E48 Sam Falletta on Leadership, Change, & Culture

Sam Falletta and Todd Bertsch in the BOLT Podcast Studio

Sam Falletta went from a four-cubicle call center to president, owner, and leader of a values-driven sale. In this episode, he breaks down how he built an award-winning culture by focusing on what employees truly need: strengths-based leadership, real-life support, meaningful incentives, and coaching that shifts mindsets.

We explore why most engagement efforts fall flat, how culture changes in a remote world, and the personal reasons behind his decision to step back and choose presence over pressure.

We close with Capiches, his collection of bite-sized life lessons inspired by his dad. This episode is packed with practical insight for leaders who want to build trust, retain talent, and create workplaces that genuinely work.

What we discuss in this episode:

Choosing a scrappy start over a safe path
Leading with dignity and measurable outcomes
Engagement vs turnover and Maslow’s reality
Redesigning incentives to match real needs
On-site counseling and appreciative inquiry
Pay-for-performance and client-aligned metrics
Remote work’s cultural costs and fixes
How and why to choose the right buyer
Capicias as a community for life lessons

Sam Falletta’s Bio

Sam Falletta is the former CEO of Incept, a customer experience firm, where he developed and executed customer acquisition and retention campaigns for some of the world’s most respected brands, including Amazon, Microsoft, Ring, Honda, and the American Red Cross.

Under his leadership, Incept was named one of the Top Workplaces in NE Ohio 14 times, as well as several local and national growth awards, before the successful sale of the organization in April 2025.

Sam is the founder of TEDxAkron, an active member of the TED community, and a 17-year member of Vistage, the world’s largest CEO coaching and peer advisory organization.

He currently speaks and consults on the topics of employee engagement and customer experience.