Best Proactive Talent Podcasts (2025)

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EP 31 Leigh Cuevas on Using Direct Sourcing to Build Proactive Talent Communities 45:24

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20d ago45:24

45:24

Leigh Cuevas joins Lamees Abourahma to discuss the three critical shifts every TA leader must make: moving from reactive to proactive sourcing, turning sourcers into passionate brand ambassadors, and building engaged talent communities before you need them. Discover the proven framework that cut one aerospace manufacturer's time-to-fill in half whi…

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#705: What happens to your KPIs when both CLV and Customer Acquisition Costs rise? With Jamie Domenici, Klaviyo 25:43

12h ago25:43

25:43

Customer lifetime value is a critical KPI, but with customer acquisition costs rapidly rising, what can brands do to successfully build long-term value for the business? Agility requires seeing past vanity metrics to the durable value hidden in customer relationships. When customer acquisition costs climb and privacy affects easy targeting, only ni…

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Proactive Inclusion: Building Accessible Workplaces Beyond Compliance 10:37

2d ago10:37

10:37

In this episode, Michelle discusses what it means to create an inclusive and accessible workplace for everyone—particularly focusing on supporting employees with disabilities. Michelle highlights how organizations often approach disability accommodation from a compliance standpoint, waiting for requests rather than proactively designing accessible …

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How Charleston County Is Reshaping the Teaching Workforce 27:04

2d ago27:04

27:04

What does it take to build a sustainable and resilient education workforce in today’s climate of shortages and burnout? In this episode of Wake Up and Teach, host Nicola Soares, President of Kelly Education, speaks with Bill Briggman, Chief Human Resources Officer for Charleston County School District. With more than two decades of leadership in So…

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From Blueprints to Bedside: Leading Healthcare Facilities Forward 38:01

2d ago38:01

38:01

Michael Hoeflein, Regional Director of Maintenance and Facilities at University of Michigan Health Regional Network, joins host David Trask to explore the complexities of uniting facilities operations across six hospitals and 100 sites of care. With a background that spans design, construction, and operations, Michael shares how his wide-ranging ex…

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Ep 32 Heather Siler on Why Smart Healthcare Leaders Prefer Flexible Recruitment Solutions 22:16

2d ago22:16

22:16

Heather Siler from Hire Velocity joins Lamees Abourahma to discuss how Project RPO can solve healthcare's most pressing talent challenges, from managing workforce fluctuations to scaling teams rapidly across multiple geographies. They explore real-world examples of successful implementations, the evolving role of AI in recruitment, and why the huma…

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#704: Delivering personalization at scale with Yaniv Navot, Mastercard 32:05

3d ago32:05

32:05

With all the data at our fingertips, why do so many companies still struggle to deliver truly personalized experiences at scale? Agility requires being able to cut through the noise of data and culture shifts to deliver experiences that truly resonate with each individual. Today we’re going to talk about personalization maturity, the role of machin…

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#703: How AI and Deep Learning is affecting advertising with Jaysen Gillespie, RTB House 28:36

6d ago28:36

28:36

Are we on the brink of advertising becoming too smart for its own good, or is Deep Learning finally getting us closer to what customers actually want? Agility requires us to constantly evaluate how technology like AI reshapes the relationships between brands and consumers—sometimes for better, sometimes for far more complex. The advertising landsca…

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#702: What it takes to keep customers loyal with Anna Convery, Verint 30:52

7d ago30:52

30:52

Does your brand deliver answers faster than your customer can send a text message? Agility in CX is about answering customers before they finish the thought. If you can’t evolve at that pace, you’re already behind. Today we’re going to talk about what Verint’s brand‑new 2025 State of Customer Experience report tells us about loyalty, automation, an…

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#701: No-Code as a Strategic Weapon, with Aytekin Tank, Jotform 25:29

8d ago25:29

25:29

If your team spends half its days searching for documents and filling out spreadsheets you built years ago, how long will it be before your competitors automate you out of business? Agility requires turning busywork into bandwidth so people can collaborate and think strategically instead of shuffling pixels. Today we’re exploring how no-code platfo…

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#700: Winning and retaining the distracted consumer with Kelsey Chickering, Forrester 22:13

10d ago22:13

22:13

If your brand can’t hold a consumer’s focus for eight seconds, what makes you think you deserve nine? We are here at Forrester CX in Nashville, TN and hearing all about the latest insights and ideas for brands to create better experiences for their customers. Agility isn’t speed for speed’s sake; it’s the discipline of staying useful while everythi…

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#699: Being real about synthetic personas with Narek Vandanyan, Prelaunch 24:29

13d ago24:29

24:29

Marketers spend a fortune trying to understand their audience, conducting surveys, focus groups, and market research—but what if they could just ask their ideal customer directly? With synthetic personas, that’s now possible. But how reliable are they? And how far can we really take this technology? Joining me today is Narek Vardanyan, CEO of Prela…

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#698: Staying customer-centric in the race to adopt agentic AI with Stephanie Liu, Forrester 23:30

15d ago23:30

23:30

We are here at Forrester CX in Nashville, TN and hearing all about the latest insights and ideas for brands to create better experiences for their customers. If your AI roadmap doesn’t include your customer, is it really a roadmap—or just a bridge to nowhere? Agility requires remembering who pays the bills: the customer. When shiny new tech shows u…

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Where DEI Should Live Within Your Organization for Maximum Impact 11:50

16d ago11:50

11:50

In this episode, Jamey tackles the crucial question of where Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) should sit within an organization’s structure. Drawing on common pitfalls and practical recommendations, Jamey explains why embedding DEI as a secondary or split responsibility—often within HR—is a mistake that can undermine the initiative’s effectiv…

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From Tools to Talent: Tackling the Skilled Trades Shortage in Healthcare 40:33

16d ago40:33

40:33

In this episode of Facility Voices, David Trask sits down with Joe Fullington, E.d.D, MBA, CHFM, Director of Facility Services at Duke Health, to explore the growing urgency around skilled trades in healthcare facilities. Joe shares his unconventional journey from electrician to educator to facilities leader, and breaks down the real-world challeng…

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#697: Building the total experience for customers with AJ Joplin, Forrester 24:10

17d ago24:10

24:10

Does your AI-based interface talk to customers the way a real person would or is it tech for tech’s sake? We are here at Forrester CX in Nashville, TN and hearing all about the latest insights and ideas for brands to create better experiences for their customers. Agility is less about bolting on new features just because the tech is available and m…

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#696: The network effect on CX of AI plus employees with Jay Pattisall, Forrester 26:55

20d ago26:55

26:55

If AI can amplify every employee’s reach ten-fold, how ready is your organization to harness that network effect? We are here at Forrester CX in Nashville, TN and hearing all about the latest insights and ideas for brands to create better experiences for their customers. Agility isn’t about adding more tech; it’s about multiplying human impact. Tod…

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#695: Why Trust Is a Strategy, Not a Sentiment with Dana Bodine, Trustpilot 28:58

22d ago28:58

28:58

If nearly half of consumers spend more with brands they trust, why aren’t more companies making trust a core business strategy instead of just a tagline? To help me explore this question, I’m joined by Dana Bodine, U.S. Vice President of Marketing at Trustpilot, the world’s largest independent platform for customer feedback. About Dana Bodine Dana …

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#694: What's your plan for Q5 this year, with Xavier de Baillenx from Ramdam 23:39

24d ago23:39

23:39

What if your most profitable campaign window isn’t Black Friday or Cyber Monday… but after the holidays, when everyone else is quiet? While most marketers are winding down, savvy brands are doubling down—tapping into the “Q5” period between Christmas and early January, when ad prices drop, engagement spikes, and consumers are laser-focused on their…

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#693: Optimizing the post-click customer experience with Riikka Söderlund, Katana Cloud Inventory 24:05

27d ago24:05

24:05

What if your biggest customer experience problem isn’t your marketing… but your inventory spreadsheet? In the era of one-click checkouts, Prime delivery expectations, and endless online channels, brands are pouring millions into customer acquisition—only to lose customers post-purchase. Why? Because they can’t deliver what they just sold. Today’s g…

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#692: The lifetime value of milliseconds in the customer experience with Jaxon Repp, Harper 24:34

29d ago24:34

24:34

Agility can often get framed as driving massive transformation—but sometimes it’s the milliseconds that matter. When every digital moment counts, small gains in speed and efficiency can have a disproportionately large impact on customer lifetime value and brand loyalty. If you could speed up every digital interaction your customers have with your b…

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How to Drive Sustainable DEI Change in Your Organization 9:11

30d ago9:11

9:11

In this episode, Michelle covers some of the top ways to drive lasting DEI change in your organization, providing actionable insights for leaders at every stage of their diversity, equity, and inclusion journey. Drawing from extensive experience, Michelle outlines broad, mindset-shaping principles essential to making DEI efforts effective and susta…

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Why Special Education Talent Is Key to Helping All Students Thrive 15:51

1M ago15:51

15:51

In this episode of Wake Up and Teach, host Nicola Soares, President of Kelly Education, talks with Dr. Catina Lyles, Chief Human Resources Officer at the Special School District of St. Louis County—Missouri’s largest specialized education provider. They explore how strategic hiring, intentional collaboration, and long-term support for special educa…

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Building Effective Training Programs: Empowering Employees for Success 1:01:08

1M ago1:01:08

1:01:08

David Trask speaks with Neyael Rubio-Delgado and James Anderson about the evolving landscape of facility management, especially in response to post-COVID staffing challenges, in this episode of Facility Voices. Drawing from their career experiences, Neyael and James talk about ESL programs, hands-on training, employee empowerment, and effective onb…

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#691: Gaining agility and results with composable CMS, with Mark Wheeler from Storyblok 31:23

1M ago31:23

31:23

Is your CMS holding your creativity—and marketing growth—hostage? When speed and agility are everything, most marketing teams are still stuck in the slow lane—waiting on developers to publish updates, launch campaigns, or even fix a typo. Sound familiar? Today’s guest says it’s time for marketers to take the wheel. Mark Wheeler, Chief Marketing Off…

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EP 30 Matt Corbett on Navigating AI's Massive Recruiting Transformation Without Getting Lost in Complexity 21:20

1M ago21:20

21:20

In this episode, Matt Corbett, President at ZRG Embedded Recruiting, joins Lamees Abourahma to discuss the transformative effect of AI on the recruiting industry. They examine the benefits and challenges of integrating AI into hiring processes, the importance of balancing technology and human touch. Matt also shares insights on how organizations ca…

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#690: Focusing on long-term customer value using next best action with Tine Van Calster, Telenet 26:47

1M ago26:47

26:47

What if your most loyal customers are the ones you helped spend less? Agility in marketing isn't just about moving faster — it's about aligning brand intentions with customer outcomes in real-time, even when that means giving up short-term gains to earn long-term trust. Today we are here at PegaWorld 2025 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and we’re go…

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#689: Building a culture of agility with Eugenie Lamprecht, Reka 19:28

1M ago19:28

19:28

Welcome to this episode, brought to you by Reka, a developer of industry-leading, multimodal, AI models that enable individuals and organizations to deploy generative AI applications. Agility requires an attention to process and a commitment to continuous improvement. It also requires a culture of agility. Today we’re going to talk about talent in …

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#688: Building a Customer Brain and how it benefits customers and the business with Christian Nelissen, National Australia Bank 26:34

1M ago26:34

26:34

Agility at enterprise scale means building systems that not only make millions of micro-decisions, but also keep humans at the center — creating experiences that are timely, relevant, and respectful of the customer. What if your data knew your customers better than your frontline employees — and used that insight to serve, not sell? Today we are he…

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#687: Customer Experience Design using Generative AI, with Tara DeZao, Pega 22:34

1M ago22:34

22:34

What if you could test drive your entire customer experience — before even writing a line of code? Agility isn’t just about reacting fast — it’s about thinking ahead, designing deliberately, and testing before committing. In an age where customer expectations shift by the minute, businesses can’t afford to just “build and hope.” Today we are here a…

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#686: Autonomous innovation using predictable AI agents with Peter van der Putten, Pega 30:06

1M ago30:06

30:06

What if your agentic AI could innovate autonomously—and still follow your business rules? Agility in the age of AI doesn't just mean speed. It means predictability, accountability, and the ability to innovate autonomously without businesses losing control of what is important, and what their customers value. Today we are here at PegaWorld 2025 at t…

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#685: Using AI in UX research, design, and testing with Jason Bowman, The Office of Experience 25:54

1M ago25:54

25:54

Agility requires finding ways to stay one step ahead of the competition, as well as in anticipating customers’ needs. So how does a brand maintain this speed and agility in the area of UX design, where it has often taken a considerable amount of time, effort, and testing to get to a better result? Today we’re going to talk about using AI strategica…

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Why One-Size-Fits-All Training Fails DEI Initiatives 12:20

1M ago12:20

12:20

In this episode, Jamey dives into the landscape of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) trainings, focusing on two common pitfalls organizations encounter when implementing DEI education. Jamey emphasizes that while education should be a foundational component of any effective DEI strategy, it is often mistakenly used as a one-size-fits-all solut…

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Building a Future: A Vision for Proactive, Efficient & Engaged School Facilities 38:47

1M ago38:47

38:47

In this episode of Facility Voices, David Trask chats with Salum Stutzer, Director of Facilities and Operations at Francis Howell School District, about leading a growing district that serves nearly 17,000 students and the challenges of aging infrastructure. Salum discusses proactive maintenance, professional development, and community engagement. …

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#684: The founder of Reebok and CEO of Syntilay talk about AI-generated product design 30:23

2M ago30:23

30:23

When consumers can get AI-generated designs completely customized to their needs, what does this mean for the future of brands and the customer experience? I have two guests on my show today: one is the founder of one of the world’s most iconic shoe brands, and the other is the co-creator of the first AI-designed commercial shoe. Today we’re going …

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#683: Navigating the effect of AI on marketing jobs and the job market with Sue Keith, Landrum Talent Solutions 23:28

2M ago23:28

23:28

My guest today has been keeping us up to date with the current state of hiring for marketers on a quarterly basis, which has taken us on quite a roller coaster ride. Today we’re going to look at how marketing and communication execs are responding to the latest developments in the world while still needing to get their work done. To take a look at …

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#682: Consequential AI and customer loyalty with Raj De Datta, CEO of Bloomreach 25:26

2M ago25:26

25:26

If brand loyalty is so critical, why does it feel like most companies are treating it like an afterthought by propping it up with outdated programs and hoping customers won’t notice? Agility requires a complete rethinking of how we approach customer loyalty — not as an afterthought at the end of the funnel, but as a core driver of long-term brand v…

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#681: Building a cohesive brand while personalizing every message with Emily Ward, Turnitin 25:54

2M ago25:54

25:54

With AI as an accelerant, marketing is evolving at a breakneck pace, and brands are being challenged to maintain authenticity while scaling globally. How do you build a cohesive, authentic brand identity across diverse markets, cultures, and digital platforms—all while leveraging AI-driven personalization? Joining me today is Emily Ward, VP of Glob…

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#680: Agile is about more than velocity, with Gabrielle Wieczorek 27:12

2M ago27:12

27:12

This show is brought to you by the Online Scrum Masters Summit, taking place virtually on June 17-19, with more information at: http://www.onlinescrummasterssummit.com What if the most powerful tool for driving agile transformation isn’t a framework or a ceremony—but a dashboard? Today’s guest believes data may be the most underused lever for agili…

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Ep 29 Jenna Hinrichsen on Data Analytics: Strategic Effect on Talent Acquisition 15:18

2M ago15:18

15:18

In this episode, Jenna Hinrichsen, Director of Recruitment Strategy and Labor Market Analytics at Advanced RPO, joins Lamees Abourahma to share strategic insights on leveraging data analytics for effective talent acquisition. They explore how organizations can move from reactive hiring to proactive workforce planning through market intelligence and…

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#679: Growing a brand by focusing on the details that matter with Dominic Minogue, Dirty Water 23:23

2M ago23:23

23:23

There are a lot of great ideas for products and brands out there, but sometimes the difference between success and failure lies in getting the details right and understanding the customers and users of your product. Today we’re going to talk about growing a brand by focusing on the details that matter. To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to wel…

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Breaking Down Microaggressions: Definitions, Effects, and Solutions for Leaders 12:11

2M ago12:11

12:11

In this episode, Michelle covers microaggressions in the workplace, offering a thoughtful exploration of what the term means, how microaggressions manifest, and their profound impact on individuals and organizational culture. Michelle explains that microaggressions are verbal or nonverbal slights, snubs, or insults—whether intentional or not—that c…

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How Workforce Planning Drives Student Success 25:21

2M ago25:21

25:21

In this episode of Wake Up and Teach, host Nicola Soares, President of Kelly Education, sits down with Dr. Dan Sims, Superintendent of the Bibb County School District in Georgia, to talk about one of the most powerful levers in education: workforce effectiveness. With nearly three decades in public education, Dr. Sims shares how Bibb County’s strat…

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Fast-Track Your Career in High-Demand Skilled Trades 45:10

2M ago45:10

45:10

David Trask speaks with John Voit and Rob Holmes from Forge Now about the critical need for skilled tradespeople in today’s workforce in this episode of Facility Voices. John and Rob explain how Forge Now’s vocational training program is helping close the skilled trades gap by preparing military personnel and other candidates for careers in HVAC, e…

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#678: AI gains emotional intelligence with Joshua Goldberg, Zenapse 23:56

2M ago23:56

23:56

Have you ever wondered why, despite having access to advanced AI tools, your marketing strategies still don’t hit the mark? Could it be that you’re focusing on the wrong data and missing the emotional connections that truly drive consumer behavior? Today we’re exploring the intersection of AI, emotional intelligence, and marketing with Joshua Goldb…

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#677: Why thought leadership is more important than ever with Benjamin Shapiro, host of the MarTech Podcast 36:19

2M ago36:19

36:19

If content rules, why does it feel like there are 100,000 royal families? In a world drowning in blog posts, videos, and AI-generated everything, content has never been more abundant—or more commoditized. So how do brands cut through the noise? Today’s guest has a few thoughts on that—and more. Ben Shapiro, host of the MarTech Podcast, has had fron…

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#676: The consumer is no longer navigating the map—they are the map, with Ken Hughes, the King of CX 36:22

2M ago36:22

36:22

The consumer is no longer navigating the map—they are the map. Welcome to the era of the Blue Dot Consumer: always centered, always scrolling, and always expecting the world to orbit around them. What does that mean for your brand? Everything. From the rise of instant gratification to the evolution of seven—yes, seven—active generations, the custom…

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#675: Being true to customers and your values with Phyllis Rothschild, CMO at Pete & Gerrys 30:10

2M ago30:10

30:10

Consumers today aren’t just buying products, or even experiences—they’re buying into values. As more people align their shopping habits with brands that reflect their personal beliefs, how can companies authentically connect with their audience without coming across as performative? Joining us today is Phyllis Rothschild, Chief Marketing Officer at…

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#674: The continued evolution of e-commerce with Eitan Koter, Vimmi 36:57

2M ago36:57

36:57

With the rapid rise of shoppable video, AI-driven recommendations, and immersive technologies like AR and VR, are traditional e-commerce strategies becoming obsolete? Today, we’re joined by Eitan Koter, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Vimmi, a shoppable video SaaS company revolutionizing e-commerce. Eitan is also the host of the "Mastering eCommerce Marke…

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Ep 28 Chip Holmes on Hiring Efficiency: How Project-Based RPO Eases Recruitment Surges 31:25

2M ago31:25

31:25

In this episode, RPO expert Chip Holmes joins Lamees Abourahma to share insights on the growing trend of Project-Based RPO. As organizations navigate economic uncertainty, this flexible recruiting approach functions as a critical "relief valve" for hiring challenges. Chip explains how Project-Based RPO helps companies maintain stability during seas…