What if your sales problem, leadership challenge, or retention issue isn’t really about strategy at all, but about trust?

In this episode, Anne sits down with trust expert David Horsager, founder of the Trust Edge Leadership Institute and author of multiple books on trust, including Trust Matters More Than Ever and Trust at a Distance. David has spent decades researching how trust is built, measured, and repaired inside organizations, from Fortune 500 companies to the U.S. military.

Listen in as he explains why trust is the leading indicator behind sales, engagement, referrals, and retention. He also breaks down his eight pillars of trust framework and shares how trust is built in measurable, practical ways.

As you listen, consider where trust may be the real issue behind the challenges you’re trying to solve.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why trust is the leading indicator behind sales, engagement, and retention.
• The eight pillars that determine whether trust rises or falls.
• Why clarity beats cleverness in leadership and marketing.
• How to make your message memorable, repeatable, and actionable.
• The cost of inconsistency in brand and leadership behavior.
• Why personal connection is regaining importance in a digital world.

Ideas Worth Sharing:

• “Clarity beats cleverness today. People want to be clever, and they want to be cute… No, clarity wins. Just say the thing.” - David Horsager
• “Every single interaction we have with every single person, we increase or decrease trust a little bit.” - David Horsager
• “If you want it to matter, it's got to be MRA… Is it memorable? Is it repeatable? Actionable?” - David Horsager

Resources:

• David Horsager
• Trust Edge Leadership Institute
• Trust Matters More Than Ever by David Horsager
• Other Books
• The 8 Pillars of Trust

About David Horsager:

David Horsager is CEO of the Trust Edge Leadership Institute and a Wall Street Journal bestselling author. He is the inventor of the Enterprise Trust Index™ and director of the global trust study, Trust Outlook®. His books include Trusted Leader, Daily Edge, and The Trust Edge. David works with leaders and organizations worldwide, from Fortune 100 companies to professional sports teams and global governments, to measure, build, and restore trust.

Connect with David:

LinkedIn: David Horsager

Connect with Anne:

LinkedIn: Anne Claessen

Connect With Us

If you enjoyed this episode, follow The Rise and Fall of Trust wherever you get your podcasts. And if you’re thinking about launching a podcast that builds trust and drives results, that’s our jam. Schedule a free call at Cashflow Podcasting to learn more.

What happens when you shift from a seven-stage approval process that screams “we don't trust you” to a radically open model where almost anyone can edit anything?

In this episode, we feature a special conversation (originally hosted by Pete Mockaitis of How to Be Awesome at Your Job) with Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales. Jimmy shares the story of how Wikipedia went from an intimidating, top-down editorial system to the open-source knowledge powerhouse we know today.

This conversation explores how designing systems that assume good faith promotes more trustworthy behavior. Jimmy also connects these principles to real-world examples across industries: subscription dark patterns, pandemic health guidance, social media algorithms, and why Netflix succeeded where Blockbuster failed.

As you listen, consider Jimmy’s invitation to take a “trust inventory” and notice where your own organization may be unintentionally signaling mistrust and what could change if you flipped that script.

What You’ll Learn:

• How the Seven Rules of Trust emerged from Wikipedia’s early failures and reinvention.
• What it really means to design trust at scale inside large, open systems.
• Why assuming good faith can be more powerful than control in leadership and organizations.
• How subtle design choices quietly shape whether people feel trusted or policed.
• Where modern institutions and platforms unintentionally lose credibility.
• Why transparency and independence still matter in a world driven by metrics and clicks.
• A simple “trust inventory” you can apply to your own organization or work.

Ideas Worth Sharing:

• "One of the things people first think of when you say ‘what makes an organization more trustworthy?’ … is transparency." - Jimmy Wales
• “If you approach someone and you trust them—and you make it clear that you're trusting them—they're very likely to reciprocate because humans are like that." - Jimmy Wales
• “Take a trust inventory. So think about all the different aspects of your work life, your home life, all of that. ‘What are the things that I could do to help people trust me, and what are the things I can do to encourage other people to be trustworthy?’” - Jimmy Wales

Resources:

• The Seven Rules of Trust: A Blueprint for Building Things That Last by Jimmy Wales
• Wikipedia
• How to be Awesome at Your Job
• Trust Café

About Jimmy Wales:

Jimmy Wales is the co-founder of Wikipedia and a pioneer of the open knowledge movement. In addition to Wikipedia, Jimmy is the author of The Seven Rules of Trust, where he explores how individuals and institutions can earn credibility through independence, respect, and ethical system design. His work continues to shape conversations around trust, media, and the future of the internet.

Connect with Jimmy:

LinkedIn: Jimmy Wales

Connect with Pete:

LinkedIn: Pete Mockaitis

Connect With Us

If you enjoyed this episode, follow The Rise and Fall of Trust wherever you get your podcasts. And if you’re thinking about launching a podcast that builds trust and drives results, th

What does real trust look like when pressure hits, incentives shift, and no one is watching?

In this episode, venture capitalist Victor Orlovski, founder of R136 Ventures and host of Ventures from the Valley, shares the raw reality of trust in the high-stakes world of startup investing. After backing a promising European startup through years of growth and nearly closing a major acquisition, Victor watched helplessly as the founders executed a legal but devastating betrayal.

He reveals how that experience influenced his entire approach to venture capital, shifting his focus from metrics and technology to the character of the people behind the pitch. This conversation explores the delicate balance between authority and democracy in leadership, why consistency matters more than personality type, and what truly happens in the room when you're not there.

What You’ll Learn:

• The three components that define trust in any relationship or business.
• Why venture capital still requires a human intermediary despite technological advances.
• How to spot red flags in founders who oversell or avoid discussing their biggest challenges.
• Why consistency in leadership matters more than leadership style.
• How organizational culture directly mirrors founder behavior (whether they're present or not).
• The difference between legal and ethical behavior in business partnerships.

Ideas Worth Sharing:

• "Trust is where you withdraw yourself and people keep behaving like you are in the room." - Victor Orlovski
• “What comes first is awareness. People should know about you. Then second, people should trust you. And then—only then—you can really get what you want: money. So many founders start from the reverse order. They try to get money without establishing awareness and trust. And I think that's very important.” - Victor Orlovski
• "I'm not going to invest in a founder who exaggerates and who doesn't really have real good answers to his most challenging matters... If a founder is telling me how great things are, probably my desire to invest will diminish." - Victor Orlovski

Resources:

• R136 Ventures
• Ventures from The Valley

About Victor Orlovski:

Victor Orlovski is the founder and managing partner of R136 Ventures, an investment firm focused on mid-and-late-stage startups across the U.S., Israel, and Dubai. With decades of experience in venture capital and technology, Victor has led investments across fintech and enterprise platforms and is also the host of the Ventures from the Valley podcast, where he explores leadership, trust, and building companies for the long term.

Connect with Victor:

LinkedIn: Victor Orlovski

Connect with Anne:

LinkedIn: Anne Claessen

Connect With Us

If you enjoyed this episode, follow The Rise and Fall of Trust wherever you get your podcasts. And if you’re thinking about launching a podcast that builds trust and drives results, that’s our jam. Schedule a free call at Cashflow Podcasting to learn more.