Built by People Leaders

#29 Connecting People Decisions to EBITDA at Scaleups with Ted Forbes, Co-Author of Making HR Matter

Ted Forbes, co-author of Making HR Matter: What CEOs Want and How to Deliver It, spent 25 years running HR functions at companies ranging from United Airlines (85,000 employees) to the startup Cotopaxi (70 to 300 employees). Ted introduces the "Relevant HR" framework and income statement thinking—a method that connects every people decision directly to EBITDA and cash flow. Ted started in consulting on merger integration before moving into HR at Capital One after the 1991 downturn.
For People teams in scaling companies, Ted addresses the moment when HR can no longer justify its work by activity alone. As headcount grows, leadership demands proof that talent, development, and well-being spend moves financial outcomes. Ted explains how to translate HR work into the numbers executives already track.
Challenges Addressed
CEO expectations are capped by past experience: Ted Forbes explains that if a CEO's prior HR was tactical and compliance-focused, that becomes the ceiling for what they expect from the People function.
Activity over outcomes: HR leaders struggle to justify development and well-being investment because they report training attendance instead of results like sales improvement or EBITDA impact.
Expensive hires made blind: Forbes describes how technical hiring decisions get made without visibility into their effect on company-wide bonus and EBITDA metrics, and how HR sits isolated from FP&A.
Actionable Takeaways
Apply income statement thinking: Map every HR initiative to a line on the income statement. If a People program has no connection to the financials, Ted Forbes advises questioning whether the work should continue.
Build a fixed labor cost metric: Bundle salary, benefits, relocation, bonuses, and perks into one number reported monthly against a ±2% tolerance. Ted used this to make hiring decisions transparent to the CEO and CTO.
Identify growth drivers with a modified nine-box: Plot employees by cultural role modeling against economic value creation. Ted invests differentially in the upper-right quadrant—typically 15–20% of staff who open markets, design products, or improve distribution.
 
Questions This Episode Answers
How do I connect leadership development ROI to financial outcomes at a scaleup? Ted Forbes recommends income statement thinking: tie each program to a financial line item and measure outcomes, not attendance. He invests more in the 15–20% of employees who drive economic value while maintaining baseline development for everyone else.
What metrics should HR report in monthly business reviews for a high-growth company? Ted built a single fixed labor cost metric—salary, benefits, relocation, bonuses, and perks combined—tracked monthly against a ±2% target. One aggregated line lets executives see how people spend affects EBITDA.
What financial literacy does an HR leader need when scaling from 100 to 1,000 employees? Ted Forbes advises building a relationship with FP&A and requesting walkthroughs of the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement. He stresses using the right outcome-focused numbers, not vanity metrics.
Links & Resources Mentioned:
Connect with Ted Forbes on LinkedIn: search "Ted Forbes" 
Making HR Matter: What CEOs Want and How to Deliver It (200 pages) — available on Amazon

#28 Managing Executive Stress & The Physiology of Pressure with Ed Howard

In this episode of Built by People Leaders, host Daria Rudnik sits down with Ed Howard, founder of One Breath Leadership and author of the One Breath Leadership book and app. Ed spent 20 years as a global compliance executive in investment banking before combining that high-stakes corporate experience with three decades of Zen training to create practical micro-recovery tools for corporate skeptics.
Together, they break down how sustained stress physically alters our cognitive state, and how people leaders can help executives maintain decision quality, emotional regulation, and sanity without needing hours out of their packed calendars.
Challenges Addressed
The Stress Hijack: How the physiological threat response silently alters a leader's perception, causing intelligent, values-driven people to narrow their honesty and miss critical signals.
The Failure of Standard Wellness: Why traditional corporate mindfulness programs fail when they are simply bolted onto a high-speed culture that actively rewards hustle, speed, and reaction over reflection.
Email Apnea: The physical habit of holding your breath when opening stressful inbox messages, and how this oxygen-starved state reduces an executive's day-to-day effectiveness by 30-40%.
Actionable Micro-Habits for Leaders
The One-Breath Rule: Demystifying meditation by stripping it down to the bare bones—breath, mind, and attention—to switch the brain out of "cognitive wheel-spinning."
Trigger-Based Habit Stacking: How to spread micro-recovery throughout a 12-hour day by anchoring a single deep breath to existing operational triggers like opening a laptop, sitting at a desk, or getting into an elevator.
The Professional Athlete Model: Shifting the executive culture from performative, fear-based busyness to a high-performance framework where recovery is valued just as much as performance.
 
Links & Resources Mentioned:
Connect with Ed Howard on LinkedIn
Learn more about the book and app at One Breath Leadership

#27 Why AI Transformation Fails Without Human Readiness with Marina Morgan, Fractional Strategy Leader

In this episode of the Built by People Leaders podcast, host Daria Rudnik speaks with Marina Morgan, fractional strategy leader, executive facilitator, and founder of AIQ Impact, about why successful transformation depends less on technology and more on human and organizational readiness. Marina shares insights from her journey across corporate leadership in Russia and her transition to entrepreneurship in Silicon Valley, where she now builds the AIQ framework for measuring how prepared organizations are for AI adoption. The conversation explores how leadership mindset shapes organizational culture, why strategy cycles are shrinking in the age of AI, and how companies must rethink adaptability as a core capability. Marina also reflects on the challenges of scaling organizations in a non-linear environment, the importance of aligning executives around execution rather than planning, and why enjoyment and neurophysiological well-being are essential for creativity, resilience, and sustainable performance in fast-changing systems.
Takeaways
AI transformation success depends on human readiness, not technology. Even the best tools fail if employees and leaders are not aligned in behavior, mindset, and adoption.
Organizational culture is a direct reflection of leadership mindset. Founders and top leaders shape how strategy is executed far more than any formal HR system or structure.
Strategy cycles are collapsing due to AI-driven speed. Companies have moved from 5-year plans to real-time, data-driven decision-making, making adaptability a core leadership skill.
HR and strategy must be tightly connected to business KPIs. Influence comes from linking people initiatives directly to revenue, market position, and operational outcomes.
AI is reshaping identity at both individual and organizational levels. Professionals and companies must continuously redefine roles, capabilities, and direction in a rapidly shifting environment.
Enjoyment is a performance driver, not a luxury. Psychological well-being directly impacts creativity, resilience, and cognitive flexibility needed for adaptation and growth.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marinamorgan-sf
aiqimpact.com

#26 What European Companies Get Right About HR with Anastasia Minko, Senior HR Project Manager at Smart Europe

In this episode of the Built by People Leaders podcast, host Daria Rudnik speaks with Anastasia Minko, Senior HR Project Manager at Smart Europe, about how HR leadership changes across cultures, industries, and stages of company growth. Drawing from her experience in global corporations, fast-growing tech companies, and German organizations, Anastasia shares practical insights on navigating complexity in international HR, building systems that support business growth, and why leadership culture matters more than processes alone. The conversation explores the differences between German and Russian management cultures, the role of HR in creating business structure without overcomplicating processes, and why leadership behavior during difficult moments shapes employees far more than formal policies. Anastasia also reflects on coaching, organizational maturity, psychological safety, and how leaders can create environments where disagreement stays productive rather than personal.
Takeaways
Strong leadership is revealed in how managers handle mistakes. Employees recover and grow faster when leaders treat mistakes as solvable problems instead of personal failures.
Professional disagreement creates stronger organizations than personal conflict. Healthy cultures allow leaders to challenge ideas without attacking individuals or damaging trust.
HR maturity shows up when leaders no longer question the need for people systems. In mature organizations, performance management, pay structures, and leadership development are viewed as business infrastructure, not HR bureaucracy.
Organizational culture is shaped less by slogans and more by everyday leadership behavior. The way managers react under pressure becomes the real culture employees experience.
International HR becomes easier when leaders focus on human similarities before cultural stereotypes. Understanding people first creates better collaboration across countries and teams.
Leadership development delivers the most value when connected to real business feedback. Coaching works best when it reflects actual employee experience and organizational realities, not abstract self-improvement goals.
https://de.smart.com/de/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anastasia-minko/

#25 AI Transformation Without Losing Culture with Chris Farr, Operations Executive at Invision Technologies

In this episode of the Built by People Leaders podcast, host Daria Rudnik speaks with Chris Farr, Operations Executive at Invision Technologies, about leadership, organizational growth, and how HR can become a true operational partner during periods of rapid change and AI transformation. Drawing from his experience leading teams in the MSP and technology space, Chris shares practical insights on scaling businesses without losing culture, building trust during uncertainty, and why communication is the foundation of effective leadership.
The conversation explores how HR supports growth far beyond hiring — through onboarding, process building, coaching leaders through difficult conversations, and helping organizations maintain alignment during constant change. Chris also discusses the importance of leaders listening to employees instead of making decisions in isolation, and why trust must be built long before companies face restructuring, mergers, or other difficult transitions.
Takeaways
Trust must exist before organizations go through change — employees accept uncertainty more easily when leadership credibility is already established.
HR creates the most value when it helps scale culture, communication, and operational consistency during growth.
Leaders make better decisions when they stay close to frontline employees instead of operating in isolation.
Successful AI adoption starts with improving employee efficiency and reducing repetitive work, not replacing people.
Companies need clear AI governance and employee education to avoid security, compliance, and operational risks.
AI transformation is ultimately a leadership and communication challenge as much as a technology challenge.
www.invtech.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-farr-409b3585/
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest
01:08 Chris Farr's Leadership Journey
01:58 The Role of HR in Organizational Growth
03:15 Strategic Support from HR
04:25 Shared Responsibility for Company Culture
04:55 Successful HR Partnerships
06:07 Collaboration Between HR and Business Leaders
06:56 Finding Balance in HR Leadership
08:18 The Essence of Great Leadership
09:36 Learning from Leadership Experiences
10:31 Navigating Change in Fast-Growing Companies
11:05 Supporting Employees Through Change
12:25 Handling Uncertainty and Transparency
14:58 AI's Impact on Workplaces
16:01 AI as a Tool for Efficiency
17:52 AI Adoption in Organizations
20:19 The Role of AI Officers
22:17 HR's Role in AI Transformation
24:04 Building AI Governance
25:01 Rapid Fire Questions and Conclusion

#24 Hiring Executives in 2026: What Startups Keep Getting Wrong — with John Pezoulas, Co-Founder of Ready Set Exec

In this episode of the Built by People Leaders podcast, host Daria Rudnik speaks with John Pezoulas, co-founder and managing partner of Ready Set Exec, about the realities of executive hiring in startups and scaling companies. With from more than 20 years in recruitment and executive search, John shares why recruiting is ultimately about helping people find opportunities where they can succeed — not just filling roles. The conversation explores how startups often overhire for titles they don’t actually need yet, why great recruiters rely more on curiosity and research than industry background alone, and how executive turnover can quietly damage business momentum and team trust. John also explains why founders need to balance ambition with realistic compensation, how employer branding became essential for attracting senior talent, and why companies should treat recruitment as a long-term culture-building exercise rather than a transactional process.
Takeaways
Strong recruiters succeed because they learn fast, not because they already know every industry. Curiosity, research, and the ability to deeply understand a business matter more than starting as a subject-matter expert.
Startups often hire for aspirational titles instead of current business needs. A company may not need a C-level executive yet — sometimes a strong director plus fractional leadership creates better results at an earlier stage.
Executive turnover creates hidden operational costs beyond replacement fees. Every leadership change disrupts trust, team dynamics, decision-making speed, and institutional knowledge across the company.
Employer branding is no longer optional for startups hiring senior talent. Candidates increasingly evaluate founders’ visibility, company reputation, and online presence before considering high-risk opportunities.
Recruitment is fundamentally a culture-building function. Every leadership hire reshapes how teams collaborate, communicate, and perform together over time.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnpezoulas/
readysetexec.com
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Recruitment and Career Paths
02:22 The Satisfaction of Recruitment
05:38 Understanding the Role of Recruiters
06:27 The Importance of Industry Knowledge
10:09 Consultation and Strategy in Executive Search
14:29 Navigating Startup Hiring Challenges
20:01 Retention of Executive Leaders
23:50 The Cost of Turnover in Leadership
26:52 Onboarding and Team Dynamics
27:50 Job Market Predictions for 2026

#23 Why Most L&D Fails (And How to Fix It) with Jason Aydelott, Fractional Chief Learning Officer

In this episode of the Built by People Leaders podcast, host Daria Rudnik speaks with Jason Aydelott, Fractional Chief Learning Officer and L&D strategist, about how Learning & Development can evolve from a cost center into a measurable business driver. Drawing on over 25 years of experience, Jason explains why most L&D functions struggle to prove impact—and how shifting from content creation to performance consulting changes everything.
The conversation explores how to align learning initiatives with real business KPIs, why measurement should not start with tools but with design, and how L&D leaders can influence decision-making by asking better questions instead of pushing solutions. Jason also shares a practical example of redesigning onboarding to cut training time in half while doubling speed to proficiency.
The episode also dives into the future of work in the age of AI—how organizational structures are flattening, why individual contributors are becoming managers of AI agents, and why “soft skills” should be reframed as critical human skills that drive business outcomes.
Takeaways
L&D proves its value when it starts with business KPIs, not training needs. ROI becomes clear when learning is directly tied to performance metrics like revenue, CSAT, or time to proficiency.
Measurement doesn’t fix bad design. If learning isn’t built around real outcomes from the start, no AI tool or dashboard will make it look valuable later.
Asking better questions is more powerful than pushing solutions. L&D becomes strategic when it uncovers root causes instead of blindly delivering requested training.
AI won’t replace people—but it will change what “individual contributor” means. Employees will need leadership-level thinking to manage AI agents effectively.
Most training fails because it focuses on content instead of practice. Real performance improvement comes from building experiences, not delivering information.
You’ll also learn how AI is reshaping leadership, why “soft skills” should be redefined as human skills, and how L&D leaders can step into a strategic role within the organization.
 
https://jasonaydelott.com/ 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonaydelott/ 

#22 Leading Through Change & Career Growth with Ochuko Dasimaka, Global HR Leader at Rio Tinto

In this episode of Built By People Leaders, Daria Rudnik sits down with Ochuko Dasimaka, Career Strategist, HR Leader, and Founder of Career Heights Consulting, to explore what it really takes to build a successful career—and lead people through complex organizational change.
With experience across global companies like Shell, Amazon, Unilever, and Rio Tinto, Ochuko shares her perspective on navigating large-scale transformations, including restructurings and business closures, while maintaining trust, transparency, and dignity for employees.
The conversation dives into the evolving role of HR as a strategic partner, not just a support function, and how leaders can take real ownership during difficult moments like layoffs and organizational shifts. Ochuko also brings her expertise in career coaching, sharing how professionals can take control of their career paths and position themselves for long-term growth.
Key topics include:
How to lead people through restructurings and layoffs with empathy
Why transparency and overcommunication matter in times of change
The role of HR as a strategic partner (not a “cleanup” function)
How to align leadership accountability during difficult decisions
Career strategy: becoming the CEO of your own career
Supporting employees through transitions and redeployment
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ochukodasimaka
Www.careerheights.org 
https://www.instagram.com/careerheights/

#21 Burnout is Not Caused by Workload, with Katherine Dudtschak, Former Banking CEO & Conscious Leadership Advisor

What happens when success is no longer enough?
In this deeply personal and thought-provoking conversation, Daria Rudnik speaks with Catherine Dudtschak—former banking CEO turned Conscious Leadership Advisor—about the hidden cost of high performance and the journey toward authentic, essence-led leadership.
After more than 30 years in executive leadership, Catherine shares how burnout, identity suppression, and a personal breaking point led her to redefine leadership—not as control or performance, but as integration, presence, and purpose.
Together, they explore what it really takes to build human-centered organizations, why most companies still operate from fear, and how leaders can move toward a more sustainable, inclusive, and regenerative way of working.
This episode is for leaders who have mastered the external game—and are ready for something deeper.
Key Takeaways
Sustainable leadership starts with inner integration, not external achievement. Your effectiveness as a leader is defined less by your skills and more by how aligned you are with your true self.
Burnout is not caused by workload—it’s caused by misalignment. When people operate too long from roles and expectations instead of their essence, breakdown becomes inevitable.
Organizations operate from two modes: fear or nurturing. Fear-driven systems create competition and fragmentation. Nurturing systems create resilience, collaboration, and long-term value.
Culture transformation must be CEO-led—but HR is the amplifier. Without personal evolution at the top, cultural change remains superficial and unsustainable.
Human potential cannot be measured by experience alone. True capability comes from the integration of three dimensions: essence, physical/inherited self, and lived experience.
Most transformative leaders are shaped by personal crisis. Deep leadership evolution often begins when identity breaks—and a more authentic self emerges.
https://sincerelykatherine.com/ 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-dudtschak-icd-d-7673a036/ 
 
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Conscious Leadership
01:37 Catherine's Journey: From Banking to Authentic Leadership
07:51 The Importance of Embracing One's Essence
13:50 Creating Inclusive Workplaces: Real-World Examples
19:01 The Role of Leadership in Cultural Change
23:14 The Human Condition: Collaboration vs. Competition
38:54 Conclusion and Key Takeaways

#20 Branding for Growth: Inside HR & Marketing with Daniela Morein Bar

In this episode of Built By People Leaders, Daria Rudnik speaks with Daniela Morein Bar, Founder of Inspired Marketing, about how employer branding has evolved into a critical growth function for modern companies.
Daniela shares how her background in B2B marketing led her to build recruitment marketing systems for tech companies like Teva, HiBob, and Intel. She explains why employer branding is no longer just about messaging—but about uncovering a company’s real DNA and turning it into a structured, measurable talent acquisition engine.
Together, they explore how companies can align HR and marketing, build recruitment funnels from awareness to retention, and why “controlling the narrative” is essential in a transparent digital world. Daniela also breaks down how startups and enterprises approach employer branding differently, and how AI is reshaping—but not replacing—human creativity in the process.
Key Takeaways:
Why employer branding is similar to product marketing
Building a recruitment funnel: awareness, trust, conversion, retention
The importance of company DNA and authenticity gaps
How startups vs. enterprises approach talent attraction differently
The role of AI in modern recruitment marketing
Why retention starts before hiring
A practical, strategic conversation for HR leaders, talent teams, and founders building companies in fast-changing markets.
 
https://www.inspiredmarketing.co.il/ 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielamoreinbar/ 
 
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Employer Branding and Recruitment Marketing
03:07 The Journey of Inspired Marketing
05:54 Understanding Company DNA for Effective Branding
09:04 Tailoring Messaging for Diverse Audiences
11:56 Building Awareness and Trust in Recruitment
14:42 The Importance of Retention and Employee Advocacy
17:44 Navigating Recruitment Challenges in Startups vs Enterprises
20:31 The Role of AI in Recruitment Marketing