The People Strategy Podcast
by Traci Austin
The People Strategy Podcast provides an ongoing coaching experience that the C-suite can leverage to align their people to more effectively execute the business strategy. The show challenges leaders to create a talent strategy roadmap that will increase profits and boost employee engagement. Host, Traci Austin, invites purpose-driven leaders to join her for deep-dive conversations on present challenges across the employee lifecycle. Listeners walk away with insights and strategic action steps to move them and their people forward. Episodes are ideal for Human Resource and Executive Level Managers to better understand how to create a strategy to serve their organization best.
Episodes
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Episode 214: Gratitude-Driven Leadership: Closing the Chapter with Traci Austin
What if gratitude could transform how you lead through endings and unlock your next breakthrough? Here's what most leaders get wrong: You think finishing strong means immediately jumping to the next big thing. But what if I told you that the leaders who create lasting impact know a secret about...
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Episode 213: Meeting People Where They Are: Lessons from Rolling Tides
At Rolling Tides Construction, people aren't just employees—they're the heart of the company. CEO Matt Rasmussen has built a culture that truly cares about its team, fostering an environment where individuals feel valued, supported, and inspired to grow. This people-first approach is more than a...
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Episode 212: Engineering Spaces for Belonging: The Power of Intentional Culture-Building
What if the most successful companies aren't the ones with the best perks or highest salaries, but the ones that have cracked the code on engineering authentic human connection? Nick Lombardino, Co-Founder of CultureCon, stumbled upon this truth during focus groups that were supposed to validate…
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Episode 211: Elevating Our Tradespeople: Building Culture, Clarity, and Passion on the Jobsite
The trades have often been seen as a fallback rather than a first-choice career. But what if we challenged that narrative and recognized the skilled trades as a vital, dignified profession with immense opportunity? James Faulkner, President and Founder of Site Max Systems, brings decades of...
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Episode 210: From High Turnover to High Commitment: How a Janitorial Company Became a People-First Powerhouse
What if the issue isn't who you're hiring, but what they're walking into? That was the pivotal question Greg Brouwer asked himself when he took the reins of West Michigan Janitorial, overseeing a team of more than 200 employees and facing turnover rates nearing 200%. Instead of defaulting to...
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Episode 209: The Hidden Cost of Letting It Slide - Core Values in Trades Leadership
When you think about core values in your workplace, what comes to mind? A few words painted on the breakroom wall? A mission statement buried in an onboarding deck? For many organizations, especially in fast-paced, high-pressure industries like the trades, core values become background noise. But...
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Episode 208: Purpose-Driven Construction: Building Homes and Businesses That Actually Last
If you've ever inherited more than a business—like a legacy, a mission, or a responsibility that feels deeply personal—this episode will resonate. For trades entrepreneur Craig Lenard, taking over Art Lenard & Sons wasn't just about business continuity. It was about honouring a foundation while...
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Episode 207: Rebuilding a Business That Serves Your Life
If you've ever led a business that looked impressive on paper but felt like it was quietly eroding your well-being behind the scenes, this episode will meet you exactly where you are. Many trades entrepreneurs begin with a craft, not a company blueprint. They hustle hard, fueled by grit, only to...
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Episode 206: Head, Heart, Hustle: Building Trust and Culture Across Trades Teams
In the trades, it's not the perks that define culture—it's how your people show up when things get hard. On job sites, in tight deadlines, across five generations—real culture is built through clarity, trust, and showing up every day. And that doesn't happen by accident. Too often, trade…
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Episode 205: Stop Yelling Into the Void: How to Actually Get Through to Your Trades Team
If your communication strategy only works for half your crew, it's not a strategy—it's a risk. And in the trades, that risk doesn't just affect productivity—it affects safety, morale, and retention. Today's job sites are made up of multiple generations working side by side, each with their own...
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Episode 204: How a People-First Strategy Helps Retain the Best Crew with Ray Cox
Culture, Coaching & Core Values: How Highfill Retains Talent Through Purpose Forget ping-pong tables and pay raises—this is what actual retention looks like. In this episode of The People Strategy Podcast, Traci Austin sits down with Ray Cox, Co-founder and Senior VP of Marketing at Highfill...
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Episode 203: Generational Disconnect in the Trades: Proven Strategies to Lead and Retain Across Generations
If you're constantly hiring but still coming up short, the issue might not be the labour market. It might be something deeper—a generational disconnect that's quietly eroding trust, productivity, and retention. In today's trades workplaces, it's common to see four generations working side by…
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Episode 171 Recast: Coaching New Hires: How Leaders Can Build Confidence & Competence
Most new hires don't fail because they're unskilled. They fail because they're unsure—and no one showed them how to build confidence on the job. In the trades, technical ability is just the starting line. What determines long-term success is how leaders coach employees through the messy…
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Episode 177 Recast: Onboarding that Works: Setting New Trades Employees Up for Success
New hires in the trades don't just need a paycheck—they need a reason to stay. First impressions matter, and a lack of communication between the offer letter and day one can send the wrong message. Without an intentional preboarding and onboarding process, you risk high turnover, wasted training,...
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Episode 68 Recast: Mental Health & Safety in the Trades: Why It Matters More Than Ever
Ignoring mental health in the trades isn't just costly—it's dangerous. Stress, burnout, and unspoken struggles impact retention, decision-making, and job-site safety. Yet, mental health remains an overlooked part of workplace safety programs. In this episode, Bruce Morton, a 20-year safety expert...
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Episode 53 Recast: Why Mentorship is the Key to Retaining Your Best Tradespeople
How Mentorship Builds Stronger Trades Teams & Reduces Turnover Hiring is hard. Losing good people is even harder. So how do you keep top tradespeople engaged, growing, and loyal to your company? The answer isn't just better pay—it's mentorship. In this recast episode, Traci Austin breaks down how...
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Episode 121 Recast: Transforming Hiring and Retention Through A Data-Driven Approach
From Revolving Door to Retention: The Hiring Fix That Worked Most companies hire fast and regret it later. Mid-States Concrete changed their approach—and their team has never been stronger. In this episode, Sam Kloppmann, HR leader at Mid-States Concrete Industries, shares how his team cut...
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Episode 202: Curiosity Unlocks Leadership with Marliz Briano
Marliz Briano, Operations Manager at Cydcor, began her journey with the company six years ago as part of the compliance team. In this role, she oversaw agent onboarding and ensured ongoing regulatory compliance for representatives. As her responsibilities expanded, she transitioned into a...
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Episode 201: Growing Leaders From Within
Vera Quinn is the CEO and President of Cydcor, a global provider of outsourced sales. In her role, she's grown revenue by more than 35% and led the company's retail and omnichannel expansion. Vera began her career in door-to-door sales and joined Cydcor over 25 years ago, serving in various…
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Episode 200: Joy as a People Strategy
Hannah McKitrick is the Founder and CEO of My Intuitive Health, which helps corporate leaders transform employee wellness through luxury culinary wellness retreats and mind-body cooking programs. She is also a Chapter President at The Dames, LLC, which empowers women managing six- and…
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Episode 199: What Your People Really Think... About Each Other?
David Murray is the Co-founder and CEO of Confirm, a performance management system that enables CEOs to increase capital efficiency. As a product designer, he began his career as a Product Manager at Google, where he received the Google Founders Award and EMG Award for his work on Gmail. In this...
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Episode 198: Leadership Best Aligned to Your Behaviors
Philipp (Phil) Siegel is the Lead Product Manager at Maymont Homes, a full-service acquisition, renovation, and property management company. In his role, he drives customer-centric solutions using data-driven strategies. Before Maymont Homes, Phil held several leadership positions, including the...
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Episode 197: Smart Tech for Team Retention and Talent Growth
Tim Sackett is the President of HRU Technical Resources, an IT and engineering contract staffing firm. With over 20 years of experience in talent acquisition and HR, he worked as a staffing director, recruiter, and HR manager at companies, including Applebees, ShopKo Stores, and Pamida. Tim has...
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Episode 196: Mastering Change Management (Leadership Development)
Adam Gruszcynski is the IT Director at Potawatomi Casino Hotel. He previously served as the venue's Information Technology Security Manager, where he reduced cyber risk while securing team member and guest information. As a network and security expert, Adam was also a Network Administrator at...
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Episode 195: Great Problem Solving Comes From Critical Thinking (Leadership Development)
Adam Gruszcynski is the IT Director at Potawatomi Casino Hotel. He previously served as the venue's Information Technology Security Manager, where he reduced cyber risk while securing team member and guest information. As a network and security expert, Adam was also a Network Administrator at...
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Episode 194: Conflict as a Leadership Tool (Leadership Development)
Adam Gruszcynski is the IT Director at Potawatomi Casino Hotel. He previously served as the venue's Information Technology Security Manager, where he reduced cyber risk while securing team member and guest information. As a network and security expert, Adam was also a Network Administrator at...
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Episode 193: Designing & Elevating Teams (Leadership Development)
Adam Gruszcynski is the IT Director at Potawatomi Casino Hotel. He previously served as the venue's Information Technology Security Manager, where he reduced cyber risk while securing team member and guest information. As a network and security expert, Adam was also a Network Administrator at...
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Episode 192: (Leadership Development) Magic of Designed Accountability
Adam Gruszcynski is the IT Director at Potawatomi Casino Hotel. He previously served as the venue's Information Technology Security Manager, where he reduced cyber risk while securing team member and guest information. As a network and security expert, Adam was also a Network Administrator at...
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Episode 191: (Leadership Development) 4 Levers of Employee Engagement
Adam Gruszcynski is the IT Director at Potawatomi Casino Hotel. He previously served as the venue's Information Technology Security Manager, where he reduced cyber risk while securing team member and guest information. As a network and security expert, Adam was also a Network Administrator at...
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Episode 190: (Leadership Development) Leadership Coaching That Impacts
Adam Gruszcynski is the IT Director at Potawatomi Casino Hotel. He previously served as the venue's Information Technology Security Manager, where he reduced cyber risk while securing team member and guest information. As a network and security expert, Adam was also a Network Administrator at...
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Episode 189: (Leadership Development) Leadership Foundation in Action
Adam Gruszcynski is the IT Director at Potawatomi Casino Hotel. He previously served as the venue's Information Technology Security Manager, where he reduced cyber risk while securing team member and guest information. As a network and security expert, Adam was also a Network Administrator at...
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Episode 188: Exit Strategy as a People Strategy
Ab DeWeese is the Founder and Non-executive Chairman of Good Automation, a data science and test automation company he exited when he was 37. He is also the Founder of the DeWeese Group, a private advisory practice designed for medium-sized and Fortune 500 companies. As a serial entrepreneur,...
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Episode 187: Navigating Organizational Change Management
Katie Spahnie is the VP of HR Operations at Westfield Bank, where she focuses on employee engagement programs, total reward strategies, risk management, and HR technology. As an executive-level HR professional, she has developed and executed organizational strategies for human resources services,...
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Episode 186: Change Management: Painful or Purposeful
John Bernatovicz is the Founder of Willory, which provides payroll and HR staffing and consulting support. As a serial entrepreneur, he has owned six companies, including Centsible Water, a water vending company with conveniently located, self-service water machines. John is a keynote speaker...
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Episode 185: Unlocking Productivity and Well-Being With the Four-Day Workweek
Andrew Barnes is the Co-founder of 4 Day Week Global, the world's leading organization changing the future of work by implementing a four-day workweek initiative. As a serial entrepreneur, he has promoted market-changing innovation and industry digitization by leading and transforming companies…
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Episode 184: Empowerment and Accountability: The Growth Equation
Matt Sunshine is the Managing Partner and CEO of The Center for Sales Strategy, a sales performance consulting company helping B2B organizations attract, retain, and develop the highest performing salespeople. Matt developed and launched the company's inbound marketing division, LeadG2, which…
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Episode 183: (Team Retention) Mastering the Performance Review
Traci Austin is the Owner and Chief Talent Officer at Elevated Talent Consulting, a certified woman-owned HR firm. As an HR professional and chief strategy consultant, she has over two decades of experience creating and building HR departments for small businesses. Traci specializes in employee...
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Episode 182: (Team Retention) The Trust Equation: Building Better Engagement Through Gratitude
Traci Austin is the Owner and Chief Talent Officer at Elevated Talent Consulting, a certified woman-owned HR firm. As an HR professional and chief strategy consultant, she has over two decades of experience creating and building HR departments for small businesses. Traci specializes in employee...
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Episode 181: Building Connection and Community in Virtual Teams
Jenna Spencer is the Founder and CEO of AssistPro®, a virtual assistant matching and delegation coaching service. Since founding the company, she has helped hundreds of clients delegate and develop their executive assistants into leaders. Under Jenna's leadership, AssistPro® has grown more than…
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Episode 180: (Team Retention) Crafting Talent Pathway Plans That Work
Traci Austin is the Owner and Chief Talent Officer at Elevated Talent Consulting, a certified woman-owned HR firm. As an HR professional and chief strategy consultant, she has over two decades of experience creating and building HR departments for small businesses. Traci specializes in employee...
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Episode 179: (Team Retention) The WHY Factor: How Intentional Goals Drive Success
Traci Austin is the Owner and Chief Talent Officer at Elevated Talent Consulting, a certified woman-owned HR firm. As an HR professional and chief strategy consultant, she has over two decades of experience creating and building HR departments for small businesses. Traci specializes in employee...
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Episode 178: (Team Retention) The Power of Trust: Key Ingredients for Effective Teamwork
Traci Austin is the Owner and Chief Talent Officer at Elevated Talent Consulting, a certified woman-owned HR firm. As an HR professional and chief strategy consultant, she has over two decades of experience creating and building HR departments for small businesses. Traci specializes in employee...
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Episode 177: (Team Retention) Onboarding Your New Employee To Optimize Team Performance
Traci Austin is the Owner and Chief Talent Officer at Elevated Talent Consulting, a certified woman-owned HR firm. As an HR professional and chief strategy consultant, she has over two decades of experience creating and building HR departments for small businesses. Traci specializes in employee...
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Episode 176: Brian Confer on Building Resiliency in Times of Change Management
Brian Confer is the Co-founder and Chief Growth Officer at Capturely, which offers professional headshots tailored to corporate clients. With experience in the B2B, professional services, and technology sectors, he helps founders and their companies scale and establish market dominance. Brian is...
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Episode 175: (Team Retention) The Evolution of Job Structures: Flexibility and Innovation
Jennifer Loper is the President of C3, a family and children brand marketing and design agency. As a marketing and communications leader, she has over 30 years of experience working with corporate brands in the restaurant, hospitality, and retail industries. Jennifer is also a board member of the...
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Episode 174: (Team Retention) Crafting a Magnetic Employee Value Proposition
Traci Austin is the Owner and Chief Talent Officer at Elevated Talent Consulting, a certified woman-owned HR firm. As an HR professional and chief strategy consultant, she has over two decades of experience creating and building HR departments for small businesses. Traci specializes in employee...
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Episode 173: Strategic Hiring: Unlocking Organizational Growth
Traci Austin is the Owner and Chief Talent Officer at Elevated Talent Consulting, a certified woman-owned HR firm. As an HR professional and chief strategy consultant, she has over two decades of experience creating and building HR departments for small businesses. Traci specializes in employee...
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Episode 172: Impact of Appreciation at Work with Dr. Paul White
Dr. Paul White is a psychologist, speaker, consultant, and coauthor of The Five Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace. For over 20 years, he has assisted organizations in creating positive work environments and communicating authentic appreciation. Dr. White has spoken about improving...
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Ep 171: Gaining Confidence and Competence in First Times
From onboarding new hires to building a culture of accountability, Traci Austin delves into the intricacies of leadership in this special solo episode of the People Strategy Podcast. Traci, the Chief Strategy Officer at Elevated Talent Consulting, shares her top three insights from her…
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Ep 170: People Strategy Insights Into Action with Adam Gruszcynski
From IT director to strategic innovator, Adam Gruszcynski the IT Director at Potawatomi Casino Hotel, has masterfully reinvented the onboarding process and organizational culture within his team. Adam joins host Traci Austin, as he shares his transformative journey in implementing an Employee…
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About this show
The People Strategy Podcast provides an ongoing coaching experience that the C-suite can leverage to align their people to more effectively execute the business strategy. The show challenges leaders to create a talent strategy roadmap that will increase profits and boost employee engagement. Host, Traci Austin, invites purpose-driven leaders to join her for deep-dive conversations on present challenges across the employee lifecycle. Listeners walk away with insights and strategic action steps to move them and their people forward. Episodes are ideal for Human Resource and Executive Level Managers to better understand how to create a strategy to serve their organization best.
Hosted by
Traci Austin
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