The cavnessHR podcast

Amir Bormand is the Co-founder of Elevano, a California- based recruitment company, who helps hundreds of people find more fulfilling jobs every year. Amir is unique to the recruiting industry because he is a former engineer himself— and could still jot out a few lines of code! He’s seen the technical recruiting game from both sides, and during his engineering career, he constantly saw agency recruiters take shortcuts and use deceptive practices all for their own benefit. That’s why, in his current position as Co-founder of Elevano, he encourages a candidate-centric approach to every aspect of technical recruiting and sales. His overriding desire is to smash the negative stigma left by current recruitment strategies, and replace it with a more transparent, honest and empathetic service offering. When he’s not working, Amir enjoys spending time with his families and traveling. He and his wife have a 5-year-old daughter, who keeps him busy with the latest trends in Disney cartoons... You might just catch him humming Disney movie theme songs!

Reena Gupta a serial entrepreneur and philanthropist, interestingly dove into entrepreneurship when most women take a career break, after her first child was born. Her first foray into entrepreneurship started with a staffing company, Avankia, following which she established a technology company, TargetRecruit. At TargetRecruit, she  achieved many milestones in the Salesforce Ecosystem, including being the first to be incubated by Salesforce and developing the first ATS and WMS on Salesforce platform. She successfully exited from TargetRecruit in early 2018. As a leader in the technology SMB space, Reena’s passion has always been to give back to community. Recognizing the gap in job opportunities for stay at home moms, she started Mom Relaunch - an organization that empowers women on a career break to get back into the workforce, with a focus on IT and HR. She finds fulfillment in transforming the lives of women and enabling them to be financially independent. An active advocate and spokesperson on entrepreneurship, she mentors and nurtures the next generation of entrepreneurs in the Silicon Valley Youth Coders Club. Reena also leads a Salesforce Women In Tech (WIT) Users Group, with the aim of fostering a network of like-minded women to learn and exchange ideas. Reena has been featured as CRN’s 2016 Women of the Channel, in Entrepreneur Magazine, Power 50 Solution Providers and much more. She is a regular speaker at various Women In STEM conferences, was one of the three finalists of DreamPitch - a Salesforce event - and has her interviews published at  WinWin@Work, B2B Next, The Other 50% and many other online and print media. Mom Relaunch was also shortlisted as one of the top 10 companies for the startup pitch contest at Grace Hopper conference in Sept 2018. For Reena, success is beyond setting up a profitable business; it is being able to give back to the community and to do her bit for women who need support. She plans to continue supporting and mentoring women who want to rejoin the workforce or who are seeking to embark on their entrepreneurship journey, acting as the voice of evangelism for these women.

 Sapna brings more than two decades of international management consultant experience in sales and business operations in the technology, financial services and telecommunication industries. She started her career at Accenture and became the global business change in organizational practice lead. She also teaches introduction of management consultancy at George Brown College in Toronto. She is also a globally recognized Certified Management Consultant and Charter Professor Accountant. She truly believes that education and awareness are instrumental in overcoming any obstacles and perception challenges, both globally and locally. She started the CanInnovate podcast, focused on Canadian innovators that have changed the game and hosting massive classes deepen our knowledge and skills. You can find her walking, hiking and exploring new areas and trying to win the Aunt of the year award and discovering new places to brunch and inventing her new recipes.  

   Mary Pat Knight is a Leadership Transformation and Emotional Intelligence expert.  Her 30-year career has spanned executive leadership positions in marketing, operations, strategic planning, human resources, development and executive coaching.  Drawing on her C-level experience, she has developed a simple, yet powerful system for creating Emotional Intelligence that creates healthy teams, inspires leaders and transforms cultures.  Thousands of clients have experienced powerful life and business transformation by committing to this system. Mary Pat is the Founder and CEO of Leaders Inspired, helping leaders lead from the heart while creating phenomenal business results.

Melissa Strawn is the CEO & Founder of MyPeopleNow.com - a worker-first gig community for discovering new service providers and the inspiring stories behind why they do what they do. Melissa blogs at FromWelfareToMillionaire.org and is on a mission to transform the social services system into one that encourages and supports efforts toward meaningful self-sufficiency.

   Chris Schmitt recently retired from 30 years of service as a United States Army Special Forces “Green Beret.” Since retiring, he has successful founded his own company, Azimuth Consulting Group, to capture the lessons learned from Special Forces in combat and seamlessly translate them to the corporate sector. Chris speaks on his experiences as a career Green Beret and how “kindness” was the most effective weapon in his kit bag. He conducts face-to-face executive coaching and advising with leaders from Fortune 500 Companies like Starbucks, Amazon, Saks Fifth Avenue, Hudson Bay Company, and Costco Wholesale and International Not-for-Profits like The Nature Conservancy. Additionally, he facilitates leadership workshops and leads a wilderness-based leadership development treks called “The Traverse.” 

 Colin is the owner of Beyond Social Conditioning. This is his coaching company where he focusses on your perfect self. This is the rawest and most pure version of you.  Simply imagine that you’re alone on this planet, there is nothing left, no parents, no teachers, no friends, nothing.    How would you behave differently? if nobody judges you and the only person you need to make happy, fulfilled, and at peace is the person in the mirror.  (Dramatic pause ;) )     He believes that big changes don’t have to take longer than 12 weeks and is a true expert in creating measurable behavioral change that’s aimed towards your perfect self.

This is episode zero of the cavnessHR Culture Podcast - Our host will be Daniella Young who is the Senior Development and Cultural Strategy Advisor for cavnessHR. Dainella will interview stand out leaders across industries and sectors to learn their best shared secrets for cultivating culture and developing the leaders of tomorrow. Daniella Young is an organizational behavior and culture strategy advisor and a renowned international speaker and leadership coach. She helps CEOs and business leaders develop and employ an intentional growth culture strategy in their organizations. She gets very granular with her clients on how to strategize and execute a culture strategy, as well as how to employ tools, tactics and checkpoints along the way. So that they don’t get off track. Daniella has unparalleled insights into Organizational Behavior from real world experience. 

 Alicia is a founder and CEO of Equilibria, a 14 year old operations management firm, specializing in business infrastructure for fast growing small business. It's here where she first formulated the KasennuTM methodology for business infrastructure. She has since successfully applied this method in over 30 different industries and counting. She has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Louisiana State University, and an MBA from Tulane university. She is also certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, and has authored over 23 articles, case studies, videos, and white papers in the areas of business infrastructure, process improvement, and operational excellence. As part of a mission to provide access to operations resources for small businesses. She has started and hosts a weekly business infrastructure, Curing Back Office Blues podcast. Her most recent accomplishment lies in her new book, "Behind the Facade: How to Structure Automated Company Operations for Sustainable Success?" Was debuted on Amazon as a number one new release for business books in the production operations category. She is committed to do the right things right away. Her mantra is, "Leave it better than you found it."  

   CEO and founder of Talent Function, Elaine Orler has been developing and implementing HR solutions since 1993. With a keen analytical eye and passion about helping companies enhance their talent acquisition processes, she is uniquely able to identify how talent acquisition impacts both workforces and employers. One of the talent acquisition industry’s most sought-after thought leaders, Elaine has helped global organizations transform their recruiting processes with actionable strategies and technology implementations that optimize talent acquisition for HR professionals, hiring managers, job candidates and the company overall. Often quoted in leading HR and business publications, including Wall Street Journal, Human Resource Executive, and Talent Management, Elaine is well-respected as a talent acquisition and talent management expert and takes an active role in industry events and associations. Elaine is always tuned into the latest trends and is the former Conference Chair of the Recruiting Trends and Talent Tech Conference. She continually works with practitioners and serves an analyst to the solution provider community to shape the way talent management and recruiting solutions are delivered. She is invested in all aspects of the market that improve recruiting performance from candidate experience (co-founder of Talent Board, the founding organization of the Candidate Experience Awards) to optimal candidate selection with TalVista (owner). She has presented one-of-a-kind recruiting and candidate experience thought leadership at some of the industry’s most innovative and popular events, including the HR Technology Conference, the SHRM Annual Conference, ERE, and HRO Today Forum among others.

   Yannick Rault is CEO of Sheetgo; a cloud-based platform that allows people to build entire automated workflows, even ERPs, right from their spreadsheet. In 2018 winner of the most innovative IT startup in Spain & Portugal as well as the Most Scalable Startup and SaaS of Europe at the South Summit, and part of Blackbox in the valley. In parallel, he's in the board of two fast-growing co-working organizations focused on the impact to society with spaces in Spain & Brazil helping 100s of innovators. He was previously CEO at Abramar, Best company FOR the world in 2015 according to B-Corp, which built low income, environmentally friendly residential buildings & neighborhoods in Brazil, optimized with his mathematical models for thermal, construction, living comfort, CO2, transport & light. Before he spent a decade as a leader in the corporate world focused on online enterprise software at Ariba (SAP), Arthur Andersen, and FedEx.He is a published author and has been a regular featured speaker at major conferences like TEDx, Universities like Columbia University and leading companies like Google, as well as featured in dozens of publications such as The Economist. Yannick holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration on International Finance and Marketing, with minors in Industrial Engineering and Computer Information Systems. In his spare time, he practices sports, designs, and writes.

Lee McEnany Caraher is the CEO of Double Forte PR & Digital Marketing, a national agency headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in New York. An acclaimed communication strategist, Lee is known for her practical solutions to big problems. Her company works with some of the top consumer lifestyle, digital life, technology and wine brands in the country. Lee serves on the board of directors for the Public Relations Council, the national association for public relations agencies. Lee’s the author of Millennials & Management based on her experience with epically failing and then succeeding at retaining Millennials in her business. Her second book, The Boomerang Principle: Inspiring Lifetime Loyalty From Employees provides a practical guide to building positive, high performing workplaces. Lee has a reputation for building cohesive, high producing teams who get a lot done well and have fun at the same time. She is a straight talker who doesn't hold too many punches, although she does her best to be pleasant about it. Her big laugh and sense of humor have gotten her out of a lot of trouble. She started her career in communications in Boston and then moved to California, working with high profile and groundbreaking companies along the way. She moved to the Bay Area in 1995 to serve as the Vice President of Corporate and Consumer Communications at the $1.6 Billion SEGA of America. She then served as Executive Vice President of The Weber Group and Founder and President of Red Whistle Communications, both Interpublic companies. Lee is active in the community and currently serves on the Public Advocates Board of Governors and Grace Cathedral’s Board of Trustees. Previously Lee served as vice chair of the Board of KQED Public Media, Chair of the Board for Community Gatepath, Menlo College’s Board of Trustees, and was the founding Chair of the Board for the St. Paul’s Choir School.  She consults with other non-profits on effective board organization and practices. A graduate of Carleton College, with a degree in Medieval History, which she finds useful every day, Lee lives on the San Francisco Peninsula with her husband, two sons, and a blind cat.

      Natalie Michel (Michelle) is the founder and CEO of ​Nouvel Age Media​(noo-velleagemedia). A d​igital marketing agency that helps clients develop custom integrated digital marketing strategies for their brand to efficiently and effectively target their audiences while generating valuable long-term brand-customer relationships. The g​oal behind harvesting​ these types of relationships is to reach the goals marketing objectives, and potential while at the same time supporting the brands mission.  Nouvel Age Media’s objective is to serve as a ​digital marketing guide​ for their clients so they can maximize their organization’s goal in a unique way that solves their customer’s problems by utilizing a social cause. The motive behind their social cause strategy is to help their clients​ devise and execute unique digital marketing strategies that aid the planet, people, passion and profit. 

   Janine is the Owner/Chief Innovations Officer for Talent Think Innovations, LLC, a business strategy and management consulting firm. Her career spans fourteen years in HR and Talent Acquisition that has taken her through the world of pharmaceuticals, healthcare, staffing and R&D. Janine is a dynamic speaker, entrepreneur, and an important and respected voice bringing both a human touch and business savvy to the companies and businesses she works with. It is through the trials and tribulations of her career travels and her passion for Business, Technology, Digital Transformation and Talent Management that she created Talent Think Innovations in January 2013. Her aim is to provide practical and sustainable solutions, programs and strategies that are a catalyst for innovation. Through her work she is using her experience to get businesses and individuals from surviving to thriving allowing them to succeed in an age of rapid transformation.  Janine doesn’t just preach innovation-she lives it. A globally-known figure in Human Resources and Business, she has contributed for: Performance I Create, Switch & Swift, TLNT.com, and IRIS.xyz and more. Janine is a rare professional who isn’t afraid to tackle the obstacles and issues facing us as a society and global marketplace. She has been quoted by HBR, Bustle, The Cut, Atlanta BlackStar, Newsday, SHRM, USA Today and has been featured by Entrepreneur, Fast Company, Black Enterprise and Ebony Magazines. In 2013, Mrs. Truitt was also named one of the Top 100 Most Social Human Resources Experts on Twitter by Huffington Post and one of 50+ Unstoppable Women in HR Tech by Clear Company. Additionally, she was a part of the first-ever IBM + Purematter VIP Futurist Project. Janine is currently in the process of transitioning her knowledge and work in HR into a technology company that will address the challenges the differently-abled community has in becoming gainfully employed. She proves that humility, innovation and practical thinking has value and is fast becoming the new business imperative. Visit her blog “The Aristocracy of HR”. Follow her tweets on Twitter @CzarinaofHR. Catch her in action every Thursday at 10pm EST on her Periscope show: Ask Czarina Live and on AnchorFM for her “Growth on my Terms” podcast: anchor.fm/growthonmyterms.

Deepak Shukla is the Founder and CEO of Pearl Lemon, a multi-award-winning SEO agency in London. Deepak bootstrapped the business from his mum’s house to a £275k company in less than 24 months. He’s since gone on to invest in algorithmic trading, launch 5-figure online courses and continues to grow. Bootstrapping>aggressive growth>automation are key tenets of anything Deepak will start. Deepak Shukla has featured in TEDx, SemRush, BBC, Chelsea FC, Appsumo, Bright Talks & more. When he's not running his agency, you'll find him running marathons (24 so far) completing Ironmen (2 so far), getting inked (40% body coverage) or playing with his cat Jenny. 

 After growing one of his first PPC clients from 25 to 250 employees. Jacob realized he had a gift for using paper click marketing to drive dramatic business results. After helping more companies succeed online. Jacob founded Disruptive Advertising. A PPC and CRO management agency that has helped hundreds of companies realize unprecedented growth and profitability from online advertising. In the four years since its founding, Disruptive Advertising has grown from 2 employees working in Jacob 's basement to a flourishing agency with more than 120 employees and a run rate of over 18 million, putting it number 145 on the 2017 Inc. 500 list. As a business owner and speaker, Jacob Baadsgaard’s really thoughtful and general approach to pay per click advertising makes him a compelling leader in the disruptive marketing arena.  

Amani is the Chief Musical Curator of The Amani Experience, a boutique DJ company, that provides music at various events or venues across the world. Amani is also a Executive Consultant for Rodan + Fields where I am committed to assisting people on the journey to have better skin Amani is the Principal for Woodside Media Group. This company focuses on emerging technology solutions for a wide range of clients including Fortune 500 companies, award winning authors and musicians. In addition to his professional endeavors, Amani is a board member of LA's Best Friends (a leading after school enrichment program). Amani is a graduate of Howard University.

   When United States Marine Corps veteran, award-winning business developer, and philanthropist Sonny Tannan was offered the opportunity to become one of LinkedIn’s first video content creators, he began developing a LinkedIn article and video series called Through the Eyes of Om. Lessons taken from raising his son encourage others to approach the world with a little more creativity and curiosity. As “fans of 3,” Sonny and Om capture moments of insight from their day-to-day lives and give readers three takeaways to encourage others to focus, collaborate, and inspire. Their first book, Through the Eyes of Om: Exploring Malaysia is set to release March of 2019. They use curiosity and insight to tell the story of Om’s very first visit to his mother’s home country. Their hope is to inspire children and their parents to live life with curiosity and enthusiasm for what’s to come.

 As a communications consultant Christina helps professionals and companies figure out what they're trying to say and helps them say it well. Through workshops, seminars and one on one coaching. Christina works to build messaging development storytelling and public speaking skills with her colleague Brian Rutberg, Founder of 3C Coms. As well as subcontracts with local agencies. Formerly an active volunteer in the startup community. Primarily through pitch coaching with organizations like 1million cups and Founders Live. In 2019, Christina is focusing her volunteer time on social justice causes. She's State Coordinating Committee member for the Washington State Poor People's Campaign. A national call for a moral revival. She has a diverse background in Marketing, Advertising, Sales and Journalism and played college basketball while earning a Communication degree with a business minor. She generally wants to everyone to make it. Christina believes being able to get your message across as a major key to success. Communication is skill you can learn and always improve on.  

   Samantha Hartley of Enlightened Marketing works with overwhelmed women consultants who are too busy to grow; spending too much time with clients or engagements that are too small and under-earning relative to their value.  She helps them double (and sometimes quintuple) their businesses without exhaustion by attracting perfect clients and making $100K+ offers. As a result, they become more profitable, joyful business owners.  Before starting this business, Samantha worked in international marketing for The Coca-Cola Company in Russia and its Atlanta headquarters. She lives on Martha’s Vineyard with her husband, their cat and two big dogs.