation Corps
Image #3: The Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Citizen Engagement