Crises are inevitable in business. Painful as they are, they can also bring out the best in business leaders. The great ones turn the pressure into proof points, revealing their true character, how they lead their teams through challenges, and how they integrate the lessons learned.

Panic vs. Principles

When the 2024–25 avian flu outbreak wiped out over 43 million U.S. laying hens, commodity egg prices skyrocketed from $2.50 to a record $6.23 per dozen. 

While industry giants scrambled—raising prices, limiting supply, and reaching for short-term profits—Vital Farms’ CEO Russell Diez‑Canseco held firm during that period. No price hikes. No cut corners. No gimmicks. Just values, lived. Culture in action.

He leaned into a simple truth he inherited from founder Matt O’Hayer: When your stakeholders are truly aligned around a shared purpose, decisions become clearer—even when shelves are bare and nerves are frayed. 

Russell made sure Vital Farms stayed true to their stakeholder-centered culture, emphasizing transparency and a long-game strategy to emerge stronger, without sacrificing integrity.

The Payoff

In 2024, net revenue climbed 28.5% to $606 million, and the company’s stock rose 157%, significantly outperforming the competition. In terms of relationships,  customer trust deepened, loyalty soared—and across the board, farmers, crew, and partners stayed strongly aligned, engaged, and supported. 

Ask yourself:

• What principles guide you when things get hard?
• How well do your systems hold up under stress? 
• In a crisis, who or what matters most?

Quick Favor!

I’m kicking off a new Amare Leadership book series based on these newsletters and want your input. Which of these topics should I write first? Contact me here and send me the number(s) you like best.

1. Real Love at Work — Why being “too nice” fails your team and what to do instead.
2. Inner Strength — Stay centered and take inspired action when work gets stressful.
3. Authentically YOU — Really showing up for your people as the best version of yourself.
4. Clarity — Cutting through the noise and busy-ness to get focused and build trust.
5. Fun Factor — Making joy a serious and sustainable leadership strategy.
6. Hard Conversations — Turning tough talks into moments of truth and trust.
7. Sparking Change — Inspire your team to be their best by leading with love.

Your vote will help shape the very first book in the series!

5 Amare-Inspired Action Steps

1. Anticipate stakeholder impact in a crisis. Sketch how potential disruptions may affect different stakeholder groups, and proactively plan for how you will respond.

2. Bring your people closer to your purpose. Choose one mission-critical location and send key staff there this quarter to foster connection and alignment. Russell guided new employees to visit farms during the crisis.

3. Make your values super-clear. For every major decision, include a short, clear statement about how your pricing or policies reflect your principles. Make your values as visible as your product or service, especially during a crisis.

4. Hold a stakeholder audit. Ask your top five stakeholder groups what they need most from you in a crisis. Then, if you commit to meet those needs, build your capacity to do so.

5. Communicate with radical clarity. Be prepared to quickly respond to any crisis you imagine with: “Here’s what we’re doing, and why.” Explicitly tie your actions to your values. No dodging the tough stuff. 

When A Crisis Brings Out Your Best

Vital Farms didn’t just weather eggflation—it turned it into a showcase for how values become a sustainable competitive advantage. The company leaned into its established systems, including pricing policies, organizational structure, and candid communication. As a result, they didn’t just ride out the storm, they emerged stronger for it.

This kind of love-powered leadership proves that when values are operationalized—not optional—they can serve as both an ethical north star and a profitable performance engine.

So when a crisis comes knocking, don’t hide your values. Live them. Write them into the architecture of your company. That’s how love-powered leadership helps organizations not just survive; they thrive.

May you thrive too.

Moshe

Today’s Amare Wave Wednesday Quote

“If we’re doing the right thing, there shouldn’t be a trade-off against what’s right for the bottom line and maximizing long-term value for shareholders.” 

— Russell Diez‑Canseco, CEO of Vital Farms

   

Click here and read more Amare Wave Wednesday newsletters on related topics:

Turn Your Values Into a Scalable Business Advantage: Lessons from Vital Farms’ Founder Matt O’Hayer

Leadership Lessons From Vital Farms’ Stakeholder-Centric Success

Southwest Airlines’ Slow Fade from Greatness into Sameness: A Leadership Lesson in What Not to Lose

Patrick Mahomes, Richard Branson, and Oprah Winfrey All Do This: A Lesson in Authentic Leadership

One Profound Leadership Lesson to Learn from Young Basketball Champion Caitlin Clark

   

Original article published on Inc.com.