People Business is a weekly podcast exploring human nature in the workplace. Every business is in some way a "people business" and it's often how we manage these dynamics that leads to long-term success or failure.
Latest Episodes
How Work Gets Done (and Evolving it for AI) w/ David Dean
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- People Skills
- People Strategy
- Personal Growth
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Say it Right w/ Mary Nestor
Mary J. Nestor is the author of three books, an award-winning speaker, coach and consultant. In this episode, we cover her Amazon #1 bestseller, Say It Now! Say It Right! How to Handle Tough or Tender Conversations. Mentioned on the Show Learn more about Mary Nestor on her website: https://www.maryjnestor.com/ Connect with Mary Nestor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryjnestor-writer-speaker-consultant Get […]
Handling Workplace Bullies w/ Jodee Blanco
Jodee Blanco is an expert on the human component of effective communication. She is the author of two New York Times bestsellers, including the seminal memoir Please Stop Laughing at Me… and the founder of INJJA (It’s NOT Just Joking Around!), the first survivor-led anti-bullying program in the country. She consults for schools and corporations […]
Self-Funding w/ Spencer Smith
Spencer Smith is a Senior Vice President at Pareto Health, a leading employee benefit group captive manager that helps midsize employers reduce health insurance costs and volatility. He is also the host of Self-Funded with Spencer, a podcast focused on self-funded employee benefits plans and the complex healthcare ecosystem. Mentioned on the Show Learn more about […]
Understanding Chance w/ Dr. Michael Orkin
Dr. Michael Orkin is a statistics professor at Berkeley City College and a consultant known for his work on probability and gambling games. He is the author of several books, including The Story of Chance – What’s Luck Got To Do With It?. Mentioned on the Show Read The Story of Chance: Beyond the Margin of […]
Dignity Bridges the Gap w/ Dr. Donna Hicks
Dr. Donna Hicks is an Associate at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University and the former Deputy Director of the Program on International Conflict Analysis and Resolution (PICAR). She facilitated dialogues in numerous unofficial diplomatic efforts in the Middle East, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Colombia, Cuba, Libya and Syria. She has taught courses […]
Modern Leadership w/ Aaron Levy
Aaron Levy is the Founder of Raise The Bar and Stride, two companies focused on helping companies create high- performing teams by building better leaders. He is the author of the bestselling book Open, Honest, & Direct, the host of Raising The Bar on Leadership Podcast, a Thrive Global contributor, an ICF Certified Coach, and […]
Combat Gaslighting w/ Jennifer Fraser
Dr. Jennifer Fraser is the author of The Bullied Brain and The Gaslit Brain. It is her mission to educate people on how to recognize and name these behaviors and stay safe when they show up. Mentioned on the Show Dr. Jennifer Fraser’s website: https://bulliedbrain.com/ Read The Gaslit Brain: https://a.co/d/0fupTc7K Get Dr. Fraser’s book The Bullied Brain: https://a.co/d/09JvZBgo Jennifer Fraser, PhD […]
Slaying Emotional Vampires w/ Daniel Ratner
Daniel Ratner is a relationship coach, speaker, and author helping people build healthier connections by recognizing draining patterns and setting stronger boundaries. He is the author of three books, including Emotional Vampires, teaching readers how to protect their happiness from toxic people. Mentioned on the Show Coach Dan Ratner’s website: https://coachratner.com/ Connect with Coach Ratner on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coach-ratner-45b4678a/ Check […]
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- People Skills
- People Strategy
- Personal Growth
- Uncategorized
Building Community & Personal Brands That Connect w/ Dr. Anna Stumpf
With a career spanning leadership roles in the world’s largest company, influential positions in education teaching personal branding and marketing, and a deep understanding of the professional services industry and HR, Dr. Anna Stumpf brings a unique perspective to coaching professionals and organizations through transformative growth. She joins the show to talk about how successful […]
The Human Side of Finance: What Makes a Great CFO w/ Pinky Raina
Pinky is the Chief Financial Officer of Ideal Industries, a ~$400M manufacturing company with a global footprint. She leads several enterprise-wise transformation initiatives, enabling the company’s business model to adapt to changing market conditions and disruptive market forces. In her prior role as the CFO & COO at U.S. Soccer, Pinky led the organization through […]
Improving Manager/Employee Relations w/ Secchi Founders Mike White & Ken DeBauche
Mike White and Ken DeBauche are Co-Founders of Secchi, an employee relationship management tool for manufacturing, healthcare, and other shift work environments. In this conversation, they share how the lessons they learned working in these environments influence how they are now trying to make work better for both leaders and employees. Mentioned on the Show: […]
The Evolution of Work w/ Brent Kedzierski
Brent Kedzierski is a sought-after keynote speaker and a leader of connected-worker ecosystems at Hexagon, an international data company working in industries from oil and gas to AI and manufacturing. He is focused on improving the human condition at work and creating a seamless collaboration between humans and machines. Brent has been involved in human […]
Combatting Ageism & Utilizing All Your Talent w/ Patti Temple Rocks
Patti Temple Rocks is the author of I’m Not Done: It’s Time to Talk About Ageism in the Workplace, which was ranked as one of the 9 books Every Professional Should Read in 2019 by INC Magazine. Kirkus Reviews said, “Rocks writes succinctly but convincingly about the proliferation of age bias and its damaging, insidious, and […]
Never Not Working w/ Malissa Clark
Malissa Clark is an Associate Professor of Industrial-Organizational Psychology at the University of Georgia and Director of the Healthy Work Lab. She is the author of Never Not Working: Why the Always-On Culture Is Bad for Business—and How to Fix It. Mentioned on the Show: Never Not Working (book): https://a.co/d/3xGh9q0 Malissa’s website: https://www.malissaclark.com/ Connect with Malissa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/malissa-clark-0387991a/ […]
Go Big or Go Home w/ Diana Kander
A serial entrepreneur who entered the United States as a refugee from Ukraine at the age of 8, Diana had launched and sold millions of dollars worth of products and services by her early thirties. Today, she is an innovation consultant, leadership development keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author whose books have been […]
EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT: Designing Work for Humans: A People Business Summit
In this special episode, O’Brien and past guest Jason Lauritsen announce a unique in-person event for People Business listeners who lead HR. Designing Work for Humans: A People Business Summit will take place in Chicago on June 3rd and 4th, teaching HR leaders design skills they can use in their organizations to solve pressing business problems […]

