Joining the podcast is Derek Tufts, VP of HR at SpartanNash, a food solutions company committed to fostering a people first culture, with over 17,000 associates! 

Derek gives his best advice on:

1) How to stand out to get promoted
2) The importance of active listening
3) Heartwarming stories about fatherhood 
4) How to choose to see the best in others (seeing innocence) 
...and much more.

In this final 2023 episode, Joel has a meaningful, heartfelt conversation with the delightful Esther Lee, VP of Global Learning and Development at McCann WorldGroup. For Joel,  this episode is one of his absolute favorites in 2023. Esther gets vulnerable and talks about a hard situation that made her cry for weeks as a special ed teacher in the Bronx, the impact of her faith in her professional life, why you should train empathy and kindness in your org (and how!), and much more.

If you listen to any podcast this year, make it be this one.

Listen in to the HR powerhouse, Mike Catanzaro, Chief People Officer at CSC ServiceWorks. Mike reflects on several leadership lessons we can glean from Punxsutawney Phil (yes, the groundhog), the core trait he seeks in a CEO, the impact of being vulnerable with employees about his mental health challenges, and much more.

Jeff Belloli, VP of Human Resources for AEG Presents (one of the largest live music companies in the world) shares his story and unique pivot from pro tennis to HR, how his background in professional athletics differentiates him in his field, the power of meditation that you just might want to try yourself, and much more.

Joel interviews the man, the myth, the retail legend Wes Dudley. Wes is the VP of Customer Experience at Broad River Retail, which owns and operates Ashley HomeStores throughout the Carolinas and Georgia. Wes talks about his take on mentorship, what being a Memory Maker means at Broad River and how that defines the jobs of his employees, the future role of AI for furniture retailers, the most important leadership trait, and much more.

James Cope is the principle consultant for Phillips Consulting Group. In this podcast, James talks about how “people” are his North Star, the difference makers in manufacturing; he challenges us to consider how financial accounting falls short of treating employees as people, how to create the right environment to truly unlock employee potential, how when you treat people as people good things happen, and much more.

Chris Malone in an award-winning author, speaker, thought-leader, strategic adviser and C-level growth executive with experience serving multiple Fortune 500 companies. In this episode, Chris unveils the solutions to the time pressures faced by short staffed healthcare providers, the cost of focusing too much on efficiency, an incredible story of Starbucks workers that will warm you heart, how the key to happiness is serving others, and much more.

Joel has a delightful chat with John Garrett, the Catalyst For Culture Change, comedian, award winning author, podcast host, and keynote speaker.

Garrett discusses how he helps organizations bring out the human behind the job title, how to authentically connect with your employees, the power of show and tell at work, the untapped potential of your employees that you’re ignoring, and how to love your team in transformational ways.

You'll be personally challenged to reflect on who you are, how to truly become the best leader you can be, and how to focus on the things that matter most. You won't want to miss this one.

In this incredibly insightful episode, Joel speaks with Daryl Travis, Founder and CEO at Brandtrust, a brand consultancy offering a more human way to build brands and create meaningful change. Daryl explains why humans don’t really know what they want and how that influences buying behavior and employee experience, why we all  keep our Apple device packaging stuffed in drawers, creating brands vs. creating bonds, and much more.

During this heartfelt conversation, Joel talks with Scott Schultz. He's a speaker, executive coach, and facilitator who empowers people to unlock and architect their impact. Scott discusses emotional intelligence and it’s importance for leaders, the huge problem with negative self talk, identifying your core values and truly living them out, and a story he’s never shared before about why he’s so passionate about impacting homelessness. If you've been curious about emotional intelligence and why it's important, this episode is for you.