Building a People-First Culture – With John ‘Coach’ Hughes

In this newest episode of Mastering Workplace Culture, hosts S. Chris Edmonds and Mark S. Babbitt sit down with John ‘Coach’ Hughes, former SVP, Brand Ambassador, and Coach of Leadership & Culture at Jersey Mike's, for a powerful conversation about leadership, coaching, culture, hiring, core values, and building organizations that prioritize people without sacrificing results.

Drawing on more than four decades of experience, John shares how Jersey Mike's grew into one of America's most respected brands by focusing on people first, developing leaders intentionally, and creating environments where employees feel valued, respected, and connected to a larger purpose.

Throughout the conversation, John explains why great leaders coach instead of command, why culture starts with selecting the right people, and why organizations achieve sustainable success when leaders focus on the front line before the bottom line.