Transformation Realness

Everybody in talent tech is announcing an MCP this year, and nobody has a rubric for judging whether any of them work. We find out when something goes wrong. So when Findem launched Studio, Kyle sat down with Liv Anderman and co-founder and CEO Hari Kolam to pressure test what's underneath it. Liv's framing: the MCP is just the piping. The question is whether you get finished work you can trust. I...

Join us in this enlightening episode of Transformation Realness as we delve into the world of AI and HR transformation with Sarika Lamont, the outgoing Chief People Officer at Vidyard. Sarika, soon to be the Chief People and AI Enablement Officer at Technomile, shares her bold insights on what it means to be AI literate and why HR must lead the charge in AI transformation. With her extensive exper...

Join host Kyle Lagunas on this episode of Transformation Realness as he sits down with Ben Brooks, the dynamic founder and CEO of Pilot, to explore the challenging yet rewarding world of entrepreneurship and the transformative role of AI in modern workplaces. Ben, who describes his career as 'Z-Shaped', shares his unique insights into leadership development, culture, and organizational design, dra...

What happens when the roadmap disappears, the C-suite keeps changing, and AI shows up promising to transform everything? On this episode of Transformation Realness, Kyle Lagunas sits down with Michelle Rife, longtime VP of Global Talent, and Amberly Marston, Senior Director of People Operations, to talk about what it actually takes to lead when change isn't an initiative anymore. It's the operatin...

Join host Kyle Lagunas in this eye-opening episode of Transformation Realness as he sits down with Susan Jackson and Tara Torres, two seasoned experts in talent acquisition and AI optimization. Together, they delve into the complexities of implementing responsible AI in HR and talent management, discussing the challenges and opportunities that come with this rapidly evolving landscape. Susan Jacks...

Dive into the complexities of AI and productivity with Transformation Realness, as host Kyle Lagunas sits down with the sharp-witted Matt Charney and seasoned product marketing leader Brandice Payne. In this episode, they tackle the unfulfilled promises of AI in enhancing workplace productivity and what it means for HR and talent leaders in 2026. Matt Charney, known for his unfiltered insights in...

In this episode of Transformation Realness, host Kyle Lagunas sits down with Jennifer Brunelle, who leads Access and Opportunity at NRG, a Fortune 250 company. Jennifer shares her unique journey from event production and working with the Clinton Foundation to spearheading talent acquisition, employee experience, and inclusion at NRG. Listeners will gain insights into how Jennifer has transformed t...

Join us in this enlightening episode of Transformation Realness as we sit down with Alicia Miller, a leading expert in AI literacy, change management, and enablement strategies. Alicia, who is also a key member of the Human-Centric AI Council, shares her invaluable insights on the evolving role of HR in the AI landscape. This episode is recorded live from the vibrant Transform and Unleash conferen...

Join us on Transformation Realness as we dive into an enlightening conversation with Kyle Forrest, a prominent thought leader from Deloitte. Hosted by the formidable Kyle Lagunas, this episode explores the evolving landscape of HR strategy and transformation, focusing on the intersection of human resources and artificial intelligence. Discover why 93% of AI spending is still directed towards techn...

Join us for a groundbreaking conversation on creating inclusive spaces within the HR tech industry. In this episode, host Kyle Lagunas speaks with Natalie Egan, a serial entrepreneur and trans advocate, and Joseph Cole, a marketing leader, about their pioneering efforts to organize the first ever queer meetup at an HR tech conference. Discover how they overcame challenges and why such dedicated co...

In this live episode of Transformation Realness, recorded straight from the floor at Unleash and Transform in Las Vegas, host Kyle Lagunas reunites with an official show OG: Tyler Weeks, who oversees HR technology, analytics, and HR service centers for Marriott International. In a candid and energetic conversation—complete with a surprise cameo from a past guest—Kyle and Tyler dig into what it tru...

Join us in this episode of Transformation Realness as we dive into the world of AI and HR with Cathy Peterman, a senior HR leader at Wayfair. Known for her insightful perspectives, Cathy shares her experiences and expertise in integrating AI into the workplace, offering listeners a glimpse into the tangible business outcomes that can be achieved through innovative AI adoption. Recorded live from U...

In this episode of Transformation Realness, host Kyle Lagunas sits down with Jason Desentz, the Chief Human Resources Officer for Toshiba Americas, to explore the transformative power of AI and Lean Six Sigma in HR. Jason shares his journey from the automotive industry in Detroit to leading HR initiatives at Toshiba, bringing a process-driven approach to human resources. Listeners will gain insigh...

Join us for an insightful episode of Transformation Realness as host Kyle Lagunas sits down with Julia Levy, a seasoned talent acquisition expert with over 25 years of experience. Julia recently made the bold move to leave corporate America and channel her vast knowledge into writing a book aimed at helping the next generation navigate the job market. In this episode, Julia shares her journey and...

Join us on this episode of Transformation Realness as we dive deep into the current landscape of HR and talent acquisition with Steve Bartel, CEO and co-founder of GEM. Steve shares his insights on how the efficiency imperative is reshaping the hiring landscape, with a focus on AI, automation, and the pressing need to do more with less without compromising the well-being of recruitment teams. In t...

In this episode of Transformation Realness, host Kyle Lagunas dives into the evolving landscape of HR with Rocki Howard, founder and chief diversiologist at Diversiology.io and chief people and equity officer at Textio. Rocki shares her candid insights on how AI is reshaping the recruitment process and what talent professionals must do to remain indispensable in an AI-driven world. Listeners will...

In this episode of Transformation Realness, host Kyle Lagunas sits down with Joe Shaker, President of Shaker Recruitment Marketing, to explore the evolving landscape of recruitment marketing. Joe, coming from a lineage that's been shaping the industry for three generations, offers a unique perspective on what creativity means in an era where technology and automation dominate. Listeners will gain...

Hiring is messy, but it doesn’t have to be. In this episode of Transformation Realness, I sit down with Adam Godson, CEO of Paradox, and Andrew McMannis, Head of Workday Practice at Paradox, to talk about how AI-powered hiring is transforming talent acquisition. We get into why high-volume hiring, interview scheduling and frontline recruitment are still full of friction, how Paradox is delivering...

On this episode of Transformation Realness, I’m joined by Mark Hanson and Caroline Effinger of Lightcast to talk all things skills-based transformation. From connecting hiring to learning to using labor market data for smarter workforce planning, Mark and Caroline share how organizations can turn skills into their biggest advantage. We also dive into Lightcast’s partnership with Workday, how AI is...

On this episode of Transformation Realness, I’m joined by David Wachtel, General Manager of Talent Products at Workday, to explore how Workday is empowering HR leaders to take innovation into their own hands. We dive deep into Extend, the platform letting customers build tailored apps within Workday’s secure ecosystem, and Built on Workday, a marketplace unlocking new opportunities for partners to...

On this episode of Transformation Realness, I’m sitting down with Ahryun Moon, CEO and co-founder, and Jasper Sone, founder and CPO of GoodTime. We’re diving into the chaos of interviews—one of the most frustrating, yet critical parts of hiring—and exploring how GoodTime’s AI-powered platform is turning things around. From smarter scheduling to empowering interviewers and creating connected ecosys...

On this episode of Transformation Realness, I’m sitting down with Jason Scheckner, Senior Director of Business Strategy, and Ernest Ng, Senior Principal and Product Strategist, at HiredScore—now officially part of the Workday family. HiredScore is rewriting the rules of HR tech with their AI Talent Orchestration platform, moving beyond buzzwords to deliver tools that actually work. We get into how...

On this episode of Transformation Realness, I’m joined by Donald Knight, SVP of People and Culture at Warner Brothers and formerly Chief People Officer at Greenhouse Software. We explore the unique challenges of leading in an HR tech company, the rise of fractional leadership, and the power of finding your village to navigate it all.  From balancing culture, customers, and brand evangelism to embr...

Rebecca Carr, CEO of SmartRecruiters, joins me to talk about shaking up hiring tech with personalized workflows, API-first platforms and tools that actually work. From cutting through clunky processes to empowering users with seamless integrations, Rebecca shares how SmartRecruiters is making hiring as intuitive as unlocking your phone. If you’re ready to reimagine recruiting technology for today’...

On Transformation Realness, I’m joined by Radancy’s Jahkedda Akbar and Matt Lamphear about turning HR tech chaos into streamlined solutions. We explore how Radancy’s human-first innovation, data-driven agility, and unified tech stack empower recruiters to thrive in today’s dynamic talent landscape. Our conversation hits everything from streamlining bloated tech stacks to tackling the ever-shifting...