Have you ever wondered whether work has to feel this hard? Whether the team you've built can actually function without you? Whether there's a way to lead that doesn't burn you — or your people — out?
Rich Sheridan built Menlo Innovations around one bold idea: ending human suffering in the workplace. The result is a company where joy isn't a slogan. It's how things actually get done. It's a place built on collaboration, human energy, and pride in what people create together.
Joy isn't constant happiness. It's the long arc of meaning and contribution alongside people who care. And it becomes possible the moment you stop being the center of every problem and start creating the conditions for ownership, continuous learning, and yes, joy.
You don't have to change the world. You just have to change your world.
You’ll Learn:
The mistake most leaders make about mistakes, and why more mistakes can get you ahead faster
Why what looks like a questionable decision from below makes sense from above
The difference between joy and happiness, and why most leaders are chasing the wrong thing
Why running a small experiment will move you further than creating the perfect plan
What it really takes to build a company designed to last a hundred years
ABOUT MY GUEST: Rich Sheridan is the co-founder, CEO, and Chief Storyteller of Menlo Innovations, a software development and consulting firm known for its people-centered culture and focus on joy in the workplace. He is the author of Joy, Inc. and Chief Joy Officer and was inducted into the Shingo Academy in 2022 for his contributions to organizational excellence.
TIMESTAMPS FOR THIS EPISODE: 02:37 When work no longer feels sustainable 05:26 The moment Rich realized the problem wasn't technology 07:27 What an 8-year-old noticed about leadership 08:23 Why hero-based organizations scale through exhaustion 09:39 When caring becomes carrying 12:21 The codependency leaders develop with crises 14:09 What joy at work actually means 17:13 Working with pride and delighting customers 19:17 Why human energy is a leadership responsibility 21:00 What's the cost of not having joy? 23:28 From constant firefighting to two emergencies in 25 years 25:24 Joy vs. happiness: What's the difference? 27:02 Why joy isn't happiness every day 32:17 The phrase that keeps Menlo moving forward 34:15 The leadership lesson Rich learned from flying 40:39 Why Menlo isn't chasing exponential growth 43:02 The book that changed Rich's career 45:18 Why crisis practices work when there isn't a crisis 47:28 Why your system keeps producing the same results 49:38 The shift from carrying to creating conditions for change leadership 51:46 Why stepping in can hold people back
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