Share This Episode

Economic Challenges

Conscious Capitalism in Action: How C-Suite’s Tricia Benn Is Redefining Success

The Joy of Living Podcast with Barry Shore

What if capitalism wasn’t the villain—but the vehicle for meaningful change?

In this high-energy, heart-centered episode of The JOY of LIVING, Barry Shore welcomes powerhouse CEO Tricia Benn, the driving force behind the C-Suite Network and the Hero Club. Tricia doesn’t just talk mission—she lives it. With raw honesty and inspired clarity, she reveals how aligning your personal purpose with your professional mission isn’t just possible—it’s non-negotiable for real success.

From redefining what it means to be a hero in business to navigating the chaos of COVID with grace and grit, Tricia drops wisdom every leader, dreamer, and doer needs to hear. This isn’t business as usual—it’s business as a force for good.

  • Learn how disruption can become your greatest gift
  • Discover the 4 R’s that define C-Suite’s culture of generosity and impact
  • Hear the real story of entrepreneurs who scaled during crisis
  • Unpack why “balance” is a lie—and what success really looks like
  • Get inspired to go MAD: Make A Difference, with every decision

This episode is your reminder that trust is the new currency, and conscious leadership is the future. Hit play and get ready to see business—and your mission—through a whole new lens.

Sponsors:

AquaTru.com

Water, wonderful, clean, delightfully tasting water. So good because it keeps you healthy and your family and your friends and your pets. I use an AquaTru water filter. AquaTru water filter is a four-stage reverse osmosis purification process. And the best thing I love about it is no installation or plumbing. I got it. I sent it to my home and I was able to set it up so easily and it works and it removes 15 times more contaminants than any regular filter they ever had. And the great news is the filters are affordable and long lasting. You don’t change in every two or three months. They’ll last from six months, maybe even two years. And the result of that is that one set of filters will give you over 4,000 bottles of water. That’s less than three cents a bottle. Today, my listeners, to the joy of living, you’re gonna receive 20 % off. That’s right, 20 % off any Aqua True Purifier. Enter the code JOY at checkout. Go to AquaTru.com

Show Notes:

[10.43] Mission Alignment and Living with Purpose

  • Tricia emphasizes that aligning with mission and purpose is foundational to waking up with energy and direction each day.
  • Her personal mission mirrors that of C-Suite: enabling great business leaders to succeed for the betterment of communities.
  • She defines sustainable success as the kind that multiplies positive impact through ethical leadership.
  • Tricia challenges common misconceptions around capitalism, especially among younger generations.
  • She shares the legacy of the Hero Club and how it honors businesses that prioritize people and purpose.
  • C-Suite’s aim is to amplify the stories of ethical business leaders, not the outliers of greed often spotlighted in media.
  • Barry and Tricia affirm the transformative power of conscious capitalism rooted in service, not selfishness.
  • The Hero Factor book and ethos showcase how profit and people-centric values can co-exist.
  • The Hero’s Journey in business is about putting humans first—and ironically, this leads to greater profits and sustainability.

[17.30] Trust, Leadership, and Conscious Capitalism

  • Barry highlights the essential “glue” of any high-performing organization: trust.
  • Tricia expands the definition of “team” to include anyone aligned with your mission, not just employees.
  • She outlines C-Suite’s four foundational values: Relevance, Reach, Reciprocity, and Respect.
  • Trust, she explains, is earned while respect is given; both are critical to open, transformative dialogue.
  • Real leadership requires transparency, humility, and the courage to embrace meaningful debate.
  • Barry and Tricia connect trust to flexibility, especially in navigating the constantly shifting Rubik’s Cube of business.
  • She calls trust the new currency in business—a value shared by C-Suite and their strategic partnerships.
  • Tricia reminds us that alignment on mission builds unity, even amid polarizing times and diverse perspectives.
  • Community becomes not just a buzzword but a practice where “you” always comes before “I.”

[24.10] Transformation, Disruption, and the Pivot of 2020

  • Tricia redefines disruption as exciting: an invitation to innovate and discard what doesn’t work.
  • She describes the rapid pivot of C-Suite during COVID—from in-person events to a thriving digital ecosystem.
  • Her metaphor of the scalloping hands (like a hockey stick) beautifully illustrates how innovation and operations must sync.
  • Leaders must release emotional attachments to failing systems and instead embrace agile problem-solving.
  • The pace of innovation during crisis forces clarity: if it doesn’t serve the mission, let it go.
  • Barry likens her pivot strategy to a business Ph.D.—a masterclass in responsive, values-based leadership.
  • They highlight the advantage of capitalist systems in making swift, purpose-driven shifts.
  • Tricia urges leaders to maintain urgency even in non-crisis times, not just when forced by external disruption.
  • Every crisis holds potential magic—if leaders are prepared to adapt and align their teams.

[31.30] Real-World Heroism and Leading Through Crisis

  • Tricia shares a powerful story of Evan and Rachel Dash, Hero Club members who scaled their business during COVID.
  • Their kitchenware company, Storebound, leveraged disruption as opportunity, embracing community and purpose.
  • Weekly Hero Club CEO calls during COVID created peer support, transparency, and rapid decision-making.
  • Despite pressure, they turned down misaligned investment offers, choosing long-term fit over short-term gain.
  • They eventually partnered with a values-aligned investor, proving that ethics and success are not mutually exclusive.
  • Tricia highlights how great leadership filters every business move through mission, not just market trends.
  • She credits the couple’s ability to flourish to their unwavering commitment to team, values, and vision.
  • The ongoing challenges of tariffs, supply chains, and market shifts don’t daunt them—they’ve built resilient trust structures.
  • Barry and Tricia underscore that true heroism in business lies in serving others, not self.

[39.55] Defining Success and Building an Empowered Ecosystem

  • Tricia critiques the word “balance” as unrealistic for entrepreneurs and favors “conditions of satisfaction” instead.
  • She emphasizes the daily importance of health as a non-negotiable pillar of leadership and success.
  • C-Suite fosters customizable, mission-aligned success through tools like publishing, events, and distribution.
  • The network supports over 600 branded events a year and 500+ podcasts, driving visibility for values-based leaders.
  • Tricia introduces a fourth C to the platform’s flywheel: Counsel—hard-won wisdom from those with real experience.
  • Success is self-defined, and judgment from others has no place in a mission-aligned business journey.
  • Barry and Tricia reiterate the essence of C-Suite: content feeds community, which drives commerce and real counsel.
  • Her leadership philosophy centers on equipping others to rise, not dictating how their success should look.
  • In the world of C-Suite, every mission-driven leader has a place, and the ecosystem is built to elevate them.

Insider Tips:

Nicole Iny is the Executive Director of Grants and Consumer Education at FAIR Health, a national, independent nonprofit organization that qualifies as a public charity under section 501(c)(3) of the federal tax code. FAIR Health possesses the nation’s largest collection of private healthcare claims data, which includes over 47 billion claim records. It is dedicated to bringing transparency and integrity to healthcare costs and health insurance information through data products, consumer resources and health systems research support.

Topics:

  • What is FAIR Health?
  • What types of tools and resources are offered on FAIRHealthOlderAdults.org?
  • What obstacles do older adults and family caregivers face when navigating the healthcare system, and what strategies can they use to find the services and support they need?
  • Have you received any feedback from patients and/or their caregivers about the shared decision-making resources available on the FAIR Health consumer website?
  • Where can patients, family caregivers and healthcare providers find more information?

About Tricia Benn

Tricia Benn is the Chief Executive Officer of C-Suite Network, the most influential network of business leaders, and the General Manager of The Hero Club, an invitation-only membership organization for CEOs, founders, and investors.

Her mission is to build the C-Suite Network platform – community, content, counsel, commerce – that accelerates the success of c-level executives, owners, investors and influencers. She is a leader in creating an executive community of collaboration, based on integrity, transparency, and measuring success beyond the numbers alone – ‘The Hero Factor.’