The Talent Economy Podcast

The prospect of hiring new employees and growing a team that not only works well as a unit, but also fosters a productive, creative, and healthy work environment is a daunting one. In this episode, we speak with Steven Tristan Young, Chief Marketing Officer of Poshmark, about why it’s so important to hire individuals who elevate his team.At Poshmark, the leading US social commerce platform, Young is responsible for driving growth, product marketing, customer life cycle, brand marketing, public relations, and social media marketing. Prior to Poshmark, Young was Vice President of Growth at Grubhub, the US’ leading online and mobile food ordering company. During his seven-year tenure, he managed the company’s customer and market-level growth programs, driving double-digit growth year over year. He has also held leadership positions at DirecTV, American Express, Endurance International Group, and Puma. He spearheaded the marketing efforts for American Express’s flagship Black Card and Platinum Card portfolios, both the market leaders in premium card marketing. He is a graduate of The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and is an alumnus of Harvard Business School.Young discusses his strategy in taking his team to the next level, the roundabout way he ended up in his role at Poshmark, and how he uses the interview process to figure out who’s going to make an exceptional employee. He also shares the challenges involved in hiring from a pool of highly accomplished prospects, the one interview question he never asks his candidates, and the responsibilities involved in being a corporate leader and a member of the LGBTQIA community.Some Questions Asked:What led you to your role at Poshmark?What can companies do to make their workforce richer and more diverse?Have you ever taken a chance on a candidate who you could tell instantly just never had the right coaching?In This Episode, You Will Learn:What Young’s role looks like as CMO.What it’s like to be involved in executive recruiting.Why leaders should focus on the potential a candidate has for elevating the rest of their team.Links:Steven Tristan Young - LinkedIn

In an ever-changing world, the employer-employee relationship is more crucial than ever before. After nearly a year and a half of remote work and video meetings, properly managing employee burnout has become one of the most important factors in corporate success. In this episode, we speak with Mai Ton, Chief People Officer of Kickstarter, about what happens when a company takes the time to listen and respond to its employees’ needs.Ton has spent the last 20 years leading all aspects of human resources in several businesses. She was the first Vice President of HR at six companies, where she helped build the people function from scratch. Ton has won 14 awards for her companies and was named to the list of the Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Technology, Top 50 Tech Leaders in 2019, and Top 20 Tech Trailblazers from Insights Magazine. She is a board member of LEAP (Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics), a nonprofit organization that helps Asian and Pacific Islanders achieve equality through education, leadership, and empowerment. She is also an advisor to some of the newest HR technology software companies.In this episode, Ton shares her thoughts on the exhaustion of working remotely through COVID-19, the evolving culture of startups, and what happens when the way of work stagnates. She also talks about the rapidly changing future of work, why the pandemic caused Kickstarter to flourish, and her new book, Come Into My Office: Stories From an HR Leader in Silicon Valley.

The past 14 months have changed the way we work. And as workplaces grow more flexible, companies can begin to adapt their cultures in creative ways. In this episode, we speak with Kristin Johnson, Chief Human Resources Officer of Fortune 500 company Edward Jones, about what reopening can look like.Johnson joined the premier financial services firm in 1995 as a member of the internal audit department, and continued to climb the ranks over the next 24 years. In November 2019, she was appointed Chief Human Resources Officer and began leading efforts to attract, develop, and engage the 49,000-person workforce with a commitment to diversity and inclusion. She serves as a senior executive sponsor of Edward Jones’ Black/African American and Young Professionals Business Resource groups, as well as serving on the boards of the Center of Creative Arts, Webster University, and the Saint Louis Fashion Fund.Johnson shares insights into why being a human-centered company matters, the importance of respecting the individual, and what it’s like to work as a high-ranking executive in a male-dominated industry. She also discusses the challenges corporations face in a post-pandemic world, including effectively communicating in a remote environment while still focusing on employees’ continuing education.Some Questions Asked:Can you tell us a little bit about your path from accounting to leading almost 50,000 people?What role would you say that continuous learning plays in attracting and retaining top talent?How has Edward Jones expanded wellness programs in light of COVID-19? What direct benefits are you already seeing?In This Episode, You Will Learn:About the role creativity plays in human resourcesHow lessons from ballet translate to the world of HRHow COVID-19 has affected training and development programsLinksKristin Johnson - Edward JonesKristin Johnson - LinkedIn