Andrew Bartlow

People Leader Accelerator Podcast

Business EN ↓ 41 episodes

Welcome to “People Leader Accelerator Podcast”! On this show, we dive deep with business and HR leaders to uncover what really works when it comes to building high-performing organizations, navigating leadership challenges, and making better management decisions. Whether you’re the first People leader at a startup or a seasoned executive at a company with scale, you’ll find practical insights you can apply right away. If one of our discussions sparked something for you, hit ’subscribe,’ leave a quick review, and share this episode with that one colleague who really needs to hear it. You know w...

Author

Andrew Bartlow

Episodes

Episode 16: A Non-Traditional Path to People Leadership - with Ryanmae McAvoy-Pepin 13.01.2026 31:50

Our guest today is Ryanmae McAvoy-Pepin , Vice President of People Operations at Blackthorn , a SaaS company specializing in Salesforce-native event management software. Ryanmae has built a career that crosses industries from veterinary practices to the ski slopes, before settling into the tech sector, where she’s now recognized for her transparency, candor, and practical approach to HR leadership...

Episode 15: How HR Tech and AI Are Redefining Organizational Growth - with Eugene Lee 06.01.2026 39:58

Welcome to another episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast. Our guest today is Eugene Lee , who joins us for an insightful conversation on investing in HR technology, the evolving responsibilities of people leaders, and how AI is transforming organizations. Eugene’s background spans M&A investment banking, operational leadership at Yahoo, Google, and Pinterest, and his current work as...

Episode 14: How to Build Power and Likability in Leadership - with Kate Mason 30.12.2025 50:13

Welcome to another episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast. Our guest today is Kate Mason , executive communications coach and author of the fascinating new book, Powerfully Likable . Kate’s career has spanned global tech companies and high-stakes startup environments, supporting leaders to communicate with impact. She brings together expertise in communications, coaching, and competitive...

Episode 13: Cultural Psychology At Work And What It Takes To Build Trust Across Borders - with Debbie Ko 23.12.2025 1:03:19

Welcome to another episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast. Our guest today is Debbie Ko , a US-born cultural psychologist now based in Singapore, whose career journey has traversed academia and tech in global environments. Debbie’s expertise bridges social psychology, cultural dynamics, and real-world application for business and people leaders. She publishes the popular blog, PsykoBabbl...

Episode 12: Scaling People and Culture Across Borders In Hypergrowth Companies - with Daniel Illes 16.12.2025 41:13

Welcome to another episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast. Our guest today is Daniel Illes , who joined us for an in-depth discussion on career transitions, scaling high-growth organizations, and the realities of global people leadership. Daniel’s journey has taken him from New York-qualified lawyer to startup operator, people leader, and currently, a Venture Capital operator at Atomico,...

Episode 11: The Journey From Operations To People Leadership In Hospitality - Jamie Thorpe 09.12.2025 40:50

Welcome to another episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast. Our guest today is Jamie Thorpe , SVP, People at Pursuit, joining hosts Jess Yuen and Andrew Bartlow for a candid conversation about leading people functions in hospitality and attraction-based organizations. Jamie brings over twelve years of HR experience covering restaurant operations, corporate HR, and high-growth environments...

Episode 10: Business First HR Meets AI for Modern People Leadership - with Q Hamirani 02.12.2025 47:41

Welcome to another episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast. Our guest today is Q Hamirani , a seasoned Chief People Officer whose unconventional career journey - from electrical engineering and finance to leading HR at companies like Airbnb and High Level - has influenced how he thinks about building effective people teams and driving business outcomes. Hosted by executive coach Jess Yuen...

Episode 9: The Lightspeed People Trends Report 25.11.2025 39:45

Welcome to this episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, where we sit down with industry leaders to uncover the real-life insights, strategies, and challenges that shape world-class organizations. Our guest today is Luke Beseda , Talent Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners , returning for a timely discussion about the annual Lightspeed People Trends Report. With nearly 170 venture-back...

Episode 8: How Creativity and Curiosity Shape Better People Leaders - with Marie Szuts 18.11.2025 45:23

Welcome to another episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, where we get practical about leadership, culture, and building organizations that work. Our guest today is Marie Szuts : executive coach , consultant, and co-director of the People Leader Accelerator. Marie brings a unique, multifaceted background, including early career experience in food journalism, entrepreneurship in educatio...

Episode 7: Transforming Talent Strategy in Venture Capital and Startup Ecosystems - with Luke Beseda 11.11.2025 52:46

Welcome to this episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, where we sit down with industry leaders to uncover the real-life insights, strategies, and challenges that shape world-class organizations. Our guest today is Luke Beseda , longtime Talent Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners , joining hosts Jess Yuen and Andrew Bartlow for an in-depth conversation about the evolving world of vent...

Episode 6: Accelerating Leadership Impact and Career Growth - with Michelle Wagner 04.11.2025 40:41

Welcome to this episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, where we sit down with industry leaders to uncover the real-life insights, strategies, and challenges that shape world-class organizations. Our guest today is Michelle Wagner , a seasoned executive and current Talent Partner at Playground Global . Hosted by executive coach Jess Yuen and People Leader Accelerator co-founder Andrew Ba...

Episode 5: Unlocking High Performance in People, Process, & VC Partnerships - with Heather Doshay 28.10.2025 48:40

Welcome to this episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, where we sit down with industry leaders to uncover the real-life insights, strategies, and challenges that shape world-class organizations. Our guest today is Heather Doshay , the founder of Waypoint Works . Heather joins our hosts, Jess Yuen and Andrew Bartlow, for a thoughtful conversation about her unique journey across tech, VC...

Episode 4: The Power of Business Alignment in HR Career Success - with Melanie Naranjo 22.10.2025 48:42

Welcome to this episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, where we sit down with industry leaders to uncover the real-life insights, strategies, and challenges that shape world-class organizations. Our guest today is Melanie Naranjo , Chief People Officer at Ethena, joining hosts Andrew Bartlow and Jess Yuen for a candid conversation about the real skills, mindset shifts, and strategies ne...

Episode 3: How Executive Search Is Evolving For HR Leaders In Startups & Scaleups - with Brad Warga and Ben Dewar 22.10.2025 52:48

In this episode, host Jess Yuen and co-founder Andrew Bartlow are joined by executive search experts Brad Warga (Heidrick & Struggles) and Ben Dewar (NU Advisory Partners) for an in-depth conversation about executive search in human resources within tech companies. Brad and Ben share their extensive insights into hiring Chief People Officers and senior HR talent, covering changes in candidate...

Episode 2: Practical Strategies For Growing Your HR Career And Professional Network - with Kelli Dragovich 22.10.2025 36:52

Welcome to this episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, where we sit down with industry leaders to uncover the real-life insights, strategies, and challenges that shape world-class organizations. Our guest today is Kelli Dragovich , a seasoned Chief People Officer and Bay Area native, whose 25-year journey through Silicon Valley’s tech scene includes roles at Yahoo, GitHub, Looker, Pendo...

Episode 1: Welcome to the People Leader Accelerator Podcast 18.10.2025 16:43

Welcome to the very first episode of The People Leader Accelerator Podcast! We’re thrilled to finally bring you this show, a space for honest, practical conversations about what it really takes to lead people and build high-performing organizations in today’s fast-changing world. In this opening episode, we share why we created the podcast, what you can expect from future episodes, and some of the...