Leading with Love: How Culture, Trust & AI Are Transforming Leadership

Can love transform the way we lead? Mohammad Anwar believes it can. In this episode of Eyespiring, Heather Patrick sits down with Mohammad Anwar, President & CEO of Softway, co-founder of Culture+, and bestselling co-author of Love as a Business Strategy and Love as a Change Strategy. Mohammad shares his remarkable journey from growing up in Saudi Arabia and India to building a global technology company in Houston, overcoming near bankruptcy, and discovering that leadership rooted in love, trust, and accountability creates stronger organizations and better outcomes. The conversation explores what it really means to build a healthy workplace culture, why leaders often confuse titles with influence, and how artificial intelligence can actually help us become more human by creating more space for relationships, empathy, and meaningful connection. Topics CoveredMohammad's multicultural upbringing and entrepreneurial journeyStarting Softway at just 20 years oldThe challenges of leadership, ego, and nearly losing his companyWhy love belongs in businessBuilding trust and accountability within teamsThe biggest misconceptions about leadershipWarning signs of a broken organizational cultureMeasuring success beyond financial performanceLeading people through changeBringing humanity back to the workplaceHow AI can strengthen, not replace, human connectionLeadership lessons from failure and personal growth Leadership isn't about titles, power, or perfection, it's about relationships, trust, and creating environments where people can thrive. Mohammad reminds us that as technology continues to evolve, our greatest competitive advantage will always be our humanity. If this conversation inspired you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who is passionate about leadership, culture, or the future of work. Timestamps & Highlights00:00 – Welcome to Eyespiring01:40 – Growing up in Saudi Arabia, India, and eventually finding home in Texas11:40 – Starting Softway at age 2015:00 – Early entrepreneurial lessons, stress, and overcoming ego17:20 – The near collapse of Softway and the moment everything changed24:45 – Why love belongs in business31:45 – Why organizational culture is so difficult to change34:25 – Reframing accountability as an act of care36:15 – The biggest misconception about leadership37:45 – Recognizing the warning signs of a broken culture40:30 – Measuring success through trust, teamwork, and impact44:25 – Helping people embrace change instead of resisting it47:30 – Bringing humanity back into the workplace51:40 – Why AI may help us become more human54:20 – Lightning round: leadership advice, failure, habits, and lifelong learning58:45 – Closing thoughts and final reflections