Heroes of HR

By WRKdefined Podcast Network

Heroes of HR is your backstage pass to the unsung champions of every workplace—the People Heroes. This limited-series podcast, brought to you by isolved, cuts through the fluff to highlight the real l... more

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FAQs about Heroes of HR:

How many episodes does Heroes of HR have?

The podcast currently has 59 episodes available.

Heroes of HR episodes:

June 29, 2025Building Belief: Amberly Dressler on Brand-Led Growth, Community Loyalty, and the Human Face of HCM
Live from isolved Connect in Charlotte, William Tincup and Ryan Leary sit down with Amberly Dressler, VP of Corporate Marketing at isolved, to uncover how a vibrant brand and thriving user community can drive adoption, advocacy, and trust.
In this episode, they explore what makes isolved more than a software platform—from a pink cape movement to customers turning into evangelists. Amberly walks through how isolved’s community evolved from a digital engagement idea to a frontline knowledge network, powered by HR pros helping HR pros.
They dive into the real business impact: certifications that follow users across jobs, feature updates based on user feedback, and a brand that shows up in Halloween costumes and job descriptions. Amberly also breaks down what it means to be a “People Hero” and why it’s not just HR leaders—but every manager on the ground—who shapes employee experience.
If you're in HCM and still treating marketing as decoration instead of a strategic driver of loyalty and product growth, this one’s your mirror.
Timestamps:
00:00 — Live from Charlotte: intros, inside jokes, and isolved love
00:45 — What corporate marketing owns at isolved (spoiler: nearly everything but payroll)
02:00 — Why isolved customers name-drop their CSMs
03:19 — Building trust you can't fake: community-first service model
04:10 — The rise of isolved’s Community: from FAQ board to digital lifeline
05:25 — 30–40% of product updates come from customer input
06:10 — People Heroes certification: why isolved built one and what it covers
07:51 — Product adoption, job descriptions, and customers taking isolved with them
09:03 — Brand as adoption engine: pink swag, capes, and real-life buy-in
10:45 — Could isolved Community power a job board? (and why it might already be happening)
11:59 — Empowering the selfless: certifications, credits, and 8-hour growth windows
13:10 — Expanding the definition of People Heroes: managers, not just HR
14:32 — The daily mindset: “Who wakes up thinking about this?” defines your impact
15:11 — Wrapping up: on the road again, together

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/
Connect with us on social:
Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/

Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined

Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/
Powered by the WRKdefined Podcast Network.
...more
16min
June 29, 2025AI, Ethics, and HR’s New Balancing Act: Tami Nutt on Risk, Responsibility, and What Comes Next
What do audits, algorithms, and HR policy have in common? More than you think—and the consequences of getting it wrong are growing by the day.
Live from isolved Connect in Charlotte, William Tincup and Ryan Leary sit down with Tami Nutt, VP at Aspect 43, to unpack the uncomfortable truths about AI in HR: what’s regulated, what’s not, and why HR leaders can’t afford to stay in the dark.
Tami walks through the critical questions HR should be asking their vendors, the myth of in-house AI audits, and why ethical AI starts with knowing what not to automate. From compliance landmines in NYC to why “just because you can doesn’t mean you should” is the new HR tech mantra, this episode puts the spotlight on accountability.
If your HR tech pitch doesn’t include third-party audits, transparent data sourcing, or human-centric design—this is your red flag.
Timestamps:
00:00 — Live from Charlotte: Texas shoutouts, Jersey slander, and opening laughs
02:07 — Tami 's keynote preview: AI, HR, and what compliance really means
03:00 — The compliance blind spot: why ethical AI matters now more than ever
04:27 — NYC laws, vendor audits, and who’s really on the hook for bad AI
05:34 — Buyer beware: the questions you must ask your HR tech vendors
06:44 — Risk, bias, and invisible decisions: the human cost of unchecked AI
07:58 — Can your sales rep explain your AI model? Why they should
08:50 — Proof, not pitch decks: how to verify real compliance claims
10:10 — Open vs closed models: training data, risk layers, and hybrid approaches
12:15 — Empathy over automation: where AI doesn’t belong
14:00 — Post-COVID reality: HR changed, but did leadership forget?
17:17 — Sales and cost savings now outrank recruiting—why HR is stuck in the middle
18:35 — HR’s new mandate: connect people strategy to business performance
19:38 — Live demos, real audits, and vendor red flags to watch
20:51 — Tami 's final takeaway: make AI actionable, human, and accountable now

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/
Connect with us on social:
Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/

Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined

Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/
Powered by the WRKdefined Podcast Network.
...more
22min
June 29, 2025From Filing Cabinets to Frontline Advocacy: Paige La Fever on Community, Customers, and Culture at isolved
What do a basement full of paper records, a ferry ride to work, and a thriving customer advisory board have in common? They're all part of the story behind isolved’s “people heroes” movement.
Live from isolved Connect in Charlotte, Ryan Leary and William Tincup sit down with Paige La Fever, Director of Community Relations at isolved, to unpack how HR tech companies can build real trust—not just tools.
Paige reveals how isolved’s community evolved from a tactical advocacy platform into a strategic growth engine, giving HR pros a voice, visibility, and an actual seat at the product table. From leveraging Influitive to activate customer networks to letting executives take live feedback on the chin, this episode is a crash course in customer intimacy at scale.
She also shares why letting clients leave gracefully is the key to long-term retention—and why some do come back.
And in the middle of it all? A payroll hero from Alaska who went from paper trails to panel talks.
If your idea of “community” still involves newsletters and a Slack channel, this conversation will recalibrate your playbook.
Timestamps:
00:00 — Live from isolved Connect: conference formats, partner strategy, and a face for radio
01:14 — Meet Paige: reputation, advocacy, references, and a whole lot more
02:30 — People Heroes origins: how a tactical program turned into a customer-led movement
03:42 — How isolved uses Influitive to power connection, feedback, and activation
05:00 — Why most vendor communities fail—and why this one didn’t
06:22 — Transparency in action: when product feedback gets answered on the spot
07:53 — Advisory boards, real feedback, and expanding by industry or size
09:34 — Customer story: Jaylene in Alaska, from file cabinets to featured panelist
11:03 — What “People Heroes” really means—and why isolved sees itself as the sidekick
12:04 — Winning over new HR leaders who didn’t choose isolved
13:25 — Why a graceful offboarding is the best retention strategy
14:46 — The part of isolved people don’t see: it still feels like family
16:07 — Analyst relations, vendor bias, and navigating credibility in paid ecosystems
18:34 — Wrapping with Irish goodbyes and party predictions

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/
Connect with us on social:
Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/

Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined

Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/
Powered by the WRKdefined Podcast Network.
...more
20min
June 29, 2025From the Classroom to the C-Suite: Patty Kallman on Feedback, Trust, and Teaching People How to Work Better
What do 8th graders, international trade shows, and HR feedback culture have in common? According to Patty Kallman—everything.
Recorded live at isolved Connect in Charlotte, William Tincup and Ryan Leary sit down with Patty Kallman, Director of Professional Development at Kallman Worldwide, to unpack the parallels between education and leadership development.
Patty brings a nontraditional HR lens to the table, drawing from her 16 years in the classroom and her PhD in education. The conversation digs into the real markers of disengagement, why pizza parties don’t solve burnout, and how to create safe, trust-driven work environments without hiding behind anonymous surveys.
They cover the reality of post-COVID growth, hybrid work patterns, the psychology of feedback, and the surprising similarities between a high school dropout and a disengaged employee.
Whether you're leading 50 people or 2,000, this episode drives home one point: trust isn't scalable without intention—and feedback without safety is noise.
Timestamps:
00:00 — Live from Charlotte: trade shows, podcast jokes, and teacher energy
00:54 — Patty's origin story: from high school classrooms to company leadership
02:55 — From 50 to 9 to 57: rebuilding a team post-COVID
03:45 — Disengagement red flags: the data behind absentee patterns
04:43 — Culture isn't bean bags: how post-COVID leadership must evolve
05:16 — The feedback gap: why most managers never ask the right questions
06:30 — Building feedback loops without fear or punishment
07:19 — Proactive vs reactive leadership in small orgs
08:10 — Anonymous feedback vs real conversations: what’s actually useful
08:52 — Trust is a two-way street: transparency, consistency, and intent
10:24 — Clear intent: what HR can learn from military command structures
12:17 — The power of storytelling to align managers and mission
14:14 — What being a “People Hero” actually looks like in practice
15:02 — Creating environments where people thrive, not just survive

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/
Connect with us on social:
Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/

Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined

Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/
Powered by the WRKdefined Podcast Network.
...more
16min
June 29, 2025From Teller to Talent: Carli on Climbing the HR Ladder and the Power of Doing the Hard Thing First
What do RBF, flight anxiety, and bilingual recruiting have in common? For Carli, they’re just part of the ride.
Live from isolved Connect in Charlotte, Ryan Leary and William Tincup sit down with Carli—former bank teller turned talent acquisition pro—for a fast-moving conversation on growth, grit, and giving candidates the truth.
She shares how internal mobility and hands-on training set her up to thrive in TA, why knowing the roles you recruit for makes all the difference, and how showing up quiet doesn’t mean showing up small.
From language gaps in candidate pools to avoiding week-long HR disasters, this episode dives into the real-life challenges of frontline recruiting—and how to face them head-on.
If you’ve ever felt underestimated, misunderstood, or unprepared in your first HR gig, Carli’s path will hit home.
Timestamps:
00:00 — Live from Charlotte: First flights, Xanax jokes, and crash soundtracks
02:01 — Meet Carli: Teller to trainer to HR pro in under six years
03:06 — How teaching every job trained her for TA
04:10 — The bilingual candidate search: open house recruiting and community outreach
05:30 — Why job boards aren’t enough: doing the footwork
06:04 — Filtering 50+ applicants down to 5 that actually care
06:28 — Carli’s go-to interview question that reveals real character
07:07 — “How are you misunderstood?”: the secret question that changes interviews
09:00 — Being quiet, focused, and wrongly judged in the workplace
10:51 — Advice for newbies: be a sponge, take notes, don’t jump the gun
12:49 — “Being a People Hero means saving the day—and stopping the dumpster fires”
13:29 — The post-it mantra: Do first what you dread most
14:47 — Corporate pressure vs. real priorities: why one task done well beats 50 half-finished tasks

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/
Connect with us on social:
Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/

Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined

Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/
Powered by the WRKdefined Podcast Network.
...more
16min
June 29, 2025Global Workforce, Local Trust: Barry Flanagan and Steve McWright on Payroll Visibility, Compliance Risks, and Leading with Empathy
Live from isolved Connect in Charlotte, William Tincup and Ryan Leary sit down with Barry Flanagan and Steve McWright to dissect the mess of managing global payroll—and the unexpected consequences of getting it wrong.
From pouring the perfect pint of Guinness to navigating compliance chaos in Poland and Argentina, this episode blends humor with hard truths. Barry and Steve share how hidden jurisdiction issues, fragmented systems, and reactive processes threaten not just legal standing, but employee trust.
The solution? Full visibility, automation, and radical transparency. They walk through a success story of seven countries unified under one platform, and explain why access to accurate information isn't just operationally smart—it’s a philosophy for 2025.
People heroes aren't just administrators. They’re leaders who consolidate, automate, and empathize.
Timestamps:
00:00 — Guinness, rugby, and global context: the Irish connection to compliance
04:28 — The real challenge: payroll consolidation across countries and services
06:17 — Success story: 7 countries, 1 platform, total workforce clarity
07:39 — Compliance blind spots from COVID-era remote work
08:32 — Hyperinflation and policy reversals: Argentina, Poland, France
10:03 — The cost of non-compliance: lost benefits, broken trust
12:08 — Steve on the path forward: automate, empower, consolidate
13:00 — Barry on transparency as HR’s 2025 leadership mandate
14:07 — Defining People Heroes: empathy, leadership, and showing up

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/
Connect with us on social:
Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/

Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined

Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/
Powered by the WRKdefined Podcast Network.
...more
18min
June 29, 2025Power, Perception, and Payroll: Stacey Harris on Bias, Budget Battles, and the Future of HR Tech
Live from isolved Connect in Charlotte, Ryan Leary and William Tincup sit down with industry analyst and keynote speaker Stacey Harris for a candid conversation that starts with leveling up HR—and doesn’t let up.
From who really controls HR tech budgets (hint: not always HR) to why women in HR leadership still need more data to be trusted, this episode breaks down the hidden dynamics shaping the profession.
Stacey unpacks why "HR is female-led" is both true and misleading, and how bias, brand perception, and clustering tech stacks intersect with business outcomes. The trio tackle tough topics: why women hold back other women, what trust really looks like in the C-suite, and the silent shift of HR tech decisions back to IT and finance.
If you think compliance is boring, or gender equity is a solved problem, this one will force a second look.
Timestamps:
00:00 — Live in Charlotte: pre-show chaos, banter, and keynote aftermath
01:00 — Leveling up HR: bias, perception, and why it still holds the function back
03:01 — Budget control shifts: from HR to IT, and the strategic consequences
04:43 — Branding HR tech to the C-Suite: who needs to know your name
06:00 — The Frankenstein effect: point solutions, data silos, and creeping IT takeover
08:04 — The “clustering model” explained: 3-4 anchors + best-of-suite agility
09:05 — Who should own vendor relationships? HR vs IT and business outcomes
10:00 — Why native integrations beat shallow “whizzy-wig” solutions
10:33 — The gender gap at the top: 70% female in HR, but not in leadership
13:00 — Why time tracking is a leadership issue, not just a process
14:50 — AI, wearables, and HR's frontline role in privacy and compliance
17:10 — The new compliance reality: constant change, no time to catch up
18:33 — Selling HR strategy: know your execs, brand, and organizational dynamics
21:25 — Women holding women back: the zero-sum trap in executive rooms
24:30 — Bias vs preference: how unconscious filters shape hiring and promotion
27:00 — Why women in HR bring more data—and why it’s expected of them
30:00 — Transformational leadership traits: how gender impacts process priorities
32:11 — Metric visibility gaps for female HR leaders
33:30 — Trust, retention, and why staying power matters more than ever

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/
Connect with us on social:
Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/

Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined

Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/
Powered by the WRKdefined Podcast Network.
...more
39min
June 29, 2025Inside Payroll Fraud: Steve Lenderman on Synthetic Identities, Insider Risks, and the Battle for Trust
Forget fire drills—most HR leaders don’t even know the building’s on fire.
Live from isolved Connect in Charlotte, William Tincup and Ryan Leary sit down with Steve Lenderman, Head of Fraud Prevention at isolved, for a sobering look inside the underbelly of payroll fraud—and what most vendors aren’t telling you.
From synthetic identities and device biometrics to dark web marketplaces and machine learning scams, Steve exposes how payroll fraud is evolving faster than most teams can keep up—and why treating payroll like a bank is the only path forward.
This episode isn’t just a wake-up call—it’s a blueprint for survival in a world where one compromised login can bankrupt a business.
If your payroll provider can’t answer basic questions about fraud prevention, you’re already at risk.
Timestamps:
00:00 — Live from Charlotte: small shows, real conversations
00:45 — Steve Lenderman joins: banking roots and the road to isolved
02:05 — Payroll is banking: incoming, outgoing, and holding funds
04:26 — First-party fraud: fictitious businesses and payroll float scams
07:00 — Third-party fraud: account takeovers, ghost employees, diverted funds
08:29 — Predictive vs. reactive fraud models: what payroll should learn from banks
10:05 — Digital identity: from mouse movements to behavioral biometrics
12:07 — Twins and bad data: how traditional identity checks fall short
14:05 — Synthetic identity: the rise of fully fake individuals and businesses
16:04 — The new dark web: fraud tactics now shared on open platforms
17:51 — Cyber ≠ fraud: most fraud starts with cyber, but ends with money
20:00 — The $10M problem: why local law enforcement won’t touch payroll fraud
20:57 — The knockout question: “What’s your fraud prevention posture?”
23:39 — Final warning: if fraud prevention isn’t baked into the product, run

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/
Connect with us on social:
Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/

Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined

Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/
Powered by the WRKdefined Podcast Network.
...more
26min
June 29, 2025Paycheck to Purpose: Shae on Financial Autonomy, Empathy, and the Real Cost of Waiting for Payday
Most employees aren't blowing their paychecks on luxury. They're buying diapers, groceries, and tires to get to work. So why are they still waiting weeks to access money they've already earned?
Live from isolved Connect in Charlotte, Ryan Leary and William Tincup sit down with Shae from ZayZoon to talk about the financial stress quietly crushing American workers—and what employers can actually do about it.
They dig into the data (70% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck), the misconceptions ("just budget better"), and the systems that make financial hardship worse, not better. Shae shares her personal story of walking out of a grocery store with $7 in her account and no way to pay for diapers—then explains how earned wage access could have changed everything.
The trio also debates car leases, the pros and cons of renting, the psychology of Zoom calls, and why empathy—not judgment—needs to be core to every people strategy.
If you think financial wellness is just a "nice to have" benefit, this episode is your reality check.
Timestamps:
00:00 — Live from Charlotte: plushies, people heroes, and payroll mascots
02:03 — Meet Shaye: ZayZoon, earned wage access, and fixing financial stress
03:15 — 70% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck—why it’s not just a “poor” problem
04:48 — Budgeting isn’t the solution when you're suddenly earning more
06:13 — Renting vs. owning: why fluid lifestyles shift financial priorities
08:16 — Shae's Tesla lease and working remote: new rules of money
10:00 — Do we really multitask, or just code switch poorly?
11:27 — HR’s retention problem: losing talent over $2/hour
13:12 — Why financial stress destroys engagement and how to fix it
14:46 — Shae's personal story: $7.57 in the bank and walking out of the grocery line
17:19 — What workers really use wage access for: essentials, not indulgence
18:11 — Teaching financial literacy as part of earned wage access
18:44 — Payday loans vs. autonomy: putting power back in workers’ hands
19:18 — The HR mindset shift: empathy over judgment
21:09 — What being a People Hero really means in practice
22:31 — Final word: awareness, availability, and recognition as leadership tools

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/
Connect with us on social:
Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/

Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined

Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/
Powered by the WRKdefined Podcast Network.
...more
24min
June 29, 2025From Point Solution to People Strategy: Bridget Fleagle on Hiring Help, Product Planning, and the Future of Talent Tech
What happens when a standalone ATS evolves into a fully integrated talent strategy? You get a platform that doesn’t just fill roles—it fills gaps in bandwidth, strategy, and execution.
Live from isolved Connect in Charlotte, Ryan Leary and William Tincup sit down with Bridget Fleagle to talk talent acquisition, product strategy, and how isolved Talent Services is reshaping support for small HR teams.
Bridget shares the real reason standalone solutions still matter, why some HR pros don’t even know what tools they already have, and how isolved’s services team quietly does the heavy lifting for businesses too small to build an HR department.
They also dig into the tension between adding features and killing them off—why product teams struggle to sunset, what "broccoli vs. chocolate" has to do with innovation, and how listening to customers is both a gift and a trap.
For anyone building product, managing people, or just trying to hire faster with fewer hands, this one hits home.
Timestamps:
00:00 — Live from Charlotte: regional events, live crowds, and podcast energy
00:49 — Bridget’s origin story: from ApplicantPro to leading TA at isolved
02:27 — Rebranding and integration: from standalone ATS to isolved Talent Acquisition
03:40 — Turning on tools customers didn’t know they had
05:17 — Smart upsells vs. feature frustration
06:14 — Real customer stories and the power of data continuity
07:01 — Why isolved TA isn’t just “another ATS”
07:48 — Deep integrations and strategy alignment
08:00 — Presentation breakdown: candidate experience and talent services
09:01 — How isolved supports small teams lacking HR resources
10:15 — Screening, video interviewing, and hiring assessments explained
11:03 — Why trades and sub-50 headcount companies benefit most
12:09 — Inside the isolved product roadmap process
13:48 — The balance of agility and vision in product planning
14:54 — Feature bloat, user adoption, and killing your darlings
17:50 — Why product teams resist removing features (and why they shouldn’t)
20:02 — A deleted feature no one noticed: when silence is insight
21:22 — Chocolate vs. broccoli: stretching users past what they think they want
22:14 — Competitor analysis and the trap of roadmap smoke and mirrors
23:19 — Real product = live software, not demo videos
23:48 — People Heroes defined: energy, advocacy, and showing up for humans

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/
Connect with us on social:
Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/

Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined

Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/
Powered by the WRKdefined Podcast Network.
...more
25min

FAQs about Heroes of HR:

How many episodes does Heroes of HR have?

The podcast currently has 59 episodes available.