The HR Misfits

Culture doesn't start with HR. It starts with whoever's at the top. And when leadership is the problem, no amount of HR programming, culture initiatives, or team offsites is going to fix it. This week we're talking about Ryan Breslow, Bolt, and the very uncomfortable conversation about leadership accountability that most people in HR are having behind closed doors. We just chose to have it on a po...

In this lively discussion, HR Misfits Ami Graves, Marci Coppola, and LaToya Davis share candid stories and insights about the challenges of managing and developing effective leaders. We have seen some things. And today we're pulling back the curtain on one of the most common and most costly mistakes organizations make: taking your best individual contributor and handing them a team without a map,...

In this engaging episode, the HR Misfits and a special guest explore the credibility crisis in HR, the controversial idea of licensing the profession, and the innovative HR Accountability Project aimed at elevating standards and trust in HR.

Three HR leaders. Three takes on AI. Zero agreement at the start. In this episode of The HR Misfits, Ami, LaToya, and Marci go all in on the conversation every HR team is having right now - but probably not like this. LaToya's ready to embrace it, Marci's side-eyeing it, and Ami's somewhere in the middle trying not to pick a fight. What starts as a debate, lands somewhere way more honest: AI isn't...

The pandemic didn’t just change where we work, it exposed everything broken about how we work. In this episode of HR Misfits, we dig into the reality of remote and hybrid work beyond the headlines, policies, and performative debates. Because here’s the truth: Not everyone works best the same way. And trying to force a single model? That’s where companies are getting it wrong. We talk about: Why th...

What if some of HR’s most “trusted” tools are actually holding your business back? In this episode of HR Misfits, we take on two of the most sacred (and untouchable) frameworks in HR: the 9-box and the annual performance review… and make the case for why it might be time to let them go. These tools were designed to bring structure, clarity, and fairness. But in reality? They often introduce bias,...

In this episode of HR Misfits, we dive into the world of corporate cringe - the buzzwords, clichés, and HR-speak that have somehow become normal in the workplace. We talk about: Why phrases like “we’re a family” can actually be problematic The real meaning behind “let’s circle back” How “culture fit” can quietly reinforce bias The corporate language we all say… even when we don’t like it What auth...

If you’re tired of corporate jargon and HR “theater,” you’ve found the right place. Welcome to The HR Misfits, hosted by Ami Graves, LaToya Davis (Executive HR Business Partner), and Marci Coppola (Founder & President, Seshen Coaching & Wellness). In this episode, we discuss the SHRM lawsuit debacle that’s shaking the HR world. With candid discussions on leadership, accountability, and the...

If you’re tired of making assumptions about people based on surface-level judgments, especially in the workplace, you're in the right place. Welcome to The HR Misfits, hosted by Ami Graves, LaToya Davis (Executive HR Business Partner, Corporate Function), and Marci Coppola (Founder & President, Seshen Coaching & Wellness). In our debut episode, we explore the Peacock hit All Her Fault thro...

If you believe HR should be a catalyst—not corporate theater—you’re in the right place. Welcome to The HR Misfits, hosted by Ami Graves, LaToya Davis (Executive HR Business Partner, Corporate Function), and Marci Coppola (Founder & President, Seshen Coaching & Wellness). Born from The People of Work, The HR Misfits evolved into something bigger: a space for HR leaders who don’t fit the tra...

“Honor who you are becoming, not who you’ve been.” In this episode, I sit down with Marci Coppola , former HR leader turned transformational coach and founder of Seshen Coaching & Wellness , to explore her journey from a high-pressure corporate career to a life focused on alignment, calm, and purpose. Growing up in a hardworking family, she was influenced by hustle culture, which led her into...

“Finding your way doesn’t require having it all figured out.” In this episode, I sit down with Brittany Whitenack , founder and owner of Antique Candle Co. , to explore how her relationship with work grew from early lessons in grit to leading a team of 40 making thousands of candles a day. Brittany reflects on her first jobs, her time at Purdue, and the intense season of managing 70 employees at a...

“Explore your curiosity, because that’s where you’re going to find you.” In this episode, I sit down with Sara Whitley , licensed clinical social worker and owner of Complete Peace , to explore her journey from growing up in a hardworking family in Indiana to building a thriving private therapy practice in North Carolina. From her first job at KFC to navigating cross-country moves and career pivot...

“Strength isn’t built in the gym. It’s built when life knocks you down and you get back up anyway.” In this episode, I sit down with Monica Derhammer, owner of Hoosier Trainer in Brownsburg, Indiana, to talk about her journey from young athlete to gym owner, and everything in between. Monica shares how her mom inspired her hustle, how early jobs taught her independence, and how an unexpected oppor...

“Every pastor must preach, but every preacher is not a pastor.” In this episode, I sit down with Rashad Cunningham , Community & Formation Pastor at Church@Main in Brownsburg, Indiana, to explore his journey from hip-hop producer to pastor. Rashad opens up about growing up in Indianapolis, navigating identity as one of the only Black students in Brownsburg, and how those early experiences shap...

“Be confident in your voice and don’t sell yourself short.” In this episode, I sit down with Kylie Bright-Schuler , civil engineer and project manager at American Structurepoint , to explore her journey into engineering and the lessons she’s learned along the way. Kylie shares how her family’s influence and early mission trips sparked an initial interest in environmental engineering, and how her p...

“You don’t have to climb the corporate ladder to build a meaningful career.” In this episode, I sit down with Abby Thompson , founder of Bloom Marketing, to explore her journey from growing up with two hardworking parents to carving her own path across corporate, higher education, and entrepreneurship. We talk about her decade at Rolls Royce, the lessons she learned through international travel an...

“Your career is a jungle gym, not a ladder.” In this episode, I sit down with Hollin Hart , brand marketing leader at Cummins Inc. , to uncover the experiences, values, and resilience that have shaped her path in work and life. We talk about Hollin’s early beginnings in South Bend, from babysitting and working at the Notre Dame bookstore to discovering her love for marketing through conversations,...

“You need to start a business so you can leave your job.” In this episode, I sit down with Andrew Adeniyi , founder of AAA Solutions , and author of The Circle of Leadership , to explore his journey from growing up in an entrepreneurial home to building a consulting business focused on leadership, culture, and belonging. We talk about the impact of early internships, the lessons he carried from re...

"Dive into it, go with the flow, make a splash. What’s the harm in going for a swim?” In this episode, I chat with Sabrina Rose , a professional mermaid at Aquarium Restaurant , as she shares her unique journey from aspiring marine biologist to living her dream as a mermaid performer. Sabrina opens up about her childhood near the water in Michigan, how a chance encounter with Keith Urban set her o...

"You have to leverage your network and build strong relationships." In this episode, I sit down with LaToya Davis , Executive HR Business Partner at Kimberly-Clark , to explore her transformative journey from a small town in Indiana to becoming a trailblazer in corporate HR.  LaToya shares how her upbringing, shaped by her hardworking single mother and a close-knit family, set the foundation for h...

“Work hard and be kind.” In this episode, I sit down with Mike Cunningham , president and CEO of Cunningham Restaurant Group , to explore the personal values and humble beginnings behind a thriving restaurant empire. We discuss how Mike grew up as the youngest of nine in a working-class family and shaped his approach to business and leadership. From bussing tables at age eight to opening his first...

"Don't let anyone pigeonhole you into one path." In this episode, I sit down with Rafael Sanchez, Executive Vice President and Chief Impact Officer at Old National Bank. Rafael takes us through his unconventional journey from Puerto Rico to law school and eventually corporate leadership.  We discuss the role of mentorship, community engagement, and how career reinvention can drive societal change....

Curious about what it's really like to do someone else's job? I'm Ami Graves, and in The People of Work, I sit down with people from all walks of life - nurses, entrepreneurs, artists, teachers, and more - to share the real stories behind their careers. We talk about the highs, the lows, and everything in between. This podcast is about the human side of work: finding purpose, navigating chaos, and...