The biggest return for organizations may start with a simple habit shared at the Hawaii Leadership Conference: let people know they matter.
That was the central message from Matthew Emerzian, founder of the nonprofit Every Monday Matters and author of You Matter: Learning to Love Who You Really Are, who addressed about 500 business and community leaders on Friday, July 17, at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. The 2026 event was presented by a local business magazine and First Hawaiian Bank.
In remarks and a follow-up interview, Emerzian urged leaders to redefine success by prioritizing how employees feel at work. He said companies are collections of people working toward a common goal, and when people feel they can thrive, the organization follows.
Hawaii Leadership Conference keynote: finding purpose and value
Emerzian opened with a personal story about his father, who died the same day his latest book was released. Before every talk, his dad would tell him, “Break a leg.” Hearing the same phrase from an event staffer just before he walked onstage reminded him of his father and grounded him in what he described as Hawaiʻi’s spirit of aloha.
Before launching his nonprofit, Emerzian’s path included selling candy, teaching elementary school, leading swimming lessons and work in the music industry. He joked about a series of father-son talks questioning each pivot, underscoring that his road to purpose was unconventional.
He described grappling with anxiety and depression, and how a severe panic attack at 31 reshaped his views on success. On his therapist’s advice, he began spending Saturdays serving others.
Later, while speaking in a correctional setting, an inmate told him no one had ever said he mattered, a moment that sharpened Emerzian’s mission.
He told attendees that people want to feel seen, heard and loved, and that many organizations chase metrics while overlooking the people responsible for results. When individuals do not feel they matter, he said, they struggle to contribute and to show up with value.
People-first leadership and business results
Emerzian said employee well-being and performance are not competing priorities. Businesses exist to make money, he noted, but can do so while honoring the humanity of the work.
He also addressed artificial intelligence, urging leaders to view AI as a tool that can free people to focus on distinctly human contributions.
He acknowledged uncertainty around AI and the real fears employees feel about being replaced. Leaders, he said, can reinforce purpose by helping workers see their value alongside new technologies.
Throughout the keynote, Emerzian encouraged everyday connection. He joked that people sit shoulder-to-shoulder on airplanes without speaking and ride elevators in silence, missing easy chances to acknowledge one another.
Small gestures, such as an introduction, a compliment or a thoughtful question, can make someone feel seen.
Small actions to build trust and culture
While the message drew applause for its inspiration, Emerzian emphasized concrete steps leaders can take immediately. It does not require sweeping programs, he said.
Instead, consistency matters: greet employees, make eye contact and check in before meetings.
Trust cannot be taught in a single session, he added. It is built by showing up daily in ways that earn it.
Those simple actions reinforce healthy culture long after a conference ends.
People are seeking connection, purpose and meaning, Emerzian said. Work can offer that, if leaders create environments where employees feel they matter.
