Afleveringen
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Culture is not an HR programme to impose, preserve or package into a set of aspirational statements. It is a commercially relevant operating system: shaped by founder behaviour, grounded in the realities of the business and made credible through the decisions and behaviours leaders consistently reinforce.
In this episode, Alex Buder Shapiro, Head of People at Clay, explores what it takes to build an authentic, distinctive culture in a fast-changing company. She explains why senior People leaders need genuine alignment with founders, why the best culture work begins with ingredients already present in the organisation, and how a strong employee experience can become a meaningful advantage when sought-after candidates have several credible opportunities to consider.
The conversation examines two of Clay’s operating principles: “negative maintenance” and “non-attached action.” Alex describes negative maintenance as the quiet, continuous work of leaving things better than you found them. Non-attached action combines movement, momentum and iteration with a willingness to let go of any individual answer or method. Together, these ideas show how precise and distinctive language can make behavioural expectations clearer than familiar but broadly interpreted values terminology.
Alex also discusses the importance of turning culture into something employees experience rather than simply read about. She shares Clay’s “Starting Fresh at Clay” onboarding exercise, in which new hires examine assumptions and negative experiences carried from previous workplaces before physically shredding what they have written. The exercise began as a quickly launched worksheet and developed through contributions from employees and other teams - an example of why a useful People practice does not always need to be fully polished before it is tested.
From there, the discussion tackles one of the most important questions facing executive teams: who actually owns culture? Alex distinguishes between the top-down responsibility to define and support the organisation’s direction and the bottom-up role employees play in revealing how culture is experienced. The People function enables that environment, but it cannot act as its sole architect. Alex describes the People leader as a “cultural archeologist,” observing how the organisation behaves in real time and articulating those patterns honestly and specifically.
The episode also challenges the idea that scaling culture means preserving an early version of the company indefinitely. Alex argues for addressing the organisation’s current chapter: observing what is genuinely breaking, waiting until a problem is specific enough to solve and allowing each stage of growth to develop practices suited to its circumstances. This requires judgement about when to intervene, as well as the confidence not to build solutions for hypothetical future problems that have not yet materialised.
Finally, Alex considers how AI-native companies operate at the pace of rapidly changing technology and customer behaviour. She argues that established organisations cannot reproduce this tempo simply by introducing AI tools; they must also examine the assumptions, workflows and behaviours that need to be rewired. In these environments, hiring becomes less about matching a fixed checklist and more about curiosity, adaptability, learning agility and what each candidate can teach the organisation.
Listeners will come away with practical questions to apply in their own companies: Are your stated values reflected in recent leadership decisions? Does your cultural language describe observable behaviour? Which parts of your employee experience genuinely distinguish you in the talent market? Could an onboarding slide become a tangible experience? Are you solving a current organisational problem or anticipating one that is not yet defined? And, before entering a leadership meeting, do you know what you will contribute beyond absorbing context?
This is a practical, thoughtful conversation for People leaders, founders and executives who want to treat culture as a living business system - one that is authentic to the company, precise enough to guide behaviour and adaptable enough to evolve as the organisation grows.
For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.
About The People Leader Accelerator PodcastOur goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.
Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.
We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.
Welcome to the journey!
Listen, learn, and connect:
🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).
💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.
📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.
🤝 Connect with your hosts:
Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com
Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com
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Welcome to another episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, where we explore what it really takes to build high-performing organisations.
Our guest today is Ben Perreau, Founder and CEO of Parafoil. Ben brings a unique perspective shaped by his diverse background spanning journalism with major media brands, digital transformation, consulting, and organisational change. After two decades of uncovering how teams operate and adapt, Ben now leads Parafoil, an AI-powered platform focused on leadership intelligence and cultural insight for modern enterprises. His deep understanding of both behavioural science and technology makes his perspective particularly relevant to experienced people leaders navigating transformation.
In this conversation, we discuss the evolving role of leadership development and the emerging opportunities that new technology, especially AI, presents for HR and executive teams. The core theme centres on how people leaders can build real-time, data-backed understanding of organisational culture and leadership effectiveness - while maintaining trust and privacy.
Listeners will gain practical insights into measuring and developing leadership behaviours, building a data-informed people strategy, and identifying microcultures within organisations. Ben shares lessons on balancing technology with the irreplaceable value of human judgement, as well as tangible examples that help people leaders upgrade their approach to organisational diagnostics and behaviour change.
Discussion highlights:
The limitations of traditional surveys and performance cycles in capturing real-time organisational sentimentApplying cognitive science and psycholinguistics to better understand leadership behaviours through language usePrivacy, data quality, and the ethical considerations in deploying AI-powered tools for people analyticsUsing aggregate conversational data to inform leadership development and cultural transformation strategiesThe importance of identifying and learning from high-performing team rituals and microculturesDifferentiating between individual and enterprise-level insights, and why preserving privacy results in more truthful dataPractical ways technology can supplement (not replace) human judgement in diagnosing organisational needsMetrics and real-world examples on how to assess and demonstrate ROI for leadership and culture programmesThis conversation provides a clear-eyed look at how technology is transforming leadership development. Ben's experience underscores that while AI offers new ways to observe culture and behaviours at speed and scale, the value of human connection, context, and judgement is only increasing.
For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.
About The People Leader Accelerator PodcastOur goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.
Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.
We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.
Welcome to the journey!
Listen, learn, and connect:
🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).
💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.
📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.
🤝 Connect with your hosts:
Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com
Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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Welcome to the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, where we go behind the curtain on building high-performing organisations with honest conversations between experienced leaders.
In this episode, we take a break from the traditional guest interviews and invite you into an informal conversation between hosts, Jess Yuen and Andrew Bartlow. Instead of sharing the spotlight with a guest, they dive into their own lived experiences and perspectives as people leaders, exploring what leadership, culture, and authenticity look like in practice.
This discussion centres on the realities and nuances of AI adoption in organisations, exploring not only the opportunities but also the pitfalls and unintended consequences. Andrew Bartlow and Jess Yuen examine how leaders can balance innovation with intentionality, ensuring that new tools drive business value rather than distraction or wasted investment.
Discussion highlights:
The risk of adopting AI for its own sake, versus focusing on clear use cases and business valueWhy tracking token usage alone is a flawed metric for measuring AI impactLessons from other workplace tools like PowerPoint and Excel - the challenge of quantifying true utilityThe concept of “financial gravity” and how incentives and costs shape behaviour and cultureReal-world examples of setting practical guardrails and prompts to manage AI usageEmerging tools that monitor not only AI output but the work process itself for compliance and skill-buildingReflections on AI’s potential as both a productivity booster and a source of distractionThe importance of the Four Cs - clarity, communication, consistency, consequences - in guiding teams and AI systemsOrganisational risks like “AI apocalypse” from uncontrolled proliferation and the need for shared context and documentationBuilding operational resilience by planning for handoffs, tool ownership, and system dependenciesCollectively, this conversation sheds light on the real challenges leaders face as they integrate new technologies into their organisations.
For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.
About The People Leader Accelerator PodcastOur goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.
Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.
We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.
Welcome to the journey!
Listen, learn, and connect:
🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).
💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.
📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.
🤝 Connect with your hosts:
Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com
Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com
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Welcome to another episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, where we explore what it really takes to build high-performing organisations.
Our guest today is Anna Binder, a seasoned HR executive, board member, and investor. With a career that spans leadership roles at startups and global technology companies such as Asana and MuleSoft, Anna offers a nuanced perspective on scaling teams, navigating organisational change, and shaping the board-level agenda. Her experience as both operator and board member allows her to see leadership and organisational effectiveness through multiple lenses, making her guidance particularly relevant for senior HR leaders and executives.
In this episode, we unpack the realities of building a sustainable career in HR leadership while driving business outcomes in dynamic environments. Anna shares her journey leading the People function through significant growth stages, including IPOs and global expansion, and the lessons learned about aligning people strategy with business objectives. The conversation also explores the evolving role of the Chief People Officer, the relationship with boards, and the leadership implications of AI and technology shifts in the workplace.
Listeners will come away with straightforward, actionable insights on how to increase their impact as people leaders. Anna delivers hard-earned advice on navigating board dynamics, managing burnout, building outstanding teams, and prioritising ruthlessly through periods of rapid change. Her reflections also provide valuable guidance for those looking to accelerate their HR careers and build deeper credibility with executive teams.
Discussion highlights:
Key differences in perspective between board members and executive operators, and how people leaders can adapt communication accordinglyThe importance of understanding the individual priorities of board members to build productive relationships and influence decision-makingHow to focus on outcomes rather than outputs when preparing board materials or engaging senior stakeholdersApproaches for broadening the Chief People Officer remit - including forming People and Culture Committees - even in smaller or early-stage companiesStrategies to avoid burnout, including aligning work to clear priorities and building exceptional teamsLessons on ruthless prioritisation during periods of team gaps and high organisational demandThe shift in the People function’s role in the context of AI and technology transformation - and why leading, not just partnering, is criticalAdvice on developing as a business-minded HR leader, including the value of looking beyond conventional HR sources for insight and growthTaken together, this conversation offers a candid and practical exploration of what it means to lead at the intersection of people and business success. Anna’s reflections shine a light on the habits and mindsets that help HR executives thrive across growth stages, work effectively with boards, and drive meaningful impact in their organisations.
For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.
About The People Leader Accelerator PodcastOur goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.
Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.
We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.
Welcome to the journey!
Listen, learn, and connect:
🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).
💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.
📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.
🤝 Connect with your hosts:
Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com
Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com
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Welcome to another episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, where we explore what it really takes to build high-performing organisations.
Our guest today is L. David Kingsley, Chief People Officer at Illumio. With a background spanning management consulting, HR leadership in public and scale-up technology companies, and service as a Navy Reserve intelligence officer, David brings a disciplined, mission-driven perspective to people leadership. His experience working with founder-led startups, large enterprises, and fast-growing teams gives him a valuable lens on the intersection of organisational strategy and human dynamics.
In this conversation, we focus on what it means to be of service as a people leader and how to navigate complex change in today’s business environment. David shares lessons from large-scale organisational transformation, the evolution of the HR function, and how leaders can position themselves as critical enablers and trusted advisors to their business. The discussion addresses both the timeless challenges and new realities facing people leaders, especially around technology shifts and alignment with business priorities.
Listeners will take away practical strategies for career growth, frameworks for stakeholder management, and clear guidance on building credibility with business leaders. David unpacks the importance of curiosity, business fluency, and continual learning, and offers concrete examples of how HR teams can deliver value in organisations navigating significant change. This episode is particularly relevant for people leaders looking to accelerate their impact and develop the mindsets required to succeed in senior HR and executive roles.
Discussion highlights:
David’s career journey from management consulting to Chief People Officer and the lessons learned along the wayHow to balance service to the company, team, and self - adapted from naval leadership principlesThe evolving role of HR from necessary support to trusted advisor in the businessPractical ways people leaders can build credibility by learning the language of the business and aligning with commercial outcomesApproaches to adopting and experimenting with AI as an HR team, and considerations on when to build, buy, or adopt new technologiesNavigating vendor negotiations amidst rapid technological change and understanding the true costs of AI adoptionThe critical role of curiosity for career advancement and problem-solving in people leadershipWhy clarifying personal purpose and values is essential for long-term growth as an HR leaderManaging unarticulated expectations and building effective relationships with CEOs and other business leadersThis conversation provides a grounded, experience-based look at the challenges and opportunities for people leaders in dynamic organisations.
For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.
About The People Leader Accelerator PodcastOur goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.
Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.
We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.
Welcome to the journey!
Listen, learn, and connect:
🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).
💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.
📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.
🤝 Connect with your hosts:
Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com
Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com
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Welcome to another episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, where we explore the realities of leadership and organizational effectiveness.
Our guest today is Cole Napper, the first Chief People Intelligence Officer at HRBench and a recognized leader in people analytics, workforce intelligence, and evidence-based HR strategy. He is the creator of the *People Intelligence Manifesto*, founder of Directionally Correct, LLC, and host of one of the world's leading people analytics podcasts and newsletters. Cole also leads the Data Driven HR Academy, a practitioner-led program that equips HR leaders and people analytics professionals with the skills to operate at the intersection of data, AI, strategy, and decision-making.
Throughout his career, Cole has helped organizations transform how they use people intelligence to make better business decisions. His experience spans major global companies including FedEx, Texas Instruments, Toyota, PepsiCo, and Grainger, as well as venture-backed startups such as Motive, Booster, and Orgnostic. He previously served as Vice President of Research and Workforce Intelligence at Lightcast and has become a sought-after advisor, speaker, and consultant on the future of people analytics. Holding both a Ph.D. and M.A. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Cole combines academic rigor with extensive real-world experience.
In this conversation, we focus on the evolving landscape of people analytics and the growing expectations for HR functions to contribute directly to business outcomes. The discussion goes beyond dashboards and reporting, examining how people leaders can integrate analytics, workforce intelligence, and behavioral science to drive meaningful organizational change.
Listeners will come away with practical ideas for making HR data more relevant to executive decision-making and board-level discussions. Cole shares insights on shifting from traditional metrics to actionable intelligence, building business acumen as an HR leader, and aligning people insights with the core priorities of the business. This episode is particularly valuable for those seeking to increase their impact as strategic partners within their organizations.
Discussion highlights:
Why people analytics is now an organizational necessity rather than a luxury or specialityThe convergence of analytics, workforce planning, talent intelligence, and behavioural science functionsCommon pitfalls in HR reporting and how to tie people metrics directly to financial and business outcomesThe importance of developing business acumen within HR and understanding how the business makes moneyRethinking traditional HR metrics and focusing on measures that drive executive actionBalancing employee, contractor, and technology spend for true workforce productivityThe role of accounting nuances (such as capex vs opex) in workforce-related decision makingPractical approaches for people analytics across different organizational archetypes, from early-stage startups to major enterprisesHow people leaders can move from reporting on outcomes to providing actionable recommendationsKey advice for HR leaders looking to accelerate their careers and build influenceCole's perspective offers a candid look at how people leaders can move beyond traditional HR practices to become essential contributors to business performance.
For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.
About The People Leader Accelerator PodcastOur goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.
Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.
We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.
Welcome to the journey!
Listen, learn, and connect:
🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).
💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.
📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.
🤝 Connect with your hosts:
Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com
Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com
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Welcome to another episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, where we examine the realities of building effective organizations and leading through complexity.
In this episode, we take a break from the traditional guest interviews and invite you into an informal conversation between hosts, Jess Yuen and Andrew Bartlow. Instead of sharing the spotlight with a guest, they dive into their own lived experiences and perspectives as people leaders, exploring what leadership, culture, and authenticity look like in practice.
The central theme of this discussion is prioritization - how leaders distinguish between what is urgent and what is truly important, and how to maintain focus on the highest-impact work amid continual demands. They explore how people leaders, executives, and founders can clarify organizational priorities, structure their time, and avoid getting lost in day-to-day tasks at the expense of longer-term, strategic goals.
Discussion highlights:
Why traditional to-do lists are inadequate for the demands of executive leadership rolesThe critical importance of calendar blocking and turning priorities into dedicated timeFrameworks for prioritization, including leveraging the Eisenhower Matrix and the “Leverage, Neutral, Overhead” modelThe distinction between urgency and importance, and why leaders often conflate the twoPractical approaches for managing “sand” tasks versus “big rocks” in daily schedulesHow to ground people team strategies in direct conversations with business leaders, not just HR best practicesTechniques for expectation management and building alignment across the leadership teamChallenges unique to HR leaders, including balancing stakeholder requests with high-impact organizational needsThis conversation offers a grounded view of the leadership challenges that come with growth and complexity. The insights shared will help people leaders avoid getting sidetracked by low-impact activity, encourage better alignment between HR and business strategy, and support effective prioritization in demanding environments.
For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.
About The People Leader Accelerator PodcastOur goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.
Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.
We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.
Welcome to the journey!
Listen, learn, and connect:
🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).
💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.
📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.
🤝 Connect with your hosts:
Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com
Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com
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Welcome to the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, where we examine what it genuinely takes to lead, scale, and evolve effective organisations.
Our guest for this episode is AJ Thomas, an accomplished executive with a remarkable track record across talent, HR operations, business strategy, and the early-stage venture ecosystem. Having served in pivotal roles at Alphabet’s Moonshot Factory (Google X) and as a founder and general partner at an early-stage venture firm, AJ Thomas brings a rich, multidisciplinary perspective to the evolving world of people leadership. AJ Thomas’s hands-on experience spans leading global talent initiatives, designing organisational culture, and advising both startups and established enterprises as they navigate innovation and change.
This conversation focuses on the vital role of experimentation, curiosity, and first principles thinking in shaping effective HR leadership. Against a backdrop of technological transformation, including the rising influence of generative AI, we dig into how people leaders can remain grounded in the human aspects of their roles while effectively driving innovation and business outcomes.
Discussion highlights:
Navigating a non-linear career path and the value of being a “super learner”The power of experimentation in HR and why learning from failed experiments is criticalHow to design experiments with clear objectives, “kill criteria,” and real business impact in mindThe importance of challenging the status quo by first getting deeply curious about itIntegrating people strategy with AI and technology-driven change, without losing sight of human outcomesLessons from applying rapid testing and iteration in high-stakes environments like Google XWhy starting with the business goal - and not just the solution - drives more meaningful changePractical frameworks for aligning HR initiatives to measurable organisational outcomesThe courage it takes to unsell ideas and prioritise what will truly support business and people growthThis episode offers candid insight into the leadership qualities and practical tools needed to guide organisations through uncertainty and change.
For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.
About The People Leader Accelerator PodcastOur goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.
Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.
We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.
Welcome to the journey!
Listen, learn, and connect:
🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).
💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.
📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.
🤝 Connect with your hosts:
Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com
Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com
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Welcome to another episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, where we explore what it really takes to build high-performing organisations.
Our guest today is Dylan Vassallo, an engineering leader at OpenAI, where he leads the People Innovation Labs team. Dylan brings a unique blend of technical expertise and a deep passion for people operations, having previously held impactful roles at Khan Academy and Stripe. His background in both engineering management and HR innovation gives him a distinctive perspective on how cutting-edge technology can empower and transform people teams.
In this conversation, we discuss the strategic and practical considerations behind building internal tools for people teams at scale. Dylan shares how OpenAI balances the decision to build versus buy people systems, the importance of simplifying employee workflows, and how AI is enabling new levels of efficiency and impact for people operations. The episode delves into the nuances of aligning technology, culture, and operational realities as organisations expand rapidly.
Listeners will come away with actionable insights on optimising people processes, fostering a culture of experimentation, and navigating the trade-offs of introducing new technologies within HR. Dylan also shares tips on how HR leaders can adopt a builder’s mindset, pilot solutions, and partner effectively with engineering teams, even in resource-constrained environments.
Discussion highlights:
Why OpenAI created a dedicated People Innovation Labs team to address organisational challenges during periods of hypergrowthBalancing “build vs. buy” decisions and creating user-friendly layers on top of complex HR systemsThe importance of simplifying employee experiences by curating paved paths through HR workflowsHow to assess when an organisation is ready for custom internal tools based on operational complexity and compliance demandsThe role of cross-functional collaboration with security, legal, and other stakeholders when implementing people technologyCommon pitfalls in rolling out HR tech, including the need for strong operational support and sustainable adoptionEncouraging a culture of curiosity, experimentation, and iterative improvement within HR teamsPractical strategies for fostering a mindset of continuous learning and career growth in people leadershipThis conversation is a grounded exploration of how technology and people strategy intersect as organisations grow.
For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.
About The People Leader Accelerator PodcastOur goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.
Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.
We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.
Welcome to the journey!
Listen, learn, and connect:
🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).
💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.
📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.
🤝 Connect with your hosts:
Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com
Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com
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Welcome to another episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast.
In this episode, we take a break from the traditional guest interviews and invite you into an informal conversation between hosts, Jess Yuen and Andrew Bartlow. Instead of sharing the spotlight with a guest, they dive into their own lived experiences and perspectives as people leaders, exploring what leadership, culture, and authenticity look like in practice.
This episode centres on the real impact of artificial intelligence on productivity, headcount, and organizational structure. Andrew and Jess discuss how recent technology-driven layoffs in major companies, the drive for efficiency in tech and high-growth environments, and the practicalities of leveraging AI tools are reshaping management practices and leadership demands. They examine whether the wave of workforce reductions is truly about AI-driven efficiency or if other factors, such as investor pressure and post-pandemic organizational changes, also play a critical role.
Discussion highlights:
The current wave of tech layoffs and whether AI is the real cause or a convenient narrativeHow leaders can approach organizational “flattening” and wider spans of control with cautionThe unique challenges and risks of managing large numbers of direct reportsInvestor and board pressures shaping productivity and technology adoption in HRThe pitfalls of pursuing AI for its own sake rather than solving specific business problemsKey factors to consider before replacing complex systems with AI or no/low-code solutionsThe importance of evaluating the complexity and sensitivity of business processes before deciding whether to build or buy solutionsPractical strategies for team leaders to identify use cases, measure ROI, and avoid common technology trapsTaken together, this conversation delivers a thoughtful look at what it takes to lead organizations through waves of change, especially as AI and new technology reshape job roles and leadership responsibilities.
For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.
About The People Leader Accelerator PodcastOur goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.
Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.
We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.
Welcome to the journey!
Listen, learn, and connect:
🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).
💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.
📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.
🤝 Connect with your hosts:
Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com
Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com
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Welcome to another episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, where we dive into what it truly means to lead teams and build effective organisations.
Our guest today is Guissu Baier, Chief People Officer at GoFundMe. With a diverse background as both an employment attorney and people executive, Guissu brings unique perspective from her time at Visa, Instacart, venture capital firm General Catalyst, and as a co-founder of The People Collective. Her experience spanning high-growth startups, large enterprises, and investor advisory roles gives her uncommon insight into the challenges and opportunities people leaders face as organisations evolve.
In this conversation, we examine the real-world complexities of leadership development, the evolving role of people leaders, and the nuances of career growth in HR. The episode explores the contrast between operating roles and advisory positions, offers a candid look at working with stakeholders like legal and investors, and highlights the decisions that matter most as organisations scale or adapt.
Discussion highlights:
Guissu’s unconventional career progression from employment law to Chief People OfficerBuilding partnerships between HR and legal teams, including practical tips for reducing frictionDetermining when organisations need in-house employment counsel and the variables that affect hiring decisionsLessons learned from moving between in-house HR leadership, consulting, and venture capital advisory workCommon missteps founders make when hiring their first people leaders and how to clarify people team rolesWhy pattern recognition helps but doesn’t replace context-specific judgement in talent decisionsNavigating personal career transitions - what to look for in your next operating or advisory roleTaken together, this conversation offers grounded insight into the multifaceted nature of HR leadership. Guissu shares practical lessons on building impactful partnerships, making the right career decisions, and focusing on the outcomes that matter most for your organisation and your own growth. People leaders who want to deepen their influence, whether inside fast-scaling companies or in investor advisory roles, will find plenty to reflect on and apply.
For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.
About The People Leader Accelerator PodcastOur goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.
Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.
We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.
Welcome to the journey!
Listen, learn, and connect:
🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).
💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.
📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.
🤝 Connect with your hosts:
Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com
Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com
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Welcome to another episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, where we explore what it really takes to accelerate careers and build high-performing organizations.
Our guest today is Teresa Lilly, an experienced HR leader and fractional CPO who has navigated the people leadership landscape across the US and Australia. With over a decade spent scaling tech startups from early to growth stages, advising founders, and now helping multiple organizations as a consultant and interim executive, Teresa Lilly offers a candid perspective on the practical realities of change leadership, executive relationships, and adapting people strategy to diverse business contexts.
In this episode, we focus on the leadership challenges of managing organizational change, aligning HR and business strategy, and building the relationship between people leaders and CEOs. Teresa Lilly shares lessons from change-heavy environments, the impact of local employment regulations, and what she wishes more HR professionals understood about their own influence.
Listeners will gain a wealth of practical insights on navigating organizational transitions, building credibility with executive teams, and stepping into consulting or fractional leadership roles. Teresa Lilly provides grounded advice on influencing company direction, managing personal values amid business pressures, and making the leap from in-house operator to advisory roles.
Discussion highlights:
How a non-traditional background and international move shaped Teresa Lilly’s approach to people leadershipThe emotional and relational costs of sustained organizational change - and how leaders can address themPractical strategies for planning and communicating major changes, such as CEO transitionsThe critical role of managers in helping teams process and adapt during changeWhy the HR-CEO relationship is pivotal, and techniques to “stress test” alignment early in a new roleRecognizing when values and beliefs between HR and leadership are too misaligned to reconcileThe realities of moving from in-house roles to fractional or consulting work, including building trust and managing context-switchingHow to structure fractional CPO work across multiple clients without losing effectivenessThe trade-offs between flexibility, influence, and workload as a consultant versus an in-house HR leaderKey differences between US and Australian startup ecosystems, particularly regulatory impacts on people practicesAdvice on how to build career growth, credibility, and influence - regardless of organizational contextThe importance of understanding your business and speaking its language as a people leaderThis conversation offers a nuanced, experience-based look into the trade-offs and decisions people leaders face when managing organizational transitions and shaping people strategy. Teresa Lilly’s insights into executive relationships, practical change management, and the realities of consulting are relevant for HR leaders, founders, and executives alike. Whether you are scaling a startup, considering a shift to advisory work, or navigating the unique challenges of your region’s ecosystem, the lessons here provide actionable guidance and candid reflection for your leadership journey.
For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.
About The People Leader Accelerator PodcastOur goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.
Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.
We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.
Welcome to the journey!
Listen, learn, and connect:
🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).
💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.
📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.
🤝 Connect with your hosts:
Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com
Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com
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Welcome to another episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, where we explore what it really takes to build high-performing organisations.
Our guest today is Puren Ucar, one of Europe’s original venture capital talent partners, and now an independent advisor working closely with founders and VC firms across the UK and Europe. With a background in executive search and years spent building out talent functions for leading venture firms, Puren brings a unique, insider’s view of both the operational and strategic sides of scaling leadership teams inside high-growth companies.
In this episode, we explore the evolution of the talent function within VC-backed organisations, the shift from talent acquisition to advisory, and the practical realities of supporting founders as they scale teams and navigate critical leadership hires. We also examine how emerging tools like AI are influencing executive search and networking, and delve into the personal side of working closely with ambitious founders.
Listeners will gain practical, candid insight into what it takes to build and support executive teams—from diagnosing organisational needs, to coaching founders through decision-making, to leveraging frameworks that balance business needs with human dynamics. Leaders will also hear about effective approaches to founder advisory, common misconceptions in hiring, and lessons for building trust with both founders and boards.
Discussion highlights:
Shifting from embedded executive talent acquisition to strategic talent advisory for portfolio companiesBuilding frameworks and playbooks that help diagnose organisational challenges and guide leadership hiringThe importance of starting every search by clarifying the true capability needs of the businessTactics for engaging founders deeply in the search and selection process—including bespoke scorecards and benchmarking conversationsAddressing the emotional and psychological elements underlying leadership hiring decisionsHow leadership traits valued in the UK or Western Europe may differ from those prioritised in Eastern European contextsThe impact of AI tools on sourcing and networking—what changes and what remains uniquely humanTrends in using psychometric assessments within VC-backed organisations and their alternatives“IC” work at the executive level—why hands-on curiosity and continued learning are increasingly valued alongside traditional management skillsHow AI fluency is influencing the composition and nurturing of today’s executive networksWhy founder alignment, safe spaces, and clear role boundaries are essential for successful C-level searchesPractical advice for people leaders: prioritising hands-on learning, leveraging peer insights, and building a network that adapts to changing organisational needsThis conversation sheds light on the realities of building and advising executive teams in high-growth environments, where business strategy and people dynamics intersect. For senior people leaders and founders, the insights shared here offer both tactical takeaways and a reminder that effective leadership is as much about human connection as it is about frameworks and process.
For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.
About The People Leader Accelerator PodcastOur goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.
Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.
We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.
Welcome to the journey!
Listen, learn, and connect:
🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).
💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.
📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.
🤝 Connect with your hosts:
Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com
Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com
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Welcome to another episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, where we explore what it really takes to build high-performing organisations.
Our guests today are Maryanne Caughey, Head of People at Lovable, and Charles Guillemet, Head of Recruiting at Lovable. Between them, they bring decades of experience leading people and talent functions at world-class technology organisations, including Google, Dropbox, Notion, Meta, Neuralink, and Gusto. Their perspective is highly relevant for leaders building teams at the intersection of culture, talent strategy, and breakthrough technology.
This episode centers on the realities and challenges of building organisational culture, systems, and talent processes in an environment defined by hypergrowth and rapid technological change. Jess Yuen, Andrew Bartlow, Maryanne Caughey, and Charles Guillemet discuss how Lovable, a leading AI-native company, scales its team and leadership practices while navigating intense competition and a fast-moving market.
Listeners will walk away with grounded insights into what it means to operationalize people strategy for speed without sacrificing trust, quality, or culture. The conversation unpacks practical approaches to hiring, compensation, decision-making, and performance management, as well as the core leadership habits required to succeed in dynamic, founder-led environments.
Discussion highlights:
The impact of founder involvement and talent obsession on early hiring and culture formationWhy Lovable prioritizes “systems over heroics” to enable both speed and quality in people processesPractical approaches to removing compensation as a barrier and building trust through transparent pay structuresThe value of direct culture diagnosis and the importance of understanding founder DNA when shaping talent strategyHow high-growth companies balance the need to unlearn past habits and adapt to new organisational contextsExamples of rapid decision-making, such as evolving location strategy and the willingness to reverse previously “irreversible” choicesEarly implementation of scalable HR and recruiting systems, often years ahead of company ageThe reality of work intensity and the deliberate setting of expectations with candidates and employeesApproaches to performance management that decouple compensation from reviews to favor shipping and growthHow AI is integrated into talent and operations, and what “AI fluency” looks like for hiring and career growthRethinking headcount planning and prioritisation in a context of uncertainty and rapid changeThe interplay between high trust, direct feedback, and the ability to course-correct quickly as an organisationThis conversation offers practical, experience-driven guidance for senior HR and business leaders looking to build high-performance organisations in uncertain and fast-moving markets. Maryanne Caughey and Charles Guillemet share not just frameworks, but also lived experience scaling teams where stakes are high, expectations are explicit, and learning cycles are short. For leaders navigating similar environments, there is much here to reflect on, whether you are building your first systems, rethinking people strategy for the AI era, or working to harmonise trust, culture, and operational excellence.
For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.
About The People Leader Accelerator PodcastOur goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.
Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.
We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.
Welcome to the journey!
Listen, learn, and connect:
🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).
💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.
📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.
🤝 Connect with your hosts:
Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com
Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com
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Welcome to another episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, where we explore what it really takes to build high-performing organisations.
Our guest today is Kevin Rice, an executive coach who previously led product and engineering teams through rapid growth at companies like Airbnb.
Drawing on a background that bridges hands-on technical management and leadership coaching, Kevin now partners with heads of product, heads of engineering, and CEOs, helping leaders evolve as their organisations scale. With experience developing people processes in high-growth environments and supporting leaders through changing responsibilities, Kevin brings a unique perspective to supporting both leadership and people teams.
This episode centres on the evolving challenges faced by technical leaders, particularly as their teams expand and the demands of scale intensify. We discuss the tension between technical expertise and people management, how leaders can determine where their time and focus are most valuable, and the critical partnership between HR and technical functions as companies evolve.
Discussion highlights:
Why technical leaders often face distinct scaling challenges as their teams become the largest in the companyThe trap of comparing leadership roles to external models rather than identifying what the company uniquely needsPractical frameworks for leaders to prioritise responsibilities based on position, skills, context, and passionHow high growth in technical functions drives early development of people processes such as levelling and performance rubricsThe value of 360 feedback for surfacing hidden or unspoken development needsNavigating the “brilliant but difficult” leader dynamic and the importance of coaching readinessCritical distinctions between coaching for growth and coaching as part of performance managementSetting clear performance expectations as a prerequisite for successful coaching engagementsThe importance of engaging coaching proactively during major leadership transitions or team scaleStructuring effective collaboration and information flows between HR, direct managers, and external coachesMeasuring the ROI of executive coaching and the leverage of investing in leadership capabilityFive hidden obstacles to scaling teams, including role drift, decision bottlenecks, shared mental models, process avoidance, and tenured employee resistanceTaken together, this discussion offers a practical roadmap for people leaders working alongside technical executives in dynamic, scaling environments. The episode surfaces both the hidden pitfalls and proven tools for accelerating leadership growth, structuring effective partnerships with HR, and ensuring that coaching has a measurable and lasting impact. For those supporting technical talent or navigating rapid organisational change, these insights offer valuable guidance for developing high-performing teams and resilient leadership.
For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.
About The People Leader Accelerator PodcastOur goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.
Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.
We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.
Welcome to the journey!
Listen, learn, and connect:
🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).
💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.
📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.
🤝 Connect with your hosts:
Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com
Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com
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In this episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, we welcome Brad Harris, Professor of Management and Human Resources and Associate Dean at HEC Paris.
Brad brings an exceptional blend of academic rigour and deep practical experience, having taught, researched, and consulted across several continents. As a co-author of Scaling for Success and one of the core faculty members in the People Leader Accelerator program, his perspective is especially relevant for executives shaping organisational effectiveness and people strategy.
Brad’s background bridges academic research with on-the-ground leadership, advisory, and program delivery for high-growth companies. His understanding of team dynamics, leadership development, and organisational behaviour equips him to pinpoint the real challenges people leaders encounter, including those intrinsic to scaling teams, driving alignment, and navigating executive decisions.
This episode centres on the realities of building and leading high-performing teams. The discussion dives into what leaders consistently get wrong about teamwork, the critical design elements of effective teams, and the essential (but often misunderstood) balance between clarity, empowerment, and control. Brad and the hosts, Jess Yuen and Andrew Bartlow, unpack the “messy middle” where most organisations and leaders operate and share tangible approaches for aligning people and business priorities.
Listeners will gain actionable insights into diagnosing team effectiveness, optimising goal setting for clarity and alignment, and approaching empowerment in complex environments. Brad’s advice is grounded in research but always tailored to the practical realities of leadership, offering new ways for people leaders to support executives, make better trade-offs, and accelerate their own impact.
Discussion highlights:
Why HEC Paris is a leading business school and how global experience shapes HR and leadership practiceThe origins of Scaling for Success and the development of People Leader AcceleratorRealities of partnership and collaboration between business and academiaBridging the academic-practice gap: why thoughtful, evidence-based leadership is essential and practicalCommon myths about teamwork and the overlooked importance of team design versus “feel-good” factorsUnderstanding and balancing the “collaboration tax” with collaboration gains in teamsLeadership archetypes: the “prophet” versus the “mule driver” and the dangers of extremesHow complexity and context should determine leadership style and team decision-makingPractical frameworks for increasing team clarity, alignment, and effectivenessWhy effective goal setting requires meaningful trade-offs, not just standard outcomes like “increase revenue”The two-sided problem of empowerment and the challenges leaders face when letting goStrategies for HR leaders to align with CEOs and drive purposeful conversations about priorities and personal growthThis conversation offers people leaders a grounded look at what it actually takes to foster effective teams and drive organisational performance. Brad’s practical frameworks and coaching stories clarify how leaders can apply academic insights without overcomplicating their approach - and why clear alignment and the right strategic bets matter most.
For HR executives, founders, and those supporting high-growth businesses, these lessons offer actionable prompts to elevate leadership, influence strategy, and empower teams.
For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.
About The People Leader Accelerator PodcastOur goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.
Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.
We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.
Welcome to the journey!
Listen, learn, and connect:
🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).
💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.
📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.
🤝 Connect with your hosts:
Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com
Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com
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Welcome to the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, the show where we dive into the realities of building effective organisations and accelerating the careers of people leaders.
Our guest today is Stephen Huerta, co-founder of The Modern People Leader Podcast, founder of Huertonomics, and an experienced HR entrepreneur. With a career spanning HR consulting, corporate roles at Goldman Sachs, and multiple ventures in HR tech and media, Stephen brings a seasoned perspective about both the operational and strategic sides of people leadership. His work as a podcaster and advisor has connected him with hundreds of leaders across startups, scaling companies, and enterprise organisations, making him uniquely positioned to comment on the evolving landscape of HR, leadership, and organisational culture.
In this conversation, we explore how HR leaders can expand their impact, adapt to shifting trends in people strategy, and navigate the challenges of building meaningful community - both within organisations and across the wider HR ecosystem. We discuss the practicalities of career development, entrepreneurship in HR, and why community-driven approaches are reshaping how leaders learn, build networks, and make decisions.
Listeners will gain actionable insights on advancing their own leadership careers, building engaging workplace cultures, and responding strategically to new challenges such as AI adoption and shifting stakeholder expectations. Stephen’s candid reflections offer guidance for people leaders looking to grow their network, refine their skills, and exert greater influence inside their organisations.
Discussion highlights:
The accidental career path into HR - and why curiosity drives lasting impactLessons learnt from corporate HR and entrepreneurial ventures in services, SaaS, and mediaThe origin story of The Modern People Leader podcast and its evolution from a side project to a thriving communityWhy communication and PR skills are increasingly essential for HR executivesObservations on how remote-first and AI-forward companies are shaping new operating models for people functionsHow HR leaders can synthesise market trends and adapt to evolving organisational needsThe importance of intentional event design in fostering meaningful professional connectionsWhat makes Modern People Leader live events distinct from traditional HR conferencesStrategic advice for HR tech founders on go-to-market challenges, including the critical role of peer communitiesHow vendor outreach has shifted - with buying decisions now driven by trusted HR networks rather than cold callsMaking tech stack decisions: frameworks for assessing buy, build, borrow, and bot optionsPractical tips on upskilling, reskilling, and building a network for career accelerationThis episode offers a grounded look at the realities of navigating an HR career, expanding your influence, and adapting to new forms of organisational and community leadership. Stephen’s experience highlights both the power of network and the urgency of embracing new skills in today’s environment. For senior HR leaders and executives, the discussion provides a roadmap for cultivating professional connections, making strategic decisions, and investing in your own career growth.
For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.
About The People Leader Accelerator PodcastOur goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.
Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.
We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.
Welcome to the journey!
Listen, learn, and connect:
🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).
💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.
📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.
🤝 Connect with your hosts:
Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com
Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com
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Welcome to the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, where we dive deep into the realities of building and leading high-impact organisations.
Our guest today is Maggie Ruvoldt, an experienced CHRO and executive with over 30 years spanning HR, business operations, and advisory roles. Maggie’s career features significant time in education and healthcare, from building HR teams at early-stage startups to managing global people operations in billion-dollar companies. Her perspective is particularly relevant to people leaders seeking to bridge the gap between HR and business, evolve their own careers, and contribute meaningfully as both leaders and mentors.
In this episode, we explore the interplay between HR and business strategy, challenging traditional career path thinking and examining what it means to truly partner with the business. Maggie shares hard-earned lessons from her own “careen, not a career” trajectory, including how she navigated between business and functional roles, developed a personal board of directors, and cultivated the confidence to take on stretch assignments and difficult conversations.
Listeners will gain practical frameworks for career development, tools for networking intentionally, and actionable advice for influencing senior leaders and opening doors to new opportunities. Maggie offers grounded insights on seeing HR through the lens of business impact, building relationships across and beyond the function, and the critical importance of sponsors, mentors, and connectors for sustained career growth.
Discussion highlights:
• Seeing HR as a business function: why understanding the broader business context is essential for HR leaders• The “careen, not a career” approach: embracing non-linear paths and focusing on growth over rigid career planning• Taking stretch assignments and leveraging fear as a signal for learning and growth• How to open doors between HR and business roles—and why advocating for yourself matters• Structuring conversations with executives to align your skills with organisational needs• The strategic value of developing both sponsors and mentors, and how each supports career acceleration• Building a personal board of directors and finding your “pump-up” person for confidence and support• Practical tactics for intentional networking, including the “20-minute meeting” strategy• Systematising relationship management to become a super connector, even as an introvert• Giving and receiving difficult feedback: skill-building for tough conversations with senior leaders• Understanding and leveraging second-degree connections (“weak ties”) for opportunity and growth• The importance of diversity of thought and lived experience in mentorship relationships
Taken together, this episode offers an honest and practical look at career development, influence, and the human side of organisational leadership. Maggie’s journey illustrates that impact often comes from stretching outside your comfort zone, building intentional relationships inside and outside your function, and always keeping the broader organisational context in view. For HR executives and senior leaders shaping their own careers and teams, her advice is immediately applicable—and grounded in genuine experience.
For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.
About The People Leader Accelerator PodcastOur goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.
Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.
We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.
Welcome to the journey!
Listen, learn, and connect:
🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).
💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.
📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.
🤝 Connect with your hosts:
Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com
Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com
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Welcome to another episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, where we delve into the real-world challenges of building organisations that deliver sustained performance.
Our guest today is John K. Anderson, Managing Director at ZRG. With a career spanning more than two decades as a head of HR and now as a leading search partner for HR executives, John brings a unique perspective on both the operational and executive recruitment sides of people leadership. His work with CEOs, investors, and boards across industries has given him a front-row seat to how leadership expectations are evolving for today’s people leaders.
In this conversation, we focus on the evolving expectations for HR leaders, particularly those working with investor-backed and growing companies. John shares his experiences and observations on what distinguishes high-impact HR executives in private equity compared to venture-backed contexts, how value creation is defined, and why being adept at business strategy is essential for modern people leaders.
Listeners will gain actionable advice on preparing for executive search processes, positioning themselves for senior opportunities, and translating HR impact into business results. The episode also explores practical career development steps, the real value of certifications and advanced degrees, and how to build relationships with search partners and executives.
Discussion highlights:
Key differences in what private equity and venture investors expect from HR leadersWhy value creation and direct business impact now outweigh process or experience credentialsThe growing importance of data fluency and the ability to articulate HR’s impact in financial termsHow culture is increasingly treated as a business strategy linked to revenue and talent outcomesThe board’s rising expectations for CHROs to provide strategic insight on compensation, retention, and operational systemsPractical advice for candidates to prepare for executive search processes, including what to underplay and what to emphasiseWhy concise, business-focused communication is essential when interviewing for senior HR rolesThe importance of building a network and being open to exploratory conversations with executive search partnersCareer development strategies beyond external job changes—gaining depth, cross-functional experience, and board exposureInsights on the value of advanced degrees and certifications for aspiring CPOs and HR executivesThe power of peer learning communities and cross-industry networks for people leaders’ growthThis conversation is a pragmatic look at the shifting landscape for HR executives. John’s insights highlight the increasing integration of business and people strategy, the need for clear impact stories, and the critical difference that proactive learning and networking can make for leadership careers.
For people leaders thinking about their next step or seeking to maximise their contribution, John’s perspective offers useful direction and reassurance that the function’s influence is only set to grow.
For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.
About The People Leader Accelerator PodcastOur goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.
Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.
We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.
Welcome to the journey!
Listen, learn, and connect:
🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).
💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.
📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.
🤝 Connect with your hosts:
Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com
Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com
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Welcome to another episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast.
Our guest today is Brandon Sammut, Chief People and AI Transformation Officer at Zapier. Brandon’s professional journey spans education, recruiting, HR leadership, and technology. He joined us to talk about what it takes to lead people teams at the intersection of automation, AI, and human potential, and how Zapier has become a model for integrating AI across business functions.
In this episode, Brandon walks us through his unconventional career, from working with first-generation college students and Teach For America to building people teams in tech companies. We dig into how Zapier achieved industry-leading AI adoption, the frameworks and workflows powering transformation, and practical ways any HR leader can start leveraging automation and artificial intelligence right now.
We discuss:
Brandon’s path from education and nonprofit recruiting to leadership in tech and HR
The rationale behind Zapier’s unique Chief People and AI Transformation Officer title
How Zapier’s “code red” moment drove a company-wide shift to AI adoption
Practical steps taken to achieve 97% AI usage across the organization
Zapier’s AI Transformation Framework and how it shapes impact
The importance of clear policies and integrating AI into existing workflows
Use cases and open-source automation playbooks from Zapier’s people team
Keeping humans accountable and in the loop for critical talent decisions
Managing automation and workflow continuity when employees exit
Resources and tactical advice for HR leaders to accelerate their own AI learning
Why structured onboarding and assessment around AI fluency is now core at Zapier
Lessons for people leaders on how to model creative experimentation and building-first mindsets
Brandon offers actionable insights for HR and people leaders navigating AI adoption, designing new workflows, or seeking inspiration for driving meaningful business transformation. This episode provides concrete tools and reflections for anyone aiming to deepen their impact in talent and technology.
For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.
About The People Leader Accelerator PodcastOur goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.
Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.
We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.
Welcome to the journey!
Listen, learn, and connect:
🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).
💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.
📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.
🤝 Connect with your hosts:
Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com
Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com
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