On dynamic authority, employee ownership, and building a business that serves people

Episode Summary

What does it actually look like to build a company that puts people first—without sacrificing performance?

Greg Harmeyer is the co-founder of TiER1 Performance Solutions and CEO of TiER1 Impact, a certified B Corp and 100% employee-owned company that helps large organizations improve performance through people. Over the past two decades, Greg has led TiER1 through significant growth, 18 acquisitions, and major economic cycles—while intentionally rejecting traditional hierarchy, performance reviews, and individual incentives.

In this conversation, Greg shares how his company operates with “dynamically distributed authority” instead of static bosses, why they tolerate inefficiency in service of collaboration and innovation, how employee ownership shapes long-term decision-making, and what it costs to uphold your values during financial pressure.

This episode is a candid look at the real tradeoffs behind building a values-driven company—and what it takes to make those values operational, not aspirational.

What You’ll Learn

02:00 – What it means to operate without traditional bosses
 How dynamic authority replaces static hierarchy—and why most employees say they don’t really have a boss.

06:19 – What TiER1 actually does
 How the company helps large organizations drive performance through leadership alignment, change management, and people-centered transformation.

10:11 – Turning abstract values into “values in action”
 Why six simple values weren’t enough—and how rewriting them in first-person language made them operational.

14:31 – The power of “embracing the tension of the and”
 Why over-rotating on any one value—performance, relationships, or impact—creates imbalance.

18:48 – Why great companies tolerate inefficiency
 How leaving space for ideas, experimentation, and collaboration led to entirely new business lines—including federally funded research and internal creative teams.

23:33 – What real collaboration requires
 Why trust, incentive design, and removing fear of credit or competition matter more than saying you “value teamwork.”

27:24 – Why TiER1 doesn’t use traditional performance reviews
 How growth conversations, shared bonuses, and team-based success replace individual scoring systems.

30:12 – Navigating economic pressure without abandoning values
 How Greg approached a difficult financial year without defaulting to immediate layoffs—and what tradeoffs that required.

35:24 – Why employee ownership changes leadership decisions
 How becoming an ESOP created long-term alignment—and new responsibility.

39:57– When you have to be willing to walk away from revenue
 The mindset required to confront a major client when culture and team wellbeing were at risk.

43:56 – Decision-making without a rigid framework
 Why principles, not algorithms, guide tough calls—and why long-term thinking matters most.

48:36 – What makes a “good” company
 Greg’s belief that organizations should exist to serve people—not the other way around.

Resources & Links
Greg Harmeyer – LinkedIn
TiER1 Performance Solutions
Impact with Love: Building Business for a Better World

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