World's Greatest Boss

In this episode of World’s Greatest Boss, I’m joined by David Metz, CEO and founder of PrizeOut, a startup that helps credit unions and gaming platforms reward their users with high-value digital gift cards. David shares how he scaled his company from his couch to over 50 employees, what he’s learned about leadership, hiring, and culture along the way, and how AI is transforming the startup landscape.

We talk candidly about the chaos of startup life, how to hire top talent in today’s challenging market, why referrals beat resumes, and how generalists (finally) get their time to shine. David also drops real-talk advice on why soft skills now matter more than ever, and the personal toll entrepreneurship can take without a solid support system.

Whether you’re growing your team, figuring out how to lead through uncertainty, or just trying to make sense of AI’s impact on the workplace, this one’s for you.

WHAT YOU’LL HEAR IN THIS EPISODE:

[1:12] Why David’s team fell in love with credit unions and how PrizeOut serves them

[3:46] From gaming to gift cards - how PrizeOut started and evolved

[5:14] Building a 50+ person team and navigating remote vs. in-office culture shifts

[7:02] The AI revolution and what it means for your job (and your kids’)

[10:20] Real-world ways to use AI in hiring and operations today

[12:50] What actually works when hiring great people (hint: it’s not LinkedIn)

[14:32] The problem with AI-assisted projects in interviews

[16:14] David’s hiring framework: IQ, EQ, BQ (business quotient), and PQ (PrizeOut quotient)

[17:17] “Business is easy. People are hard.” Why leadership is emotionally exhausting

[19:53] Culture is a reflection of the founder - how David builds with intention

[22:37] Leadership habits David’s working on now

[23:28] The one thing every entrepreneur must have to survive the rollercoaster

LINKS & RESOURCES:

• Learn more about PrizeOut
• Connect with David Metz on LinkedIn or email him directly at [email protected]
• Take the CliftonStrengths Assessment to discover your top talents

📥 GET OUR FREE HR + HIRING ESSENTIALS PLAYBOOK

Need help building your dream team or managing the one you’ve got? Download our free HR & Hiring Essentials Playbook with resources that make hiring, onboarding, and compliance way easier:

👉 peopleprinciples.co

Are 1:1s a waste of time? Not if you’re leading a growing team.

In this episode host Jackie Koch challenges the rising trend of skipping one-on-one meetings and explains why most leaders can’t afford to follow that advice. You’ll learn what great 1:1s actually look like, how they improve trust, performance, and retention, and how to run them without adding chaos to your calendar.

Whether you’re a first-time founder or a seasoned CEO, this episode will help you lead your team better with one of the most underrated leadership tools out there.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why some high-profile CEOs have ditched 1:1s—and why that doesn’t apply to you
• The real cost of skipping 1:1s (burnout, blindspots, and turnover)
• A simple structure for running effective, low-lift 1:1s
• How to tailor your 1:1s to different team members and situations
• Coaching-style questions that help your team solve problems and grow
• What former Facebook exec Julie Zhuo learned about 1:1s after 13 years under Mark Zuckerberg

Perfect For:

• Startup founders
• Small business owners
• Team leads and first-time managers
• Anyone who wants to lead with more intention and less reactivity

Free Resource:

Grab the HR + Hiring Essentials Playbook, packed with templates and tips to manage and grow your team

Visit peopleprinciples.co to download

Subscribe and Review:

If this episode helped you, the best way to support the show is to subscribe, share it with a fellow leader, and leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps more people find the show and become better bosses.

What if you could eliminate the vast majority of your people problems, before they even start? In this episode of World’s Greatest Boss, I sit down with Kristian Ranta, CEO and co-founder of Meru Health, a Y Combinator-backed mental health startup, to explore how defining company values from day one helped him build a thriving team culture that actually works.

Kristian shares the hard earned lessons from his previous startup, where people problems ran rampant, and how that experience led him to start Meru Health with a deep focus on values, team traits, and mission alignment. We dig into the tangible ways his team lives those values today from hiring and firing to decision-making and leadership style.

This episode is packed with real-life advice for founders and leaders who want to build a values-driven culture, reduce team drama, and focus more time on building the business.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

[1:15] Kristian’s journey from founder trauma to intentional culture

[4:20] How Meru Health built a values-driven business from the start

[7:15] Why Kristian cold-emails experts before hiring

[9:00] Their structured hiring process (including a paid take-home assignment)

[12:30] How to create a culture of accountability with low hierarchy

[14:15] Nordic vs U.S. workplace dynamics

[18:00] Bringing values to life in hiring, firing, and daily decisions

[21:00] The founder’s biggest hiring regret—and what he changed

[23:00] What actually happens in a core values workshop

[25:00] The surprising origin of “compassion” as a company value

[27:10] How Meru Health provides virtual mental healthcare across the U.S.

Resources & Links:

• Learn more about Meru Health or check if you’re covered at: https://meru.us/podcast
• Connect with Jackie on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jackiemkoch
• Explore more resources and hiring tips at: peopleprinciples.co

🎧 Listen, learn, and don’t forget to share this episode with another founder or leader who’s building a team from the ground up.

You thought paying top dollar would take something off your plate, but here you are... staring at the payroll report wondering why things aren’t moving faster. In this episode, we’re breaking down a common leadership dilemma: should you hire someone with experience who can (theoretically) hit the ground running or bring in someone with potential and invest in their growth?

Jackie unpacks the pros and cons of each approach, shares tips for how to assess which option is right for your business, and offers a candid look at why hiring experienced people isn’t a magic fix. You’ll learn how to set realistic expectations, structure a proper onboarding timeline, and align your hiring strategy with your budget, business stage, and team development goals.

Whether you’re hiring your first leadership team or adding junior roles with room to grow, this episode gives you the framework you need to make intentional, effective hiring decisions—without the second guessing or sticker shock.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• [1:15] The difference between “buying” vs. “building” talent
• [3:00] When it makes sense to buy talent (and the risks to watch for)
• [7:40] Why even experienced hires need a real onboarding plan
• [10:00] Managing your expectations during the ramp-up phase
• [13:10] When to consider building talent from within
• [15:35] Signs you’re ready to invest in mentoring and development
• [18:45] A reality check on budgets and market compensation
• [21:15] What to do when the candidate market doesn’t match your expectations
• [24:00] Using both strategies in tandem as your business grows
• [26:10] Wrap up: how to avoid costly hiring mistakes by choosing the right approach

Resources mentioned:

🎯 Download the Hiring & HR Essentials Playbook – Free Notion guide with hiring rubrics, onboarding templates, and HR foundations to get your systems dialed in.

📌 Connect with Jackie on LinkedIn

How do you go from sleeping in your office to leading a team of 30+ creatives—and still make payroll every two weeks without fail?

In this episode, I sit down with Rob Kaczmark, founder and CEO of Spirit Juice Studios, an Emmy award-winning video production house, to unpack what it really takes to grow a sustainable, values-driven business. Rob gets candid about the messy, often-overlooked realities of leadership—learning to delegate, getting honest 360 feedback, hiring your first employee, and letting go of perfection so your team can thrive.

He shares practical insights any founder or CEO can relate to, especially if you’re navigating the tricky transition from do-it-all founder to empowering leader. This episode is packed with real stories, hard-won lessons, and a surprising amount of Office-style humor.

WHAT YOU’LL HEAR IN THE EPISODE:

[1:00] The early years of Spirit Juice and why managing people—not filmmaking—became Rob’s biggest challenge

[4:25] Taking the leap to hire your first full-time employee

[6:10] The 3 phases of growth and why founders get stuck

[8:30] Why “if you want to grow, you have to let go” became Rob’s leadership mantra

[10:00] How 360 reviews helped him become a better leader

[13:00] The onboarding rituals that make new employees feel seen

[15:45] How Spirit Juice builds culture through memes, pranks, and “The Juices” awards

[17:20] Rob’s approach to developing meaningful company values

[19:00] What “to be unclear is to be unkind” really means in practice

[20:50] Why extreme ownership is the foundation of team accountability

[22:00] Rob’s best advice for leaders trying to grow a high-functioning team

RESOURCES & LINKS:

• Connect with Rob at Spirit Juice Studios
• Follow me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jackiemkoch
• Learn more about how I help business owners build great teams: peopleprinciples.co
• 🎥 Watch the Halloween prank video mentioned in the episode

What happens when an employee tells you they’re expecting—and you don’t have a leave policy in place? Cue the panic. In this episode, we’re breaking down everything you need to know to confidently respond and support your team when it’s time for parental leave.

We’ll get into the basics of what’s legally required (spoiler: not much at the federal level), the states that do mandate paid leave, and the key decisions you need to make if you’re ready to offer more than the bare minimum. Whether you’re starting from scratch or looking to upgrade your current policy, you’ll learn how to design a plan that supports your employees and your business.

We also talk strategy: when to supplement state benefits, how to structure a phased return, and why a modern, inclusive policy is a powerful recruiting and retention tool. If you’ve been putting off writing a parental leave policy or just don’t know where to start—this one’s for you.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

[2:10] What is paid parental leave—and what’s required?

[4:35] Why most small businesses don’t fall under FMLA

[6:25] How state-mandated paid leave works (and where it’s required)

[9:40] Should you supplement state programs or offer your own plan?

[12:05] Business case for offering more than the minimum

[14:50] How to respond when you don’t have a policy yet

[17:25] Step-by-step to create your own leave policy

[20:00] Inclusive practices: moving away from “primary caregiver”

[22:15] Modern options: phased returns and flexibility

[24:30] Final takeaway: support your team through life’s big transitions

Mentioned in the episode:

• Last week’s episode with Lori Mihalich-Levin on preparing for parental leave and supporting working parents
• Learn more about federal leave laws: DOL on FMLA
• See if your state mandates paid family leave: National Partnership State Paid Leave Laws

Connect with Jackie:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackiemkoch/
• Learn more about hiring and HR templates: peopleprinciples.co

🎧 Love the show? Leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! It helps us reach more business leaders like you.

In this episode of World’s Greatest Boss, I sit down with Lori Mihalich-Levin, healthcare attorney and founder of Mindful Return, to unpack one of the most emotionally charged and operationally challenging moments for managers: when an employee becomes a parent.

We break down the real reason why one in three women don’t return to work after maternity leave—and what managers can do to create a supportive, retention-focused approach to parental leave transitions. Lori shares her four-part framework for managers, practical communication tips, and a powerful mindset shift that reframes parental leave from disruption to leadership opportunity.

Whether you’re creating your first parental leave policy or navigating your own experience as a working parent, this episode gives you the tactical tools and human-centered perspective to do it well.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

[1:10] Why most managers mishandle parental leave

[4:00] The four pillars of a successful leave transition: Mindset, Logistics, Leadership, and Community

[7:25] How parental leave can actually strengthen leadership skills

[10:10] The damaging assumptions managers often make—and how to avoid them

[12:20] Why co-creating a leave plan builds trust and buy-in

[14:45] What to say (and what not to say) when someone tells you they’re expecting

[17:30] Rethinking “primary caregiver” and outdated policy terms

[19:00] How to support team members without breaking your budget

[21:15] Why small businesses are perfectly positioned to offer meaningful parental support

[24:00] Reframing guilt as values-based decision-making

[26:15] Free resources and step-by-step guides from Mindful Return

[28:05] Final thoughts on being a thoughtful, prepared boss during parental leave

Resources Mentioned:

• Mindful Return Website: https://www.mindfulreturn.com
• 99 Questions to Ask Yourself Before, During, and After Parental Leave: Download here
• Book: Back to Work After Baby by Lori Mihalich-Levin
• Parents at Work Podcast: Listen on Apple Podcasts
• Free meditations for working parents on Insight Timer
• Courses for new parents & managers available at mindfulreturn.com

Connect with Lori:

• LinkedIn: Lori Mihalich-Levin
• Instagram: @mindfulreturn

Email: [email protected]

Connect with Me:

• LinkedIn: Jackie Koch
• Website: peopleprinciples.co

In this episode of World’s Greatest Boss, Jackie Koch chats about one of the most common and challenging issues in leadership: handling underperforming employees. As a boss, it’s tempting to make subtle changes—like cutting hours, posting a new job, or quietly giving tasks to other team members—hoping the problem will resolve itself. Spoiler: It doesn’t work.

Jackie breaks down the four biggest mistakes managers make when dealing with performance issues and provides practical advice for handling these situations the right way. You’ll learn why direct and honest communication is crucial, how to avoid sending mixed messages, and why leading with transparency fosters a culture of trust. Plus, Jackie shares how to document conversations to protect your business while also being fair and kind.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

[1:00] The problem with cutting hours or changing schedules to encourage employees to quit.

[6:45] Why posting a higher-level job and letting current employees apply is unfair and ineffective.

[12:10] How subtly taking away responsibilities can lead to confusion and resentment.

[18:30] The danger of ignoring underperformers in the hope they’ll leave on their own.

[25:00] Bonus mistake: Stopping engagement with an underperformer instead of addressing the problem.

Key Takeaways:

• Don’t Change Schedules or Hours: Hoping employees will quit on their own when you change their shifts or workload only creates confusion and frustration, not improvement.
• Avoid Posting the Job and Letting Employees Reapply: It’s unfair and sends a message that you’ve already written them off. Instead, clearly communicate expectations and offer support.
• Stop Quietly Reassigning Tasks: Taking responsibilities away without explanation demotivates both the under performer and the rest of the team.
• Don’t Ignore the Problem: Avoidance only leads to bigger issues later. Have honest, consistent conversations, and document everything.
• Leadership Is Practice: Mistakes happen—what matters is learning from them and being transparent in your leadership journey.

Connect with Jackie:

• Follow Jackie on LinkedIn: Jackie Koch on LinkedIn
• Visit the website: People Principles
• Enjoying the podcast? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review!

In this episode of World’s Greatest Boss, Jackie Koch dives into the complexities of using AI in HR practices with Bryan Driscoll, a former employment attorney turned HR consultant. With AI tools like ChatGPT becoming increasingly popular for tasks like writing employee handbooks and screening job applicants, it’s crucial to understand where AI can be helpful and where it poses significant risks—especially from a legal perspective.

Bryan shares insights on the legal ramifications of using AI in hiring, the difference between AI and automation, and why relying on AI for employment decisions can lead to compliance issues. He explains how the EEOC holds companies accountable for discrimination caused by AI and why small businesses need to be extra cautious when using AI-driven hiring tools. Bryan also touches on the importance of human judgment in screening resumes and navigating complex employee issues.

From hiring challenges to managing workforce behavior, Jackie and Bryan discuss practical advice for using AI responsibly and avoiding common pitfalls. Bryan also shares tips on keeping employee handbooks compliant, especially when dealing with multi-state workforces.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

[00:00] Intro: Risks of using AI in HR practices

[01:50] Bryan Driscoll’s perspective on AI in the workplace

[02:56] Legal risks of using ChatGPT for compliance and HR issues

[05:28] Defining AI vs. automation in HR

[07:18] Examples of AI-driven hiring and potential discrimination risks

[08:41] Jackie’s real-world experience with AI tools in recruiting

[10:34] Challenges of using AI to hire generalists in small businesses

[12:40] The importance of auditing AI-driven hiring processes

[13:19] Risks of using AI to manage workforce issues and employee behavior

[14:22] Why creating employee handbooks with AI can lead to compliance failures

[17:22] Why employees are more knowledgeable about their rights today

[18:32] Handling compliance mistakes proactively

[19:38] Legal trends and upcoming regulations to watch

[20:15] Bryan’s background and advice for business owners

[21:43] Closing thoughts: Being proactive with HR policies

Mentioned in This Episode:

Connect with Bryan Driscoll on LinkedIn for more HR insights and guidance.

Visit PeoplePrinciples.co for more resources on building a compliant and effective team.

Follow Jackie on LinkedIn: Jackie Koch

Still using a 90-day probationary period to “test out” new hires? It might be doing more harm than good. In this solo episode, Jackie Koch breaks down why the traditional probationary period is outdated, misleading, and potentially risky for your business.

You’ll learn what 90-day periods really signal to your new team members (hint: it’s not trust), why they don’t actually protect you legally, and how to better structure the first three months of employment to set your new hire—and your business—up for success.

Jackie shares a modern, compliance-friendly alternative: creating a structured onboarding plan with clear expectations, regular check-ins, and milestone-driven ramp periods. Whether you’re a startup founder or a small business owner trying to reduce hiring risk, this episode gives you the tools to do it the right way.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

[2:00] Why business owners use 90-day probationary periods

[4:10] The legal truth about at-will employment and false protection

[7:25] How “probation” language lands with your new hire

[10:15] The better way to ease hiring risk

[13:40] How to set clear expectations and success milestones

[16:05] What a solid onboarding plan actually includes

[18:45] When a 90-day period does make sense (ramp periods, stretch roles, benefit alignment)

[23:00] Final thoughts: What to do instead of probationary periods

Resources & Links:

💼 Learn more at peopleprinciples.co

💬 Connect with Jackie on LinkedIn

If this episode made you rethink your onboarding or hiring process, do us a favor—send it to a fellow business owner or hiring manager. And don’t forget to check out People Principles for done-for-you hiring tools and HR foundations that actually work