It's About Payroll

In this episode, we dive deep into the future of payroll, automation, and the impact of AI on the world of work with special guest Brent Skinner—renowned HCM and HR tech analyst, podcast host, and industry thought leader.

Join us as we explore:

What “autonomous payroll” really means and how close we are to letting AI run the show

The evolving role of payroll professionals in an automated world

Why “payroll pilots” (humans) are still essential, even as technology advances

The importance of adapting, learning, and controlling the narrative around AI in payroll

Real-world insights, stories, and a few laughs about branding, learning, and the future of work

Whether you’re an HR pro, payroll specialist, business leader, or just curious about how technology is changing the workplace, this conversation is packed with practical advice and big-picture thinking.

Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes on the future of work, technology, and leadership!

Connect with us: Podcast:[https://wrkdefined.com/podcast/its-about-payrol] https://youtu.be/zBS3iZXl0q4

Guest: Brent Skinner (LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brentskinner/)

#payroll #ai #futureofwork #automation #hrtech #podcast

In this episode of It’s About Payroll, Brian and Walt welcome leadership expert William Davis, author of How to Lead Without Just Managing. With decades of experience in corporate, consulting, and retail leadership, William brings practical insights on what makes leaders truly effective.

The conversation dives into today’s leadership crisis, where 78% of Americans believe organizations are failing. William explains why trust—not just respect—is the foundation of leadership, and how empathy and emotional intelligence are essential “power skills” for guiding teams. He shares stories from his career at Bank of America and beyond, illustrating how leaders can inspire by putting their teams first, building genuine relationships, and leading with authenticity.

Listeners will also learn how to spot hidden leadership potential, avoid toxic traits, and lead effectively—even without a formal title. Whether you’re an executive, HR leader, or emerging professional, this episode provides actionable tools for building stronger teams and reshaping leadership in today’s workplace.

Get ready for an inspiring deep dive into the world of payroll, time tracking, and people-first leadership! In this episode of "It's About Payroll," we sit down with Dean Matthews, visionary CEO and founder of On the Clock—a leading time tracking solution trusted by over 15,000 businesses.

Dean shares his journey from self-taught developer to SaaS leader, revealing how he built On the Clock from the ground up and transformed it into a powerhouse for payroll professionals and small business owners. Discover how Dean’s passion for innovation, transparency, and servant leadership has shaped his company’s culture and product.

We explore:

• The biggest payroll and time tracking challenges facing businesses today

• How automation and AI are changing the payroll landscape

• Practical tips for financial fitness and saving money in your organization

• The importance of compliance, transparency, and customer-driven innovation

• Dean’s advice for aspiring tech leaders and entrepreneurs.

Plus, don’t miss our fun “This or That” segment, where Dean and the hosts reveal their favorite foods, leadership philosophies, and more!

If you’re a payroll pro, business owner, or just love stories of innovation and leadership, this episode is for you. Like, subscribe, and join the conversation in the comments!

🔗 Learn more about On the Clock: https://www.ontheclock.com🔗 Connect with Dean Matthews on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanmatthews/

https://wrkdefined.com/podcast/its-about-payroll,  

itsaboutpayroll.io  

https://youtu.be/OHgJqTX4w6M 

Payroll #Leadership #SaaS #TimeTracking #Podcast #OnTheClock #BusinessInnovation

In this gripping It’s About Your Paycheck true-crime episode, we unravel the unbelievable payroll fiasco at Palm Beach Equine Clinic, where a receptionist was mistakenly paid a veterinarian’s $400K salary for nearly a year.

Key Points Covered:

The Error: A third-party payroll provider assigned the wrong salary, and internal controls failed at every level—no alerts, no audits, no red flags caught.

The Fallout: The employee spent over half the funds on luxury goods, Zelle transfers, and even sent $100K overseas. She later returned $200K, but only after being investigated.

The Legal Side: She now faces first-degree felony charges for grand theft and money laundering, raising debates about intent vs. negligence.

The Bigger Lesson: Employers, payroll vendors, and employees all share responsibility. Lack of oversight, absent variance checks, and poor communication created the perfect storm.

Pro Tips for Payroll & HR: Build automated alerts, conduct variance audits, review W-2 data for anomalies, and always reconcile payroll with actual employee roles and pay rates.

This case isn’t just a shocking headline—it’s a wake-up call for every business. Trust but verify, because payroll mistakes don’t just cost money… they can cost careers and freedom.

In this lively episode of It’s About Payroll, Brian and Walt welcome UK payroll veteran and Payroll Support Network (PSN) co-founder, Jody Cox. With over 20 years of experience, Jody shares her career journey from finance into payroll leadership, including building a payroll function that supported over 11,000 employees. She reveals how PSN started as a mentoring connection that grew into a thriving community of thousands of payroll professionals, offering support, laughter, and learning across industries.

The conversation takes fun turns as Jody shares her dream of being a marine biologist (inspired by Free Willy), her secret TV appearance on a car show, and the not-so-glamorous moment of losing her phone to the sea. Together, they bust myths about payroll (“it’s not just about numbers”), discuss building safe spaces for payroll professionals to be heard, and highlight how payroll accuracy directly impacts employee trust.

This episode celebrates the launch of Payroll Support Network US, a collaboration between PSN and It’s About Payroll, marking the beginning of a truly global payroll family.

🎙️ Welcome to Episode 171 of the It's About Payroll podcast!

This week, hosts Brian and Walt sit down with Sanders Offner, President of Crescent and Impact HR, to explore the evolving world of HR and payroll for small to mid-size businesses.

Sanders shares his journey from starting in a closet to leading a company known for white-glove service, operational expertise, and people-first leadership.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Sanders also discusses the value of building trust with clients, the real cost of employee turnover, and how Crescent HR’s approach stands out in a crowded industry.

Whether you’re an HR professional, payroll pro, or business leader, this episode is packed with actionable insights and inspiration.

🔗 Learn more about Crescent HR: https://crescenthr.com

👍 Like, comment, and subscribe for more payroll and HR expertise every week!

https://youtu.be/67l8VYar83A

https://wrkdefined.com/podcast/its-about-payroll,  

itsaboutpayroll.io 

itsaboutyourpaycheck.com 

https://crescent-hr.com/

In this powerful episode of It’s About Payroll and It’s About Your Paycheck, Brian and Walt sit down with Marshall Leitz, a seasoned lending expert with over 35 years in commercial finance. Marshall specializes in helping fast-growing businesses unlock working capital through receivables, inventory, and equipment financing—without sacrificing equity.

Marshall breaks down the difference between dilutive vs. non-dilutive capital, explains how asset-based lending works in practice, and shares real client success stories—including a healthcare staffing company that grew revenues 400% during COVID while never missing payroll. He also dispels the myth that “no” from one bank means the end of the road, stressing the importance of finding lenders aligned with your goals.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, payroll leader, or business owner, this episode offers invaluable insights into preserving equity, scaling sustainably, and solving cash flow challenges before they derail growth.

✅ Summary –

In this episode of It’s About Payroll, hosts Brian and Walter welcome Aaron Martin and Shohan from Rain, a leading Earned Wage Access (EWA) company on a mission to end payday lending and improve financial wellness. Aaron shares how lessons from his father shaped his approach to saving, while Shohan recounts his own experience escaping payday loan cycles. They explain how Rain provides employees with instant access to earned wages, free financial coaching, and educational tools to promote long-term stability. The discussion covers real-world impacts such as reduced 401k loans, improved retention, and fewer employee call-outs. They also highlight Rain’s seamless integrations with major payroll systems and their vision for a future without traditional pay cycles. This episode is packed with insights for payroll pros, HR leaders, and business owners looking to boost financial wellness in their organizations.

🎙️ In It’s About Payroll Episode 168, we’re honored to welcome Dr. Victoria Mattingly (Dr. V)—an organizational psychologist, global keynote speaker, and founder of Mattingly Solutions.

From allyship and mental health to data-driven DEI, Dr. V delivers powerful insights rooted in both lived experience and psychological science.

Her mission?

To make inclusion actionable and allyship a shared responsibility.

✨ In this episode, Dr. V unpacks:

How payroll and HR can lead the way in inclusion and equity

Barriers to psychological safety (and how to break them down)

The power of data in advancing DEI strategy

Supporting visible and invisible differences at work

Her own journey through cancer, alopecia, and mental health recovery—and how it shapes the way she helps leaders lead with empathy.

🎧 Tune in to hear how we can move from intention to impact in our workplaces—one payroll policy, leadership behavior, and conversation at a time.

_______________________________________________

PAYROLL & HR PEEPS, YOUR SUPPORT IS NEEDED!

🎉 Dr. V is thrilled to invite you to celebrate an important milestone with her.

The official launch date of the book "Act Like an Ally & Work With an Ally" is Tuesday, September 9th. The book will be sold at a discounted price for one week, so plan to take advantage and buy it between 9/9 and 9/16.

We will also be celebrating the book launch with a big party! Whether you’re in Pittsburgh or somewhere else in the world, there’s a way for you to join the fun.

For Pittsburgh-area friends:

Join Dr. V in person at Alloy 26📍 100 South Commons, Suite #102, Pittsburgh, PA 15212📅 Thursday, September 18, 2025⏰ 5:00–7:00 PM EST✅Register here: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/dr-victoria-mattinglys-allyship-book-launch-party-tickets-1527498893309

What to Expect:

with workplace inclusion and allyship champions

A peek behind the scenes of the book publishing process

Signed copies of Act Like an Ally, Work With an Ally available for purchase

For those not in Pittsburgh:

Join us virtually and hear Dr. V talk about the book and answer questions📍 Zoom (link provided with EventBrite registration)📅 Thursday, September 18, 2025⏰ 6:00-6:30 PM EST

✅Register here: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/dr-victoria-mattinglys-allyship-book-launch-party-tickets-1527498893309

https://mattinglysolutions.com https://wrkdefined.com/podcast/its-about-your-paycheck https://wrkdefined.com/podcast/its-about-payroll

https://itsaboutpayroll.io http://itsaboutyourpaycheck.com

https://youtu.be/bsl5GfrQvg8

Resources for News/Around the Payhorn

https://www.selectsoftwarereviews.com/blog/employee-wellness-statistics

🎙️ Episode 167 of It’s About Payroll is here, and we’re going global—literally.

We sat down with John Lee, CEO and Co-Founder of Work From Anywhere, to unpack the real challenges behind remote work across borders—and how smart payroll strategy is the key to making it work.

🧭 From managing permanent establishment risk and multi-country tax compliance, to addressing payroll and social security challenges in a world where teams are distributed across time zones—John breaks it all down.

🛠️ We explored:

Common mistakes companies make when letting employees work abroad

Real-world horror stories around tax exposure

How WFA’s platform automates global compliance for payroll teams

The evolving role of payroll in the rise of remote work, “workations,” and digital nomadism

What leaders must start doing today to future-proof their payroll strategy

✨ With a background in global finance, 60+ countries lived in, and six languages under his belt—John brings rare insight into what it takes to pay people properly, anywhere in the world.

🎧Don’t miss this one if you:

Support a distributed team

Work in payroll, HR, or finance

Are figuring out your company’s remote work strategy

🔗 Listen to Episode 167: Work From Anywhere, Pay From Anywhere now — available on all major podcast platforms.

#Payroll #RemoteWork #WorkFromAnywhere #GlobalCompliance #DigitalNomads #PayrollPodcast #ItsAboutPayroll #HRTech #futureofwork #TaxCompliance #globalmobility

wfa.team - Click to find out more about Work From Anywhere

https://wrkdefined.com/podcast/its-about-your-paycheck https://wrkdefined.com/podcast/its-about-payroll, itsaboutpayroll.io itsaboutyourpaycheck.com https://youtu.be/BWek0fLntqI