Built Neighbor by Neighbor: Why Kindness Is Strategic Leadership with Dr. Brent Ridge
This episode is a story about losing everything—and discovering what actually matters. Dr. Brent Ridge shares how a career collapse during the 2008 recession forced a complete reset, moving from New York City to a small goat farm in upstate New York. What followed was a lesson in humility, community, and purpose that reshaped how he viewed leadership and success. From wrapping soap by hand with locals to leading with radical transparency, this conversation reveals why real growth is built neighbor by neighbor—and why kindness is not soft, it’s strategic.
Keytakeaways:
- Purpose comes before profit: Beekman 1802 wasn’t born from a business plan—it was born from alignment, desperation, and meaning.
- Kindness is hard work, not a slogan: Real kindness requires empathy, effort, and uncomfortable honesty—not performative niceness.
- Community is a business advantage: The brand scaled because neighbors showed up—literally—proving that trust compounds faster than capital.
- Rock bottom unlocks innovation: True creativity and strategic thinking rarely come from comfort—they come from necessity.
- Transparency builds loyalty: Radical transparency with employees, partners, and stakeholders creates deeper commitment and better leadership.
- Your story is your first strategy: Before science, scale, or systems—story is what opened doors and built belief.
About Dr. Brent Ridge:
Dr. Brent Ridge completed his medical training at Columbia University in NYC and an American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) fellowship in the genetics of aging at Harvard University.
He served as Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital where he conducted research at the International Longevity Center under pioneer Dr. Robert Butler.
After receiving an MBA at NYU Stern School of Business, he became the VP of Healthy Living at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia where he spearheaded the founding of the Martha Stewart Center for Living at Mount Sinai.
In 2008, he co-founded Beekman 1802 with his husband, Josh Kilmer-Purcell and is an ambassador to the Global Wellness Institute
Website: https://beekman1802.com/
About Me:
Hi, I’m Mark Porteous; the Soul Connector.
My stand is for ALL people to recognize themselves as Divine Beings who have chosen the human experience for a reason and to live in alignment with that knowing, so they can THRIVE in their purpose of transforming lives.
I help mission driven entrepreneurs to make their Soul Connections so that they can impact and change the world, scale their businesses to six and seven figures, and enjoy thrilling Soul Success in every arena of their lives.
Connect with me at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/markcporteous
https://www.instagram.com/mark.porteous1/
https://www.facebook.com/markcporteous/
Take the Soulful Leadership Assessment here: https://markporteous.com/#tve-jump-184964db927
Thanks for listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.
Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
Subscribe to the podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.
Leave us an Apple Podcasts review
Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.