The Culture Matters Podcast
The Culture Matters Podcast with host, Jay Doran, is a platform to talk with business owners, executives, and cultural alike to get inside each individual's eco-system in which they practice culture in the workplace. We speak to some of the most interesting people about why culture is important.
The Culture Matters Podcast
Season 89, Episode 1062: 2025 NYE Lollapalooza Episode 15: High Stakes, Clear Objectives
Episode 15 is a different kind of New Year’s Eve conversation—less “resolution energy,” more real life, real leadership, real presence.
Jay Doran and Jenna Silverman sit down with Michael Allosso and Joseph Iredell during the 2025 Lollapalooza to unpack the theme:
“Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.”
From the jump, it’s personal—Mike Calhoun has officially tapped out after an all-day hosting marathon, and Jenna steps in to co-lead the room. What follows is a layered discussion about the words that shaped 2025 and the words driving 2026:
- Michael Allosso (2025): Seen & Heard — the ache of invisibility, and the power of making people feel visible.
Michael (2026): Intensity — no more passive interactions; every moment becomes an event, with real stakes. - Joseph Iredell: moves from Understanding into Dominance for 2026—less introspection, more execution, and refusing to “play defense” after momentum is built.
- Jenna: reflects on Faith in 2025 and anchors 2026 in Surrender—letting go of forced outcomes while staying disciplined about clarity, communication, and aligned action.
The episode also hits a few Culture Matters gold veins: casting vs. hiring, why leaders misplace people into roles that drain them, and why “stakes” change everything—your tone, your preparation, your presence, and the way people remember you.
They close by wrestling with a big question: How do you teach values in a way that’s engaging—lived, not lectured?The answer keeps circling back to the same truth: values become real when they show up inside conversations, decisions, and the way we treat people when no one’s watching.
If you’re heading into 2026 craving more presence, more purpose, and fewer forced outcomes—this one will land.