Fireside Chats: Behind The Build

In this second round of MustardHub Voices: Behind the Build with Monique Jackson, Senior Director of People at Gusto, Curtis and Monique dig deeper into leadership, team building, and the human side of business. Monique shares how leaders can avoid common pitfalls around culture, inclusivity, and hiring, why curiosity and psychological safety fuel better ideas, and how to successfully manage and connect distributed teams. She also explores the power of actionable data, the importance of understanding every team member’s “why,” and why emotional intelligence and change management will be critical leadership skills in the AI era.

About Monique:

Monique Jackson is a senior people strategist with over a decade of experience leading inclusive, cross-functional programs at scale. As a Senior Director of People at Gusto, she oversees DEI, benefits, and engagement strategy for 3,000+ employees, aligning culture with business impact. Her work includes launching Gusto’s Total Rewards survey, Community Building framework, and the Affinity Group Summit to improve retention and engagement. Previously, she led global ERG strategy and workplace experience at WeWork, supporting culture transformation across the Tri-State region. Monique holds an MBA from the University of Florida, a B.S. in Accounting from Rutgers, and multiple certifications in DEI and intercultural development.

In this episode of MustardHub Voices: Behind the Build, Curtis talks with Monique Jackson, Senior Director of People at Gusto, about building an engaged, inclusive, and connected workforce at scale. Monique shares how her path from accounting to people strategy fueled her passion for culture and community, and dives into initiatives like Gusto’s Total Rewards Survey, Community Building Framework, and Affinity Group Summit. From creating micro-moments that matter to tying engagement directly to business outcomes, she offers practical, scalable ways to align culture with impact and turn employees into your strongest brand ambassadors.

About Monique:

Monique Jackson is a senior people strategist with over a decade of experience leading inclusive, cross-functional programs at scale. As a Senior Director of People at Gusto, she oversees DEI, benefits, and engagement strategy for 3,000+ employees, aligning culture with business impact. Her work includes launching Gusto’s Total Rewards survey, Community Building framework, and the Affinity Group Summit to improve retention and engagement. Previously, she led global ERG strategy and workplace experience at WeWork, supporting culture transformation across the Tri-State region. Monique holds an MBA from the University of Florida, a B.S. in Accounting from Rutgers, and multiple certifications in DEI and intercultural development.

In this episode of MustardHub Voices: Behind the Build, Curtis Forbes sits down with Gabe Davis, Strategic Partner Manager at Cinch, to explore how thoughtful use of customer data can transform transactional moments into deeply personal experiences. Gabe shares his unconventional path into partnerships, how Cinch helps multi-location businesses clean up their data and build retention through smarter communication, and why empowering frontline workers is key to building trust and loyalty. From car washes to Chewy fan moments, this fireside chat dives into the future of work, leadership, and tech that puts people first.

About Gabe:

Gabe Davis is an experienced account executive and storyteller with a demonstrated history of working in the software as a service industry. Currently, he is based in Utah and is the Strategic Partner Manager at Cinch. He also has some past experience working for one of MustardHub’s competitors, but we are not going to mention any names.

In this episode of MustardHub Voices: Behind The Build, Curtis sits down with Jared Porter, co-founder and COO of 401Go, to talk about the power of possibility… and retirement plans. Jared shares the journey of building a platform that brings accessible, automated 401(k) benefits to small businesses and the people who power them. From saving stories that changed lives to cultural shifts within trucking companies, Jared unpacks how thoughtful technology and trust in people can transform the future. Tune in for real talk on financial wellness, the myth of work-life balance, and why hiring for trust is the foundation of any great team.

About Jared:

Jared Porter is Co-Founder and COO of 401GO, a company that created a proprietary and holistic technology platform for the 401(k) retirement benefit for businesses of all sizes. He loves solving problems, which is exactly why he helped start 401GO. What started from scratch has now grown to over 5,000 businesses and nearly a billion dollars saved for retirement. A father of six kids, his focus is always on doing the best he can for their future as well as improve the world they'll grow up in.

In this episode of MustardHub Voices: Behind the Build, Curtis chats with Jenny Leman, President and EOS Integrator at CareerPlug, about building values-driven workplaces that actually work. Jenny walks us through her journey from healthcare to SaaS leadership, explains why hiring without knowing your "why" is a major red flag, and makes a bold claim: 90% of performance issues are rooted in core value misalignment. From hiring and onboarding to retention and AI’s role in recruiting, Jenny shares actionable insights for business owners ready to stop whack-a-moling their way through people problems—and start building real momentum through empowered managers and culture-first systems.

About Jenny:

Jenny has a background in the health industry, but she pivoted to SMB/franchise business operations, and now SaaS operations have stolen her heart. She credits her journey with CareerPlug with allowing her to follow all of her loves and talents. She balances being a mom to 4 kids, leading CareerPlug as President and EOS Integrator, and sitting on a non-profit board that is focused on making tech safer for youth. In her spare time, you can find Jenny cheering her kids on at their activities and experimenting with AI as a curious enthusiast.

In this episode of MustardHub Voices: Behind the Build, Curtis sits down with Andrew Nielsen, General Counsel at MyHRCounsel, for a lively and enlightening conversation about the hidden pitfalls of HR law—and how to steer clear of them. Andrew shares his unconventional journey from pre-med to law, explains why FMLA is one of the most misunderstood areas in employment law, and gives practical advice on avoiding costly legal mistakes. From the rise of remote work to AI’s role in hiring discrimination, this chat covers the real-world challenges that growing businesses face—and how proactive policies, consistent enforcement, and a strong employee handbook can make all the difference.

About Andrew:

Andrew Nielsen is General Counsel at myHRcounsel.  He can convey complex HR and employment law issues to executives, human resources professionals, and salespeople alike.  Having handled more than 100 trials, he enjoys using that experience to help clients avoid litigation by taking a proactive approach to avoid problems before they arise.

Doug Rixmann knows a thing or two about putting out fires—whether it’s in his volunteer fire department or in the day-to-day chaos of multi-unit restaurant operations. In this candid chat, he shares how OwlOps evolved from a homemade fix for his family’s QSR business into a must-have tech tool for franchises of all sizes. If you’ve ever tried to manage a store with a broken ice machine again or a missing soap dispenser still, this one’s for you.

About Doug:

Doug Rixmann is the co-founder and CEO of OwlOps. OwlOps is a task and maintenance management app that helps you improve communication, enhance accountability, and eliminate the paper shuffle in your restaurant operation. He’s a computer science professional and a dedicated volunteer firefighter, always driven by a passion for serving his community and solving problems. Doug likes to keep active outside of work through CrossFit-style workouts and pushing his limits by training for triathlons. He’s a happily married father to two teenagers, and he loves to travel and explore new places with his family.

In this episode of MustardHub Voices: Behind the Build, Curtis Forbes chats with Tevis Paxton, Director of Partner Development at HiringThing and veteran of the startup world. Tevis shares how a background in improv and a self-designed college major in "persuasion" laid the foundation for a thriving career in sales, partnerships, and go-to-market strategy. From the magic of white-label recruiting tech to the importance of context, alignment, and fun at work, this conversation is packed with wisdom for leaders building strong teams and scalable cultures. If you're into practical advice, startup storytelling, and a little humor along the way—this one's for you.

About Tevis:

Tevis Paxton is a startup guy, with primary professional focuses being: generating new revenue, strategic partner management, and launching new products. He's spent over a decade helping scale early-to-mid-stage startups and loves the opportunities and chaos that come with that.

Many businesses leave money on the table, and Stephanie Cornejo and her colleagues at Corporate Tax Incentives know this all too well. This is also the case when examining the Human Resources department. HR doesn’t need to be the cost center most business leaders see it to be – once tax credits come into play.

About Stephanie:

Stephanie Cornejo is a talented, ambitious leader who heads CTI’s Credits & Incentives practice. With oversight of operations and practice development, Stephanie monitors the tax incentive landscape to identify federal, state, and local tax credits that CTI can capture, maximizing value that clients can use to power success.

In this insightful conversation, Curtis Forbes sits down with Elena Davis, the longtime HR leader at Bader Rutter, to explore what it truly takes to build a culture that lasts. With over two decades of experience, Elena shares her take on leading through generational divides, trauma-fatigued workforces, and the rise of AI, all while keeping humanity and empathy at the heart of it all. From employee listening strategies to shaping culture without ego, this chat is packed with grounded wisdom and practical takeaways for any people-first organization.

About Elena:

Elena Davis is the Director of HR at Bader Rutter, where she’s spent over two decades helping shape a people-first culture. She is a modern HR leader with deep expertise in benefits, relationship dynamics, and employee development. Elena brings a rare blend of big-picture thinking, objectivity, and practical empathy to her work, with a belief that what’s good for employees is almost always good for the business.