Charles Coristine | Searching for a Smarter Snack: How This Mindful Leader Created a LesserEvil
This episode of the donothing podcast truly has it all! Listen in as I chat with Charles Coristine, the President and CEO of LesserEvil Snacks, about how he turned around his once-struggling business, what he does to foster a positive, fun company culture, why meditation has become so integral to his life, and much more.
However, before taking over LesserEvil—which makes popcorn, puffs and other treats using only clean ingredients—Charles was a finance executive at Morgan Stanley.
In 2011, he purchased LesserEvil Snacks when, after 18 years in the stressful finance world, he was looking for a serious lifestyle change. He chose to embrace the growing better-for-you snack industry and set out to build a company with an authentic, holistic message.
LesserEvil now employs 75 people at its Danbury, Connecticut headquarters. Their snacks are available across the U.S. and Canada at retailers such as Whole Foods Market, Publix, Kroger, Amazon and Wegmans.
Charles is also an avid meditator, fitness fanatic and family man. He’s always mindful about how he leads his life and his company.
No matter what journey he’s on, you can be sure that he’ll bring the snacks.
In this week’s donothing podcast, you’ll learn:
What Charles’ daily meditation routine is like
Why Charles’ stressful finance job pushed him to start a meditation practice
What Charles’ experience was like as a high-performing government bond trader
How Charles jumped from finance to snack foods
What Gene Hackman and Mad Money’s Jim Cramer have to do with LesserEvil
Which serious problems Charles inherited from LesserEvil
What changes Charles made at LesserEvil to turn it around
Why quickly pivoting is essential to success
How a stranger came out of nowhere to solve a serious problem
What kind of culture Charles is committed to creating at LesserEnergy
How to make difficult work conversations more constructive and human
Why listening is such an important leadership quality
What LesserEvil does to encourage employees to stay healthy
How company values play into every business decision
What the difference between different kinds of oils in food is
What Charles eats in his everyday life
Why Charles would like to someday go back to a vegetarian diet
How our eating habits can help the planet
What some of Charles’ favorite podcasts are
Which books Charles has been reading lately
Resources from Charles Coristine's Episode
Listen to Charles’ Favorite Podcasts
Ram Dass: Be Here Now
https://beherenownetwork.com/category/ram-dass
The Joe Rogan Experience
http://podcasts.joerogan.net
How I Built This, with Guy Raz
https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this
Read Charles’ Book Recommendations
Shoe Dog, by Phil Knight
https://amzn.to/2AsnaXR
Good to Great, by Jim Collins
https://amzn.to/2KQeCQb
The Lean Startup, by Eric Ries
https://amzn.to/2YWUj8m
Connect With LesserEvil
Website: https://lesserevil.com
Facebook: https://bit.ly/2TgLtRF
Twitter: https://bit.ly/2MPc4o0
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2YDyXli
Instagram: https://bit.ly/2M8fh2d
Connect with Rob Dube
Facebook: https://bit.ly/30TmVkA
Twitter: https://bit.ly/2TuRVEL
Instagram: https://bit.ly/2OeREa2
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2Ooyy1A
YouTube: https://bit.ly/2FYdckW
Registration for the 2020 donothing Leadership Retreat Now Open!
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Learn more about the donothing Leadership Retreat:
https://bit.ly/2JVoQy4
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https://www.donothingbook.com
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