# California Pizza Kitchen Co-Founder Rick Rosenfield on building a brand from the inside out

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-agile-brand-with-greg-kihlstr-m-expert-mode-marketing-technology-ai-cx-1164310/california-pizza-kitchen-co-founder-rick-rosenfield-on-building-a-brand-from-the-inside-out
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-agile-brand-with-greg-kihlstr-m-expert-mode-marketing-technology-ai-cx-1164310/california-pizza-kitchen-co-founder-rick-rosenfield-on-building-a-brand-from-the-inside-out.md
Podcast: [The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®: Expert Mode Marketing Technology, AI, & CX](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-agile-brand-with-greg-kihlstr-m-expert-mode-marketing-technology-ai-cx-1164310)
Published: 2026-07-13T04:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://aglbrnd.co/r/c1e487ec0517584f
Audio file: https://prefix.up.audio/s/sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/6a0c9379b23d275dcea75cd0/e/6a4ea2860be8a67717c0a029/media.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-agile-brand-with-greg-kihlstr-m-expert-mode-marketing-technology-ai-cx-1164310/episodes/california-pizza-kitchen-co-founder-rick-rosenfield-on-building-a-brand-from-the-inside-out
Duration seconds: 1517

## Resource

With brands being defined by every customer interaction, who is really in charge of your customer experience: your C-suite, or your frontline employees? Agility requires more than just the right technology; it demands a culture where empowered teams can make decisions and respond to customer needs in the moment. Today, we're going to talk about building a brand from the inside out, focusing on the powerful connection between internal culture and external customer experience. We'll explore: - How a "reverse pyramid" leadership model can directly impact customer experience and brand perception. - Translating core values into an operational framework that empowers employees and fosters accountability. - The principles of scaling a culture of empowerment as a brand grows from a single location to a global presence. To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome Rick Rosenfield, Co-Founder at California Pizza Kitchen, and author of the new book, The California Pizza Kitchen Story. About Rick Rosenfield Rick Rosenfield is the co-founder of California Pizza Kitchen and a former federal prosecutor and defense attorney. He helped grow CPK to 265 restaurants and a national retail line while shaping a new era of American casual dining. His forthcoming memoir blends legal battles, entrepreneurial inflection points, and lessons in partnership and culture. Rick Rosenfield on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickrosenfield ---------- Resources ---------- California Pizza Kitchen: www.rickrosenfield.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://aglbrnd.co/r/2868abd8085a9703 We’re proud to be a media partner for #MAICON26 - Oct. 13-15! Learn how AI can power your marketing and business and help you grow smarter. Use code AGILE150 to save…

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