How I Hire

Ben Steele is a seasoned marketing and brand development leader, having most recently served as REI’s inaugural chief customer officer. Prior to carving out this new role at the Co-op, Ben began at REI in 2014 as chief creative officer. Over more than ten years at one of the country’s largest and most preeminent outdoor retailers, Ben has led brand stewardship and strategy, shepherded large-scale...

To kick off a new series of special episodes here at How I Hire , we’re taking a close look at the chief digital officer role. Throughout this series, we’ll hear from different C-level executives about their unique functions, responsibilities, and skill sets in order to learn just what it takes to successfully hire – or be hired as – top tier talent.  Jamaliya Cobine is an accomplished chief...

Nadine Hall is a cross-functional business leader, having spent decades innovating in apparel and consumer products at companies like HanesBrands and Sara Lee. At both the president and SVP levels, Nadine oversaw billions of dollars of retail value, built and developed successful teams, and established high-growth business models across a variety of product lines and business units. Nadine’s leade...

International business leader Hans Melotte has over 30 years of experience that combines global P&L accountability with functional leadership expertise across supply chain, procurement, technology, and sustainability. Hans is originally from Belgium, where he began his career in CPG at Procter & Gamble. Hans then spent over 20 years at Johnson & Johnson in the United States where he ul...

Kate Sargent is a talent acquisition expert and job search strategy coach, assisting both companies and candidates alike in matching top talent with career defining roles. In Part 2 of their deep dive conversation, Kate and Roy dig into best practices for interview preparation, how to effectively assess whether a job opportunity is a good fit, the most common mistakes job seekers make when intervi...

Kate Sargent is a talent acquisition expert and job search strategy coach, assisting both companies and candidates alike in matching top talent with career defining roles. In Part 1 of their deep dive conversation, Kate and Roy discuss how candidates can successfully approach and prepare for a job search, and how fostering authentic relationships in the networking process can make or break a job s...

Bryan Adams is the founder and CEO of Ph. Creative , an employer branding agency helping companies attract top talent. Ph. Creative works with brands to distill and express clear, authentic employee value propositions in order to enhance the applicant experience and retain candidates. Their clients include LinkedIn, Apple, Nike, and many more. Bryan is also the best-selling author of Give and Get...

As we look ahead to 2024, we’re reflecting on some of our favorite moments shared on the podcast over the past year. Our guests brought an incredible mix of hiring insights and experience to the show. Highlights from this episode include: Noto Group’s team of executive recruiters : Why openness is necessary in finding the right candidate (1:13) Why it’s important to attract talent with different p...

John Vlastelica is the founder and CEO of Recruiting Toolbox , a consulting and training firm helping companies recruit and hire better; with more speed, efficacy, and diversity. John and Roy dig into current and future trends in recruiting, common mistakes that companies make in the hiring process, and how clarity and alignment can make all the difference in attracting and retaining top talent. J...

Organizational coach Greer Van Dyck joins Roy to explore how organizations can better support, motivate, and retain people throughout their parenthood journey. Maintaining a full time job and starting a family presents unique challenges – along with an opportunity for organizations to more effectively support their employees in the process. Through her coaching business, Windrose , Greer works wit...

Seth Ellison has led teams at iconic brands like Nike, Levi Strauss & Co., and Quiksilver. Today, he joins Roy to discuss how these roles have shaped his hiring philosophy and what we can learn from the talent strategy of top apparel companies. Seth has decades of experience in brand building and merchandising, having led and built global teams for legendary brands. Seth’s extensive resume inc...

International marketing specialist Katherine Melchior Ray joins Roy to discuss her impressive career and the wisdom that she’s gained as a global business leader. They dig into what makes an outstanding, modern CMO, the benefits and challenges of pursuing a global career, and how to connect across cultures as an expat leader. Katherine’s professional journey spans nearly three decades and includes...

Trove Founder and Executive Chairman Andy Ruben joins Roy to discuss his journey to entrepreneurship, how his business’s needs and culture have evolved over the years, and why he values thoughtful talent strategy. Andy has spent the better part of the past three decades working in brand strategy, retail, consumer products, and sustainability. In 2004, he became Walmart's inaugural Chief Sustainabi...

Darcy Winslow is an inspiring leader whose decades of experience at Nike and sustainability-focused nonprofits have cemented her legacy as a forward-thinking, values-driven executive. In her time at Nike, Darcy focused on how the company could employ sustainable practices in footwear and apparel manufacturing. As a part of this process, she created Nike’s groundbreaking Sustainable Business Strate...

Award-winning global creative executive Jean Batthany sits down with Roy to dig into the nuances of creative leadership, when organizations should hire a creative leader, and how to assess the skills and competencies that make them successful. Jean brings a wealth of experience and insight to the podcast; she has spent over thirty years leading brand-side and agency creative teams. Jean began her...

Music and entertainment marketing executive Amani Duncan joins Roy for a conversation about empathetic leadership, why she chooses to be a mentor-manager, how the justice, equity, diversity and inclusion movement impacts the kind and quality of the work you’re doing, and much more. Amani has more than 20 years of experience spanning a variety of industries. She began her career at Def Jam Recordin...

In this special episode of How I Hire , Roy is sitting down with Noto Group’s team of executive search consultants. He’s joined by Sara Spirko, Bridget Hope, Tami Bumiller, and Lena Knofler to dig into essential leadership, workforce, and hiring trends that they’re seeing for 2023 and beyond, along with the best ways to navigate them successfully for candidates and companies alike. Managing Direct...

Roy sits down with Seungah Jeong, President and CEO of MPOWERD , a Certified B Corporation specializing in sustainable, affordable, and thoughtfully designed renewable energy products. Not only does MPOWERD offer a host of highly functional, energy efficient tools for lighting, charging, utility, recreation, and power storage, they are also dedicated to distributing clean energy to people worldwid...

Roy is joined by Jan-Patrick Schmitz, CEO of the Wüsthof Group . Wüsthof is a family-run business that has been manufacturing quality cutlery for over 200 years. Prior to Wüsthof, Jan-Patrick served as a key member of the leadership team at Montblanc. He’s spent over 20 years working in brand management, establishing himself as a seasoned thought leader in the consumer space. His extensive experie...

Starting your own business can present a wide variety of challenges, especially when it comes to building out strong, competent teams that can scale with the organization. Thousand is an urban cycling helmet and accessory brand based in Los Angeles. Founder and CEO Gloria Hwang joins Roy to share the wisdom she’s gained in her entrepreneurial journey from Thousand’s startup days in her garage to i...

Your organization just made an important executive hire – now what? Organizational Psychologists Dr. Stacey Philpot and Dr. Ted Freeman are here to answer this question and more. The two join Roy to continue their conversation around leadership transitions, discussing the ins and outs of leadership integration and acceleration. Drawing on their wealth of experience, Ted and Stacey outline the esse...

Roy is joined by Wylie Robinson, CEO and Co-Founder of Rumpl , a Climate Neutral Certified B Corp and proud member of 1% for the Planet . By using performance materials that are most commonly found in premium outdoor gear, Rumpl is on a mission to introduce the world to better blankets. Before moving out to Portland, OR and modernizing the puffy blanket, Wylie worked as a designer with branding ag...

Hiring a new CEO is a high stakes event, especially when a founder is involved. Roy sits down with Organizational Psychologists Dr. Stacey Philpot and Dr. Ted Freeman to discuss what it takes to successfully navigate these founder transitions. The three walk through each step involved. They share their insights into the challenges and opportunities at play and the unique partnership between a new...

Alyssa Kessler is the Director of Recruiting at Trove , a company whose technology supports circular shopping and aids in shaping environmentally responsible commercial ecosystems. Their end-to-end operating system facilitates the processes behind used inventory and recommerce sales for top brands like Arc'teryx, Levi's, lululemon, Patagonia , Eileen Fisher, and many others. Alyssa has always cent...

Denise Novosel is the VP of Recruiting for personal styling service Stitch Fix . She spends her days crafting effective talent acquisition strategies for the brand. Before joining Stitch Fix, Denise was a senior talent leader at Nike and Microsoft. She and Roy break down the elements of world class talent acquisition models, recruiting best practices, and current talent market dynamics. Highlights...