A Better HR Business

In this episode, Ben speaks with Zoe Walters , founder of Empowered AI , about the practical and human sides of AI transformation. You can find the show here on Apple Podcasts , on Spotify , and other podcast players. Zoe shares her career journey from working on cruise ships and in recruitment to leading HR at Diesel, Adidas, and Condé Nast. She explains how those experiences shaped her understan...

What if you already have a valuable HR consulting service hiding in your past experience? In this episode of A Better HR Business, Ben shares a story from his own HR career about how a simple employee survey project unexpectedly became a repeatable, productised service that he later sold to businesses ranging from SMEs to government departments. He explains why clearly defined standalone services...

In this episode of the  HR business marketing podcast , A Better HR Business, Ben speaks with Magnus Wood, Founder & Board Adviser of Wild Leadership, a company helping founders and senior leaders who have been quietly domesticated by the organizations they run to get their edge back. Magnus Wood is a board adviser, leadership thinker, and former CMO with more than 30 years of experience acros...

Group coaching is becoming a bigger part of leadership development, but it is still often confused with training, mentoring, or simply putting several people into the same coaching session. In this episode of A Better HR Business , I speak with Dominique Mas, Co-Founder and CEO, and Priscilla Lavoie, Head of Marketing at Group Coaching HQ . Group Coaching HQ works with HR, talent, L&D, and int...

In this episode of the  HR business marketing podcast , A Better HR Business, Ben speaks with Cary Sparrow, Founder and CEO of WageScape, a labor market intelligence company transforming how organizations understand hiring, pay, and workforce trends through real-time AI-powered data. A former U.S. Navy nuclear submarine officer, Cary has more than 35 years of leadership experience spanning enginee...

In this episode of the HR business marketing podcast , A Better HR Business, Ben speaks with Caroline Dowling , Executive Coach and founder of Zeal Compass. Caroline Dowling is helping senior leaders navigate the challenges of organisational change with greater clarity and confidence. After more than 20 years at Google, where she led global teams across Dublin and Silicon Valley, she understands t...

In this episode of the  HR business marketing podcast , A Better HR Business, Ben and his guest, John Barron, Co-Founder & CEO of GoChallenge, explore how a gamified movement platform is helping teams boost wellbeing, deepen engagement, and build stronger company cultures. GoChallenge is a science-backed HR tech platform that uses team-based movement challenges to improve employee wellbeing, p...

In this episode of the  HR business marketing podcast , A Better HR Business, Ben and his guests, Stephen Anderson (CEO) and Marc Harrison (Account Director) discuss how crooton is transforming recruitment marketing with hyper-targeted, data-driven strategies. crooton is a recruitment marketing business specialising in location-based recruitment marketing powered by its proprietary, highly targete...

In this episode of the  HR business marketing podcast , A Better HR Business, Ben and his guest, Mike Minett, Founder of PORTABL, an innovative platform reimagining financial, health, and wellbeing services for today’s independent workforce, to discuss how freelancers and gig workers can finally access the support once reserved for full-time employees. Mike Minett is the Founder and Chief Growth O...

In this episode of the HR business marketing podcast , A Better HR Business, Ben and his guest, Joelle Vail, talk about how holistic financial wellness solutions are driving major changes for employers and employees alike. As HR and business leaders look for ways to support their teams in today's challenging environment, companies like BrightPlan are setting a new standard for financial wellbeing...

In this episode, Ben is joined by Scott Trompolt , founder and principal consultant at Trompolt Compensation Design Solutions (TCDS). With over 18 years in corporate HR leadership across the US and Germany, followed by more than a decade consulting globally, Scott shares his insights on effective compensation strategy, pay transparency, and the journey from corporate life to independent consulting...

In a recent episode of the  HR business marketing podcast , A Better HR Business, Ben and his guest, Si Beales, Founder/Learning Director at Sidedoor Studio talk about how to attract HR clients with visual storytelling and habit-based learning. Si Beales is a trainer, speaker, and academic at Leeds School of Art & Design and Leeds Beckett University. He’s also the founder of Sidedoor Studio. H...

In this episode of the HR business marketing podcast , A Better HR Business, Ben and his guest, Conor Lynch, digital innovator, educator, and author of “Learn Earn Own”, talk about how individuals and HR professionals can future-proof their careers and businesses as technology accelerates the pace of change and automation looms. Conor Lynch is a digital innovator and educator who grew his personal...

In this episode, Ben explains how “pre-conversion events” can help HR consultancies and HR tech firms win more business. Instead of relying only on surface-level marketing like posts, emails, and outreach, he shares ways to create deeper, more engaging experiences that warm prospects up before the sales call. You’ll hear practical examples such as workshops, roundtables, bootcamps, partner webinar...

Most job platforms say they help you “get more applicants.” What employers actually need is understanding why roles aren’t getting filled - and fixing that. Yevhen Onatsko, US Country Manager at Jooble, shares his take on growing internationally, using data smartly, and building strong partnerships - lessons that are very useful for anyone in HR tech or looking to expand their business. Jooble is...

Announcing the People Business Growth Summit! It's a one-day online summit on marketing and growing people-focused services and HR tech businesses. Tuesday, 28 April 2026 Online event Free tickets available: https://summit.getmorehrclients.com   The People Business Growth Summit brings together founders and operators from HR consultancies and HR technology companies to share the real decisions tha...

In a recent episode of the  HR business marketing podcast , A Better HR Business, Ben and his guest, Val Esway, founder of Work with Val , talk about the challenges of hiring, compliance, and employee management for small and growing businesses across the US and Canada. Val Esway partners with founders and leadership teams to build the recruiting and HR foundations necessary for sustainable growth...

When companies use realistic job simulations, they can finally see beyond CVs and surface true talent, regardless of background. Removing bias from recruitment isn’t theoretical; it’s achievable. Grounding hiring decisions in real-world, data-driven simulations gives every candidate a fair shot and helps teams identify who will actually succeed in the role. Smart hiring isn’t about who interviews...

Hiring for remote roles sounds easy in theory. In reality? It’s noisy, rushed, and increasingly flooded with AI-generated applications. That’s why I enjoyed learning about Isidora Mayer, CEO of FlatWorld and her very human take on global hiring. FlatWorld isn’t just about skills matching. It’s about fit: company culture, personal happiness, and long-term success on both sides. Isidora’s own leader...

Employee benefits aren’t about money. They’re about how people feel. When leaders offer personalized perks, employees feel seen, valued, and more connected to the company. Genuine care in culture beats bigger paychecks. A strong workplace isn’t built on swag. It’s built on choice, recognition, and everyday experiences employees actually enjoy. On my latest episode of A Better HR Business, I sat do...

After a long break, Disrupt Dublin is returning on Thursday, 26 February 2026, bringing fast talks, sharp thinking, and real conversations about the future of work in Ireland. In this episode, I’m joined by my event co-host Bill Banham, Editor of HR Gazette, host of the HRchat Podcast, and one of the long-standing forces behind Disrupt events across the UK, Ireland, the US, and Canada. We talk abo...

Whether you run an HR software company or an HR consultancy, one thing is always true: big annual revenue targets only work when you turn them into simple weekly actions that actually bring in demos, sales calls, consulting calls, and new clients. In Episode 299 of the A Better HR Business podcast, Ben outlines a clearer, calmer way to think about sales planning for the year ahead. The ideas apply...

Struggling with low profitability? Here’s the truth most business owners don’t want to hear: it’s rarely about selling more. It’s about tightening operations, focusing on the right clients, and removing the stress that drains your team and your bottom line. Not every customer is a good fit - and that’s okay. When you intentionally serve your most profitable and appreciative clients, your culture s...

Success in business isn’t just about working harder. Dr. Eugene K. Choi highlights the importance of recognizing when we’re stuck in survival mode and intentionally shifting to the executive state, where creativity, empathy, and better decisions thrive. Many of us spend about 70% of our adult lives in a stress-driven survival state. Imagine the impact if leaders could operate from the executive st...

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Geraldine Butler-Wright, Founder and Chief People Officer of RorCas and about scaling tech companies. Geraldine is also the host of the excellent "People and Pioneers" podcast, where she explores the human side of innovation and success. Here are other topics from our conversation: The Real Reputation of HR: HR shouldn’t be a cost center stuck pushing p...