#213 Dr. Michelle Griffin | Inside the AI Layoff Wave - What Founders Must Learn

Startups love to talk about product, markets, and money. But when hypergrowth hits, people ops is where things break, hiring goes sideways, culture frays, and compliance gets ignored until it’s too late.In this episode, Dr. Michelle Griffin, founder of Griffin Resources, joins Rocco Strydom to unpack how companies can stay human while scaling fast. The conversation kicks off with Accenture’s recent decision to cut 11 000 jobs , citing AI reskilling challenges and explores whether that’s a warning sign for every industry facing automation.What You’ll LearnWhy big firms like Accenture are struggling to “reskill” for AIHow AI is transforming HR, payroll, and workforce planningThe first people systems every startup needs before scalingWhen founders should not outsource HR or accountingHow to protect culture when growth or M&A hits hardWhy listening beats speed in 2025’s hiring landscape