The Core Value Equation: Building Culture That Scales | Darius Mirshahzadeh, Revisited

Darius Mirshahzadeh built the company he'd always wanted. In just three years, he grew it from a one-person operation into one of the fastest-growing companies in the United States. But when he looked around, he realized something unsettling: he hated the company he had created. That experience forced him to rethink what it really means to scale a business. In this revisited episode, Dart and Darius discuss how core values shape the way organizations grow, why culture must be designed intentionally, and what it takes to build a company that can scale without losing itself.

Darius Mirshahzadeh is an entrepreneur, author, and leadership advisor who helps founders build values-driven organizations. He founded Twin Capital Mortgage, later served as CEO of The Money Source, and is the author of The Core Value Equation.

In this episode, Dart and Darius discuss:
- Building culture through values
- When values become operational
- Hiring for alignment
- The language organizations create
- Measuring engagement differently
- Why some polarization is healthy
- Scaling without losing your culture
- Finding your calling
- And other topics…

Darius Mirshahzadeh is an entrepreneur, author, and leadership advisor who helps companies scale through strong culture and clearly defined core values. He founded Twin Capital Mortgage, growing it into one of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States, and later served as CEO of The Money Source. He is the author of The Core Value Equation, where he shares a framework for building organizations around values that guide hiring, leadership, and growth.

Resources Mentioned:
The Core Value Equation, by Darius Mirshahzadeh: https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708

Connect with Darius:
Official website: https://therealdarius.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/
The Greatness Machine podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-greatness-machine/id1555334180

Work with Dart:
Dart is the CEO and co-founder of the work design firm 11fold. Build work that makes employees feel alive, connected to their work, and focused on what’s most important to the business. Book a call at 11fold.com.