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
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 looki...
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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 system integ...
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December 15, 2025 • 53 mins
This week, we explore the incredible true story of David Ghantt, a trusted vault supervisor at Loomis Fargo & Co. who masterminded a $17.3 million inside job in 1997. With the help of former co-worker Kelly Campbell and a crew of unlikely accomplices, Ghantt pulled off one of the largest cash thefts in U.S. history.
Discover how a model employee became the architect of a legendary heist, the role of personal relationships in the...
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December 7, 2025 • 58 mins
In this cowboy-themed year-end special of It’s About Payroll, Brian and Walter saddle up to ride through the biggest payroll updates every pro must prepare for as 2025 closes and 2026 approaches. They kick off with news around the economy — including U.S. foreclosure filings rising nearly 20% year-over-year and property insurance premiums spiking 70% over five years — highlighting why accurate payroll matters more than ever to empl...
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December 1, 2025 • 60 mins
🎙️ Welcome to a special holiday mashup episode of "It's About Payroll"! 🎉
In this episode, your hosts dive into a festive mix of payroll hot topics and holiday fun. We break down the real impact of off-cycle payrolls—are they a customer service win or a business headache? We debate whether payroll should stand alone as its own department and if it deserves a seat in the C-suite. Plus, we explore the pros and cons of Earned Wag...
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November 23, 2025 • 49 mins
In this episode of It’s About Payroll, Brian and Walt sit down with Trista Yerkich-Faul, an 18-year Certified Payroll Professional and former Workday HCM consultant with deep expertise bridging payroll operations and HR technology . Trista breaks down one of the industry’s biggest misconceptions: that Workday is only for large enterprises. She explains how Workday Go, a streamlined deployment methodology, now enables small and mids...
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November 17, 2025 • 43 mins
Welcome to a special reposting of Episode 89! In this inspiring conversation, we sit down with the incredible Tabitha Brown—America’s mom, actress, author, and social media sensation.
Tabitha shares her journey from humble beginnings in Eden, North Carolina, to becoming a beacon of positivity, wellness, and authenticity for millions.
In this episode, Tabitha opens up about:
- The importance of trust and transparency in bu...
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November 9, 2025 • 49 mins
In this episode of It’s About Payroll, hosts Brian Escobar and Walter Duncan sit down with industry powerhouse Jenny Lee, a seasoned payroll and HCM expert known for driving transformation through process optimization and collaboration. Jenny shares her journey from hands-on practitioner to strategic leader, revealing what truly makes a payroll implementation succeed—or fail.
From the debate between best-in-breed vs. all-in-one sy...
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November 3, 2025 • 36 mins
Join us for an inspiring episode of "It's About Payroll" as we sit down with Aron Alexander, founder and CEO of Runa, the company reimagining how money moves across the globe. Discover how Aron’s journey from helping out in his family’s retail business led to building one of the most innovative payment infrastructures in the world.
In this episode, we dive into:
The evolution of Runa from WeGift and the power of rebranding
H...
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October 26, 2025 • 59 mins
In this Season 14 Review of It’s About Payroll, hosts Brian Escobar and Walter Duncan reflect on one of their most dynamic seasons yet—packed with powerhouse guests, innovation talk, and real-world payroll insights. They open by reframing mindset and language, stressing how positivity and intentional speech shape success. The duo then dives into financial fitness for payroll pros, revealing practical ways to cut costs—like reducing...
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October 20, 2025 • 47 mins
Join us for an inspiring episode of "It's About Payroll" as we sit down with Troy Markusson, a seasoned payroll leader and mentor, to discuss the future of payroll and how to attract the next generation of professionals to this essential field.
In this episode, Troy shares his journey from college intern to payroll innovator, his passion for making payroll "cool," and the importance of purpose, compassion, and curiosity in build...
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October 13, 2025 • 61 mins
In Episode 179 of It’s About Payroll, hosts Brian Escobar and Walter Duncan III sit down with Jim Kohl, a payroll leader whose career bridges compliance, creativity, and comic-book storytelling. Jim shares his origin story—from English major and stand-up comic to Paychex trainee and, eventually, one of the first employees at Check Technologies, where he helped pioneer embedded payroll. Together they explore how this new model integ...
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October 6, 2025 • 50 mins
🚨 Is the tip system broken? 🚨
From underpaid service staff to gender & racial wage gaps, the truth about tipped pay isn’t pretty — and it could all be changing soon.
Episode 178 of It’s About Payroll exposes the real numbers, the hidden biases, and why the future of tipped work might be headed for a total shake-up.
💡 If you’ve ever left a tip — or relied on one — you need to hear this.
🎧 Listen now!
#earnings #PaycheckTr...
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September 27, 2025 • 55 mins
Global payroll leader Kira Rubiano returns to It’s About Payroll—but this time, the conversation goes far beyond payroll. Kira opens up about her courageous battle with breast cancer, her path to remission, and the lessons she’s bringing back into leadership, consulting, and community. From early detection to empathetic leadership, this episode blends professional insights with powerful personal resilience. A must-listen for payrol...
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September 22, 2025 • 48 mins
In this episode, we dive deep into the future of payroll, automation, and the impact of AI on the world of work with special guest Brent Skinner—renowned HCM and HR tech analyst, podcast host, and industry thought leader.
Join us as we explore:
What “autonomous payroll” really means and how close we are to letting AI run the show
The evolving role of payroll professionals in an automated world
Why “payroll pilots” (humans) a...
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September 15, 2025 • 52 mins
In this episode of It’s About Payroll, Brian and Walt welcome leadership expert William Davis, author of How to Lead Without Just Managing. With decades of experience in corporate, consulting, and retail leadership, William brings practical insights on what makes leaders truly effective.
The conversation dives into today’s leadership crisis, where 78% of Americans believe organizations are failing. William explains why trust—not j...
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September 8, 2025 • 56 mins
Get ready for an inspiring deep dive into the world of payroll, time tracking, and people-first leadership! In this episode of "It's About Payroll," we sit down with Dean Matthews, visionary CEO and founder of On the Clock—a leading time tracking solution trusted by over 15,000 businesses.
Dean shares his journey from self-taught developer to SaaS leader, revealing how he built On the Clock from the ground up and transformed it ...
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September 5, 2025 • 54 mins
In this gripping It’s About Your Paycheck true-crime episode, we unravel the unbelievable payroll fiasco at Palm Beach Equine Clinic, where a receptionist was mistakenly paid a veterinarian’s $400K salary for nearly a year.
Key Points Covered:
The Error: A third-party payroll provider assigned the wrong salary, and internal controls failed at every level—no alerts, no audits, no red flags caught.
The Fallout: The employ...
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September 1, 2025 • 45 mins
In this lively episode of It’s About Payroll, Brian and Walt welcome UK payroll veteran and Payroll Support Network (PSN) co-founder, Jody Cox. With over 20 years of experience, Jody shares her career journey from finance into payroll leadership, including building a payroll function that supported over 11,000 employees. She reveals how PSN started as a mentoring connection that grew into a thriving community of thousands of payrol...
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August 25, 2025 • 34 mins
🎙️ Welcome to Episode 171 of the It's About Payroll podcast!
This week, hosts Brian and Walt sit down with Sanders Offner, President of Crescent and Impact HR, to explore the evolving world of HR and payroll for small to mid-size businesses.
Sanders shares his journey from starting in a closet to leading a company known for white-glove service, operational expertise, and people-first leadership.
In this episode, you'll l...
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