Tuesday in Trussville: How One Small Town's Lift Up Culture Is Shaping the Future of Business

5 Star Review

Click HERE to Purchase Your Copy Today!

Editorial Book Review:

By Oscar Miller

Trussville, Alabama is not a name most business readers would associate with leadership innovation, and that is precisely the point Robert L. Mason is making. Tuesday in Trussville is the story of SPOC Energy, the power conversion company he founded and grew into a nationally recognized enterprise over three decades, and the people-centered culture that made the growth possible without hollowing out what made the company worth building.

Mason calls his approach “Lift Up,” and at its core it is a framework built on dignity, accountability, trust, and genuine care for the people who do the work. The organizing idea is what he terms “felt consequence”: the conviction that leaders must bear the human weight of their decisions, not merely make them and move on. In practice, this means balancing high standards with real empathy for the struggles employees face, holding people accountable in ways that do not strip them of their dignity, and hiring and investing with enough intentionality that culture becomes structural rather than aspirational.

The book draws on stories from the manufacturing floor as much as from the executive office, and that combination gives it an authenticity that distinguishes it from leadership content produced at a remove from the actual work of making things. Mason writes about agriculture, family, and faith alongside business principles, which reflects how he actually thinks about the relationship between a company and the community it inhabits.

The central argument is both timely and unfashionable: that culture is not a soft concern to be addressed after the financial fundamentals are secured, but a driver of performance that becomes increasingly decisive as automation narrows the space for purely transactional competitive advantage. For founders, executives, and managers navigating growth without losing what made their teams worth leading, this is a book with real and hard-won things to say.

About the Author

Robert L. Mason

Bobby Mason is founder and CEO of SPOC Energy, a company that designs and manufactures advanced power conversion and motor control automation. With more than 45 years of industry and leadership experience, he has built a reputation for combining innovation, business growth, and a strong people-first culture.

Known for creating SPOC’s Lift Up® culture, Bobby believes that great companies are built by investing in people, fostering strong relationships, and empowering teams to succeed. Under his leadership, SPOC has earned recognition for both its growth and workplace culture while continuing to evolve and expand its impact in the energy industry.