Trove Founder and Executive Chairman Andy Ruben joins Roy to discuss his journey to entrepreneurship, how his business’s needs and culture have evolved over the years, and why he values thoughtful talent strategy.

Andy has spent the better part of the past three decades working in brand strategy, retail, consumer products, and sustainability. In 2004, he became Walmart's inaugural Chief Sustainability Officer, where he led change across the business and its suppliers before serving as a VP with the retailer. While Andy hadn’t always planned to pursue sustainability, he discovered a passion for the work and went on to found Trove, one of the most innovative companies in the space. 

Over the years, Andy and his team have helped drive the growing re-commerce market. Through their trade-in and branded resale services, Trove has teamed up with world-class brands like Lululemon, Patagonia, Levi’s, REI and others to keep their products in circulation and reduce waste.

Highlights from our conversation include:

• Andy’s unexpected path to sustainability work (3:24)
• How he brought sustainability into Walmart’s boardroom (6:09)
• Taking the leap from Walmart to Trove (9:44)
• How Trove’s hiring needs changed as the brand scaled (15:13)
• The role vision and mission plays in recruiting prospective talent (17:43)
• Andy’s approach to building success profiles (20:23)
• Lessons learned from past hiring mistakes (26:16)
• Understanding cultural elements that attract or repel talent (30:25)
• How Trove is navigating in-office, remote, hybrid, and flexible arrangements (39:02)

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Darcy Winslow is an inspiring leader whose decades of experience at Nike and sustainability-focused nonprofits have cemented her legacy as a forward-thinking, values-driven executive. In her time at Nike, Darcy focused on how the company could employ sustainable practices in footwear and apparel manufacturing. As a part of this process, she created Nike’s groundbreaking Sustainable Business Strategies Division and set her sights on sweeping systems transformation within the company. Darcy was able to marry Nike’s distinct approach to design and creation with the innovative spirit inherent to sustainability work. Darcy left the company in 2008 to further pursue these goals, founding the Academy for Systems Change and the Magnolia Moonshot 2030 project. She and her collaborators empower current and emerging leaders with the skills, networks, and values needed to tackle the climate crisis via global systems change.

Darcy joins Roy to discuss her foundational experiences at Nike, the necessity for authenticity in effective leadership, her vision for building networks of future leaders and system thinkers, her unique perspective on assembling teams that can collectively work towards widespread, positive change, and much more.  

Highlights from our conversation include:

• Darcy’s career journey and sustainability achievements (1:50)
• Experiences that influenced her leadership approach (7:25)
• How Darcy was able to put sustainability on the radar at Nike (9:30)
• Contemplating and incorporating values as part of her leadership (12:46)
• The inner and outer journey of a leader (14:06)
• How Darcy’s experience influenced her approach to hiring (15:02)
• Examples of hiring successes and challenges (16:46)
• How she inspired leaders to integrate and scale sustainability (18:37)
• Her connection and work with MIT’s Peter Senge (21:04)
• The vision and accomplishments of the ASC (22:36)
• How leaders and businesses can affect positive change in the climate crisis (23:47)
• The Magnolia Moonshot 2030 Project (26:23)
  • The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals
• Advice for current and emerging leaders (28:22)

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Award-winning global creative executive Jean Batthany sits down with Roy to dig into the nuances of creative leadership, when organizations should hire a creative leader, and how to assess the skills and competencies that make them successful.

Jean brings a wealth of experience and insight to the podcast; she has spent over thirty years leading brand-side and agency creative teams. Jean began her career at top advertising agencies like BBDO, M&C Saatchi, Merkley+Partners, and Saatchi & Saatchi before transitioning to leading in-house creative strategy for Disney Parks and Resorts, where she served as VP, Global Creative. Most recently, she led a team of over 300 creatives at Walmart as Chief Creative Officer.

Highlights from our conversation include:

• The key elements of a successful brand strategy (4:44)
• Balancing creativity and leadership skills in teams (5:33)
• When and why brands should hire a Chief Creative Officer (7:14)
• How to measure the success of a brand creative leader (7:50)
• The role CCOs play in driving great creative (9:59)
• The best advice Jean received as a young creative (12:28)
• What she looks for in creative leaders (13:40)
• The difference between a brand creative leader and a CMO -- and how they work together (14:29)
• Jean’s advice to early-career creatives (15:51)

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Music and entertainment marketing executive Amani Duncan joins Roy for a conversation about empathetic leadership, why she chooses to be a mentor-manager, how the justice, equity, diversity and inclusion movement impacts the kind and quality of the work you’re doing, and much more.

Amani has more than 20 years of experience spanning a variety of industries. She began her career at Def Jam Recordings. She navigated a time of sweeping change in the music industry as she worked with iconic companies like Bad Boy Entertainment, C.F. Martin & Co, Virgin Records, Capital Music, and MTV/ViacomCBS. Most recently, she served as the CEO of creative agency BBH USA, where she and her team delivered data-driven, full stack marketing and strategic partnership support to leading consumer brands. Today, she serves on the board of Fender Music Instruments and FYLi. 

Highlights from our conversation include:

• How hiring happens in the music industry (5:55)
• What leaders can learn from the ever-evolving music industry (8:32)
• How being a mentor-manager influences her hiring approach (10:09)
• Balancing gut with calculated risk when hiring (13:20)
• Red (and green) flags when assessing a candidate (15:12, 27:29)
• How Amani and her team set a vision to diversify BBH... (17:16)
• ...And how their success transformed the business (20:41)
• The “spark” she looks for in candidates (24:27)
• How Covid impacted hiring...
• And how she handled mis-hires (29:04)
• The benefits and pitfalls of references (30:31)
• What teams need from leaders in this moment (33:33)
• Amani’s advice for candidates (38:08)

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In this special episode of How I Hire, Roy is sitting down with Noto Group’s team of executive search consultants. He’s joined by Sara Spirko, Bridget Hope, Tami Bumiller, and Lena Knofler to dig into essential leadership, workforce, and hiring trends that they’re seeing for 2023 and beyond, along with the best ways to navigate them successfully for candidates and companies alike.

Managing Director Sara Spirko began her career in recruiting with large consumer products companies. She then transitioned into marketing and brand activities before moving into project management for supply chain and global HR functions. She worked with companies like Gibson Guitar Corporation, Mars Incorporated, CSL Behring, and Godiva Chocolatier before moving back to Portland, joining Noto Group in 2019, and reentering the world of talent recruitment.

Executive Recruiter Bridget Hope has over 20 years of experience in leadership, merchandising, and category management in the outdoor sporting goods, athletic fitness, and lifestyle industries. She got her start at Banana Republic as a project manager before relocating to Nike to work in category management. She went on to work in merchandising, licensing, and consulting for brands like Eagle Creek, Puma, and Skull Candy before reconnecting with Roy and joining Noto Group in 2022. 

Principal Search Consultant Tami Bumiller has 20 years of experience in hospitality operations, retail human resources, and agency recruiting. The first 10 years of her career were spent in restaurant operations for a variety of independent brands across the country, after which she transitioned into retail, working at Eddie Bauer and eventually serving as their Senior VP of HR. After working with Roy to build out Eddie Bauer’s leadership, Tami joined the team at Noto Group in 2019. 

Principal Search Consultant Lena Knofler started her career doing accounting and tax work at a family-owned aviation engineering investment company. After coaching sports teams in the area, she was inspired to shift gears towards talent development for a small local agency in Portland, in addition to doing in-house recruitment work for Providence Healthcare. Her career journey led her to Noto Group, where she has been a Search Consultant since 2019. 

Highlights from our conversation include:

• What it’s like to be an executive recruiter (5:54)
• What today’s candidates want and need (9:06)
• Key talent strategy trends for 2023 (13:38)
• Leadership qualities executives should have in order to stand out (19:30)
• Factors that will make the difference between success and failure in hiring this year (24:59)
• Developments in executive compensation (29:22)
• What the team is excited about moving forward (31:07)

Get your tickets for MO Summit 2023: April 24th-26th in Austin, Texas!

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Roy sits down with Seungah Jeong, President and CEO of MPOWERD, a Certified B Corporation specializing in sustainable, affordable, and thoughtfully designed renewable energy products. Not only does MPOWERD offer a host of highly functional, energy efficient tools for lighting, charging, utility, recreation, and power storage, they are also dedicated to distributing clean energy to people worldwide via their partnerships with hundreds of NGOs and non-profit organizations. Prior to her tenure at MPOWERD, Seungah built her experience in CPG at companies like Procter & Gamble and Nest Fragrances. She came to MPOWERD in 2016 to help develop the brand, expand their range of products, and amplify the company’s social and environmental impacts in the process. Seungah and Roy discuss her team building experience at Nest, how MPOWERD’s mission and values influence their recruitment practices, as well as the key characteristics she looks for in bringing talent along on a purpose-driven brand journey.

Highlights from our conversation include:

• Building a successful team from the ground up at Nest (4:36)
• One crucial trait she looks for in potential candidates (7:56)
• Similarities between the outdoor and beauty industries (12:19)
• Why an innovation mindset is essential in business (15:10)
• How MPOWERD’s values factor into their recruitment process (17:53)
• How she assesses a candidate’s connection to mission and purpose (20:38)
• When to hire internally vs. externally (26:20)
• Developing an effective hiring strategy and roadmap (28:40) 
• How to maximize a team’s potential during periods of growth (29:38)
• Key qualities Seungah looks for in evaluating leaders (32:23)
• Factors that have contributed to hiring mistakes (36:27)
• Seungah’s perspective on in-office vs. remote vs. hybrid work (40:22)
• Her advice to entrepreneurs just starting out in their career (44:24)

Use code HOWIHIRE at MPOWERD.com to receive 20% off your order.

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Roy is joined by Jan-Patrick Schmitz, CEO of the Wüsthof Group. Wüsthof is a family-run business that has been manufacturing quality cutlery for over 200 years. Prior to Wüsthof, Jan-Patrick served as a key member of the leadership team at Montblanc. He’s spent over 20 years working in brand management, establishing himself as a seasoned thought leader in the consumer space. His extensive experience ranges from the development of luxury brands as the Founder and CEO of Muirbury & Co, to serving on the board of directors of Thornwillow Press and the German American Chamber. Roy and Jan-Patrick discuss key factors to consider when hiring and leading teams across borders and cultural contexts.

Highlights from our conversation include:

• Lessons from Jan-Patrick’s early career move from Germany to Japan (3:47)
• How leaders can cultivate trust and credibility with global teams (7:09)
• Advice for navigating culturally complex business dynamics (8:28)
• How Jan-Patrick builds cohesion in remote and global teams (12:08)
• Methods for assessing the performance of international teams (21:07)
• What Jan-Patrick looks for in a leader (24:45)
• His experience building a DTC business at an established company (26:12)
• How Jan-Patrick’s vision informs competencies and roles (28:28)
• His “unorthodox” interview style (30:47)
• How he engages stakeholders in global hiring processes (32:56)
• The three most essential skills effective global leaders must have (34:33)

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Starting your own business can present a wide variety of challenges, especially when it comes to building out strong, competent teams that can scale with the organization. Thousand is an urban cycling helmet and accessory brand based in Los Angeles. Founder and CEO Gloria Hwang joins Roy to share the wisdom she’s gained in her entrepreneurial journey from Thousand’s startup days in her garage to its success as an innovative outdoor brand. Gloria takes Roy through the obstacles she faced when Thousand was a fledgling company, and the pair discuss the skills, recruitment acumen, and flexibility it takes to grow a purpose-driven, values-based company. 

Highlights from our conversation include:

• Early career lessons at TOMS (4:10)
• The beginnings of Thousand (5:16)
• The challenges faced by new entrepreneurs when trying to hire (7:02)
• How to develop the skills needed for effective talent recruitment as an entrepreneur (9:30)
• The less tangible qualities she looks for in a prospective hire (13:41)
• Thousand’s core values and how they influence recruitment (14:26)
• Cultivating a diverse and equitable candidate pipeline (15:06)
• Developing a hiring roadmap for Thousand in the midst of growth (18:18)
• How the hiring process has changed at Thousand as they’ve become more established (24:10)
• Lessons learned from hiring successes and failures (26:02)
• What makes an authentic and capable leader (29:02)
• The pros and cons of remote/hybrid/flexible work environments (32:03)

Mentioned in this episode:

• The Performance Pipeline: Getting the Right Performance At Every Level of Leadership by Stephen Drotter

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Your organization just made an important executive hire – now what? Organizational Psychologists Dr. Stacey Philpot and Dr. Ted Freeman are here to answer this question and more. The two join Roy to continue their conversation around leadership transitions, discussing the ins and outs of leadership integration and acceleration. Drawing on their wealth of experience, Ted and Stacey outline the essential steps in implementing executive talent and speeding up the likelihood of success, as well as the positive impact they can have in their new role. 

• Ted and Stacey have been partnering with Noto Group on these kinds of complex and mission critical VP and C-Level hires for the last few years. Ted has extensive experience as an organization development consultant and executive. He previously served as Culture Officer at EILEEN FISHER, INC and couples this expertise with more than a decade of consulting experience in the areas of leadership development, organizational effectiveness, and executive coaching. Stacey brings over 20 years of experience as an organizational consultant to her role as Managing Partner at Executive Development Consulting. She’s advised Fortune 500 companies and CEOs on how to use leadership development to accelerate growth and increase their competitive advantage. 

Highlights from our conversation include:

• Concerns senior executives may have when entering new organizations (2:55)
• The four essential elements of success for new executive hires (5:17)
• Key steps when onboarding and integrating leadership teams (6:59)
• How to help new leaders productively and successfully engage with stakeholders (7:52)
• Challenges and risks faced by organizations when bringing in senior executives (9:29)
• The necessity for self-awareness and planning when entering a role (15:03)
• How to speed up the process of recalibration (18:15)
• The importance of contextualizing a new hire’s mandate for change within the ecosystem of the organization (21:16)
• The recipe for organizational success (22:10)

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Roy is joined by Wylie Robinson, CEO and Co-Founder of Rumpl, a Climate Neutral Certified B Corp and proud member of 1% for the Planet. By using performance materials that are most commonly found in premium outdoor gear, Rumpl is on a mission to introduce the world to better blankets. Before moving out to Portland, OR and modernizing the puffy blanket, Wylie worked as a designer with branding agency Landor in San Francisco. Wylie shares how his approach to hiring has evolved throughout Rumpl’s growth. The two also discuss how the brand’s compelling vision and values have helped attract top talent and drive its success.

Highlights from our conversation include:

• Wylie’s path to becoming an entrepreneur (1:51)
• Making Rumpl’s very first hires (7:26)
• Overcoming the growing pains of starting a company (8:53)
• Lessons learned from hiring challenges (10:41)
• Pursuing more equity in the hiring process (12:05)
• How he attracted talent with limited resources early on (14:35)
• How hiring needs have shifted as the company has grown (16:15)
• What makes the Rumpl culture so unique? (22:55)
• The value of hiring engaged employees (24:50)
• The employment brand’s development (28:23)
• The pros and cons of remote and hybrid work (36:23)
• Advice for entrepreneurs who are just starting out (37:16)

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