High IQ alone does not build great companies. Technical skill is measurable and testable — but it is rarely the reason someone fails or is forced out of an organization. The traits that actually determine long-term success are harder to quantify: values-driven leadership, emotional intelligence, and the ability to sustain high-trust relationships over time.
In this episode of It’s Not You… But Sometimes It Is!, host Meg Poag sits down with Joyce Durst — CEO and Co-founder of Growth Acceleration Partners — to explore what it actually takes to build a company that grows and lasts. Joyce shares how she scaled GAP into a bootstrapped $50M+ technology firm by putting people, culture, and purpose at the center of every strategic decision.
The conversation surfaces one of the most formative moments of Joyce’s career: a late-stage experience at IBM where she was handed a spreadsheet of names and salaries and told to gather employees in a room to inform them they no longer had jobs — no individual conversations, no human dignity. She refused. That moment crystallized her belief that leadership rooted in values and genuine care for people is not a soft skill — it is a strategic foundation.
Joyce also opens up about how she unknowingly became the single greatest limiting factor in her own company’s growth by anchoring to a $20M revenue ceiling for years. After peers in the Women Presidents Organization challenged her to stop thinking in those terms entirely, she rebuilt her strategy around $50M — and surpassed the original ceiling within a year. Now she operates with a $100M mindset. Her message to leaders who are still playing small: “Swing for the fences. Go big. You have the right vision. Go hard after that.”
This episode is a masterclass for founders, CEOs, and technology leaders who are ready to challenge their leadership mindset, build high-trust teams, and lead organizations capable of sustaining exponential growth.
Meet the Guest:
Joyce Durst
CEO and Co-founder, Growth Acceleration Partners
Host:
Meg Poag
CEO and Chief Consultant, Mission Squared
Key Takeaways:
- Why emotional intelligence — not IQ — is the defining leadership trait of the AI era
- How values-driven leadership creates a scalable, self-sustaining growth engine
- The mindset shift required to grow from a $20M company to a $100M company
- Why culture is a strategic asset — not a soft HR initiative
- How to build high-trust teams in an era of remote work and rapid AI adoption
- Using AI as a force multiplier while keeping humanity at the center of leadership decisions
- How to communicate a vision that moves people — not just informs them
If you’re ready to bridge the gap between your current technology and your growth goals, our team is ready to help — find more information at www.WeAreGAP.com
Enjoy!