Host Leah Cottham sits down with Katrina Kibben, CEO and Founder of Three Ears Media, to explore how recruiters can maintain their humanity while leveraging AI tools effectively. Katrina brings deep expertise from her work helping recruiting teams optimize their processes and her extensive research into AI's impact on the industry. The conversation tackles the biggest misconceptions companies have about AI in hiring, particularly the false belief that AI should replace human workers rather than enhance their capabilities.

Katrina shares practical strategies for building experimentation cultures, creating transparent hiring processes, and fixing the fundamental problems with job descriptions that lead to poor candidate matches. She emphasizes the critical role of setting clear expectations, measuring success against defined benchmarks, and ensuring human oversight remains central to any AI implementation. The discussion covers everything from onboarding automation to ethical decision making frameworks, with actionable insights for both recruiters and job seekers navigating this evolving landscape.

Key topics covered:

[00:00] Intro

[02:23] AI replacement misconceptions in hiring

[05:17] Creating experimentation culture over fear

[08:05] Recognition drives AI adoption success

[11:00] Making AI feel like enabler not threat

[14:13] Critical thinking beats machine outputs

[16:22] Avoiding bias through human detection training

[22:08] Why resumes might finally die

[24:53] Human first onboarding with AI automation

[27:25] Job description copy paste problems

[29:55] 70 percent rule for candidate applications

[33:04] 37 percent quit within 90 days

[36:03] Rebuilding trust through transparency expectations

[39:21] Measuring AI with clear benchmarks

[43:30] Ethical AI decision making framework

[45:45] Lean into community over technology

Tune in for expert guidance on balancing technology with the human elements that make great hiring possible.

Host Leah Cottham sits down with David Norman, global HR leader and employee coach at Bravely, to explore how organizations can maintain the human element in HR as they scale across borders. David brings insights from his extensive experience in global people operations and his current work coaching employees through workplace challenges.

The conversation tackles the tension between data-driven HR practices and authentic human connection in today's rapidly evolving workplace. David discusses why traditional engagement surveys often fall short, how cultural nuances impact everything from compensation discussions to diversity initiatives, and why the rise of AI makes human skills more valuable than ever. From management by walking around to building psychological safety across distributed teams, this episode offers practical strategies for leaders who want to create genuinely human-centered organizations without sacrificing business results.

Key topics covered:

[00:00] Intro

[04:16] How scaling puts human elements at risk

[08:01] Management by walking around concept

[11:35] DEI policies losing sight of people

[18:27] Why traditional HR struggles with empathy

[22:14] Problems with engagement surveys

[26:41] Building empathy into global programs

[28:33] Compensation through Maslow's hierarchy of needs

[33:16] Core common practices across regions

[35:40] Manager relationships drive engagement

[40:43] Biggest challenges for global leaders

[47:46] Cultivating belonging across cultures

[51:46] Creating authentic moments at work

[53:56] Vision for human-centric strategy 2026

A must-listen for HR professionals, people leaders, and anyone building global teams who want to keep empathy and authenticity at the heart of their people strategy.

Leah Cottham sits down with Josh Hill, VP People at Tier 11 and co-founder of Super Hired, to explore his revolutionary approach to employment as a subscription service. Josh brings a unique perspective from his 10 years in the Australian Army to his 4 years transforming HR practices at a 50-person digital marketing agency. He shares how treating employees as internal customers fundamentally changes hiring and retention strategies.

Josh walks through his discovery-led hiring framework that prioritizes deep qualitative research over surface-level metrics. He explains why traditional one-page job descriptions and resumes create poor matches, and demonstrates how his comprehensive job maps and transparent work product descriptions act as powerful self-selection tools. The conversation covers his philosophy of first-principles thinking, the importance of continuous employee discovery, and why he believes hiring should be treated as matchmaking rather than a race to fill seats quickly.

Key topics covered:

[00:00] Intro

[02:38] Military to HR transition insights

[05:25] Early hiring lessons from army background

[10:34] First principles approach to reshaping culture

[16:43] Employment as subscription model explained

[21:56] Features and updates employees expect

[31:35] Why Josh created Super Hired

[38:44] Early warning signs of employee unsubscription

[45:39] High framework hiring process walkthrough

[57:22] Key takeaway for reducing employee churn

[58:54] Discovery habits for better leadership

This episode offers practical insights for HR leaders and managers looking to build more intentional, human-centered approaches to talent acquisition and employee engagement.

Leah Cottham speaks with Robin Schuchmann, co-founder of Employ Borderless, about his journey from Bali internships to building an unbiased EOR advisory platform. Robin shares how his experience hiring remote talent across Indonesia, the Philippines, and Eastern Europe led him to create a solution for companies struggling with global hiring complexities. He breaks down the biggest barriers companies face when hiring internationally, from compliance fears to cost misconceptions, and explains why many businesses are missing out on incredible talent by limiting themselves to local hiring within a 30-kilometer radius.

Robin reveals practical strategies for getting started with global hiring, including his recommendation to begin with just one employee using an EOR solution for around 200 dollars per month rather than setting up costly entities. The conversation explores emerging trends like digital nomad visas, the growing demand from younger workers for remote opportunities, and how countries like Indonesia and Portugal are adapting their visa systems to attract remote talent. Robin also discusses the untapped potential of early career international hiring and why he predicts companies that don't embrace global hiring will struggle to attract talent within the next five years.

Key topics covered:

[00:00] Intro

[02:13] From Vietnam internship to global hiring platform

[05:08] Why companies miss out on global talent

[08:25] How global experience shapes work perspectives

[13:22] Time zone management as competitive advantage

[18:54] 3 key benefits companies overlook locally

[22:52] Common misconceptions blocking international hiring

[28:36] Start small with one global employee

[34:59] Early career international hiring opportunities

[39:42] Future trends in global remote work

[41:50] Digital nomad visas changing the game

[46:07] Essential tools for global team management

[48:56] Underrated countries for talent sourcing

[50:42] Biggest myths about global hiring costs

[51:11] Creating equal opportunities worldwide

Discover how global hiring is creating more equal opportunities worldwide and why the future of work extends far beyond traditional geographic boundaries.

Host Leah Cottham sits down with Gina Sapien, Founder of The Remote Marketer, to explore why employer branding desperately needs a complete overhaul for the remote work era. Gina brings 10 years of startup marketing experience and 7 years leading remote teams across Asia, the US, and Latin America to this essential conversation about attracting global talent.

The discussion reveals how Covid fundamentally shifted what candidates value, moving from joining logos and office perks to seeking companies they can actually trust. Gina breaks down her innovative 3 layer framework covering employer branding, employee branding, and candidate branding, explaining why misalignment between these layers creates visible cracks that drive away top talent. They explore the critical difference between brand control versus empowerment, why silence from employees is a major red flag, and how personal branding is becoming the new currency in competitive remote hiring.

Key topics covered:

[00:00] Intro

[03:11] People Don't Join Logos Anymore

[06:00] Marketing Products vs Marketing Culture

[09:26] Why Employer Brand Matters for Remote Teams

[14:56] Three Layers of Branding Framework

[23:28] Digital Touch Points That Matter Most

[30:50] Building Culture Beyond Careers Pages

[34:57] Who Should Own Employer Branding

[41:16] Brand Control vs Brand Empowerment

[48:52] Rise of Personal Mini Brands

[52:29] Strong Brands Speed Up Hiring

[53:42] The 3 P Framework Explained

[55:33] Practical First Steps and Future Trends

This conversation provides actionable insights for companies struggling to build authentic employer brands that attract and retain remote talent in an increasingly competitive global market.

Host Leah Cottham sits down with Gina Sapien, Founder of The Remote Marketer, to explore why employer branding desperately needs a complete overhaul for the remote work era. Gina brings 10 years of startup marketing experience and 7 years leading remote teams across Asia, the US, and Latin America to this essential conversation about attracting global talent.

The discussion reveals how Covid fundamentally shifted what candidates value, moving from joining logos and office perks to seeking companies they can actually trust. Gina breaks down her innovative 3 layer framework covering employer branding, employee branding, and candidate branding, explaining why misalignment between these layers creates visible cracks that drive away top talent. They explore the critical difference between brand control versus empowerment, why silence from employees is a major red flag, and how personal branding is becoming the new currency in competitive remote hiring.

Key topics covered:

[00:00] Intro

[03:11] People Don't Join Logos Anymore

[06:00] Marketing Products vs Marketing Culture

[09:26] Why Employer Brand Matters for Remote Teams

[14:56] Three Layers of Branding Framework

[23:28] Digital Touch Points That Matter Most

[30:50] Building Culture Beyond Careers Pages

[34:57] Who Should Own Employer Branding

[41:16] Brand Control vs Brand Empowerment

[48:52] Rise of Personal Mini Brands

[52:29] Strong Brands Speed Up Hiring

[53:42] The 3 P Framework Explained

[55:33] Practical First Steps and Future Trends

This conversation provides actionable insights for companies struggling to build authentic employer brands that attract and retain remote talent in an increasingly competitive global market.

Host Leah Cottham sits down with Filip Pesek, Founder and CEO of DonnaPro, to explore what European leadership teaches us about the future of global hiring. Filip shares his journey from door to door sales to building a virtual executive assistant agency that matches top European talent with CEOs and founders worldwide.

The conversation dives into the unique European approach to remote work, where planning and collaboration take precedence over instant availability. Filip explains how complex European labor laws actually drive adoption of flexible work models, and why European companies focus on sustainable productivity rather than constant connectivity. He also reveals the most common delegation mistakes founders make and shares a real example of how one CEO reclaimed 60 hours per month and took her first vacation in 4 years.

Key topics covered:

[00:00] Intro

[01:45] Door to door sales teaches resilience

[03:49] Leading yourself before leading others

[07:23] 3 biggest leadership shifts for remote teams

[14:07] Realizing founders become company bottlenecks

[16:23] Research phase for building DonnaPro

[19:32] European approach to leadership and planning

[22:01] Complex European labor laws drive remote adoption

[25:54] US vs European productivity mindsets

[31:46] Trust building in remote European teams

[38:36] Common delegation mistakes founders make

[43:06] The 10-80-10 delegation technique

[45:28] Reclaiming 60 hours monthly case study

[50:19] Sustainable productivity in remote work

[57:27] Testing leadership with the 10 day vacation scenario

This episode offers valuable insights for leaders building remote teams across borders and those looking to scale without becoming the bottleneck in their own business.

Leah Cottham sits down with Arvi Carkanji, Founder and CEO of Elite Talent, to explore how HR leaders are building technical sales teams globally with speed, precision, and strategic use of AI. Arvi brings firsthand expertise from helping SaaS companies achieve a remarkable 92% retention rate for pre sales and post sales talent placements. His recruiting firm specializes in roles from sales engineers to customer success managers, focusing on the people who directly impact revenue growth and customer retention.

The conversation covers the biggest hiring mistakes companies repeatedly make, from reactive hiring strategies to being too rigid about perfect candidate profiles. Arvi breaks down how to balance speed with quality in global hiring, where AI adds real value versus where human judgment remains essential, and what separates companies that successfully retain global hires from those that struggle. He shares insights on emerging talent hubs beyond traditional markets and practical strategies for maintaining strong culture across time zones.

Key topics covered:

[00:00] Intro

[03:00] From Business Consulting to Pre-Sales Recruiting

[04:16] Top 3 Hiring Mistakes Companies Keep Making

[06:50] Why Reactive Hiring Destroys Team Performance

[12:11] How Global Hiring Changed Post-COVID

[17:35] Biggest Hurdles HR Teams Face Scaling Globally

[23:21] Hidden Talent Hubs Around the World

[25:09] Balancing Speed with Quality in Hiring

[33:44] How AI is Transforming Recruitment

[41:29] Practical AI Strategies for HR Leaders

[48:14] What Separates Companies That Retain Global Hires

[51:20] Maintaining Culture Across Time Zones

[54:09] Impact of Smarter Hiring on Sales Performance

[57:50] Essential Advice for First-Time Global Hiring

Essential listening for HR leaders, founders, and anyone scaling technical sales teams in today's global remote work environment.

As we wrap up 2025 on the Freedom of Work podcast, we reflect on the conversations that shaped how we think about building companies in a remote-first world.

This season features founders, people leaders, neuroscientists, and operators exploring the real challenges behind remote work, AI at work, people operations, psychological safety, learning and development, and building culture across time zones.

A consistent insight emerged: while AI can automate for speed, human connection is still essential for alignment. The companies doing this well are balancing automation with empathy, global scale with intentional culture, and speed with quality.

Stay tuned for 2026!

In this episode, we delve into the findings from our 2025 Global Hiring Report, which is packed with insights from over 300 HR and People leaders across the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Brazil. We explore the real challenges and exciting opportunities companies face when building and managing distributed teams worldwide.

Tune in to discover why talent shortages hit larger companies hardest, how Latin America is emerging as a top talent destination (even if leadership teams are still warming up to it), and the steep learning curves small tech companies are navigating in global hiring. We'll also unpack which technical roles remain toughest to fill, and what that means for business performance.

You'll learn practical strategies for overcoming compliance headaches, accelerating onboarding for international hires, and how Employer of Record (EOR) solutions can bridge resource gaps. Whether you're scaling your remote workforce or looking to break into new talent markets, this episode offers actionable insights to help you build smarter, faster, and fully compliant global teams in 2025 and beyond.