#310: Demond Martin, Cofounder and CEO, WellWithAll – Recognize how others shape you

David Novak (0:00)

Hello, everyone, and welcome to another episode of How Leaders Lead with David Novak. Today's guest is Demond Martin. He's the co-founder and CEO of WellWithAll, a consumer wellness company whose purpose is to advance health equity. In fact, they give away 20% of their profits to that very cause, making healthier products, useful health information and support more accessible to communities that have been underserved. Demond also has a new book out called Friends of the Good, which is all about building lasting relationships that go beyond convenience and show up in both joy and in hardship. A central idea in his book and in his leadership is that we are community built, not self-made. And in this episode, you'll learn why that concept is so important.

Enjoy this conversation with Demond and David, and I will see you at the end of the episode for the debrief.

David Novak (0:57)

I don't know if you know this, but we have a mutual friend in Larry Fitzgerald. And how cool is it to see that great wide receiver going to the NFL Hall of Fame this summer?

Demond Martin (1:08)

Oh, man, that was so amazing. I literally just talked to Larry last night. He is a great human.

I mean, he's been an amazing football player, but who he is is a human trumps that in such an extraordinary way.

David Novak (1:22)

Yeah, I could not agree more. But when you think about a Hall of Famer, what do you think would be the qualities that would really make a Hall of Fame leader?

Demond Martin (1:31)

I think you're that rare individual that goes well beyond what the average person does. And the way that you practice, the way that you show up, the way that you give to your team, and that's exactly what Larry Fitz is all about.

David Novak (1:47)

Well, I know you spent a little time with Larry, or I'm assuming you have, because he's usually out on the golf course all the time. What's a golf story that's taught you really an important life lesson?

Demond Martin (2:01)

One thing I realized very quickly is that it doesn't matter how hard you hit the ball, it's really about actually getting the ball into the hole. And that's why I beat Larry so often.

David Novak (2:16)

You and I have that in common, you know.

I have this picture of my office, which is David out driving Goliath. He thought he actually had the longest drive, but I had him by 40 yards and I sent him to him. So I don't think it's in his office, but it certainly is in mine.

Demond Martin (2:37)

But you know, he's going to have some comments about this, I'm sure.

David Novak (2:40)

You know, Demond, I kind of joke half-jokingly that I'm not sure I'd have a lot of friends without golf. I mean, I've met so many friends on the golf course.

And speaking of friends, you have what I think is a really awesome book with a real message everyone should read. It's called Friends of the Good. Where did the title come? Where did that phrase come? Friends of the Good.

Demond Martin (3:08)

It actually comes from a really old set of writings by Aristotle where many people don't realize he thought that friendship was one of the most essential elements of joy and broke friendship into three categories. Transactional, scratch my back, I scratch yours. Friends of pleasure, we go out and party and hang out. But both of those are fleeting in nature.

What he called friends of the good are friends of valor. Those are the types of friendships that last for a lifetime.

David Novak (3:39)

How do you know, Demond, whether a friend is going to be that? How do you distinguish those?

Demond Martin (3:45)

I think, quite frankly, people show you who they are every day, and we oftentimes choose to ignore it. How your friends treat other people, how they treat a waiter, they might not treat you poorly in the moment, but if you see them treating folks poorly otherwise, that they don't need anything from, then that's a clear indicator, or the opposite is friends that show up.

They show up in times of joy, but they also show up when you need to be comforted. That's one of the biggest elements of understanding a friend of the good.

David Novak (4:19)

It sounds like they value you for who you are, not what you are.

David Novak (4:24)

Not what you can do for them. Yeah, okay.

David Novak (4:25)

That's right. Not transactional, not transactional. You know, and I've also heard that you say you're not necessarily self-made, that you're community built.