Guest: Herby Duverné

In this podcast, Deborah does a round-up of perspectives on the crucial topic of culture, incorporating relevant highlights from prior podcasts of four CEOs:  
Art Saxby, CEO and Founder of Chief Outsiders notes that the biggest lessons have been the importance and power of culture - the culture that draws the greatest leaders and contributors to work for the company and magnetizes like-minded clients to it because they hold the same values.(Full episode is here: EP25: Scaling Your Business - Curiosity and Leadership)
Chris Yeung, CTO and co-founder of Vimbly Group says “Some of the greatest accomplishments in humanity have been through partnership and cooperation” - and he values this type of culture so strongly, that he & his partner made the decision to shut down a company they had acquired when they found it a toxic culture. He merely called it a “hard lesson.” (Full episode is here: EP7: CTO Masterclass: How to Build a High-Performing Tech Team)
Xena Ugrinsky, CTO and Founding Partner at Pilot Wave Holdings Management, brings in the cultural impact on the speed and effectiveness of AI and digital transformation where sometimes we have to break the old cultural norms so that it’s okay to experiment, fail and leverage what you’ve learned. 
(Full episode is here: EP19: Building a Future-Ready Business - Tech, Culture, and Strategy)
Herby Duverné, CEO of Windwalker Group is creating A culture where people are working hard, yet having a good time - they are passionate about performing because they believe what the company is doing and what the company is is special.  
(Full episode is here: EP13: Building a Business on Solutions Rather Than Problems)
 
Links from this episode:
Herby Duverné on LinkedInWindwalker
Xena Ugrinsky on LinkedInXena Ugrinsky on TwitterPilotwave Holdings
Chris Yeung on LinkedInVimbly Group
Art Saxby on LinkedInChief Outsiders

In today's episode of Success Beneath the Surface, we welcome back Herby Duverné, founder and CEO of Rise Development and Construction and principal and CEO of Windwalker Group. In last week's episode, we heard about his journey, starting from the trenches and growing his businesses. But today, I want to focus on one key lesson from our conversation - the importance of finding opportunities in challenges.
When faced with obstacles, it can be easy to feel defeated and give up. But Herby believes that challenges are a natural part of life and business and that there is always an opportunity to be found. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many businesses were struggling to survive, Herby's companies grew and thrived by focusing on internal investments and being prepared for the opportunities that would arise.
The full episode from this commentary is here.
And the previous half of this session with Deborah and Herby can be heard here.
 
Links from this episode:
Herby Duverné on LinkedInWindwalker
Deborah Fell on LinkedInChief Outsiders

In this episode, Herby Duverné continues sharing his journey of building a business on solutions by understanding needs and pivoting towards growth opportunities. He emphasizes the importance of hiring the right team members and creating an environment where people can be themselves, leading to better performance and a special sense of belonging within the organization. Despite the ups and downs of the business world, Herby believes that challenges are a necessary part of the journey and advises other CEOs to embrace them and look for the opportunity to provide new, unique solutions.
Listen to the first half of the episode here.
Links from this episode:
Herby Duverné on LinkedInWindwalker
Deborah Fell on LinkedInChief Outsiders

In this commentary, Deborah emphasizes a key point that Herby made about his evolution as an entrepreneur, which was shifting from doing everything himself to focusing on company culture. Herby shares his belief that it's not enough just to make money, but you need to make an impact. He emphasizes the importance of creating an environment where employees can be themselves and enjoy what they do, which he believes results in unbreakable bonds and exponential growth for the business.
Herby's story of invention, disruption, and reinvention is truly remarkable, and next week's episode will delve deeper into his journey. Through his story, listeners can gain valuable insights into entrepreneurship, leadership, and the power of culture.
Herby Duverné is the founder and CEO of Rise Development and Construction and the principal and CEO of Windwalker Group. Herby shares his inspiring journey from being a young immigrant who didn't speak the language and was homeless to CEO of two companies and recently named as one of the 150 Most Influential Bostonians.
Listen to the full episode here.
Links from this episode:
Herby Duverné on LinkedInWindwalker
Deborah Fell on LinkedInChief Outsiders

Deborah welcomes Herby Duverné, a successful real estate developer and founder of Rise Development and Construction. Duverné shares his story of growing up in Haiti with a single mother who worked long hours in a factory to provide for her children. He credits his mother's optimism and hope for his success in life, along with his ability to turn setbacks into opportunities. Herby also discusses how he met his business partner, who was once a dissatisfied client, but through transparency and authenticity, they built a trusting relationship and formed Rise Development and Construction. The company has since grown to a 2.7 billion dollar development firm in just three years. He attributes their success to their ability to connect with people, bring value to the table, and maintain an optimistic mindset.
About Deborah's guest:
Herby Duverné, Founder and CEO of RISE Development & Construction and the Principal and Chief Executive Officer for Windwalker Group, a client-focused, award-winning, Minority-owned 8(a) small business. Since becoming Windwalker’s CEO in 2012, Mr. Duverné has increased the organization’s workforce and introduced new business offerings in cybersecurity, physical security, and professional services. He has led the company’s efforts to earn a Defense Security Services top-secret security clearance, expand operations in multiple states, and build contracts with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Department of Defense. Mr. Duverné has 25 years of experience in infrastructure protection, intelligence, law enforcement, investigations, security and loss prevention, crisis and risk management, and aviation and port emergency management.  
Links from this episode:
Herby Duverné on LinkedInWindwalker
Deborah Fell on LinkedInChief Outsiders