You've Got People Problems

In this episode of You’ve Got People Problems, Melissa Ortiz is joined by Doug Thorpe to dive deep into one of the most overlooked growth tools: role clarity.

From onboarding to accountability to team development, Doug shares how clearly defining roles can prevent misalignment, improve retention, and unlock better performance across the board.

Whether you're scaling your company or just trying to get everyone rowing in the same direction, this episode gives you tools to ensure every person knows what “winning” looks like in their seat.

🎧 In this conversation:

• How to create clarity without micromanaging
• Why title ≠ role
• When it’s time to re-review expectations with your team

Subscribe for more real-world conversations about solving the people problems that slow down great businesses.

In Episode 17 of You’ve Got People Problems, Melissa Ortiz is joined by Amy Morin—an accomplished entrepreneur who built, scaled, and sold a business from the ground up, reaching $40M in revenue across multiple states and industries, including Tax and Financial Services.

In this episode, they explore the people problems behind sales — and why revenue struggles are often leadership and alignment problems first.

Amy shares real stories from her journey as a founder, her work as an EOS Implementer, and how she helps businesses identify the people challenges that choke off growth.

In this conversation:
+ Why sales issues are often people issues
+ How stagnation shows up in your team
+ What leaders can do to create clarity around revenue
+ Why everyone in your organization is actually in sales

🎧 Subscribe for more real talk on leadership, growth, and solving people problems at work.

In Episode 16 of You’ve Got People Problems, Melissa Ortiz sits down with entrepreneur and multi-business owner Matt Hahne—creator of the Supervisor Playbook—for one of the most exciting and practical conversations yet. Matt wears many hats, including business coach, cofounder of an executive financial group, and EOS® Implementer. 

This episode is packed with real-life examples, practical leadership tools, and a no-fluff breakdown of what it actually takes to lead well.

Matt and Melissa dive into:

• The 5 absolute requirements of leadership
• Why leadership is earned, not assigned
• What supervisors need to know to create clarity, consistency, and trust
• Lessons from the trenches that every people leader can use

If you lead people—or want to—this is one you don’t want to miss.

🎧 Subscribe for more tools, frameworks, and stories that help you lead with confidence.

In Episode 15 of You’ve Got People Problems, Melissa Ortiz sits down with Ellie Prentice, an HR leader in the nonprofit space, for a powerful conversation about the role language plays in leadership. From everyday feedback to big-picture messaging, the words we choose can either build trust or quietly erode culture. Ellie shares practical examples and lessons from her work, highlighting how intentional communication can shape healthier, more connected teams.

Ellie brings over two decades of experience in nonprofit and education leadership, and shares real stories from the field about how the right words (and the wrong ones) show up in tough conversations, feedback, and everyday team dynamics.

We cover:

• What it means to lead with words that are tough, tender, and transformative
• How to give feedback that’s clear and human
• Why your words matter more than you think—even when you’re busy, frustrated, or under pressure

🎧 Subscribe for more episodes that help leaders guess less and win more at work.

In Episode 14, Melissa Ortiz is joined by Healthful founder Nora Zuniga for a candid and insightful conversation about what happens when your work no longer fits.

They explore:

+ The signs that your role might be out of alignment

+ How to pivot with clarity and confidence

+Why benefits and support systems can make or break small business growth

+The mission behind Healthful and how Nora supports entrepreneurs

This one gets personal—but it also offers a practical roadmap for leaders who want to make intentional shifts for themselves and their teams.

🎧 Subscribe for honest conversations that help you guess less and lead better.

In Episode 13 of You’ve Got People Problems, Melissa Ortiz sits down with entrepreneur and business owner Amanda Barkey to unpack one of the most powerful (and underrated) skills in leadership: expectation setting.

Together, they talk about:
+ Why guessing at work leads to burnout and misalignment
+ The soft skills that actually move teams forward
+ Amanda’s journey scaling a top franchise and pivoting into EOS coaching
+ Real-life tools leaders can use to create clarity and momentum

If you’re a business owner, people leader, or just tired of putting out fires—this episode is for you.

🎧 Subscribe for more conversations that turn workplace ambiguity into alignment.

In Episode 12 of You’ve Got People Problems, host Melissa Ortiz sits down with Phil Kristianson—President in the manufacturing and construction space, peer group facilitator, and trusted leadership advisor—to explore how peer forums create the space leaders need to grow, reflect, and get unstuck.

This discuss:
+ Why peer groups are critical for leadership growth and avoiding burnout
+ The key difference between advice-giving and experience-sharing
+ What makes a peer space feel safe, structured, and effective
+ How EOS leaders benefit from stepping out of the “fixer” mindset

Whether you’re in a peer group, leading one, or wondering if it’s time to join, this episode will help you understand why real growth starts with honest connection.

In Episode 11 of You’ve Got People Problems, host Melissa Ortiz is joined by Chris Castillo—a seasoned entrepreneur in the coaching and marketing space and an experienced exit strategist—to discuss the real leadership work required when preparing for a sale or transition.

They discuss:
+ Why waiting too long to prepare can cost you more than just dollars
+ The people dynamics that often go unnoticed (and unaddressed)
+ How EOS tools bring structure and alignment to exit planning
+ What buyers are really looking for when they evaluate a leadership team

Whether you’re planning your next chapter or simply want a more sustainable business, this episode is your playbook for aligning people and profit before, during, and after the exit.

In Episode 10 of You’ve Got People Problems, host Melissa Ortiz sits down with Misha Homara and Rainee Busby to explore how EOS and Predictive Index help leaders create clarity, accountability, and alignment across their teams.

During this episode they discuss: 
+ How to apply the GWC framework (Get it, Want it, Capacity) with confidence
+ Why most team issues stem from unclear roles and misaligned expectations
+ The leadership habits that build trust, engagement, and high performance
+ How EOS and PI together empower leaders to make better people decisions

If you want to stop the swirl of people problems and start building a team that’s aligned and accountable, this episode is for you.

In Episode 9 of You’ve Got People Problems, host Melissa Ortiz sits down with Krisha Buehler, COO in the virtual assistant space, and Byron Attridge, a sustainable tech executive and EOS® Implementer, to explore how Predictive Index (PI) and EOS® work together to solve some of the toughest people challenges. From uncovering hidden team dynamics to creating role clarity and alignment, they share real-life insights on using data and structure to build stronger, more cohesive teams.

They jump into:
+ How to use the GWC framework (Get it, Want it, Capacity) to build stronger teams
+ Why people misalignment leads to burnout, stress, and poor performance
+ How PI data brings clarity to EOS roles and hiring decisions
+ Real-world insights on using both systems to make better people moves

If you’ve ever struggled with people decisions, hiring mistakes, or team accountability, this episode gives you the tools to create alignment that lasts.