Rachel Wallis Andreasson (PepsiCo. & Wallis Companies) A Conversation on: Generational Business, A New Age of Leadership & The Sixth Level #33

What if the future of leadership isn’t about control, authority, or climbing higher… but about creating environments where people genuinely feel seen, trusted, and valued? In this episode of CEOs & ABCs, Kevin sits down with Rachel Wallis Andreasson, former CEO of a multi-billion-dollar family business, leadership expert, and author of The Sixth Level. Rachel shares her extraordinary journey from working outside her family company at PepsiCo, to eventually leading Wallis Companies, a business founded by her father that grew from one gas station on Route 66 into a billion-dollar enterprise. Rachel opens up about the realities of succession in family business, navigating grief after losing key leaders, stepping into the CEO role, and ultimately making the difficult decision to step away for the greater good of the company’s future. Together, Kevin and Rachel explore why traditional command-and-control leadership is failing, how trust and transparency create resilient organizations, and why the same principles that build thriving workplaces also create stronger families and deeper parent-child relationships. This conversation is filled with wisdom on leadership, parenting, legacy, emotional capacity, and the simple human skills we often forget matter most. If you lead a business, a team, or a family, this episode will challenge how you think about success. In This Episode: Why Rachel chose to work outside her family business before joining leadership The surprising lessons she learned cleaning bathrooms and mopping floors at Taco Bell Growing a family business from one gas station to over $1.5 billion in revenue The emotional reality of stepping into, and stepping away from, the CEO role How family business succession impacts leadership and legacy The four conditions behind Rachel’s Sixth Level leadership framework Why psychological safety, transparency, and trust create stronger organizations How leadership principles apply directly to parenting and family life The importance of emotional capacity and filling your own bucket first Building cultures, at work and home, where people want to stay Key Takeaways: Great leadership starts with connection, not control. People thrive when they feel trusted, cared for, and heard. Transparency creates resilience during uncertainty and change. The same principles that build exceptional teams also strengthen families. Leadership is stewardship, whether at work or at home. Sometimes protecting a legacy means having the courage to step away. About Rachel Wallis Andreasson: Rachel Wallis Andreasson spent over two decades in leadership roles at Wallis Companies, a family-owned fuel and convenience business founded by her father. After rising through multiple roles across the organization, she became CEO in 2017. Today, Rachel is an author, speaker, and advocate for a new leadership paradigm focused on trust, care, mutuality, and human potential through her framework, The Sixth Level. Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction and Context(00:01:07) - The Sixth Level Framework(00:02:12) - Leadership Lessons from Family Business(00:17:47) - Core Principles of the Sixth Level(00:20:47) - Transitioning Leadership Styles(00:22:54) - The Importance of Justness and Transparency(00:25:07) - Building a Thriving Culture(00:27:51) - Resilience in Leadership(00:28:45) - Incentivizing Connection and Care(00:30:01) - Real-World Applications of the Framework(00:31:36) - Conclusion and Future Outlook(00:33:14) - The Flywheel of Leadership and Connection(00:35:41) - Parenting Through Leadership Principles(00:38:57) - Rituals and Family Bonds(00:42:37) - Involving Children in Career Conversations(00:45:24) - Stewardship in Leadership(00:45:45) - Starting Conversations for Connection