Brave New Workforce

Rebecca Weaver is the Founder & CEO of HRuprise, a new platform that connects people with HR coaches to help navigate their toughest workplace challenges. In this week’s episode, Rebecca shares what prevents HR from being an effective employee advocate, what’s contributing to the lack of trust in HR, and what does real disruption look like for the new world of HR and work.
Key Takeaways
What’s missing in the HR conversations?
When there’s a problem, HR is not your friend. As someone in HR, Rebecca agreed.
What do you do when you see someone being harassed? How can you be an ally without being thrown under the bus?
Rebecca shares a little bit about what HRuprise is all about.
There is a huge mistrust in HR. Seventy percent of employees don’t trust HR.
We’ve gotten so mixed up in the role of HR.
Anna left a company because she got sexually harassed and no one, especially HR, took her seriously.
A lot of people feel burned by HR.
It’s a huge conflict of interest to expect the same person to investigate descrimination and career development conversations.
Fifty percent of women of color said they planned to leave the workforce in the next two years because of microaggressions that aren’t so “micro.”
When it comes to professional development, companies are so eager to develop their executive leaders (mostly because it’s so expensive), but they do not do the same for their managers and other talent.
There is a big lack of education and communication on how to escalate problems within an organization.
Harassment increased when the pandemic happened. How come?
Women and men get judged differently in their performance reviews, even when they’re both doing the same actions. This is even more so with women of color.
Intent vs. impact of your words. Rebecca shares some examples of how this is different.
It takes a lot of courage to tell someone you’re offended and it takes a really high EQ person to listen to that feedback and adjust accordingly.
Anna says that it never made sense for her to speak out when people were being rude or offensive because she didn’t want it impacting her work.
There are so many reasons to not speak up than there is to speak up.
Need someone in your corner? HRUprise can help.
Resources
Thebraveworkforce.com (http://thebraveworkforce.com/)
Bravenewcompanies.com (http://bravenewcompanies.com/)
Email Anna: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
HRuprise.com (https://www.hruprise.com/)
HRuprise on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hruprise/) Special Guest: Rebecca Weaver.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bravenewworkforce.substack.com

Dr. Julie Albright is a Sociologist specializing in digital culture and communications. Dr. Julie is currently a Lecturer in the departments of Applied Psychology and Engineering at USC, where she teaches Master’s-level courses on the Psychology of Interactive Technologies and Sustainable Infrastructure. Dr. Julie is also the author of Left to Their Own Devices, which discusses how the digital transformation is impacting our economy. Dr. Julie returns in this second episode to finish her discussion on AI and ethics, upskilling workers, and more.
Key Takeaways
If we want to reimagine the city, we have to reconnect with green spaces, the arts, and more.
There are two camps when it comes to AI: How do we replace people? vs. How do we elevate and leverage these tools?
There’s a lack of boundaries that’s happening right now.
What is our ethical responsibility to upskill workers?
You can’t throw money at the problem.
You need to have purpose. Dr. Julie has seen rich kids who have everything be completely bored out of their minds with nothing to do.
Are the high depression and anxiety rates related to the lack of purpose and connection our society has?
Anna believes our youth under 30 have such a sense of hopelessness because nothing they’re doing is moving the needle.
How would a new society look like if we were to begin to redesign it?
Where are the new jobs headed? And how do we connect the dots for the people who are in job despair?
Trip’s biggest frustration as a teacher was that we weren’t rethinking how we’re teaching.
A huge portion of Millennials wants to be bloggers and YouTube and only about 3% is successfully making it.
You’ll know when Larry’s made it because he’ll throw his phone into the ocean and never be on social media again.
Dr. Julie is also in the process of writing a new book!
Resources
Thebraveworkforce.com (http://thebraveworkforce.com/)
Bravenewcompanies.com (http://bravenewcompanies.com/)
Email Anna: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
Drjuliealbright.com (http://www.drjuliealbright.com/)
Left to Their Own Devices: How Digital Natives Are Reshaping the American Dream, by Julie M. Albright (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BD2N2P4/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1)
Special Guest: Dr. Julie M. Albright.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bravenewworkforce.substack.com

Dr. Julie Albright is a Sociologist specializing in digital culture and communications. Dr. Julie is currently a Lecturer in the departments of Applied Psychology and Engineering at USC, where she teaches Master’s-level courses on the Psychology of Interactive Technologies and Sustainable Infrastructure. Dr. Julie is also the author of Left to Their Own Device, which discusses how the digital transformation is impacting our economy. This is part one out of a two-part series with Dr. Julie!
Key Takeaways
Students are experiencing high levels of anxiety and depression — the highest rates in 30 years. What’s going on?
Our younger generation is unhooking from social structures like family, church, clubs, etc. They are now hyper-attached to digital technology.
We are becoming untethered.
The pandemic turned our use of technology into a “must-have” and this has accelerated the mental health decline.
Anna is making new connections online but is having a hard time following up with them and strengthening these connections.
People are going back to who they know because it’s tried and true.
How do we create casual moments in a digital format that builds trust?
We’ve got old monkey brains with new technology.
Millennials are the most likely cohort to see themselves as a citizen of the world.
48% of Millennials are freelancing, which can cut them loose from physical workplaces.
Technology is truly amazing. On TikTok, Dr. Julie has been introduced to an African man showing his tribe, what he eats, and his family.
We are seeing an outflow of cites on a worldwide scale. It’s not just happening in the U.S.
If we had to start all over, what would life be like?
Technology is there to make our lives fun and helpful, but it’s not the whole picture.
Stay tuned to next week’s episode with Dr. Julie!
Resources
Thebraveworkforce.com (http://thebraveworkforce.com/)
Bravenewcompanies.com (http://bravenewcompanies.com/)
Email Anna: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
Drjuliealbright.com (http://www.drjuliealbright.com/)
Left to Their Own Devices: How Digital Natives Are Reshaping the American Dream, by Julie M. Albright (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BD2N2P4/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1)
Special Guest: Dr. Julie M. Albright.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bravenewworkforce.substack.com

Terri Rodriguez-Hong is a Silicon Valley-based product designer and specializes in accessibility. Through her own learning challenges, it’s become Terri’s mission to provide more options for the way we learn/interact with everyday products. In this episode, Terri dives into how we need to be thinking about accessibility and what challenges people face when they’re physically disabled or when our brains are just wired a bit differently.
Key Takeaways
Larry’s missing in action. The audacity.
We have his replacement though, Terri!
How does Terri define “accessibility”?
What is neurodiversity?
People who are autistic, have ADHD, or even those with dyslexia are often ignored when it comes to how they interact with tech.
Brains work differently and there are a lot of hidden disabilities out there.
Terri struggled in a variety of ways when it came to learning new technologies.
Schools are designed to teach in the middle, but what about the guys on either end of the spectrum?
Terri shares her experience with people undermining her because of her different learning methods/techniques.
As anybody that learns differently, you have to constantly educate those around you that you need extra resources/help.
Anna discovered on a recent podcast show that there are people out there who don’t know how to take notes.
Trip admits he doesn’t know how to take notes. Anna has questions.
Trip believes there’s a psychological advantage to his dyslexia.
It is estimated that around 15-20% of the population has dyslexia, but only 8-10% of those get help in school.
Terri knows she’s not a strong writer, so she has used technology to help her adapt.
Terri shares the types of resources she’s dependent on to make sure she can accurately get the job done.
Terri shares some of her pandemic hacks.
Due to Trip’s dyslexia, he has a hard time with passwords.
We are not adapting our education to the individual’s unique learning style.
Resources
Thebraveworkforce.com (http://thebraveworkforce.com/)
Bravenewcompanies.com (http://bravenewcompanies.com/)
Email Anna: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
Terrirodriguezhong.com (https://www.terrirodriguezhong.com/) Special Guest: Terri Rodriguez-Hong.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bravenewworkforce.substack.com

Trip, Anna, and Larry are back with a “solo” episode to discuss what they're hopeful for in the new year and where they see this podcast going for 2021. People are excited and they want to move where they’re treated best. It’s no longer a pipedream, so how can you get ahead of the curve before places like Austin and Miami become the next Silicon Valley?
Key Takeaways
The positives of 2021! Larry shares why he’s hopeful.
People are hopeful! They can relocate and it’s no longer a pipedream.
Majors are smart and they’re opening their arms up to the possibilities of new transplants.
What’s the “new” in the Brave New Workforce?
Anna recaps what last year’s theme was.
Okay, “what’s next”? Let’s think proactively.
Shoutout to our amazing editor — Albie!
Some of our January episodes have already been released. Go back and check them out!
Your co-hosts are interested in getting some crypto guys on the podcast plus more future-of-education talks and other resources.
Trip and his wife are struggling with online education.
Who’s getting it right in our current environment? Larry weighs in.
Everyone is moving to Austin, Texas.
Are you in government? It’s time to step up fast or you’ll be outbid.
Elon’s moving but what’s happening with The Boring Company?
How will politicians and municipalities make their city the “no duh” choice when it comes to people who are ready to vote with their feet?
“Must be nice to be a knowledge worker.” What about the blue collared guy? Relocation is in your cards too!
The time is now to move quickly.
Google employees have now formed a union. This is the first time this has happened in tech.
When you hire people in different states, questions are being asked on unemployment and IP laws. No one knows exactly how this is all going to work.
We are seeing a lot more empowerment of the employee.
Is Larry going to be relocating to Florida?
What’s so appealing about Miami right now?
Why are you waiting till retirement to live the life that you want to live?
Ask bigger questions for what you want out of your career, out of life, and out of your environment.
Interested in being on the show? Let us know. Let’s talk.
Resources
Thebraveworkforce.com (http://thebraveworkforce.com/)
Bravenewcompanies.com (http://bravenewcompanies.com/)
Email Anna: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bravenewworkforce.substack.com

Jennifer Lachs is the Owner of Digital Nomad Girls, a platform she started over five years ago when there weren’t a lot of resources for women who were interested in traveling the world and making a location-independent living. Jenny shares an important lesson about happiness-chasing and how switching from your nine-to-five job for that exotic Bali destination doesn’t cure or fix you. When we are trying to strive for more, more, more, then the question remains, when will it end? Jenny has personally seen more digital nomads getting burned out than ever before. Don’t lose perspective on what’s truly important.
Key Takeaways
Trip finally has his standing desk set up! Success!
Jennifer Lachs is today’s amazing guest! She is the owner of Digital Nomad Girls.
A little bit about Jenny and how she got started on her nomadic journey.
Five years ago, there wasn’t a lot of information out there about working remotely or living abroad.
Making the leap into something new can be intimidating and we might overcomplicate things when the solutions are really quite simple.
In 2020, the barriers have changed. The world has opened up.
Jenny thinks it comes down to how risk-averse people are.
Jenny jokes that making this leap into being a digital nomad was easy because she was always a broke college student. She didn’t expect to make a ton of money, she just wanted to survive and travel.
In the very beginning, Jenny’s goal was just to make $1,000 a month so she could see more of Southeast Asia.
People overestimate how much it actually costs to live abroad.
Because of the pandemic, Jenny and her boyfriend have set up a home base in the UK, and WOW! Talk about expensive!
Money doesn’t always make you free.
Jenny shares what it’s like traveling with her partner of 10 years.
Jenny sees some downfalls when you’re trying to start this digital lifestyle.
Not happy with your nine-to-five? Becoming a nomad might not fix that underlying unhappiness.
How is Jenny’s quality of life different now that she’s in the UK for the foreseeable future?
Sometimes the best moments in life are accidental, not planned, and it causes you to re-think new outcomes.
If you’re looking to leave a job or leave your old life behind, don’t run away from something; run towards something instead.
What is the reality of a typical “digital nomad”? Don’t let Instagram fool you.
Jenny became jaded at certain points in her travels where she was not excited to be in a new country or a new place.
In the United States, there is a huge cultural pressure for achieving wealth, but is that true for other cultures?
Jenny shares how her road to finding what makes her happy took a lot of experimentation.
The message now is you need to make seven figures or eight figures in your online business. Since when has that been the goal?
Working more and more is not the goal. It’s taking a step back and going, okay, what do I want? What are our values? What’s important?
What have been the hardest things to adjust to as a digital nomad?
How does a digital nomad make long-lasting friendships when they’re always on the go?
Resources
Thebraveworkforce.com (http://thebraveworkforce.com/)
Bravenewcompanies.com (http://bravenewcompanies.com/)
Email Anna: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
Digital Nomad Girls Facebook Community (https://www.facebook.com/groups/DigitalNomadGirls)
Digitalnomadgirls.com (https://digitalnomadgirls.com/)
Your Money or Your Life: 9 Steps to Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence, by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez (https://yourmoneyoryourlife.com/book/)

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bravenewworkforce.substack.com

Dr. Geci Karuri-Sebina is part of the SingularityU South Africa faculty and has a focus on urban futures, which includes smart cities, networks, urban planning, governance, and development, as well as innovation systems. She has a Master’s degree in Architecture, Urban Design, and Urban Planning as well as a Ph.D. in Planning and Innovation Studies. Dr. Geci shares with us the development of cities, where it’s all headed, and how we need to be thinking differently when it comes to urban planning and the environment that we live in.
Key Takeaways
A little bit about Dr. Geci and her background in urban futures and urban planning.
Dr.Geci shares a bit of history on how cities are developed.
Is it possible to interact in your city without producing pollution?
When the electricity goes out, people can’t pump gas. The whole city collapses when there is no power. There must be a better way.
Where is the future of city supply chain headed?
Many of us are vulnerable in our cities without realizing it.
Dr. Geci shares some of the challenges cities are facing when trying to tap into a solar-powered grid.
The challenge is not in generating energy, the challenge is in storing the excess energy.
Dr. Geci talks about the implementation of blockchain or other technologies and how it’ll impact our cities.
Each country has a different economy or way of interacting/trading. Trip shares an example.
In rural communities, banks will loan money to trusted members of the community or people who will vouch for a person. The payback rates were higher than any other method the bank was using prior.
Dr. Geci shares how we’re not thinking “big enough” when it comes to blockchain. We’re still trying to put new technologies into broken and inefficient systems. We need to completely rethink the way we’ve been using these things.
Dr. Geci knows there are good things coming out in the blockchain space, but still hasn’t seen it implemented on a large scale for the problems we currently have.
As people are leaving cities and a lot of commercial spaces are sitting vacant, what will all of this turn into 10–15 years from now?
Things are not looking good for a lot of people. There is an increase in crime because people are hungry.
Dr. Geci shares examples of countries that are building their cities with intentionality.
People love to plan their cities in a very textbook kind of way, but the reality of how we interact with a city is very different. Who are you planning for if a majority of the population doesn’t think this way?
There isn’t always a clear-cut answer. It takes time to find the right balance.
Cities that mimic other cities are missing out on a big opportunity to develop an environment that matches the culture’s context.
Airports are the perfect example of this. Why does each airport look the same?
In Dr. Geci’s line of work, where does she encounter the most resistance?
Dr. Geci wants to encourage people to experiment. City planning is difficult and not one person has the answer to all of its complexities. It’s important to band together and experiment, try new things, and find what works in the culture’s context.
Resources
Thebraveworkforce.com (http://thebraveworkforce.com/)
Bravenewcompanies.com (http://bravenewcompanies.com/)
Email Anna: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
Dr. Geci Singularity Faculty Bio (https://su.org/about/faculty/geci-karuri-sebina/) https://su.org/about/faculty/geci-karuri-sebina/
Dr. Geci on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gecik/detail/recent-activity/posts/) https://www.linkedin.com/in/gecik/detail/recent-activity/posts/
Video: What investment opportunities lie in the cities of the future? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cILZJwDPWgA&t=615s) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cILZJwDPWgA&t=615s
Special Guest: Dr. Geci Karuri-Sebina.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bravenewworkforce.substack.com

Ryan Kuder is the Managing Director for Techstars Anywhere, an investment and innovation group that connects entrepreneurs, investors, corporations, and city governments to solve challenges across industries and geographies. Their 13-week virtual and in-person accelerator program opens six times a year and Ryan dives into how they embrace and collaborate with a distributed workforce in this week’s episode.
Key Takeaways
A little bit about Ryan and what he does at Techstars
Techstars was ahead of the curve when it came to cultivating remote talent.
You are missing out on opportunities if you only work in your backyard.
A company needs to find what works best for itself. Sometimes that means having a remote team vs. an on-site team.
When you no longer have to work in an office, the types of relationships we develop will be different, how we interact with our city will also be different.
What types of startups does Ryan look for?
There’s still a lot of value that comes from an in-person interaction, but we can leverage technology to do this without zoom fatigue.
Ryan breaks down how their accelerator program works and how startups can build a work bond while being distributed.
What kind of work/life trends is Ryan seeing currently?
Has Ryan noticed a difference in the people who are thriving in this new world vs. those who aren’t?
What types of characteristics does Ryan look for in their startup founders?
There have been some concerns about how companies are coming in and changing the local culture. Ryan shares his thoughts.
The global economy will change, but to what extent? We don’t know yet.
Great entrepreneurs are able to embrace the unknown, read the environment, and adapt to it.
How does Ryan avoid selection bias in his founders?
What is Ryan’s follow-up process with the founders after the 13-week accelerator program has ended?
Ryan’s advice: Understand your strengths, your weaknesses, and get really, really good at asking for help.
Resources
Thebraveworkforce.com (http://thebraveworkforce.com/)
Bravenewcompanies.com (Bravenewcompanies.com)
Email Anna: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
Techstars.com (https://www.techstars.com/)
Ryan on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryankuder/)
Ryan on Twitter (https://twitter.com/ryankuder?lang=en) Special Guest: Ryan Kuder.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bravenewworkforce.substack.com

Amina Moreau is a powerhouse of productivity. She runs several businesses including a film production company, a storytelling consulting firm, a music licensing company, and most recently Radious, which is like an Airbnb specifically for office space. She is also an avid tennis player and competes in competitions regularly. Amina shares why office space needs to have a fresh look and how her company plans to address the problems modern business people are currently facing.
Key Takeaways
Trip is reporting from a closet. He’s in a new house and his standing desk hasn’t arrived.
Amina loves storytelling, psychology, and ethical persuasion.
Although storytelling follows you wherever you go, no matter the project, Amina is finding a new space to break into and that’s office space.
What’s so exciting about office space?
Airbnb is often a bit overkill for a couple of founders looking to cowork together.
The shared office spaces right now don’t feel very safe.
Radious takes a different approach to office space.
Office space concepts are outdated and do not reflect the times we’re in. Long leases? Nah.
Is Radious competing with Airbnb? And, how are they different from a coworking space?
How does Amina maintain quality in their workstations and spaces with their hosts?
Do hosts have the right to say no to certain businesses?
Amina shares her vision for the future of work and what we can expect in the coming years ahead.
Are you a student that would like to learn about audio production, digital media, and more? Email Anna.
Resources
Thebraveworkforce.com (http://thebraveworkforce.com/)
Bravenewcompanies.com (http://bravenewcompanies.com/)
Email Anna: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
Radious.pro (https://aminamoreau.com/)
Amina on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amina-moreau-78142b72)
Chris Herd on Twitter (https://twitter.com/chris_herd?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor) Special Guest: Amina Moreau.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bravenewworkforce.substack.com

In this episode, your three co-hosts share what they’re grateful for and what they’re hopeful for in the new year. They are also going to be taking a two-week break during this holiday season, but don’t worry! They already have some great guests lined up for the new year. Everything from a digital nomad to an urban planner to a new and improved way people can co-work together. Thank you for listening and please leave us a review if you like what you heard on today’s show.
Key Takeaways
What are Trip, Anna, and Larry grateful for this year?
A vaccine is out! Things are looking pretty promising.
Trip is excited to get back to the “normal” fear.
Over 80% of people don’t want to go back to the way things were.
Trip was able to have dinner with his wife and kids. This is something he could have never done before!
Jerry Seinfeld talks a lot about creating longevity in your career.
What do success in life and your career look like? How do you go about finding these answers?
This pandemic has helped us refocus our priorities on relationships and the important people in our lives.
Success is about freedom and owning your time. However, there is a balance. If you have too little money, you don’t have freedom. And if you have too much money, you become trapped and lose your freedom.
How do you escape the rat race while still doing something meaningful with your life?
Larry knows people who would love to teach a class or speak on stage, and their employers say, “NO.” Yes, you make good money, but how free are you?
It doesn’t take as much money as you think it does to achieve comfort and freedom.
Anna catches Trip texting during the podcast. Sneaky sneaky!
When Anna started on this path to freedom 15 years ago, people thought she was crazy and the journey to achieve this vision was very lonely.
15 years ago, Trip was happy he didn’t have to wear a suit to his job in Silicon Valley.
Larry and Trip both remember the “casual Friday” days where you could wear what you wanted on a Friday.
The pandemic has brought people’s mortality into focus and it’s making people question what’s really making them happy.
Trip made the decision a few years back when he was in a horrible job to “stop being afraid.”
As we go into 2021, what makes you afraid? High-level: Stop Being Afraid. Stop pushing it off and stop waiting for permission.
People love to live in the fantasy of “what could be” and it makes people feel safe. But, why stop there? Why not make it a reality?
Keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Resources
Thebraveworkforce.com (http://thebraveworkforce.com/)
Bravenewcompanies.com (http://bravenewcompanies.com/)
Email Anna: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
Jerry Seinfeld on the Tim Ferriss Show (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNTmFORn3xQ)

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bravenewworkforce.substack.com