299. A Work Life Worth Living: Jeff Westphal on Leadership, Purpose, and Meaning

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Written By Tammy Gooler Loeb

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299. A Work Life Worth Living: Jeff Westphal on Leadership, Purpose, and Meaning

Many people spend years pursuing promotions, recognition, and financial success believing those achievements will naturally lead to fulfillment. Yet for Jeff Westphal, former CEO of Vertex Inc., building a highly successful company ultimately revealed a deeper truth: meaningful work comes from within. In this episode of Work from the Inside Out, Tammy Gooler Loeb speaks with Jeff about his remarkable leadership journey and the experiences that inspired his book, “A Work Life Worth Living.”

Jeff's story begins with humble roots. Raised by hardworking immigrant families, he developed a strong work ethic long before he entered the corporate world. Summers spent working in factories, landscaping, moving furniture, and making sandwiches exposed him to the dignity of all kinds of work. While he excelled intellectually, traditional education never inspired him the way real-world experiences did.

After joining his father's growing technology company, Jeff initially struggled with both leadership and his relationship with his father. A turning point came after reading Stephen Covey's “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”, when Jeff began practicing the principle of seeking first to understand. That simple shift transformed not only his relationship with his father but also his approach to leading others.

As CEO, Jeff helped build Vertex into the global leader in enterprise tax technology while fostering a culture centered on collaboration, listening, and shared purpose. Despite remarkable business success, he observed that employees experienced fulfillment differently. Those who took ownership of creating meaning in their own work benefited most from even the healthiest workplace cultures.

Today, Jeff's mission extends beyond corporate leadership. Through his book and MeaningSphere, he encourages people to discover what truly matters to them and to intentionally build careers that align with those values. His conversation with Tammy serves as a reminder that while organizations can create supportive environments, each individual ultimately holds the responsibility for creating a work life worth living.

In this week’s Work From The Inside Out podcast, learn more about:

  • How childhood experiences shape leadership

  • Why success alone does not create fulfillment

  • The leadership power of listening first

  • Building a culture where people thrive

  • Taking ownership of your own career satisfaction

  • Finding meaning regardless of your job title

  • The lessons that transformed Jeff's relationship with his father

  • Why meaningful work starts from the inside out

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About Tammy, host of
Work from the Inside Out

Before launching my coaching practice, I worked in mental health, higher education, public policy, and fundraising. Those experiences showed me how deeply our work shapes our sense of purpose—and now I help clients navigate change and growth so they can feel more fulfilled and aligned in what they do

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298: Male Allyship: Building Inclusive Actions at Work with Shawn Andrews and Michael O'Brien