Fireside Chats: Behind The Build

Franchising changed Jerry Akers' life, and now he's on a mission to remove unnecessary pain from the industry. In this episode of MustardHub Voices: Behind the Build, Curtis Forbes sits down with Jerry Akers — multi-unit franchise operator, author, IFA board member, and founder of Z-Dynamics — to unpack what actually separates thriving franchisees from those who struggle. Jerry shares how he grew from one underperforming acquisition to 32 Great Clips salons across two states, what scaling really requires (hint: it's not "semi-absentee"), and why culture is the ultimate growth lever. He explains how leadership differs from management, why mindset determines franchise success, and how to build bench strength that creates true operational peace. They also explore the biggest misconceptions new franchisees bring into the system, the danger of rewriting the playbook you already paid for, and how technology and AI will reshape labor and leadership in the years ahead. Jerry's philosophy centers around what he calls the Franchisee Trifecta: Peace, Profit, and Posterity: building a business that runs well, earns well, and lasts. If you're a franchise operator, aspiring owner, or industry leader, this conversation is packed with practical insight and hard-earned wisdom. About Jerry: Jerry is a self-proclaimed "farm boy from Iowa" who spent 27 years in Corporate America as a turnaround expert.  During that time, he, along with his wife and now two daughters, started putting together a Company that spans two States and includes 32 Great Clips salons.  After two days of retirement, he became bored and joined The Joint Chiropractic as a Regional Developer. He now has four open Clinics and supports two franchisees, each with three of their own.  In 2020, he co-authored the best-selling book, "Live it 2 Own It," leading to requests for him to Keynote and share his success methods for Franchisees at conventions, along with classes and work sessions, training franchisees on best practices and business-improving tactics.  Currently a State Council Member of NFIB and a member of the IFA board of Directors, Jerry spends the majority of his "retirement" time mentoring and guiding Franchisees of all brands.

Scaling a service business isn't about leadership, trust, and clarity. In this episode of MustardHub Voices: Behind the Build, Curtis Forbes sits down with Kurt Schmidt, founder of Schmidt Consulting Group, to explore why so many agencies struggle to scale and what actually helps them move forward. Kurt shares his unconventional path from professional BMX rider to agency founder and advisor, and how those early experiences shaped his approach to leadership and resilience. The conversation dives into why many agencies don't truly have a lead problem, but a positioning and trust problem, and how misalignment quietly leads to stalled growth and burnout. Kurt explains the risks of scaling without intention, why over-systematizing can erode value, and how leaders often get in their own way by confusing activity with strategy. They also discuss common sales mistakes, why proposals fail to close, and why leadership growth must start with honest self-reflection. This episode is a must-watch for agency founders and consultants who want to grow with intention — not ego. About Kurt: Kurt Schmidt is the founder of Schmidt Consulting Group, a business advisor, author, and former pro BMX rider with over 20 years of experience helping creative and tech companies grow through better strategy, positioning, and operations.

AI isn't HR's biggest challenge — confusion is. In this episode of MustardHub Voices: Behind the Build, Curtis Forbes sits down with Kyle Lagunas, founder and principal analyst at Kyle & Co., to unpack what's really happening inside HR, talent, and people technology today. Drawing from his journey from blogger during the Great Recession to trusted industry analyst, Kyle brings clarity to one of the most overhyped conversations in business. They explore why AI adoption is moving slower than expected, why capacity and capability — not resistance — hold HR teams back, and why AI literacy has become a critical leadership skill. Kyle also explains the growing disconnect between what vendors are building and what HR teams can realistically implement, especially in lean organizations and teams of one. The conversation looks ahead to second-generation AI adoption and why leaders must shift their focus from pure efficiency to quality, experience, and human outcomes. Throughout, Kyle emphasizes partnership, trust, and creating space to think — not just react. This episode is a must-watch for HR leaders, founders, and operators who want to cut through the hype and make smarter, more human decisions about technology and the future of work. About Kyle: Kyle Lagunas is the Founder and Principal Analyst at Kyle & Co, a modern research and advisory firm rethinking how we understand transformation in HR, talent, and technology. Known for his sharp analysis, candid point of view, and practical guidance, Kyle helps HR tech and talent leaders cut through hype and build strategies that actually work. Today, he's bringing research to reality and helping the industry tackle its biggest questions with clarity, credibility, and heart.

Performance management only works when it's connected to how people grow and how they're rewarded. In this episode of MustardHub Voices: Behind the Build, Curtis Forbes sits down with Satish Kumar, Head of PerformSpark at Trainery, to explore why traditional performance reviews are broken and what modern organizations need instead. Coming from a finance and private equity background, Satish brings a first-principles perspective to HR tech — questioning long-standing assumptions and rethinking how systems should actually work together. The conversation dives into why once-a-year reviews no longer make sense, how AI can surface patterns managers miss, and why learning, performance, and compensation should never live in silos. Satish also shares insights on distributed and frontline workforces, manager enablement, and why intellectual curiosity and AI fluency are quickly becoming non-negotiable skills. This episode is a must-watch for HR leaders, founders, and operators looking to move beyond fragmented tools and build talent systems designed for the future of work. About Satish: Satish helps lead PerformSpark (fka ReviewCloud), Trainery's performance management module. His philosophy is simple: learning, performance, and pay only make sense when they're connected. PerformSpark is the "performance" piece of that triangle — the part that makes goals, feedback, and growth feel real instead of something that just happens once a year. His job is to make the tool useful, simple, and tied to how people actually work.

Most people problems at work are really leadership problems. In this episode of MustardHub Voices: Behind the Build, Curtis Forbes sits down with Mary Stieber Reinout, ICF-certified executive coach and founder of Threshold Coaching & Consulting, to explore what truly drives leadership effectiveness in today's workplace. Drawing on decades of experience in executive development, talent strategy, and counseling psychology, Mary shares why self-awareness — and reducing self-deception — is the foundation of great leadership. The conversation dives into why communication breakdowns derail teams, how leaders can develop healthier feedback loops, and why organizations often underinvest in leadership development. Mary also offers thoughtful insights on executive transitions, learning cultures, neuroinclusion, and what employees are really asking for in the future of work. This episode is a must-watch for leaders, HR professionals, and founders who want to build stronger relationships, more resilient teams, and workplaces where people genuinely feel seen and supported. About Mary: As an ICF-certified executive coach and talent consultant, Mary specializes in executive development, assessment, leadership effectiveness, career management, and personal life transitions. With a rich career working in a variety of environments and industries, she's led learning functions and talent development in several organizations, including a national nonprofit. Internationally, she designed leadership development programs on multiple continents and led new executive onboarding globally. Recognized as a Top 15 Coach in Saint Paul, Minnesota, she excels in coaching leaders toward leveled-up performance, increased resilience, and adaptability. With a counseling background and commitment to psychological well-being, she customizes coaching engagements to respond to whole person needs. Finally, combined with her ability to align and mobilize teams to implement organizational change, Mary is an expert designing executive transition strategies.

Franchising only works when people come first. In this episode of MustardHub Voices: Behind the Build, Curtis Forbes sits down with Paul Ebert, Group President at Home Franchise Concepts, to explore what it really takes to scale franchise brands without losing culture, trust, or humanity. Paul shares his unconventional journey from Big Four accounting to leading multiple high-growth home services brands. The conversation dives into why franchising is fundamentally a people business, how investing in frontline workers drives customer outcomes, and what franchisors can (and can't) do to support franchisees without crossing legal lines. Paul also explains why time — not money — is the modern customer's most valuable currency, and how strong culture becomes a competitive advantage in labor-intensive industries. This episode is a must-watch for franchisors, franchisees, and leaders who believe long-term growth depends on building systems that work for people — not just around them. About Paul: Paul Ebert is Group President at Home Franchise Concepts, where he leads several high-growth franchised brands including Two Maids, Aussie Pet Mobile, AdvantaClean, and Lightspeed Restoration. Paul has steered impressive growth through operational excellence, innovation, and a people-first leadership style.

Skills matter, but motivation is what determines whether people actually thrive. In this episode of MustardHub Voices: Behind the Build, Curtis Forbes sits down with Ryan Dalton, co-founder of TalentMotives, to explore how intrinsic motivation shapes performance, engagement, and workplace culture. Drawing on his background in education, counseling, and behavioral science, Ryan explains how the Motivation Quotient (MQ) helps leaders understand what truly energizes — or drains — their people. The conversation dives into why disengagement often has less to do with competence and more to do with misalignment, how AI can be used to strengthen (not replace) human connection, and why self-awareness is the most underrated leadership skill. Ryan also shares how Talent Motives' AI-powered coach, Sherpa, helps leaders communicate more effectively, build better teams, and reduce unnecessary friction at work. This episode is a must-watch for founders, HR leaders, and operators who want to move beyond surface-level engagement strategies and build workplaces where people feel understood and motivated. About Ryan: Ryan's career began in education, helping students plan for college, where he first recognized the importance of understanding human potential. He went on to work in college counseling and career guidance, helping students and professionals find clarity and purpose. With a background in international relations and fluency in Mandarin Chinese, he gained a broader perspective on what truly motivates people across cultures. That insight led him to help architect the Motivation Quotient (MQ) and shape its impact in organizational settings. Today, as Co-Founder of TalentMotives, he leads the vision behind Sherpa—their AI-powered coach that integrates MQi into daily management and leadership.

When companies switch HR systems, critical data often gets left behind — and the consequences can be serious. In this episode of MustardHub Voices: Behind the Build, Curtis Forbes sits down with Gabe Bell, VP of Channel Sales at ResNav Solutions, to unpack why historical HR and payroll data matters more than most leaders realize. Drawing on more than 20 years in HR tech, Gabe shares what happens when organizations change platforms every few years without a clear data retention strategy. The conversation explores compliance risk, litigation exposure, M&A complexity, and why "out of sight" data can quickly become a business liability. Gabe also explains how HR, finance, and IT leaders can be more proactive during system transitions, what questions they should be asking before implementation begins, and how historical data can become a strategic asset — not just an insurance policy. This episode is a must-watch for HR leaders, CFOs, and operators navigating platform changes, compliance pressure, and the growing importance of people data in an AI-driven world. About Gabe: Gabe Bell is the VP of Channel Sales at ResNav Solutions, where he leads new partner development and strategy and is building out the company's channel sales ecosystem. He began his career at ADP, where he was quickly immersed in the (ever-changing) world of employer compliance, gaining firsthand insight into the risks and challenges businesses face when managing their workforce data. Over the past 20+ years, Gabe has held sales, business development, and partnership roles at DailyPay, Jobvite, and Joynd, helping build go-to-market strategies and partner programs that deliver real impact. At ResNav, he's focused on enabling partners to offer secure, scalable, and compliant historical data solutions to their clients. Gabe lives in Spearfish, South Dakota with his wife and three children.

In a world racing toward AI adoption, trust is quietly falling behind. In this episode of MustardHub Voices: Behind the Build, Curtis Forbes sits down with Dr. Dennis Hill — lifelong educator, technologist, author, and founder of Sagacity — for a wide-ranging conversation on leadership, learning, and the human cost of moving too fast. With more than 50 years spent helping organizations navigate change, Dennis brings a rare long-view perspective on technology, work, and society. They explore why leaders often mistake speed for progress, how unmanaged technological change erodes trust inside organizations, and why lifelong learning is the most important leadership commitment of the future. Dennis also shares thoughtful insights on data ownership, AI as a labor-displacing technology, and why wisdom — not just knowledge — must guide decision-making. This episode is essential viewing for leaders who want to navigate AI-driven change without losing trust, humanity, or perspective. About Dennis: Dr. Dennis Hill—a lifelong builder, teacher, and connector who has spent fifty years helping people make sense of change before the rest of the world even realized it was coming. He grew up in a fatherless working-class family that demanded resilience, a life approach he never abandoned. It shows in how he listens, mentors, and leads. Dennis is an engineer by training, a technologist by practice, and an objectivist at heart. As the founder of Sagacity and Chair and CEO of IHRIM (pronounced 'eye-rim'), he's worked across industries and continents—creating strategic partnerships and shaping businesses, educational programs, and emerging workforces—always with a steady hand and a long view. He's also an international bestselling author and editor, but what people remember most is his calm, grandfatherly way of making even the most advanced ideas feel human and accessible. At the center of everything he does is a belief he's carried since his days as an undergrad: that lifelong learning is our greatest force for social progress. It's not just something Dennis teaches—it's something he lives, every day.

Employee engagement is broken, and traditional surveys aren't helping. In this episode of MustardHub Voices: Behind the Build, Curtis Forbes sits down with Anish Satpute, founder of Reventa, to explore how AI is reshaping the way organizations understand their people. Drawing from his global upbringing, early entrepreneurship, and deep curiosity about human connection, Anish shares how personal experiences with loneliness and social dynamics led him into HR tech. The conversation dives into why legacy engagement surveys produce low-quality insights, how conversational, AI-driven feedback can uncover real root causes, and why discovery — not dashboards — is the most overlooked stage of people strategy. Anish also offers thoughtful perspectives on bias in AI, employee trust, and what HR leaders must do to stay relevant as work, roles, and organizational structures evolve. This episode is a must-watch for HR leaders, founders, and operators who want to use AI operationally and strategically to build more human workplaces. About Anish: Having grown up an introvert, Anish started his first business in an effort to deeply understand human relationships: both for himself, and then to facilitate this for others. Anish's curiosity about changing social dynamics, including in corporate settings, led to Reventa. Reventa serves as the adoption layer for AI in the workforce, starting by reimagining employee engagement and the legacy survey model.

Franchising isn't about systems alone. It's about people. In this episode of MustardHub Voices: Behind the Build, Curtis Forbes sits down with JT Thiessen, a 33-year veteran of the franchise industry who has helped grow and develop 18 different brands. JT shares how an early college project unexpectedly launched his career, why franchising is a distribution model, and what founders often misunderstand about growth. The conversation explores what makes a business truly ready to franchise, how to vet both brands and franchisees, and why listening is the most underrated leadership skill in the franchise world. JT also discusses hiring and retention challenges, the impact of AI on frontline and entry-level work, and why human skills like empathy and communication will matter more — not less — in the future of work. This episode is a must-watch for franchisors, franchisees, and operators building people-driven businesses at scale. About JT: JT is a 33-year veteran of the franchise industry, where he has had the good fortune of leading Development teams for 18 brands.  His passion for franchising stems from the positive transformations that he has witnessed in the lives of his teammates and the franchisees he put in business, including his mother, brother, sisters, and nephew.  He resides in Coto de Caza, CA, with his wife and two college-age children.

Hiring is broken for both candidates and employers. In this episode of MustardHub Voices: Behind the Build, Curtis Forbes sits down with Peter Dalton, Co-Founder and CRO of Veton, an AI-powered hiring platform that automates resume screening and early interviews while giving every candidate a fair shot. Peter shares what pulled him into HR tech after years of sales leadership, why application volume and fake candidates have become a serious problem, and how AI can help hiring teams focus on what actually matters: human connection, quality of hire, and better decision-making. The conversation explores recruiter anxiety around AI, leadership's role in change management, and why the goal isn't replacing recruiters — it's freeing them from administrative overload. This episode is a must-watch for HR leaders and operators who want to use AI responsibly to improve hiring outcomes without losing trust or humanity. About Peter: Peter Dalton is Co-Founder and CRO of Veton, an AI hiring platform that automates resume screening and first-round interviews so every candidate gets a fair shot and companies reach the right people faster. Before Veton, he spent nearly two decades leading high-performing sales teams at both startups and global enterprises, known for building new revenue streams, coaching teams through rapid growth, and consistently outperforming targets. He combines deep sales leadership experience with a practical view of what it takes to scale teams today.

Anxiety doesn't have to be a liability at work. In this episode of MustardHub Voices: Behind the Build, Curtis Forbes sits down with Dr. David Rosmarin — Harvard Medical School psychologist, author of Thriving with Anxiety, and founder of the Center for Anxiety — to unpack how leaders can rethink stress, performance, and mental health in the workplace. Dr. Rosmarin explains the difference between clinical anxiety, which requires professional support, and everyday human anxiety, which shows up around deadlines, change, leadership decisions, and growth. Rather than trying to eliminate anxiety altogether, he shares why learning to work with it can actually improve focus, connection, and resilience. The conversation also explores how AI, remote work, and constant connectivity impact stress levels, why some workplace wellness efforts miss the mark, and why meaningful change starts with leadership self-awareness and healthy relationships. This episode is a must-watch for leaders who want high performance without sacrificing humanity. About David: Dr. David Rosmarin helps corporate leaders, HR professionals, and high-performing teams leverage anxiety to drive performance, resilience, and innovation. As a Harvard Medical School psychologist, author of Thriving with Anxiety, and speaker for Fortune 500 companies, he has spent two decades translating cutting-edge mental health research into practical strategies for the workplace. His approach reframes anxiety as a leadership asset - not a liability. Whether he's speaking on a global stage, consulting with organizations, or working one-on-one with executives, his goal is simple: to help people perform at their best without suppressing their humanity.

In this episode of Behind the Build, Curtis Forbes speaks with Steven Lu, co-founder and CEO of Pin, about building recruiting technology by staying close to users. Steven traces his journey from writing code as a teenager to founding Interstellar (later acquired by Greenhouse) and launching his latest company. They discuss why sourcing software emerged from sales tools, how top recruiters really operate, and why automation should enhance personalization — not replace it. Steven also reflects on failure as a prerequisite for success, staying hands-on as a founder, and why curiosity matters more than credentials. This episode is perfect for product leaders, founders, and operators building people-focused technology. About Steven: Steve is the CEO and Co-Founder of Pin.com, a sourcing platform that's changing the way we search for candidates. Steve was also the CEO and co-founder of another sourcing platform called Interseller which later sold to Greenhouse in 2021. He entered the world of HR-tech in 2016 but still has his passion in writing code and building products.

In this episode of Behind the Build, Curtis Forbes welcomes Dr. Anna Tavis — NYU professor, author, and global HR thought leader — for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of work. Dr. Tavis shares how her background in linguistics, philosophy, and global business shaped her view of HR as the place where identity, ambition, and culture converge. She reflects on navigating large-scale layoffs during the financial crisis and how that experience ultimately led her back to academia with a renewed mission: preparing leaders for complexity, ethics, and uncertainty. Together, they explore why AI will force organizations to rediscover what makes humans valuable and why leadership must evolve beyond efficiency alone. This episode challenges leaders to rethink work not just as output, but as a human system. About Anna: Dr. Anna Tavis is Clinical Professor and Chair of the Human Capital Management Department at NYU's School of Professional Studies. As Department Chair, she leads three MS degree programs in the Human Capital Management Portfolio: Human Capital Management; Human Capital Analytics and Technology and Executive Coaching and Organizational Consulting. Additionally, Dr. Tavis manages five HCM certificate programs. She is the co-author of several books. Her newest title is The Digital Coaching Revolution. Prior to joining the NYU faculty, Dr. Tavis navigated a diverse global career in business, consulting and academia. In business, Dr. Tavis was the Head of Motorola's EMEA OD function based in London, Nokia's Global Head of Talent Management based in Helsinki, United Technologies Corporation's Chief Learning Officer, and she was the Global Head of Talent and Organizational Development with AIG Investments. In academia, Dr. Travis was on the faculty at Columbia University, Williams College, and Fairfield University. Dr. Tavis is a frequent presenter at international conferences on the topics of Future of Work; People Analytics and Technology; Employee Experience; and Intelligent Automation in the Workplace. She is a Senior Fellow with the Conference Board and is the Academic in Residence with Executive Networks. She is the former Executive Editor of People+Strategy Journal, a publication of SHRM's Executive Network and she is currently an Associate Editor of Workforce Solutions Review, a publication of the International Association for Human Resource Information Management.

Employee experience isn't an HR problem — it's a business one. In this episode of Behind the Build, Curtis Forbes is joined by Zach Chertok, Senior Research Manager for Employee Experience at IDC and faculty member at Columbia University. Zach brings a rare perspective shaped by engineering, public policy, workforce strategy, and market research. They explore what employee experience actually means beyond surveys and perks, why stress is managed more often than measured, and how leaders can better connect data, communication, and workforce outcomes. Zach explains how vendors, buyers, and investors interpret EX differently and where organizations often get it wrong. The conversation also covers recognition as a source of performance insight, the future of work in an AI-driven world, and why leaders must focus on augmentation rather than replacement. This episode is essential for leaders who want clarity around employee experience. About Zach: Zach Chertok is the Senior Research Manager for Employee Experience at IDC. There he looks at all aspects of how organizations support, equip, and enable employee journeys to ultimately benefit from them across modeled KPIs. He has been in the labor and organizational management space for 17 years on various sides of the technology and services sectors that enable companies to optimize success with their people. In that time, Zach has had the opportunity to work in and with a lot of different industrial sectors spanning a variety of organizational sizes to understand and advise through various perspectives on tech, organizational management, project planning, and more. Today, he brings that advisory to IDC, leading IDC's EX practice while also teaching at Columbia University.

Some of the best companies aren't planned — they're built out of necessity. In this episode of Behind the Build, Curtis Forbes talks with Marc Villella, founder and CTO of GryphonHR, about how a career in technology unexpectedly led him into the world of compliance and entrepreneurship. Marc shares how an early passion for engineering evolved into consulting, leadership, and eventually founding a work eligibility and compliance platform focused on Form I-9 and E-Verify. What started as solving real problems for real employers became a scalable SaaS business serving organizations that couldn't afford to get compliance wrong. The conversation explores entrepreneurship after acquisition, the realities of timing, and why compliance is often underestimated until it becomes urgent. Marc also discusses balancing hands-on technical work with leadership and growth. This episode is ideal for anyone who believes the best products start with practical pain points. About Marc: Marc boasts over two decades of expertise in business and IT. His extensive background spans Form I-9 and E-Verify compliance, business management, software product development, project management, security, risk and compliance management, and continuous process improvement. Notable accomplishments include creating multimillion-dollar SaaS platforms, guiding future CEOs, and offering valuable insights into Form I-9 and E-Verify.

In this episode of Behind the Build, Curtis Forbes sits down with Joshua Siler, founder and CEO of HiringThing, to explore how frustration turned into a 15-year SaaS journey. Joshua shares how his background in marketing automation led him to build an internal hiring tool simply to escape email-based recruiting chaos. That side project eventually became HiringThing — now used by thousands of companies. They discuss naming a SaaS product, growing through multiple market cycles, mentoring entrepreneurs through SCORE, and why building something better often starts with refusing to accept "this is just how it works." This conversation is a reminder that the best HR tech often comes from outsiders who see inefficiencies clearly. About Josh: Joshua Siler is the Founder & CEO of HiringThing, the award-winning recruiting platform that enables thousands of companies everywhere to tackle recruiting challenges. Joshua is highly focused on delivering great technology, and brings both an engineering and product management background to HiringThing. Prior to starting HiringThing, he served as the VP of Technology for a relationship marketing agency where he designed marketing strategies and innovative software solutions for clients. When not building great software, Joshua can be found building in the woodshop and volunteering with his local SCORE chapter.

Why don't more HR leaders become entrepreneurs, and what happens when they do? In this episode of Behind the Build, Curtis Forbes sits down with John Baldino, founder and president of Humanreso, to unpack the business side of HR leadership. With over 30 years in HR, John shares how shifting market dynamics pushed small and mid-sized organizations to compete like enterprises without enterprise resources. They explore why HR professionals often avoid sales, how relationship-driven business development shaped Humanreso's growth, and what it really takes to build a consulting firm that scales without losing its humanity. John also reflects on the evolution of HR itself —from in-house payroll to today's complex ecosystem of outsourced expertise. Along the way, they discuss content, community, and why humor and authenticity matter more than polish. About John: With over 30 years of human resources experience, John's passion for setting contributors and companies up for success is still going strong.  John is a keynote for US and International Conferences where he shares content and thoughts on leadership, collaboration and innovation, employee success, organizational design and development as well as inclusion and diversity.  John has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, SHRM Publications and is a regular contributor to the Humareso Blog. John has been named one of the 2025 Top 100 HR Tech Influencers. He is, also, co-host of the wildly popular LinkedIn Live webcast, "But First Coffee." John is currently the President of Humareso, a global human resources consulting firm, and the husband of 1 awesome wife and the dad of 3 amazing young adults.

What makes a conversation actually matter? Why do so many leaders overcomplicate it? In this episode of Behind the Build, Curtis Forbes is joined by HR veteran, author, and podcast pioneer Robin Schooling. With more than 25 years in HR, Robin shares what she's learned about community, curiosity, and the power of honest dialogue. Robin also reflects on her writing journey, including her upcoming book Real Work, and how a life-altering health scare reshaped her urgency and perspective. This conversation is a reminder that meaningful work — and meaningful leadership — doesn't require polish. It requires humanity. About Robin: Robin Schooling is an HR leader, author of Real HR, and People + Work Strategist with advisory firm Velvet Cubicle where she helps teams and organizations turn people strategy into something real, practical, and human. A veteran of more than 25 years in HR, she's led people and culture work across industries from healthcare to gaming and has a particular love for diving into the middle where strategy and everyday work collide. She's co-host of the long-running Drive Thru HR podcast (on the air since 2010 and close to 1,700 episodes!), speaks to HR and Talent audiences around the world (3 continents thus far), and has, somehow, never stopped blogging. Her second book, Real Work, will be released in January 2026.