In this insightful episode, Amir Bormand interviews Jim Conti, Talent Partner at Hyde Park Venture Partners, about redefining the value of people and talent functions. Jim shares strategies for evolving the role from being process-driven to a core strategic contributor, while highlighting the importance of aligning with business goals, automating admin tasks, and building impactful employee experiences. This episode is packed with practical advice for HR professionals, talent leaders, and anyone looking to amplify the value of their talent organization.

Key Takeaways:

1. Identify Your Org’s People Function Priorities: The reporting structure and allocated budget reveal how much a company values its talent function.

2. Evolve from Admin to Strategic: Focus on aligning talent initiatives with broader business goals and automate routine tasks to free up time for strategy.

3. Build a Business Case for Talent Investments: Use data and ROI-driven arguments to gain leadership buy-in for new tools and initiatives.

4. Set Boundaries Without People-Pleasing: Clarity and transparency in career development discussions create trust and empower employees without over-promising.

5. Measure Talent Impact: Post-hiring surveys and bar-raiser metrics help show the business value of talent initiatives.

Timestamped Highlights:

• [00:00:30] Introduction to the role of people and talent functions in organizations.

• [00:03:00] Key indicators of whether an organization views HR as strategic or process-driven.

• [00:05:14] Shifting the people function from admin-heavy to strategically aligned.

• [00:07:54] Building a business case for HR investments and gaining buy-in from leadership.

• [00:11:54] The importance of transparency and clarity in employee development conversations.

• [00:18:00] How talent leaders can demonstrate business value by engaging with stakeholders.

• [00:23:00] Questions to ask during the interview process to assess a company’s strategic outlook on talent.

• [00:24:55] Matching organizational challenges to your personal career goals.

If you’re looking for actionable insights to elevate your talent organization, this episode is a must-listen. 

Share it with your network to inspire more strategic thinking in the HR and talent space. Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to stay updated with the latest discussions in talent leadership!

Jim Conti: https://www.linkedin.com/in/contijc/

Jim Conti is the Talent Partner at Hyde Park Venture Partners and has been with the firm since 2021. In this role, Jim provides strategic talent support and consulting to the firm's portfolio of companies. Prior to Hyde Park Venture Partners, Jim served as head of people at dscout and Sprout Social — both Chicago-based software startups. In these roles, Jim built, grew, and oversaw teams across recruitment, talent management, DEI, culture, HR, and benefits strategy. The impact of this work is seen in awards from Glassdoor, Chicago Tribune, Crain’s Chicago, and Built in Chicago.

In this insightful episode, host Amir speaks with Tanaz Mody, Head of People Operations and Talent at Lerer Hippeau, to explore the unique challenges founders face in hiring and leadership. The conversation highlights the complexities of transitioning from founder to CEO, building trust, and making strategic hiring decisions in early-stage startups. Tanaz provides practical advice on delegation, setting expectations, and the evolving role of People Operations in supporting business growth.

Episode Highlights

• Founders and Hiring Challenges

  • The emotional attachment founders have to their business often makes hiring decisions difficult.
  • Common pitfalls in hiring due to lack of alignment on company needs.

• Delegation and Trust

  • The importance of founders learning to delegate effectively and trust their teams.
  • Building safe spaces for transparent communication and collaboration.

• Strategic Decision-Making

  • Setting milestones and frameworks to align hiring with business goals.
  • How People Operations can facilitate smoother transitions during early-stage growth.

• From Founder to CEO

  • The mindset shift required to evolve from a hands-on founder to a strategic CEO.
  • Overcoming the challenges of scaling leadership and adapting to new roles.

• VC Talent Partners’ Role

  • Unique insights from VC-backed talent advisors to help startups scale efficiently.
  • Support for founders in aligning business strategy with leadership growth.

Key Takeaways

1. Trust and Delegation are Non-Negotiable Founders must embrace delegation and trust their team to scale the business effectively.

2. Strategic Hiring Requires Milestones Establish clear benchmarks to ensure hires align with the company’s current and future needs.

3. Transitioning to CEO Requires a Mindset Shift Founders need to focus on big-picture strategy rather than micromanaging daily tasks.

4. People Operations is Key to Scaling A well-defined People Ops strategy ensures smoother transitions and long-term growth.

Listen now for actionable insights on building a stronger team, scaling leadership, and navigating the founder-to-CEO journey! Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more engaging conversations with industry leaders.

Guest: 

Tanaz Mody is the Head of People Operations and Talent at Lerer Hippeau, where she drives strategic hiring and fosters high-performing teams. With extensive experience across industries, she specializes in innovative recruitment strategies, inclusive work environments, and aligning talent with organizational goals.

LinkedIn: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanazmody/

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In this powerful episode, Amir Bormand speaks with Dena Singleton, Chief HR Officer at Kajabi, about the challenges women face throughout their careers. They explore key issues like balancing personal and professional life, navigating health-related workplace returns, and addressing menopause—a topic often overlooked in organizational conversations.

Dena shares personal stories and actionable advice on creating inclusive environments, advocating for oneself, and fostering open communication. This episode offers valuable insights for HR leaders, managers, and anyone looking to create more equitable and supportive workplaces.

Key Takeaways:

• Recognize and Address Unique Challenges: Understand how career interruptions due to health or family leave impact women's careers and what organizations can do to support them.
• Foster Open Communication: Create environments where employees feel empowered to share challenges without fear of judgment.
• Support Career Growth: Help women future-proof their careers by advocating for fair policies, promoting leadership development, and addressing workplace biases.
• Prioritize Self-Advocacy and Allyship: Encourage women to advocate for themselves while fostering a culture of mutual support and inclusion.

Episode Highlights:

• 01:16 – Challenges Women Face in the Workplace
• 01:54 – Finding Your Voice and Addressing Performance Issues
• 06:00 – Personal Story: Navigating Health Issues at Work
• 09:59 – Return to Work and Remote Work Challenges
• 13:24 – Navigating Work During COVID-19
• 14:35 – Family Leave and Career Impact
• 17:13 – Future-Proofing Your Career
• 18:47 – Addressing Anxiety and Self-Improvement
• 19:56 – Challenges of Menopause in the Workplace
• 25:00 – Advocating for Yourself and Others

Guest:

Dena Singleton is the Chief People Officer at Kajabi, a leading platform empowering creators to build, market, and sell online courses and content. With a career spanning over two decades in human resources and organizational leadership, Dena excels in driving people-first strategies that align with business goals. Her expertise includes scaling teams, fostering inclusive cultures, and leading through transformational change. Dena is passionate about creating environments where employees thrive and businesses succeed, leveraging her deep knowledge of talent development, DEI initiatives, and strategic workforce planning.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hellofromdena/

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In this insightful episode, Amir Bormand chats with Loren Boyce, VP of Talent Acquisition at M13, about the transformative power of storytelling in recruitment. They discuss how compelling narratives can elevate job descriptions, align hiring teams, and attract top-tier candidates by highlighting a role’s true impact.

Loren shares actionable strategies for founders and hiring managers to refine their recruiting approaches by focusing on the “why” behind each role. They explore balancing sales-driven versus authentic hiring methods and how transparent conversations can address job challenges while building trust with potential hires.

Key Takeaways:

• Use Storytelling as a Recruitment Tool: Craft job descriptions that communicate purpose and clearly define how a role supports company goals.
• Align Teams Through a Unified Narrative: Ensure all stakeholders are on the same page to create a consistent and compelling hiring message.
• Move Beyond Salesy Pitches: Avoid over-selling roles and focus on authenticity to build long-term, trusting relationships with candidates.
• Have Meaningful Candidate Conversations: Be transparent about challenges to foster trust and find candidates aligned with your company’s vision.

Episode Highlights:

• 01:37 – The Importance of Storytelling in Recruiting
• 03:22 – Aligning Recruitment with Company Goals
• 06:11 – Crafting Effective Job Descriptions
• 09:04 – Challenges and Best Practices in Recruitment

Guest:

Loren Boyce is a recruiter and talent acquisition leader who has helped companies like VMware, DigitalOcean, and Toast build and scale their teams in preparation for their IPOs. In 2020, she joined M13, an LA + NY-based venture capital firm, as VP of Talent Acquisition. Loren works with M13 portfolio company founders and their teams to help them build their dream teams. Her approach offers a simple structure and a customizable process for driving alignment and making better hiring decisions.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorenboyce/

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In this episode, Amir Bormand sits down with Hilliary Turnipseed, Senior Director of Talent at Kapor Capital, to explore the essential practices behind consciously inclusive hiring. They dive into how organizations can diversify their talent pools, avoid hiring biases, and create equitable opportunities for underrepresented groups.

Hilliary shares how Kapor Capital’s investment philosophy centers on closing access gaps for low-income communities and communities of color. She also discusses how talent leaders can adopt inclusive strategies, de-risk hiring decisions, and expand their reach beyond traditional recruitment methods.

Key Takeaways:

• Adopt an Inclusive Hiring Mindset: Build diversity by embedding inclusive hiring practices into the core of recruitment processes.
• Expand Talent Networks: Reach beyond traditional talent pools through partnerships and active community engagement.
• De-Risk Hiring Decisions: Use data-driven processes and unbiased evaluation methods to make fair, transparent decisions.
• Support Candidates and Founders: Offer tools, resources, and community partnerships to help founders build diverse and high-performing teams.

Episode Highlights:

• 01:56 – Consciously Inclusive Hiring Explained
• 03:18 – Challenges and Solutions in Hiring
• 05:41 – Expanding Networks and Talent Pools
• 09:06 – Building a Fair and Equitable Talent Network
• 12:20 – Navigating the Current Job Market
• 16:43 – Advice for Candidates and Recruiters

Guest:

Hilliary Turnipseed is the Senior Director of Talent at Kapor Capital, where she focuses on building diverse, inclusive teams across Kapor's portfolio companies. With a deep commitment to equity and belonging in the workplace, Hilliary works closely with founders to embed inclusive hiring practices and de-risk hiring decisions. She has extensive experience in talent acquisition, diversity and inclusion, and has collaborated with organizations like Diversify Tech and Black Code Collective. Through her work, Hilliary empowers companies to broaden their talent pools, avoid biases, and create fair, equitable opportunities in hiring.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hilliaryturnipseed/

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Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Talent Tango. We would appreciate it if you would take a minute to rate and review us on your favorite podcast player.

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In this episode, Amir sits down with Kelsey Lang, Global Head of Talent at Techstars, to explore how organizations can achieve 'super agility' in talent management. Kelsey shares how startup-style adaptability can be combined with strong foundational processes to manage teams effectively in fast-moving environments.

They discuss blending cultural nuances, balancing flexibility with structure, and leveraging agile project management frameworks like Scrum and Kanban to improve team efficiency. Kelsey also highlights how aligning stakeholders can unlock greater organizational success.

Key Takeaways:

• Adaptability Is Key: Agile organizations balance flexibility with a stable operational foundation.
• Stakeholder Engagement Matters: Involving stakeholders in process creation drives better collaboration.
• Agile Frameworks for Talent: Applying Scrum and Kanban can enhance adaptability in HR processes.
• Cultural Awareness: Understanding company culture helps tailor agile practices for maximum effectiveness.

Episode Highlights:

01:24 - Defining Agility in Talent Management

• How agility differs from traditional talent management models
• The role of adaptability in scaling startups

03:37 - Skills Needed for Flexibility in Talent

• Why continuous learning and stakeholder collaboration are essential
• Tips for building adaptable teams ready for change

07:03 - Challenges and Strategies in Talent Management

• Common obstacles when scaling talent operations
• Kelsey’s insights on handling rapid growth and evolving roles

13:25 - Implementing Agile Methodologies in Talent

• Adapting Scrum and Kanban for HR processes
• How Techstars uses project management principles to streamline talent operations

Guest:

Kelsey Lang is a talent and people leader with over 20 years of experience building, scaling and transforming. She has worked with small, early stage startups, large, publicly-traded organizations and other orgs in between. Kelsey is passionate about building and designing talent systems that are aligned to the business to drive outcomes and cultivating cultures of high engagement and inclusion. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelseylang1/  

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Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Talent Tango. We would appreciate it if you would take a minute to rate and review us on your favorite podcast player.

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In this episode, Amir Bormand sits down with Laura Hilton, Head of Executive Talent at Bain Capital Ventures, to explore how small but impactful actions in talent management can drive long-term success. They discuss the importance of relationship-building, effective follow-ups, and creating a standout candidate experience.

Laura shares how successful companies differentiate themselves by mastering the 'little things' — from personalized outreach to seamless communication. She also offers actionable strategies for leveraging technology and maintaining personal discipline in follow-ups.

Key Takeaways:

• Small Efforts, Big Impact: Consistent follow-ups and personalized communication can set companies apart.
• Executive Talent Management Is Unique: It requires specialized strategies beyond standard recruitment practices.
• Technology as an Enabler: Smart use of tech can streamline communication and enhance follow-up processes.
• Personal Accountability: Talent leaders must take ownership of relationship-building to succeed in a competitive hiring market.

Episode Highlights:

01:38 - The Importance of Little Things in Talent Management

• How simple, thoughtful actions can transform candidate experiences
• Why small efforts build trust and long-term relationships

01:56 - Differences in Executive Talent Management

• Unique challenges in recruiting for executive roles
• Custom strategies for sourcing top-tier talent

04:24 - Key Little Things in Talent Management

• Importance of personalized follow-ups and proactive communication
• Building authentic connections through thoughtful outreach

08:02 - Challenges and Best Practices in Follow-Ups

• How to manage follow-up fatigue and maintain momentum
• Tactics for staying organized and consistent

14:06 - The Role of Technology in Talent Management

• Tech tools that help automate follow-ups without losing the personal touch
• Balancing tech-driven efficiency with human-centric engagement

16:40 - Managerial and Personal Responsibility in Follow-Ups

• Why personal discipline is essential for long-term recruitment success
• How leaders can set a standard for thoughtful and effective communication

Guest

Laura Hilton has over a decade of experience in talent, scaling organizations through rapid growth. At BCV Laura is focused on collaborating with founders on their executive talent strategy while also playing a key role in expanding and strengthening their talent ecosystem. Before BCV, Laura spent 5 years at Stripe as a founding member of the executive recruiting team, helping the organization from 700-7000. Before Stripe, she led the Global Talent function at AppDirect, helping scale the company across the US, Canada, Brazil, and India. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurahilton10/  

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In this episode, Amir is joined by Cassie Chao Leemans, Vice President of Talent at Craft Ventures, for an insightful discussion on creating scalable and effective recruiting strategies. Cassie shares her expertise on building strong recruiting frameworks, defining competencies, and ensuring fair and consistent hiring processes.

The conversation dives into crucial concepts like "interview debt," balancing high hiring standards with bias reduction, and the essential role founders play in early-stage hiring success. Whether you're scaling a team or refining your recruitment approach, this episode is packed with actionable advice.

Key Takeaways:

• Foundational Recruiting (01:25): Establishing a clear recruiting framework ensures alignment and long-term hiring success.
• Defining Competencies and Roles (06:41): Clearly defining roles and required competencies streamlines candidate evaluations.
• Interviewer Training (09:41): Consistent interviewer training helps reduce bias and improve the overall candidate experience.
• Avoiding Interview Debt (11:59): Proactively managing interview processes prevents inefficiencies and missed opportunities.
• Balancing High Standards and Biases (17:35): Striking the right balance between maintaining standards and minimizing bias leads to better hiring decisions.
• Scaling Your Hiring Process (21:55): Implementing a structured hiring process early makes scaling easier and more effective.

Guest:

Cassie Leemans is the VP Talent at Craft Ventures, where she plays a pivotal role in building high-performing teams and shaping talent acquisition strategies. With a rich background in recruitment and talent management, Cassie excels at integrating agile methodologies and fostering team flexibility. Her experience spans various sectors, where she has successfully aligned talent initiatives with business growth goals, enabling companies to scale effectively. Cassie is passionate about enhancing recruitment processes through innovation and collaboration, making her a dynamic leader in the talent space.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassieleemans/

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In this episode, Erin Peterson, Head of Talent at Great Hill Partners, joins Amir Bormand to explore the evolving role of AI in talent management. They discuss how generative AI can streamline recruiting processes, reduce administrative burdens, and improve candidate experience while maintaining a human touch. Erin shares insights on balancing automation with personal engagement and how technology can enhance decision-making in hiring. The conversation also touches on change management, bias reduction, and preparing teams for AI-driven processes.

Key Takeaways:

• Automation in Recruiting: AI-driven tools can automate administrative tasks like scheduling, sourcing, and interview follow-ups, freeing recruiters to focus on building relationships.
• Candidate Experience Matters: Automating processes can enhance the candidate journey through personalized updates, feedback loops, and clear process communication.
• Balancing Human and Machine: While AI can reduce repetitive tasks, recruiters still play a vital role in selling roles, providing personalized experiences, and ensuring culture fit.
• Leadership and Change Management: Talent leaders must adopt a learning mindset, champion upskilling, and embrace technological shifts with curiosity and adaptability.

Highlights: 01:24 – Defining AI's Role in Talent Management 03:50 – Automation Opportunities in Recruiting 06:15 – Enhancing Candidate Experience with AI 09:40 – Reducing Bias Through Data-Driven Decisions 12:30 – Future-Proofing Talent Processes with Generative AI 17:20 – Balancing Technology and Human Touch in Hiring 21:45 – Preparing Talent Teams for AI-Driven Recruitment

Tune in for an insightful discussion on transforming talent acquisition through AI while keeping the human element at the core.

Guest:

Erin Peterson is a seasoned leader in the talent acquisition space, with extensive experience across industries, particularly in high-growth environments. As a Global Talent Acquisition Leader, she has a strong track record in building high-performing teams and implementing effective recruitment strategies to drive organizational success. With expertise spanning from executive search to operational talent management, Erin is passionate about leveraging data-driven insights and innovative technologies like AI to optimize hiring processes. She is currently the Head of Talent at Great Hill Partners, where she leads talent acquisition strategies across the portfolio.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinpeterson/

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In this episode, Chris Fahey, SVP of Talent and HR at Volition Capital, discusses the often-overlooked value of org charts for growing companies. He discusses how they can pinpoint hiring gaps and the importance of focusing on roles, not just people. Chris also highlights the importance of aligning your company's strategy with its structure and regularly revisiting this alignment for smoother scaling. Great tips for founders and businesses aiming for efficient growth!

Highlights:

• 01:47 The Importance of Org Charts in Business
• 02:59 Challenges and Benefits of Creating Org Charts
• 04:56 Aligning Org Charts with Business Strategy
• 10:09 Defining Success Criteria for Hiring
• 13:24 Iterating and Reassessing Org Charts
• 15:19 Advice for Founders on Organizational Alignment
• 18:12 Frequency of Re-examining Org Charts

Guest:

Chris Fahey is the Senior Vice President of Talent and Human Resources at Volition Capital. With extensive experience in talent acquisition and HR leadership, Chris deeply understands organizational strategy and scaling businesses. He focuses on aligning a company's talent needs with its broader strategic goals, helping growing businesses optimize their organizational structure and enhance hiring processes. Chris is passionate about building high-performing teams and fostering company cultures that drive success, especially in high-growth environments.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/fahey02

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Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Tech Trek. We would appreciate it if you would take a minute to rate and review us on your favorite podcast player.

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Please message me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand)