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From Startup to Global Leader: Larry Hartmann on Team Dynamics and Growth
Episode 50 • 4th June 2026 • The Psychology of Work: Why People Do What They Do • Groops
00:00:00 00:42:53

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Step inside the mind of Larry Hartmann, CEO of ZRG Partners, on this episode of "The Psychology of Work: Why People Do What They Do." From launching startups to leading one of the world’s fastest-growing executive search firms, Larry Hartmann shares eye-opening stories about scaling businesses, building high-performing teams, and why true leadership is all about earning followership. If you want to know how the world’s top companies and winning sports teams find and develop transformative talent, you won’t want to miss this candid and data-driven conversation with Dr. Bobbi Wegner and Larry Hartmann.

Larry Hartmann is the CEO of ZRG Partners, one of the world’s fastest-growing executive search and talent advisory firms. An entrepreneur at heart, he has co-founded and scaled multiple businesses, from taking Rockford Industries public on the Nasdaq to leading ZRG to global prominence through hands-on leadership and strategic M&A. Under his direction, ZRG has grown to over 700 employees, $300M+ in revenue, and become a leader in both corporate and sports executive search. Larry is passionate about developing high-performing teams, championing data-driven talent strategies, and helping organizations unlock the kind of leadership that inspires followership and real-world results.

KEY TOPICS

  1. The entrepreneurial journey: scaling two businesses from scratch to market leaders [00:01:44]
  2. Building high-performing teams through hands-on leadership and complementary partnerships [00:08:17]
  3. Using data-driven approaches and AI for executive search, leadership assessment, and onboarding [00:16:16]
  4. The centrality of followership, trust, and emotional intelligence in great leaders [00:21:08]
  5. Maintaining culture and relational depth while scaling organizations through rapid growth [00:30:17]

Todays guest, Larry Hartmann, can be found online at:

Website: https://www.zrgpartners.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larry-hartmann-723b3a/

7 Pillars of Inspired Leadership: https://www.amazon.com/Pillars-Inspired-Leadership-entrepreneurs-influenced/dp/B0DT2RCLB7/ref=monarch_sidesheet_image

Your host, Dr. Bobbi Wegner, can be found online at:

Groops: https://www.joingroops.com/

Harvard Extension School Faculty Spotlight: https://youtu.be/zwLai-lu-pk?si=GpKNhtxVvTrS3-pu

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbiwegner/

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