How Steward Partners Builds Culture at Scale
Recorded on location at the Steward Symposium, Ryan Nauman welcomes Maria Condon, Chief of Staff at Steward Partners, to discuss how the firm’s culture is built, reinforced, and scaled amid rapid growth. Maria explains why the annual three-day symposium exists, what makes its energy and access to leadership unique, and how in-person connection complements content like newsletters and podcasts. She details Steward’s ownership-driven alignment and accountability, the planning required as the event has grown from about 50 partners in 2017 to nearly 500 attendees, and what success looks like through engagement and traditions like the NFL-draft-style jersey ceremony. Maria also shares how “Stew-opoly” became a meaningful symbol of the firm’s story, and describes her chief of staff role as driving alignment, execution, communication, and cultural continuity.
Connect with Ryan Nauman:
LinkedIn
X
Learn more about Steward Partners here.
00:00 Welcome and Disclaimer
00:27 On Location at Symposium
01:12 Meet Maria Condon
02:28 What Symposium Is
05:13 Why It Feels Different
07:16 Culture at Steward
10:21 Proof Culture Is Real
12:48 Planning and Success
14:41 Jersey Ceremony Tradition
18:29 Scaling Culture with Growth
23:10 Chief of Staff Explained
25:00 Culture Drives Outcomes
28:35 Wrap Up and Links
