Let's Table That

Andrew Bartlow’s been in HR longer than most people have been in the workforce, and he’s not here for the “HR as note-taker” era anymore.From becoming a CHRO at 23 to helping scale Invitation Homes from $500M to $25B, to now building People Leader Accelerator, Andrew’s seen what separates HR leaders who sit in meetings… from the ones who actually shape them.Recorded live at Transform Conference, this conversation gets into:- why most HR leaders get stuck as “cruise directors” (and how to break out of it)- how to actually tie your work to business outcomes (not just initiatives)- why credibility triumphs permission when it comes to earning a seat at the tableHe also gets real about building (and shutting down) his own SaaS product, a two-year lesson in why passion ≠ product-market fit.If you’re in HR and want to stop facilitating conversations… and start driving them, pull up a chair.

In this episode of Let’s Table That, hosts Jazzy and Glaze sit down with Samantha Crisp, HR Operations Manager at TripStack, to unpack the real work behind HR—beyond policies and perks.From accidentally falling into HR to leading global operations, Sam shares what it actually means to sit between people and business priorities—and why being “people-first” isn’t always as simple as it sounds.They get into the hidden realities of HR leadership, why most hiring practices don’t work, and what breaks first when companies start scaling. Plus, a candid look at culture, burnout, and the systems that quietly hold everything together.If you’ve ever wondered what HR really does (or why it matters more than you think), pull up a chair. We get into: - Why HR can’t be “people-first” 100% of the time- The balancing act between empathy and business priorities- Why reference checks might be a waste of time- The first sign your HR systems are breaking- How to build high-performing teams without burnout culture- Why most manager training fails- What founders get wrong about company culture

In this episode of Let’s Table That, Jazzy and Glaze sit down with Tonci, a seasoned recruiter who’s built teams across startups, scale-ups, and enterprise companies like Instacart, RBC, and now, Rootly.They break down what’s really happening in today’s tech talent market, from the rise of AI in hiring to why recruiting at scale is less about heroics and more about building repeatable processes. Tonci shares practical insights on closing candidates, scaling teams, and what actually separates great hiring from average hiring.You’ll hear:-What “recruiting at scale” really means-How AI is changing hiring (and what actually matters)-Culture fit vs. culture add-How to close top engineering talent-What’s shifting in the North American tech marketPlus, stay tuned for the Under the Table segment, where things get a little more honest (and a little more spicy).--Key Moments:0:00 – Intro & Meet TCI1:00 – TCI's Career Journey6:30 – AI Roles & Screening for AI Skills11:00 – What Recruiting at Scale Actually Means16:00 – Building a Recruiting Function from Scratch21:00 – Culture Add vs. Culture Fit27:00 – Shifts in the Tech Market33:00 – Closing Senior Engineering Candidates38:00 – Startup Comp vs. Big Tech48:00 – Rethinking Pedigree in Hiring51:30 – 🌶️ Under the Table-- Keep the conversation going: Follow Borderless AI on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hireborderlessConnect with Tonci: linkedin.com/in/toncihockmannConnect with Glaze: linkedin.com/in/glazemartillano Connect with Jazzy: linkedin.com/in/jazmineparrisInterested in diving deeper? Check out our Media Lab: https://www.hireborderless.com/media-lab

What if the professional ‘aha’ moment you’re waiting for never actually comes?In this episode of Let’s Table That, we sit down with Sarika, Chief People Officer at Vidyard, to talk about building a career by stepping into things before you feel fully ready.Sarika didn’t follow a straight path into People Ops. And at multiple points, she dealt with imposter syndrome, feeling like an outsider in the HR space. But instead of waiting for the clarity she was looking for, she built her way forward.We get into:-why thinking like a business leader changes everything-how to navigate roles that don’t feel like the right fit-what accountability actually looks like on high-performing teams-and how AI is reshaping work If you’ve ever:-felt like you don’t fully “belong” in your role-questioned whether you made the right career move-or waited for someone to give you the green lightpull up a chair.This is a conversation about ownership, period. The people who drive change aren’t the ones who wait for permission.

What actually happens when a startup starts to scale?In this episode of Let’s Table That, we sit down with Holly, a veteran of the Kitchener-Waterloo tech ecosystem, to talk about the realities of building teams inside growing companies.People Ops wasn’t always seen as strategic. For a long time, it lived in the background, handling things like payroll, policies, and paperwork.But as startups scale, founders quickly realize something: people decisions are business decisions.Holly has spent years helping companies navigate that shift. From early hiring to building leadership teams, she’s seen how culture, structure, and leadership evolve as organizations grow. And she’s also seen where things go wrong.Because scaling a company doesn’t just mean growing headcount. It’s about building the systems, trust, and leadership needed to support all the new hires, and the existing ones too. In this episode, we talk about:• How People Ops evolved from administrative support to strategic leadership• The right time for startups to invest in their first People Ops hire• Why hiring “big company” talent doesn’t always work in startups• The common scaling mistakes founders make• Why copying corporate playbooks can backfire• The difference between managing people and actually leading them• What founders underestimate about the human side of growthIf you’ve ever:• Joined a startup during a period of rapid growth• Wondered when companies should invest in People Ops• Seen culture start to crack as teams scalePull up a chair.---Key Moments:00:00 Introduction02:30 The Evolution of People Ops05:37 When Should Startups Invest in People Ops?10:24 How High-Growth Teams Scale Performance15:00 Common Scaling Mistakes19:20 Being People-First While Setting Boundaries26:26 Leadership Lessons from Scaling Teams28:30 Logic vs. Intuition in Hiring32:00 Feedback in Startups42:48 Under the Table Segment46:00 Leadership in Startups vs. Corporate48:42 HR Horror Stories--- Keep the conversation going: Follow Borderless AI on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hireborderlessConnect with Holly: linkedin.com/in/holly-warwick-4233a6171/Connect with Glaze: linkedin.com/in/glazemartillano Connect with Jazzy: linkedin.com/in/jazmineparrisInterested in diving deeper? Check out our Media Lab: https://www.hireborderless.com/media-lab

In this episode, we sit down with Christine Song to talk about ambition, growth, and building with intention.From corporate to startup CPO to founder, Christine followed one thing at every stage: curiosity, about leadership, about people, and about what success should actually feel like.We unpack hiring lessons, startup myths, and the shift from being “indispensable” to building sustainably.If you’ve ever questioned what you’re building, or why, this one’s for you.