The Business of Learning
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© 2018 Training Industry, Inc.
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The Business of Learning is produced by the team at TrainingIndustry.com, and focuses on the intersection of business performance and human capital development. Our guests are experts and innovators in organizational learning and development, and we highlight original research on trends and best practices in corporate training.
114 Episodes
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Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies have made the need for digital skills training a top business imperative. Without digital skills, employees will be ill-equipped to do their jobs in today’s world of work — and in tomorrow’s.
In this episode of The Business of Learning, we spoke with Shauna Begley, founder of ModernWork and current program head of the business information technology management program at the Business Columbia Institute of Technology, and George Hanshaw, director of digital learning solutions at Los Angeles Pacific University, to learn more about building a digitally fluent workforce.
Listen now for insights on:
The difference between digital fluency and digital literacy.
Why “technical know-how” is just the beginning of cultivating digital fluency.
How to assess your organization’s current level of digital fluency.
More and more, we hear that soft skills are the key to success even, or maybe especially, in an increasingly automated world. But what do we mean when we say soft skills, and why are they the key to success? How do you know if your organization has a workforce with strong soft skills, and how can you develop them in your employees? In this episode of The Business of Learning, Shelley Osborne, head of learning and development at Udemy, and G. Riley Mills, co-founder and chief operating officer of Pinnacle Performance Company and author of “The Bullseye Principle,” share their insights.
With tighter budgets and ongoing economic uncertainty, many learning leaders are being asked to do more with less. Managing training functions with limited resources requires creativity, strategic prioritization and strong stakeholder alignment.
In this episode of The Business of Learning, brought to you by Synthesia, we sat down with experienced L&D leaders Lauren Olson and Harry Colangelo, CPTM to explore how L&D professionals can maximize impact even when resources are scarce.
Tune in now to hear insights on:
Making the most of existing tools, platforms and content
Engaging subject matter experts to stretch training resources further
Skills L&D professionals need to stay resilient during uncertainty
1Artificial intelligence (AI) is bringing both challenges and opportunities to the corporate learning space.
In this episode of The Business of Learning — recorded live, in person at the 2025 Training Industry Conference & Expo (TICE) — we sat down with Nichol Bradford, executive-in-residence, AI+HI at SHRM, futurist, and founder and chairman of Transformative Tech Lab, to explore how learning leaders can use AI to drive human potential while navigating its challenges.
Tune in now for insights on:
What it means to responsibly implement AI in the workplace
How generative AI can augment, not replace, human talent
Preparing L&D teams to lead an AI-enabled future of work
Opportunities and challenges in using AI to enhance employee well-being
Change is inevitable, but the good news is that leading it successfully is a skill that can be learned.
In this episode of The Business of Learning — recorded live, in person at the 2025 Training Industry Conference & Expo (TICE) in celebration of Training Industry’s 20-year anniversary — we sat down with Dr. Michelle Rozen, a keynote speaker, author and expert on change management, to explore how learning leaders can support their organizations through disruption and help teams stay focused, motivated and resilient.
Tune in now for insights on:
How to drive sustainable change across the organization
Turning resistance into engagement
Key mindset shifts for leaders navigating uncertainty
As technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace, organizations are under increasing pressure to equip their technical teams with the right skills to drive the business forward.
In this episode of The Business of Learning, we sat down with Aleksandar Orovcanec, technical training specialist at CSA Group, to explore how learning leaders can develop and support future-ready tech teams
Tune in now to hear insights on:
Overcoming common technical training challenges
Strategies for integrating soft skills into technical learning programs
The impact of AI on technical skills development and training approaches
What does the future of skills development look like — and how can learning leaders prepare their people and organizations for what’s next?
In this bonus episode of The Business of Learning, recorded live at the 2025 Training Industry Conference & Expo (TICE) in celebration of Training Industry’s 20-year anniversary, we gathered a panel of L&D leaders to discuss what it really takes to build a future-ready workforce.
Tune in now to hear insights on:
How skills-based strategies are reshaping talent development
The evolving role of learning leaders in workforce transformation
How to bridge the gap between learning, performance and business needs
…and more!
In 2025, effective onboarding is about connection, belonging and well-being — not just orientation sessions or process checklists. Today’s programs must be designed to help new hires feel supported, seen and prepared to thrive in their roles.
In this episode of The Business of Learning, sponsored by Wisetail, we spoke with Geoffrey Roche, director of workforce development at Siemens Healthineers, to explore how L&D can drive more human-centered, inclusive onboarding experiences that make a lasting impact.
Tune in now to learn:
The current state of employee onboarding — and what’s changing
How to embed belonging, mattering and purpose into onboarding programs
Strategies to help leaders create welcoming, inclusive environments for new hires
How to measure the impact of onboarding on retention and engagement
…and more!
As generative artificial intelligence (AI) continues transforming the way we work and learn, it’s also changing how we coach and train high-performing sales teams. From personalized feedback to real-time performance insights, AI-powered coaching tools are helping organizations scale their sales training efforts — without sacrificing quality or impact.
In this episode of The Business of Learning, we sat down with Julie Thomas, president and CEO of ValueSelling Associates, to explore how learning leaders can use AI to drive sales effectiveness and improve coaching outcomes.
Tune in now to learn:
The top challenges organizations face when training sales teams and how AI can help.
How AI-powered coaching tools deliver on-demand feedback and real-time performance data.
Which sales skills AI can train most efficiently.
…and more!
As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes the way we work, the need for employees to understand and use data has never been more important. According to recent research from DataCamp, 86% of leaders say data literacy is essential for their teams’ daily tasks — and 62% say the same about AI literacy. But without these foundational skills, organizations risk falling behind.
In this episode of The Business of Learning, we spoke with Dr. Bill Brantley, CPTM, president and chief learning officer at BAS2A, and Lauren LePage, learning strategist at Chick-fil-A
Tune in now to explore how L&D can build AI and data literacy across the workforce and gain insights on:
How to assess AI readiness and measure data literacy using tools like skills mapping and competency models.
The critical role of leadership in modeling data-informed decision-making and creating a culture of ethical AI use.
Key steps to begin building an AI- and data-literate workforce.
Despite a lack of scientific evidence, the concept of learning styles — the idea that individuals learn best through a particular format like visual, auditory or kinesthetic — continues to be one of the most persistent myths in corporate training.
In this episode of The Business of Learning, we sat down with Tom Whelan, Ph.D., director of corporate research at Training Industry, to learn more about the learning styles myth — and what the research actually says about how we learn.
Tune in now to hear the conversation, where we discuss:
Why the learning styles myth has persisted over time, despite a lack of research.
Training Industry’s research on learner preferences — and why a multimodal approach is key.
How to adapt your programs if you’ve traditionally designed training around learning styles.
Despite strides toward gender equity, women in the workplace continue to encounter systemic challenges that hinder their career progression. While representation in executive roles has improved over the past decade — rising from 17% to 29% of C-suite positions, according to McKinsey — women, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, remain significantly outnumbered.
In this episode of The Business of Learning, we spoke with Neha Trivedi, CPTM, HR director, learning and development and talent development at Alight Solutions, to learn more about how L&D can help support women’s career growth.
Tune in now to hear the conversation, where we discuss:
Real-world examples of programs that have had an impact on women’s career growth.
The importance of coaching, mentoring and sponsorship opportunities.
Partnering with HR and other business units to create comprehensive development strategies, ensure equitable access to leadership opportunities and embed inclusive practices across the organization.
Organizations outsource training projects or processes for various reasons, including gaining access to specialized expertise, scaling programs efficiently and freeing up internal resources.
Selecting the right training provider is the first step to ensuring a successful partnership, but success doesn’t stop there. Building a strong relationship between providers and buyers is essential for delivering learning solutions that align with business needs.
In this episode of The Business of Learning, we sat down with Kelly Lake, chief strategy and innovation officer at Sweetrush, and Tiffany Vojnovski , CPTM, senior learning strategist at SweetRush.
Tune in now for their insights on:
Questions to ask when selecting a training vendor.
Communication and feedback strategies for effective partnerships.
Measuring the success of partnerships with training providers.
Ongoing Training Industry research has found that strategic alignment is the most important process capability of great training organizations. However, many learning and development (L&D) leaders struggle to align training with business goals.
In this episode of The Business of Learning, we sat down with Anita Ann Mihelic, CPTM, director of learning and development at Construct Connect, and Peter Plumlee, CPTM, head of learning and development at Presence, for insights on building a strategic L&D plan.
Tune in now for tangible best practices on:
Developing a strategic —and adaptable — L&D plan.
Partnering with stakeholders to build your strategic L&D plan.
Determining key metrics to consider when crafting a strategic L&D plan.
Today’s workplace is facing increasing complexities, making leadership both more important and more challenging than ever before. To stay competitive in a volatile market, companies need to develop effective leaders across organizational levels. They also need leaders who can not only navigate uncertainty but also use it as fuel for growth and innovation.
In this episode of The Business of Learning, brought to you by Canvas, we spoke with Dr. Susan Gray, chief creative officer at Canvas, and Bruce Landry, managing partner and chief experience officer at Canvas. Listen now to hear their insights on:
• The current challenges leaders are facing.
• Why we need to challenge conventional notions of leadership as a role or rank.
• The “leadership as responsibility” approach.
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to impact how we work and learn, learning leaders need robust AI skills to leverage this innovative technology for more impactful — and efficient — training. However, with AI quickly advancing, and new AI-powered learning technologies frequently hitting the market, building your AI skill set can seem daunting to busy training professionals.
In this episode of The Business of Learning, we spoke with Marc Ramos, an industry vet with 20 years of experience with Google, Novartis and Accenture, who was most recently the chief learning officer at Cornerstone OnDemand, and Melissa Brown, CPTM, learning and development leader at Holland and Hart LLP, about building your AI skills as a learning leader.
Tune in now for their insights and advice on:
• The skills learning leaders need in an AI-driven world, and how to develop them.
• Tips for becoming proficient with AI-enabled tools and technologies.
• The importance of “keeping a human in the loop.”
In today’s workplace, it seems like the only constant is change. Organizations need agile leaders who can adapt to evolving business needs and guide their teams through uncertainty. Of course, this is easier said than done: Leaders need training and development to build key skills like resilience and agility.
In this episode of The Business of Learning, we spoke with Jennifer Garvey Berger, an author and the CEO of Cultivating Leadership, and Mindy Vail, an author and the founder and CEO of The MindShift Effect, for tips on developing agile, future-ready leaders.
Tune in now for insights on:
• The skills leaders need to manage change.
• Navigating the human side of change.
• Innovating strategically to avoid burnout.
Human-centered leadership skills, like emotional intelligence (EQ), self-awareness, communication and more, are essential for leaders looking to support and empower their teams to perform at their best.
However, many leaders struggle to develop human-centered skills. In fact, according to Gartner, 71% of employees believe that their leaders don’t exhibit human skills.
In this episode of The Business of Learning, we spoke with Karolien Koolhof, an author and founder of the training and coaching business Quiet Quality, for tips on how to develop human-centered leaders.
Tune in now for expert insights on:
• Why human-centered leaders are critical to business success today.
• The connection between human-centered leadership and company culture.
• The (often overlooked) power of introverted leaders.
![[Special Episode] Confidence, Tech and the Human Connection](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/ep-logo/pbblog9018994/102824_Business_of_Learning_Podcast_Special_Episode_Wisetail_b827n.jpg "[Special Episode] Confidence, Tech and the Human Connection"){kind=logo}
In this special episode of The Business of Learning, brought to you by Wisetail, we spoke with Evan Melick, director of product at Wisetail, to learn more about how confidence impacts learning and performance.
Tune in now for expert insights on:
Why psychological safety is critical for effective learning.
How leaders can assess employees’ confidence in a given skill.
Why confident employees are more likely to take risks and drive innovation.
In this first video episode of The Business of Learning, we spoke with Tom Whelan, Ph.D., director of corporate research at Training Industry, about training measurement and evaluation. Specifically, we discussed the International Organization for Standardization, or ISO’s, latest guidance for L&D metrics, which are further detailed in the Training Industry Research e-book “Learning Measurement for Modern Business: Making Sense of ISO 30437.”
Tune in now for insights on:
• The 5-4-3 Framework.
• The three categories of metrics mentioned in the report — efficacy, effectiveness and outcome metrics.
• What these guidelines mean for the training vendor market moving forward.
-Learn more about the Training Industry Research e-book “Learning Measurement for Modern Business: Making Sense of ISO 30437": https://trainingindustry.com/research...
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