The Talent Economy Podcast

Founded in 1963, Comcast has grown into a leading global media and technology company with hundreds of millions of customers and viewers across its range of products and services. With its blend of innovative technology and captivating entertainment, Comcast provides a collaborative, forward-thinking work environment, which achieved ninth place on Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list in 2023. As Executive Vice President of Human Resources for the company’s connectivity and platforms division—including Comcast Xfinity, one of the largest Internet providers in the US—Bill Strahan has been at the forefront of delivering an ambitious employee benefits package and ensuring Comcast continues to innovate. Drawing on his three decades of HR expertise, Strahan speaks to Toptal’s Chief People Officer Michelle Labbe about the universal truths of his profession and how to lead the way with integrity. Some Questions Asked: In This Episode, You Will Learn: Links: LinkedInLinkedInLinkedInLinkedInStaffing.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Founded in 1973, the FedEx corporation has become one of the world’s largest transportation companies. Delivering in more than 220 countries and holding a valuation of $90 billion, FedEx attributes its success to a simple philosophy of “People, Service, Profit.” These three words embody a cycle: Employees deliver on services that generate profits, and FedEx reinvests these profits into the workforce. Mike Lauderdale’s understanding of the company’s operations is invaluable. After 40 years at FedEx, he is currently serving as Vice President of Human Resources. In a conversation with Toptal Chief People Officer, Michelle Labbe, Lauderdale explains how the company culture has changed during his time with FedEx, and how it has maintained its people-centric mantra amid a rapidly changing industry. Some Questions Asked: In This Episode, You Will Learn: Links: LinkedInLinkedInLinkedInLinkedInThe Talent Economy Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spanning more than 220 countries and territories, Booking.com provides millions of unforgettable journeys with its straightforward travel and accommodation services every year. A team of hybrid employees enables its customers’ adventures and has contributed to a thriving workplace. Booking.com was recognized for providing the Best Leadership Teams and Best Global Culture in 2023 by Comparably, a site for employees to rate companies. It was also included on Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies list for 2024 and was named one of Forbes’ World’s Best Employers in 2023. As Chief People Officer and SVP, Paulo Pisano guides the exceptional work environment at Booking.com. Arriving at the company in early 2020—just as the pandemic began to cause significant upheaval in the tourism industry—Pisano helped employees navigate this turbulent period and flourish in a new hybrid work setting. Since 2021, he has also served as Executive Vice President and CHRO of Booking Holdings, the parent company for Booking.com, KAYAK, OpenTable, Priceline and Agoda. Joining Michelle Labbe on The Talent Economy podcast, Pisano talks about what he has learned over the last few years, his expectations for the future, and how the experiences and cultural enrichment that Booking.com provides to its customers plays into company culture. Some Questions Asked: In This Episode, You Will Learn: Links: LinkedInLinkedInLinkedInLinkedInThe Talent Economy podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Founded in 1911, IBM has been at the center of the dynamic technology industry for decades. With more than 285,000 employees in over 175 countries, IBM maintains its position as a global leader and excels on the frontiers of hybrid cloud technology and artificial intelligence. The company's commitment to employee satisfaction has earned IBM a place on Forbes' Top 500 Best Companies for Diversity in 2023, a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index, and five stars on Newsweek's 2023 list of America's Greatest Workplaces for Diversity. IBM's dedication to innovation also extends to workplace culture, diversity, and inclusivity. Kitty Chaney Reed, IBM’s Chief Leadership, Culture, and Inclusion Officer, brings over 25 years of technology and business experience to the role. Chaney-Reed has consistently championed workplace diversity and inclusion, leading a global team in addressing societal issues that impact IBM employees and their communities. Her accomplishments include being an alumnus of the Distinguished Leadership Atlanta program, receiving the Georgia Diversity Council's 2015 Most Powerful and Influential Woman Award, and serving on IBM's Black Executive Council. Chaney Reed is dedicated to cultivating an inclusive environment and leveraging the strengths of a diverse workforce to create a workplace where employees can thrive. Some Questions Asked: In This Episode You Will Learn: Links: LinkedInLinkedInLinkedInThe Talent Economy podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Instacart is a same-day grocery delivery service that seeks to make grocery shopping accessible to everyone. Founded in 2012, Instacart experienced exponential growth during the COVID-19 pandemic and became a household name as the general public turned to the service amid lockdowns and social distancing measures. During the first two months of the pandemic, Instacart delivered more food than Walmart. Today, Instacart serves customers across the US and Canada, offering an extensive network of more than 1,200 retailers and spanning more than 80,000 locations. Instacart’s people-centric company culture has been recognized as one of the best places to work in the Bay Area. With a flexible remote work policy, take-what-you-need vacation time, and a “Four Year Fill-Up” program that provides four weeks off after four years of employment, the company continues to be forward-thinking in its employee support and talent approach. Christina Hall joined Instacart in 2020 as the company’s first CHRO. With more than 20 years of experience in HR, she has worked with renowned tech leaders like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Intuit. At Instacart, Christina is instrumental in driving the company’s growth and well-being while ensuring a thriving work culture for its employees and independent contractors. Some Questions Asked: In This Episode, You Will Learn: Links: LinkedInLinkedInLinkedInThe Talent Economy podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Instacart is a same-day grocery delivery service that seeks to make grocery shopping accessible to everyone. Founded in 2012, Instacart experienced exponential growth during the COVID-19 pandemic and became a household name as the general public turned to the service amid lockdowns and social distancing measures. During the first two months of the pandemic, Instacart delivered more food than Walmart. Today, Instacart serves customers across the US and Canada, offering an extensive network of more than 1,200 retailers and spanning more than 80,000 locations. Instacart’s people-centric company culture has been recognized as one of the best places to work in the Bay Area. With a flexible remote work policy, take-what-you-need vacation time, and a “Four Year Fill-Up” program that provides four weeks off after four years of employment, the company continues to be forward-thinking in its employee support and talent approach. Christina Hall joined Instacart in 2020 as the company’s first CHRO. With more than 20 years of experience in HR, she has worked with renowned tech leaders like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Intuit. At Instacart, Christina is instrumental in driving the company’s growth and well-being while ensuring a thriving work culture for its employees and independent contractors. Some Questions Asked: In This Episode, You Will Learn: Links: LinkedInLinkedInLinkedInThe Talent Economy podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gena Smith, Chief Human Resources Officer of LVMH North America, joined Michelle Labbe, Chief People Officer of Toptal, on the latest episode of The Talent Economy podcast.LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, is a renowned luxury goods conglomerate headquartered in Paris. The company’s diverse portfolio of brands includes household names such as Moët & Chandon, Hennessy, Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Fendi, Givenchy, Dom Pérignon, and TAG Heuer. LVMH operates as an ecosystem where each brand maintains its unique DNA and heritage while benefiting from synergies within the group.Smith plays a key role in fostering LVMH’s signature culture of creative excellence among the company’s 40,000 North American employees. Prior to joining LVMH in 2011, she spent more than a decade working closely with leading retail and luxury brands through notable industry consultancies. Based in New York City, Smith also serves on the board of the Fashion Scholarship Fund, a nonprofit association that supports young talent as they seek to realize their career ambitions in the fashion industry. Some Questions Asked: In This Episode You Will Learn: diversity, equity, and inclusion Links: LinkedInLinkedInLinkedInThe Talent Economy podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jordan Fisher, founder and CEO of Standard AI, joined Michelle Labbe, Toptal’s Chief People Officer, at Collision in Toronto on The Talent Economy podcast. Fisher discussed the company’s groundbreaking “checkout-free” shopping solution and other achievements of Standard AI. With a diverse background spanning computational fluid dynamics, securities regulations, video games, machine learning, and retail, Fisher has dedicated his career to product research and development. Standard AI has reached many significant milestones under his leadership as the field of artificial intelligence becomes increasingly competitive. With Standard AI, customers no longer need to scan their items or pay at a kiosk. Instead, they simply scan their phones at the exit and a series of AI-powered cameras generate a receipt based on the items that customers picked up. Utilizing its next-generation technology, Standard AI aims to continue augmenting human interactions within physical spaces while providing tailored product experiences. Its approach has the potential to revolutionize retail and expand to other industries. Some Questions Asked: In This Episode You Will Learn: Links: LinkedInLinkedInLinkedInThe Talent Economy podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Laura Heisman, VMware’s Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer , and Michelle Labbe, Toptal’s Chief People Officer, met at Collision 2023 in Toronto to discuss VMware’s core principles and the latest developments in AI and the tech industry. VMware is a leading software company that specializes in virtualization and cloud computing solutions. With a keen eye on innovation, VMware has established itself as a trusted partner for organizations worldwide. As one of its leading lights, Laura Heisman has played a pivotal role in shaping VMware’s marketing vision and driving impactful initiatives. Heisman is a highly accomplished technology executive with more than three decades of experience in marketing and communications. Her leadership philosophy revolves around communicating effectively, unlocking human potential through generative AI, and fostering community. Heisman’s dynamism and commitment to innovation continue to shape VMware and drive its success in the tech landscape. Some Questions Asked: In this Episode You Will Learn: Links: LinkedInLinkedInLinkedInThe Talent Economy podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Life is Good is the original positive lifestyle brand, dedicated to spreading the power of optimism through art and messaging. Co-founders and brothers Bert and John Jacobs originally set out to design T-shirts that inspired people to celebrate simple pleasures, and focus on what’s right in the world and our lives instead of what’s wrong. In 1994, after five years of disappointing sales and with just $78 to their names, Bert and John designed their first Life is Good tee and discovered how those three simple words could help people to focus on the good. For almost 30 years, Life is Good has been building a “culture of optimism” through its online shop and 4,500 retail stores. Life is Good’s mission “to spread the power of optimism” isn’t just a marketing angle—it influences every part of the brand, from company culture to philanthropy. Tom Hassell, president of Life is Good, joined Toptal’s Chief People Officer Michelle Labbe on The Talent Economy podcast. For the past three years, Hassell has overseen the Life is Good e-commerce business as it has grown from $30 million in annual revenue in 2017 to over $86 million in 2020. Outside of his role at Life is Good, Hassell has served in leadership roles at a diverse group of companies, including Lord & Taylor, Perry Ellis, Ann Taylor, and Eastern Mountain Sports. He is thrilled to have the opportunity to serve as the President of Life is Good, where spreading the power of optimism is both the company mission and his personal passion. In this episode, Hassell discusses his journey in the apparel industry, his work at Life is Good, the power of optimism, Life is Good’s social work through the Life is Good Playmaker Project, and more. Some Questions Asked: 8:2617:5721:24 In This Episode, You Will Learn: Links: LinkedInLinkedInLinkedInThe Talent Economy podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the largest mutual life insurance company in the US, New York Life has been advising policyholders on investment decisions for more than 178 years. Toptal’s Chief People Officer Michelle Labbe spoke with Kathleen Navarro, New York Life Insurance’s Senior Vice President and Head of Human Resources Business Enablement on The Talent Economy Podcast. Kathleen Navarro leads New York Life Insurance’s integrated diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, and manages the HR business partners, strategy and analytics teams. During Navarro's tenure, the company has received broad recognition for its inclusion efforts, including being named one of the Best-of-the-Best Corporations by the National Business Inclusion Consortium in 2022. Navarro has held a range of roles in finance, strategy, and operations since joining New York Life Insurance in 1994. She has been recognized as a Top 10 Champion of Global Diversity by DiversityGlobal and was included on the Top 50 Chief Diversity Officers list issued by the National Diversity Council. Some Questions Asked: talent strategycompany culture11:30your hybrid model19:29working parents29:50 In This Episode, You Will Learn: Links: LinkedInLinkedInLinkedInThe Talent Economy podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vimeo, a video-sharing website that allows members to view, upload, and share videos, was a top competitor to YouTube when it launched in 2004. But in 2017, Vimeo saw an opening to pivot to a software as a service company, offering tools for independent creators to produce, upload, and share their own content. In May of 2021, Vimeo went public and soon afterwards, Crystal Boysen joined the company as Chief People Officer. In her role, Boysen has led various initiatives aimed at cultivating an engaged, diverse, and inclusive culture at Vimeo. In addition to sharing her career story, Crystal Boysen offered her HR philosophy, as well as her perspective on leading in a hybrid environment, crafting meaningful benefit packages, and more. Some Questions Asked: 5:3712:3516:20 In This Episode, You Will Learn: Links: LinkedInLinkedInLinkedInThe Talent Economy podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With past speakers such as the CEOs of Dell and Wikipedia, and the COO of Reddit, the Web Summit annual conference, founded in 2009, has become a critical meeting place for the tech community. At the 2022 event in Lisbon, Portugal, Katie Bolger, Community Manager, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Web Summit, joined Toptal’s Chief People Officer, Michelle Labbe. They discussed the conference, Web Summit’s Women in Tech program, and equity in representation among attendees and speakers. Some Questions Asked: women to enter the tech workforce In This Episode, You Will Learn: Links: LinkedInLinkedInLinkedInThe Talent Economy podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Branch is a deep-linking and mobile-attribution platform that helps companies build and measure user journeys. In 2014, Mada Seghete co-founded Branch on the fundamental principle that breaking down silos on the internet is critical to a brand’s ability to build engaging and relevant end-user experiences. Branch initially focused on delivering a deep-linking solution to navigate the complex mobile ecosystem and get users to the right destination. Its platform now also powers mobile attribution for 50,000+ of the world’s most advanced apps, helping companies like Airbnb, Pinterest, Slack, Ticketmaster, Tinder, Starbucks, and Yelp measure their users’ journeys. While attending Web Summit in Lisbon, Seghete, Branch’s current Managing Director and VP of Marketing, joined Toptal’s Chief People Officer Michelle Labbe to discuss creating Branch, women in tech, the future of work, and her Web Summit experience. Some Questions Asked: In This Episode, You Will Learn: Links: LinkedInLinkedInLinkedInThe Talent Economy podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Toptal is a network of the world’s top talent in business, design, and technology that enables companies to scale their teams on demand. Founded in 2010 and now the world’s largest fully remote company, Toptal has served more than 21,000 clients and has a global network of talent in 140+ countries. Kimberly Hall, Toptal’s VP of Revenue Operations, sat down with Toptal’s CEO Taso Du Val at Toptal’s Women in Tech Lounge at Web Summit 2022 in Lisbon. Du Val shares insights into the future of work, Web3, the financial benefits of implementing a remote workforce, and more. Some Questions Asked: In This Episode, You Will Learn: future of the talent economyLinks: LinkedInLinkedInLinkedInThe Talent Economy podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With past speakers such as the CEOs of Dell and Wikipedia, and the COO of Reddit, the Web Summit annual conference, founded in 2009, has become a critical meeting place for the tech community. At this year’s event in Lisbon, Katie Bolger, Community Lead and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program Manager for Web Summit, joined Toptal’s Chief People Officer Michelle Labbe to discuss the 2022 conference, Web Summit’s Women in Tech program, and ensuring equity in representation among attendees and speakers. Some Questions Asked: women to enter the tech workforce In This Episode, You Will Learn: Links: LinkedInLinkedInLinkedInThe Talent Economy podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Suzy is a leading global consumer insights platform that integrates quantitative and qualitative research with high-quality audience insights into a single connected research cloud. In this episode of The Talent Economy podcast, Anthony Onesto, Suzy’s Chief People Officer, speaks with Toptal’s Chief People Officer, Michelle Labbe. Some Questions Asked: Radical Candor6:4210:2115:45 In This Episode, You Will Learn: Radical Candor Links: LinkedInLinkedInLinkedInThe Talent Economy podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chegg is a connected platform enabling students to learn more in less time—and at reduced costs. The company offers discounted textbooks, online tutoring, and other student services, while providing diverse employee upskilling and development opportunities. Debra Thompson is Chegg’s Chief People Officer, infusing the brand’s culture of innovation, transparency, wellness, and work/life balance throughout the company. Previously, she served as Director of Compensation, Benefits, and HR Operations at Amyris and held directorial and managerial roles at RMS, CNET Networks, and Lucent Technologies. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and personnel administration/industrial relations from California State University, East Bay. Some Questions Asked: 5:1711:5321:54 In This Episode, You Will Learn: learning opportunitiesbehavioral interviewingwork opportunities Links: LinkedInLinkedInLinkedInThe Talent Economy podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Users depend on Yelp for great customer reviews but how do its remote team members depend on one another? CPO Carmen Amara (née Orr) talks about the company’s recent transition to remote work, how the company invests in employee well-being, and what a thriving culture looks like. Carmen Amara joined Yelp with 20 years of HR experience. Her main focus has been on transitioning the company into a remote environment. Some Questions Asked: 4:1712:5221:24 In This Episode, You Will Learn: Links: LinkedInLinkedInLinkedInLinkedInThe Talent Economy podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Intel, the tech giant known for developing the microprocessors and semiconductor chips used in many of the world’s electronics, is also a widely recognized leader in environmental, social, and governance initiatives, which has helped it attract and retain top talent. The company was ranked No. 1 on Barron’s 2022 list of the 100 Most Sustainable Companies and No. 2 among large publicly traded businesses on JUST Capital’s annual Rankings of America’s Most JUST Companies. Christy Pambianchi,...