Brad Karsh, founder of JB Training Solutions, returns for a short bonus discussion about developing training programs for companies. Mentioned on the Show: Brad's First Episode: https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/bradkarsh/ JB Training Solutions: https://jbtrainingsolutions.com/ Connect with Brad on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradkarsh/ M…

With a career spanning leadership roles in the world's largest company, influential positions in education teaching personal branding and marketing, and a deep understanding of the professional services industry and HR, Dr. Anna Stumpf brings a unique perspective to coaching professionals and organizations through transformative growth. She joins t…

Pinky is the Chief Financial Officer of Ideal Industries, a ~$400M manufacturing company with a global footprint. She leads several enterprise-wise transformation initiatives, enabling the company’s business model to adapt to changing market conditions and disruptive market forces. In her prior role as the CFO & COO at U.S. Soccer, Pinky led the or…

Mike White and Ken DeBauche are Co-Founders of Secchi, an employee relationship management tool for manufacturing, healthcare, and other shift work environments. In this conversation, they share how the lessons they learned working in these environments influence how they are now trying to make work better for both leaders and employees. Mentioned …

Brent Kedzierski is a sought-after keynote speaker and a leader of connected-worker ecosystems at Hexagon, an international data company working in industries from oil and gas to AI and manufacturing. He is focused on improving the human condition at work and creating a seamless collaboration between humans and machines. Brent has been involved in …

Patti Temple Rocks is the author of I’m Not Done: It’s Time to Talk About Ageism in the Workplace, which was ranked as one of the 9 books Every Professional Should Read in 2019 by INC Magazine. Kirkus Reviews said, “Rocks writes succinctly but convincingly about the proliferation of age bias and its damaging, insidious, and demoralizing effects on …

Malissa Clark is an Associate Professor of Industrial-Organizational Psychology at the University of Georgia and Director of the Healthy Work Lab. She is the author of Never Not Working: Why the Always-On Culture Is Bad for Business—and How to Fix It. Mentioned on the Show: Never Not Working (book): https://a.co/d/3xGh9q0 Malissa’s website: https:/…

A serial entrepreneur who entered the United States as a refugee from Ukraine at the age of 8, Diana had launched and sold millions of dollars worth of products and services by her early thirties. Today, she is an innovation consultant, leadership development keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author whose books have been taught in ove…

In this special episode, O'Brien and past guest Jason Lauritsen announce a unique in-person event for People Business listeners who lead HR. Designing Work for Humans: A People Business Summit will take place in Chicago on June 3rd and 4th, teaching HR leaders design skills they can use in their organizations to solve pressing business problems whi…

Julie Dirksen is the author of the books Design For How People Learn and Talk to the Elephant: Design Learning for Behavior Change. She is a learning strategy consultant with a focus on incorporating behavioral science into learning interventions. She’s been an adjunct faculty member at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and is a Learning Gu…

Erin Diehl is a Business Improv Edutainer, Failfluencer, and Professional Zoombie. Through a series of unrelated dares, Erin created improve it!, a unique professional development company that pushes others to laugh, learn, play, and grow. Her new book, I See You: A Leader's Guide to Energizing Your Team Through Radical Empathy, has paired her eigh…

Jon McGraw co-founded Vision Pursue (VP) after it’s principles radically shifted his mindset, performance, and overall life experience. He’s since guided and assisted in the successful application of these principles inside hundreds of corporate teams and sports franchises. He’s a sought after keynote speaker, workshop facilitator, and Performance …

Brad is the Founder and CEO of JB Training Solutions. An accomplished public speaker and executive coach, Brad has been featured on CNN, CNBC, and Dr. Phil, and has been quoted in: The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Fortune, and USA Today among many others. Brad is also the author of three business books including the critically acclaimed…

Shannon is the Practice Leader of Lockton's Global People Solutions team in the United States where she works with multinational companies, helping them organize and manage their global benefits programs. Mentioned on the Show: Lockton People Solutions: https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/people-solutions Connect with Shannon Boyle o…

Laura Kriska is an expert on cross-cultural relations with more than thirty years of experience bridging gaps in diverse workplaces. She has worked with Fortune 500 companies on four continents, helping thousands of professionals build trust across Us vs. Them differences based on nationality, ethnicity, race, religion, age, or any factor of identi…

Kendra Brodin is the Founder and CEO of EsquireWell, a lawyer well-being and professional development company providing consulting, training, and the EsquireWell Academy, a cutting-edge online learning community, to help lawyers be happier, healthier, and more successful. Before founding her company, Kendra was Chief Attorney Development Officer at…

Paul A. LaLonde, SHRM-CP, CCAP is a deliberate HR pro, who believes philosophy is a difference-making pursuit in business and life. Paul serves as the VP of People & Culture for CEDA of Cook County in Chicago. CEDA is one of the largest Community Action Agencies in the Country. Paul has won numerous awards including the HR Today MVP Award for his b…

Casey Jacox is the founder of Winning The Relationship, LLC, a consulting firm providing executive sales leadership and coaching. He is also the author of a book by the same name and host of The Quarterback DadCast, a podcast that offers stories, advice, and wisdom for fathers looking to improve their leadership skills and emotional intelligence. I…

Dan Michelson is the CEO of InCommon and author of Holy Shift! Moving Your Company Forward to the Future of Work. In addition to his work at InCommon, he is an Adjunct Professor at the Quinlan School of Business at Loyola University. In this conversation, Dan talks about historical shifts that have rocked the workplace and how what we are going thr…

Cece Sykes, LCSW, ACSW, is a consultant and senior trainer with the Internal Family Systems Institute where she specializes in trauma and addiction and educates therapists internationally on how to apply the IFS therapy model to addictive processes. In this episode, she shares ways concerned bosses, colleagues, and friends can broach the subject of…

Pamela Meyer is a leading Agile Innovation expert who works with leaders, teams, and organizations that need to be more agile and innovative to compete in a rapidly changing world. She is the author of five books on agility, innovation, and learning, including her newest book, Staying in the Game: Leading and Learning with Agility for a Dynamic Fut…

Megan Lally is the CEO at Highdive, an award-winning advertising firm working with clients like Jeep, Rocket Mortgage, State Farm, Lay's, Beam Suntory. She was recognized in AdAge’s “40 Under 40” list. In this conversation, she shares how Highdive creates better work by focusing on the relationships employees have with each other and with their cli…

Meisha-ann Martin is the Senior Director, People Analytics & Research at Workhuman. She has a PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and has spent almost twenty years as a researcher and practitioner on topics like recognition, wellness, inclusion and psychological safety. In this episode, we talk about employee recognition programs and adjust…

Dr. Meghaan Lurtz is a Professor at Kansas State University where she teaches courses for the Advanced Financial Planning Certificate Program, a lecturer at Columbia University where she teaches Financial Psychology, an undergraduate adjunct professor through the University of Maryland system in their CFP program, and a writer and Senior Research A…

As a clinical assistant professor in the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, Gina Fong teaches Ethnographic Customer Insights. She was voted "Professor of the Year" by Kellogg's 2023 graduating class. In this conversation, we discuss how her work translates to understanding and improving the employee experience. Mentioned in th…

Jim Suprenant is the Senior Managing Partner at Guggenheim Partners. A career investment banker, Jim joins the show to discuss the ins and outs of buying and selling businesses. Mentioned in this Episode: Guggenheim Partners: https://www.guggenheimpartners.com/ Go Big or Go Home (book): https://www.amazon.com/Go-Big-Home-Customer-Experience/dp/1544…

Linda Rossetti is a business leader, Harvard MBA, and pioneering researcher who has dedicated her career to advancing our understanding of personal and organizational transformation. She is the author of two books, Dancing with Disruption and Women & Transition. She also hosts a podcast called Destination Unknown. Mentioned on the Show: Dancing Wit…

Brian Smith is the Founder and Managing Partner of IA Business Advisors, a consulting and coaching company, and co-author of The I In Team book series. He joins the show to talk about influence. Mentioned in this Episode: IA Business Advisors https://iabusinessadvisors.com/ Individual Influence - Finding the I in Team (book) https://www.amazon.com/…

Lisa Kleiman is the principal and founder of Speaktopia, a public speaking coaching and training organization. She has held management and consulting positions at Fortune 500 companies and has served as a faculty member at Boise State University for over 15 years teaching undergraduate and graduate English and Business & Managerial Communication co…

Mat Duerden is a Professor of Experience Design and Management in the Marriott School of Business at Brigham Young University. He is the co-author of the book Designing Experiences. He joins the show to talk about the elements of experience design and the framework anyone can use to enhance the experiences they plan for themselves and others. Menti…

Jim Conti is the Talent Partner at Hyde Park Venture Partners. In this role, Jim provides strategic talent support and consulting to the firm's portfolio of companies. In this conversation, we talk about how to build a people strategy in a lean, fast-paced environment and the lessons he's learned from working across a venture-backed portfolio of co…

For twenty-five years, Bonnie Low-Kramen worked as the personal assistant to Oscar-winner Olympia Dukakis. Now she writes, coaches, and speaks to audiences of business leaders and assistants, helping them each make the most of this powerful relationship. Mentioned in this Episode: Staff Matters: People-Focused Solutions for the Ultimate New Workpla…

Skye White is a Vice President at Deed, a workplace giving platform. She joins the show to talk about the different ways companies provide giving opportunities to their employees and the reasons why you may or may not want to consider doing the same. Mentioned in this Episode: Connect with Skye White on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/skye-wh…

Sean Bacon is a Canadian Armed Forces veteran who served 12 years as a Paratrooper and as an instructor at the Canadian Forces Military Police Academy. During that time, Sean developed a system of training that psychologically and physically prepared both soldiers and police to thrive in some of the worst situations the world has to offer. His comp…

Gustavo Serbiá is the Head of Human Resources at Hair Cuttery, a retail hair salon with 5,000+ employees across 10 states. In this episode, we talk about the challenges of leading a workforce with few promotion opportunities. Gustavo shares lessons on how they recruit, develop talent, and help people grow inside and outside the organization. Mentio…

When Minette Norman and Karolin Helbig heard about psychological safety, they knew it could have a big impact on their workplaces. But they struggled to find guidance on how to put the principles of psychological safety into practice. Like all good self-starters, they decided to write the book they wished they'd had. In this episode, we dive into t…

Professional Futurist Rebecca Ryan returns to the podcast and brings with her Libby Castro, Founder and Principal at LP/w Design Studios. The two have joined forces to create the Work Better Project, a community geared towards redesigning the what, where, and how of work. Mentioned in this Episode: The Work Better Project: https://www.linkedin.com/…

Dr Andy Bass is the founder and principal of BassClusker Consulting. He works with leaders of successful businesses who are acutely aware of the rapid pace of change in the world. Andy specializes in getting them ahead of the change and bringing their people with them, and he does it in a very unusual way based on finding and using their Hidden Res…

Dr. Sunitha Chandy, Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Founder of Artesian Collaborative, returns to the show to talk about ways we can recover after expending all of our energy and resilience running life's great marathons (for example, coming out of a global pandemic). Mentioned in this Episode Sunitha Chandy, PsyD is the lead trainer at Artesian…

Todd Hlasney is the Director of Health Risk Solutions at Lockton where he and his team help companies build wellness programs that improve health and lower cost. In this episode, Todd shares best practices, how to make data actionable, and the ways to approach different segments of your employee base. Mentioned in this Episode: Lockton Health Risk …

Dr. Richard Safeer is the Chief Medical Director of Employee Health and Well-Being @ Johns Hopkins Medicine. He works to help leaders understand how to build cultures of health in their own organizations. He holds faculty appointments in both the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Bloomberg School of Public Health. His book, A Cure…

David Wood has spent over 20 years coaching thousands of entrepreneurs and leaders across 15 countries on how to do what matters, get there faster, and be extraordinary. He is the author of Mouse in the Room: Because the Elephant isn't Alone, a book about naming and overcoming the small voices we all have inside that keep us from connection, confid…

Sue Rice is a long-time marketing strategist, professional copywriter, and international communications expert. She is the author of Tiny Thunder: Irresistible Messaging for an Overwhelmed World. In this episode, Sue shares her method of metaphoric storytelling for grabbing attention and driving action. Mentioned in this Episode: Tiny Thunder by Su…

Juliana Stancampiano went from customer to CEO of Oxygen, a people and sales enablement consulting company. She is the author of Radical Outcomes: How to Create Extraordinary Teams that Get Tangible Results. Mentioned in this Episode: Juliana on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstancampiano/ Oxygen EXP - https://www.oxygenexp.com/ Oxygen EXP…

Andrea Butcher, CEO of HRD*, is on a mission to change the world one leader at a time. In this episode, she shares the traits that make great leaders and the ways listeners can improve their leadership abilities. Mentioned in this Episode: hrdleadership.com - https://hrdleadership.com/ Andrea Butcher on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/leader…

Kim Mauller is the Director of Marketing & Insights on the Innovation and Foresight team at Molson Coors. In this episode, Kim discusses the process she and her team use to look into the future and develop products that meet the world’s emerging needs. Mentioned in this Episode: Molson Coors - https://www.molsoncoors.com Think Like a Futurist w/ Re…

Jenny Sauer-Klein is the founder and CEO of the Scaling Intimacy School of Experience Design, which trains event leaders to weave connection into the fabric of their events strategically. She is passionate about designing transformational experiences that prioritize connection over content and regularly consults for organizations like Google, Airbn…

Mike Del Ponte is a serial entrepreneur and CEO coach who has empowered founders to rapidly scale their start-ups to over $3 billion in total valuations. In this conversation, Mike discusses the ways he helps leaders level up and improve both their businesses and their lives. Mentioned in this Episode: mikedelponte.co - https://www.mikedelponte.co/…

Dr. Bipin Mistry is a board-certified physician and Chief Medical Officer at Alight where he is focused on helping their companies improve the healthcare experience for their employees. In this episode, he discusses the current state of healthcare in the United States, where it's going, and how new approaches are helping people get better outcomes …

Ann Latham is the author of The Power of Clarity and founder of the consulting firm Uncommon Clarity®. Her clients represent over 40 industries and range from organizations such as Boeing, Hitachi, and Medtronic to non-profits such as the Public Broadcasting Service, the United Way, and colleges and universities. Ann’s advice has appeared in public…