Podcasts about business law

In episode 272, Coffey talks with Amie Fox about inclusive recruitment as a skills-first strategy — and why getting disability inclusion right across the hiring lifecycle unlocks better outcomes for all types of diverse talent. – HRSOUTHWEST October 11-13, 2026 – Good Morning, HR listeners can use the promo code 2026-CoffeyGMHR-100 to save $100 on an HRSouthwest full conference registration at https://hrsouthwest.com!------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ They discuss inclusive recruitment defined as removing intentional and unintentional barriers so the best-skilled candidate can move through the process without obstruction; honest, specific job descriptions that reflect actual role requirements rather than aspirational proxies and that allow unqualified candidates to self-select out; disability as the inclusion starting point — with the disability community twice as likely to be unemployed as non-disabled peers despite being frequently over-educated; the average $300 cost of a reasonable accommodation in the US and available government funding through state and county workforce boards to offset it; skills-based hiring as the most equitable screening approach because it focuses on demonstrable job-relevant competencies rather than credential proxies; AI and assistive technology as equalizers for candidates and employees with disabilities, enabling participation and independence in ways previously unavailable; designing the application process intentionally — including accessibility of job postings, assessments, and office environments — to remove barriers before the interview stage; how to handle disability disclosure in interviews, ask practical accessibility questions, and kick the elephant out of the room without legal risk; the medical model versus social model of disability and why moving past fear of offense is the key to unlocking genuine inclusion conversations; and onboarding as the most critical retention tool — including pre-start communication, 90-day planning, accommodations setup before day one, and maintaining connection so new hires know where the bathroom is. Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for three quarters of a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.ABOUT OUR GUEST Amie Fox is the Founder of A Fox Consulting, a trainer and keynote speaker who helps founders, HR and operations leaders in growing organisations build practical people systems that improve employee engagement, manager confidence, and business performance. She moved into this work after a portfolio career across communications, training, fundraising, corporate responsibility, and operations exposed her to how differently people experience workplaces. A key turning point was struggling to find early employment as a visually impaired woman, which shaped her understanding of hidden barriers, workplace design, and the importance of systems that help people perform at their best. Her credibility is grounded in recent and current roles: she set up A Fox Consulting, serves as a non-executive director at Vision Ireland, and has held senior CSR and operations roles at organisations including SCOPE Eyecare & Healthcare. Through her consulting, communications, fundraising, and inclusion work, she has contributed to projects with organisations such as McDonald's, Telefonica, Deloitte, Novartis, Abbott, Newstalk, and John Sisk & Sons. Amie's work is built around the employee life cycle as the foundation for better people performance. She supports leaders and managers through coaching, training, and mentoring designed to maximise employee engagement and performance across each stage of that life cycle. Her book Mind the Blind Spot: Decision to Done and her FoxBuzz framework are practical manifestations of her central thesis: when people feel good, they perform at their best — but that idea only becomes useful when translated into clear routines, structures, and systems that work in boardrooms and in daily operations. Amie can be reached at:Website: www.afox.ieLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amie-fox-a3420333/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/consultingafox/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AFoxConsulting ABOUT MIKE COFFEY Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative (https://www.imperativeinfo.com/), a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening (https://pfcinformation.com/) brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association. Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast (https://goodmorninghr.com/), where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for all stakeholders. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year. Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council (https://texasshrm.org/), where he serves Texas' 30 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County (https://workforcesolutions.net/); the Texas Association of Business (https://txbiz.org/); and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce (https://www.fortworthchamber.com/), where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 29 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth. LEARNING OBJECTIVES • Define inclusive recruitment as a skills-first, barrier-removal process and apply a five-stage framework — advertising reach, accessible information, application design, interview structure, and onboarding — to identify gaps in an existing hiring process. • Explain why disability inclusion serves as a foundation for broader inclusive hiring, and describe how accommodati...

Paul currently serves as Chairman of Campbell Companies, a group of businesses supporting mining, energy development, construction, and technology operations across more than thirty facilities throughout the Western United States, employing over 1,300 associates and generating more than $1 billion in annual revenue. He also serves as Honorary Consul of Canada for Utah, representing the Canadian government in trade, foreign direct investment, and foreign affairs throughout the state. Paul has held numerous industry leadership roles, including the board of directors and National Chairman of Associated Equipment Distributors, a construction equipment dealer trade association serving the United States and Canada with more than 1,200 member companies. He previously served as President of Utah AED, on the Utah Board of Directors and executive committees of the Associated General Contractors, and on several other corporate and charitable boards and is an active investor/advisor in private equity and venture capital funds. Paul's career has centered on starting, acquiring, growing, and advising businesses, resulting in multiple successful exits. He co-founded and currently serves as CEO of Solutions Financial Services, which achieved 4x year-over-year revenue growth this year. Paul is also currently a faculty member at the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah. Paul is a graduate of the University of Utah, where he earned a degree in Business Law. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In episode 271, Coffey talks with Mallory Herrin about recent workplace news stories involving AI note-takers, executive accountability, sex discrimination, and performance feedback.–HRSOUTHWEST October 11-13, 2026 –Good Morning, HR listeners can use the promo code 2026-CoffeyGMHR-100 to save $100 on an HRSouthwest full conference registration at https://hrsouthwest.com! ____________________________________They discuss how an AI meeting transcript became evidence in a gender discrimination lawsuit; why vague termination explanations invite employees to assume discriminatory intent; the admissibility and reliability of AI-generated transcripts in litigation; the board ouster of Better.com CEO Vishal Garg after $1.5 billion in losses; why leader behavior and judgment are legitimate, quantifiable performance criteria; an Arkansas hospital's loss in a sex discrimination case brought by a male surgical tech barred from deliveries; why bona fide occupational qualification defenses rarely survive inconsistent application; how third-party referral sources pressure employers into unlawful employment decisions; survey data showing 43% of managers entered employee names, performance details, or PII into public AI tools; the difference between consumer AI accounts and enterprise agreements with zero data retention; why AI chat logs are discoverable in employment litigation; the need for written AI policies, training, and HR support; why subjective feedback like "executive presence" fails employees; and why continuous real-time coaching beats annual performance reviews.For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP271Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.About our Guest:Mallory Herrin is an experienced human resources consultant and industry recognized thought leader, serving as HerrinHR's CEO and Principal HR Consultant. She is a frequent speaker at HR conferences and the author of Intentional HR: A Revolution in Strategic Thinking.With over 20 years of HR experience, she holds certifications from both HRCI and SHRM. She is also the recipient of DallasHR's 2024 HR Executive of the Year Award - Small Company, and the 2025 Best Places to Work HR Impact award.Mallory is also the co-host of the fast-growing podcast 'Breakthrough with Mallory and Julie'.Mallory can be reached at: https://herrinhr.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/malloryherrin/About Mike Coffey:Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher.In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make better people decisions.Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, hundreds more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies.Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 30 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee.Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week.Mike and his very patient wife of 29 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.Learning Objectives:1. Evaluate the legal and evidentiary risks created by AI note-takers and meeting transcription tools in employment conversations.2. Distinguish between subjective personality-based feedback and objective, actionable performance criteria that hold up under scrutiny.3. Develop written AI use policies that protect confidential employee data and address the discoverability of chat records.

Lawyers are often involved in risk mitigation discussions or are the first line of communication when hospitals and health systems face adverse events. John Saran, Partner, Holland & Knight LLP, speaks with Toby Braun, Founder and Managing Partner, American Special Investigative Group, about why incident management is so important for hospitals and health systems. Citing real-world examples, they discuss the various cyber and physical security threats facing hospitals and health systems and how private investigations and effective planning can help providers. From AHLA's Business Law and Governance Practice Group.Watch this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEN9bEuVuj8Learn more about AHLA's Business Law and Governance Practice Group: https://www.americanhealthlaw.org/practice-groups/practice-groups/business-law-and-governance Essential Legal Updates, Now in AudioAHLA's popular Health Law Daily email newsletter is now a daily podcast, exclusively for AHLA Comprehensive members. Get all your health law news from the major media outlets on this podcast! To subscribe and add this private podcast feed to your podcast app, go to americanhealthlaw.org/dailypodcast.Stay At the Forefront of Health Legal EducationLearn more about AHLA and the educational resources available to the health law community at https://www.americanhealthlaw.org/. 

In episode 270, Coffey talks with Mollie Campbell about how domestic abuse silently impacts the workplace and employers' moral and business case for addressing it. – HRSOUTHWEST October 11-13, 2026 – Good Morning, HR listeners can use the promo code 2026-CoffeyGMHR-100 to save $100 on an HRSouthwest full conference registration at https://hrsouthwest.com! ____________________________________ They discuss the prevalence of domestic abuse and why survivors are skilled at hiding it; the broad definition of domestic abuse; the workplace impact of domestic abuse on productivity, absenteeism, engagement, and retention; behavioral and physical warning signs managers can watch for — without diagnosing — and how to have a compassionate, open-door conversation that offers resources without overstepping; the critical importance of individualized employee safety planning when a protective order is in place; the tension between training managers to recognize warning signs and avoiding hypervigilance or over-diagnosis; the eight components of the Safe Place Workplace Program; and resources for survivors, including the National Domestic Violence Hotline, domesticshelters.org , and the Employers Against Domestic Abuse Alliance website. For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP270   Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.   If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for three quarters of a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.   About our Guest:  Mollie Campbell is a professional speaker, corporate trainer, and the Founder and CEO of Employers Against Domestic Abuse Alliance (The Alliance), a nationwide nonprofit organization dedicated to helping employers create workplaces where survivors of domestic abuse feel safe, seen, and supported. With more than 30 years of HR leadership experience spanning industries from healthcare to financial services, Mollie brings a rare combination of professional credibility and deeply personal insight to thetopic of domestic abuse in the workplace. As a survivor herself, she understands firsthand that the workplace can either be a lifeline for someone in crisis or a silent, complicit bystander.   Through The Alliance's signature Safe Place Workplace Program, Mollie partners with employers to implement meaningful policy, train managers and HR professionals, and establish referral systems that connect employees with life-saving resources. Her work bridges the gap between HR policy and human compassion, making the business case for employer engagement while never losing sight of the individual lives at stake. Mollie was a speaker at the SHRM Annual Conference & Expo (Orlando, June 2026), the Oklahoma SHRM Annual State Conference (Tulsa, April 2026), and will be a speaker at the Southwest HR Conference (Fort Worth, October 2026), and the Arkansas SHRM HR Conference & Expo (Hot Springs, October 2026).  She has also presented for a variety of professional associations, nonprofit organizations, and corporate audiences across the region. Her message is direct: domestic abuse costs U.S. employers $8.3 billion annually, and most affected employees never speak up because no one told them it was safe to. Mollie is on a mission to change that, one workplace at a time. Mollie Campbell can be reached at: https://www.eadaa.org     https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollie-campbell-1survivor/  About Mike Coffey:  Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 30 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 29 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.   Learning Objectives:  Define domestic abuse broadly — beyond physical violence — to include coercive control, emotional abuse, stalking, and financial manipulation, and explain why survivors often do not self-identify as victims. Identify the behavioral and performance warning signs that may indicate an employee is experiencing domestic abuse and describe how to initiate a compassionate, resource-focused conversation without overstepping appropriate boundaries. Outline the eight components of a Safe Place Workplace Program and identify at least three immediate steps an organization could take to begin creating a safer environment for survivors. 

2026 Chico Attendees SeriesPhotographer Katerina Kouzmitcheva joins Michael Chovan-Dalton from the 2026 Chico Review to talk about her work, Butter Melts at 36.6°C, which weaves together political, social, and psychological ideas that create a portrait of her life and the lives of the people she encounters.https://katerinakouzmitcheva.comhttps://www.instagram.com/katerina_kouzmitcheva/Katerina Kouzmitcheva is a Polish photographer of Belarusian origin based in Wrocław, Poland. Working at the intersection of documentary and art photography, she explores how visible and invisible boundaries—geographical, ideological, and psychological—shape individual lives and collective attitudes. Her work focuses on migration, systems of control, memory, gender, and identity, while also turning inward—to vulnerability, femininity, and the emotional experience of loss—moving between the personal and the political.She holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Law, graduated from the Academy of Documentary and Art Photography “Fotografika” in St. Petersburg, and earned both her Master's and PhD degrees in Fine Arts from the Academy of Art and Design in Wrocław. She is currently continuing her studies at the Institute of Creative Photography in Opava, Czech Republic.She is a winner of international photography competitions including TIFA, BIFA, and the Urbanautica Institute Awards, and a recipient of the Gaude Polonia scholarship from the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. Katerina is a member of the international photojournalist collective Women Photograph. Her work has been exhibited in Arles, as well as in Brazil, Japan, Estonia, Hungary, and Poland. Her photography has been featured in publications including British Journal of Photography, Bird in Flight, Monovisions, and Dodho, among others.This podcast is sponsored by the Charcoal Book ClubBegin Building your dream photobook library today athttps://charcoalbookclub.comThe Chico Review is the country's premier Photobook Retreat. Organized by Charcoal Book Club, The Chico Review takes place over six nights at Chico Hot Springs Resort, near Livingston Montana. Applicants will spend the week with over twenty of the most influential and creative photographers, book makers, gallerists, museum curators, and photobook publishers in the industry.https://chicoreview.comhttps://www.charcoalworkshops.com

In episode 269, Coffey talks with Clint Pulver about what 11,000 undercover employee interviews revealed about why people stay, why they leave, and what separates managers who are merely tolerated from the ones employees call mentors. –  HRSOUTHWEST  October 11-13, 2026 –  Good Morning, HR listeners can use the promo code 2026-CoffeyGMHR-100 to save $100 on an HRSouthwest full conference registration at https://hrsouthwest.com! ____________________________________ They discuss the gap between how leaders perceive their own organizations and the reality employees experience — and why employees rarely tell their boss the truth; the four manager archetypes — the removed manager, the buddy manager, the controller, and the mentor — mapped against the twin variables of standards and connection; mentorship over management as the consistent differentiator in organizations where people thrive and stay; the five Cs of mentorship — confidence, credibility, competency, candor, and care — and how each can be developed, not just inherited; why there is no universal retention formula and why getting to "the part about the individual" outperforms any generational strategy or workplace perk; the currency of recognition and why personalized, moment-based acknowledgment drives engagement far more than standardized rewards; the status check as a practical alternative to performance reviews — three questions that open a real conversation about what an employee needs, what's blocking their success, and what would keep them; why leaders who say they don't have time to connect are simply choosing other priorities, and what it costs them; and the difference between collaboration and control in difficult conversations, including how candor and trust work together when a manager can't give an employee what they're asking for. About our Guest:  Clint Pulver is an Emmy Award winner, Hall of Fame Speaker, Pro Drummer and one of the world's leading voices on employee retention and organizational culture. He's the bestselling author of the book titled I Love It Here: How Great Leaders Create Organizations Their People Never Want to Leave and was named one of Business Q Magazine's Top 40 Under 40 for his groundbreaking research as the Undercover Millennial. As founder and president of The Center for Employee Retention, he has helped organizations like the NBA, Microsoft, Red Bull, and NASA create engaged, loyal, and thriving workplaces. He's also appeared on America's Got Talent, acted in feature films alongside stars like Jack Black and Jon Heder, is an avid helicopter pilot, and—fun fact—is a proud member of the R2D2 Builders Club. He is also the president and founder of Dream Machines, a foundation that gives children with disabilities the gift and magic of flight. Clint strongly believes that a single moment in time can change a person's life. He has traveled the world speaking to a wide spectrum of diverse audiences, challenging them to dream, excel, connect, and believe--both in themselves and in the power of others. His mantra? “It's not about being the best in the world…it's about being the best FOR the world.” Clint Pulvert can be reached at:   Your Website:  | https://clintpulver.com/ LinkedIn:  | https://www.linkedin.com/in/clintpulver/ Instagram:  | https://www.instagram.com/clintpulver YouTube:  | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpWB8oLO5HOjstE9gmL9Qxg  About Mike Coffey:  Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for all stakeholders. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 30 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 29 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.  Learning Objectives:  Identify the four manager archetypes defined by the intersection of standards and connection, and explain the employee outcomes each one produces. Apply the five Cs of mentorship — confidence, credibility, competency, candor, and care — to assess and develop leadership capability in their own organization. Conduct a status check conversation using the three core questions that surface what employees need, what's blocking them, and what would keep them — and distinguish this approach from a traditional performance review or one-on-one. 

In this episode of Law Talk with the Flock, Jeana Goosmann, CEO, Founding and Practicing Attorney, and Chris Chochon, Associate, explore how eligible business owners and investors may exclude up to 100% of the capital gains from the sale of qualified small business stock.Learn how Internal Revenue Code Section 1202 and the Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) exclusion can serve as a powerful tax-planning tool for founders, early investors, and their advisors. Jeana and Chris discuss key eligibility requirements, common pitfalls that can jeopardize the exclusion, practical planning strategies, and a real-world example demonstrating how a $300,000 investment could generate more than $500,000 in federal tax savings.Whether you are a business founder, startup investor, venture capitalist, or tax professional, this episode offers valuable insights for planning a potentially tax-free business exit in 2026 and beyond.Visit our Website Follow Us on LinkedInSubscribe to our NewsletterRead Jeana's Book: Worth It

In episode 268, Coffey talks with Jeff Lay about what it means to build a conflict-capable organization, why artificial harmony is more dangerous than open disagreement, and how leaders can develop the skills and culture needed to handle difficult conversations before they become expensive problems. –  HRSOUTHWEST  October 11-13, 2026 –  Good Morning, HR listeners can use the promo code 2026-CoffeyGMHR-100 to save $100 on an HRSouthwest full conference registration at https://hrsouthwest.com! ________________ They discuss the concept of a conflict-capable organization as an alternative to the unrealistic goal of conflict elimination; the conflict incubator — how childhood environments and previous workplaces shape an individual's default conflict behaviors; artificial harmony versus genuine trust, and why silence in a meeting rarely signals agreement; the financial cost of unresolved conflict, including disengagement losses that don't show up on a P&L but function like money thrown in a fire; becoming fluent in the language of small things — addressing friction early before emotions escalate into "you always" and "you never" conversations; how a leader's response to the first person who raises conflict determines whether anyone ever raises it again; the challenge of coaching up when the conflict source is the leader themselves, and how HR can build the relational runway to do it; social media, generational change, remote work, and AI as compounding forces making productive conflict harder to navigate; emotional intelligence, humility, and curiosity as foundational leadership skills for conflict resolution; and the CURVE framework — cared for, understood, respected, valued, and empowered — as a diagnostic for organizational health.  For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP268  Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.   If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.   About our Guest:  Jeff Lay is the Founder of The People Curve, a leadership and conflict resolution consulting practice focused on helping leaders and organizations navigate difficult conversations, strengthen workplace relationships, and build healthier cultures.  With more than 25 years of leadership experience spanning nonprofit, ministry, and organizational leadership, Jeff has coached leaders through employee relations challenges, team conflict, organizational change, and workplace investigations.  Jeff believes conflict is not something to avoid but a skill to develop. His work centers on helping organizations become conflict-capable—creating cultures where difficult conversations can be addressed with clarity, respect, and accountability.  Jeff is a SHRM-SCP and frequent speaker for leadership teams, HR professionals, churches, and nonprofit organizations. He lives in East Texas with his wife and family and enjoys camping, reading, and cheering on the Dallas Cowboys Texas A&M football.  Jeff Lay can be reached at:  Website:  |  www.thepeoplecurve.com  LinkedIn:  | https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-lay-shrm-scp-09987a10   About Mike Coffey:  Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 29 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.  Learning Objectives: Distinguish between artificial harmony and genuine organizational trust, and identify the leadership behaviors that create each. Apply the "language of small things" approach to surface and address interpersonal friction before it escalates into formal conflict requiring HR or legal intervention. Assess the financial and cultural cost of unresolved workplace conflict and use that framing to make the business case for investing in manager training and conflict-capable culture. 

Where do things with LSU's roster-building and attempts to add former NFL players? What's likely to happen with the courts? We break it all down with John Holden, an Associate Professor of Business Law and Ethics at Indiana University and an expert in sports policy.

In episode 267, Coffey talks with Catherine Clifton about AI-generated employee grievances, another lawsuit arising from a DEI training program, a Walgreens race and age discrimination case, and a Reddit scenario involving FMLA leave and workplace gossip. They discuss the rise of AI-generated employee grievances citing nonexistent laws and containing factual errors, and how employers should respond to them the same way they'd respond to any poorly written complaint; AI use by medical providers in ADA accommodation responses — including providers drawing conclusions that are legally the employer's to make; the danger of employees using AI to build one-sided cases that start with a conclusion rather than an objective analysis of facts; an EEOC lawsuit against Washington University in St. Louis arising from a DEI training that racially segregated participants over an employee's explicit objection, followed by elimination of her position after she filed an EEOC charge; the structural problems with demographic-based separation in DEI programming and the assumption that shared identity equals shared experience; the Walgreens case and the legal standard for comparators in race and age discrimination claims — including similar job, same decision-maker, comparable conduct, and disparate treatment; how summary judgment works and why consistent policy enforcement across all employees is the strongest defense against comparator arguments; the risk of employees not knowing what disciplinary action others have received, and how that gap fuels gossip and unfounded discrimination claims; and a Reddit scenario involving a coworker complaining about an FMLA-protected employee, a supervisor who deflects with "HR is aware," and how HR should respond to protect privacy while addressing cultural warning signs. For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP267  Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.   If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.   About our Guest:  Catherine has more than 20 years of experience specializing in employment law in Texas. She worked with multiple local governmental entities as an employment law attorney and also served as a legal advisor for public safety.  She spent several years as an administrative services director, where she was responsible for Human Resources, Risk Management, and Payroll. She has advised clients on recruitment, selection, discipline, wage and hour, policies, and grievance matters, including federal and state laws related to labor and employment.   Catherine also has experience with general municipal law, utility matters, public information, open meetings, and general governance matters.   Catherine is a graduate of Southwestern University, obtained her JD from Texas Tech University. She is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR). She joined Ross | Gannaway | Clifton, PLLC in 2022.  Catherine can be reached at:  https://www.gannawayclifton.law/  https://www.linkedin.com/company/rossgannawayclifton/   About Mike Coffey:  Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for all stakeholders. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 30 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 29 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.  Learning Objectives:  Apply a consistent, policy-grounded response protocol to AI-generated employee grievances — including clarifying conversations, documentation, and using complaints as opportunities to identify real underlying issues. Identify the legal elements of a valid comparator in a discrimination claim and explain why consistent enforcement of discipline across all employees is the most effective defense.  Recognize the supervisor behaviors that signal cultural and legal risk — including deflecting accountability to HR and failing to redirect inappropriate peer complaints — and describe how HR can address them. 

Hello to you listening wherever your feet touch the ground! Coming to you from Whidbey Island, Washington this is Stories From Women Who Walk with Wednesdays on Whidbey and your host, Diane Wyzga. Earlier this month I announced the retirement of my 60 Seconds format after 5½ years and Motivate Your Monday episodes after 6½ years. However, my long-running global podcast, Stories From Women Who Walk, is alive and well and evolving for you, my truly global audience. I launched my podcast, Stories From Women Who Walk in April 2020 as a platform for conversations with women who were walking their lives until their lives were flipped upside down by something unexpected, how they met the challenges, and changed to become stronger, even more confident women. I loved every single moment listening stories out of my guests! But then COVID flipped our lives upside down, too. We were no longer commuting to work over long distances or in cars. Who would have the time to listen to a 30 or 45-minute conversation? What to do? Pivot to 60 Seconds. No one was offering this format. Turned out that I was really good at distilling topics, ideas and stories into soundbytes to inform, illuminate, delight, motivate, and comfort my listeners. Today Stories From Women Who Walk has logged over 1,340 episodes and maintains a robust platform wherever you get your podcasts, especially Apple Podcasts and including Pandora Radio. It's been a great run so far! That's what 6½ years of dedicated listening and support has produced. Thank you! I'm here because you're there and I will continue. I promise you this: the voice you have come to know and trust along with the stories, insights, questions and prompts that speak to each of us as if to say, “What! You, too? I thought I was the only one.” [C.S.Lewis]. I plan to channel my creative efforts into producing two weekly “Diane on Mic” short-form episodes—maybe 4 minutes or so of spoken word—for Wednesdays on Whidbey and Story Prompt Friday, with familiar themes, a deeper and more intimate relationship with you, and a focus on helping women navigate their midlife pilgrimage. Why pilgrimage? As those of you who have followed me know, I have talked about this so often: my life shows up as BC and AC—Before Camino and After Camino. Over the years I've learned that the 500 miles of walking across Spain was the destination. I know what it takes to walk the long and winding road to letting our lives speak. As Quarter Moon Story Arts I bring decades of experience as a skillful storyteller in healthcare, business and law. It's time to sharpen my creative focus and work with women of Middle-Earth-Age who are navigating their midlife pilgrimage story. CTA: Let's continue making the very most of the time we have together, uncovering, discovering, shaping and sharing our stories. Please let me know what you think. If there is something you're curious about, something you'd like to hear as my podcast transforms, please email me and let me know: info@quartermoonstoryarts.net or (better yet) subscribe to Quarter Moon Story Arts on Substack. Comments Create Community. We are in this together for the long haul. And thank you for continuing to listen from wherever your feet touch the ground! YOU'RE INVITED: “Come for the stories - stay for the magic!” Speaking of magic, subscribe & spread this episode with a generous 5-star review & comment—it helps us all—& join us next time! STOP BY my Quarter Moon Story Arts website during reconstruction. EMAIL ME ----> info@quartermoonstoryarts.net to arrange a no-obligation Discovery Call STAY CURRENT with me as Quarter Moon Story Arts on Substack. Stories From Women Who Walk Production Team Podcaster: Diane F Wyzga & Quarter Moon Story Arts Music: Entering Erdenheim by Steve Schuch & Night Heron Music ALL content and image © 2019 to Present Quarter Moon Story Arts. All rights reserved. Enjoy my work? Share & attribute it to Diane Wyzga of Stories From Women Who Walk podcast with a link back to the original source.

In episode 266, Coffey talks with Brandon Sammut about how Zapier built its AI transformation from the inside out — and what HR leaders can learn from a fully remote, AI-native company that decided people and AI strategy belong in the same hands.  They discuss the evolution of the Chief People Officer role into a Chief People and AI Transformation Officer and why HR is uniquely positioned to lead organizational transformation; AI transformation as one instance of organizational transformation, and why culture health and clarity of mission matter more than tool selection; Zapier's March 2023 "AI code red" as a high-contrast leadership communication strategy that didn't wait for perfect clarity before naming urgency; the importance of keeping accountability for business outcomes where it belongs while using a cross-functional Center of Excellence to provide enablement and remove friction; individual contributor identity and energy management challenges when AI eliminates tasks that provided meaning or cognitive reprieve; Zapier's customer support transformation — 50% faster resolution, higher satisfaction scores, 30-point employee engagement gains, and two entirely new types of work created from recovered human time; why AI-inflated application volume and homogenized resumes are making recruiting harder even as AI automates more of the process; Zapier's reference-heavy hiring model, which targets 50% of candidate signal from references including back-channel outreach, to counter AI-generated application fraud; the AI Fluency Framework — four competencies including strategy, growth mindset, builder skills, and accountability — used for both hiring and internal development; and why cross-person coordination is declining as individuals become more empowered, while human skills like psychological safety, feedback, and clarity become more important, not less.  More information about Zapier's AI fluency framework is available at: https://zapier.com/blog/raising-ai-fluency-bar-in-hiring/  For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP266  Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.   If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.   About our Guest:  brandon is the Chief People & AI Transformation Officer at Zapier—an AI orchestration platform powered by a fully-remote team across 40+ countries. Brandon specializes in building high-performing teams through talent and technology. He brings a diverse background spanning business development, finance, talent acquisition, talent development, education, and venture capital. Brandon Sammut is the Chief People & AI Transformation Officer at Zapier—an AI orchestration platform powered by a fully-remote team across 40+ countries. Brandon specializes in building high-performing teams through talent and technology. He brings a diverse background spanning business development, finance, talent acquisition, talent development, education, and venture capital.  Brandon can be reached at   LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-sammut-8147b76/  Website https://zapier.com/blog/author/brandon-sammut/   About Mike Coffey:  Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 29 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.   Learning Objectives:Explain why organizational culture health and mission clarity are more predictive of AI transformation success than tool selection or governance framework design. Apply the lesson of Zapier's customer support transformation to identify how recovered human time from AI automation can be reinvested in higher-value work rather than defaulting to headcount reduction. Evaluate the four competencies of Zapier's AI Fluency Framework — strategy, growth mindset, builder skills, and accountability — and assess how each applies to building an AI-ready workforce. 

In episode 265, Coffey talks with John Singleton about HR's long-standing identity crisis, the strategic skills the profession must develop to stay relevant, and how AI is reshaping both the work of HR and the way work itself gets done.  They discuss HR's decades-long reputation as a bureaucratic gatekeeper — from the 1996 Fortune critique through the 2025 revisit of "Why We Hate HR" — and what it means to function instead as a strategic confidant and ethical agent; the DEI whiplash as a case study in HR failing to provide compliant, data-grounded counsel when it mattered most; using PESTEL and SWOT analysis to advise on business expansion decisions including workforce availability and market fit; financial literacy as a critical and underdeveloped skill for HR professionals, including reading P&L statements and linking people decisions to EBITDA; the dangers of AI-powered auto-application tools flooding recruiting pipelines with unvetted, uninterested candidates; why AI should not replace human judgment in interviewing, candidate evaluation, and culture-fit assessment; the growing requirement for HR practitioners to understand AI governance, prompt literacy, output verification, and state-level AI employment legislation; the individual responsibility of HR professionals to own their own continuous learning when employers won't fund it; HR's emerging role as architect of human-AI workflow integration in partnership with IT and operations; and HR's internal identity crisis as the profession's biggest obstacle to earning the strategic credibility it seeks.  For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP265  Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.   If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.   About our Guest:  John Singleton, SHRM-CP, is a fractional HR partner based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, working 1-on-1 with Texas founders, business owners, and leadership teams on the people side of building and scaling. With 16+ years of HR leadership experience — including senior roles at Tata Consultancy Services, Coforge, and Mastek — John brings pattern recognition, strategic judgment, and a trusted vendor network to every engagement. His approach goes beyond handbooks and compliance. He serves as a confidante and strategic sounding board for the harder conversations founders face — the ones that don't fit neatly into an HR playbook. Whether it's navigating the compliance cliff at 50 employees, coaching a leadership team through a difficult hire, or being the calm voice on the phone when something unexpected lands, John's role is to be the person in the room when it matters most. Based in Waxahachie, TX, John founded Quick HR Solutions to give small and mid-sized Texas businesses access to senior-level HR partnership without the cost of a full-time hire.  John Singleton can be reached at   Your Website: www.quickhrtx.com  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnsingleton720   About Mike Coffey:  Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 29 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.  Learning Objectives: Distinguish between HR as compliance gatekeeper and HR as strategic business partner, and identify the advisory behaviors — including data-driven counsel, financial fluency, and risk-option framing — that define the latter. Evaluate the compliance and reputational risks of AI-assisted recruiting tools, including auto-application platforms and resume-scanning systems, and articulate the human judgment elements those tools cannot replicate. Identify the technical, financial, and interpersonal skill sets HR practitioners must proactively develop to remain relevant as AI eliminates transactional HR work and expands the profession's strategic scope. 

In episode 264, Coffey talks with Timothy State about the science of workforce wellbeing, why middle managers are the most at-risk population right now, and how AI-powered life quality companions are transforming the way organizations understand and support thriving at scale.  They discuss the five core dimensions of human wellbeing — physical and mental health, relationships, security, and meaning and purpose — and why employer influence on all of them is both a business and social responsibility; EAP underutilization and the limits of traditional point-solution approaches to employee wellness investment; the predictive power of the question "does my leader care about my wellbeing?" on retention and workforce outcomes; team-level wellbeing contagion and how one individual's improvement reliably lifts the whole team over time; middle managers as the most burned-out and at-risk population in today's workforce; the perverse hiring incentives created when leaders are held accountable for individual wellbeing outcomes rather than demonstrated care behaviors; the difference between using AI to extract efficiency from existing work versus using AI to elevate the human system itself and generate human-centered value; cognitive overload as an unintended consequence of AI-driven task elimination, including the loss of low-complexity recovery work; Altius's AI life quality companion "Alti" — its nine wellbeing dimensions, 750-plus KPIs, perpetual memory, and 96% user satisfaction rate across 26 countries; and the radical privacy architecture required for employer-sponsored AI wellbeing tools to earn employee trust and avoid discriminatory misuse of health data.  For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP264  Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.   If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.   About our Guest:  Timothy State is a people strategist, business leader, and human wellbeing innovator with 25 years' experience leading large-scale workforce transformation. He led Humana to global recognition for improving workforce well-being.  Tim is an active advisor to Harvard Human Flourishing / SHINE, a founding member of Center for Positive Organization, chaired the Wellbeing and Workforce Strategy Institute and several other leading bodies.  In 2025, Tim founded Altius, an AI-native human optimization company helping businesses and healthcare systems thrive via regenerative AI technologies and advanced human advising. He institutionalizes human well-being through data, social infrastructure, and leadership transformation.  Tim can be reached at:  Your website: https://www.altiusco.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/altiuswellbeing/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/altiuswellbeing/  Twitter/X: https://x.com/AltiusWellbeing    About Mike Coffey:  Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 29 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.  Learning Objectives:  Identify the five dimensions of employee wellbeing and explain how each one is influenced by organizational culture, leadership behavior, and employer-provided resources. Distinguish between holding leaders accountable for demonstrating care versus for employees' actual wellbeing outcomes, and describe why that distinction protects against perverse hiring incentives. Evaluate the design principles — human-centered AI, radical data privacy, proactive personalization, and clinical grounding — that determine whether an AI wellbeing tool will drive adoption or be ignored like traditional EAPs.  

A thriving practice can unravel overnight when everything depends on one person. In this episode, partner Jay Reyero shares the story of a successful cosmetic surgeon who built a thriving aesthetics practice alongside her husband, who managed the business side. When she unexpectedly passed away, he was left trying to hold the practice together while facing strict ownership laws, no physician coverage, and no succession strategy. Tune in to learn how quickly things can fall apart without a plan, and how the right legal structure and safeguards can help maintain continuity and protect your practice's long-term success.Chapters00:00 Intro00:45 Banter07:21 Story18:41 Access+19:19 Legal Takeaways29:00 OutroWatch full episodes of our podcast on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@byrdadattoStay connected for the latest business and health care legal updates:WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedIn

Faculty create large quantities of content, but aren't always aware of their intellectual property rights, or lack thereof. In this episode, Kent Kauffman joins us to discuss legal issues associated with copyright law. Kent is a Professor of Business Law and MBA Programs Faculty Liaison in the Doermer School of Business at Purdue University Fort Wayne. He is also the author of Navigating Choppy Waters: Key Legal Issues College Faculty Need to Know. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

 In episode 263, Coffey talks with Jimmy Taylor about the state of return-to-office, AI's real impact on workforce participation and HR practice, and why proactive networking and skills-based hiring matter more than ever.  They discuss CBRE data showing peak office utilization reaching 80% and the factors driving successful return-to-office adoption; the hidden financial costs employees bear when returning to the office and how employers should account for that in compensation and goodwill; why early-career professionals stand to benefit most from in-person work through mentorship, visibility, and relationship-building; June jobs report softness, a 50-year-low labor participation rate, and competing explanations from immigration enforcement changes and AI displacement; AI as a net job creator over time, drawing parallels to fears about the internet eliminating insurance agents, real estate agents, and recruiters in the 1990s; the organizational opportunity and challenge of assessing AI skill gaps and reskilling loyal existing employees rather than replacing them with outside talent; Gen Z's surprising gaps in desktop computing and interpersonal skills despite their reputation for tech fluency; the case for replacing traditional resumes with tailored application processes and front-end skills assessments to filter out AI-generated candidate slop; professional association involvement as a proactive career resilience and network-building strategy before a job loss forces it; and Dallas HR's hands-on AI skills day designed to move HR professionals from AI curiosity to practical daily application.  For listeners of Good Morning HR podcast, use 2026-CoffeyGMHR-100 promo code and take $100 off a HRSouthwest full conference registration at https://hrsouthwest.com.   For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP263  Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.   If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.   About our Guest:  Jimmy Taylor brings more than 20 years of business and HR leadership to DallasHR and the HR Southwest Conference. As Executive Director, Jimmy is responsible for leading strategic initiatives and overseeing the operations of the organization in the mission to advance and connect the regional HR community.  Jimmy Taylor can be reached at   Website: https://www.dallashr.org/  Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmy-taylor-sphr-25b230/   About Mike Coffey:  Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for all stakeholders. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 30 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 29 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.  Learning Objectives: Evaluate the real costs — financial, cultural, and competitive — that employees and employers each absorb when transitioning back to in-person or hybrid work arrangements. Assess an organization's current AI skill gaps and identify practical reskilling strategies that retain institutional knowledge while closing the gap with external market demands. Redesign the candidate screening process to replace resume-based review with structured application workflows and skills assessments that resist AI-generated submissions and reduce bias. 

In episode 262, Coffey talks with Randy Anderson about the critical differentiators for human performers in an AI-driven workplace.  They discuss AI's inevitability and its impact on task elimination versus full job replacement; the enduring human advantage in relational and interpersonal transactions that AI cannot replicate; emotional intelligence as a two-sided competency — reading others and maintaining self-awareness; nonverbal communication, microexpressions, and the limits of virtual interaction for building culture; the case for renaming "soft skills" as core skills or power skills given their foundational value; generational deficits in interpersonal development worsened by COVID, remote learning, and screen-based communication; how employers can purposefully structure learning tracks, mentoring, and stretch assignments to develop core skills alongside technical ones; top employer-identified skill gaps from a Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce talent survey — emotional intelligence, leadership, global mindset, and adaptability; AI-generated cover letters undermining candidate credibility, including a case where AI reproduced a hiring manager's own quotes; and time-windowed team skill development as a practical organizational strategy for building interpersonal competency at scale.  For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP262  Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.   If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.   About our Guest:  Randy Anderson is a self-declared mercenary in the war on employee disengagement and lost productivity. He spent 20 years in sales and management before founding E3 Professional Trainers in 2005.  Throughout his career, he has had the opportunity to work with virtually every type and size of business in almost every industry.Now, through keynote presentations, customized training, and personal coaching, he delivers strategies to help individuals, teams, and entire organizations become more engaged in their work, better equipped to do it, and to feel empowered to experience greater fulfillment in life, both personallyand professionally.  Randy Anderson can be reached at   Your Website: e3professionaltrainers.com  LinkedIn: Randy Anderson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/randyandersontrainer)  Facebook: E3 Professional Trainers (https://www.facebook.com/E3ProfessionalTrainers/)  Twitter/X: E3ProfTrainers (https://twitter.com/e3proftrainers)  YouTube: E3 Professional Trainers (https://www.youtube.com/user/e3protrainers)  About Mike Coffey:  Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 29 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.   Learning Objectives:Distinguish between the tasks AI will replace and the human relational capabilities that will remain differentiators for high performers. Define emotional intelligence as a dual competency — accurately reading others and maintaining self-awareness — and explain why both sides matter in workplace interactions. Design intentional learning tracks, mentoring programs, and structured assignments to develop core interpersonal skills in employees who lack natural exposure or prior coaching.  

In this episode, hosts Brad and Michael share the story of two highly respected plastic surgeons facing the same challenge: an unhappy patient demanding a refund after a procedure. While both doctors delivered strong clinical outcomes, their different responses led to very different results. Tune in to learn why your response strategy can influence legal risk, reputation, and the overall impact on your practice. Discover how to evaluate patient disputes, when resolving a complaint may be the better decision, and how a proactive approach can help protect your practice from exposure.  Chapters00:00 Intro00:38 Banter04:54 Story15:37 Access+16:16 Legal Takeaways29:54 OutroWatch full episodes of our podcast on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@byrdadatto  Stay connected for the latest business and health care legal updates:Website FacebookInstagramLinkedIn

This week, we are sitting at 2BD HQ for the final time as a neighbor to Stewart's Shops. We unpack the unexpected announcement that our beloved next-door convenience store is leaving and brainstorm what the next chapter of this building could look like with us as the solo tenants (for now). We also discuss our peaks and pits, from Jack's full-circle experience at SPAC to an all-time embarrassing moment I had at the track. EPISODE NOTES: Jack ghosted me over the weekend (0:30) This is what happens when you raw dog The Odyssey (4:20) Nobody Asked Me, But... (13:55) The million dollar merch idea I turned down (16:40) Stewart's has left the building (29:09) Brainstorming our next business to place in the vacant space (38:42) Peaks and Pits presented by WellNow Urgent Care (58:08) Reminiscing on BTS weather and core school memories (59:07) Chuck Schumer's little toot (1:31:11) This episode is brought to you by Tully Rinckey PLLC, a full-service law firm serving individuals and businesses in the Capital Region for over 20 years. Their attorneys are ready to protect your rights and guide you through legal matters related to Family & Matrimonial Law, Employment Law, Criminal Law, Litigation, Education Law, Business Law and Trusts & Estates. For experienced legal support from a firm that proudly gives back to its community, learn more at tullylegal.com or follow on social media @tullylegal.

For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP261  In episode 261, Coffey talks with Bernadette Jones about how leaders can identify, triage, and resolve workplace issues before they escalate into legal and cultural crises.  They discuss leader avoidance of difficult conversations and its organizational consequences; distinguishing between people problems, process problems, and leadership problems; using a triage framework to assess urgency and risk in workplace issues; the TRIAGE acronym as a structured people problem resolution framework; the role of documentation in at-will terminations and discrimination defense; when to bring in third-party HR consultants or employment counsel; the cost and cultural damage of nuisance lawsuits and settlement checks; transparent post-incident communication strategies that protect employee privacy; the connection between ongoing feedback practices and employee trust; and workplace trauma, post-COVID mental health, and psychological safety as cultural imperatives.  Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.   If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.   About our Guest:  Bernadette Jones is Co-Founder of Visionova HR Consulting, where she helps organizations lead at the intersection of compliance and culture. With more than two decades of experience in HR leadership, coaching, and consulting, she supports nonprofits, small businesses, and mission-driven teams in navigating difficult conversations, employee-relations challenges, leadership communication breakdowns, and workplace culture transformation.   A national speaker, Bernadette has presented for SHRM, Nonprofit HR, Northern California SHRM, and other conferences across the country. She serves on the Northern California SHRM Professional Development and Conference Committee and chairs the NorCal SHRM DEIB Committee, where she helps shape content and conversations for HR leaders regionally and beyond. Bernadette has presented at SHRM conferences and nonprofit leadership events on topics including workplace respect, harassment prevention, inclusive leadership, and culture-first HR strategy.   She is especially valued for helping leaders move beyond policy-only thinking and toward practical, respectful leadership that works in the real world. With her 20 years of experience, Bernadette has worked with executives, HR leaders, and managers who are navigating toxic employees, scary complaints, high-stakes terminations, and burned-out teams often without a full HR department behind them. She is known for her calm, candid style and her ability to translate complex HR and employment-law concepts into plain language leaders can act on right away.  Bernadette Jones can be reached at:  Email: bjones@visionovahr.com  Website: https://visionovahr.activehosted.com/f/55 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernadettejones-visionovahr/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VisionovaHR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bernadettejoneshr/?hl=en#   About Mike Coffey:  Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 29 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.  Learning Objectives: Apply the People Problem Triage framework to distinguish between people, process, and leadership problems before escalating to formal action.  Assess the compliance and legal risk level of a workplace issue in order to determine appropriate urgency and next steps.  Recognize how undocumented role changes, unclear responsibilities, and deferred feedback create conditions for employee conflict and litigation exposure 

Welcome back #everyone to Courageous Leadership with Virginia Prodan #Podcast.    Today - Hannah Puder - is our guest - a media professional with over a decade of experience in the film industry. As a producer, she has worked on feature documentaries and numerous short-form documentaries, while also producing commercials in the DMV area for the past eight years. Hannah holds a Bachelor's degree in Film and Communications and a Master's degree in Business Law from Regent University.           I am Virginia Prodan— #international #humanrights #attorney, #keynote #speaker, #author of #savingmyassassin , and survivor of socialist Romania. I know firsthand the price of freedom, the power of faith, and the courage it takes to stand for truth in the face of opposition. On this channel, you'll find weekly episodes that inspire and equip you to: - Strengthen your #Christian #faith and live with bold #courage - Defend #freedom and #values in an increasingly hostile culture - Learn powerful lessons from history - Discover your God-given purpose and calling - Lead with conviction at home, in the church, and in society             Whether you're searching for encouragement, answers to cultural challenges, or practical steps to live boldly in your faith, this channel will equip you to stand strong. Stay Connected with Virginia Prodan

In episode 260 Coffey talks with Gerald Maatman Jr. about reducing employment litigation risk in an increasingly complex legal environment.  They discuss the realities and limitations of at-will employment in modern workplaces; litigation avoidance strategies for business owners and HR leaders; how employers should evaluate settlement versus defense decisions; reverse discrimination and evolving protected class litigation trends; federal, state, and municipal employment law compliance challenges; managing multi-state employment law requirements and policy administration; workplace culture, employee trust, and internal complaint systems; the role of HR as advisor, coach, and organizational risk manager; wage and hour class action litigation and emerging workplace legal threats; artificial intelligence governance and employment-related legal exposure; workplace privacy, biometric data, and employee information security risks; equal pay litigation and compensation equity concerns; religious accommodation and changing EEOC enforcement priorities; frontline manager training and its impact on legal risk; remote work management challenges and post-pandemic workplace dynamics; practical documentation, communication, and employee relations best practices.  For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP260  Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.   If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.   About our Guest:  Gerald L. Maatman, Jr., is the Chair of Duane Morris LLP's Class Action Defense Team. With nearly four decades of experience practicing law, he has defended some of the most significant bet-the-company cases ever filed against corporate America. Mr. Maatman has represented companies, executive teams, and boards across the country in class action litigation, ranging in size from thousands to hundreds of thousands of claims by employees. In addition to his litigation work, Mr. Maatman helps clients anticipate large-scale risks before they escalate into litigation.  Gerald L. Maatman, Jr can be reached at   https://www.duanemorris.com/attorneys/geraldmaatman.html  https://www.linkedin.com/in/geraldmaatman/  https://x.com/g_maatman About Mike Coffey:  Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 29 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.  Learning Objectives: Understand how employment litigation develops and how organizations can reduce legal exposure. Evaluate HR policies and management practices that strengthen workplace compliance and employee trust. Implement practical approaches to documentation, manager training, and personnel decision-making that withstand legal scrutiny. 

Adding a business partner can feel like the obvious next step when your practice is growing, but what happens when growth creates challenges in how decisions get made? In this episode, hosts Brad and Michael share the story of a successful physician who brought on a second doctor to help scale the business, only to run into unexpected challenges due to unclear expectations and misalignment. Tune in to learn why adding a partner is more than a legal transaction, how setting clear expectations and decision-making guidelines can help prevent conflict, and what practice owners should consider before sharing ownership.  Chapters[00:00] Intro[00:38] Banter[05:18] Story[12:46] Access+[13:25] Legal Takeaways[30:19] OutroWatch full episodes of our podcast on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@byrdadatto  Stay connected for the latest business and health care legal updates:WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedIn    

In episode 259, Coffey talks with Meg Delp about workplace mental health, burnout prevention, and how employers can create psychologically safe cultures that support employee wellbeing and performance.  They discuss the growing awareness of workplace mental health and its impact on business outcomes; generational differences in expectations around employee wellbeing and psychological safety; caregiver stress and burnout among younger employees and the sandwich generation; mental health stigma and why employees hesitate to seek support at work; practical manager training strategies for handling mental health conversations appropriately; how frontline supervisors can support employees without becoming therapists; the role of psychological safety in employee engagement and retention; burnout warning signs including exhaustion, irritability, and declining performance; how leadership and HR can model healthy mental health conversations year-round; NAMI's Stigma Free Workplace Initiative and free “You Can Ask” mental health training resources; the importance of employee friendships and trust relationships at work; balancing compassion, performance management, and ADA accommodations in workplace conversations; and how proactive mental health support improves retention, engagement, and organizational culture.  For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP259  Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.   If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.   About our Guest:  Meg Delp, PsyD LMFT is the Director of Workplace Mental Health at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) where she leads the StigmaFree Workplace initiative. As an Organizational Psychologist and (retired) Marriage and Family Therapist, Meg brings both clinical and organizational expertise to her work, helping employees and leaders alike understand how to build company cultures that prioritize mental health, connection, and psychological safety. She's passionate about creating workplaces where people feel safe to show up as themselves and supported in caring about one another.  Meg Delp can be reached at: https://stigmafree.nami.org  https://www.linkedin.com/company/nami  https://www.facebook.com/NAMI  https://www.instagram.com/namicommunicate  https://x.com/NAMICommunicate  About Mike Coffey:  Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 30 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 29 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.   Learning Objectives: Identify early warning signs of employee burnout and workplace mental health challenges. Apply practical techniques for having supportive, work-focused mental health conversations. Develop workplace strategies that improve psychological safety and employee wellbeing. 

Every business owner reaches a moment when the next step is not so obvious. Hosts Brad and Michael kick off Season 24 with the lessons they learned from building their own firm. From the early days of moving fast and saying yes to every opportunity to navigating rapid growth, they reveal the challenges and turning points that shaped their journey. Learn how to avoid common pitfalls in your practice, build systems your team will actually follow, and make confident decisions when faced with the inevitable "what now?"  Chapters00:00 Intro01:11 Banter04:37 Story15:52 Access+16:34 Legal Takeaways29:26 OutroWatch full episodes of our podcast on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@byrdadatto  Stay connected for the latest business and health care legal updates:WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedIn

In episode 258, Coffey talks with Blair Doran about the “Great Flattening” of middle management, AI adoption in HR, and the thawing job market's impact on employee retention.  They discuss the Great Flattening and the causes of middle management cuts; the risk of losing institutional culture and coaching capacity when middle managers are eliminated; poor selection criteria for promoting individual contributors into management roles without leadership training; AI adoption shifting employee self-service away from managers and freeing them for strategic work; HR's evolving role in understanding business operations rather than acting purely as a compliance gatekeeper; state-level AI employment law developments in Colorado, Illinois, and New York amid federal disparate impact uncertainty; confidentiality and trade secret risks when employees use AI for brainstorming and content creation; a recent study comparing passive AI cut-and-paste use versus active AI collaboration on employee engagement and output quality; job security concerns and the thawing job market's effect on long-tenured employee retention; and proactive employee engagement strategies to prevent turnover before it becomes a retention crisis.  For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP258  Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.   If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.   About our Guest: Blair Doran is the founder of Good HR, a consulting firm that helps small and mid-sized businesses build practical, people-focused HR programs that support growth while staying compliant. With more than 15 years of HR experience, Blair partners with leadership teams across a variety of industries on everything from employee relations, compliance, benefits, compensation, and leave management to recruiting, manager development, and organizational strategy.What sets Blair apart is her ability to make HR approachable. She believes HR shouldn't just be about policies and paperwork—it should help businesses make better decisions, build stronger teams, and create workplaces where employees can do their best work.As a trusted advisor to business owners and executives, Blair is known for bringing a practical, real-world perspective to today's workplace challenges, helping organizations navigate everything from complex compliance issues to evolving workforce trends.When she's not supporting clients, Blair enjoys spending time with her husband, three children, and toy poodle, Teddy, on Maryland's Eastern Shore.Blair Doran can be reached at:https://goodhumanresource.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/blairdoranhttps://www.instagram.com/goodhrllc/About Mike Coffey:  Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 29 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.  Learning Objectives:  Evaluate the risks and tradeoffs of cutting middle management layers in response to AI adoption and cost pressures.  Identify the leadership and confidentiality safeguards organizations need when integrating AI into HR and business workflows.  Apply proactive retention strategies to re-engage employees before job market conditions accelerate voluntary turnover. 

This week, we spend the episode discussing a traumatic event I witnessed outside my home last week. We unpack the experience, the horrific series of events that unfolded, and the reaction to the story in the local news. Trigger Warning: This episode contains descriptions and discussions of a fatal motor vehicle accident. This episode is brought to you by Tully Rinckey PLLC, a full-service law firm serving individuals and businesses in the Capital Region for over 20 years. Their attorneys are ready to protect your rights and guide you through legal matters related to Family & Matrimonial Law, Employment Law, Criminal Law, Litigation, Education Law, Business Law and Trusts & Estates. For experienced legal support from a firm that proudly gives back to its community, learn more at tullylegal.com or follow on social media @tullylegal.

In episode 257, Coffey talks with Elizabeth Ledoux about talent considerations in business succession planning.  They discuss why most succession plans fail because leaders ignore employee emotions and organizational culture; how owners and successors can align around a shared vision for the future of the company; the importance of involving employees early in transition conversations to reduce fear and turnover risk; the concept of “Transition 3.0” and collaborative succession planning between owners and future leaders; how multi-year transition roadmaps improve leadership development and business continuity; balancing founder identity, emotional attachment, and letting go of operational control; strategies for transferring institutional knowledge and mentoring future owners over time; creating succession-focused company cultures that continuously develop future leaders; why delegation and role transition should become an ongoing organizational habit; and how HR and operations leaders can proactively support leadership continuity and organizational resilience.  For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP257  Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.   If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.   About our Guest:  Elizabeth Ledoux is the founder of The Transition Strategists and creator of the Transition 3.0 methodology. Over the past 30 years, she's helped hundreds of family and private business owners navigate succession, focusing on the relationship challenges that cause most transitions to fail.  Elizabeth started her career as a petroleum engineer before founding several businesses and moving into strategy consulting. She's a sought-after speaker on business succession and family business dynamics, host of the Business Transition Roadmap podcast, and co-author of three books, including the award-winning It's A Journey, The MUST-HAVE Roadmap to Successful Succession Planning. She's also part of Tiger 21, bringing her expertise to a network of high-net-worth entrepreneurs and investors.  Currently, Elizabeth is living what she teaches—navigating her own family's ranch transition with her brother while also planning the long-term transition of her own consulting firm. She leads a team of trained Guides who help business owners build the strategic foundation for transition, making sure the people side is solid before bringing in lawyers and accountants.  Her work helps families stay together and successors—whether family or non-family—step into their roles with clarity and support.  Elizabeth Ledoux can be reached at: https://transitionstrategists.com  https://www.linkedin.com/company/transitionstrategists  https://www.facebook.com/thetransitionstrategists  https://www.instagram.com/transtionstrategists  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfcH2Be31Mr1laOZ6KZXDNA    About Mike Coffey:  Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 29 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.  Learning Objectives:  Identify the human and cultural factors that commonly derail business succession plans. Develop long-term transition roadmaps that align owners, successors, and employees. Implement succession-focused leadership development practices that strengthen organizational continuity. 

You built a business worth millions. Now you are getting married. Do you know what your spouse is legally entitled to if it does not work out? Most founders have no idea.Chris Lunardini is a Partner at Spyros Davis LLC (Spydav Law), specializing in business law, family law, and estate planning.00:00:00 Introduction00:01:22 Scaling a law firm to 20 employees and finding the right hires00:05:27 Why responding after hours sets a precedent clients will expect forever00:08:40 The delegation revelation that changed everything00:16:09 Should a business owner get a prenup? Chris Lunardini says yes and explains why00:19:34 How to frame a prenup as a business decision and isolate just the business00:21:43 Why prenups fail in court: unsigned copies and last-minute timing00:24:25 Estate planning basics: wills vs trusts and why trusts give more control00:26:55 Bringing on an equity partner: trial periods, contracts, and exit terms00:33:05 The most valuable skill in any profession: simplifying complex things00:37:12 AI in law: courts sanctioning attorneys for AI-generated briefs with hallucinated citationsSubscribe to Founder Talk so you never miss an episode.

Dr. Dennis Power, retired professor of Business Law from SOU with the latest WHERE PAST MEETS PRESENT - today the story of the OLD WOOD HOUSE on Hwy 62 near Eagle Point. Plus a talk on the latest Supreme Court news yet to come.

Rachel Ludwig, Partner, DLA Piper, speaks with John Saran, Partner, Holland & Knight, Regan Parker, CEO, Association for Responsible Healthcare Investment, and Robbie Allen, CEO, U.S. Heart & Vascular, about the latest legal and regulatory developments related to corporate ownership of health care providers. They discuss the recent evolution of these laws and regulations at the state level, recurring trends, unintended consequences, and what the industry is doing to build trust and help shape the legal and regulatory landscape. From AHLA's Business Law and Governance Practice Group.Watch this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9LWJzUczjkLearn more about AHLA's Business Law and Governance Practice Group: https://www.americanhealthlaw.org/practice-groups/practice-groups/business-law-and-governance Essential Legal Updates, Now in AudioAHLA's popular Health Law Daily email newsletter is now a daily podcast, exclusively for AHLA Comprehensive members. Get all your health law news from the major media outlets on this podcast! To subscribe and add this private podcast feed to your podcast app, go to americanhealthlaw.org/dailypodcast.Stay At the Forefront of Health Legal EducationLearn more about AHLA and the educational resources available to the health law community at https://www.americanhealthlaw.org/. 

Attorney Todd Marquardt brings you insightful topics every Saturday morning, but he's not stopping there! Join Todd every Sunday afternoon at 4:30pm for a special bonus segment! He addresses unique topics in more detail with a professional perspective. www.TalkLawRadio.com So what are you waiting for? Discover your hidden legal blind spots by listening to all the impactful Talk Law content every weekend!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP252  In episode 256, Coffey talks with Leslie Speas about developing high-retention managers who improve employee engagement, accountability, trust, and workplace culture through intentional leadership habits.  They discuss promoting high-performing employees into leadership roles without proper management training; emotional intelligence and self-awareness as foundational leadership competencies; connecting employees to organizational purpose and mission-driven work; building workplace trust through consistency, humility, and integrity; coaching employees through questions instead of problem-solving; accountability systems that improve performance and retention; effective communication strategies for managers and team leaders; employee recognition and appreciation practices that reinforce company values; empathy and flexibility in supporting employee wellbeing and mental health; leadership development frameworks that strengthen organizational culture and productivity; practical feedback models including the BEAN and BET communication methods; performance management processes that move beyond annual reviews; balancing individual contributor career growth with leadership readiness assessments.  Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.   If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.   About our Guest:  Leslie Speas is a seasoned Human Resources and Organizational Development leader with over 30 years of experience. She serves as Founder and President of InfluenceHR Consulting, a firm dedicated to helping leaders and HR teams build workplaces where people will thrive and stay.  Leslie holds a master's degree in industrial/organizational psychology and possesses senior-level HR designations and certifications in coaching, the Working Genius, Enneagram assessment, and Talent Management/Succession Planning. Her leadership experience spans diverse sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing, technology, financial services, and nonprofit organizations. In addition, she is the author of the book, 7 Habits of High-Retention Managers.  Leslie is heavily involved in furthering the HR profession and serves as a District Director with the North Carolina Society for Human Resources Management. She and her husband, Tracy, reside in Winston-Salem, N.C.  Leslie Speas can be reached at: https://www.influencehrconsulting.com  https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslie-speas  https://www.facebook.com/influencehrconsulting  https://www.instagram.com/influencehrconsulting  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdH17Da_dvt_UFpRNmUvqrQ    About Mike Coffey:  Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 28 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.  Learning Objectives:  Identify the leadership habits that improve employee retention and engagement. Apply coaching and feedback techniques that strengthen accountability and trust. Evaluate leadership readiness before promoting employees into management roles. 

In episode 255, Coffey talks with Teri Chilcoat about navigating and recovering from toxic workplace environments while building healthier organizational cultures.  They discuss defining toxic workplace dynamics beyond legal thresholds and into lived employee experience; recognizing psychological and physical symptoms of chronic workplace stress and burnout; understanding the toxic triangle of leaders, followers, and culture enabling dysfunction; applying personal agency and stoic principles to regain control in adverse environments; building leadership accountability systems that reinforce values and ethical behavior; identifying disengagement signals and preventing employee turnover through proactive management; evaluating why high-performing individual contributors often fail as managers; fostering self-awareness and emotional intelligence as core leadership competencies; addressing the hidden costs of toxic high performers on team morale and retention; preparing organizations for potential waves of turnover driven by disengagement and economic shifts.  For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP255  Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.   If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.   About our Guest:  Teri Chilcoat is the author of Surviving the Toxic Workplace from an HR Insider: A Roadmap to Power, Peace, and Happiness, a practical guide that exposes the hidden dynamics behind toxic work cultures and offers a clear path for professionals who want to reclaim their voice, well-being, and sense of purpose at work. Drawing from more than 15 years of experience in human resources, Teri combines real-world insight with research-backed strategies to help employees and leaders recognize the patterns that lead to burnout, disengagement, and silence in the workplace—and what to do about them.  As the founder of Inner Authority Co., Teri has spent her career advising executives, managers, and employees through complex workplace challenges including employee relations issues, culture breakdowns, leadership conflict, and burnout recovery. Her work centers on a simple but often overlooked idea: sustainable performance and healthy workplaces begin when individuals reclaim their inner authority.  Building on the lessons from her book, Teri delivers her keynote, “Retention Signals: What Employees Need to Stay (and What HR Can Fix Fast),” where she challenges conventional thinking about workplace well-being and shows leaders how to recognize the early signals of disengagement before employees walk out the door. Through real-world examples and practical tools, she helps organizations shift from reactive retention strategies to proactive leadership.  She also leads the BOLD Roadmap Workshop, which equips professionals and organizations with a structured framework for self-awareness, authentic leadership, and long-term, sustainable success. Teri holds a Master of Science in Strategic Human Resources from the University of Denver and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of La Verne. She maintains professional certifications from both HRCI and SHRM and has been an active member of DallasHR since 2015.  Teri Chilcoat can be reached at  https://www.innerauthoritycompany.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-chilcoat-phr  https://www.facebook.com/tchilcoat  https://www.instagram.com/tchilcoat   About Mike Coffey:  Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 29 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.  Learning Objectives:  Identify the behavioral and organizational indicators of a toxic workplace. Apply self-awareness and agency to navigate high-stress work environments. Develop leadership practices that promote accountability, engagement, and retention. 

Send us a Message! (But we can't respond, so feel free to email us at info@roman3.ca)This episode touches on the theme of Strengthening Culture.In this episode, we explore the difficult reality that a lot of organizations face when the person in charge is the wrong fit for what the organization needs. We dig into the Business Law of the Linchpin and how we can sever the dependence we unintentionally create on our leaders.Our prescription for this episode is to understand the root cause of why we end up with bad leaders, and that there are solutions and steps we can take to address it. Ideally, we can do that before we end up in the situation to begin with.Past Episode Referenced:S2 E21: What Is The Technical Founder Paradox?S3 E7: Are We Sheltering Toxic Leaders?S3 E19: Are You At Risk From The Business Law Of The Linchpin?S4 E17: Is Comfort Making Us More Productive or More Complacent?To talk more about management training, reach out to us at info@roman3.ca or through our LinkedIn page at https://www.linkedin.com/company/roman3Don't forget to sign up for our New Quarterly Newsletter that launched in the fall of 2024!About Our Hosts!James is an experienced business coach with a specialization in HR management and talent attraction and retention. Coby is a skilled educator and has an extensive background in building workforce and organizational capacity. For a little more on our ideas and concepts, check out our Knowledge Suite or our YouTube Channel, Solutions Explained by Roman 3.

In episode 254, Coffey talks with David Miklas about rapidly changing employment law trends surrounding DEI programs, EEOC enforcement priorities, workplace discrimination claims, AI risks in HR investigations, and the evolving legal landscape employers face in 2026.  They discuss the EEOC's proposal to eliminate EEO-1 reporting requirements and how demographic data impacts systemic discrimination claims; the legal distinction between lawful diversity efforts and illegal DEI employment practices; reverse discrimination lawsuits and Title VII protections for all employees regardless of majority or minority status; the risks of workforce balancing, quotas, and race-conscious hiring decisions; employee resource groups and affinity programs that may unintentionally create unlawful workplace segregation; recent federal court rulings on DEI training, race-based programming, and compelled speech claims; practical recruiting strategies for expanding applicant pools without violating discrimination laws; how employers can maintain merit-based hiring while improving diversity outreach efforts; the increasing role of AI-generated deepfakes and manipulated media in workplace investigations and litigation; discovery risks involving ChatGPT prompts, AI-generated HR documentation, and employment decisions; AI-related hiring fraud, fake applicants, and remote interview concerns; legal concerns around confidentiality, metadata, and AI-generated evidence; and management failures highlighted by viral Reddit workplace stories involving poor supervision, accommodations, and employee performance management.  For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP254  Media mentioned in this podcast:  The JPMorgan Sexual Assault Lawsuit Was Already Messy. AI Is Making It Worse Reddit: Anyone Hire a Recruiter to Recruit Away a Problem  Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.   If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.   About our Guest:  David Miklas owns a Labor & Employment law firm and for 27 years he has practiced all types of labor and employment law exclusively representing Florida employers. He has written hundreds of employment law articles, is the co-author for the premier legal textbook used by lawyers for Florida employment law, is a frequent employment law presenter and is a nationally recognized speaker and an invited guest lecturer addressing employment law and human resource issues with over thirty universities, including Harvard. Mr. Miklas graduated from the University of Florida College of Law.   David Miklas can be reached at  https://www.miklasemploymentlaw.com/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-miklas-301861121/  About Mike Coffey:  Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 29 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.  Learning Objectives:  Distinguish between lawful diversity initiatives and illegal employment discrimination practices. Identify emerging AI-related legal risks affecting workplace investigations and HR decision-making. Apply practical management and recruiting strategies that reduce discrimination and compliance risks. 

Sign up for Practi, a new platform that helps law firms use subscription billing.Here are the top 5 takeaways from this episode:* Preventive law is far cheaper than reactive law. Clients who try to DIY their legal needs (using LegalZoom, skipping contracts, etc.) often end up paying twice. Once for the mess they made and again to prevent it from recurring. Hiring a lawyer early and often saves money in the long run.* Subscription/flat-fee pricing aligns attorney and client incentives. Hourly billing creates distrust and discourages clients from calling when they should. Noel's model, flat fees for discrete projects, subscription fees for ongoing work, removes the “clock is ticking” anxiety and makes the attorney an accessible team member.* Client education is essential for subscription retention. It's not enough to deliver a service; clients must understand how to get ROI from it. Noel uses semi-annual workshops, legal growth blueprints, and ongoing engagement to ensure clients see the value and stick around.* Get paid upfront and use invoice financing to make it easier. Don't personally finance client tabs. Tools like LawPay (now 8AM) and Clio Payments, integrated with Affirm, let clients finance invoices over 6–36 months while the attorney gets paid in full immediately. Noel also recommends minimum initial terms (3–12 months depending on engagement size) to give both sides time to establish real value.* Don't get attached to any single AI tool. Noel recommends treating AI tools like a “chorus of experts.” Use multiple, stay flexible, and act as the conductor. The AI space is too dynamic to lock into long-term contracts with any one platform, and lawyers remain responsible for all AI-generated output.__________________________Want your question to be answered on a future show? Fill out this short survey.Have subscription model question? Check out this free resource to ask all of your questions at notebook.practi.ai.Check out Counsel & Clarity.Sign up for Paxton, my all-in-one AI legal assistant, helping me with legal research, analysis, drafting, and enhancing existing legal work product.Get Connected with SixFifty⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a business and employment legal document automation tool.Sign up for ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Gavel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, an automation platform for law firms.Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Law Subscribed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to subscribe to the weekly newsletter to listen from your web browser.Prefer monthly updates? Sign up for the Law Subscribed Monthly Digest on LinkedIn.Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mathew Kerbis'⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ law firm ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscription Attorney LLC⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Want to use the subscription model for your law firm? Click here to sign up for a new platform that helps law firms use subscription billing. Get full access to Law Subscribed at www.lawsubscribed.com/subscribe

In episode 253, Coffey talks with Anthony Sork about how emotional attachment during onboarding shapes employee engagement, retention, and organizational performance.  They discuss the difference between employee attachment and employee engagement; how onboarding experiences create long-term emotional bonds with organizations; the role frontline managers play in employee retention and discretionary effort; why poor manager engagement creates downstream hiring and retention risks; how employer branding influences attachment before candidates even apply; the impact of lengthy recruiting processes on candidate perception and trust; why organizations should treat onboarding as a strategic investment; the four core attachment perceptions of security, trust, acceptance, and belonging; how emotional bonds form during the first 120 days of employment; practical ways leaders can strengthen employee connection and purpose alignment; the risks of unmanaged onboarding and declining new-hire sentiment; why traditional engagement surveys are lagging indicators of workplace culture; and how individualized onboarding experiences improve retention and team performance.  Mentioned in this episode: Qualtrics' 2026 Global Employee Experience Trends https://www.qualtrics.com/ebooks-guides/employee-experience-trends/   ** Special Offer From Our Guest **  We are pleased to offer a complimentary trial of the Employee Attachment Inventory for an employee who has commenced and who reaches their 90th day of employment in the months of May, June, or July 2026.  Visit www.shcBOND.com and use this code: GoodMorningHREAI2026   Or email Anthony Sork (anthony@sorkhc.com.au)or Selina Sork (selina@sorkhc.com.au) with questions.  Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.   If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.   About our Guest:  As a world recognized thought leader in employee perception measurement, Anthony Sork has changed the way organizations understand “Engagement” across the employee lifecycle. Anthony has worked with leaders across all industries to help them understand, measure and manage the emotional bond of their talent to enhance performance and retention and build “Culture's of Excellence'.  Anthony's award winning patented instrument, the Employee Attachment Inventory (EAI) together with the Employee Connection Inventory (ECI) and Employee Detachment Inventory (EDI) have supported thousands of Managers globally to create highly engaged, high performance teams.  Anthony has spoken at leading industry conferences around the world. His audiences describe him as “expert”, “upbeat”, “articulate”, “engaging”, “entertaining” and “passionate”.  Anthony has been featured in the Australian Financial Review, Sydney Morning Herald, Management Today, Human Capital Magazine, Recruitment Extra & ABC Radio.  You can learn more about Employee Attachment, Connection and Detachment across Anthony's social media channels which attract a worldwide audience.  Anthony Sork can be reached at: www.SorkHC.com.au   About Mike Coffey:  Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 29 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.  Learning Objectives:  Understand the difference between employee attachment and employee engagement. Identify the leadership behaviors that strengthen emotional bonds with new hires. Evaluate onboarding practices that improve retention, trust, and belonging. Recognize the long-term organizational risks of poor manager engagement. 

Today on the show: rising standup comedian and Albany native Anthony Robustiano joins us ahead of his biggest hometown show yet this Friday at The Egg.  We talk about how his standup career started, how it almost ended, his approach to building millions of followers on social media, his main concern about his upcoming hometown show, and why he has a bone to pick with Team 2BD.  Use code BUTTONS for 25% off a pair of tickets to Anthony's show: https://www.tixr.com/groups/theegg/events/anthony-robustiano-175658 This episode is brought to you by Tully Rinckey PLLC, a full-service law firm serving individuals and businesses in the Capital Region for over 20 years. Their attorneys are ready to protect your rights and guide you through legal matters related to Family & Matrimonial Law, Employment Law, Criminal Law, Litigation, Education Law, Business Law and Trusts & Estates. For experienced legal support from a firm that proudly gives back to its community, learn more at tullylegal.com or follow on social media.

In episode 252, Coffey talks with Beverly Parker about how recruiting and talent acquisition are evolving and why relationship-based recruiting still matters.  They discuss the shift from newspaper job ads, to Monster, to today's AI-powered recruiting platforms; why “post and pray” or “post and spray” recruiting fails to attract high-quality passive candidates; how recruiters use professional networks to identify specialized talent faster; the growing impact of AI-generated resumes and fraudulent job applicants; why recruiters should avoid over-relying on AI resume filtering tools; strategies for sourcing passive candidates in competitive hiring markets; the value of agency recruiters for hard-to-fill and specialized positions; how employers can improve hiring processes during a frozen labor market; candidate expectations around compensation, flexibility, and work-life balance; why transparency about career growth opportunities improves retention and hiring outcomes; the increasing importance of training and development in workforce planning; how younger workers want meaningful work and stronger onboarding support; the importance of hiring for adaptability and learning agility instead of static skills; lessons from building recruiting functions inside growing organizations; and how long-term recruiter relationships create stronger organizational outcomes than transactional placements.  For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP252  Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.   If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.   About our Guest:  Beverly Parker is an accomplished HR leader and recruiter with over 15 years of experience connecting top talent with tier-one employers. She has built a reputation for aligning high-performing candidates with organizations that value growth, culture, and long-term success.  Her work is grounded in a results-driven approach to talent acquisition and workforce development, with a strong focus on building strategic partnerships across the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. Beverly actively collaborates with leading professional organizations, including Fort Worth HR, MidCities HR, Dallas HR, APA, and FEI, to stay at the forefront of industry trends and talent needs.  A dedicated advocate of servant leadership, Beverly is committed to fostering environments where individuals and teams can perform at their highest level. She holds both PHR and SHRM-CP certifications.  About Mike Coffey:  Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 29 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.  Learning Objectives:  Understand how modern talent acquisition differs from traditional recruiting models. Evaluate when organizations should use internal recruiters versus external recruiting agencies. Identify strategies for attracting passive candidates in competitive labor markets. Recognize the risks and limitations of AI-driven recruiting and screening systems. Improve hiring processes by aligning candidate motivations with organizational realities. Develop recruiting approaches that prioritize long-term fit over transactional hiring. Explore how training, onboarding, and development affect employee engagement and retention. Assess how labor market uncertainty influences candidate and employer behavior. Learn how recruiters can identify transferable skills and high-potential candidates. Understand why adaptability and learning agility are becoming critical hiring criteria.  

In episode 251, Coffey talks with Jennifer Yugo about why traditional interviews fail to identify top candidates and how competency-based, structured hiring improves outcomes.  They discuss the ineffectiveness of unstructured interviews and reliance on intuition in hiring decisions; confirmation bias and overconfidence in manager-led candidate selection processes; building competency-based hiring frameworks grounded in real job performance data; differences between skills and competencies in evaluating candidate success; designing structured interviews with behavioral and situational questions; aligning hiring processes with organizational culture and values; leveraging applications and assessments to enhance candidate evaluation consistency; improving hiring manager adoption through usability and stakeholder involvement; measuring hiring success through turnover, efficiency, and process compliance metrics; balancing candidate experience with standardized hiring systems for fairness.  For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP251  Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.   If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.   About our Guest:  Jennifer Yugo is a seasoned professional in building exceptional workplaces and business environments. With a 20-year career and her experience as Managing Director and Owner at Corvirtus, she applies science-driven frameworks to develop tools that enhance employee performance and engagement. Her leadership is instrumental in advancing the company's offerings in solutions including employee retention, hiring, and culture-building.  Jennifer's expertise is grounded in her comprehensive knowledge of Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Organizational Behavior, Human Resources, and Psychometrics.   She actively contributes to these fields through speaking engagements, writing, and presenting at conferences like DisruptHR.  Jennifer earned her PhD at Bowling Green State University's nationally-ranked Industrial-Organizational Psychology program and her Bachelor's degree in Psychology with Highest Honors from Purdue University.  Jennifer Yugo can be reached at   https://corvirtus.com  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferyugo  https://www.youtube.com/@corvirtus1779    About Mike Coffey:  Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 28 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.   Learning Objectives:  Understand the limitations of traditional, intuition-driven interview methods Apply competency-based frameworks to design structured hiring processes Evaluate candidates more effectively using behavioral and situational interview techniques 

In episode 250, Coffey talks with Justin Dorsey about recent HR-related new items including navigating politics, mental health, employees' sometimes inflated compensation expectations, and the most in-demand HR skills.  They discuss managing political conversations and ideological conflict in the workplace; balancing employee expression with productivity and respectful communication; how HR leaders can create psychologically safe but performance-focused cultures; generational differences in resilience, stress, and mental health expectations; the growing importance of employee assistance programs and mental health leave awareness; how poor sleep hygiene and digital overload impact employee productivity and wellbeing; handling difficult compensation conversations and unrealistic salary increase demands; avoiding emotional decision-making during employee relations conflicts; why culture fit should evolve into culture add during hiring decisions; the increasing demand for HR technology, people analytics, and change management expertise; how artificial intelligence is reshaping HR roles and workforce management; and the future convergence of HR leadership with operational leadership responsibilities.  Media mentioned in this podcast:  The End of “No Politics at Work” and What Comes Next Mental health leaves are rising. How can organizations reduce and better manage leaves? | Idaho Statesman The 2026 Workplace Mental Health Annual Report | Spring Health Employee demands a near 50% raise : r/managers HR Career Outlook 2026: Is Your HR Career Future-Proof? - AIHR  For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP250  Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.   If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.   About our Guest:  Justin brings a background of psychology and sociology into the world of HR. He is currently a fractional HR consultant for the Texas HR Team where he provides strategic HR support for small businesses and nonprofit organizations.  With extensive experience in a variety of industries, including retail, healthcare, distribution, and engineering, His expertise includes employee relations, talent acquisition, training, compensation, benefits, and employee engagement. He holds both a Senior Professional and Global Professional certification in Human Resources.  Outside of work, Justin is a dedicated volunteer at his church and other community organizations including Junior Achievement and F3. He's a past president of Fort Worth HR and was recognized by the Fort Worth Business Press in their Top 40 Under 40 program. More importantly, he's a husband of 1 and father of 2. Don't get him started talking about chickens or Texas Tech sports.  Justin Dorsey can be reached at justin@texasHRteam.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-dorsey-sphr  About Mike Coffey:  Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 29 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.   Learning Objectives: Evaluate strategies for managing political and social discourse in the workplace while maintaining productivity and respect. Identify practical ways HR leaders can support employee mental health without overstepping into clinical or therapeutic roles. Apply effective approaches for handling compensation disputes, employee dissatisfaction, and retention conversations. Understand how AI, HR analytics, and technology fluency are reshaping future HR career paths.  

It's episode 300 of the mother freaking Buttonista Show and we are sitting around the table asking Chat GPT why men are (statistically speaking) better at Jeopardy than women, manifesting resolutions to our double car troubles, going over a few recent internet trends and more. EPISODE NOTES: 300 episodes deep (0:34) Nobody Asked Me, But... (2:00) Jack is back on his shrimp ring kick (5:00) Peaks and Pits presented by Albany Mechanical Services (13:00) A run in with the law (21:51) An epic helicopter ride in Saratoga (29:23) Jamie Ding, my Jeopardy King (39:58) "Fruit drama" videos on your algorithm (57:09) Roast or Toast presented by Fairways of Halfmoon (1:03:00) I'm the baked bean queen (1:09:40) Being called "big dog" will change your life (1:19:58) This segment is brought to you by Tully Rinckey PLLC, a full-service law firm serving individuals and businesses in the Capital Region for over 20 years. Their attorneys are ready to protect your rights and guide you through legal matters related to Family & Matrimonial Law, Employment Law, Criminal Law, Litigation, Education Law, Business Law and Trusts & Estates. For experienced legal support from a firm that proudly gives back to its community, learn more at tullylegal.com or follow on social media.

Send us Fan MailArmando De La Torre Jr. is a Los Angeles–born restauranteur, entrepreneur, and artist known for creating and developing Guisados, Georges Burger Stand, and Playita Mariscos. A graduate of Loyola High School and Loyola Marymount University, where he studied Business Law and Marketing, he began his career path toward law before shifting into the restaurant industry. In 2011, he co-founded Guisados in Boyle Heights with his father, building a taqueria centered on homestyle braises and fresh handmade corn tortillas. He later expanded his work by acquiring and revitalizing Georges Burger Stand and opening Playita Mariscos in Silver Lake.In this episode, Armando shares the story behind launching Guisados in Boyle Heights and growing it into a multi-location restaurant group. He discusses the development of Georges Burger Stand and the concept behind Playita Mariscos, along with the operational realities of running multiple restaurant brands in Los Angeles. The conversation also explores his work as an artist, including designing menus, merchandise, and brand identities, as well as his creation of G's on Sunday, an automotive lifestyle brand that collaborates with major partners and hosts community events.This episode offers value for San Gabriel Valley viewers and greater Los Angeles audiences interested in restaurant ownership, food culture, and creative entrepreneurship. It highlights the evolution of well-known LA food concepts rooted in Boyle Heights and expands into how branding, art, and community engagement intersect within the hospitality industry. For listeners searching topics like starting a restaurant, scaling food businesses, or building a multi-brand presence in Los Angeles, Armando's experience provides a detailed, real-world perspective.If you enjoy conversations with Los Angeles founders and creators shaping the local food scene, subscribe for more episodes and share this with someone interested in restaurants, entrepreneurship, and creative work._______________Music CreditsIntroEuphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OGStingerScarlet Fire (Sting), Otis McDonald, YouTube Audio LibraryOutroEuphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OG__________________My SGV Podcast:Website: www.mysgv.netNewsletter: Beyond the MicPatreon: MySGV Podcastinfo@sgvmasterkey.com

In episode 249, Coffey talks with Jenay Huey about how growing businesses should approach HR strategy, outsourcing, and internal capability building.  They discuss why small businesses delay investing in HR until problems arise; misconceptions about HR as a cost center versus strategic function; differences between transactional HR tasks and long-term workforce strategy; when to hire in-house HR based on employee count and complexity; how to evaluate HR consultants and service level agreements; the role of benefits brokers, attorneys, and HRIS platforms; pros and cons of outsourcing HR functions and PEO arrangements; selecting and scaling HR technology systems effectively; building internal HR talent pipelines and succession planning; importance of business acumen and aligning HR initiatives with financial outcomes.  For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP249  Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.   If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.   About our Guest:  Jenay Huey, SHRM-SCP, PHR, is the President of Dunedin HR Solutions LLC and a seasoned Human Resources strategist dedicated to "putting the human back in HR." With a career built on helping organizations and employees, Jenay serves as a fractional CHRO, aligning HR policies with business vision to drive net income and team engagement. She is dedicated to serving small and medium size organizations.   She believes that all organizations deserve access to an HR professional that understands their organization, scales solutions to their size and culture and undertsands the employment compliance landscape.   Jenay has over 20 years of experience in HR and people operations. She has worked with organizations from small family run businesses to organizations with over 7000 employees. She received her B.A.Sc from the University of South Florida, holds several certifications including her SHRM-SCP and PHR from HRCI.  Jenay Huey can be reached at  https://www.dunedinhrsolutionsllc.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenay-huey https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094367457078  https://www.instagram.com/dunedin_hr_solutions_llc  About Mike Coffey:  Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 28 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.  Learning Objectives: Identify when a growing company should invest in HR support or leadership Evaluate external HR resources, consultants, and PEOs effectively Design a scalable HR strategy that aligns with business growth and profitability 

In this episode, CII's General Counsel, Jeff Mahoney interviews Charles K. Whitehead, the Myron C. Taylor Alumni Professor of Business Law at Cornell Law School. In the episode Professor Whitehead discusses his article entitled “Delaware's Agency Problem.” Professor Whitehead explains why Delaware's lawmaking process for amending their corporate law statutes has a “second order agency problem.” He then describes specific procedural reforms that he believes should be adopted to resolve the problem. He also discusses specific actions that institutional investors should consider in support of the adoption of his suggested reforms.

In episode 248, Coffey talks with Damon Thompson about how student loan debt impacts employees and how employers can help reduce that burden through benefits programs and federal subsidies.  They discuss the history and evolution of federal student loan programs before and after the Affordable Care Act; rising college costs and lack of borrowing caps driving massive student debt growth; financial stress and productivity loss caused by high monthly loan payments; how income-driven repayment and federal subsidy programs reduce employee loan obligations; employer-sponsored student loan repayment benefits under Section 127 tax advantages; complexities and low success rates navigating Department of Education programs independently; public service loan forgiveness eligibility and long-term debt elimination strategies; how personal circumstances influence repayment calculations beyond income alone; the role of third-party services in optimizing loan subsidies and compliance; and the connection between student debt, employee retention, and delayed life milestones.  For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP248  Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.   If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.   About our Guest:  After graduating from Austin College (Sherman Texas) in 1979 Damon immediately began his career working directly with the owners of closely held businesses and their H.R. teams.   Understanding the needs of both the employer and the employee he knows that not all employee benefits are “insurance” benefits needing employer funding.   Being familiar with Comprehensive Major Medical, Workers Compensation as well as Administration systems & software has allowed him to develop unique solutions for owners of those closely held companies and their HR teams.   This has also led to many speaking engagements in organizations such as Texas A&M Graduate School of Business, Work with Texas Legislators & Attorney General, Private Equity Association Convention (PEG-aplooza), and Numerous Chambers of Commerce across Texas.  Damon Thompson can be reached at https://www.finnita.com/  About Mike Coffey:  Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 28 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.  Learning Objectives: Understand how federal student loan programs evolved and why debt has increased significantly Identify the impact of student loan debt on employee productivity, retention, and financial wellbeing Evaluate employer strategies, including tax-advantaged benefits, to help employees manage student loans  

Matthew Fornaro, founder of Fornaro Legal, a business law practice that helps small businesses, startups and entrepreneurs navigate their legal issues with clarity and confidence.Through his litigation and transactional services, Matthew guides business owners with both hourly and flat fee support, drawing from years of experience dedicated solely to helping businesses grow and stay protected.Now, Matthew's journey of building his own thriving practice while integrating more technology into his work demonstrates his commitment to evolving with the times and passing those lessons on to his clients.And while continuing to chase momentum, balance growth and manage the personal toll that comes from not always taking care of himself, he is proof that personal freedom is possible when you back yourself and keep moving forward.Here's where to find more:www.fornarolegal.comhttps://www.facebook.com/fornarolegalhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewfornaro________________________________________________Welcome to The Unforget Yourself Show where we use the power of woo and the proof of science to help you identify your blind spots, and get over your own bullshit so that you can do the fucking thing you ACTUALLY want to do!We're Mark and Katie, the founders of Unforget Yourself and the creators of the Unforget Yourself System and on this podcast, we're here to share REAL conversations about what goes on inside the heart and minds of those brave and crazy enough to start their own business. From the accidental entrepreneur to the laser-focused CEO, we find out how they got to where they are today, not by hearing the go-to story of their success, but talking about how we all have our own BS to deal with and it's through facing ourselves that we find a way to do the fucking thing.Along the way, we hope to show you that YOU are the most important asset in your business (and your life - duh!). Being a business owner is tough! With vulnerability and humor, we get to the real story behind their success and show you that you're not alone._____________________Find all our links to all the things like the socials, how to work with us and how to apply to be on the podcast here:https://linktr.ee/unforgetyourself