192. Show Up, Smile, And Support with Kevin Schnieders

Some people are just born with it. Whether it’s the intelligence you need to thrive, personality traits that make you likable – or your dad owning the company you grow up to become “Chief Servant Leader” of – we all have something going for us.Throughout the 192 (and counting) episodes of Fine Is a 4-Letter Word, I’ve covered stories of pain, struggle, perseverance, and salvation. One of my guests even went to prison for a murder she did not commit!Kevin Schnieders is one of those guys who, when you first meet him, strikes you as the kind who was just born with it. But as we peel back the layers, you’re going to get to know a man who shows there’s always room to grow and boundless opportunities to make an impact when you see them.Kevin’s dad was a school administrator who took a bold leap in founding EDSI, a workforce development, customized training, and consulting company focused on providing innovative solutions to close workforce skills gaps around the country. His mom was his dad’s biggest cheerleader, not a big departure since she had actually been a cheerleader for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was the middle child, partially in awe of his brother who was brilliant in his studies. Kevin was less academic, but he found a niche as an athlete and pursued a dream of becoming a sportscaster. Rather than take to the mic, Kevin went into teaching and then came to work at EDSI – first as a training consultant, then as Director of HR and Operations, then as COO, before becoming CEO. Then he bought the company. Along the way he married and has two wonderful daughters who make him proud every day.You’d think – wow, everything’s fine for Kevin. We could say, “He’s doing great and he lived happily after ever. The end!” But Fine Is a 4-Letter Word, as Kevin discovered when he was asked at a seminar how intelligent he was on a scale of 1 to 10, and he answered “6”. Bang! At that point, he realized he’d been carrying weight around for not being “as smart” as his brother. I’ll let Kevin explain. Then he attended another seminar and found out that for as compassionate as he always is toward others, he’d been falling short in practicing self-compassion.In a moment, when you meet Kevin, you’ll discover what came next. How does all this impact him as a father? How does he pass his values to his daughters? As the owner of a company with 856 employees, what’s his secret for creating a sense of personal connection with every single person who works for him – all 856 of them? Whether you have zero, ten, or 856 employees, or you are the employee, get out a note card – yes, an actual note card – and prepare to write.Kevin’s hype song is "Be Who You Are" by Michael Franti & Spearhead.Resources:Kevin Schnieders’ website: https://www.edsi.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/edsi/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EDSITalent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edsi_careers/ X: https://x.com/EDSI_Solutions YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/EDSIvideos Invitation from Lori: This episode is sponsored by Zen Rabbit. Smart business leaders know trust is the foundation of every great workplace. And in today’s hybrid and fast-moving work culture, trust isn’t built in quarterly town halls or the occasional Slack message. It’s built through consistent, clear, and HUMAN communication. Companies and leaders TALK about the importance of connection and community. And it’s easy to believe your organization is doing a great job of maintaining an awesome corporate culture. Because you’ve got annual all-hands meeting and open door policies, and “fun" team-building events.But let's be real. Leaders who are serious about building real trust are finding better ways to strengthen culture, create connection, and foster community.That's where I come in. Forward thinking companies are hiring me to produce internal podcasts. To bring leadership and employees together through authentic stories, real conversations, and meaningful connections. Think of it as your old-school printed company newsletter - reinvented for the modern workforce. I KNOW, what a cool idea, right?! If you run, work for, or know of a company that wants to upgrade communication, facilitate connections, build community, and maintain culture, let's chat. Message me at Lori@ZenRabbit dot com. Because when people feel heard, they engage. When they engage, they perform. And when they perform, the business succeeds beyond projections.And with that, let’s head over to Kevin’s office for a chat. Wait – he doesn’t have an office. Or a desk. Just a locker. What’s he doing poring over baseball cards?