People On Purpose®

This week we're sitting down with Stacia, founder and CEO of Switch It Up Designs, a seven-figure digital marketing agency, and co-founder of authority.io — a DIY ad platform that lets small business owners run expert-level ads in four clicks. Her team manages over $8 million in annual ad spend and has helped generate over $500 million in client revenue. She's also one of our clients — so we can p...

Nobody wants to be in this position. But if you clicked on this one, you probably need it — and we're glad you're here. Nothing we say can make firing someone feel good, but this episode breaks down everything you need to know to ensure you're letting someone go with integrity, in a way that protects your business and lets you come out the other side with your culture intact. Because firing someon...

Not an actual cult. But kind of. The teams that show up fully, carry the business when things get hard, and genuinely care about the mission all have something in common — and it has nothing to do with skill set. In this episode, we're getting personal about a really hard year, a team member who let us down, and what it taught us about what actually makes a team work. Spoiler: it's not the offer l...

If you've ever let someone go in their first 90 days and thought "another bad hire" — this episode is going to challenge that story. The real reason your hires aren't working out probably has less to do with them and a lot more to do with what's happening before they ever find their footing. Listen in to hear: The surprising parallel between your customer experience and your employee onboarding Wh...

If something feels off in your business and you can't quite put your finger on it — culture could be the culprit. Company culture doesn't collapse overnight. It drifts over time and by the time most founders realize there's been a shift, it can be difficult to get things back on track. In this episode we break down the four phases every small business culture goes through, how to identify which on...

If you're the one always delivering bad news, rejecting PTO requests, and handling every performance issue — even for people who don't directly report to you — there's a problem. Your managers are avoiding the hard conversations by passing the uncomfortable stuff up to you, which means you're stuck doing everyone's job instead of actually leading your business. This episode is about why difficult...

Most founders think HR = legal protection. A compliance checkbox. Something you have to “deal with” when a problem pops up — and something you try not to think about the rest of the time. But if you’re constantly putting out fires with your team, drowning in management conversations, or second-guessing every business decision because you don’t know how it will land, HR might not be the solution —...

Let’s talk about how the fear of letting go is often the exact thing keeping founders stuck, whether it’s at a revenue plateau, in team chaos, or just straight-up exhausted. This episode talks about why your business can’t be built on “cement” (aka rigid control) when the world is built on constant change (market shifts, team changes, and yes… vibes). You’ll hear the difference between relinquishi...

If the idea of “falling in love” with your business makes you roll your eyes a little…same. But hear us out: In this episode, Kira talks through what that phrase actually means: building a business that feels worth showing up for, especially when life is doing the absolute most. This episode is part pep talk, part leadership reality check, and part “hey girl, your mission statement can’t just live...

Take a peek behind the curtain of the podcast’s brand-new direction that’s less “HR rulebook,” more “let’s talk about the wonderfully unpredictable humans running your business.” Kira shares the personal burnout story that cracked her leadership wide open, why mental health and real support systems aren’t optional, and what authentic leadership actually looks like when you stop white-knuckling thr...

People On Purpose® Trailer

Sometimes the best move in business is pulling the plug on something that’s “working” (ugh lol) This episode is more personal than usual because I’m opening up about sunsetting our Set to Scale® membership. It’s a decision that didn’t come lightly, but one that brought me more clarity (and relief) than I expected in the chaos of it all. I’m sharing: Why a membership that looked profitable on paper...

Let's answer one of the most common (and complicated) leadership questions: Should I hire someone I’m friends with? I'm sharing hard-won lessons from client stories and my own team, including what makes these hires work…or crash and burn. Plus, a behind-the-scenes look at what being locked out of Instagram for a month taught me about boundaries, balance, and why your socials aren’t everything. Key...

In this episode, I’m joined by copywriter Andrea Shah for a conversation about messaging that works and feels like you. We’re talking about what drives buyers to say “yes,” how to balance fear-based marketing with real connection, and why your website copy matters just as much (if not more!) than your brand design. Andrea shares: How her career went from corporate translation gigs to website copy...

Pay and wages are hands-down one of the most confusing parts of hiring for the leaders we talk to. You’re not alone if you’ve found yourself wondering, why you can’t just cut a $500 check to your assistant at the end of a big project, This episode gets right to the point to clear the fog and give you a straight answer about the only two legal ways to pay an employee. This one’s short, sweet, and e...

After coming off an inspiring in-person team retreat, I’m sharing the real markers of success inside a small business. This episode explores the culture-defining power of clearly communicating expectations, especially around one of the most misunderstood (and overused) buzzwords in business: flexibility . If you've ever wondered why your team isn't "getting it" or how to lead with more clarity, tu...

Let’s talk about how I’m using AI in my business and my personal life to make things easier without losing the heart, ethics, or human-centered focus of my work. I’m sharing the tools I use, the workflows that save me HOURS each week, and some surprising ways AI has helped me make decisions, manage my health, and even stay emotionally regulated. If you’ve been feeling weird about using AI or wonde...

What if your business was the least interesting thing about you? In this episode, Kira sits down with legal educator and author Sam Vander Wielen to talk about building a life-first business…one that can weather anything, from grief to burnout to the chaos of online entrepreneurship. They cover everything from crisis-proofing your systems to writing a book deal-worthy proposal and ignoring the int...

We made it to Q2, but not without some bruises. In this solo episode, Kira shares her raw, honest take on what Q1 of 2025 taught her as a founder, leader, and business owner navigating through uncertainty (and yes, a two-star review). From finding stability in chaos to staying agile in how we serve, this episode is full of hard-earned lessons and powerful reminders for anyone leading a team right...

In this episode, I’m diving into all things HR in the wedding and events world—because let’s be real, planning dreamy days doesn’t mean your backend operations should be a nightmare. We’re talking about some of the most common missteps pros make when it comes to classifying employees, setting up pay structures, and building a team culture that actually works. I’m breaking down the legal stuff in a...

Come gab with two pop-culture junkies with unhealthy celeb gossip addictions and an alarming depth of knowledge in HR and legal drama as we deep-dive into one of Hollywood’s juiciest legal cases. Kelli Jones and I are serving up the piping hot tea on the Blake Lively vs. Justin Baldoni case. We're breaking down the details we can’t stop obsessing over and the surprisingly relatable lessons small b...

This week, I’m diving into my journey towards hiring an assistant (mistakes were made) and how I intentionally created their role to sidestep the pitfalls I’ve fallen into before. My 2025 “word of the year” and how it’s guiding my decisions this year; Two key tips from the business book that I now swear by;  Mistakes made and lessons learned on the path to hiring the right kind of assistant (...

This one is for the entrepreneurs who are ready to get off the roller coaster. In this episode, Kira reflects on her journey through 2024 and sets the stage for 2025 and how her word of the year for 2024 drove her takeaways from the year, which had more ups and downs than usual. We discuss: the challenges Kira faced in her business, the importance of community and relationships, how innovation can...

We did it! We’ve hit the big 1-0-0! In what was originally planned to be a celebratory episode, we’re talking about something a little heavier, because we know it's been on a lot of your minds right now. And that is... How to manage your team’s post-election stress and shaky team dynamics - especially when politics aren’t part of your company culture.  No matter what side of the aisle you sit...

Kira chats with Adrienna McDermott, founder of Ava and the Bee, about what it takes to build a successful wedding industry business. Adrienna shares about her journey from solopreneur to running a full-blown marketing agency – and the lessons she learned along the way about scaling with intention and why treating your people right is the right way to grow your business. Whether you're a wedding pr...