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For more than eight decades, Louisville, Kentucky–based Zoeller Company has been building pumps that keep water moving. At the helm is CEO Bill Zoeller, whose fourth-generation leadership is carrying forward his family’s legacy.

What began in his great-grandparents’ basement in 1939 with just six pumps has grown into a global operation with five wholesale product lines and 10 locations across the U.S. and abroad.

Bill’s mission? To grow the company from an industry leader to a household name brand while staying true to the company’s core values of quality, culture, integrity, teamwork, growth and responsibility.

In the latest installment of Power of Small’s “Forge Your Path” series, Bill talks about his company’s commitment to culture, why “win the day” defines his leadership approach and where he sees his company in the next five years.

Q: When you think about what drives your company’s growth and success, what stands out to you as most important?

Bill: “Having a strong workplace culture is one of the things I concentrate on the most because it directly shapes our ability to succeed and grow. A strong culture helps us attract and retain top talent while inspiring our employees to stay engaged, motivated and aligned with our core values. This fuels greater productivity, innovation and collaboration.

Having spent part of my career in corporate America, I know firsthand how different the pace and environment can be. That experience sometimes reminds me to step back and recognize the unique culture we’ve built here as a family-owned and -operated company. One thing I never want to lose—or unintentionally change—is the workplace environment that makes us who we are.”

Q: Can you share a quote or mantra that defines your approach to leadership?

Bill: “The mantra I try to follow is ‘win the day.’ I use it as a reminder to stay focused on what needs to be accomplished today, while also keeping an eye on the long term. It keeps me grounded in daily priorities but ensures we never lose sight of the bigger picture.

I’ve been in this role for about 15 months, and while I’m committed to maintaining the family culture my dad built, I also bring my own style of leadership. For me, that means emphasizing accountability and embracing the pace of change. Those are values I work to instill in our team every day.”

Q: What accomplishments at your organization are you the most proud of and why?

Bill: “I’m especially proud that our company has reached its fourth generation of family leadership. Only about 3% of family businesses make it that far, which makes this milestone all the more meaningful.

Another accomplishment I’m proud of is being recognized in Louisville Business First’s ‘Fast 50’ list, which recognizes the fastest-growing companies in the Louisville area over a three-year period.”

Q: Where do you see your company in the next five years, and what are you hoping to achieve?

Bill: “We’re trying to grow internationally from a sales perspective. We’re expanding our manufacturing capacity here in Louisville, bringing on new machining capabilities. We’re looking to implement a new enterprise resource planning system to manage our daily operations. We’re focused on M&A activity that expands our core business of taking water out of the ground, moving it to a facility, moving it around a facility, removing it from a facility and putting it back in the ground. The other focus is keep doing what we are doing, but just do a little more each day.”

Q: Have you read a book and/or listened to a podcast that you found inspirational that you would recommend to your peers and why?

Bill: “‘The Bible in a Year’ podcast with Father Mike Schmitz—that’s pretty amazing. The podcast airs every day of the year, and each 20-minute episode features two to three scripture readings, Fr. Mike’s reflection and guided prayer. It’s a powerful platform to strengthen one’s spiritual growth and see the world through the lens of Scripture.

I also like to listen to a business and technology podcast called ‘All-In,’ which focuses on current events, market trends, political issues and industry insights. It’s kind of entertaining and contains insightful business conversations.

For books, one that I’d recommend is ‘Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win.’ It draws on lessons the authors learned as Navy SEAL officers. It talks about how great leaders take ownership for everything in their teams and how they must own both successes and failures, whether it’s in business, combat or everyday life.”