The People Strategy Podcast
The People Strategy Podcast provides an ongoing coaching experience that the C-suite can leverage to align their people to more effectively execute the business strategy. The show challenges leaders to create a talent strategy roadmap that will increase profits and boost employee engagement. Host, Traci Austin, invites purpose-driven leaders to join her for deep-dive conversations on present challenges across the employee lifecycle. Listeners walk away with insights and strategic action steps to move them and their people forward. Episodes are ideal for Human Resource and Executive Level Managers to better understand how to create a strategy to serve their organization best.
Episodes
What if gratitude could transform how you lead through endings and unlock your next breakthrough?
Here's what most leaders get wrong: You think finishing strong means immediately jumping to the next big thing. But what if I told you that the leaders who create lasting impact know a secret about endings that changes everything?
After four tran...
At Rolling Tides Construction, people aren’t just employees—they’re the heart of the company. CEO Matt Rasmussen has built a culture that truly cares about its team, fostering an environment where individuals feel valued, supported, and inspired to grow. This people-first approach is more than a philosophy—it’s a business strategy that drives loyalty, engagement, and success.
Matt shares how Rolling Tides demonstrates care through ...
What if the most successful companies aren't the ones with the best perks or highest salaries, but the ones that have cracked the code on engineering authentic human connection? Nick Lombardino, Co-Founder of CultureCon, stumbled upon this truth during focus groups that were supposed to validate a technology solution. Instead, he uncovered a startling revelation: people weren't craving anoth...
The trades have often been seen as a fallback rather than a first-choice career. But what if we challenged that narrative and recognized the skilled trades as a vital, dignified profession with immense opportunity? James Faulkner, President and Founder of Site Max Systems, brings decades of experience bridging technology and the trades to shed light on how we can elevate the workforce from within. His passion for c...
What if the issue isn’t who you’re hiring, but what they’re walking into?
That was the pivotal question Greg Brouwer asked himself when he took the reins of West Michigan Janitorial, overseeing a team of more than 200 employees and facing turnover rates nearing 200%. Instead of defaulting to reactive hiring or higher pay, Greg chose a different ...
When you think about core values in your workplace, what comes to mind? A few words painted on the breakroom wall? A mission statement buried in an onboarding deck? For many organizations, especially in fast-paced, high-pressure industries like the trades, core values become background noise. But if you're leading a team, here's the uncomfortable truth: Read more
If you’ve ever inherited more than a business—like a legacy, a mission, or a responsibility that feels deeply personal—this episode will resonate. For trades entrepreneur Craig Lenard, taking over Art Lenard & Sons wasn’t just about business continuity. It was about honouring a foundation while building something stronger on top.
When his mothe...
If you've ever led a business that looked impressive on paper but felt like it was quietly eroding your well-being behind the scenes, this episode will meet you exactly where you are. Many trades entrepreneurs begin with a craft, not a company blueprint. They hustle hard, fueled by grit, only to find themselves imprisoned by the very business they built—exhausted, reactive, and disconnect...
In the trades, it’s not the perks that define culture—it’s how your people show up when things get hard. On job sites, in tight deadlines, across five generations—real culture is built through clarity, trust, and showing up every day. And that doesn’t happen by accident.
Too often, trade businesses measure success in activity: 500 calls made, b...
If your communication strategy only works for half your crew, it's not a strategy—it's a risk. And in the trades, that risk doesn’t just affect productivity—it affects safety, morale, and retention.
Today’s job sites are made up of multiple generations working side by side, each with their own preferences, assumptions, and expectations around communication. You've got Boomers printing out emails, Gen Xers living by their calendars,...
Culture, Coaching & Core Values: How Highfill Retains Talent Through Purpose
Forget ping-pong tables and pay raises—this is what actual retention looks like.
In this episode of The People Strategy Podcast, Traci Austin sits down with Ray Cox, Co-founder and Senior VP of Marketing at Highfill Infrastr...
If you’re constantly hiring but still coming up short, the issue might not be the labour market. It might be something deeper—a generational disconnect that’s quietly eroding trust, productivity, and retention.
In today’s trades workplaces, it’s common to see four generations working side by side. You’ve g...
Most new hires don’t fail because they’re unskilled. They fail because they’re unsure—and no one showed them how to build confidence on the job.
In the trades, technical ability is just the starting line. What determines long-term success is how leaders coach employees through the messy, uncertain moments of “firsts.”
Read more
New hires in the trades don’t just need a paycheck—they need a reason to stay.
First impressions matter, and a lack of communication between the offer letter and day one can send the wrong message. Without an intentional preboarding and onboarding process, you risk high turnover, wasted training, and disengaged workers who walk off the job before they ever really start.
In this episode, Traci Austin reveal...
Ignoring mental health in the trades isn't just costly—it’s dangerous.
Stress, burnout, and unspoken struggles impact retention, decision-making, and job-site safety. Yet, mental health remains an overlooked part of workplace safety programs.
In this episode,
How Mentorship Builds Stronger Trades Teams & Reduces Turnover
Hiring is hard. Losing good people is even harder.
So how do you keep top tradespeople engaged, growing, and loyal to your company? The answer isn’t just better pay—it’s
From Revolving Door to Retention: The Hiring Fix That Worked
Most companies hire fast and regret it later. Mid-States Concrete changed their approach—and their team has never been stronger.
In this episode, Sam Kloppmann, HR leader at Mid-States Concrete Industries, shares ho...
Marliz Briano, Operations Manager at Cydcor, began her journey with the company six years ago as part of the compliance team. In this role, she oversaw agent onboarding and ensured ongoing regulatory compliance for representatives. As her responsibilities expanded, she transitioned into a leadership role, merging compliance with the service desk team to create a unified...
Vera Quinn is the CEO and President of Cydcor, a global provider of outsourced sales. In her role, she’s grown revenue by more than 35% and led the company’s retail and omnichannel expansion. Vera began her career in door-to-door sales and joined Cydcor over 25 years ago, serving in various roles, including Senior Vice President, Director of Operations, and COO.
In this episode…
When growing leaders, organizations must fo...
Hannah McKitrick is the Founder and CEO of My Intuitive Health, which helps corporate leaders transform employee wellness through luxury culinary wellness retreats and mind-body cooking programs. She is also a Chapter President at The Dames, LLC, which empowers women managing six- and seven-figure businesses to scale through events and membership communities. As a board-certified holistic nutritionist, Hannah uses food, connection,...
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