The Power of Purpose When Everything is Failing

You know that moment when the foundation you’ve built starts to crack?

In 2015, Chipotle watched it happen in real time.

After years of rapid growth and loyal fans, the company was hit with a series of food safety outbreaks that made national headlines. Sales plummeted, customers vanished, and a brand once celebrated for “Food with Integrity” became a case study in crisis.

Chipotle had built a movement around fresh, responsibly sourced ingredients - but in chasing scale, it lost focus on the systems and culture that made that vision possible. The company’s credibility was shaken to the core.

Then came Brian Niccol. When he took over as CEO in 2018, Chipotle needed more than a marketing plan - it needed a reset. Niccol brought something deeper: clarity, accountability, and optimism.

He listened first. To employees, franchise leaders, and customers who had lost faith. He brought the brand back to its foundation: clean ingredients, consistent execution, and a genuine connection between food, people, and purpose.

Niccol restructured operations, invested heavily in food safety, and embraced digital transformation early - all while empowering employees to take pride in quality and service again.

In the process, Chipotle not only repaired its reputation, it reinvented it.

By 2023, the company’s stock had climbed to record highs, digital orders represented over a third of sales, and its employee culture was stronger than ever. 

But the real win? People trusted them again.

Here's what Chipotle's story reminds us as founders: your company isn't just what you sell, it's what you stand for when things fall apart. It's whether you own the mess or spin it. It's whether you rebuild with integrity or cut corners to recover faster.

Fun fact: In August 2024, Brian Niccol stepped into Starbucks as Chairman and CEO.

The businesses that last aren't the ones that never stumble. They're the ones that get back up with honesty, humility, and a refusal to compromise on what matters.

At LOUD Collective, we believe that when leaders take responsibility and lead with conviction, people respond. If your business is ready to rediscover its purpose and strengthen its culture, we’d love to help you bring that vision to life. Contact us here.

If there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s the power of gratitude.

The first ten minutes of our last executive meeting at LOUD Collective were spent going around and sharing what we were grateful for in our personal and professional lives.

The “it” factor that leaders are focusing on isn’t in technology or strategy, but in how we bring people together and build trust.

I can’t emphasize enough the culture-building, individual growth, and mindset optimization this creates for any group or business.

A few ways you can encourage gratitude as a leader:

• Celebrate the team’s wins and strengths through public recognition - even a quick mention in a team meeting or email matters more than you know

• Share what you’re grateful for both personally and professionally to set an example for the team and establish a baseline of vulnerability

• Build gratitude into the regular cadence of your team’s interactions, from sharing about your weekend highlights in the first five minutes of a meeting, to hosting regular reflection sessions that build community

If you want to attract the best talent, retain top performers, and increase the value of your work, start with culture.

Slow down to speed up - that has been my mantra for 2025.

It hasn’t delayed anything but has made me realize all the things I was passing by, which were the things I was looking for. 

Are you slowing down to create space for growth in your life? 

Three practices I rely on:

1. Reflect regularly. Journaling creates clarity. It helps you see patterns in your decisions, energy, and progress that otherwise remain invisible.

2. Audit your energy. What activities energize you? Which ones drain you? This simple question can reveal where you're misaligned with your strengths and passions. The goal: delegate or reduce what depletes you, and create more room for what fuels you.

3. Listen to your inner voice. When you say "I have no time," you're really saying "I have a list of priorities, and this isn't on it." Write down your priorities. Are you living in alignment with them?

Growth doesn't happen by accident. It happens when we pause long enough to understand what we're building toward… and why.