Heroes of HR
Heroes of HR is a podcast for HR, payroll, and talent leaders navigating the real challenges of today's workforce. Each episode features candid conversations with leaders from growing, people-intensive organizations who are managing hiring, retention, compliance, payroll and change in real time. The show discusses what's top of mind, what's working, what's not, and how they're leading through workforce complexity without losing sight of the people behind it. Brought to you by isolved.
Episodes
Who Manages the AI Agents? Cliff Stevenson Says It Should Be HR
AI agents are joining the workforce. Someone needs to manage their performance.
HR leaders already know how to evaluate work, identify performance problems, and make sure people have the resources they need. Cliff Stevenson argues that those same skills apply to AI agents. As organizations bring more AI into everyday operations, HR has a role in understanding what these systems do, how they perfo
HR Can’t Be Strategic While Doing Everything. Tony Buffum Says Build the Ecosystem | SHRM ‘26
The fastest way for HR to become more strategic may be to stop trying to do everything itself.
HR leaders are buried in administration while organizations demand more strategic partnership, technology adoption, change management, and employee leadership. Tony Buffum argues that the answer isn’t building bigger HR kingdoms. It’s building an ecosystem of external partners who can take work off the
Your Org Chart Is Already Outdated. Tom McCarty on What AI Changes | SHRM ‘26
If your org chart is built from yesterday’s data, your workforce plan may already be wrong.
Most companies still treat the org chart, workforce planning, position management, and organizational data as static paperwork. Tom McCarty argues that approach breaks down almost immediately because organizations change every day. AI adds another layer: agents and agentic work now need to be considered al
AI Gives HR Time Back. Todd Bertsch Says Don’t Waste It | SHRM ‘26
The real opportunity with AI isn’t doing more work. It’s giving HR the time to become more human again.
AI can automate the questions, paperwork, and repetitive tasks that keep HR buried. But human connection, leadership, empathy, listening, and difficult conversations are still the work that matters. Todd Bertsch argues that AI’s biggest HR benefit may not be productivity at all. It may be givin
HR Fundamentals Still Matter in the AI Era. Steve Safier Explains Why | SHRM ‘26
AI can accelerate HR work, but without strong fundamentals, the technology only makes bad thinking faster.
AI is changing how HR gets work done, but strategy, fundamentals, judgment, and human capital expertise still matter. Steve Safier argues that HR professionals need to understand the underlying discipline before reaching for AI, while also connecting recruiting, engagement, learning, perform
AI Is Exposing HR’s Messy Data. Susan Richards on Why Compliance Is Suddenly Everywhere | SHRM ‘26
AI is forcing HR to confront the data, systems, and compliance problems that manual work used to hide.
HR technology has spent years patching problems together with disconnected systems, spreadsheets, and human intervention. Now AI, compliance, risk, data quality, and HR technology are forcing those problems into the open. Susan Richards says the pressure is no longer just about adopting new tech
HR Keeps Putting People in Boxes. Steve Browne Says It’s Time to Let Talent Expand | SHRM ‘26
HR says it’s about people, but too often the system measures limitations instead of creating room for people to do more.
What if HR’s biggest mistake is measuring what people can’t do instead of expanding what they can? Steve Browne argues that too much HR still relies on rules, rigid roles, and hierarchies that box people in. His alternative is simple: strengthen people’s talents, connect the do
The Hardest Part of HR Is Getting Leaders to Act. Stephen Explains Why | SHRM ‘26
The hardest part of HR isn’t spotting the problem, it’s getting leaders to act before the problem reaches the frontline.
A change can be backed by data, obvious to the people closest to the work, and still go nowhere. For HR Business Partner Stephen Richardson, the real challenge is turning insight into action while helping employees absorb culture change, system change, engagement, and organizat
AI Is Changing HR. Lois Gordon Says Don’t Forget the Humans | SHRM ‘26
The technology is moving fast, but the bigger HR challenge is preparing people for what comes next.
HR has spent years talking about becoming more strategic. Now AI is accelerating that shift, but it also raises a harder question: what happens to the people whose work is changing? AI, workforce transformation, employee communication, compliance, and business partnership are becoming one conversat
AI Should Make HR More Human. Noah Mithrush Explains What Comes Next | SHRM ‘26
AI is moving into HR fast, but the real question is whether it gives people more time to be human.
AI is changing HR’s job description. Frontline workers make up about 80% of the global workforce, yet they’re often left out of strategy. At the same time, HR teams are buried in tactical work while AI, automation, agents, security, compliance, and employee expectations keep accelerating.
In this e
Your Leadership Team Makes Million-Dollar Decisions. Lorne Epstein Explains What Matters | SHRM ‘26
In a world moving faster by the minute, decision-making has become a leadership skill you can’t afford to leave to instinct.
Leadership teams make decisions worth millions, yet most organizations have no real way to understand how those teams make decisions under pressure. Cognitive flexibility, risk appetite, ambiguity tolerance, and team chemistry matter more when the ground keeps moving.
In t
HR Tech Has a Listening Problem. Sarah White Says Buyers Are Done With the Noise | SHRM ‘26
HR buyers don’t need more features, they need vendors to actually listen, simplify, and build what people will use.
There are 580+ vendors on the floor, yet buyers are still struggling to find software that makes sense. Sarah White argues the problem isn’t a lack of innovation. It’s a failure to listen. Product strategy, customer feedback, UX, design partners, and market clarity all break down wh
Promoting Great Workers Into Management Is Failing. Lisa Perez Says Here’s Why | SHRM ‘26
Your best individual contributor can become your worst manager when nobody teaches them how to lead people.
The biggest management mistake may happen before someone even gets the job. Organizations promote high performers into leadership, then expect people skills to magically appear. The result is weak management, frustrated teams, and missed potential. Leadership training, people skills, intern
Going Global Is Easy. Staying Compliant Isn’t. Lisa Explains the Gap | SHRM ‘26
Hiring internationally sounds simple until the laws, compliance, payroll, and local requirements start piling up.
Safeguard Global helps companies expand internationally, stay compliant, hire globally, and manage HR without having to build everything from scratch in every new market. With operations across 187 countries and a network of more than 400 local in-market experts, the goal is to make g
Neurodiversity Could Be Your Productivity Advantage. Lee Explains Why | SHRM '26
Companies keep asking how to manage neurodivergent employees. The better question may be whether they know how to communicate with them.
Lee Judson’s work is about neurodiversity, communication, onboarding, management, and workplace productivity. Her research points to a striking business case: companies with neurodiverse teams can see 30% more productivity and higher ROI.
In this episode… Lee e
Your Employees’ Money Problems Follow Them to Work. Kyle Has a Fix | SHRM '26
Financial stress doesn’t clock out when employees walk into the office. It follows them in, drains their focus, and can keep them from bringing their whole self to work.
Kashable is tackling that problem by combining low-cost credit, financial coaching, budgeting, and financial wellness into an employee benefit. The bigger idea is simple: give people both a safety net for emergencies and the educ
HR Is Running on Empty. John Says It’s Time to Refuel | SHRM '26
You can’t keep pouring into everyone else when your own tank is empty. John Bernatovicz gets blunt about burnout, self-care, emotional safety, and what it really means to transform how people feel at work.
For HR professionals, “How are you doing?” should mean more than “I’m good, bro.” This conversation gets into authenticity, productive safety, listening without trying to fix everything, and cr
AI Isn’t Just a Tool Anymore. Joey Thinks It’s Becoming Your Coworker | SHRM ‘26
HR has moved past asking, “What is AI?” Now the question is, “What problem can it actually solve?” Joey Price sees the conversation shifting from AI hype to real use cases, smarter questions, and technology that can produce meaningful work.
AI coworkers, AI agents, digital employees, HR tech, workforce transformation. The bigger shift is how we think about the technology itself. When AI can hold
Your Employees Are Burning Out. Jocelyn says HR Needs to Start Listening | SHRM '26
Companies keep asking employees to do more with less, then wonder why engagement drops. Jocelyn King says burnout isn't just about workload. It's what happens when people become overwhelmed, disengage, and eventually decide they're done.
Burnout, employee engagement, listening strategies, remote work, employee experience, workplace culture. The challenge is understanding what employees are actual
HR Is an Impossible Job. Jennifer Says That's Exactly Why It Matters | SHRM ‘26
HR doesn't have a finish line. Employees change, work changes, technology changes, and expectations keep moving. Jennifer McClure argues that HR isn't supposed to "solve" the workplace once and walk away. The job is to keep adapting, keep learning, and help people thrive.
Agility, AI, people strategy, employee experience, leadership, workforce transformation. Jennifer sees HR as one of the most i
HR Just Got a Lot More High-Tech. Jan Mack Tells Us What Comes Next | SHRM '26
For 1,500 employees, payroll used to take Community Living Concepts three weeks. Today, it takes 48 hours. Jan Mack says the bigger win isn't just speed. It's giving HR teams their time back so they can focus on people instead of paperwork.
AI, employee engagement, payroll, learning, compliance, workforce capital management. Jan's experience shows what happens when HR technology stops being back-
Your HR Data Is Worth More Than You Think. Gabe Explains Why | SHRM '26
=Companies spend years collecting payroll and HR data, then throw it away when they switch systems. Gabe Bell says that's a mistake. The history sitting in those old systems can matter for compliance, acquisitions, reporting, and the AI tools companies want to use tomorrow.
HR data, payroll history, compliance, AI, acquisitions, data migration. The problem isn't just storing old records. It's kee
HR Is Getting Its Own AI Coworkers. Erin Tells Us What's Next | SHRM ‘26
AI in HR is moving past chatbots and prompts. iSolved is putting AI directly into employee workflows, letting people check PTO, request time off, access payroll information, and eventually interact with benefits and other HR data without navigating another system.
AI coworkers, HR technology, employee self-service, Claude, payroll, workforce management. The bigger shift is that AI is becoming par
From Zero Experience to Executive Search Mastery | SHRM '26
How strategic human capital education transforms transactional recruiting into strategic talent advisory.
Executive recruiting used to be purely transactional, focusing only on base salaries and signing bonuses. Today, top-tier candidates demand deep insight into company culture, work flexibility, and employer branding before making a move. Succeeding in modern executive search requires moving pa
HR Compliance Is Too Reactive. Carla Tells Us How to Get Ahead | SHRM '26
HR teams are constantly reacting to new regulations, executive orders, and state-level changes. Carla Pittman says that's the problem. Compliance can't be something HR remembers when a deadline is approaching. It needs to be built into everyday operations, with systems that help organizations spot risk before it becomes a problem.
AI, HR compliance, regulatory uncertainty, risk management, workfo
Your Frontline Is Texting, But Are You Listening? | SHRM '26
Why app downloads and email announcements fail deskless workers. Deskless workers represent the majority of the global workforce, yet corporate HR continuously tries to force them onto portals, company emails, and mobile apps they refuse to download.
When engagement relies on teaching new digital habits to drivers, factory workers, and site crews, participation collapses. True alignment requires
Payday Loans Aren’t the Only Option. Bryan Explains What’s Changing. | SHRM '26
Living paycheck to paycheck isn't just a low-income problem. Bryan Thomas explains why earned wage access is becoming a serious employee benefit, giving workers access to money they've already earned without having to wait for payday or turn to a payday loan.
Earned wage access, financial wellness, employee benefits, recruiting, hourly workers, retention. What started mainly with hourly workers i
HR Storytelling Is Changing. Audrey Tells Us What Comes Next | SHRM'26
HR has no shortage of stories. The problem is making people care about them. Audrey Surette says the best HR storytelling starts by stripping away the jargon and finding the human story people can actually relate to.
AI, storytelling, HR tech, communications, AI agents, workforce trends. As AI moves from experimentation toward real adoption, the next wave of HR stories may be less about what the
HR Is Drowning in Admin. Amy Shows Us What AI Can Take Off Its Plate | SHRM '26
HR didn't get into the business to chase W-2s, answer repetitive policy questions, check payroll reports, or coordinate endless onboarding tasks. Amy Miller thinks AI can finally give HR some of its time back. The goal isn't replacing HR. It's getting HR out of the paperwork and back with people.
AI agents, payroll, employee experience, benefits, compliance, onboarding. iSolved is building a se
We Talk About Mental Health at Work. So Why Doesn't Anyone Ask for Help? | SHRM '26
Most companies say they support mental health. Chad Sorenson believes that's not enough. Posters, policies, and Employee Assistance Programs don't matter if employees still don't feel safe asking for help.The biggest barrier to mental health at work isn't awareness. It's trust.
Mental health, leadership, psychological safety, EAP, workplace culture, employee well-being. This conversation ex
Stop Doing Annual Reviews: They Are Ruining Your Culture | SHRM '26
Checking boxes twice a year isn't managing performance, it's just doing a post-mortem on dead goals.
Annual performance evaluations are purely rear-view mirror paperwork that completely miss real-time execution. High-performing companies treat their mission, vision, and values as living, breathing daily drivers.
Stop looking backward and start actively managing performance through continuo
Your Next Employee Might Not Be the Person You Interviewed | SHRM '26
Hiring remotely opened the talent pool. It also opened the door to a new kind of fraud. Rob Tiernan says identity verification has become one of the biggest blind spots in hiring, with AI making it easier than ever for bad actors to slip through the cracks.
The biggest hiring risk today may not be finding talent. It may be proving who the talent really is. Identity verification, remote hiring, AI
Stop Expecting Loyalty When You Sacrifice Your People | SHRM '26
The social contract between employers and workers is broken, and real leaders need to fix it.
Workplaces are facing massive trust deficits because leadership has treated corporate loyalty as a one-way street. Employees watch companies prioritize short-term shareholder equity while executing mass layoffs as a first resort instead of a last resort.
True alignment requires feedback, clear exp
The Hidden Business Cost of Ignoring Your Leaders | SHRM '26
Turn workplace anxiety into undeniable leadership confidence.
Up to 84% of high-achievers fight an internal critic that keeps them quiet, safe, and playing small. That nagging voice isn't a medical condition—it's a protection mechanism holding back your career growth. Real leadership development isn't about buying new tech; it's about building resilience and taking control of your internal narrat
What fandom, parenting, and tech say about honesty, engagement, and modern work
Modern life feels loud, fast, and constantly online, yet people still find connection in the strangest places. This conversation moves through sports fandom, parenting, technology, and generational differences to unpack how people actually relate to each other today. From shared misery over teams we love, to how phones shape honesty and attention, to why work often feels busier but less thoughtful
How earned wage access is reshaping financial wellness, recruiting, and retention
Payday used to be a fixed point. Now it’s a pressure point. As more employees live paycheck to paycheck, access to earned wages has become less about convenience and more about survival. This conversation digs into why financial stress shows up at work, how payroll and benefits are evolving to meet that reality, and why employers can no longer ignore the role money plays in engagement, performance
Why Selling Cars Is Harder Than Ever and Why Most People Wash Out
Automotive sales looks simple from the outside. It isn’t. Between long sales cycles, multiple stakeholders, emotional buyers, and relentless pressure, dealerships are struggling to hire, train, and retain the right people. This conversation breaks down why turnover is so high, why leadership roles are harder to fill than anyone admits, and how customer experience lives or dies with the people on t
Why HR Finally Feels Seen, Heard, and Celebrated
HR doesn’t usually get the spotlight. At isolved Connect in Philadelphia, that changed. This conversation captures what happens when HR professionals are treated like the drivers of the business, not the back office. From real customer conversations to broker dynamics to celebrating People Heroes, the episode reflects a shift in how HR is valued, supported, and invested in.
In this episode, we t
Why Local Restaurants Win or Lose on Hiring, Community, and Burritos
Local restaurants are fighting a very different battle than big brands. They’re competing for talent, attention, and loyalty in communities where relationships matter more than polish and margins are always thin. This conversation digs into how small operators think about hiring, marketing, and customer engagement, and why community connection is often the real differentiator when resources are li
How product teams balance AI ambition, customer reality, and business pressure without breaking trust with Sydney Ridge, isovled
Product development today is less about shipping features and more about orchestration. Platform teams are navigating AI integration, customer feedback, and business goals at the same time, often with competing incentives pulling in different directions. This conversation explores how modern product orgs are structured into pods, why AI adoption is harder than it looks, and what it actually takes
Why Passwords Are Dying and What That Means for Payroll, HR, and Security
Security is no longer an IT problem. It is a business problem. As companies scale globally, adopt cloud infrastructure, and rely more heavily on AI, the attack surface keeps expanding. This conversation looks at how payroll and HR platforms are evolving alongside rising cybersecurity threats, from spoofing and credential theft to the growing risks of BYOD environments. It also digs into why legacy
The Future of Human Resources with Stacy Harris and Tami Nutt
HR is shifting from support function to strategic engine, and Stacey Harris and Tami Nutt make the case clearly. They walk through how HR leaders can elevate their role by understanding how their organizations actually generate revenue, how AI is reshaping people's decisions, and why personalization matters in every HR tech interaction.
In this episode we talk about HR, AI, compliance, personaliz
Building Loyalty in the Workplace
Employee loyalty isn’t luck. It’s built. Jill Fish and Lisa Walker from Rocky Mountain Diabetes Center walk through nearly two decades of working side by side and what it takes to create a workplace people genuinely want to stay in. Their story highlights how benefits, communication, culture, and technology all shape the employee experience in ways that actually move the needle.
In this episode w
Innovating HR: The Future of Employee Management
Innovation in HR isn’t just a tech story. It’s a people story. Jan, HR director at Community Living Concepts, breaks down how nonprofits can modernize their HR practices without losing sight of their mission. From choosing the right software to empowering employees through upskilling, she shares how thoughtful technology and intentional leadership can change the trajectory of a team.
In this epis
The Evolution of Org Charts with Jacob Peña
Org charts aren’t paperwork. They’re the nervous system of the company. In this conversation, Jacob Peña breaks down how organizations finally get clarity when you stop treating org charts like a static PDF and start treating them like living data. His take hits on broken workflows, the real value of HR heroes, and why automation isn’t replacing anyone. It’s giving them their time back.
In this e
The Future of HR Tech: Insights from Yutaka Takagi
HR tech moves fast, but Yutaka Takagi has a way of grounding all the noise into what actually matters. His world sits at the intersection of customer stories, product innovation, and the real people outcomes leaders are chasing. He talks about AI as something that’s already woven into daily life, the rising demand for personalization, and the way community impact quietly shapes stronger businesses
Embracing Change in HR with Mary Kay Kirgis, Guttenberg Municipal Hospitals and Clinics
Employee engagement in a rural hospital isn’t theory. It’s personal. In this conversation, Mary Kay Kirgis talks through twelve years of building trust, navigating staffing shortages, and keeping a small healthcare system moving when everyone wears multiple hats. Her lens is grounded, human, and honest about the work. Change isn’t optional. It’s the job.
In this episode we talk about HR, employee
How Small Wins Shape Real Leadership with Amy Mosher, Chief People Officer at isolved
Some leaders grow companies by accident. Others do it with intention. Amy Moser is the second kind. As Chief People Officer at isolved, she sits in the middle of growth, culture, and technology and sees how every small adjustment ripples through an organization. Her take on leadership is hands-on and human. She talks about mentorship without the ceremony, technology without the buzzwords, and care
Unlocking Financial Freedom: The Power of Earned Wage Access with ZayZoon
Financial stress doesn’t stay at home when people walk into work. Jaryn and Ivan from ZayZoon dig into earned wage access as a real solution for the employees who feel that pressure the most. They break down what EWA actually is, why it matters for deskless and hourly workers, and how it’s reshaping the way companies think about benefits. Their take is grounded in what employees are actually strug
The Heart of HR: Supporting Employees in Healthcare
Community health doesn’t give you the luxury of distance. We talk about what it means to stay accessible, to carry the emotional weight of the team, and to keep a small organization moving even when everyone is stretched thin. Her world is built on trust, straight talk, and the kind of support that never fits neatly into a job description.
In this episode we talk about HR in community health, emp
Navigating Labor Law Compliance with Poster Elite with Hannah Peterson, Poster Elite
Compliance doesn’t sound exciting until something breaks. Hannah Peterson from Poster Elite brings clarity to a topic most teams ignore until it's too late. She talks about why labor law posters matter, how fast regulations shift, and the real consequences companies face when they fall behind. Her story is grounded in the work, the culture that kept her growing inside Poster Elite, and the respons
Keeping Remote Teams Connected Across 60 Properties
Remote teams sound simple on paper until you’re the one holding it together. Aubrey Yankee lives that reality every day at Biltmore Properties, where sixty scattered housing sites across Arizona depend on her to make the work feel human. Her world is federal housing, tight margins, rotating staff, and teams that rarely see each other in person. She talks about what it takes to keep people plugged
Unlocking the Power of Prepaid Legal Services with Tom Von Jess, LegalShield
Most employees carry more legal stress than they ever admit. Tickets, landlord disputes, custody questions, identity theft scares, wills they avoid for years. None of it stays outside the workplace. Tom Von Jess breaks down why prepaid legal services matter more than most leaders think. His angle is simple. When you give people affordable access to real legal help, they show up differently. They’r
Navigating the New Talent Experience with Tara Cooper, Mercer
Summary:
The talent experience is shifting fast, and this conversation makes it real. Tara Cooper and her son Aiden walk through the gap between what employers think candidates want and what candidates actually need. Growth, honesty, clarity, and real feedback matter more than ever. The companies winning today are the ones willing to rethink how people learn, how they apply, and how they build tr
Servant leaders in sync: Ashantae Brooks and Tiana Houston on HR impact and talent moments
At the isolved booth at SHRM San Diego, William Tincup and Ryan Leary brought together two HR pros who had never met—Ashantae Brooks and Tiana Houston—and uncovered an instant connection. From their shared commitment to servant leadership to their passion for helping others thrive, the conversation quickly turned into a lively, heartfelt exchange.
Ashantae, a Bronx-born talent whisperer now shapi
Alain Hunkins and Tim Sackett explain how rituals fix culture and expose bad leadership
This episode was recorded live at SHRM from the isolved booth in San Diego. William Tincup and Ryan Leary spoke with Alain Hunkins and Tim Sackett about what culture actually looks like inside real companies. Alain explained why simple rituals can completely shift team energy without using policies or budgets. Tim pushed back on whether leaders even know how to build culture in the first place.
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Brittany Dvorak and Katie Leonard reveal how HR becomes real when people decide to show up
This episode takes place live at the isolved booth during SHRM 2025. William Tincup and Ryan Leary invite two guests who had no plan to be recorded. Brittany Dvorak and Katie Leonard join the conversation without warning. What follows feels honest. Nothing sounds rehearsed.
Brittany explains why being blunt earns trust when it comes from care. She shares how speaking up changes more than policy.
Kindness dealers and second chances: HR leaders on what it means to be a people hero
Live from isolved’s booth at SHRM 2025 in San Diego, William Tincup grabs three HR leaders just before bingo hour—and asks them what heroism in the workplace really looks like.
Trica Walters (CHRO, Tulsa), Dr. Kelly Drummond (HR Director, City of Knoxville), and Laquita Jaouani (HR Specialist, Easily Blessed Media) each bring a unique lens. They talk about the power of connection, the gift of cal
Creating structure from chaos: Seychelle Padgett, Yanick Goens, and Jessica Michniacki on HR with heart
This episode was recorded live at the isolved booth during SHRM 25 in San Diego. William Tincup sat down with Seychelle Hercules Padgett, Yanick Goens, and Jessica Michniacki. Each guest brought a different take on what it means to lead with empathy and courage in HR.
Jessica explained how she helps clients through terminations. She does the hard work with calm and compassion. Yanick shared how h
Most Leaders Don’t Build Culture - They Inherit Excuses
This episode was recorded live at SHRM from the isolved booth in San Diego. William Tincup and Ryan Leary spoke with Alain Hunkins and Tim Sackett about what culture actually looks like inside real companies. Alain explained why simple rituals can completely shift team energy without using policies or budgets. Tim pushed back on whether leaders even know how to build culture in the first place.
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Authenticity and impact shape how these HR leaders define success and leadership
This episode was recorded live at SHRM 2025 in San Diego. William Tincup sat down with D’Mar Phillips, Bill Chval, and Franz Schreiner. Each guest brought a unique lens to the idea of people leadership. They spoke with clarity. They answered without polish. They showed what real influence looks like inside a company.
D'Mar explained why strong relationships matter more than surface-level connecti
Darlene Winfield and Yira Coleman on leading with purpose, humor, and heart in HR
Recorded live from the isolved booth at SHRM 2025, this episode brings together two voices who embody what it means to be a “people hero.” Darlene Winfield and Yira Coleman join William Tincup and Ryan Leary for a heartfelt—and often hilarious—conversation about impact, purpose, and the power of showing up for others.
Yira reflects on how encouragement drives her both personally and professionall
Christine Allen and Caleb Larkin recap the SHRM crowd frenzy and isolved booth madness
Live from the isolved booth at SHRM Annual in San Diego, Christine Allen and Caleb Larkin join William Tincup and Ryan Leary to wrap the event with laughs, insight, and a little chaos. This wasn’t just another tradeshow—it was a full-on activation.
Caleb breaks down how isolved’s infamous text-based bingo game drew over 400 participants—and why designer purses turned the booth into a mob scene. C
Leaders who show up: Angela Carranza and Vilma Brager on real HR courage and empathy
Live from the isolved booth at SHRM 2025 in San Diego, William Tincup and Ryan Leary sit down with two sharp, grounded HR pros who lead with both heart and action. Angela Carranza, Controller at NEOpal, and Vilma Brager, Co-founder and CEO of Insight HR Consulting, bring real stories of trust, empathy, and courageous leadership into the spotlight.
Angela talks through how auditing a forgotten PTO
Sabrina S Sakhrani on confidence, compassion, and astrology at SHRM 2025
Recorded live from the isolved booth at SHRM 2025 in San Diego, this episode brings a burst of spontaneity and soul with guest Sabrina S Sakhrani from Merch.com. What starts as a casual riff on cities, nightlife, and favorite TV shows quickly turns into a deeper conversation on transformation, empathy, and identity.
Sabrina shares how she went from painfully shy to confidently appearing live on T
Workforce planning meets real life: Tom McCarty on empowering HR with better org design tools
Tom McCarty, CEO of OrgChart, joins William Tincup and Ryan Leary live at SHRM 2025 in San Diego to talk org charts, AI fears, and why spreadsheets are failing HR. The trio digs into how HR teams can own strategic workforce decisions when given the right tools—and what happens when finance tries to go it alone. Tom shares how OrgChart helps HR visualize both present and future states of the org so
Vision, empathy, and disruption: Matt McCune and Thomas Daglis on what real people heroes do
Recorded live at the isolved booth at SHRM 2025 in San Diego, this episode features two industry voices with very different superpowers—Matt McCune and Thomas Daglis. Hosted by William Tincup and Ryan Leary, the conversation digs into the unexpected traits of true HR heroes and why it takes more than empathy to make a difference.
Matt explains how his company bet against the status quo twenty yea
Margie Rubio and Nafeesah Bashir on incivility, emotional intelligence, and the power of self-awareness
Live from the isolved booth at SHRM 2025 in San Diego, William Tincup and Ryan Leary sit down with two powerhouse voices in workplace transformation—Coach Margie Rubio and Coach Nafeesah Bashir. The vibe? Zero script, all impact. The moment they sat down, the conversation took off.
Margie and Nafeesah dig into the real roots of workplace incivility—from self-awareness gaps to emotional climate bl
Michael Bach on why inclusion works best when everyone’s part of the conversation
Live from the isolved booth at SHRM San Diego, William Tincup and Ryan Leary sit down with Michael Bach—CEO of the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion and longtime DEI data advocate. What starts as a light-hearted nod to Bach’s rainbow pocket square quickly turns into a sharp critique of performative allyship, corporate backsliding, and the real reason inclusion still meets resistance in t
Lisa Perez on HR’s hidden burden: caregiving, culture, and the future of remote leadership
Recorded live at the isolved booth at SHRM 2025 in San Diego, this episode features Lisa Perez, founder of HBL Resources and creator of National Management Training Week. She joins William Tincup and Ryan Leary for a vibrant conversation on what HR leaders need to hear—but often overlook.
Lisa breaks down the rising workplace crisis no one talks about—employee caregiving—and why it’s HR’s respons
Latisha Hurdle and Heidi Barnett on empathy, hiring and the human side of leadership
This live episode from the isolved booth at SHRM 2025 brings real talk and big energy. Hosts William Tincup and Ryan Leary sit down with two powerhouse women in HR—Latisha Hurdle of Rivers Casino and Heidi Barnett of Utah-based operations—to unpack what it really means to lead with heart.
Latisha shares how she helps frontline talent rise through the ranks with empathy and structure, revealing ho
Jennifer Conway on California compliance, AI fear, and why HR needs warmth and clarity
This live conversation from the SHRM floor in San Diego features Jennifer Conway of Coastal Payroll—an isolved partner who brings boots-on-the-ground insight into what’s keeping HR leaders up at night.
She joins William Tincup and Ryan Leary to unpack the big three: compliance risk, the slow-but-steady rise of AI, and what makes someone a true people hero. Jennifer shares why California remains g
Brock Arnold and Rita Kusi on defining people heroes and building purpose from hardship
Live from the isolved booth at SHRM in San Diego, William Tincup and Ryan Leary sit down with two guests who’ve never met—but leave with a shared outlook on HR leadership, family, and purpose. Brock Arnold and Rita Kusi bring two powerful, personal takes on what it means to be a “people hero”—and how life, work, and service intersect when you’re truly committed to others.
Rita shares how she left
Global Workforce, Local Trust: Barry Flanagan and Steve McWright on Payroll Visibility, Compliance Risks, and Leading with Empathy
Live from isolved Connect in Charlotte, William Tincup and Ryan Leary sit down with Barry Flanagan and Steve McWright to dissect the mess of managing global payroll—and the unexpected consequences of getting it wrong.
From pouring the perfect pint of Guinness to navigating compliance chaos in Poland and Argentina, this episode blends humor with hard truths. Barry and Steve share how hidden jurisd
From Filing Cabinets to Frontline Advocacy: Paige La Fever on Community, Customers, and Culture at isolved
What do a basement full of paper records, a ferry ride to work, and a thriving customer advisory board have in common? They're all part of the story behind isolved’s “people heroes” movement.
Live from isolved Connect in Charlotte, Ryan Leary and William Tincup sit down with Paige La Fever, Director of Community Relations at isolved, to unpack how HR tech companies can build real trust—not just t
Beyond the Bank: Art Kimball on Financial Access, Earned Wage Ethics, and Getting Paid Your Way
What do Walmart cash pickups, DoorDash paychecks, and AI-powered wage access have in common? A future where your job doesn’t need a bank to pay you.
Live from isolved Connect in Charlotte, William Tincup and Ryan Leary sit down with Art Kimball from Green Dot’s rapid! division to explore the evolving world of pay distribution and why traditional payroll systems are failing today’s workforce.
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Power, Perception, and Payroll: Stacey Harris on Bias, Budget Battles, and the Future of HR Tech
Live from isolved Connect in Charlotte, Ryan Leary and William Tincup sit down with industry analyst and keynote speaker Stacey Harris for a candid conversation that starts with leveling up HR—and doesn’t let up.
From who really controls HR tech budgets (hint: not always HR) to why women in HR leadership still need more data to be trusted, this episode breaks down the hidden dynamics shaping the
Inside Payroll Fraud: Steve Lenderman on Synthetic Identities, Insider Risks, and the Battle for Trust
Forget fire drills—most HR leaders don’t even know the building’s on fire.
Live from isolved Connect in Charlotte, William Tincup and Ryan Leary sit down with Steve Lenderman, Head of Fraud Prevention at isolved, for a sobering look inside the underbelly of payroll fraud—and what most vendors aren’t telling you.
From synthetic identities and device biometrics to dark web marketplaces and machine
Champagne, Change, and the CPO's Playbook: Amy Amy Mosher and Celia Fleischaker on HR’s Real AI Shift
Live from isolved Connect in Charlotte, William Tincup and Ryan Leary finally catch up with Amy Mosher (Chief People Officer) and Celia Fleischaker (Chief Marketing Officer) after a few tech hurdles and plenty of banter.
This conversation blends HR leadership with real-time transformation, as Amy and Celia break down what HR teams are actually dealing with—beyond the buzzwords. They dive into the
From Teller to Talent: Carli on Climbing the HR Ladder and the Power of Doing the Hard Thing First
What do RBF, flight anxiety, and bilingual recruiting have in common? For Carli, they’re just part of the ride.
Live from isolved Connect in Charlotte, Ryan Leary and William Tincup sit down with Carli—former bank teller turned talent acquisition pro—for a fast-moving conversation on growth, grit, and giving candidates the truth.
She shares how internal mobility and hands-on training set her up
