Episodes

My guest on E417 of #thePOZCAST is Bashak Ilhan. She is a master of brand strategy and business development. As the founder of ROAD, they help startups and established companies unlock their full potential—whether scaling globally or securing investment. With expertise in retail, e-commerce, tech, and service industries, their firm operates across Austin, South Florida, and Istanbul, bridging markets in the U.S., the Middle East, and Europe.  Armed with an MSc in Electronic Commerce from the University of Westminster and a Digital Business Strategy certification from MIT, Bashak specializes in transforming businesses into powerful, purpose-driven brands. Get ready for a deep dive into strategic growth and branding! Connect with Bashak: https://www.linkedin.com/in/basakilhan/Learn more: https://www.roadbranding.com/bashakilhanhttps://www.roadbranding.com/ #thePOZcast is proudly brought to you by Fountain - the leading enterprise platform for workforce management. Our platform enables…

LIVE from Transform 2025 Las Vegas! Cori Faro is the VP of Talent Acquisition at Okta, where she leads a global team with over 17 years of experience in the recruiting industry. Under her leadership, Okta has strengthened its commitment to comprehensive hiring practices and innovative talent strategies. Cori is dedicated to enhancing the candidate experience and ensuring a strong employee value proposition in the global market. Her strategic vision has significantly contributed to Okta’s reputation as an employer of choice in the tech sector. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and their two daughters while living outside Denver. We dug into: - Employee Value Proposition - Driving high-performance culture and hiring manager enablement- ensuring we know how to evaluate talent through the whole employee lifecycle starting with interviewing and recruiter performance expectations. - Challenge as a leader - Future trends Connect with Cori: https://www.linkedin.c…

Laurie Ruittimann: The Future of Hiring – Live from Transform 2025 Laurie Ruettimann is a former HR leader turned writer, entrepreneur, and speaker. In 2009, CNN recognized her as one of America’s top career advisors and Forbes named her blog as one of the Top 100 blogs for women. Those two events propelled her into the spotlight of fixing the world of work. Laurie hosts the popular podcast Punk Rock HR. Her work and writing have been featured in Business Insider, The New Yorker, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and Vox. Laurie is a sought-after keynote speaker at business and management events worldwide. She has graced the stages of business conferences like SXSW, academic institutions like Harvard Business School, and stages like 92stY. You can also catch her on CNN, Fox, and NPR. We dig into: 1. Challenging conventional workplace norms. 2. If you could change just one ingrained belief about HR or leadership overnight, what would it be and why? 3. Your book, Betting On You, en…

LIVE from Transform 2025 in Las Vegas! Mita Mallick is a change maker with a track record of transforming culture and business. She gives innovative, culturally resonant ideas a voice and serves customers and communities with purpose. She’s had an extensive career as a multicultural marketer in the beauty and consumer goods space, being a fierce advocate for including and representing Black and Brown communities. Her book, “Reimagine Inclusion: Debunking 13 Myths to Transform Your Workspace” is...

Hugo Malan: Future Proofing Workforce Solutions This week's guest on #thePOZcast Hugo Malan is a true force in workforce solutions, with a career spanning engineering, finance, retail, and talent strategy. He’s led major transformations at Kelly Services, EmployBridge, CDI, and even Sears—yes, the toy and fitness divisions too! From Barclays and Lehman Brothers to McKinsey and Los Alamos National Labs, he’s tackled everything from high-stakes investments to cutting-edge tech. With a Ph.D. in engineering and a mind for analytics, he’s revolutionizing how businesses find and leverage top talent. Summary In this episode of the POZcast, Adam Posner interviews Hugo Malan, a seasoned expert in workforce solutions. They discuss Hugo's diverse background in engineering, finance, and talent strategy, and how it informs his approach to workforce management. The conversation delves into the intersection of technology and talent, the challenges of government efficiency, and the importance of e…

LIVE from Transform 2025! Angela most recently served as the Senior Vice President, Talent &; Chief Human Resources Officer for Harvard Business Publishing. In this role, Cheng-Cimini led the Human Resources and Facilities & Administration units, spearheaded efforts to develop a talent roadmap that supports the business strategy and created a deeply engaged and diverse workforce. She is now the fractional Head of HR for The Chronicle of Philanthropy, the preeminent source for nonprofit professionals, committed to the advancement of the common good. Angela brings 30 years of both generalist and specialist Human Resources experience, having worked across consumer product goods, professional services, and high-tech as well as nonprofits. She has shepherded businesses through start-up, growth, and maturity with key responsibility for helping organizations identify and build the necessary organizational capabilities. Angela previous roles included the VP of HR at ClearMotion, Inc. an aut…

Live from Transform 2025! Sarah Reynolds (they/them) is a creative, award-winning marketing executive and advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). A veteran of the HR software market, Sarah is currently Chief Marketing Officer at Hibob, where they bring their deep industry knowledge, passion for storytelling, and keen eye for performance insights to bear in scaling HiBob’s global reach. Prior to joining HiBob, Sarah was Chief Marketing Officer at Udacity, Head of Commercial Marketing at APTC, and Vice President of Marketing at Salary.com. An openly non-binary executive, Sarah writes and speaks widely about diversity and inclusion, pay equity, the future of work, and the intersection of bias, ethics, and technology. They have contributed to Forbes, Campaign US, Yahoo Finance, Training Industry Magazine, and the Society for Human Resources blog, and frequently speak at live and virtual events hosted by the National Association of Manufacturers, the Manufacturing…

Live from Transform 2025 in Las Vegas! I am excited to welcome Tubi's people leaders, Natasha Valani & Cristina Navarro. Natasha Valani serves as the Senior Vice President of Human Resources for Tubi Media Group at Fox Corporation. In her role, she oversees talent management, performance, recruitment, culture & belonging, as well as the overall employee experience. Since joining Fox, Natasha has significantly contributed to increasing the diversity pipeline within the Technology sector and acts as a sponsor for the Women in Tech employee resource group, aimed at advancing, empowering, and connecting women technologists. She brings a wealth of experience from her previous roles in talent management and development at several Fortune 500 companies, including Mastercard and Aon. At Mastercard, she was instrumental in transforming performance management, leadership development, and employee engagement efforts. Excellence Award in 2017 for introducing both innovation and purpose to the …

Mike Koenigs is a serial entrepreneur with five successful exits, a 19x bestselling author, and a dynamic speaker who has engaged audiences of thousands. Mike specializes in helping entrepreneurs create impactful, lifestyle-compatible businesses, guiding them in building high-ticket offers, refining messaging, and enhancing their personal brands. With a proven track record of working with major brands like Sony, AT&T, BMW, and 3M, Mike has become a go-to expert for recently exited founders launching their "Next Act" companies. As a pioneer in teaching AI, he has shared his insights on prestigious stages, including Tony Robbins' events, MIT, and EO conferences, inspiring audiences with innovative AI systems and strategies. Visit AiAccelerator.com to discover how to 10x your productivity, clone your top employees, and monetize your IP with AI. If you are a founder and entrepreneur who's exited their business and now driven by impact and legacy; if you want to reinvent, grow, or upgra…

LIVE from Transform 2025 in Las Vegas! Amira Barger is an award-winning Executive Vice President of Communications and Head of DEI Advisory at Edelman, providing senior reputation management and polycultural counsel to clients across the globe. Recently named Woman of the Year by Women Health Care Executives, Top 100 Executives by Involve People, Top CMOs of 2024 by the CMO Alliance, Top 50 Global DEI Professionals by OnConferences, Top 100 People Leaders by Mogul, Fearlessly Authentic Leader by Leaderology, and 30 under 40 in Healthcare Innovation by Business Insider – Amira is a scholar, practitioner and thought leader who brings more than 20 years of experience in strategic communications that reach stakeholders, mobilize the community and inspire action. Amira has global experience in pharma/healthcare communications, corporate branding, web and social media, M&A experience, media relations, team management, sustainability/social impact, reputation management, and DEI. Throughou…

LIVE from Transform 2025! Daniel Chait is CEO & co-founder of Greenhouse, the fastest-growing enterprise Talent Acquisition Suite. Greenhouse helps thousands of companies around the world become great at hiring, by creating tools to help deliver exceptional candidate experiences; identify and attract top talent; make smarter hiring decisions; and drive continuous improvement in every aspect of the hiring process. Daniel has been a technology entrepreneur in New York for over 20 years. Before Greenhouse, he co-founded Lab49, a global firm providing technology consulting solutions for the world's leading investment banks. Daniel is a frequent speaker on the topics of recruiting and entrepreneurship. He is a frequent speaker and guest-lecturer at numerous venues including the Wharton Entrepreneurship Conference, Stanford Graduate School of Business, and the University of Michigan Center for Entrepreneurship. Adam and Daniel dig into: - What does it mean to be a competitive company? …

Live from Transform 2025 in Las Vegas! Mike Stafiej is the founder and CEO of ERIN, a Pittsburgh-based SaaS startup that streamlines employee referrals for enterprise businesses around the world. ERIN is a strategic recruiting tool for hundreds of businesses with over 3 million employees in over 100 countries, and has automated over half a billion dollars in referral bonuses. Mike is a Serial Entrepreneur with a Master's degree in I.T. Project Management from Robert Morris University and has over 15 years of experience in successful SaaS startups. Adam & Mike dig into: - Why employee referrals are so powerful - Enterprise buying trends in HR Tech/Recruiting - AI's impact of Recruiting Teams - The challenges of startups/biz owner Learn more @ www.erinapp.com Connect with Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelstafiej/ Live from Transform 2025, we’re bringing you an exclusive podcast series packed with insights from some of the brightest minds in hiring, talent strategy, and wo…

Brett Coin is the Chief Transformation Officer at Findem, an AI first, workflow automation platform for sourcing, CRM and analytics. Prior to Findem, Brett spent 20+ years in TA as a practitioner in sourcer, recruiter, manager and leadership roles for global companies such as Okta, Intuit and Cisco. Brett is originally from New Jersey, but has been a long-time Californian and currently resides in the SF Bay Area with his wife and two kids. Recorded live at Transform 2025 in Las Vegas, Adam and Brett dig into: - Brett's journey from practitioner to leadership. - The source of hire data as a proactive, conscious strategy to increase recruiter productivity while decreasing costs. - Talent pool management as a short and long-term lever to increase candidate NPS, diversity of slate while decreasing time to hire - AI's impact to consolidate workflows and deliver total cost of ownership through tech stack consolidation Connect with Brett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettcoin/ Learn m…

Rhona Barnett-Pierce is the founder of Perceptible Studios, where she helps Talent Acquisition and HR leaders scale their impact through video and content creation. Building on her experience leading TA teams across Talent Marketplaces, SaaS, and Media, she brings deep expertise in employer branding, personal branding, and talent attraction. Rhona also hosts Throw Out the Playbook, a podcast reimagining recruiting for modern TA professionals. For all things Rhona: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhonabarnettpierce/ Website: https://perceptiblestudios.com/ Podcast: https://www.throwouttheplaybook.com/ Newsletter: https://www.rhonapierce.com/subscribe/ #thePOZcast is proudly brought to you by Fountain - the leading enterprise platform for workforce management. Our platform enables companies to support their frontline workers from job application to departure. Fountain elevates the hiring, management, and retention of frontline workers at scale. To learn more, please visit: h…

Anne Marie Anderson is a three-time Emmy Award-winning broadcaster, keynote speaker, and author whose career has spanned some of the most prestigious spaces in sports and media. Starting at ESPN straight out of college, Anne Marie quickly made her mark, navigating the boardrooms and locker rooms of top sports franchises. Drawing inspiration from high-performing coaches, athletes, and executives, she adopted their bold, risk-taking mindset, which has fueled her own professional and personal growth. Her journey is a testament to the power of stepping outside your comfort zone and seizing opportunities. As one of the most experienced female play-by-play announcers in the country, Anne Marie has developed a unique system for overcoming hesitation and breaking barriers, which she shares in her upcoming book, Cultivating Audacity: Dismantle Doubt and Let Yourself Win (January 2025). A sought-after keynote speaker and emcee, she captivates audiences with her blend of humor, storytelling, a…

Beyond Style: Max Israel’s Mission to Empower Men with Y Chroma Max Israel is the founder and CEO of Y.Chroma, the award-winning Lisbon-based fashion brand reshaping the luxury market for Gen-X and Boomer men. Known for its mature skate- and surf-inspired roots, European craftsmanship, and obsession with innovative textiles, Y.Chroma has garnered global acclaim under Max’s leadership. Max, a former tech founder with a history of successful exits, brings a rare blend of creativity and strategy to the fashion world, building a brand that celebrates male midlife reinvention and promotes a century-long approach to living well. With a product line spanning outerwear, eyewear, leather goods, and skincare, Max’s visionary approach continues to drive Y.Chroma’s growth across the U.S. and Europe. Fluent in multiple languages, an avid musician, a pianist, and a fitness enthusiast, Max balances his professional success with a vibrant personal life shared with his partner, Joci, their four ad…

Ben Weiss is building the future of sneakers, shoes designed with Artificial Intelligence that are entirely 3D printed, accompanied by an excellent team and advisors, including the legendary Reebok Founder, Joe Foster, original Shark Tank Shark, Kevin Harrington, and others. He hosts a top business podcast, LegendsNLeaders, which breaks down the steps to becoming successful and positively impacting the world. The podcast has featured outstanding guests like Kevin O'Leary, Shark Tank Shark, Howie Mandel, Steve Madden, Miss Universe, and R'Bonney Nola and has been viewed by millions. For more, please check out syntilay.com and Ben’s podcast www.legendsnleaders.com Connect with Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benxweiss/ #thePOZcast is proudly brought to you by Fountain - the leading enterprise platform for workforce management. Our platform enables companies to support their frontline workers from job application to departure. Fountain elevates the hiring, management, and retention …

My guest on #thePOZCAST is Steve Cadigan, a globally renowned talent advisor and founder of Cadigan Talent Ventures. This Silicon Valley-based firm has guided some of the world’s most innovative organizations, including Google, Cisco, Salesforce, and Manchester United Football Club. Steve is also a trusted consultant to top venture capital and consulting firms like Andreessen Horowitz and McKinsey. As LinkedIn’s first CHRO, Steve helped scale the company from 400 employees to IPO, shaping a culture so impactful that Stanford University created a graduate-level class around his work. He’s a sought-after speaker, university instructor, and media guest, appearing on outlets like Bloomberg and CNBC. With over 25 years as an HR leader at top companies, Steve continues to inspire leaders and organizations worldwide.  We discuss Steve's journey into the HR field, the importance of the human element in recruiting, and how technology can enhance talent acquisition. Steve emphasizes the need fo…

My guest on #thePOZCAST is Lea Turner. You might know her from her first POZ appearance, Guest 108, from late 2020. She is a LinkedIn powerhouse who skyrocketed to prominence in 2019, transforming her small transcription business with her signature blend of humor, relatability, and uplifting content. In just a few years, she’s amassed a remarkable 173,000 followers and trained countless professionals on leveraging LinkedIn effectively. As the founder of The HoLT Community, a global membership of over 580 business owners, Lea empowers entrepreneurs with expert-led masterclasses and resources to help them thrive. Lea also hosts The HoLT’s Survival Guide for Small Businesses podcast, where her engaging and relatable conversations provide practical advice for navigating the challenges of small business ownership. A solo parent and vibrant content creator, Lea inspires business owners worldwide with her authentic, actionable insights." Most importantly, she is a friend and someone I deep…

First aired 2/11/19 In honor of the 6th anniversary of #thePOZcast, its fun to look back at Episode 1, where it all started....with a recorded zoom call. Enjoy! First episode of the POZ Cast! Adam & Q Connect the online, offline. Here is a look into a raw first time networking conversation. Check out all shows: www.thePOZcast.com www.youtube.com/thePOZcast If you are curious how Adam has created #thePOZcast and turned it into an ecosystem that builds real relationships, clients, thought leadership, and content, check out www.thePOZcourse.com. Thanks for listening, and please follow us on Insta @NHPTalent and X @AdamJPosner.

Tom Conlon is the founder of the award-winning independent creative services agency North Street, with offices in New York City and Providence, RI. As company lead, Tom oversees an interdisciplinary team of visual designers, strategists, content creators, and engineers on work that spans the financial services, nonprofit, B2B, and consumer sectors. Prior to founding North Street in 2010, Tom was a designer, developer, and writer/editor for such content publishers as Wired, Men’s Journal, Maxim, AOL, and Popular Science. We discuss Tom's journey from a history major to a successful entrepreneur, the challenges of color blindness in design, and the importance of communication and customer experience in retaining clients. Tom shares insights on building a team, scaling a business, and the significance of feedback loops in leadership. In this engaging conversation, Adam Posner and Tom Conlon discuss the importance of honest feedback in business, the origin story of North Street, and…

Benjamin Mena started his recruiting career after graduating from the University of Central Florida with a degree in Economics. For the first 15 years of his professional career, he supported large defense contracts, leading hiring efforts for some of the nation’s most complex and challenging government programs. In 2018 he founded Select Source Solutions to continue supporting government customers while expanding his consulting practice. Now Benjamin combines his interest and education in economics to help employers understand how the hiring landscape reflects larger economic and tech trends and adjust their recruiting practices accordingly. In his spare time, Benjamin can be found running or traveling to new wine regions. He also hosts The Elite Recruiter Podcast, a top-rated recruiting and careers show! In this episode of the POZcast, Adam Posner interviews Benjamin Mena, a seasoned recruiter and host of the Elite Recruiter Podcast. They discuss Benjamin's journey from a milit…

First Aired 3/06/24 VIDEO: https://youtu.be/Jd5Vc_ASVKg Leah McSweeney discusses her journey from reality TV on The Real Housewives of NY to entrepreneurship, as well as her conversion to Judaism. She shares her experiences and challenges in the entertainment industry and the impact of current events on her personal and professional life. Leah also delves into the origin story of her clothing brand, Married to the Mob, and the inspiration behind it. Leah McSweeney, founder of Married to the Mob, shares her journey of starting a successful streetwear brand and the challenges she faced along the way. She discusses the importance of learning on the fly and the power of obsessive thinking in entrepreneurship. Leah also opens up about her sobriety and the accountability she has found in her life. She talks about her involvement with Club Pillar, a dating app for people who don't drink, and her experience on OnlyFans. Leah emphasizes the importance of doing the right thing and finding pu…

Shaahin Cheyene has an incredible story that’s equal parts resilience and innovation. During the Iranian Revolution of 1978, Shahin’s family fled to survive and ultimately settled in Los Angeles, California. By the age of 15, Shahin left home with nothing but the clothes on his back, and through sheer determination and creativity, he went on to generate over a billion dollars in revenue by inventing the legendary smart drug, Herbal Ecstasy. His early challenges shaped his unique perspective on freedom, hard work, and entrepreneurship. Shahin didn’t stop there—he later pioneered digital vaporization, laying the groundwork for today’s vaping industry, and built multiple successful businesses along the way. Now, as the Founder and CEO of Accelerated Intelligence, Inc., he’s a top Amazon FBA seller with millions in sales. He leads Amazon Mastery, a program teaching entrepreneurs how to dominate the platform, and shares his insights as an active YouTube creator. Shaahin Cheyene shares h…