People Leader Accelerator Podcast

Welcome to another episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast.

Our guest today is Eugene Lee, who joins us for an insightful conversation on investing in HR technology, the evolving responsibilities of people leaders, and how AI is transforming organizations. Eugene’s background spans M&A investment banking, operational leadership at Yahoo, Google, and Pinterest, and his current work as a venture investor at OMERS, focusing deeply on early-stage enterprise and HR tech companies.

In this episode, Eugene shares his perspective as both an operator and investor. We explore the intersection of people strategy and business impact, what investors look for in high-growth companies, and how today’s HR leaders can increase their influence by embracing innovation, especially AI.

We discuss:

What makes HR tech an attractive and evolving investment area

The shift from digitization to AI-enabled judgment and automation in HR systems

How people leaders are moving into roles such as AI transformation officers

The impact of AI on upskilling, workforce productivity, and company culture

What HR leaders can expect from board interactions at venture-backed companies

Key outcomes and metrics that matter to investors at Series A, B, and C stages

Why building business acumen and data fluency increases strategic impact for people leaders

The similarities between business operations and people leadership in cross-functional environments

Advice on networking and building AI literacy to accelerate your HR career

This episode offers practical insights for people leaders at all stages, especially those in tech or VC-backed companies looking to advance their understanding of the investment landscape, shape company culture, and become true strategic partners to their executive teams.

For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.

Our goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.

Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.

We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.

Welcome to the journey!

Listen, learn, and connect:

🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).

💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.

📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.

🤝 Connect with your hosts:

Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com

Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com

Welcome to another episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast.

Our guest today is Kate Mason, executive communications coach and author of the fascinating new book, Powerfully Likable.

Kate’s career has spanned global tech companies and high-stakes startup environments, supporting leaders to communicate with impact. She brings together expertise in communications, coaching, and competitive debate to help professionals navigate the delicate balance of authority and warmth required to lead effectively.

In this episode, we dig into the central question so many HR and people leaders face: Do I need to choose between being powerful or likable to be effective in my role?

Drawing from her book, career experiences, and coaching practice, Kate reveals how we can transcend this false binary, communicate more authentically, and deploy strategic warmth without sacrificing authority.

We discuss:

For those looking to strengthen their leadership presence and maximize impact within their organizations, Kate’s insights are both actionable and thought-provoking.

For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.

Our goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.

Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.

We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.

Welcome to the journey!

Listen, learn, and connect:

🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).

💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.

📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.

🤝 Connect with your hosts:

Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com

Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com

Welcome to another episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast.

Our guest today is Debbie Ko, a US-born cultural psychologist now based in Singapore, whose career journey has traversed academia and tech in global environments. Debbie’s expertise bridges social psychology, cultural dynamics, and real-world application for business and people leaders. She publishes the popular blog, PsykoBabble, where she explores behavioral science in organizations and the psychological roots of workplace challenges.

As Senior Research Manager, APAC and SEA Consumer and Marketing Insights at Google, Debbie directs research strategy for the SEA region. Her job is to take complex human data and turn it into a clear path forward.

In this episode, we sit down with Debbie to explore culture beyond HR and the practical implications of cultural psychology when working across geographies, generations, and organizational boundaries. We dive into frameworks for understanding team friction, the evolving “psychological contract” between employers and employees, and how technology, especially AI, is impacting communication, feedback, and team trust.

We discuss:

What cultural psychology is and why it matters for leaders in global and multi-cultural organizations

Erin Meyer’s Culture Map framework and how workshops help teams identify and resolve hidden sources of friction

Real examples of culture clashes, from grading participation in American classrooms to meeting silence in East Asian settings

The impact of high-context versus low-context cultures on communication styles, conflict, and trust-building - especially over video and chat

How seemingly small details (like punctuality or emojis) can drive misunderstanding, misinterpretation, and even offense in cross-cultural teams

The power and challenges of surfacing and aligning on “psychological contracts” - the unwritten expectations that shape loyalty, productivity, and burnout

Organizational culture through the lens of mergers, acquisitions, and generational shifts, and the role of clear, explicit agreements

Surprising research on AI adoption, including why many employees accept feedback more easily from machines than humans, and how prompt psychology shapes AI responses

Best practices for encouraging AI adoption and responsible usage within distributed teams

Actionable advice on clarifying expectations, building trust, and leading diverse teams with empathy and cultural curiosity

This episode is packed with grounded insights for anyone involved in people leadership, especially those working with distributed, cross-functional, or multi-cultural teams.

Debbie’s stories and frameworks offer practical strategies for building more resilient, connected, and effective organizations.

For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.

Our goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.

Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.

We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.

Welcome to the journey!

Listen, learn, and connect:

🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).

💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.

📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.

🤝 Connect with your hosts:

Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com

Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com

Welcome to another episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast.

Our guest today is Daniel Illes, who joined us for an in-depth discussion on career transitions, scaling high-growth organizations, and the realities of global people leadership. Daniel’s journey has taken him from New York-qualified lawyer to startup operator, people leader, and currently, a Venture Capital operator at Atomico, supporting founders across Europe on all things people, culture, and leadership.

In this episode, Daniel shares candid reflections on working at companies like Lyft, WeWork, and Vinted - each with their own explosive growth stories and operational challenges. We explore his approach to navigating major career pivots, what it takes to build and lead teams at scale, and how deep business acumen can help people leaders become true strategic partners.

We discuss:

This conversation is filled with insights for those navigating high-growth environments, making big career moves, or looking for ways to deepen their impact as people leaders - especially across borders and cultures. Daniel’s experience offers concrete takeaways on how empathy, business fluency, and adaptability help people leaders thrive.

For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.

Our goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.

Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.

We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.

Welcome to the journey!

Listen, learn, and connect:

🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).

💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.

📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.

🤝 Connect with your hosts:

Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com

Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com

Welcome to another episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast.

Our guest today is Jamie Thorpe, SVP, People at Pursuit, joining hosts Jess Yuen and Andrew Bartlow for a candid conversation about leading people functions in hospitality and attraction-based organizations. Jamie brings over twelve years of HR experience covering restaurant operations, corporate HR, and high-growth environments, with prior roles at Sonic Drive-In, Taco Bueno, and Alamo Drafthouse.

In this episode, we explore Jamie’s career path from frontline operations to HR leadership, including lessons learned about authenticity, vulnerability, and strategic partnership at the executive level. Jamie shares insights into the distinctive challenges and opportunities of supporting hourly workforces and transitioning organizations through acquisitions and growth.

We discuss:

The unique transition from operations to HR and how persistence and networking shaped Jamie’s career trajectory

How to approach a new people leadership role with effective assessment, relationship-building, and transformation

Comparing public company HR leadership with private equity and privately held organizations

The importance of longer-term strategic planning, carving out “thinking time,” and involving peers in working sessions

Hourly workforce realities - compensation, housing, training access, and employee experience

The practical impacts of technology, AI adoption, and external economic shifts on HR strategy

The value of learning from mentors, formal programs, and targeted professional development

Jamie’s “spicy take” on performance reviews and why she believes impact comes from building manager capability rather than process alone

Whether you work with hourly teams or exempt staff, lead in hospitality or tech, or are considering your next step in people operations, you’ll find Jamie’s reflections and tactical advice immediately relevant.

For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.

Our goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.

Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.

We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.

Welcome to the journey!

Listen, learn, and connect:

🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).

💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.

📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.

🤝 Connect with your hosts:

Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com

Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com

Welcome to another episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast.

Our guest today is Q Hamirani, a seasoned Chief People Officer whose unconventional career journey - from electrical engineering and finance to leading HR at companies like Airbnb and High Level - has influenced how he thinks about building effective people teams and driving business outcomes. Hosted by executive coach Jess Yuen and PLA co-founder Andrew Bartlow, we dig into practical, honest conversations about what it takes to lead modern organizations and drive impact at scale.

In this episode, Q shares his pathway from engineering and FP&A into people leadership, including the pivotal role that understanding finance, business strategy, and human-centered problem solving has played in his approach as a people leader. We explore how people leaders can work more closely with CFOs and cross-functional teams, translating HR initiatives into the language of business value.

Q also takes us inside his hands-on experimentation with AI tools and describes tangible ways his team has used automation to enable growth, streamline HR, and unlock new organizational capacity.

We also discuss:

How early career experiences in finance and FP&A can give HR leaders a business edge

Why translating people programs into the language of business outcomes matters

Approaches for building trust and credibility with senior leaders across disciplines

Practical examples of using AI to automate compensation planning and drive communication at scale

How AI can break down traditional HR silos and change the way teams are structured

The potential impact of AI on the future of HR and business support functions

What it looks like to move from managing metrics to enabling business success

How to cultivate curiosity and cross-functional agility as a modern people leader

Links: 

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/hamirani

Website: www.hamirani.com 

Whether you’re in your first HR role or leading people at a fast-growing company, this conversation is filled with actionable insights on bridging the gap between people and business, scaling impact with technology, and thinking ahead in a changing world.

For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.

Our goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.

Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.

We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.

Welcome to the journey!

Listen, learn, and connect:

🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).

💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.

📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.

🤝 Connect with your hosts:

Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com

Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com

Welcome to this episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, where we sit down with industry leaders to uncover the real-life insights, strategies, and challenges that shape world-class organizations.

Our guest today is Luke Beseda, Talent Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners, returning for a timely discussion about the annual Lightspeed People Trends Report.

With nearly 170 venture-backed companies participating, this year’s survey delivers practical insights into how AI, hiring, and workplace productivity are transforming the landscape for people leaders and founders alike.

We explore:

How the adoption of AI tools is measurably boosting productivity across both technical and non-technical teams

The evolving role of AI proficiency in technical hiring, and how only a small percentage of startups currently mandate it

The impact of AI on workforce planning, recruiting, and talent acquisition, including the shift toward using AI for candidate sourcing and operational processes

Challenges in candidate assessment, from deepfakes to the growing need for in-person interviews at remote organizations

Trends in job displacement, especially for junior roles, and what this means for the next generation of talent

Changes in attrition patterns—why non-regrettable (managed) departures are outpacing voluntary exits in growth-stage tech companies

The latest numbers on merit budgets, how compensation decisions are being made amid a focus on efficiency, and why most companies are standardizing increases across teams

Throughout the conversation, Luke Besada shares his team’s practical takeaways, including the importance of hands-on AI experimentation for HR professionals and concrete steps people leaders can take to adapt to these shifts.

If you’re curious about how real-world companies are using data and new tools to navigate headcount decisions, drive performance, and future-proof talent strategies, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.

For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.

Our goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.

Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.

We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.

Welcome to the journey!

Listen, learn, and connect:

🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).

💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.

📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.

🤝 Connect with your hosts:

Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com

Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com

Welcome to another episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, where we get practical about leadership, culture, and building organizations that work.

Our guest today is Marie Szuts: executive coach, consultant, and co-director of the People Leader Accelerator. Marie brings a unique, multifaceted background, including early career experience in food journalism, entrepreneurship in education technology, and transformative leadership roles at high-growth startups like Figma.

Marie shares her career journey, lessons learned from leading through hypergrowth, and insights on what it means to carve a non-linear path in people leadership.

In this conversation, we explore the real-world challenges of scaling a company, the human side of working alongside founder CEOs, and the realities of moving into executive coaching and consulting. Marie Szuts also opens up about learning to experiment with new career directions, the role creativity plays in leadership, and how she now works with leaders facing major transitions.

We discuss:

The winding path from editorial work and medieval history to people leadership roles

What it’s like to join Figma at employee #48 and navigate 10x organizational growth

Building trust and influence with first-time founder CEOs and the lessons learned along the way

Strategies for deciding what to focus on during periods of rapid change and organizational chaos

Balancing ambition, rest, and the realities of personal sustainability as a leader

The transition from in-house HR roles to executive coaching and consulting, and the challenges of building a portfolio career

Honest advice for HR professionals considering the leap to consulting

Why being a “colander, not a sponge” is key for people leaders

Practical tactics for experimenting with career transitions while maintaining financial and personal well-being

If you’re thinking about how to accelerate your career, embrace new challenges, or explore coaching and consulting, this conversation offers clear-eyed, actionable perspectives from a leader who’s walked the path.

For show notes, bonus resources, and more, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.

Our goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.

Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.

We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.

Welcome to the journey!

Listen, learn, and connect:

🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).

💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.

📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.

🤝 Connect with your hosts:

Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com

Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com

Welcome to this episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, where we sit down with industry leaders to uncover the real-life insights, strategies, and challenges that shape world-class organizations.

Our guest today is Luke Beseda, longtime Talent Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners, joining hosts Jess Yuen and Andrew Bartlow for an in-depth conversation about the evolving world of venture capital, the changing expectations of talent partners, and how HR professionals can best navigate their relationships with investors.

In this episode, we explore the inner workings of VC platform and talent teams, lift the curtain on how these roles add value to both the firm and its portfolio, and share practical advice for people leaders in venture-backed environments. Luke offers candid insights from more than a decade at Lightspeed, sharing what’s changed and what remains constant in supporting founders and organizations through rapid growth and change.

We discuss:

How the role of the venture talent partner has evolved and what their work looks like day to day

The unique challenges (and opportunities) of supporting hundreds of portfolio companies at once

What HR and talent leaders should know about working effectively with their VC’s platform team

How platform teams measure impact and success within a venture firm

The real story behind “carry” and how compensation works for operating partners in VC

Practical guidance for those interested in breaking into a talent partner or platform role

The importance of internal influence, storytelling, and proactivity in both operational and advisory roles

Why understanding your business’s full context is critical for people leaders

Lessons from running founder and CEO development programs within a venture portfolio

The value of peer networks and curiosity for ongoing HR and leadership development

Whether you’re thinking about a career on the “other side of the table” or just want to be savvier in working with your investors, you’ll find plenty of actionable advice and clear-eyed perspective in this episode.

For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.

Our goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.

Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.

We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.

Welcome to the journey!

Listen, learn, and connect:

🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).

💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.

📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.

🤝 Connect with your hosts:

Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com

Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com

Welcome to this episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, where we sit down with industry leaders to uncover the real-life insights, strategies, and challenges that shape world-class organizations.

Our guest today is Michelle Wagner, a seasoned executive and current Talent Partner at Playground Global. Hosted by executive coach Jess Yuen and People Leader Accelerator co-founder Andrew Bartlow, this episode takes us through Michelle’s remarkable career journey, as she reflects on her path from accidental HR leader to CEO, and now to her unique role working with founders and early-stage companies in venture capital.

We dig into pivotal moments that shaped Michelle’s approach to leadership and the people function, including her transition to CEO during a time of crisis and her insights from supporting deep-tech startups. Michelle openly shares the lessons she’s learned about navigating ambiguity, building strategic partnerships, and developing the confidence to take on new challenges—often before feeling fully ready.

We also explore:

Whether you’re navigating your own leadership pivot, interested in the intersection of people, business, and venture, or looking for practical strategies to increase your impact, you’ll find actionable insights in this conversation.

For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.

Our goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.

Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.

We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.

Welcome to the journey!

Listen, learn, and connect:

🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).

💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.

📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.

🤝 Connect with your hosts:

Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com

Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com