What if the secret to scaling a company without losing its soul is deciding who you are before you decide how big to get? Nicole Schmidt joins Dan Ryan to talk about building Source from a frustration with how messy construction purchasing can be. She explains why technology should take over the data entry so people can spend their time on the details that matter. Along the way, she shares her playbook for culture, from writing values that actually mean something to blending teams after an acquisition. She also looks ahead at what AI could unlock for the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Nicole Schmidt is the CEO of Source and a rare leader who has seen the built environment from every angle, with a career that spans interior architecture, hospitality and housing design, and sales. She is a DJC Women of Vision Industry Member Award recipient and a finalist for Oregon Entrepreneur of the Year. She has also grown her company through acquisitions, including the recent addition of Project Dynamics. Nicole is a newly minted American citizen, and she runs a remote team with the kind of intention most companies only put on a poster.

Chapters:

00:00 Core Values Hook

00:23 Show Intro and Sponsor

00:58 Meet Nicole Schmidt

02:31 First Meeting and Networking

04:51 Defining Hospitality

06:49 Entrepreneurship and Origin Story

08:54 Source Spark and Industry Pain

14:34 Transparency and Smoother Projects

18:05 Building Culture and Values System

29:11 Beating Procrastination

29:55 Marinating Not Avoiding

30:50 Culture Filter Acquisitions

33:31 Knowing Bad Fits

36:09 Sponsor Sustainability Note

36:34 Why Choose Growth

40:41 Acquisition Strategy Matrix

41:55 Legacy And Women Leaders

49:11 AI Future North Star

Quote of the Show: “I have not in my life found a brick wall I could not run through.” - Nicole Schmidt

Building a hotel, brand, or guest experience? Reach out to Dan on LinkedIn or hit reply on the Substack to share what you’re working on.

🔗 CONNECT:

• Guest’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-schmidt-7420516/
• Guests Website: https://tothesource.com/
• Dan Ryan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedailydanryan/

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