Human Side Up

Human Side Up

By Graystoke NetworksBusinessCareers
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Human Side Up episodes

  • Her Whole Town Turned on Her | Meagan O’Nan

    Outed, Honest, and Home: Leading with Courage and Connection with Meagan O’Nan

    What if the hardest conversation you’ve ever had… made you the leader you were meant to be?
    In this deeply human episode of Human Side Up, Natasha Nuytten sits down with Meagan O’Nan—award-winning speaker, author, and founder of The Unify Experience—for an unflinching look at vulnerability, identity, and what it really means to lead from truth.
    Meagan was outed in college. Rejected by her community. Told to leave Mississippi. She left—but came back. And from that return came a body of work rooted in emotional honesty, real inclusion, and conflict transformed into connection.
    Together, Natasha and Meagan explore why "agreeing to disagree" isn’t enough, how leaders can respond—not react—in moments of tension, and why fear might just be the gateway to meaningful change.
    This episode is for anyone holding space between who they are and who they’re becoming.
    Highlights & Takeaways
    💡 Why “I love you, but…” isn’t real acceptance
    💡 How unresolved conflict shows up as culture problems
    💡 Why self-awareness is a leadership non-negotiable
    💡 What to say instead of “we agree to disagree”
    💡 The power of asking: What are you afraid of?
    Learn more about Meagan O’Nan:
    🔗 Website
    📚 Books: Held and Free, Creating Your Heaven on Earth, Courage: Agreeing to Disagree Is Not Enough
    🎥 TEDx Talk: What to Do When You Disagree with Someone You Love
    Human Side Up
    What happens when we stop ticking boxes and start driving real change? Hosted by Natasha Nuytten, CEO of CLARA, Human Side Up flips the script on diversity, equity, and inclusion by uncovering the real, raw stories behind the headlines.
    This podcast isn’t about corporate checklists—it’s about the leaders, changemakers, and innovators rethinking workplace culture and championing transformation. From breakthrough strategies to bold decisions, we explore what it truly takes to build workplaces and communities where everyone belongs.
    Connect with Natasha:
    🔗 LinkedIn
    🎧 Listen on Spotify
    📺 YouTube
    Connect with CLARA:
    🔗 LinkedIn
    🌐 Website
    📺 YouTube​

    1 hr 1 min
  • How to Tell Stories That Actually Change People | Shane Snow

    Zig-Zag Careers, Smart Cuts, and Story-Driven Leadership with Shane Snow

    What if the best path forward isn’t a ladder—but a sideways leap?
    In this episode of Human Side Up, Natasha Nuytten is joined by Shane Snow—award-winning journalist, bestselling author (Smartcuts, Dream Teams), entrepreneur, and Broadway producer—for a rich and energetic conversation on unconventional careers, curiosity as a leadership superpower, and the real power of storytelling at work.
    From exploring abandoned subway tunnels to building tech for modern film sets, Shane’s career defies categories—and that’s exactly the point. Together, he and Natasha unpack what it means to lead, learn, and build culture through exploration, empathy, and embracing the unknown.
    This episode is for anyone who's ever felt "off script"—and wondered if that might be the secret to real innovation.
    Highlights & Takeaways
    💡 Why curiosity and contrarian thinking make better teams
    💡 What storytelling has to do with building inclusive cultures
    💡 How leaders can model intellectual humility in real time
    💡 The surprising value of “side quests” in business and life
    💡 Why zig-zag paths often lead to the most meaningful impact
    Learn more about Shane Snow:
    🔗 LinkedIn
    🌐 Snow Academy
    📚 Books: Smartcuts, Dream Teams, The Storytelling Edge
    Human Side Up
    What happens when we stop ticking boxes and start driving real change? Hosted by Natasha Nuytten, CEO of CLARA, Human Side Up flips the script on diversity, equity, and inclusion by uncovering the real, raw stories behind the headlines.
    This podcast isn’t about corporate checklists—it’s about the leaders, changemakers, and innovators rethinking workplace culture and championing transformation. From breakthrough strategies to bold decisions, we explore what it truly takes to build workplaces and communities where everyone belongs.
    Connect with Natasha:
    🔗 LinkedIn
    🎧 Listen on Spotify
    📺 YouTube

    Connect with CLARA:
    🔗 LinkedIn
    🌐 Website
    📺 YouTube​

    58 min
  • Navigating Fear, Race & Illness in the Workplace | Dr. Tonya Hampton

    What if true leadership isn’t about being fearless—but being real?

    In this episode of Human Side Up, Natasha Nuytten is joined by Dr. Tonya Jackman Hampton—executive coach, author of The Myth of the Fearless Leader, and organizational change expert—for a candid and thought-provoking conversation on leadership, vulnerability, and doing the inner work.
    Drawing from decades in human resources, organizational development, and DEI leadership, Dr. Hampton shares how navigating fear, embracing personal truth, and showing up with intention are foundational to transformational leadership. Together, she and Natasha explore what it means to lead with empathy and strategy in high-stakes environments—and why being human is one of the most powerful tools a leader has.
    This episode is a guide for any leader who’s ready to get honest, get clear, and grow forward.
    Highlights & Takeaways
    💡 Why fear isn’t a weakness—and what it can teach you
    💡 How to balance authenticity with responsibility
    💡 Creating space for hard conversations around race, illness, and loss
    💡 The power of story, reflection, and values-driven leadership
    💡 How to build inclusive cultures from the inside out
    Learn more about Dr. Tonya Jackman Hampton
    🔗 LinkedIn
    📖 The Myth of the Fearless Leader
    Human Side Up
    What happens when we stop ticking boxes and start driving real change? Hosted by Natasha Nuytten, CEO of CLARA, Human Side Up flips the script on diversity, equity, and inclusion by uncovering the real, raw stories behind the headlines.
    This podcast isn’t about corporate checklists—it’s about the leaders, changemakers, and innovators rethinking workplace culture and championing transformation. From breakthrough strategies to bold decisions, we explore what it truly takes to build workplaces and communities where everyone belongs.
    Connect with Natasha:
    🔗 LinkedIn
    🎧 Listen on Spotify
    📺 YouTube
    Connect with CLARA:
    🔗 LinkedIn
    🌐 Website
    📺 YouTube​

    54 min
  • Beyond Binary Thinking | Dr. Joel A. Davis

    Queer Wisdom & Transformational Leadership: A Deeper Conversation with Dr. Joel A. Davis Brown

    In this powerful follow-up episode, Natasha sits down once again with Dr. Joel A. Davis Brown—cultural strategist, organizational transformation expert, and author of The Souls of Queer Folk—for a deep exploration of what leadership can learn from queer wisdom.
    This conversation builds on part one by turning insight into action. Together, Natasha and Dr. Brown unpack the cultural values, lived experiences, and resilience of queer communities—and how those lessons can shape more inclusive, authentic, and visionary leadership.
    Through stories, frameworks, and fierce honesty, Dr. Brown challenges us to redefine what it means to lead. From somatic awareness and non-binary thinking to community-building and justice-driven leadership, this episode is a call to embrace nuance, show up fully, and transform not just our workplaces—but ourselves.
    Highlights & Takeaways
    💡Why queer culture holds powerful, overlooked leadership wisdom
    💡How authenticity and resilience can coexist in systems of oppression
    💡What “the inclusion paradox” reveals about power and belonging
    💡Practical ways to lead with justice, verve, and non-binary thinking
    💡Why transformational leadership begins with disrupting old narratives
    Learn more about Dr. Joel A. Davis Brown:
    🔗 LinkedIn
    🌐 Website
    📖 The Souls of Queer Folk
    Human Side Up
    What happens when we stop ticking boxes and start driving real change? Hosted by Natasha Nuytten, CEO of CLARA, Human Side Up flips the script on diversity, equity, and inclusion by uncovering the real, raw stories behind the headlines.
    This podcast isn’t about corporate checklists—it’s about the leaders, changemakers, and innovators rethinking workplace culture and championing transformation. From breakthrough strategies to bold decisions, we explore what it truly takes to build workplaces and communities where everyone belongs.
    Connect with Natasha:
    🔗 LinkedIn
    🎧 Listen on Spotify
    📺 YouTube
    Connect with CLARA:
    🔗LinkedIn
    🌐Website
    📺YouTube​

    1 hr 34 min
  • What 42 Years in Baseball Taught Me About Building Teams That Win | Kenneth Williams

    Breaking Barriers: Leadership, Bias & the Business of Being Human

    What does it take to lead with conviction—when the world would rather see you fail?


    In this episode, Natasha Nuytten sits down with Kenneth Williams, former MLB Executive VP and current Executive Chairman of CLARA, for a powerful, no-filter conversation on leadership, legacy, and the weight of being “the first.”


    From decades in professional sports to breaking into tech, Kenny shares the untold stories behind building championship teams, navigating public scrutiny, and redefining what success really means when you're carrying a movement on your shoulders.


    This isn’t just a story about baseball. It’s about how to lead when you're underestimated, how to create cultures of real safety and trust, and why the future of leadership demands more than just performance—it demands purpose.


    Whether you're a founder, a changemaker, or someone trying to make sense of this moment in history, Kenny offers grounded, deeply human insights you won’t hear anywhere else.


    Highlights & Takeaways:

    💡 Leading while Black: the unseen cost of “firsts” in leadership

    💡 From the dugout to the boardroom: lessons on building high-trust teams

    💡 Why psychological safety isn’t soft—it’s a strategy

    💡 A candid call-out on DEI pushback: “If you’re against fairness, just say that.”


    Learn more about Kenneth Williams:

    🔗 LinkedIn


    Human Side Up

    What happens when we stop ticking boxes and start driving real change? Hosted by Natasha Nuytten, CEO of CLARA, Human Side Up flips the script on diversity, equity, and inclusion by uncovering the real, raw stories behind the headlines.


    This podcast isn’t about corporate checklists—it’s about the leaders, changemakers, and innovators rethinking workplace culture and championing transformation. From breakthrough strategies to bold decisions, we explore what it truly takes to build workplaces and communities where everyone belongs.


    Connect with Natasha:

    🔗 LinkedIn

    🎧 Spotify

    📺 YouTube


    Connect with CLARA:

    🔗 LinkedIn

    🌐 Website

    📺 YouTube

    59 min
  • The Power of Workplace Relationships | Jason Lauritsen

    From Metrics to Meaning: Reinventing Leadership Through Connection
    What if the key to better performance isn’t found in KPIs or dashboards—but in deeper human relationships?
    In this episode, Natasha Nuytten sits down with Jason Lauritsen, employee engagement expert and CEO of Check-In To Thrive, for a powerful conversation about rebuilding leadership from the ground up—starting with how we treat one another at work.
    Jason has spent his career challenging outdated management models and advocating for relationship-centered leadership. From corporate burnout to breakthrough moments, he shares why thriving organizations aren’t driven by control—but by connection, trust, and care.
    Whether you're a founder, a people leader, or just tired of performative workplace culture, Jason brings insights that go beyond engagement surveys and into the heart of what makes work actually work—for everyone.
    Highlights & Takeaways:
    💡 Why employee engagement has failed—and what to do instead
    💡 The science behind human-centered leadership
    💡 How “check-ins” can become your organization’s most powerful tool
    💡 Rethinking success through psychological safety and authentic connection
    Learn more about Jason Lauritsen:
    🔗 LinkedIn
    🌐 Website
    📖 Book: Unlocking High Performance
    Human Side Up
    What happens when we stop ticking boxes and start driving real change? Hosted by Natasha Nuytten, CEO of CLARA, Human Side Up flips the script on diversity, equity, and inclusion by uncovering the real, raw stories behind the headlines.
    This podcast isn’t about corporate checklists—it’s about the leaders, changemakers, and innovators rethinking workplace culture and championing transformation. From breakthrough strategies to bold decisions, we explore what it truly takes to build workplaces and communities where everyone belongs.
    Connect with Natasha:
    🔗 LinkedIn
    🎧 Spotify
    📺 YouTube
    Connect with CLARA:
    🔗 LinkedIn
    🌐 Website
    📺 YouTube:  @GET-CLARA ​

    1 hr 1 min
  • Lessons from a Self-Made Billionaire | Liz Elting

    From Dorm Room to $1B: Power, Purpose, and the Future of Women’s Leadership

    What does it take to build a billion-dollar company—and still center purpose, people, and progress?
    In this episode, Natasha sits down with Liz Elting, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and women’s rights advocate, for a bold and energizing conversation on building from nothing, navigating power as a woman in business, and reshaping leadership for the next generation.
    Liz co-founded TransPerfect from her dorm room—and over 25 years, scaled it into the world’s largest provider of language and business solutions. Now, as the founder and CEO of the Elizabeth Elting Foundation, she’s channeling her influence and insight into driving equity, empowering women, and redefining success beyond the bottom line.
    From business strategy to bold advocacy, Liz shares the personal principles and pivotal moments that shaped her journey—and what it really means to lead with purpose in a world that still sidelines too many women.
    Highlights & Takeaways:
    💡 How Liz scaled a dorm room startup into a $1B global business
    💡 Why power and purpose don’t have to be at odds in leadership
    💡 How to challenge systemic barriers without burning out
    💡 The mindset shifts every woman in business needs to thrive
    Learn more about Liz Elting:
    🔗 LinkedIn
    🌐 Website
    📖 Dream Big and Win
    Human Side Up
    What happens when we stop ticking boxes and start driving real change? Hosted by Natasha Nuytten, CEO of CLARA, Human Side Up flips the script on diversity, equity, and inclusion by uncovering the real, raw stories behind the headlines.
    This podcast isn’t about corporate checklists—it’s about the leaders, changemakers, and innovators rethinking workplace culture and championing transformation. From breakthrough strategies to bold decisions, we explore what it truly takes to build workplaces and communities where everyone belongs.
    Connect with Natasha:
    🔗 LinkedIn
    🎧 Spotify
    📺 YouTube
    Connect with CLARA:
    🔗 LinkedIn
    🌐 Website
    📺 YouTube​

    58 min
  • A Leadership Coach's Perspective | Luis Velasquez

    From Adversity to Empowerment: Resilience, Leadership, and the Human Factor


    Leadership isn’t just about influence—it’s about overcoming, adapting, and showing up with purpose.


    In this episode, Natasha sits down with Luis Velasquez, leadership coach, Harvard Business Review contributor, and Founder of Velas Coaching, for a powerful conversation on resilience, perception, and leading with intention.


    Luis opens up about his remarkable journey from a background in fungal genetics to the frontlines of executive coaching in Silicon Valley. Diagnosed with a brain tumor that impacted his speech, Luis turned adversity into a catalyst for growth—transforming his life and the lives of leaders around him. Now, through his coaching and teaching at Stanford Graduate School of Business, he helps executives shift their self-perception, lead with authenticity, and build trust in high-stakes environments.


    Highlights & Takeaways:

    💡 How personal adversity can sharpen leadership clarity and empathy

    💡 The invisible power of perception in leadership—and how to shift it

    💡 Why resilience is more than grit, and how to build it from the inside out

    💡 How to stop managing optics and start building trust


    Learn more about Luis Velasquez:

    🔗 LinkedIn

    🌐 Website


    Human Side Up

    What happens when we stop ticking boxes and start driving real change? Hosted by Natasha Nuytten, CEO of CLARA, Human Side Up flips the script on diversity, equity, and inclusion by uncovering the real, raw stories behind the headlines.


    This podcast isn’t about corporate checklists—it’s about the leaders, changemakers, and innovators rethinking workplace culture and championing transformation. From breakthrough strategies to bold decisions, we explore what it truly takes to build workplaces and communities where everyone belongs.


    Connect with Natasha:

    🔗 LinkedIn

    🎧 Spotify

    📺 YouTube


    Connect with CLARA:

    🔗LinkedIn

    🌐Website

    📺 YouTube



    51 min
  • Transforming Women's Soccer | TMJ Co-CEO, Sara Toussaint

    What does it take to break barriers in sports leadership?

    Sara Toussaint, Co-CEO of TMJ, for an insightful conversation on leadership, diversity in sports, and the future of women’s athletics. From growing up in Chicago’s vibrant neighborhoods to leading a pioneering Hispanic-owned women’s soccer agency, Sara shares how her journey has shaped her approach to sports marketing, equity in leadership, and creating opportunities for the next generation of athletes.


    Highlights & Takeaways:

    💡 The evolving role of women in sports leadership and marketing.


    💡 How Sara’s experience in Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, and the Mexican National Team shaped her approach.


    💡 The power of diversity in shaping the future of athletics.


    💡 Lessons from Sara’s career and her vision for Catalyst, TMJ’s new commercial division.


    Learn more about Sara Toussaint:

    LinkedIn


    Human Side Up

    What happens when we stop ticking boxes and start driving real change? Hosted by Natasha Nuytten, CEO of CLARA, Human Side Up flips the script on diversity, equity, and inclusion by uncovering the real, raw stories behind the headlines.


    This podcast isn’t about corporate checklists—it’s about the leaders, changemakers, and innovators rethinking workplace culture and championing transformation. From breakthrough strategies to bold decisions, we explore what it truly takes to build workplaces and communities where everyone belongs.


    Connect with Natasha:

    LinkedIn

    Spotify

    YouTube


    Connect with CLARA:

    LinkedIn

    Website

    YouTube

    58 min
  • How Empathy Drives Business Success | Union Pacific VP, Tonya Eggspuehler & RISE CEO, Jeremy Bouman

    Leadership takes many forms—whether it’s driving change within a Fortune 500 company or transforming lives through second chances.


    In this episode, Natasha sits down with Tonya Eggspuehler, VP of Organizational Development and Total Rewards at Union Pacific Railroad, and Jeremy Bouman, Founder & CEO of RISE, for a powerful conversation on leadership, transformation, and impact.


    Tonya shares insights from her 24-year career at Union Pacific, discussing how organizations can foster talent, build inclusive workplaces, and drive long-term success. Meanwhile, Jeremy sheds light on his work helping formerly incarcerated individuals reintegrate into society, emphasizing the role of second chances in shaping a more just and equitable world.


    Highlights & Takeaways:

    💡 Why self-care is a leadership skill—not a luxury.


    💡 The power of authenticity in creating meaningful workplace cultures.


    💡 How to navigate career transitions with confidence and purpose.


    💡 Lessons from Angela’s journey in HR and leadership.


    Learn more about Tonya and Jeremy

    Jeremy Bouman

    Tonya Eggspuehler


    Human Side Up

    What happens when we stop ticking boxes and start driving real change? Hosted by Natasha Nuytten, CEO of CLARA, Human Side Up flips the script on diversity, equity, and inclusion by uncovering the real, raw stories behind the headlines.

    This podcast isn’t about corporate checklists—it’s about the leaders, changemakers, and innovators rethinking workplace culture and championing transformation. From breakthrough strategies to bold decisions, we explore what it truly takes to build workplaces and communities where everyone belongs.


    Connect with Natasha:

    LinkedIn

    Spotify

    YouTube


    Connect with CLARA:

    LinkedIn

    Website

    YouTube

    1 hr 10 min

About Human Side Up

From the publisher's feed

What happens when we stop ticking boxes and start building real change? Hosted by Natasha Nuytten, CEO of CLARA, Human Side Up flips the script on diversity, equity, and inclusion by diving into the raw, authentic stories behind the headlines.