Evolving Your Workplace

AI is changing the way businesses operate, but does that mean skilled people are becoming less important?

Natalie Kaminski, Co-Founder and CEO of JetRockets, joins Carol Schultz to explain why she believes AI is a multiplier of human skills—not a replacement for them.

In this episode of Evolving Your Workplace, Natalie shares how JetRockets uses AI to improve software development, increase efficiency, and deliver better results for clients. She discusses how one project experienced approximately 3.5x productivity growth and why experienced professionals still need to guide, review, and make decisions about AI-generated work.

Carol and Natalie also explore how entrepreneurs can use AI to develop MVPs, test ideas, and validate business models before committing significant time and money. Natalie shares her experience scaling a remote-first company, maintaining profitability, building long-term client partnerships, and navigating the changing economics of software development.

Beyond AI, Natalie reflects on the choices founders make when building a business—from bootstrapping versus raising venture capital to creating a company that supports a meaningful personal life. Drawing on her experience as a marathon runner, she explains why entrepreneurship is a long-distance journey that requires patience, consistency, and smart decisions.

Topics Discussed:

• AI as a multiplier of human skills
• The continued importance of experienced engineers
• Improving productivity through AI
• Using AI to build MVPs and validate business ideas
• Sustainable growth and business profitability
• Remote-first teams and employee retention
• Building trust and long-term client partnerships
• Bootstrapping versus venture capital
• Work-life balance and lifestyle businesses
• Lessons from marathon running and entrepreneurship

About Natalie Kaminski

Natalie Kaminski is the Co-Founder and CEO of JetRockets, a custom software development company that helps businesses build, maintain, and improve software products.

Connect with Natalie Kaminski:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliekaminski/

Company: https://jetrockets.com/

About Your Host

Carol Schultz is an organizational strategist, entrepreneur, and host of Evolving Your Workplace. She helps businesses build stronger organizations through better leadership, people strategy, and organizational structure.

Connect with Carol Schultz:

Website: https://verticalelevation.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolbschultz/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EvolvingYourWorkplace

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growgreatteams/

Listen to Evolving Your Workplace:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/72jbAC9Hk4P0EH9wxW1vy4

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/evolving-your-workplace/id1562180951

Interested in being a guest on the show?

Email: [email protected]

Subscribe and follow Evolving Your Workplace for more conversations about leadership, business growth, workplace culture, and building better organizations.

What does Gen Z really want from the workplace—and why are traditional leadership approaches struggling to meet their expectations?

In this episode of Evolving Your Workplace, host Carol Schultz sits down with Alice Sherman, CEO of HVS Executive Search, to discuss how organizations can attract, develop, and retain the next generation of talent.

Alice's career journey is a story of growth from the ground up. After starting in hospitality operations, she joined HVS Executive Search and worked her way through the organization, identifying opportunities to improve recruiter training, developing her leadership skills, and eventually stepping into the CEO role.

Drawing on her experience in executive recruiting and leadership, Alice explains why employers need to rethink how they manage Gen Z. Rather than lowering standards, organizations need to understand what good leadership looks like today—and create workplaces where people can contribute ideas, exercise judgment, collaborate, and feel connected to their work.

Carol and Alice also discuss succession planning, the importance of developing future leaders internally, and why executive recruiting should be about more than filling an open position. They explore how ethical recruiting, strong relationships, and a thoughtful candidate experience benefit both organizations and the people they hire.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• What Gen Z wants at work: Why collaboration, creative thinking, judgment, and meaningful relationships matter to younger employees.
• Why traditional leadership needs to evolve: How workplaces built around obedience can fail to develop the skills organizations need today.
• The importance of training: Why companies must establish structured training processes instead of expecting new employees to figure everything out on their own.
• How to attract and retain Gen Z talent: Why salary transparency, benefits, work-life balance, empathy, and open communication matter.
• Succession planning that works: How thoughtful leadership transitions prepare organizations for the future and help emerging leaders succeed.
• Growing into a CEO role: Alice's journey from an entry-level position to leading HVS Executive Search—and the value of learning from experienced mentors.
• Why recruiting should be relationship-driven: How ethical hiring and a positive candidate experience build trust with both clients and candidates.
• The problems with poor recruiting practices: How sending unsuitable candidates and creating a frustrating interview process can damage relationships and waste valuable time.
• The power of authentic leadership: Why warmth, curiosity, transparency, and genuine human connection can make a difference in business.
• Building a workplace people want to join: How leaders can balance profitability with creating an organization employees are proud to represent.

Whether you're a CEO, HR professional, recruiter, hiring manager, or business owner, this conversation offers practical insights into modern leadership, talent acquisition, succession planning, and building a workplace where different generations can thrive.

The takeaway? You don't need to lower your standards to lead Gen Z effectively. You need to build a workplace that develops talent, values people, and reflects what good leadership should look like.

Alice Sherman is the CEO of HVS Executive Search, the executive recruiting division of HVS, a global hospitality consulting platform. Her work focuses on executive recruiting, succession planning, organizational structure, and leadership advisory for the hospitality, restaurant, travel, and related industries.

Connect with Alice:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicesherman5/
• Company: HVS Executive Search

Carol Schultz is an organizational strategist and the host of Evolving Your Workplace, where she speaks with experts and business leaders about leadership, workplace challenges, organizational structure, and business growth.

Connect with Carol:

• Website: https://verticalelevation.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolbschultz/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EvolvingYourWorkplace
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growgreatteams/

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/72jbAC9Hk4P0EH9wxW1vy4
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/evolving-your-workplace/id1562180951

Want to be a guest on the show? Email [email protected] with your information.

Follow Evolving Your Workplace on your preferred podcast platform, and leave a rating or review to help more listeners discover the show.

What does it really take to build a successful business while raising a family? And how do you keep pursuing your ambitions without losing sight of your own well-being?

In this episode of Evolving Your Workplace, Carol Schultz sits down with Nicole Centeno, founder of Splendid Spoon, to discuss the realities of entrepreneurship, motherhood, and leading a growing company while navigating the demands of family life.

Nicole founded Splendid Spoon around two things she loves: the science of food and the pleasure of eating. Inspired by her own experience of becoming a mother while working full-time, she saw an opportunity to make nourishing, enjoyable food more convenient for busy people.

But building a business is about much more than having a great idea. Nicole opens up about the challenges of growing a company alongside raising children, making difficult personal decisions, taking risks, and learning to become comfortable with uncertainty. She also shares practical lessons on prioritization, protecting focused work time, and recognizing that not every business challenge is an emergency.

The conversation explores the additional pressures women often face as founders and leaders, including cultural expectations around motherhood, the fear of taking risks, and the importance of trusting yourself—even when the path forward is uncomfortable.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• The inspiration behind Splendid Spoon: How Nicole combined food science, culinary passion, and a personal need for convenient nourishment to build her business.
• Motherhood and entrepreneurship: What it's like to grow a company while raising children and managing competing priorities.
• Why self-care matters: How taking care of yourself can help you show up more effectively for your family and your business.
• Making better decisions under pressure: Why stepping back from a perceived crisis can help founders think more clearly.
• The power of focused work: Nicole's approach to mandatory deep work and protecting at least three uninterrupted hours for important tasks.
• Getting comfortable with discomfort: Why risk tolerance, learning from mistakes, and embracing uncertainty are essential parts of entrepreneurship.
• The challenges women face in leadership: How cultural expectations and unequal support can affect women's ambitions and entrepreneurial journeys.
• Trusting yourself: Why staying true to your values can help you navigate difficult personal and professional decisions.

Whether you're a founder, business leader, working parent, or aspiring entrepreneur, this conversation offers an honest look at the personal side of building a business—and a reminder that success doesn't require you to ignore your own needs.

About Nicole Centeno

Nicole Centeno is the founder of Splendid Spoon, a food company built around making nourishing and enjoyable meals more convenient for busy people. Her entrepreneurial journey brings together her interests in food science, culinary creativity, and helping people make more thoughtful choices about what they eat.

Connect with Guest Nicole Centeno:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolecenteno/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/niccent
• Company: Splendid Spoon — https://www.splendidspoon.com/

Connect With Host Carol Schultz:

Find more information about our host Carol Schultz and her company at Vertical Elevation, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.

Subscribe to Evolving Your Workplace for more conversations with business leaders and entrepreneurs about building stronger companies and creating healthier workplaces.

#NicoleCenteno #SplendidSpoon #EvolvingYourWorkplace

Most brands are trying to persuade people instead of understanding what actually makes them care. Kevin Perlmutter shows why the real competitive advantage is emotional insight—and how the brands that win are designed around how people want to feel. Carol Schultz sits down with Kevin, founder and chief brand strategist at Limbic Brand Evolution and author of Brand Desire, to unpack why traditional brand strategy often misses the mark. Kevin explains how his work in neuroscience and behavioral science reshaped the way he thinks about customer motivation, loyalty, and messaging—and why survey-based research and old-school “proof points” can keep companies stuck in their own assumptions. You’ll discover:

• Why emotion, not logic, is the biggest driver of brand loyalty
• How implicit association testing reveals subconscious responses that traditional surveys miss
• The difference between smart emotional marketing and manipulation
• Why brand strategy must be built from customer insight, not internal opinion
• How to create a brand idea that acts as a benefit and invitation, not an “about us” statement

Kevin shares the story of helping the ATT Performing Arts Center shift from “staging the amazing” to “yours to discover,” a simple change that opened the door to a broader audience and still guides the organization today. He also breaks down how B2B brands can shorten the sales cycle by speaking to human motivations, not just business features. This conversation also tackles the bigger picture: why brand strategy and business strategy need to work together, why product quality still matters, and why the best positioning comes from what your customers already feel, say, and return for. If you’re an entrepreneur, marketer, or leader trying to attract the right customers without sounding generic, manipulative, or forgettable, this episode gives you a sharper way to think about brand strategy—and a better way to build something people actually want.

Connect With Host Carol Schultz

Find more information about our host Carol Schultz and her company at Vertical Elevation, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.

Connect With Guest Kevin Perlmutter

Find out more about Kevin at Limbic Brand Evolution and LinkedIn, and find his book Brand Desire

Want to be our next guest? Email [email protected] with your information.

And of course, click "follow" to stay up to date on new episodes and leave an honest review/rating to let us know what you thought!

• Why CVG pre-qualifies contractors before bidding, and how that protects quality as well as cost
• The real reason 95% of their business comes from referrals
• How his team uses transparency, accountability, and real-time communication to build client trust
• Why he believes companies should create leaders, not just manage employees
• How a remote-first, results-based culture survived COVID and became a competitive advantage

Carol and Socrates also unpack the difference between wanting growth and being committed to it, the risks of finger-pointing in complex projects, and why the best client relationships are built when the owner feels like a true partner, not just a customer. This conversation is especially valuable if you're leading a service business, managing complex projects, or trying to scale without losing trust, culture, or control. If you want a practical look at how operational discipline, honest communication, and leadership development drive long-term growth, this one is worth your time.

Connect With Host Carol Schultz

Find more information about our host Carol Schultz and her company at Vertical Elevation, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.

Connect with Guest Socrates Bueno

Find out more about our guest Socrates Bueno and his company at CVG Construction Management and LinkedIn

Want to be our next guest? Email [email protected] with your information.

And of course, click "follow" to stay up to date on new episodes and leave an honest review/rating, letting us know what you thought!

"AI isn't replacing human connection — it's making it more valuable than ever.", Morana Mizrahi

In this episode, Morana Mizrahi, co-founder and COO of Rebillia Platform, shares insights on how AI is transforming business operations, strengthening leadership authenticity, and fostering better client relationships.

This conversation explores why the most successful leaders in the AI era won't be the ones who automate everything, but the ones who lead with authenticity, build real relationships, and use AI to create more time for what matters most.

Discover practical tips for leveraging AI to boost productivity and maintain genuine connections.

We discussed:

◼ Why AI should free people to build stronger relationships — not replace them

◼ How authentic leadership is becoming the biggest competitive advantage in business

◼ Why the future belongs to leaders who manage AI instead of letting AI manage them

◼ How automation helped a startup grow without laying off a single employee

◼ Why being more human—not more corporate—is the key to thriving in the AI era

🎧 Find us

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/72jbAC9Hk4P0EH9wxW1vy4?si=b0eab40cecc343e3

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/evolving-your-workplace/id1562180951

Connect With Host Carol Schultz

Find more information about our host Carol Schultz and her company at Vertical Elevation, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.

Want to be our next guest expert? Email [email protected] with your information.

And of course, click "follow" to stay up to date on new episodes and leave an honest review/rating, letting us know what you thought!

Connect with Morana Mizrahi

Find out more information about Morana and her company on LinkedIn and Rebillia Platform

In this week's episode of Throwback Thursday we revisit my conversations with Jimmy Rayford. The episode got so much great feedback that we thought it was necessary to revisit it.

"People don't check their personal lives at the door—and pretending they do just makes it show up somewhere else." – Jimmy Rayford

In this week's episode, Carol Schultz sits down with Jimmy Rayford, CEO of Dealers Wholesale, to challenge the old-school belief that "work is work, personal is personal"—and to share the tried-and-true technique leaders can use to build real connection with their teams.

Jimmy explains why suppressing what's happening in people's lives doesn't make it disappear—it just resurfaces in the work—and why the single most powerful move a leader can make is to model the openness they want to see. They dig into how simple rituals like "share something good" check-ins and Personal Growth Mondays turn ordinary meetings into genuine connection, why Jimmy embraced the role of "Chief Reassurance Officer" during COVID, and how a leader can build a culture of care without forcing anyone to overshare.

The episode closes with candid talk on empowering your team, avoiding the founder-CEO bottleneck, and knowing when to give someone "enough rope"—plus Jimmy's parting advice on finding the environment that brings out your best work.

Takeaways

1. "Work is work, personal is personal" is outdated—people bring their whole selves to work whether leaders acknowledge it or not.

2. You can't ask employees to be open and transparent while everything about you stays closed—modeling comes first.

3. The most effective connection technique is simple: model the behavior you want to drive.

4. Small, consistent rituals (like weekly "good news" shares) build deep familiarity over time.

5. Personal Growth Mondays and deep-question prompts create space for real vulnerability—voluntarily.

6. Timing matters: expect early adopters, late adopters, and never-adopters, and focus on whoever shows up.

7. Vulnerability from a leader creates a "permission structure" for the whole organization.

8. Smaller companies offer outsized impact—your decisions actually matter and you can see the results.

9. Founder and CEO leaders risk becoming the bottleneck by involving themselves where they're not needed.

10. Give people "enough rope"—but calibrate how much based on their track record and the stakes of the decision.

Chapters

00:00 Intro: Why "work is work, personal is personal" couldn't be further from the truth

00:51 What Dealers Wholesale does & Jimmy's role as CEO

02:38 Why the smallest company he's worked for became the best chapter of his career

04:11 The hidden cost of bureaucracy and office politics in large organizations

05:30 The former CEO who stayed on—and a 38-year lesson in humility and loyalty

07:48 The death of the "company guy" and why companies aren't loyal anymore

09:58 How getting older changed Jimmy's view on bringing your whole self to work

11:24 Becoming "Chief Reassurance Officer" during COVID

13:53 The tried-and-true technique: model the behavior you want to see

14:53 Vulnerability in action: why leading through emotion builds trust

21:19 "Share something good": how small check-ins build connection over time

21:47 Personal Growth Mondays & the 365-question ritual

22:46 Timing, adopters, and focusing on who shows up

24:40 Why shared vulnerability makes leaders more open and sensitive

30:58 Building a leadership team empowered to call you out

31:27 Avoiding the founder-CEO bottleneck

32:47 Giving people "enough rope" and situational leadership

33:56 The one thing Jimmy would solve to unlock business growth

35:58 Final thoughts: take a true inventory of what really matters to you

Connect With Host Carol Schultz

Find more information about our host Carol Schultz and her company at Vertical Elevation, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.

Want to be our next guest expert? Email [email protected] with your information.

And of course, click "follow" to stay up-to-date on new episodes and leave an honest review/rating letting us know what you thought!

Summer break just won't quit, so here's another edition of Throwback Thursday with one of Carol's favorite Venture Capitalists and a hell of a good guy.

If you’re curious about the process of venture capital (VC) funding or looking to get funding, this episode is for you.

Host Carol Schultz sits down with Seth Levine of the prestigious VC firm Foundry. Whether you're an eager founder, a startup dreamer, or just VC-curious, Seth cuts through the noise, sharing hard-won insights on when to actually seek funding, why VC money might not be as glamorous as you think, how to successfully pitch investors, and what sets standout founders apart.

Carol and Seth also dig into the toughest founder challenges, from when to bootstrap versus raise capital, to smart hiring as you grow. Packed with practical advice, stories from the trenches, and candid wisdom about navigating the funding world, this episode will help you avoid the common pitfalls and make smarter choices for your company’s future.

Tune in for a straight-talking look inside the journey to funding a business.

Connect With Host Carol Schultz

Find more information about our host Carol Schultz and her company at Vertical Elevation, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Want to be our next guest expert? Email [email protected] with your information.

And of course, click "follow" to stay up-to-date on new episodes and leave an honest review/rating letting us know what you thought!

It's vacation time for us, so here's another Throwback Thursday.

For leaders seeking guidance on building a winning culture, this one is for you.

In this conversation Carol Schultz speaks with Jason Andrews, multiple time founder, expert in space travel, and the current Cofounder & CEO of Orbite.

Carol and Jason discuss the intricacies of building a company that retains talent and the challenges of entrepreneurship. They also explore the importance of company culture, effective marketing strategies, and the financial aspects of running a startup.

Jason shares insights from his journey with Orbite, emphasizing the need for vision, adaptability, and the right team to succeed in a rapidly evolving industry.

This is an episode you won't want to miss.

Takeaways

• Creating a company that people don't want to leave is essential for success.
• Building a strong team and company culture is crucial for retention.
• Every entrepreneur faces challenges, and adaptability is key.
• Funding strategies can vary; organic growth is often beneficial.
• The future of space travel is becoming more accessible to the public.
• Effective marketing and customer engagement are vital for growth.
• Understanding your ideal customer profile is essential for targeting.
• Vision and mission drive the company forward and inspire the team.
• Entrepreneurship requires a unique mindset and resilience.
• Learning from failures is part of the entrepreneurial journey.

Chapters

00:00 Creating a Company People Don't Want to Leave

01:11 The Vision Behind Orbit and Human Spaceflight

03:18 The Challenges of Building a New Industry

06:21 Employee Retention in Startups

10:14 Qualities of a Successful Entrepreneur

12:47 Funding Strategies for Startups

17:15 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

19:20 Understanding Space Training Costs

22:08 The Adventure of Space Training

24:58 Overcoming Perceptions of Space Travel

28:07 Marketing Challenges in the Space Industry

30:25 Building a Mission-Driven Team

32:43 Navigating Growth and Resource Limitations

35:47 The Journey of Entrepreneurship

40:41 Navigating Space Experiences and Virtual Operations

Connect With Host Carol Schultz

Find more information about our host Carol Schultz and her company at Vertical Elevation, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Find out more about our guest, Jason Andrews, and his company at Orbite Space, LinkedIn, and Instagram

Want to be our next guest expert? Email [email protected] with your information.

And of course, click "follow" to stay up-to-date on new episodes and leave an honest review/rating letting us know what you thought!

We're on a much needed vacation as we typically are in August, so it's time for Throwback Thursday.

Curious to learn more about Founder’s syndrome, or working for someone who may have it? This episode is for you.

Host Carol Schultz teams up with social impact entrepreneur Sophia Shaw to dive deep into the tricky dynamics of founder syndrome. From understanding why founders struggle to let go, to practical strategies for succession planning and building a culture that supports new leadership, the conversation is packed with real-world stories and actionable advice for both founders and their teams.

Whether you’re just starting your business or looking for ways to future-proof your organization, you won’t want to miss these insights on evolving—without losing what makes your company unique. Hit play and start evolving your workplace today.

Connect With Host Carol Schultz

Find more information about our host Carol Schultz and her company at Vertical Elevation, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Want to be our next guest expert? Email [email protected] with your information.

And of course, click "follow" to stay up-to-date on new episodes and leave an honest review/rating letting us know what you thought!