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Podcasting is the most human thing happening in tech right now. So, if you’re designing better workplaces or serving mission-driven businesses, you belong here. Our podcasts transform into tools for culture, employee engagement, and leadership growth. Through storytelling and strategy, we help organizations elevate people, improve communication, and amplify thought leadership.

What if your company’s values didn’t just live in a handbook but showed up in your daily habits?

Nikki sits down with creative strategist and purpose-driven leader Justin Ahrens to unpack how organizations can bring their vision, mission, and values to life beyond buzzwords and branding. With deep experience as a B Corp founder and now as the mind behind On Purpose, Justin offers tangible insight on transforming culture from the inside out. They dig into common missteps leaders make when vision is disconnected from action and explore what it truly looks like when culture is alive and thriving. 

From onboarding that inspires, to meetings that actually matter, this conversation is for every people-first leader ready to turn alignment into action.

Additional Resources:

🔗 Connect with Justin on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinahrens/)

🔗 Get Justin’s Book - “Being HumanKind" (https://behumankind.today/being-humankind-book/)”

🔗 Learn more about ON Purpose Work (https://www.onpurpose.work/why-on-purpose)

🔗 Listen to The Design Of Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/design-of-podcast/id1031393077)

🔗 Listen to Running Ahrens (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/running-ahrens/id1808363470)!

🔗 Connect with Nikki on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkilewallen/)

🔗 Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/peopleforward-network/?viewAsMember=true)

🔗 Learn more about PeopleForward Network (https://peopleforwardnetwork.com/) 38:01

What if your company’s values didn’t just live in a handbook but showed up in your daily habits?

Nikki sits down with creative strategist and purpose-driven leader Justin Ahrens to unpack how organizations can bring their vision, mission, and values to life beyond buzzwords and branding. With deep experience as a B Corp founder and now as the mind behind On Purpose, Justin offers tangible insight on transforming culture from the inside out. They dig into common missteps leaders make when vision is disconnected from action and explore what it truly looks like when culture is alive and thriving.

From onboarding that inspires, to meetings that actually matter, this conversation is for every people-first leader ready to turn alignment into action.

Additional Resources:

🔗 Connect with Justin on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinahrens/)

🔗 Get Justin’s Book - “Being HumanKind" (https://behumankind.today/being-humankind-book/)”

🔗 Learn more about ON Purpose Work (https://www.onpurpose.work/why-on-purpose)

🔗 Listen to The Design Of Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/design-of-podcast/id1031393077)

🔗 Listen to Running Ahrens (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/running-ahrens/id1808363470)!

🔗 Connect with Nikki on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkilewallen/)

🔗 Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/peopleforward-network/?viewAsMember=true)

🔗 Learn more about PeopleForward Network (https://peopleforwardnetwork.com/)

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YouTube Video VVUycmJlNzF3MFBDNEVLbDJwbVBxaldRLlZXdUxrYU5YbHJV

On Purpose: Turning Values Into Action at Work | Justin Ahrens

PeopleForward Network January 8, 2026 7:00 am

What if the key to transforming data into real change isn’t more dashboards, but better storytelling? 📚

Nikki welcomes Kaitlin Henze, a passionate data storytelling strategist from storytelling with data. Kaitlin helps leaders simplify complexity, turning charts into conversations and numbers into narratives that inspire action.

Together, they explore why traditional reports fall flat, how to visualize data so humans actually care, and how storytelling bridges the gap between information and impact. Kaitlin also shares her heart behind launching data literacy programs for kids and the mission of building the next generation of data-minded leaders through creativity and color.

Whether you're overwhelmed by metrics or inspired to connect data with meaning, this episode will reframe the way you communicate your insights, and remind you that data done right moves people.

Additional Resources:

Connect with Kaitlin on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaitlin-henze/)

Learn more about storytelling with data (https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/)

Get the book “Storytelling with Data” (https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/swd10)

Learn more about Daphne Draws Data (https://www.daphnedrawsdata.com/datadetectives)

Subscribe to storytelling with data on YouTube! (https://www.youtube.com/c/storytellingwithdata)

Connect with Nikki on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkilewallen/)

Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/peopleforward-network/?viewAsMember=true)

Learn more about PeopleForward Network (https://peopleforwardnetwork.com/)

What if the key to transforming data into real change isn’t more dashboards, but better storytelling? 📚

Nikki welcomes Kaitlin Henze, a passionate data storytelling strategist from storytelling with data. Kaitlin helps leaders simplify complexity, turning charts into conversations and numbers into narratives that inspire action.

Together, they explore why traditional reports fall flat, how to visualize data so humans actually care, and how storytelling bridges the gap between information and impact. Kaitlin also shares her heart behind launching data literacy programs for kids and the mission of building the next generation of data-minded leaders through creativity and color.

Whether you're overwhelmed by metrics or inspired to connect data with meaning, this episode will reframe the way you communicate your insights, and remind you that data done right moves people.

Additional Resources:

Connect with Kaitlin on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaitlin-henze/)

Learn more about storytelling with data (https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/)

Get the book “Storytelling with Data” (https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/swd10)

Learn more about Daphne Draws Data (https://www.daphnedrawsdata.com/datadetectives)

Subscribe to storytelling with data on YouTube! (https://www.youtube.com/c/storytellingwithdata)

Connect with Nikki on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkilewallen/)

Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/peopleforward-network/?viewAsMember=true)

Learn more about PeopleForward Network (https://peopleforwardnetwork.com/)

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YouTube Video VVUycmJlNzF3MFBDNEVLbDJwbVBxaldRLlNERlB5YVFHNlg4

From Numbers to Narratives: How to Turn Data into Action Focus | Kaitlin Henze

PeopleForward Network January 6, 2026 12:54 pm

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