It's About Payroll
Brian Escobar and Walter William Duncan III are the hosts of It’s About Payroll. Collectively, they have over 4 decades of experience in the payroll industry. This podcast was created with the intent of sharing their knowledge and attracting new talent to the payroll industry. ItsAboutPayroll.io You can access their LinkedIn profiles. https://www.linkedin.com/mwlite/in/escobarbrian https://www.linkedin.com/mwlite/in/william-duncan-477051187
Episodes
June 15, 2026 • 40 mins
In this explosive episode of It's About Payroll, we sit down with Jim O'Connor, President & Founder of Premier Health USA, to expose the hidden truths behind America's healthcare benefits crisis — and what employers, employees, and payroll professionals can do RIGHT NOW to fight back.
💥 What you'll learn in this episode:
✅ Why America's benefits system gets a D (and what it would take to earn an A)
✅ The "Insurance Hamst...
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June 1, 2026 • 45 mins
Is payroll still just a back-office function? Not anymore. In this episode, Walt and Brian break down how payroll has transformed from a purely administrative role into a strategic, compliance-driven, employee-experience powerhouse — and where it's headed next.
🔑 What We Cover:
How payroll evolved from processing checks to influencing company strategy
The real story behind payroll cutoffs (and why we need to stop usin...
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May 28, 2026 • 47 mins
In this episode of It’s About Payroll, Brian and Walt sit down with Andy Valentine, Key Account Director at Ebury, to talk about the often-overlooked side of payroll: making sure people actually receive their money. Andy explains that payroll accuracy is only half the battle. Once gross-to-net is calculated, companies still have to manage payment timing, banking data, foreign exchange, local payment rails, compliance checks, ...
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May 18, 2026 • 50 mins
Brian and Walt are back with a (much-anticipated) Season 16 review!
In this episode, the hosts reflect on what made this season groundbreaking — from game-changing guests to major milestones for the Payroll Universe brand.
In this episode:
Word of the season: "Groundbreaking" vs. "Impactful" — and why both fit
The biggest surprise: just how many payroll-adjacent businesses are shaping the industry
The episode that c...
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May 4, 2026 • 41 mins
🔥 Is your payroll career stuck on autopilot? In this episode of It's About Payroll, Brian and Walt break down the real payroll career arc — from entry-level grind to strategic leadership — and the stage nobody talks about: the waiting period.
Whether you're just starting out, feeling stagnant, or ready to level up, this episode is your roadmap.
In this episode, we cover:
✅ The 4 stages of the payroll career journey
✅ ...
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April 28, 2026 • 55 mins
In Episode 204 of It’s About Payroll, Brian welcomes two powerhouse voices in payroll leadership: John Bernatovicz, founder of Willory, author, keynote speaker, podcast host, and HR/payroll leader, and Tammy Gillenwater, CPP, senior consultant at Willory, speaker, and advocate for the payroll profession. Together, John and Tammy discuss their upcoming book, Payroll Like a Boss, scheduled for release on April 28, 2026, during ...
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March 30, 2026 • 36 mins
In Episode 202 of It’s About Payroll, Brian and Walt unpack a growing trend they are seeing across the profession: more HR and payroll professionals publicly sharing that they are open to work. They connect that observation to a softer 2026 labor market, slower hiring, longer job searches, and the pressure companies are feeling to stay lean. The conversation explores how payroll teams are being asked to do more with fewer peo...
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March 23, 2026 • 47 mins
It's About Payroll – Episode 201 | Book Release, Payroll Myths & Economic Uncertainty
🎙️ We hit 201 episodes AND dropped a book — and we're not slowing down! In this milestone episode, Brian and Walt celebrate the release of It's About Payroll, share insider tips for self-publishing on Amazon KDP (including why you should buy your own ISBN numbers), and dive deep into what payroll really means for employees, compa...
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March 17, 2026 • 46 mins
In Episode 200 of It’s About Payroll, Brian and Will celebrate a major milestone while sharing several big announcements tied to the future of Payroll Universe. The conversation centers on the recent launch of their book, which they describe as an empowering introduction to payroll careers for new grads, career pivoters, and even seasoned professionals looking for renewed perspective. They also discuss feedback from payroll l...
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March 9, 2026 • 32 mins
🎙️ It's About Payroll Episode 199: True Payroll Crime Story & Book Announcement 📚
Big news! We announce our new book "It's About Payroll: Your Blueprint to Start, Grow and Lead from Entry Level to Leadership" – created to change the narrative that people just "fall into" payroll. This is a career path worth choosing intentionally!
In This Episode:
✅ Book announcement & why the payroll industry needs career resourc...
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March 3, 2026 • 57 mins
In Episode 198 of It’s About Payroll, Brian Escobar and Walt Duncan III welcome Christopher Bylone, founder of Innovation Unbiased and host of I Know I Belong When, for a practical conversation on pay equity, belonging, and the role data plays in both. Christopher explains that pay equity is often misunderstood as only a men-versus-women issue, when in reality it must also account for race, ethnicity, disability, tenure, job ...
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February 23, 2026 • 36 mins
Join us for an incredible conversation with Hayley Paterson, founder of The Payroll Guide and author of "The Value of Payroll"! Hayley shares her mission to transform how businesses view payroll—from a mundane transaction to a strategic business asset.
In this episode, we dive deep into:
✅ Hayley's journey from accidentally falling into payroll to becoming a leading voice in the industry
✅ The Three Ps of Payroll: Process, ...
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February 15, 2026 • 61 mins
Episode 196 of It’s About Payroll features Terrence Wright, founder of Wright People Solutions and a people-first HR leader with 20+ years of experience, including leadership roles supporting global brands like Google, Synchrony, and GE Capital. Terrence shares his origin story starting as a fifth-grade teacher until a parent challenged him with a simple question: “What are you doing here?” which pushed him to piv...
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February 9, 2026 • 55 mins
Payroll isn't just about cutting checks—it's one of the riskiest areas in your organization. In this episode, we sit down with Jennie Wallace, CPA, CISA, CGMA, and founder of Melody Advisory Services, to uncover the hidden risks that could land you in serious trouble.
Jennie shares real stories of payroll chaos, from reports with mismatched headcounts to the dangers of under-resourced teams managing highly regulated processe...
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February 2, 2026 • 47 mins
In Episode 194 of It's About Payroll, hosts Brian and Walt welcome two guests Brian Smith Jr and Eric Boling for a “two for the price of one” conversation focused on payroll-driven savings and employee support.
The discussion centers on a payroll-integrated strategy built on a Section 125 plan (a long-standing tax provision) that can increase employee take-home pay while creating savings for employers without adding ne...
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January 26, 2026 • 59 mins
What if benefits weren’t just a cost center—but your biggest competitive advantage?
In Episode 193, we’re joined by Melissa Walker, Co-Founder & VP of Brokerage at Sounder Benefits, to break down how AI + innovation + human connection are reshaping healthcare benefits for modern companies. Melissa went from working inside major insurance carriers to building a brokerage that brings enterprise-level strategy...
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January 19, 2026 • 43 mins
In this Season 15 Review episode of It’s About Payroll, Brian Escobar and Walter dive into the biggest conversations, lessons, and surprises from the season — and uncover some eye-opening payroll realities along the way.
The episode kicks off with a look at major news impacting payroll professionals, including minimum wage increases across multiple states starting January 1, with more coming later in 2026 in states lik...
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January 12, 2026 • 46 mins
In Episode 191 of It’s About Payroll, Brian and Walt sit down with Trent Sorbe, Chief Payments Officer at First International Bank & Trust and leader of Kotapay, one of the nation’s largest ACH and electronic payments originators supporting more than 100,000 payroll clients nationwide.
With over 33 years in financial services, Trent shares his journey from the FDIC to fintech founder to payments executive and offer...
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January 5, 2026 • 57 mins
Join us for an insightful conversation with payroll industry expert Jon Schausten, CPP, as we dive into the evolving world of payroll.
🔑 In this episode, we tackle the big questions:
* What happens as seasoned payrollers age out?
* How do you find your payroll tribe as a newer payroll pro?
* What does it take to truly succeed in this ever-changing industry?
Whether you’re a payroll veteran, just starting out, or...
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December 21, 2025 • 47 mins
In this holiday-themed episode of It’s About Payroll, hosts Brian and Walt dive into common payroll challenges and real-world solutions—all while sprinkling in humor, seasonal cheer, and industry insights. They kick things off with a discussion on automating manual processes, noting that many organizations still rely on spreadsheets, paper timesheets, and even fax machines.
The conversation shifts to the importance of ...
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