Mini Chief: Mike Smith, Founder and CEO of Zero Co, on how to build a tribe of loyal customers

“What are the things that I do daily to build and maintain relationships with people I deeply care about. And then I just do that to the people that are the next sphere out from me.”   This is a special episode only available to our podcast subscribers, which we call The Mini Chief. These are short, sharp highlights from our fabulous guests, where you get a 5 to 10 minute snapshot from their full episode. This Mini Chief episode features Mike Smith, Founder and CEO of Zero Co. His full episode is titled How to build a tribe of loyal customers, creating a better world through business, and personal growth. You can find the full audio and show notes here: 🎧👉  chiefmaker.com/350  👂   INFLUENCE DIFFICULT STAKEHOLDERS USING THIS STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE: chiefmaker.com/stakeholders   Mike’s travels around the world exposed him to the devastating effects of plastic pollution, particularly in remote areas. Inspired to find a solution, he founded Zero Co, an Australian company he launched in 2019 to eliminate single-use plastics in everyday household products by facilitating consumers to switch to eco-friendly, refillable alternatives. Mike’s background was in advertising and marketing, and bringing products to market and he worked with some of the world’s largest brands, including Coca Cola. He then co-founded, launched and sold Hot Chip, a surfing technology start-up developed in collaborations with some of the world's best surfers and Billabong. He was also the Co-Founder of Cake Wines, a disruptive winery that aimed to make wine fun again, which he scaled and sold to one of the biggest wine brands in Australia. Mike is committed to broader environmental change, advocating for responsible production processes and raising awareness about the impact of plastic pollution on the planet.   In this CEO masterclass, we talk about: ✅ How to build a tribe of loyal followers for your organisation. ✅ On why a social enterprise can help you to balance meaningful work with making money. ✅ The evolution of Zero Co’s operating model from a buy-return-refill model to a circular economy model, and ✅ The immense work he has done on self-awareness and personal growth. Stay epic, Greg Connecting with Mike Smith You can connect with Mike via LinkedIn. Similar Episodes on social impact businesses Rory Hunter, Founder and CEO of MODEL, on Spearheading the build-to-rent movement towards sustainability, seeking solitude and healing on the ocean, and the adventure of a lifetime after buying an island in his twenties Rochelle Courtenay, Founder and MD of Share the Dignity, on Leading volunteer armies, witnessing female trauma inside prison and eradicating period poverty Juliette Wright, founder and former CEO of GIVIT, on Revolutionising misguided charitable giving, having a million conversations, and leaning into anxiety Follow Chief Maker 📝 Subscribe to the Finish Strong monthly newsletter and podcast drops 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Give The Inner Chief podcast a 5-star rating on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker