I’ll be honest from the start: I don’t look like I ever want to be anywhere, and I don’t look like I want to talk to people. And actually, both of those are true.
Not exactly the opening you’d expect from a business built on human connections, right? But that’s precisely why we’re doing things differently at Gladly Network. In our first episode of Glad You Asked, we had a conversation that revealed something important: what happens when you stop pretending business has to follow the old rules?
When Work Becomes Everything
The Problem with Grinding 24-7
During our conversation, we tackled something that’s been bothering us for a while. Jamie Bennion, our Director of Impact, put it bluntly: “We need to get rid of the idea that if you’re not grinding 24-7, you’re failing.” This mindset is literally killing people. This mindset is literally killing people. I’m not exaggerating — the World Health Organization found that working more than 55 hours a week raises your risk of stroke by 35% and heart disease by 17%. We keep calling it ambition, but most of the time, it’s just burnout dressed up as dedication.
We’ve all seen it. The colleague who brags about working through weekends. The friend who hasn’t taken a real vacation in years. The entrepreneur who sleeps four hours a night and calls it dedication. Somewhere along the way, we confused suffering with success.
Choosing Quality Over Quantity
Here’s what we believe instead: quality is more than quantity. Always has been, always will be.
Whether we’re talking about the partnerships we build, the products we curate, or the hours we work, more isn’t automatically better. We recognize that constantly grinding creates burned-out people who’ve forgotten why they started in the first place.
Real Connections, Real Impact
More Than Just Business
Our foundation comes from an unexpected place: dental offices. For over a decade, I’ve been visiting dental practices every six months, buying their dental scrap. But here’s what happened: I became more than just a scrap buyer in most cases.
These regular visits created something deeper. Conversations about kids, life changes, challenges, and victories. Real relationships built on consistency and genuine interest. That’s what happens when you show up as a human being first.
The Unexpected Red Panda
When asked about Gladly’s spirit animal, my answer was surprisingly specific: a red panda. Why? Because I feel like they’re doing something important, even though they’re just chilling.
That might sound ridiculous, but it captures something essential about our approach. We don’t need to look busy to create impact. We don’t need to hustle 24-7 to build something meaningful. Sometimes the most important work happens when you slow down enough to actually see the people around you.
Curating What Matters
Every partner, every product, every recommendation we make goes through a simple filter: does this actually help people? That alignment isn’t negotiable.
We’re not interested in adding another coupon you’ll never use or another points system that expires before you remember it exists. We’re building a network of businesses and products that genuinely make life better.
Redefining Success
People First, Numbers Second
Jamie’s philosophy has shaped us from day one: ‘My whole life and career, all I wanted to do is help people thrive.’ That’s really why we get up in the morning.
This shapes everything. When we evaluate partners, we look at their impact first. When we design programs, we think about real people using them. When we measure success, we count lives touched, not just transactions processed.
Work Is Not Your Identity
One of the most liberating realizations I’ve had is this: “take a deep breath and realize like, hey, I’m a person. This is a thing over here that I do, but it’s not me.” Your job isn’t your identity. Once you understand that, everything shifts. You can pursue excellence without sacrificing everything else that matters.
That’s why we’ve embraced a simpler message across our team: “You don’t have to work harder. Let’s live better.”
A Different Kind of Business
We started our podcast admitting we might burn something down metaphorically or literally. That’s not typical corporate messaging, but we’re not trying to be typical. We’re trying to be real.
Building Gladly Network has been an exercise in doing business differently. Despite my self-proclaimed grumpy exterior, the truth is I genuinely care for people. That care drives every decision, every partnership, every program we create.
What we’re discovering is that when you put humans before hustle, something beautiful happens. Trust deepens. Relationships strengthen. Impact multiplies. And yes, business grows too, but as a result of doing things right, not as the sole objective.
We’re not perfect. We’re still figuring things out. But we know this: there’s a better way to do business, and it starts with remembering we’re all human beings trying to make life a little better for each other.
Want to be part of something different? Explore Gladly Shop and join a growing network where blessing lives is the whole point.
