2025 Recap and the 2026 Leadership Reset with Host, Julien LeBlanc

As Crave enters Season 2, host Julien LeBlanc opens the year with a powerful leadership reset — reflecting on the biggest insights from 2025 and laying the mindset foundation for success in 2026.

This solo episode distills lessons from industry leaders across foodservice distribution into 10 critical leadership insights covering culture, trust, collaboration, habits, mindset, experience, systems, and change leadership.

From building psychologically safe teams… to creating clarity across your organization… to designing habits that drive consistency — this episode is a must-listen for distributors, manufacturers, operators, and emerging leaders looking to grow stronger teams and more resilient businesses.

If your goal is to become 1% better every day, this episode will give you the frameworks to make 2026 your most intentional, disciplined, and impactful year yet.

Topics Covered in This Episode

• 00:00 Why Now Is the Right Time for Crave
• 00:59 Welcome to Season 2 + 2025 Recap
• 02:01 The 10 Leadership Insights Framework
• 03:07 Mindset, Reality & the Stockdale Paradox
• 06:07 Why Leadership Confidence Matters
• 07:19 Rally Cries, Clarity & Alignment
• 08:38 Collaboration & Clarity as Growth Strategy
• 10:49 Trust, Psychological Safety & High-Performing Teams
• 12:51 Understanding the Full Value Chain
• 14:06 Building Culture That Makes Mondays Better
• 15:00 Mentorship, Habits & End-in-Mind Thinking
• 17:02 Experience Is Your Brand
• 18:40 Habits, Systems & Consistency
• 19:32 Culture Through Standards, Not Slogans
• 21:31 Leading Change in 2026
• 22:33 Final Challenge & Season 2 Outlook

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