The Use Case Podcast

By WRKdefinedBusiness Entrepreneurship Technology

The Use Case Podcast episodes

June 10Everybody’s Talking About Skills. Almost Nobody Can Prove Them
Most companies still confuse content consumption with actual learning. Watch the video. Pass the quiz. Move on. Todd Moran explains why that model is collapsing fast, especially now that AI is changing jobs faster than companies can retrain people.
The real shift isn’t “learning content.” It’s continuous skill development tied to feedback, practice, mentoring, and real proof of capability. AI, workforce development, upskilling, learning science, coaching, talent experience. This conversation gets into where enterprise learning is finally headed.
In this episode, Todd Moran breaks down why traditional LMS systems are failing modern workforces, why skill decay is becoming a major business problem, and why companies need continuous learning instead of one-time training events. Sharp conversation on AI, mentoring, coaching, workforce agility, learning science, and proving employees actually learned something.

Key Takeaways :
“Content does not equal learning” was one of the strongest themes of the conversation

Most enterprise learning systems still measure completion rates instead of real capability

Todd says skill development should include practice, feedback, coaching, and peer interaction

NovoEd works with enterprise organizations with 25,000+ employees globally

One hospitality client manages learning across a workforce of 800,000 distributed employees

Traditional “one-time training intervention” models are failing modern organizations

Todd argues companies must revisit workforce skilling continuously, not annually

One airline client retrains 50,000 airport service employees every quarter using micro-learning experiences

Employees respond positively when companies visibly invest in their development repeatedly

AI-generated content is forcing learning platforms to focus more on proof of skill mastery

“Skill decay” is becoming a major issue as jobs and technologies evolve faster

Todd believes learning, mentoring, coaching, and talent development are converging into one ecosystem

Companies are demanding evidence-based learning instead of self-reported progress

NovoEd built video practice environments where employees can rehearse skills safely and receive peer feedback

Todd says responsible AI deployment matters more than shipping features quickly

Guest : Todd Moran
Chief Learning Strategist at NovoEd, helping enterprises rethink workforce development through collaborative learning, mentoring, coaching, and continuous skill-building at scale.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddhmoran

Website: https://novoed.com/

Connect with Us :
William Tincup, LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/

Ryan Leary, LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/

WRKdefined :
Website: http://www.wrkdefined.com

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/

Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined

Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/

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43 min
June 02 The Resume Is Dead | Show Me You Can Actually Do the Job
One polished resume used to get you noticed. Now AI can generate hundreds of them in minutes. Ellie Angell explains why hiring teams are losing trust in traditional applications and why job simulations are becoming one of the fastest-growing ways to identify real talent.
The hiring process is shifting from claims to proof. Skills assessments, job simulations, AI hiring, candidate experience, talent evaluation. This conversation explores what happens when recruiters stop asking candidates what they can do and start watching them do it.
In this episode… Ellie breaks down why resumes are becoming less reliable, how realistic job simulations uncover hidden talent, and why hiring teams are moving toward skills-based evaluation. Sharp discussion on AI-generated resumes, candidate screening, assessment design, hiring accuracy, and the future of talent acquisition.

Key Takeaways :
• Ellie says AI has fundamentally weakened recruiter trust in resumes because candidates can now optimize applications instantly
• Many employers receive 100+ applications per role, making it impossible to evaluate everyone manually
• Recruiters reportedly spend only a few seconds reviewing many resumes before making an initial decision
• Skills assessments help uncover qualified candidates who may be overlooked because of weak resumes or unconventional backgrounds
• Job simulations allow candidates to demonstrate real capabilities instead of simply describing them
• Companies are increasingly hiring for potential, adaptability, critical thinking, and attention to detail
• Ellie believes future hiring will rely less on credentials and more on proof of skills
• Candidate assessments can act as realistic job previews, helping applicants decide if they actually want the role
• Some companies design simulations as “a day in the life” experience to show candidates what the work really looks like
• The best assessments test the hardest parts of the job, not the easiest ones
• Retention improves when candidates understand the realities of the role before accepting an offer
• Hiring teams are increasingly evaluating how candidates use AI, not whether they use AI
• Employers want to see prompting ability, judgment, and decision-making alongside technical skills
• AI-assisted scoring can help standardize candidate evaluation and reduce inconsistencies in the hiring process
• The strongest hiring systems combine human judgment with structured skills validation rather than relying on resumes alone

Guest : Ellie Angell
Head of Customer Success at Canditech, helping organizations replace resume-driven hiring with skills assessments, job simulations, and data-backed candidate evaluation.
LinkedIN : https://il.linkedin.com/in/ellieangell

Connect with Us :
William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/
Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/
WRKdefined :
Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/
Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined
Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/

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36 min
May 19 Billion-Dollar Software Still Fails If Nobody Uses It
45% of internal workflows are still humans chasing humans. IT tickets. HR requests. Procurement approvals. Slack pings. Endless handoffs. This episode gets into why most enterprise automation failed, why forms are dying, and why Agentic AI is finally changing the game. AI workers. Workflow automation. Digital adoption. Employee experience. Enterprise AI.
In this episode…
Maor Ezer breaks down how AI workers are replacing rigid workflows with systems that learn, adapt, and execute like humans. They talk ROI, employee trust, autonomous agents, AI adoption, and why speed is becoming the real competitive advantage inside enterprise companies.
Key Takeaways :
• 45% of internal workflows are still human-to-human service requests
• Most enterprise automation failed because it was too rigid and broke whenever systems changed
• AI workers can already resolve 30% of IT tickets inside enterprise environments
• One AI worker moved from the 10th-best “employee” to #1 in workload handled within 30 days
• The old automation model was “if this then that.” Agentic AI works more like a human making decisions
• Employees don’t want more forms. They want to type messy requests naturally in Slack or chat
• Companies are starting to compare AI budgets directly against labor budgets
• AI adoption spikes when employees see the tech making them faster, not replacing them
• Practitioners doing the actual work usually know the best automation opportunities
• The companies winning with AI have leadership and employees aligned on transformation
• Revenue-per-employee is becoming a major metric for investors and operators
• The next phase of AI is action, not recommendation. The value is in execution, not answers
Connect with Us :
William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/
Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/
WRKdefined :
Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/
Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined
Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/

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37 min
May 11 The Real Cost of Hiring on Gut Instinct | HireScore CEO Spencer Stang Explains
Most hiring teams still trust instinct over data. That works great until the “perfect” candidate flames out in 90 days. Spencer built a system that calls that bluff and replaces hiring bias with measurable outcomes.
Hiring is still full of guesswork, résumé theater, and recruiter roulette. Spencer explains why companies keep making expensive hiring mistakes and how industrial psychology, assessments, and real-world data can dramatically improve quality of hire without wrecking candidate experience.
In this episode…
We unpack hiring science, candidate drop-off, assessment accuracy, safety-risk recruiting, and why most companies optimize for speed instead of fit. Spencer breaks down how HireScore combines ATS workflows, behavioral data, cognitive testing, and performance tracking into one system built to reduce bad hires.
Key Takeaways :
A bad hire can cost anywhere from 25% of first-year salary to 4x total compensation
Some safety-sensitive workers are 10–20x more likely to cause workplace incidents based on behavioral risk scoring
Most hiring managers still override assessment data because they “like” the candidate
Companies often ask for the wrong fix. They ask for more applicants when the real problem is poor selection
Removing account creation early in the apply flow dramatically reduces candidate drop-off
Asking for a Social Security number too early caused massive applicant abandonment
Structured interviews statistically outperform gut-feel hiring by a wide margin
HireScore tracks outcomes 1, 3, 5, and even 7 years after hire for continuous validation
Candidates who look strong verbally can still fail badly in logic and decision-making roles
Work simulations and hands-on testing outperform résumé screening for many operational jobs
Spencer’s team has spent 10+ years validating hiring outcomes against real employee performance
“Good enough” hiring becomes dangerous in refinery, mining, and industrial environments where mistakes can kill people
Guest :
Spencer Stang | CEO HireScore
LinkedIN : https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-stang-316495a
Industrial-organizational psychologist focused on turning hiring science into practical recruiting systems that actually predict performance
Connect with Us :
William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/
Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/
WRKdefined :
Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/
Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined
Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/

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48 min
May 07 Hiring CEOs Still Takes Weeks | Moravi Cuts It to Minutes
Most recruiting tech stops at keyword matching. Moravi is trying to kill that model before another bad executive hire costs a company millions.
A CEO search can drag for 10 weeks before teams even align on what they want. Meanwhile, the business bleeds time, productivity, and trust. Matt Mooney, Vicky Wilkins, and Jen Row break down why executive hiring still runs on manual research, gut feel, and “headhunter” logic and how they’re rebuilding the process with assessment-first technology, real proof, and faster decision-making.
In this episode…
The Moravi founders explain why most recruiting software fails at executive search, how they compress 4 weeks of market mapping into a 45-minute kickoff, and why “show your work” matters when one bad leadership hire can wreck a company. They also unpack assessment logic, candidate credibility, culture fit, and the skepticism slowing innovation in executive hiring.
Key Takeaways :
Executive search still operates like a 1970s industry despite modern recruiting tech
Most executive hiring research is still done manually
Moravi’s goal is compressing a 3–4 week search kickoff into 30–45 minutes
Teams often spend weeks “realigning” during searches instead of forcing alignment upfront
Traditional recruiting tools were built for staffing, not executive hiring
Keyword matching alone misses leadership impact, company context, and business outcomes
The platform evaluates candidate history against company performance, growth, and outcomes
One bad executive hire creates outsized operational and financial risk
Search firms regularly miss 30–40% of viable executive talent pools because of narrow filters
Moravi highlights both strengths and risk gaps so recruiters know what to probe deeper
The founders built the platform after failing to find software they trusted themselves
Their biggest differentiator: every recommendation is backed by visible proof and data
Guests :
Matthew Mooney - Co-founder Marovi
LinkedIN : https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewamooney/
Vicky Wilkens - Co-founder Marovi
LinkedIN : https://www.linkedin.com/in/vickywilkens/
Jin Ro - Co-founder Marovi
LinkedIN : https://www.linkedin.com/in/jinro/
Connect with Us :
William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/
Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/
WRKdefined :
Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/
Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined
Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/

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48 min
April 27 Your Referral Program Is Broken : Eqo CEO Tawfiq Explains Why You Don’t See It
Most companies think they have referrals handled. They don’t. That gap is costing real money and nobody’s calling it out.
Less than 15% of frontline hires come from referrals. Meanwhile, top performers hit 40%+. That delta isn’t small. It’s broken process, weak incentives, bad UX, and zero visibility. This episode cuts into frontline hiring, employee referrals, retention, and cost savings without pretending it’s complicated.
In this episode you’ll see why most referral programs fail, what actually drives adoption, and how to turn referrals into your highest ROI hiring channel without adding complexity.
Key Takeaways :
Most frontline orgs get under 15% of hires from referrals
Top 25% hit 34.8%, top 10% exceed 40%
Referred employees show ~50% lower turnover
One travel nurse can cost 4x a full-time hire
Referral programs fail because employees don’t know they exist
Bad referral experiences kill future participation instantly
The “three E’s” drive performance: Enticing, Engaging, Easy
$50 gift cards don’t motivate anyone. Real incentives do
Email-only programs get ignored by 80%+ of frontline workers
Simplicity beats features. Friction kills referrals
Text-based UX wins. No apps, no logins, no excuses
Referrals can replace job board spend before it even starts
Guest : Tawfiq Abu-Khajil
Co-founder & CEO - EqoLinkedIN : https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawfiq-abu-khajil
Builds referral systems that actually work for frontline employees, not just HR dashboards.
Connect with Us :
William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/
Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/
WRKdefined :
Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/
Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined

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37 min
June 19, 2025 The Future of Hiring: AI Meets Human Expertise
Recruiting is broken—but what if you could fix it in 72 hours? In this episode, we talk with Lauren Heffran from SeekOut about Spot, a managed recruiting solution blending AI and real hiring expertise. From streamlining the candidate slate to saving time for overwhelmed hiring managers, Spot is rewriting how hiring works for startups and enterprise alike.

We talk about recruiting, AI, candidate slates, and why HR tech is finally solving hiring at scale.

Key Takeaways
➡ Spot is a fully managed recruitment service built by the team at SeekOut.
➡ AI helps streamline and accelerate candidate evaluation—without replacing human judgment.
➡ Spot offers both an agency-style experience and a curated slate model.
➡ The first 72 hours of a search are mission-critical to hiring success.
➡ Flexible models are winning in a market where no one wants to sign 12-month contracts.
➡ Spot serves as both solution and education tool for companies new to modern recruitment.
➡ Hiring managers don’t want more dashboards—they want hires.
➡ Calibration isn’t just helpful—it’s essential to get alignment fast.
➡ Companies that delay hiring lose candidates—and momentum.
➡ Spot is where urgency, tech, and talent actually align.

Chapters
00:00 What are we talking about?
01:18 Lauren Heffran's Background and Experience
02:50 Overview of SeekOut and the Spot Team
05:09 Understanding the SPOT Model and Its Benefits
07:17 The Spot Process: Streamlining Recruitment
08:59 Market Trends and the Shift to Managed Services
10:54 Engaging Hiring Managers with the New Model
13:25 Identifying Ideal Customers for Spot
15:28 Calibrating Candidate Selection
18:56 The Role of Technology in Hiring
22:57 The Importance of Urgency in Hiring
23:58 Transitioning from Spot to Internal Recruiting
24:30 Understanding Success Fees
25:22 Questions Buyers Should Ask
26:56 Future Vision for Spot
27:59 Defining Candidate Slates

Guest Info
Lauren Heffran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenskuchasheffran/

Lauren leads the Spot team at SeekOut, where she blends AI innovation with real-world recruiting expertise.

Connect with us
William Tincup LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/⁠
Ryan Leary LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/⁠

Connect with WRKdefined on your favorite social network
Site: ⁠http://www.wrkdefined.com⁠
TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined⁠
LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined⁠
Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/⁠
Twitter (X): ⁠https://twitter.com/WRKdefined⁠
Substack: ⁠https://wrkdefined.substack.com/⁠

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33 min
April 03, 2025 How FinFit Is Flipping the Script on Financial Wellness—And Why Employers Can’t Ignore It Anymore
70% of working Americans live paycheck to paycheck. That stat alone should stop you in your tracks. We sat down with Michael Woodhead, CCO of FinFit, to explore how financial stress is quietly wrecking productivity, retention, and employee wellness. From free financial coaching to earned wage access, this conversation cuts through the noise and gets straight to the money.

In this episode we look at FinFit, financial wellness, employee benefits, earned wage access, employer responsibilities, financial stress, technology in finance, credit score, workplace wellness, Michael Woodhead, financial literacy, employee experience, financial wellness, behavior change, personalized guidance, financial stress, budgeting, financial habits, employer questions, mission-driven.

➡️ 70% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck—solve that or lose talent.
➡️ Financial stress crushes productivity, loyalty, and mental health.
➡️ Coaching and earned wage access aren’t perks—they’re must-haves.
➡️ Tech should remove shame, build credit, and create real behavior change.
➡️ One-size-fits-all is dead—personalized financial guidance wins.
➡️ If your wellness program doesn’t show outcomes, it’s noise.
➡️ Mission-driven brands don’t just retain people—they create evangelists.

Chapters

00:00 What are we talking about today?
04:46 Understanding FinFit's Mission
10:30 Employer Responsibilities in Financial Wellness
16:25 Technology and Borrowing Experience
22:00 Behavior Change and Financial Stress
29:01 Understanding the Market and Business Outcomes
34:51 Mission-Driven Approach to Financial Wellness

Connect with us here:

🔗 Connect with Michael Woodhead: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-woodhead-4867051/
🔗 Connect with William Tincup: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/
🔗 Connect with Ryan Leary: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/

Connect with WRKdefined on your favorite social network

Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/
Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined
Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com

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41 min
February 13, 2025 Seamless Payroll Integrations: How Financial Wellness & Benefits Tech Are Transforming Workplaces
Payroll and benefits management is a maze, and Doug Sabella, CEO of Payroll Integrations, is here to simplify it. He joins us to break down how integrating payroll software with benefits providers can eliminate inefficiencies, improve compliance, and enhance financial wellness for employees. From data security concerns to the evolving landscape of employee benefits, Doug shares insights from their Financial Wellness Report—including why Gen Z is outpacing previous generations in retirement contributions. We wrap up with real-world success stories from companies using Parallel Integrations to streamline operations, reduce headaches, and boost employee satisfaction.

In this episode we look at Payroll Integrations, Financial Wellness, Employee Benefits, Data Security, Compliance, User Experience, Integration Solutions, HR Technology, Employee Experience, Business Efficiency and more.

Key Takeaways
➡️ Parallel Integrations specializes in connecting payroll software with benefits providers.
➡️ Employers face significant challenges in managing payroll and benefits data.
➡️ Financial wellness is a key concern for employers and employees alike.
➡️ Data security is paramount when dealing with sensitive payroll information.
➡️ The integration platform simplifies the process for small and medium businesses.
➡️ Gen Z is contributing more to retirement plans than previous generations.
➡️ Employers need to communicate the total compensation package to employees effectively.
➡️ Success stories highlight the efficiency gained through integration solutions.
➡️ The platform is designed to be user-friendly and requires minimal maintenance.
➡️ Understanding the need for integration can save businesses time and money.

💬 What’s your take? Are seamless payroll integrations the key to financial wellness, or is there still a gap? Drop your thoughts in the comments!

Connect with us here:
🔗 Connect with Doug Sabella: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-sabella/ or at https://www.payrollintegrations.com/
🔗 Connect with William Tincup: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/
🔗 Connect with Ryan Leary: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/

Connect with WRKdefined on your favorite social network
🔗 Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com
🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/
🐦 Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined
📩 Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com

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45 min
December 12, 2024Revolutionizing High Volume Hiring with Fountain CEO Sean Behr
Frontline workers drive industries, but high volume hiring isn’t your average recruitment game. Fountain’s Sean Behr joins us to unpack the tech, tools, and strategies that make hiring seamless—while keeping the human element intact. From hourly worker engagement to fixing recruitment response times, this episode digs into solutions that matter.
In this episode, we look at frontline workers, high volume hiring, Fountain, technology, employee engagement, recruitment, hourly workers, hiring practices, job application process, workforce management, communication challenges, employer branding, human capital management, response times, and career advancement.
Key Takeaways
Frontline hiring demands innovative tech solutions to tackle unique challenges.
Employee engagement plays a pivotal role in recruitment and retention.
Referrals and targeted messaging boost application success rates.
Realistic job previews set clear expectations for candidates.
Employer branding should attract the right fit while filtering out mismatches.
Timely response times are critical in maintaining applicant interest.
Frontline workers need tools designed for communication challenges.
High volume hiring thrives on human capital management done right.
Career advancement pathways enhance retention and loyalty.
Streamlining workforce systems improves efficiency for smaller companies.
The ‘telephone game’ in communication can derail engagement—fix it.
Frontline workers are more empowered than ever to demand better conditions.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Frontline Workers and Fountain
02:52 The Human Element in High Volume Hiring
05:59 Transitioning from Passion to Software Development
09:10 Understanding the Differences in Hiring Practices
12:01 The Competitive Landscape for Frontline Workers
15:02 Enhancing the Application Process with Technology
17:55 The Importance of Employee Engagement and Referrals
21:09 Navigating Disparate Systems in Workforce Management
22:52 Communication Challenges for Frontline Workers
24:51 Engaging Employees with Targeted Messaging
26:44 Tracking Employee Engagement and Performance
27:50 The Importance of Realistic Job Previews
30:55 Attracting and Repelling Candidates through Employer Branding
32:42 Creating Pathways for Career Advancement
38:03 The Critical Role of Response Times in Recruitment
40:55 The Value of Frontline Human Capital Management

You can learn more about Fountain at: https://www.fountain.com/ and you can connect with Sean Behr on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanbehr/
William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/
Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/
Connect with WRKdefined on your favorite social network
The Site | Substack | LinkedIn | Instagram | X | Facebook | TikTok
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43 min

About The Use Case Podcast

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Discover insights from tech leaders on The Use Case Podcast. Learn how they make compelling business cases for their technology. Get inspired to enhance your business with innovative ideas. Proudly…