Beverly Kaye – Author of “Love ’Em or Lose ’Em, Sixth Edition: Getting Good People to Stay”

Love ’Em or Lose ’Em: How to Keep Top Talent and Build an Unstoppable Team

Mike interviews Beverly Kaye.

When it comes to leadership, you have two choices: either become a magnet for greatness or watch talent walk out the door. Let’s face it, we live in a world where good people don’t just “stick around” because you hand them a paycheck. No, the modern workforce craves purpose, recognition, and a reason to stay. That’s why I sat down with the legendary Beverly Kaye on Million Dollar Stories to dive deep into her groundbreaking book, Love ’Em or Lose ’Em, Sixth Edition: Getting Good People to Stay.

If you’re in the game of building teams, running businesses, or simply leading a group of people toward a shared vision, buckle up. This episode was a masterclass on retention and leadership.

SUMMARY

Think about it: hiring top talent is expensive. Training them? Even more so. Yet, most leaders focus all their energy on recruiting instead of retaining. Beverly Kaye flips that script. She’s spent decades studying why people leave organizations and, more importantly, what makes them stay.

“Retention starts with relationships,” Beverly told me. “When leaders take the time to truly know their people, magic happens.”

It’s not just about handing out gift cards or throwing a pizza party. It’s about genuine conversations—getting to know what drives someone, excites them, and what they need to thrive. Beverly calls it “stay interviews,” and it’s pure gold. Instead of waiting for someone to hand in their resignation, you proactively ask them:

  • What keeps you here?
  • What might cause you to leave?
  • What can I do to make your job more fulfilling?

Simple? Yes. Overlooked? Absolutely.

One of the standout moments of our conversation was Beverly’s emphasis on culture. If your workplace doesn’t feel like where people belong, they’ll start checking out faster than you can say, “LinkedIn.”

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast,” she said, quoting the iconic Peter Drucker. But what does that mean for you as a leader? It means you must create an environment where people feel valued and connected.

Here’s the kicker: it doesn’t always require a considerable budget. Beverly broke it down into bite-sized, actionable tips:

  • Celebrate small wins. Don’t wait for the quarterly report; recognize victories as they happen.
  • Listen more than you talk. People don’t quit jobs; they leave managers who don’t listen.
  • Be human. Share your own challenges and stories—it builds trust.

People don’t show up every day just for the paycheck. They want to feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves. This is where Beverly’s advice hit home for me. She shared a story about an employee who stayed at a company for years simply because they felt their work made a difference in people’s lives.

The purpose is what fuels passion. It’s what turns a job into a mission.

If you’re a leader, ask yourself: are you connecting your team’s day-to-day tasks to a larger purpose? If not, you’re leaving a massive retention lever untouched.

Now, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: the word “love.” For many leaders, it feels uncomfortable. But Beverly doesn’t shy away from it. “Love is the ultimate retention strategy,” she said.

And she’s not talking about romantic love, obviously. She’s talking about showing up for your people in an authentic and supportive way. It’s about creating an atmosphere where people feel cared for as human beings, not just as cogs in a machine.

One of the most powerful takeaways from her book—and our conversation—was this: love your people, or you’ll lose them.

One thing I appreciated about Beverly is her no-nonsense approach. While she advocates for leaders to do their part, she also emphasizes personal accountability. Employees have to own their growth and communicate their needs.

But the best leaders make it easy for people to speak up. They create psychological safety—a culture where it’s okay to challenge ideas, share concerns, and ask for help.

Let’s bring this full circle. Why does this matter to you as a leader, entrepreneur, or change-maker? Because your people are your greatest asset. Retention isn’t just about avoiding turnover; it’s about creating a team so invested in the mission that they’d go to war for it.

Mike Fallat and Beverly Kaye talk about the book Love ’Em or Lose ’Em, Sixth Edition: Getting Good People to Stay.

Beverly’s advice is a wake-up call. If you’re not actively loving your people, you’re setting yourself up for failure. But here’s the good news: the solutions aren’t rocket science. They’re simple, actionable, and rooted in authenticity.

I like to leave you with one challenge in every Million Dollar Stories episode. This week, it’s this: go have a stay interview with someone on your team. Ask them what’s working, what’s not, and what you can do better.

Because at the end of the day, the story of your business isn’t written by you alone—it’s co-authored by the people who show up every day to make your vision a reality.

And if you want to learn how to keep your best people, grab a copy of Beverly Kaye’s Love ’Em or Lose ’Em. Trust me, it’s not just a book—it’s a roadmap to building a business that people love to be part of.

Live Free and Write On.

Get her book here:

About Mike Fallat

Mike Fallat, aka The BookMan, is the owner of Dreamstarters Publishing and the Million Dollar Book Agency. They have helped 300+ entrepreneurs become bestselling authors. His goal is to help 1,000 entrepreneurs publish books and teach them how to use their books as a gateway to generating 7-figures.

Visit website for more information: https://www.milliondollarbookagency.com/

About Dreamstarters Publishing


Dreamstarters Publishing offers ghostwriting, cover design, and everything that is required to take an idea to a finished book (kindle, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook).


The Million Dollar Book Agency is the ultimate marketing CRM system for author-preneurs. Services include automated funnels, lead generation campaigns, book fulfillment, podcast management, press releases, virtual assistants, course development, and more.

Mike also hosts a podcast known as Million Dollar Stories and runs a membership-based site known as Million Dollar Circle. In addition to owning the book business, he invests in self storage real estate.

https://dreamstarterspublishing.com/

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