In this thoughtful and grounding episode of Built for This, Carly Pepin sits down with Angelo D’Amico, President and CEO of a global manufacturing company based in Ontario, Canada, generating more than $25 million in annual sales.

Angelo brings a rare blend of economics, management consulting, and philosophy into the conversation, offering a deeply human perspective on what leadership actually looks like in practice. He shares how stepping into an established organization required restraint rather than force, choosing observation, listening, and humility before making change.

Together, Carly and Angelo explore why values alignment matters more than technical skill, how trust is earned through service rather than authority, and why burnout is often a symptom of misalignment, not workload. They unpack generational differences in motivation, the hidden costs of ego-driven leadership, and the responsibility leaders carry in shaping cultures where people feel seen as humans, not treated as resources. This conversation reframes leadership as stewardship and challenges listeners to consider a powerful question: can the culture inside your company be better than the world outside it?

Key Themes:

• Leadership Is Granted, Not Assigned: Why real influence comes from trust, consistency, and acting in the collective’s best interest.

• Values Alignment Prevents Burnout: How meaning, not effort, determines whether work feels energizing or exhausting.

• Culture Mirrors the Leader: Why the behaviors leaders model and tolerate define the entire organization.

Memorable Quotes:

“A leader is someone people trust to make decisions with everyone’s best interests at heart.”
“Burnout isn’t about effort. It’s about misalignment.”
“My challenge is to build a place where the society inside the walls is better than the society outside.”

About Angelo D’Amico:
Angelo D’Amico is the President and CEO of a global manufacturing company based in Ontario, Canada with more than $25 million in annual sales. With a background in economics, management consulting, and philosophy, he is known for applying rigorous strategy and timeless ideas to modern leadership, culture, and community challenges. Angelo serves on multiple non-profit boards, supports initiatives across the arts and healthcare sectors, and is passionate about bridging business success with philosophical insight.

Connect with Angelo D’Amico:
https://www.angelodamicocanada.com
https://instagram.com/angelodamicocanada