You've Got People Problems

In this episode of You’ve Got People Problems, Melissa Ortiz sits down with Amber Bardon, founder and CEO of Parasol Alliance, to discuss what it really takes to build a strong company culture in a remote environment.

Remote work is now a reality for many organizations, but creating connection, accountability, and engagement across a distributed team remains one of the biggest leadership challenges. Amber shares how she built Parasol Alliance into an award-winning workplace while operating remotely, and the intentional leadership practices that made it possible.

They explore the difference between simply allowing remote work and truly designing a culture that supports it. From leadership transparency to structured communication and team connection, this conversation offers practical insights for leaders who want remote teams that actually perform.

If you lead a remote or hybrid team, this episode will help you think differently about culture, engagement, and the systems required to support both.

In this episode, we discuss:
 • What leaders often get wrong about remote culture
 • The systems required to keep remote teams aligned
 • How intentional communication drives engagement
 • Building trust and connection across distributed teams
 • Leadership behaviors that strengthen remote organizations
 • What award-winning culture actually looks like in practice

Subscribe for more conversations about leadership, culture, and solving the people problems that impact business performance.

In this episode of You’ve Got People Problems, host Melissa Ortiz is joined by author and speaker Steve Jaffe to explore layoffs from a perspective that is rarely discussed openly: the human experience after a job loss and the responsibility leaders carry on both sides of the table.

Drawing from his book The Layoff Journey: From Dismissal to Discovery and his own experience of being laid off four times, Steve shares how people move through the emotional stages of job loss, including shock, shame, and identity disruption. Melissa and Steve discuss why layoffs are no longer rare events, how unprepared most people are for them, and why leaders and HR professionals benefit from understanding what employees experience long after the moment of termination.

Rather than focusing only on process or compliance, the conversation centers on empathy, perspective, and what helps people regain clarity and confidence during transition.

Key topics covered in this episode include:

• The emotional stages people experience after a layoff
• Why identity and self-worth often become tied to work
• How shame and silence can delay recovery after job loss
• What leaders and HR teams often underestimate about layoffs
• How empathy changes the way layoffs are handled
• What helps individuals move from dismissal to discovery

This episode is especially valuable for leaders who have navigated layoffs, HR professionals responsible for delivering difficult news, and individuals facing career transitions. The conversation offers insight into how layoffs impact people beyond the moment itself and why leadership presence matters long after the decision is made.

If you want a more human, thoughtful perspective on layoffs and how people move through them, this episode provides clarity and compassion without oversimplifying a difficult topic.

In this episode of You’ve Got People Problems, host Melissa Ortiz is joined by leadership advisor and author Carol Enneking for a candid conversation about the constant rebalancing act required in both business and life.

Drawing from Carol’s decades of experience across corporate and entrepreneurial environments, the conversation explores why leaders struggle with priorities, decision-making, and clarity, even when they are capable, driven, and well-intentioned. Rather than chasing the idea of “work-life balance,” Melissa and Carol focus on agility, tradeoffs, and the ongoing process of rebalancing as conditions change.

Throughout the episode, they discuss how leaders often overload themselves and their teams by treating everything as important, and how that lack of focus shows up as stress, misalignment, and stalled execution.

Key topics covered in this episode include:

• Why “balance” is less realistic than continuous rebalancing
• How unclear priorities create pressure for leaders and teams
• Why leaders struggle to name what matters most right now
• The connection between personal overwhelm and organizational overload
• How decision-making improves when leaders get honest about tradeoffs
• Why leadership requires letting go, not just doing more

This episode is especially valuable for founders, executives, and leadership teams who feel stretched thin or overwhelmed by competing demands. Rather than offering quick fixes, the conversation provides perspective on how clarity, focus, and intentional decision-making reduce both personal and organizational strain.

If you’re leading a business and feeling pulled in too many directions at once, this episode offers a grounded reminder that leadership is not about perfect balance, but about making conscious choices in each season.

In this episode of You’ve Got People Problems, host Melissa Ortiz is joined by organizational leader Amy Perenon to explore how artificial intelligence is already changing leadership, management, and organizational decision-making.

Rather than focusing on future predictions, Melissa and Amy discuss how AI is showing up in real workplaces today. They explore how leaders are using AI as a thinking partner, where it can reduce cognitive load for managers, and why AI should support leadership judgment rather than replace it.

The conversation also addresses the challenges leaders face when introducing AI, including skepticism, ethical considerations, and the importance of transparency and trust with teams.

Key topics covered in this episode include:

• How AI is entering the org chart and leadership workflows
• Using AI to support managers and reduce friction
• Where AI adds value without replacing human decision-making
• Transparency, trust, and ethical considerations in AI use
• How AI is reshaping leadership expectations and roles
• What leaders should experiment with now versus approach cautiously

This episode is especially valuable for founders, operators, and people leaders who are navigating AI adoption and want practical, grounded insight rather than hype.

If you are trying to understand how AI fits into your organization while maintaining clarity, trust, and strong leadership, this episode offers thoughtful perspective and real-world examples.

In this episode of You’ve Got People Problems, host Melissa Ortiz is joined by organizational consultant Michelle Scribner to explore one of the most common, and costly, leadership questions: when to hire full-time, when to go part-time, and when fractional or outsourced support makes more sense.

Using accounting and operational roles as real-world examples, Melissa and Michelle discuss how leaders often default to hiring before fully understanding the work that actually needs to be done. They unpack how compliance requirements, especially in states like California, add complexity and risk to hiring decisions, and why many organizations unintentionally overcommit too early.

Key topics covered in this episode include:

• The difference between fractional, part-time, and outsourced roles
• How to evaluate capability needs before committing to headcount
• Why some functions are better handled externally at certain stages
• The hidden costs of premature or misaligned hires
• How to think about scale, flexibility, and risk when building your team.

This episode is especially valuable for founders, operators, and leadership teams navigating growth, compliance pressure, or uncertainty about their next hire. Rather than prescribing a one-size-fits-all answer, the conversation helps leaders ask better questions before making long-term people decisions.

If you’re wrestling with whether a role truly needs to be internal, or how to structure support without overextending your organization, this episode offers practical clarity.

In this episode of You’ve Got People Problems, Melissa Ortiz talks with Sarah Seitz and Kate Mathalone from The Enrichery, an organization dedicated to helping students discover how they learn, grow, and thrive—both in school and beyond.

From early education to career readiness, Sarah and Kate share how The Enrichery empowers students and families to navigate challenges, set goals, and build confidence. Melissa draws powerful parallels between raising kids and managing people—because as she says, “It’s the same skill set.”

You’ll learn how to:

• Foster growth mindsets in students and employees alike
• Build systems that support long-term success
• Lead with empathy and clarity—at home and at work
• Translate education principles into leadership practices

Whether you’re a parent, educator, or leader, this episode offers fresh insight into what it means to develop potential in others.

In this episode of You’ve Got People Problems, Melissa Ortiz sits down with Dustin Bonn, VP of Operations at Marco Technologies, to talk about the power of clarity and accountability in leadership.

With more than a decade of experience integrating teams through acquisitions, Dustin has seen firsthand how strong communication, clear expectations, and trust drive lasting success.

You’ll learn how to:

• Build alignment across newly combined teams
• Lead through change without losing culture
• Use accountability to strengthen trust and performance
• Keep clarity front and center in fast-paced growth

Whether you’re navigating a merger, restructuring, or just trying to unify your team, this episode offers practical insight into what it really takes to lead people well.

In this episode of You’ve Got People Problems, Melissa Ortiz sits down with Jenna Dillon, CEO of Visionology Coaching, to talk about self-awareness, blind spots, and how leaders can unlock the potential of their teams. As an executive coach working with senior leaders, Jenna helps people step into their best so their organizations can thrive.

You’ll learn how to:

• Recognize and address leadership blind spots
• Develop self-awareness as a foundation for growth
• Elevate team performance through better coaching
• Create sustainable results by focusing on people, not just outcomes

Whether you’re an experienced executive or an emerging leader, this conversation is full of practical ways to strengthen your leadership and support your team’s success.

In this episode of You’ve Got People Problems, Melissa Ortiz welcomes Katie McConnell-Olson, Founder of GrowthWise Search Partners, to talk about what it really means to have the right recruiting partner.

Katie shares how her firm operates as a fractional recruiting arm—helping businesses find and screen top talent without the limitations of traditional hiring models.

You’ll learn how to:

• Rethink recruiting as a long-term partnership, not a transaction
• Build hiring processes that reflect your culture and values
• Avoid costly mis-hires by aligning people with purpose
• Strengthen your employer brand through candidate experience

Whether you’re scaling your team or struggling to fill key roles, this episode is packed with actionable insights on how to find the right people—and keep them.

In this episode of You’ve Got People Problems, Melissa Ortiz sits down with Luke Ross, CEO of Kotman Technologies, to talk about the evolution from an office-first culture to a hybrid and remote model.

Luke shares how his team has adapted to recruiting, onboarding, and leading employees across geographies—while maintaining strong communication, culture, and accountability.

You’ll learn how to:

• Transition from in-office to remote teams without losing connection
• Build trust and accountability in hybrid environments
• Recruit and integrate remote talent effectively
• Balance flexibility with clear structure and expectations

If your organization is navigating remote or hybrid work, this episode offers practical insight on what it really takes to evolve your culture and leadership mindset.