DiscoverHR & Payroll 2.0From Projects to Products with Special Guest Mercedes Sullivan
From Projects to Products with Special Guest Mercedes Sullivan

From Projects to Products with Special Guest Mercedes Sullivan

Update: 2025-07-29
Share

Description

On this episode, Pete and Julie welcome Mercedes Sullivan, VP of People Transformation at McKinley! 


Mercedes shares her unconventional journey as a touring professional tennis player, which eventually led her to become an IT and HR transformation executive. Plus, her fun story on how experimenting with an AI boyfriend named ‘Mateo’ sparked a curiosity for AI in the future of work. 


The group explores the intersection of AI and human connection, the ethics of automation, and why treating employees like athletes could unlock performance potential across the enterprise. Mercedes also shares her paradigm-shifting mindset of moving from “projects to products”, her vision for governance in an AI-powered workplace, and why HR must lead the way in keeping humanity at the center of innovation.


Connect with Mercedes: 


LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mercedessullivan/ 


Article about Mercedes, Tennis to Corporate career: https://www.itftennis.com/en/news-and-media/articles/from-court-to-corporate-world-the-touring-teams-influence/


Connect with the show:   


LinkedIn:  http://linkedin.com/company/hr-payroll-2-0 


X: @HRPayroll2_0 @PeteTiliakos @JulieFer_HR


BlueSky: @hrpayroll2o.bsky.social 


YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HRPAYROLL2_0

Comments 
In Channel
00:00
00:00
x

0.5x

0.8x

1.0x

1.25x

1.5x

2.0x

3.0x

Sleep Timer

Off

End of Episode

5 Minutes

10 Minutes

15 Minutes

30 Minutes

45 Minutes

60 Minutes

120 Minutes

From Projects to Products with Special Guest Mercedes Sullivan

From Projects to Products with Special Guest Mercedes Sullivan

Pete Tiliakos & Julie Fernandez