David Gray is the CEO of FedUp Foods, a values-driven beverage company serving major retailers. His purpose-driven leadership has earned national recognition, including being named one of the MO 100 Top Impact CEOs, an annual ranking of purpose-driven business leaders, and receiving the Pros to Know Award.
David believes the best leaders never force a choice between empathy and accountability. In times of uncertainty, people need both. Connection creates the trust that makes accountability possible.
In this conversation, David explains how leading through Hurricane Helene reinforced the importance of putting people first while communicating clearly through uncertainty.
He shares the practical crisis leadership framework that guided his team through Hurricane Helene, explains why values become even more important as organizations scale, and reflects on what changed his mind about leadership: people really can grow when leaders take the time to understand and develop them.
Whether you’re leading through change or simply trying to build a stronger culture, this conversation offers a practical framework for balancing compassion with accountability while staying true to your values.
Find episode 520 on The Leadership Podcast, on YouTube, channel @theleadershippodcast, or wherever you get your podcasts!
Watch this Episode on YouTube | David Gray on Empathy Without Lowering the Bar
Key Moments
[03:17] How profit sharing and gardens shaped your culture
[05:31] Do values activate, or do people?
[06:16] Leading through Hurricane Helene and what it taught and what leaders need to think differently in disruption
[10:22] The four-point crisis playbook
[13:38] We’ve had 20 years of stability—is this the new normal or the regular normal?
[15:47] How to lead through slow-drip crises, not just hurricanes
[21:19] Protecting your mission as a for-profit company
[23:49] The push and pull between profit and purpose
[27:09] Dividend model vs market cap model—which works better for values-driven companies?
[31:58] What leadership belief did you finally unlearn?
[33:56] Your one main thought for leaders listening
Memorable Quotes
"If you don't have the right values, then you can't nurture a culture." Share on X "We need to create a culture that's ground up, not top down." Share on X "You need to understand where your people are at. You need to know if they're safe and you need to understand what their needs are." Share on X "We are doing more with less. That's just the reality and that the strategies that we put in place can be disrupted at any time." Share on X "We have never had to compromise in a way that takes away from our mission." Share on X "If you don't connect, I guess that accountability piece could probably feel like harassment." Share on X "We have the privilege and the responsibility to develop our people both personally and professionally because they spend probably more time with us than they do with their friends and their loved ones." Share on XExplore the full archive at www.theleadershippodcast.com or wherever you get your podcasts!
Resources Mentioned
- The Leadership Podcast | theleadershippodcast.com
- Sponsored by | www.darley.com
- Rafti Advisors. LLC | www.raftiadvisors.com
- Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | selfreliantleadership.com
- FedUp Foods Website | www.fedupfoods.co
- David Gray LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/david-gray-ab33b02a
- FedUp Foods Instagram | www.instagram.com/fedupfoods.co
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