Live from isolved’s booth at SHRM 2025 in San Diego, William Tincup grabs three HR leaders just before bingo hour—and asks them what heroism in the workplace really looks like.

Trica Walters (CHRO, Tulsa), Dr. Kelly Drummond (HR Director, City of Knoxville), and Laquita Jaouani (HR Specialist, Easily Blessed Media) each bring a unique lens. They talk about the power of connection, the gift of calm under pressure, and the magic that happens when humor breaks down walls. Their stories go beyond policy—they touch on sobriety, foster care, and hard-fought personal growth.

It’s a fast-paced, heartfelt chat about the real work behind HR—the quiet moments that build trust, and the bold ones that change lives.

Timestamps

00:00 — Recorded live from the isolved booth just before a prize giveaway

00:32 — Meet Trica, Laquita, and Dr. Kelly—HR leaders from Tulsa to Knoxville

01:00 — What does “people hero” mean? Each guest shares a distinct view

01:45 — Trica explains how kindness can lead to deep transformation

02:08 — HR superpowers revealed—from humor to K-pop to crisis calm

03:01 — Laquita’s BTS collection sparks real-world connections at work

03:10 — Dr. Kelly explains how staying calm anchors her team during chaos

04:12 — William’s pitbull metaphor for emotional leadership in HR

04:30 — What’s your transcendent moment? The guests reflect

04:45 — Laquita shares how a former foster youth changed her life

05:23 — Dr. Kelly recalls helping someone find peace, purpose, and passion

05:43 — Trica’s story of a terminated employee who returned in recovery

06:24 — Why second chances shape culture more than policy ever can

06:56 — Trica rebrands herself as a “kindness dealer”—mic drop moment before bingo

This episode was recorded live with isolved at the SHRM Annual Conference in San Diego.

The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more.

Learn more about isolved: ⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠

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This episode was recorded live at SHRM from the isolved booth in San Diego. William Tincup and Ryan Leary spoke with Alain Hunkins and Tim Sackett about what culture actually looks like inside real companies. Alain explained why simple rituals can completely shift team energy without using policies or budgets. Tim pushed back on whether leaders even know how to build culture in the first place.

They both argued that most teams never see culture modeled in action. They said that leaders usually confuse tasks for people. They described how rituals during interviews can help candidates understand whether they belong. They also explained why bad leaders often stay in power. They perform well. They bring in money. They meet goals. But they never learn how to lead.

Timestamps

00:00 — The SHRM booth goes live with William and Ryan

00:52 — Alain sings Happy Birthday to show how rituals shift energy

02:17 — Leaders build culture through ritual. Bad managers don’t

03:21 — Alain explains how people-first leadership changes performance

03:44 — Tim questions whether leaders know how to build culture at all

04:07 — Alain shares a check-in ritual that changes team meetings

05:20 — Most people never learn culture because they never see it

05:39 — Tim asks why interviews don’t include real culture cues

06:54 — People should walk away from interviews if it’s not a fit

07:35 — Tim explains how performance rankings reveal real expectations

08:48 — Feedback should feel intense in the first 90 days

09:14 — Alain warns that buzzwords won’t fix culture

10:05 — Ryan asks whether bad culture is just bad fit

10:50 — Culture is your boss. Not the brand

11:30 — Alain explains why bad leaders get protected

13:08 — Tim defines a people hero as someone who balances business and care

14:56 — Alain says people heroes speak truth to power and lead with kindness

This episode was recorded live with isolved at the SHRM Annual Conference in San Diego.

The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more.

Learn more about isolved: ⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠

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Tom McCarty, CEO of OrgChart, joins William Tincup and Ryan Leary live at SHRM 2025 in San Diego to talk org charts, AI fears, and why spreadsheets are failing HR. The trio digs into how HR teams can own strategic workforce decisions when given the right tools—and what happens when finance tries to go it alone. Tom shares how OrgChart helps HR visualize both present and future states of the org so they can lead with insight, not outdated data.

From Dell call centers to coaching trees in football, Tom opens up about what drives him: creating life-changing opportunities. He recounts a transformational moment from early in his career that shaped how he leads today—and why investing in people always pays off. This episode hits on the tension between tech and trust, the risk of modeling people like numbers, and the irreplaceable superpower of HR pros who do more with less.

Timestamps

00:00 — Tom McCarty joins from the floor at SHRM 2025 in San Diego

01:00 — How OrgChart helps HR visualize current and future org structures

02:30 — Why modeling workforce changes needs more than a spreadsheet

04:00 — AI in HR: where it’s being embraced and where fear still lingers

05:00 — Sensitive data, slow adoption, and the AI trust gap

06:00 — Finance wants in—why people data is becoming a CFO priority

07:15 — Spreadsheets vs org charts: the fight for visibility and accuracy

08:30 — HR + finance collaboration: shared goals, different tools

09:30 — Who HR heroes really are and why doing more with less defines them

10:30 — Tom’s superpower and why coaching beats managing

11:30 — College football analogies and coaching trees as leadership models

14:30 — A moment at Dell that changed how Tom views opportunity

16:30 — The ripple effect of lifting people up—inside and outside of work

This episode was recorded live with isolved at the SHRM Annual Conference in San Diego.

The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more.

Learn more about isolved: ⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠

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Recorded live from the isolved booth at SHRM 2025, this episode brings together two voices who embody what it means to be a “people hero.” Darlene Winfield and Yira Coleman join William Tincup and Ryan Leary for a heartfelt—and often hilarious—conversation about impact, purpose, and the power of showing up for others.

Yira reflects on how encouragement drives her both personally and professionally. She shares the transcendent moment that led her to write a children’s book series inspired by the Fruit of the Spirit. Darlene channels her inner Wonder Woman, describing how she wields her “golden lasso” to pull people and processes together for good. The conversation flows from faith to fatherhood to the unexpected realities of managing HR in parks and rec—including graveyards. This one has range—and heart.

Timestamps

00:00 — Bald jokes and wedding stories set the tone

00:49 — The mic’d-up altar moment that made it to the family DVD

02:14 — What’s your superpower? Yira brings the encouragement, Darlene brings the lasso

03:55 — Behind the scenes of Darlene’s HR podcast “Connections”

04:21 — What it means to be a “people hero” from hire to expire

05:08 — Yes, Darlene’s team manages a real graveyard

05:50 — Yira names her ultimate people hero—and it gets spiritual

06:40 — Faith, fake-outs, and Fort Worth front desks

07:40 — The transcendent career moment that inspired Yira’s children’s book series

09:20 — Stellar Strawberry and Barnabas Banana—how characters teach core virtues

10:00 — Darlene shares the quiet HR wins that never make headlines

11:07 — Why advocacy at work changes everything

11:29 — Work as a place where encouragement matters most

11:52 — Closing out with gratitude and a reminder of the everyday impact of HR

This episode was recorded live with isolved at the SHRM Annual Conference in San Diego.

The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more.

Learn more about isolved: ⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠

Connect with Us:

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This episode takes place live at the isolved booth during SHRM 2025. William Tincup and Ryan Leary invite two guests who had no plan to be recorded. Brittany Dvorak and Katie Leonard join the conversation without warning. What follows feels honest. Nothing sounds rehearsed.

Brittany explains why being blunt earns trust when it comes from care. She shares how speaking up changes more than policy. Katie talks about showing up at every location, even when others forget to. She recalls the moment a worker thanked her for explaining benefits. Both women share stories that reveal what it means to help someone feel seen. They make it clear that real HR happens when people remember to be human.

Timestamps

00:00 — Two strangers walk in and agree to record without a script

00:43 — They find common ground through football and conference fatigue

01:26 — Brittany calls for wine and honesty in professional spaces

02:25 — Katie explains how her boss earns trust by fighting for fairness

03:26 — Brittany defines a people hero as someone who disrupts when it counts

04:16 — William says real leadership means speaking truth to power

04:27 — Brittany owns her bluntness and explains why it builds stronger teams

06:38 — Katie says she shows up when others don’t and makes people feel included

07:44 — Brittany shares how a check-in helped someone choose to stay alive

10:06 — They reflect on how empathy showed up during COVID but faded too fast

11:15 — Katie remembers the moment she knew HR was the right path

12:44 — William reminds everyone that great HR begins with listening

This episode was recorded live with isolved at the SHRM Annual Conference in San Diego.

The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more.

Learn more about isolved: ⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠

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Live from the isolved booth at SHRM Annual in San Diego, Christine Allen and Caleb Larkin join William Tincup and Ryan Leary to wrap the event with laughs, insight, and a little chaos. This wasn’t just another tradeshow—it was a full-on activation.

Caleb breaks down how isolved’s infamous text-based bingo game drew over 400 participants—and why designer purses turned the booth into a mob scene. Christine dishes on crowd control, social energy, and what surprised her most about the experience. William and Ryan reflect on what worked this year—including the flow between podcast guests and sales—and share their favorite unscripted podcast moments from the show floor. It’s equal parts hype, hilarity, and hard-earned takeaways.

Timestamps

00:00 — End-of-day chaos as the team wraps the final show

00:27 — Why isolved’s SHRM booth drew record-breaking traffic

01:06 — Caleb breaks down the isolved bingo game strategy

02:10 — The text message game that teaches software features on the fly

02:34 — Crowd frenzy over designer purse giveaways hits a boiling point

04:46 — Managing crowd control and accidental fire hazards

06:07 — Lessons from running a high-traffic booth

06:50 — Podcasting meets sales: integration finally clicks

07:57 — “Do y’all have Jesus in your heart?”—Tincup’s Sunday kickoff

08:19 — The surprising impact of live podcast pairings

09:20 — First-time guests bond over astrology, end up collaborating

10:13 — Two random coaches walk up—then deliver gold on the mic

11:10 — How the booth’s layout encouraged authenticity and connection

11:45 — Encouraging nervous guests: “It’s just like Starbucks”

12:26 — Cold pitches, warm leads, and hilarious rejections

13:10 — What Christine and Caleb would tweak for next year

13:51 — Running out of swag for the first time ever

14:45 — 500 water bottles, infused flavors, and fan-favorite ginger water

15:22 — Final reflections on energy, team effort, and booth success

This episode was recorded live with isolved at the SHRM Annual Conference in San Diego.

The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more.

Learn more about isolved: ⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠

Connect with Us:

Connect with us on social:

Recorded live at the isolved booth at SHRM 2025 in San Diego, this episode features Lisa Perez, founder of HBL Resources and creator of National Management Training Week. She joins William Tincup and Ryan Leary for a vibrant conversation on what HR leaders need to hear—but often overlook.

Lisa breaks down the rising workplace crisis no one talks about—employee caregiving—and why it’s HR’s responsibility to step up with real resources. She shares insights from her SHRM session, her book The Complete Manager Makeover, and her vision for transforming how leaders manage people with empathy and clarity. From growing up in old-school Brooklyn to crafting wedding centerpieces as a self-proclaimed “craft geek,” Lisa brings energy, perspective, and actionable wisdom to the booth.

This one blends laughter, life experience, and serious takeaways about the future of leadership—and how HR can meet it with heart.

Timestamps

00:00 — Live from SHRM San Diego with William, Ryan, and Lisa

00:56 — Lisa introduces National Management Training Week

02:19 — Why caregiving in the workplace matters more than ever

02:50 — One in six employees is a caregiver—HR needs to notice

03:12 — Lisa’s personal background and multigenerational family life

04:22 — Why grandparents have the best job

05:01 — Craft geek, business owner, speaker, wife—Lisa does it all

06:01 — Cultural traditions, cash gifts, and the economics of weddings

07:04 — What “people hero” means to Lisa: servant leadership in action

07:40 — HR must bring solutions, not just rules

08:01 — Why Lisa visits the expo: to find real resources for real problems

08:27 — Highlight: childcare benefits that HR should know about

08:49 — Training managers on the human side of leadership

09:58 — Stop saying “disciplinary conversation”—Lisa explains why

10:53 — The aging workforce, remote work, and shifting manager mindsets

12:25 — Where to find The Complete Manager Makeover and connect with Lisa

The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more.

Learn more about isolved: ⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠

Connect with Us:

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This live conversation from the SHRM floor in San Diego features Jennifer Conway of Coastal Payroll—an isolved partner who brings boots-on-the-ground insight into what’s keeping HR leaders up at night.

She joins William Tincup and Ryan Leary to unpack the big three: compliance risk, the slow-but-steady rise of AI, and what makes someone a true people hero. Jennifer shares why California remains ground zero for wage and hour anxiety, how small businesses struggle without full-time HR staff, and why her own CHRO stands out for being both blunt and deeply human.

From AI curiosity to compliance fear, this one hits the pain points HR leaders are quietly navigating—while offering a little hope, too.

Timestamps

00:00 — Live from SHRM San Diego with Jennifer Conway

00:45 — Jennifer explains Coastal Payroll’s role in the isolved network

01:18 — The HR help small businesses desperately need

01:51 — California compliance fears and rising legal risk

02:07 — What “people hero” means to Jennifer

02:19 — Why her CHRO stands out in a risk-heavy world

03:01 — Making HR relatable to business owners

03:36 — The real conversation around AI adoption

03:58 — Last year’s hype vs this year’s real interest

04:27 — DIY AI regret and turning to isolved too late

04:45 — Some HR leaders still hesitate, but curiosity is rising

04:59 — Jennifer’s one piece of advice: get proactive on compliance now

This episode was recorded live with isolved at the SHRM Annual Conference in San Diego.

The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more.

Learn more about isolved: ⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠

Connect with Us:

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This episode was recorded live at SHRM 2025 in San Diego. William Tincup sat down with D’Mar Phillips, Bill Chval, and Franz Schreiner. Each guest brought a unique lens to the idea of people leadership. They spoke with clarity. They answered without polish. They showed what real influence looks like inside a company.

D'Mar explained why strong relationships matter more than surface-level connection. Bill revealed how motivation depends on knowing what others need before they ask. Franz shared how product success starts with diagnosing the right problem. They did not try to impress. They told stories. They reflected on turning points. They spoke about feedback that hurt but helped. They showed how leadership means staying grounded even when you want to retreat. They made it clear that legacy begins with how you show up every day.

Timestamps

00:00 — Why they start with HR superpowers instead of job titles

01:10 — William explains how motivation fails without personalization

02:00 — “What did you hear?” creates clarity through reflection

03:10 — Franz explains the gap between customer asks and real problems

04:20 — Bill defines a people hero as someone who makes a difference

05:40 — Bill uses a kitchen whiteboard to reinforce what matters

06:30 — Franz explains why Bill leads the same way at home and work

07:40 — D'Mar reframes heroism as the courage to be authentic

08:30 — William embraces blunt honesty but checks for permission

09:20 — Franz explains how inspiration helped shape his leadership

11:00 — Franz reveals why transparency matters more than pretending

12:20 — A project failure at Uber taught Franz to lead with honesty

13:10 — Feedback without sugarcoating builds long-term trust

14:10 — Bill recalls when a stranger wanted to work for him

16:20 — D'Mar shares what Feeding America’s CEO taught him about feedback

17:50 — He explains why you should never leave just to escape something

This episode was recorded live with isolved at the SHRM Annual Conference in San Diego.

The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more.

Learn more about isolved: ⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠

Connect with Us:

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Live from isolved Connect in Charlotte, William Tincup and Ryan Leary finally catch up with Amy Mosher (Chief People Officer) and Celia Fleischaker (Chief Marketing Officer) after a few tech hurdles and plenty of banter.

This conversation blends HR leadership with real-time transformation, as Amy and Celia break down what HR teams are actually dealing with—beyond the buzzwords. They dive into the results from isolved’s latest HR Leaders Report, exposing the real tensions between employer priorities and employee well-being, and why HR now has to do more with less—again.

Amy brings the CPO perspective: where AI isn't a looming threat but a practical tool to give time back to people. Celia adds insight on how adoption is happening—not everywhere, but in the right places—and why optimization isn’t about buying more software, but using it better.

The episode closes with personal reflections on “People Heroes,” a term that becomes more than just branding—framing HR as mission-driven professionals navigating change, empathy, and impact.

Timestamps:

00:00 — Live from Charlotte: chaos, chemistry, and pink champagne

02:12 — Keynote preview: HR Leader Report, product solutions, and real-world application

04:46 — Why live feedback loops between customers and product matter

06:19 — The HR pendulum: shifting power back to the employer

07:13 — AI trust is rising, but clarity still determines adoption

08:47 — Amy on what AI is—and isn’t—replacing in HR

09:52 — Understanding leads to acceptance: the human side of HR tech

12:00 — Pandemic reflections and the return of real empathy in business

13:34 — Are HR teams actually adopting new tech? Where, how, and why

14:50 — Optimization over expansion: using what you already have

17:01 — Amy defines People Heroes: HR on a mission to change the world

17:42 — Celia’s take: empathy, selflessness, and life-stage impact through HR

18:32 — Tearjerker warning and the last laugh with two of isolved’s best

This episode was recorded live at isolved Connect on the UNC Charlotte campus.

The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more.

Learn more about isolved: https://www.isolvedhcm.com/

Connect with Us:

William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/

Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/

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