Join us on the final episode of season 5 of the HR Like a Boss podcast! John welcomes Robert Palmer Jr. to discuss the upcoming Ohio SHRM Conference. They explore the purpose of human resources, the importance of networking, and the exciting events planned for the conference, including keynote speakers and social activities. Robert emphasizes the need for HR professionals to be advocates for people and shares insights on how the conference aims to inspire attendees while providing valuable educational opportunities and SHRM recertification credits.

In this episode of the HR Like a Boss podcast, John welcomes Mark Chaffey, co-founder and CEO of hackajob. They discuss Mark's journey from England to New York and the importance of creating a positive work culture. Mark shares insights on how hackajob addresses the challenges of tech hiring and the evolving role of AI in recruitment. The conversation emphasizes the significance of relationships in talent acquisition and the need for HR professionals to adapt to technological advancements while maintaining a people-first approach.

In this episode of the HR Like a Boss podcast, John is joined by Laura Azzarella, HR leader and Co-Founder of Applied Potential Solutions. They discuss the evolving role of human resources as a strategic partner in organizations. Laura shares her journey from media production to HR, emphasizing the importance of data analytics and technology in HR practices. They explore how HR professionals can leverage data to improve workforce management and the significance of embracing technology to enhance HR functions. Check it out!

ABOUT LAURA

Laura Azzarella is a data-driven HR leader and Co-Founder of Applied Potential Solutions, as well as the President-Elect of the Buffalo Niagara HR Association. With over 15 years of experience in strategic HR leadership, she has built a career transforming businesses through analytics, technology, and forward-thinking solutions. Laura specializes in leveraging technology to drive measurable results. She has led HRIS migrations, payroll and benefits system upgrades (KRONOS & ADP), and the development of HR analytics dashboards across multiple organizations. She believes HR should be more than just a compliance function—it should be a strategic force that drives business success. Her expertise spans leadership development, employee engagement, workforce analytics, and HR technology integration, with a focus on bringing enterprise-level best practices to startups and small businesses.

In this episode of the HR Like a Boss podcast, John speaks with Lyndsay Dowd, Chief Revenue Officer of Intry, about the evolving role of human resources in leadership, the challenges of layoffs, and the importance of resilience and power skills in the workplace. Lyndsay discusses the critical relationship between HR and sales, emphasizing the need for HR to take a proactive role in business. They also explore the significance of creating a safe environment for employees and the necessity of leading with heart to inspire and support others in the workplace.

ABOUT LYNDSAY DOWD

Lyndsay Dowd is a Speaker, Founder, Author, Coach, Podcast Host, and Disruptor. She was recognized as a Top 10 Business Coach by Apple News and was the recipient of the 2023 Award for Innovation and Excellence, also named Business Coach of the Year. Lyndsay was also a Featured Guest Lecturer at Harvard University. She is an accomplished leader, decorated seller and has successfully managed large, diverse, high-performing sales teams over the last 25 years. 23 of those years were spent climbing the ranks at IBM. In creating her company, Heartbeat for Hire, she has devoted her career to transforming leadership through building irresistible culture and modern leadership practices to get the best results from their teams. She is a thriving coach focused on sales, leadership, career, and culture. She has been featured in Fortune Magazine, HR.Com, Authority Magazine, Business Management Daily, Valiant CEO and many other publications. Lyndsay is a 2 time author for both “Top Down Culture” and a contributing author to the anthology “Voices of Women.” She also hosts the top 5% globally ranked podcast, Heartbeat for Hire, and is a frequent guest speaker on live and recorded shows. Today she is the Chief Revenue Officer for Intry where they are merging the best of technology with the best of humanity to help job seekers and those in transition land the jobs of their dreams.

In this episode of the HR Like a Boss podcast, John interviews Clark Willcox, a seasoned recruiter and founder of Digital Recruiter. They discuss Clark's journey from sports management to recruiting, the evolving landscape of talent acquisition, and the importance of human resources in organizations. Clark emphasizes the need for HR to facilitate rather than dominate, the challenges of a noisy recruiting environment, and strategies for standing out in the digital space, particularly on LinkedIn. They discuss the importance of building a personal brand, maximizing recruitment strategies, and the challenges faced by HR professionals in the recruiting process. They emphasize the need for proactive recruiting methods, the value of personal content marketing, and the significance of authenticity in attracting the right candidates.

ABOUT CLARK

Clark Willcox is a seasoned recruiter, entrepreneur, and the founder of Digital Recruiter, a coaching and consulting program that helps recruiting professionals master the art of LinkedIn marketing, content strategy, and automation. With over a decade of experience in the recruiting industry, Clark began his recruiting career at Aerotek after a stint in door to door B2B telecom sales, quickly hitting $10K in weekly spread within five months and earning a world-class Net Promoter Score (NPS) from his clients while selling recruiting services in the skilled trades and light industrial sectors. As an account manager, he also trained and led multiple recruiters who went on to earn promotions under his guidance, further solidifying his impact as both a high-performer and a mentor.

Today, Clark channels that frontline recruiting experience into helping agencies and recruiters generate inbound leads, build magnetic LinkedIn brands, and close business through value-driven outreach. His framework blends niche positioning, authentic content, and smart automation to create marketing that builds trust before the first call. Through Digital Recruiter, his strategies have helped clients generate millions in new business pipelines while transforming how they attract and win high-quality clients in an increasingly digital-first world.

In this episode of the HR Like a Boss podcast, host John speaks with Stephanie Hajducek, founder of the nonprofit 'This One's for the Gals.' They discuss the importance of workforce development, particularly for women in non-traditional careers such as construction and manufacturing. Stephanie shares her journey of creating opportunities for girls in K-12 education, highlighting success stories and the impact of mentorship. The conversation emphasizes the need for community engagement and the role of HR professionals in shaping the future workforce.

ABOUT STEPHANIE

Stephanie Hajducek is a Project Specialist for Enbridge – Project YaREN. Project YaREN is a proposed low carbon ammonia production and export facility in Ingleside, Texas, being developed by Enbridge and Yara. Stephanie has also held positions with industry leading companies such as Bechtel, ChevronPhillips, Citgo, Steel Dynamics and The Chemours Company. In January 2022 Stephanie started a 501c3 nonprofit organization called This One’s for the Gals that helps girls with career exploration and workforce development. Focusing their efforts on the construction, energy, manufacturing and maritime industries, TOFTG likes to say that they talk to girls about career pathways that not a lot of people talk to girls about, from Skilled Trades to STEM and everything in between! After almost 20 years out of high school, and with the support of her husband and three children, Stephanie earned her bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering Technology from The University of Southern Mississippi while working full time. She hopes that by sharing her experiences and lessons learned she can help girls step out of their comfort zone and step into a world of endless possibilities in industry!

In this inspiring episode of HR Like a Boss, John welcomes HR leader and SHRM advocate Mary Williams to discuss the power of purpose and gratitude in the workplace. Mary shares her career journey, the role of HR in building meaningful connections, and how recognition and empathy can elevate employee engagement. Learn how people-first leadership and a culture of appreciation can transform your organization.

ABOUT MARY

Mary Williams, SPHR, has brought a unique, common sense perspective to the business of HR. Mary inspires individuals to tap into their unique strengths, values, passion and purpose to create stronger, more fulfilling and effective careers & work teams. Mary has many years of progressive human resources management experience ranging from an HR Department of One for start-ups to larger organizations.She holds her Senior Professional Human Resources certification (SPHR) from HRCI. Named to The Most Inclusive HR Influencer List featuring the top 150 HR and HR-adjacent leaders, Mary enjoys giving back to the HR community. She is active in her local SHRM chapter, HRA Oakbrook, HR Hotseat community, HR Unite community and the HR Like a Boss community.Mary has been invited by the SHRM Annual Conference and Exposition Blogger / Influencer Teams since 2018 and is a member of the WISHRM (Wisconsin SHRM annual conference) SMILE Team - Social Media Influencers Leading Engagement. Connect with Mary on Linked In or on Bluesky - user name Conmkw. (https://bsky.app/profile/conmkw.bsky.social)

In this enlightening episode of HR Like a Boss, John sits down with seasoned HR leader Jeffrey Watt to explore how HR can evolve from a traditional "department of no" into a powerful driver of business strategy and employee engagement. With over 20 years of experience, Jeff shares his journey and offers actionable insights on transforming HR into a proactive, curious, and people-centered function. Discover how HR professionals can shed outdated practices, listen more effectively, and align with organizational goals to foster a culture of innovation, advocacy, and success. Whether you're an HR pro or a business leader, this episode will inspire you to think differently about the role of HR in shaping the workplace.

ABOUT JEFF

Jeffrey Watt, SPHR, is an accomplished Fractional Human Resources Executive with over 20 years expertise in negotiations, competence development, labor relations, and lean manufacturing. As a transformational leader, he has successfully led the entire life cycle of HR operations in small and large businesses both in manufacturing and corporate environments. Jeff is known for his ability to recognize opportunities for improvement, build strong consensus, and drive measurable improvements in efficiency and productivity. With extensive experience in the human resources, he has a proven track record of leveraging large, diverse leadership teams, driving succession planning, and fostering a culture of inclusion.

In this episode of HR Like a Boss, John Bernatovicz chats with Mike Stafiej, founder of Erin, an employee referral platform. Mike dives into the evolving world of talent acquisition, highlighting the power of employee referrals and the growing impact of automation in HR.

From the shifting pace of hiring decisions to the importance of maintaining human connection in an increasingly tech-driven landscape, Mike offers a grounded perspective on where HR is heading. Whether you're rethinking your hiring strategy or exploring new HR tech, this episode is packed with insights for HR pros looking to innovate without losing what matters most—people.

ABOUT MIKE

Mike Stafiej is the founder and CEO of ERIN, a Pittsburgh-based SaaS startup that streamlines employee referrals for enterprise businesses around the world. ERIN is a strategic recruiting tool for hundreds of businesses with over 3 million employees, in over 100 countries, and has automated over half a billion dollars in referral bonuses. . Mike is a Serial Entrepreneur with a Master's degree in I.T. Project Management from Robert Morris University and has over 15 years of experience in successful SaaS startups.

In this episode of HR Like a Boss, John talks with Sean Behr, CEO of Fountain, about the crucial role of frontline workers in business success. They explore how company culture, leadership, and tailored communication drive engagement, retention, and growth. Sean shares how HR can make a big impact by focusing on the unique needs of frontline employees and using technology to scale smarter.

ABOUT SEAN BEHR

Sean Behr is the CEO at Fountain, the frontline workforce management platform that empowers companies to hire, manage, and retain their frontline workforce across the globe. Previously, Behr was the Co-Founder and CEO of STRATIM. Behr previously served in leadership roles at Adap.tv (acquired by AOL), most recently, as SVP, Global operations. Before Adap.tv, he held various management roles at Shopping.com (acquired by Ebay) including roles in HR, sales, product management and strategy development. Additionally, Behr advises, mentors, and invests in entrepreneurs and early-stage companies. He holds a B.A. in History and Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.