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 1066: 2025 NYE Lollapalooza Episode 19: My Word is Love
Jay Doran’s Word for 2026: LOVE
In Episode 19, Jay Doran closes the NYE Lollapalooza series by sharing his personal word for 2026: LOVE — and redefining it far beyond how the word is commonly used.
This episode is not about romance alone, and it’s not about sentiment. It’s about love as a discipline, a standard, and a responsibility.
Jay breaks down what love actually looks like when it’s lived out:
- In partnership
- In leadership and work
- In friendship, boundaries, and commitment
- In the way we choose to show up for people — even when it’s uncomfortable
He challenges the idea that love is passive or conditional, and instead frames it as something that requires intention, courage, presence, and consistency. Love, as Jay describes it, is not weakness — it is alignment. It is choosing truth over ego, service over control, and depth over convenience.
This episode serves as a personal declaration and a compass for the year ahead — not just for Jay, but for anyone listening who wants to live with greater clarity, integrity, and connection in 2026.
If you’ve ever felt that the word love has been diluted or misunderstood, this conversation restores its weight — and its meaning.
This is the final chapter of the NYE Lollapalooza.
And it’s an invitation to live the year ahead differently.
Share this episode with someone who’s ready to lead — and love — at a higher standard.