Built By People

Dr. Suzanne Larsen Balaoing is Chief People & Culture Officer at Silverado, which provides memory care and end-of-life care. She's done physician HR at the Permanente Medical Group and worked at PRO Unlimited and 360 Behavioral Health. She and Maddie talk about the day the FBI showed up at her office, why "there's nobody to hire" usually isn't the real problem, what HR lo...

Ariana Gett was an executive assistant for 8 years before she moved into HR, and in one of those jobs, at a very small company with no HR, she was asked to fire her own replacement. She later spent nearly four years at edX, where she pulled together the HR information when 2U acquired it. She's now Head of People Ops at mabl. She and Maddie talk about performance reviews, being your own advoca...

Lindsey Wendland started her career at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, working on partnerships for its music series and on patron loyalty. She moved into business operations, picked up HR work when a colleague went on maternity leave, and never left. She's now Head of People. She and Maddie talk about why patron loyalty turned out to be a lot like employee loyalty, what she learned watching th...

Brian Baines has worked in HR for more than 20 years. After college he was managing a shoe store when he took a part-time payroll job, and he's stayed in HR ever since, including five years recruiting at Bon Secours, a stint at Newport News Shipbuilding, and a senior HR business partner role at William & Mary's business school. He's now Associate Vice President for Human Resources....

Anju Choudhary has spent 20 years in HR. She was at IBM for more than a decade, led global talent and organizational development at NextRoll, spent a few years as a product leader at Skillsoft, and is now CHRO at Xoxoday, a rewards and engagement platform. She and Kimball talk about the folder where she put every HR email while she was in a revenue role (she never got through it) and what that tau...

Sophia Okeke is Executive Vice President and Chief People & Culture Officer at The Center for Family Support. She worked in news before moving into HR, then spent seven years building HR for country offices in Sub-Saharan Africa, including a first town hall in Togo before she could speak French. She and Maddie talk about why communication is the skill leaders underestimate, how she measures wh...

Summary Nicole Buck is Head of People & Culture at Black Rifle Coffee Company. She started her career as a graphic designer, found her way into recruiting at a staffing firm, and joined Black Rifle as a recruiter in 2019. She and Kimball talk about why she tells her team "don't police, partner," what she's learned moving off Workday, and how she got started with AI by asking...

Summary Oscar Perez spent 8 years building DEI recruiting at Meta, then became the first people hire at Equilibrium Energy, a startup. Before HR, he taught 10th grade English with Teach For America. He and Maddie talk about the executive who walked out of a pitch Oscar's team spent weeks preparing, then approved all of it over email a few days later. They also cover what the classroom taught h...

Summary In this episode, Michael Baer shares insights on building strong foundations for growth, the importance of strategic clarity, and how to transition from full-time roles to impactful consultancy. Discover practical advice for early-stage companies and aspiring leaders looking to scale and professionalize their businesses. Key Topics Building strategic foundations for growth The role of clar...

Summary In this episode, Krystal Cooper shares her extensive experience in HR, startup growth, and leadership strategies. She discusses innovative initiatives like peer resource programs, effective employee communication, and the importance of HR's strategic role in business success. Key Topics Krystal Cooper's career journey and transition into HR Implementing peer resource programs for o...

Summary Sara Schrage shares her journey from recruiting to leading in the ABA industry, focusing on talent acquisition, technology integration, and leadership advice. Discover how she leverages data, builds relationships, and navigates organizational growth. Takeaways Always focus on building trust and relationships, especially in remote settings. Leverage technology and data to create targeted, e...

Summary Ken Sobaski shares his extensive leadership journey, key lessons learned from mentors, and innovative initiatives that transformed businesses. Discover how focusing on people, redefining markets, and maintaining customer-centricity can drive growth and success. Key Topics Leadership lessons from mentors like Bob Eckert and Mike the Butcher The importance of building people to build busines...

Summary In this episode, Whitney shares her journey from managing animal health crises to leading HR strategies in healthcare organizations. She discusses workforce planning, employee engagement, communication strategies, and the importance of supporting caregivers in the workplace. Key Topics Career journey from animal health to HR leadership Workforce planning and AI integration Employee engagem...

Summary In this episode, Dr. Jennifer L. Tabiza shares her entrepreneurial journey from optometry to coaching, emphasizing the importance of resilience, communication, and personal branding in building lasting businesses. Discover practical strategies for scaling, team building, and maintaining momentum in your ventures. Key Topics Entrepreneurial journey from optometry to coaching Building resili...

Summary In this episode, Shannon Russo shares her unconventional career journey from finance to entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of technology, data-driven decision making, and strategic hiring practices. Discover actionable insights on leveraging tools like Salesforce and AI to optimize business operations and leadership lessons on hiring and firing. Takeaways Hire slow by defining cl...

Summary In this episode of the Built by People podcast, Kelly Timpane shares her unexpected journey into HR, emphasizing her focus on operational efficiency and employee engagement. She discusses her current priorities in HR operations, including reducing friction and improving decision-making through analytics. Kelly highlights the challenges of employee communication and the importance of delive...

Summary In this episode of the Built by People podcast, Kristy Lake shares her journey in the automotive industry, her rise to leadership, and the challenges of navigating change within organizations. She discusses the importance of core values, effective communication, and employee engagement, emphasizing the need for clarity and collaboration in a transforming workplace. Kristy also offers valua...

Summary In this episode of the Build by People podcast, Don Hammond shares his unique career journey from finance to leadership roles in various organizations. He discusses his current focus on a MedTech startup, emphasizing the importance of productivity and effective communication within teams. Don highlights the need for structured communication to avoid chaos in organizations and shares insigh...

What does great leadership actually look like when nobody has the answers? In this episode of Built By People , HR leader Erin Goodey breaks down why the most effective leaders today have stopped chasing certainty — and started creating clarity instead. Drawing from her own career journey, Erin shares a leadership framework that's equal parts practical and honest, built specifically for the me...

Episode Description: CAVA's stock has risen over 300% since its IPO. Its restaurants average $2.6 million in sales. It's on a path to 1,000 locations by 2032. But behind those numbers is a people strategy that most fast-growing brands get completely wrong. In this episode of Built by People , we sit down with Kelly Costanza , Chief People Officer at CAVA — the woman CAVA's own CEO credits with reb...

Summary In this episode of the Built by People podcast, Kevin shares his extensive career journey from South Africa to the US, highlighting his role as VP of People at ELF. He discusses the challenges and strategies involved in integrating multiple brands into ELF, maintaining a strong company culture during rapid growth, and the importance of leveraging technology and AI in HR. Kevin emphasizes t...

Summary In this episode of the Built My People podcast, LaToya Lyn shares her career journey, insights into HR leadership, and the importance of effective communication and relationship building within organizations. She discusses her current focus on strategic priorities, innovative initiatives, and the future outlook for HR. LaToya emphasizes the need for HR to be seen as a revenue function and...

Summary In this episode of the Built By People podcast, Roseanne Donohue shares her extensive career journey in HR and cybersecurity, discussing her transition from talent acquisition to overseeing people functions in high-tech environments. She emphasizes the importance of aligning HR priorities with company goals, focusing on employee engagement, career development, and the integration of AI in...

Summary In this episode of the Built by People podcast, Brett shares his extensive experience in human resources, focusing on creating better employee experiences and the importance of strategic alignment within organizations. He discusses the evolution of performance management, the critical role of communication in leadership, and the tools that enhance HR efficiency. Brett emphasizes the need f...

Summary In this episode of the Build by People podcast, Laurie Shakur shares her journey into HR leadership, discussing the challenges faced in the industry today, including retention, engagement, and the impact of AI. She emphasizes the importance of operational efficiency and strategic impact, highlighting the tools that are essential for HR success. Laurie also shares her aspirations for the fu...