In this episode of Chat the Chief, Bert Bean (CEO), Steve Wasik, and Katie Hillary dig into one of the most universal challenges leaders face today: navigating economic uncertainty. From downturns to shifting market signals to AI-driven disruption, uncertainty is everywhere but the great leaders are the ones who move toward it, not away from it. Bert, Steve, and Katie unpack how to recognize the early signs of economic change, how leaders should respond, which fundamentals never change, and how bold action creates opportunity even in downturns. You’ll walk away with a practical, battle-tested playbook for navigating uncertain times — for yourself, your team, and your business.

What You’ll Learn:

About the Podcast:

Chat the Chief is your microdose of leadership and culture — straight from a CEO navigating one of the fastest‑changing markets today. Bert Bean became CEO of Insight Global after starting as an entry‑level recruiter over 20 years ago. Now he’s giving listeners an unfiltered look into decision-making, purpose, resilience, and modern leadership. Alongside Culture Expert Steve Wasik and Sales Chief of Staff Katie Hillary, the trio explores the principles that make teams thrive and companies grow — no fluff, no sugarcoating, just real talk from real leaders.

About the Hosts:

Bert Bean joined Insight Global in 2005 as a recruiter and became CEO in 2018. Under his leadership, the company has doubled in revenue and expanded to 70+ offices worldwide. Bert is passionate about culture, growth, and empowering people personally, professionally, and financially.

Steve Wasik is VP of Talent Services within Insight Global’s Evergreen division and founder of Compass, IG’s culture + performance consulting team. He works with Fortune 500 leaders to build cultures that take great care of people and deliver exceptional results.

Katie Hillary is Chief of Staff in the Sales & Revenue organization at Insight Global. A former standout sales executive, she specializes in building systems that accelerate development, growth, and long-term success for individuals and the broader business.

📩 Have a question for Bert? Send it to [email protected] — it might be featured in the next episode!

In this feel-good episode of Chat the Chief, Bert Bean (CEO), Steve Wasik, and Katie Hillary unpack one of the most powerful drivers of workplace culture: recognition. Why does praise matter so much? How does it impact performance, belonging, and even brain chemistry? We explore the art and science behind recognition and share practical leadership tips for giving authentic praise that sticks.

What You’ll Learn:

Why recognition is foundational to culture and performance

Public vs. private praise: which matters more?

The neuroscience of praise (dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, endorphins)

How to give authentic, specific recognition

Why systems like awards matter—but spontaneous moments matter more

Key Moments:

00:00 Intro

01:00 The foundation of culture

05:00 Public vs. private praise

10:00 The science behind recognition

19:00 Praise vs. monetary rewards

24:00 How to give authentic praise

30:00 Titan

39:00 Bert's Spotify Wrapped

44:00 Looking ahead to 2026

About the Podcast:

Chat the Chief is your microdose of workplace culture and leadership insights—straight from a CEO of a multi-billion-dollar global company. Bert Bean worked his way up to CEO after first joining staffing and professional services company, Insight Global, over 20 years ago as an entry-level recruiter. Now, he’s pulling back the curtain for a raw and unfiltered peek into how Insight Global operates and his take on purpose, resiliency, and the future of work. Joining him are Culture Expert Steve Wasik and Sales Chief of Staff Katie Hillary as they dig into the principles that make companies thrive. No fluff. No sugarcoating. Just real conversations from real leaders, reshaping the way we think about work.

About the Hosts:

Bert Bean started as a recruiter at Insight Global in 2005 and became CEO in 2018. Under his leadership, the company has doubled revenue, expanding to 70+ offices worldwide. Passionate about culture, leadership, and growth, Bert drives Insight Global’s mission to empower people personally, professionally, and financially.

Steve Wasik is VP of Talent Services within Insight Global’s professional services division, Evergreen. In 2020, he launched Compass, now the division’s culture and performance consulting team. He consults with leaders across the Fortune 500 on how to build cultures that take great care of people and get great business results.

Katie Hillary serves as Chief of Staff in the Sales and Revenue office at Insight Global. Her success as a sales executive is driven by a deep passion for people. She builds scalable systems that accelerate business and professional development as well as revenue growth, ensuring long-term success for each individual employee and the entire company.

📩 Have a question for Bert? We want to answer it on the air! Email your questions to [email protected]

Are Gen Zs in the workplace truly “consciously unbossing,” choosing personal development over management positions and opting out of leadership? In this week’s Chat the Chief, Bert, Steve, and Katie unpack all things Gen Z in the workplace—the data, the narrative, and the reality they see inside our own walls. From the rise of individual contributors to why great leadership still wins (hello, 4:50 a.m. Starbucks patio story), we explore how purpose, development, and recognition turn “the 2%” into outliers who outperform.

About the Podcast: Chat the Chief is your microdose of workplace culture and leadership insights—straight from a CEO of a multi-billion-dollar global company. Bert Bean worked his way up to CEO after first joining staffing and professional services company, Insight Global, over 20 years ago as an entry-level recruiter. Now, he’s pulling back the curtain for a raw and unfiltered peek into how Insight Global operates and his take on purpose, resiliency, and the future of work. Joining him are Culture Expert Steve Wasik and Sales Chief of Staff Katie Hillary as they dig into the principles that make companies thrive. No fluff. No sugarcoating. Just real conversations from real leaders, reshaping the way we think about work.

About the Hosts:

Bert Bean started as a recruiter at Insight Global in 2005 and became CEO in 2018. Under his leadership, the company has doubled revenue, expanding to 70+ offices worldwide. Passionate about culture, leadership, and growth, Bert drives Insight Global’s mission to empower people personally, professionally, and financially.

Steve Wasik is the VP of Talent Services within Insight Global’s professional services division, Evergreen. In 2020, he launched Compass, now the division’s culture and performance consulting team. He consults with leaders across the Fortune 500 on how to build cultures that take great care of people and get great business results.

Katie Hillary serves as Chief of Staff in the Sales and Revenue office at Insight Global. Her success as a sales executive is driven by a deep passion for people. She builds scalable systems that accelerate business and professional development as well as revenue growth, ensuring long-term success for each individual employee and the entire company.

📩 Have a question for Bert? We want to answer it on the air! Email your questions to [email protected]

When's the last time you delivered a pitch that truly landed? What made it so successful? In this episode, Bert Bean, CEO of Insight Global, breaks down his approach to selling — whether it’s winning over a client, pitching an idea internally, or getting buy-in from the C-suite. Tune in to hear his three-step method for selling ideas, what makes him cringe in a meeting, and even his take on Taylor Swift’s new album. You don't want to miss this one! 

This episode's air date is November 11, 2025. On this Veterans Day, we want to take a moment to honor the men and women who have selflessly served our country. Thank you for your service and sacrifice.

About the Podcast:

Chat the Chief is your microdose of workplace culture and leadership insights—straight from a CEO of a multi-billion-dollar global company. Bert Bean worked his way up to CEO after first joining staffing and professional services company, Insight Global, over 20 years ago as an entry-level recruiter. Now, he’s pulling back the curtain for a raw and unfiltered peek into how Insight Global operates and his take on purpose, resiliency, and the future of work. Joining him are Culture Expert Steve Wasik and Sales Chief of Staff Katie Hillary as they dig into the principles that make companies thrive. No fluff. No sugarcoating. Just real conversations from real leaders, reshaping the way we think about work.

About the Hosts:

Bert Bean started as a recruiter at Insight Global in 2005 and became CEO in 2018. Under his leadership, the company has doubled revenue, expanding to 70+ offices worldwide. Passionate about culture, leadership, and growth, Bert drives Insight Global’s mission to empower people personally, professionally, and financially.

Steve Wasik is the VP of Talent Services within Insight Global’s professional services division, Evergreen. In 2020, he launched Compass, now the division’s culture and performance consulting team. He consults with leaders across the Fortune 500 on how to build cultures that take great care of people and get great business results. 

Katie Hillary serves as Chief of Staff in the Sales and Revenue office at Insight Global. Her success as a sales executive is driven by a deep passion for people. She builds scalable systems that accelerate business and professional development as well as revenue growth, ensuring long-term success for each individual employee and the entire company.

📩 Have a question for Bert? We want to answer it on the air! Email your questions to [email protected]

In this episode, Bert, Steve, and Katie explore the fine line between confidence and arrogance, and how leaders can navigate the tension between healthy pride and destructive ego.

This conversation unpacks the psychology behind ego, the power of humility, and the invisible motivations that shape how we show up at work and in life. From Freud to Steve Jobs, from sports heroes to corporate culture this episode is packed with insights that challenge how we think about leadership, identity, and impact.

About the Podcast: Chat the Chief is your microdose of workplace culture and leadership insights—straight from a CEO of a billion-dollar global company. Bert Bean worked his way up to CEO after first joining staffing and professional services company, Insight Global, over 20 years ago as an entry-level recruiter. Now, he’s pulling back the curtain for a raw and unfiltered peek into how Insight Global operates and his take on purpose, resiliency, and the future of work. Joining him are Culture Expert Steve Wasik and Sales Chief of Staff Katie Hillary as they dig into the principles that make companies thrive. No fluff. No sugarcoating. Just real conversations from real leaders, reshaping the way we think about work.

About the Hosts:

Bert Bean started as a recruiter at Insight Global in 2005 and became CEO in 2018. Under his leadership, the company has doubled revenue, expanding to 70+ offices worldwide. Passionate about culture, leadership, and growth, Bert drives Insight Global’s mission to empower people personally, professionally, and financially.

Steve Wasik is the VP of Talent Services within Insight Global’s professional services division, Evergreen. In 2020, he launched Compass, now the division’s culture and performance consulting team. He consults with leaders across the Fortune 500 on how to build cultures that take great care of people and get great business results. 

Katie Hillary serves as Chief of Staff in the Sales and Revenue office at Insight Global. Her success as a sales executive is driven by a deep passion for people. She builds scalable systems that accelerate business and professional development as well as revenue growth, ensuring long-term success for each individual employee and the entire company.

📩 Have a question for Bert? We want to answer it on the air! Email your questions to [email protected]

Storytelling isn’t just for books and movies—it’s one of the most powerful tools a leader has. In this episode, Bert, Steve, and Katie dive into the art of storytelling and why great leadership starts with great communication.

This conversation unpacks why stories move us, how they shape the world around us, and what it takes to truly inspire others.

Whether you lead a team of 5 or 5,000, if you want to be a better communicator, this episode is for you.

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About the Podcast: Chat the Chief is your microdose of workplace culture and leadership insights—straight from a CEO of a billion-dollar global company. Bert Bean worked his way up to CEO after first joining staffing and professional services company, Insight Global, over 20 years ago as an entry-level recruiter. Now, he’s pulling back the curtain for a raw and unfiltered peek into how Insight Global operates and his take on purpose, resiliency, and the future of work. Joining him are Culture Expert Steve Wasik and Sales Chief of Staff Katie Hillary as they dig into the principles that make companies thrive. No fluff. No sugarcoating. Just real conversations from real leaders, reshaping the way we think about work.

About the Hosts:

Bert Bean started as a recruiter at Insight Global in 2005 and became CEO in 2018. Under his leadership, the company has doubled revenue, expanding to 70+ offices worldwide. Passionate about culture, leadership, and growth, Bert drives Insight Global’s mission to empower people personally, professionally, and financially.

Steve Wasik is the VP of Talent Services within Insight Global’s professional services division, Evergreen. In 2020, he launched Compass, now the division’s culture and performance consulting team. He consults with leaders across the Fortune 500 on how to build cultures that take great care of people and get great business results.

Katie Hillary serves as Chief of Staff in the Sales and Revenue office at Insight Global. Her success as a sales executive is driven by a deep passion for people. She builds scalable systems that accelerate business and professional development as well as revenue growth, ensuring long-term success for each individual employee and the entire company.

Cracker Barrel simplified its logo and the internet lost its mind. Why? And what does the CEO of a global staffing and professional services brand have to say about it? (Spoiler: a lot.) Tune into this episode of Chat the Chief with Bert Bean, CEO of Insight Global, and Steve Wasik, culture expert and VP of Talent Services, as they hash out what went wrong and the critical importance of understanding your people and your brand.

Referenced in the Show:

➡️ Mad Men carousel scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suRDUFpsHus

➡️ Nike "Find Your Greatness" ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SwaQHkSu2E

➡️ Jocko Podcast 503: Norm "Hoot" Hooten. Blackhawk Down & a Legendary Career, Army Special Operations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uG6IQhXwRow

Have a question for Bert? We want to answer it on the air! Email your questions to [email protected]. 📩

----more----

About the Podcast: Chat the Chief is your microdose of workplace culture and leadership insights—straight from a CEO of a billion-dollar global company. Bert Bean worked his way up to CEO after first joining staffing and professional services company, Insight Global, over 20 years ago as an entry-level recruiter. Now, he’s pulling back the curtain for a raw and unfiltered peek into how Insight Global operates and his take on purpose, resiliency, and the future of work. Joining him are Culture Expert Steve Wasik and Sales Chief of Staff Katie Hillary as they dig into the principles that make companies thrive. No fluff. No sugarcoating. Just real conversations from real leaders, reshaping the way we think about work.

About the Hosts:

Bert Bean started as a recruiter at Insight Global in 2005 and became CEO in 2018. Under his leadership, the company has doubled revenue, expanding to 70+ offices worldwide. Passionate about culture, leadership, and growth, Bert drives Insight Global’s mission to empower people personally, professionally, and financially.

Steve Wasik is the VP of Talent Services within Insight Global’s professional services division, Evergreen. In 2020, he launched Compass, now the division’s culture and performance consulting team. He consults with leaders across the Fortune 500 on how to build cultures that take great care of people and get great business results.

Katie Hillary serves as Chief of Staff in the Sales and Revenue office at Insight Global. Her success as a sales executive is driven by a deep passion for people. She builds scalable systems that accelerate business and professional development as well as revenue growth, ensuring long-term success for each individual employee and the entire company.

Get to know the real meaning behind Insight Global's fifth Shared Value, "Always Know Where You Stand." People deserve to know where they stand—both in life and at work. But it's on you to own your progress and seek to know where you stand. In this episode, Bert, Katie and Steve get deep on the origin story of Always Know Where You Stand and how everyone can live this value out, whether you're a leader or not.

Chat the Chief questions Have a question for Bert? We want to answer it on the air! Email your questions to [email protected]. 📩

About the Podcast: Chat the Chief is your microdose of workplace culture and leadership insights—straight from a CEO of a billion-dollar global company. Bert Bean worked his way up to CEO after first joining staffing and professional services company, Insight Global, over 20 years ago as an entry-level recruiter. Now, he’s pulling back the curtain for a raw and unfiltered peek into how Insight Global operates and his take on purpose, resiliency, and the future of work. Joining him are Culture Expert Steve Wasik and Sales Chief of Staff Katie Hillary as they dig into the principles that make companies thrive. No fluff. No sugarcoating. Just real conversations from real leaders, reshaping the way we think about work.

About the Hosts: Bert Bean started as a recruiter at Insight Global in 2005 and became CEO in 2018. Under his leadership, the company has doubled revenue, expanding to 70+ offices worldwide. Passionate about culture, leadership, and growth, Bert drives Insight Global’s mission to empower people personally, professionally, and financially.

Steve Wasik is the VP of Talent Services within Insight Global’s professional services division, Evergreen. In 2020, he launched Compass, now the division’s culture and performance consulting team. He consults with leaders across the Fortune 500 on how to build cultures that take great care of people and get great business results.

Katie Hillary serves as Chief of Staff in the Sales and Revenue office at Insight Global. Her success as a sales executive is driven by a deep passion for people. She builds scalable systems that accelerate business and professional development as well as revenue growth, ensuring long-term success for each individual employee and the entire company.

For the first time on Chat the Chief, we’re bringing in a guest—meet Santosh Kandle! With 20+ years in the high-tech industry, Santosh is Insight Global’s go-to expert for leading digital transformations at scale. In this episode, he breaks down where AI is headed, why agentic AI is a game-changer, and how we’re already using it to create real business impact.

Santosh shares why you shouldn’t be afraid of AI—but you should be afraid of the people who understand it better than you.

About the Guest:

Santosh Kandle leads the Data, AI, and Applications Practice at Evergreen, Insight Global’s professional services division. With deep expertise in data science, machine learning, and generative AI, he helps Fortune 1000 companies drive large-scale digital transformation. Before joining Insight Global, Santosh led a multibillion-dollar telecom transformation for AT&T at Ericsson, generating over $14B in revenue. He’s known for forging strong C-suite partnerships and delivering forward-thinking tech solutions.

About the Podcast:

Chat the Chief is your microdose of workplace culture and leadership insights—straight from a CEO of a billion-dollar global company. Bert Bean worked his way up to CEO after first joining staffing and professional services company, Insight Global, over 20 years ago as an entry-level recruiter. Now, he’s pulling back the curtain for a raw and unfiltered peek into how Insight Global operates and his take on purpose, resiliency, and the future of work. Joining him are Culture Expert Steve Wasik and Sales Chief of Staff Katie Hillary as they dig into the principles that make companies thrive. No fluff. No sugarcoating. Just real conversations from real leaders, reshaping the way we think about work.

About the Hosts:

Bert Bean started as a recruiter at Insight Global in 2005 and became CEO in 2018. Under his leadership, the company has doubled revenue, expanding to 70+ offices worldwide. Passionate about culture, leadership, and growth, Bert drives Insight Global’s mission to empower people personally, professionally, and financially.

Steve Wasik is the VP of Talent Services within Insight Global’s professional services division, Evergreen. In 2020, he launched Compass, now the division’s culture and performance consulting team. He consults with leaders across the Fortune 500 on how to build cultures that take great care of people and get great business results.

Katie Hillary serves as Chief of Staff in the Sales and Revenue office at Insight Global. Her success as a sales executive is driven by a deep passion for people. She builds scalable systems that accelerate business and professional development as well as revenue growth, ensuring long-term success for each individual employee and the entire company.

Learn more about Insight Global: https://insightglobal.com/

Learn more about Compass, Insight Global's Culture and Leadership division: https://compass.insightglobal.com/

Learn more about Evergreen, Insight Global's professional services division: https://evergreen.insightglobal.com/

Looking for a career in recruiting and sales? Learn more here: https://careers.insightglobal.com/?_g....

Follow Us on Social:

/ dashboard https://www.instagram.com/insight_glo... https://www.tiktok.com/@insight_globa...

One thing about our chief? He has some obsessive tendencies. Listen in as Katie dives deeper into the obsessive minds of Bert and Steve and how they've harnessed their obsessions to succeed in their careers and in their passions outside of work. Yes...Bert talks about running again. 🏃

Have a question for Bert? We want to answer it on the air! Email your questions to [email protected]. 📩

About the Hosts: Bert Bean started as a recruiter at Insight Global in 2005 and became CEO in 2018. Under his leadership, the company has doubled revenue, expanding to 70+ offices worldwide. Passionate about culture, leadership, and growth, Bert drives Insight Global’s mission to empower people personally, professionally, and financially.

Steve Wasik is the VP of Talent Services within Insight Global’s professional services division, Evergreen. In 2020, he launched Compass, now the division’s culture and performance consulting team. He consults with leaders across the Fortune 500 on how to build cultures that take great care of people and get great business results.

Katie Hillary serves as Chief of Staff in the Sales and Revenue office at Insight Global. Her success as a sales executive is driven by a deep passion for people. She builds scalable systems that accelerate business and professional development as well as revenue growth, ensuring long-term success for each individual employee and the entire company.

Learn more about Insight Global: https://insightglobal.com/

Learn more about Compass, Insight Global's Culture and Leadership division: https://compass.insightglobal.com/

Learn more about Evergreen, Insight Global's professional services division: https://evergreen.insightglobal.com/

Looking for a career in recruiting and sales? Learn more here: https://careers.insightglobal.com/?_g....

Follow Us on Social:

/ dashboard https://www.instagram.com/insight_glo... https://www.tiktok.com/@insight_globa...