Podcast appearances and mentions of donna morris

This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, I sat down in person with Donna Morris, EVP and Chief People Officer at Walmart, live from the Qualtrics X4 event in Salt Lake City. We explored how Walmart is using technology, AI, and a deep focus on people to rethink employee experience at scale—and what that means for customers. If you lead CX, EX, or digital transformation, this episode is packed with insights you can use.

Live from an ESG-scented 100% cotton unisex onesie, it's an all-new Terrific Tuesday edition of Business Pants. Joined by Analyst-Hole Matt Moscardi! On today's anti-anti-DEI lovefest called December 17th 2024: Random ESG Headlines That I Care About Because Somebody Has To Care About Something and Changing the Methodology for Fortune 100 Most Powerful Executives!Our show today is being sponsored by Free Float Analytics, the only platform measuring board power, connections, and performance for FREE.DAMION1Random ESG Headlines That I Care About Because Somebody Has To Care About Something:Walmart is the 2024 Yahoo Finance Company of the YearThe legacy retailer, once seen as slow to adopt technology as Amazon (AMZN) rose to the forefront, has quietly invested in everything from artificial intelligence and augmented reality to same-day delivery and cheap groceries. The combo punch has led to nearly four quarters of record earnings — and a title as Yahoo Finance's annual Company of the Year award winner.A committee of Yahoo Finance editorial leaders selected Walmart because of its strong year of sales and profits, financial outperformance relative to key rivals like Target (TGT), and a stock price that has reached fresh records in 2024.Another unknown is the impact of Walmart's Nov. 26 decision to scale back its DEI work amid right-wing pressure. The decision came a few days after our interviews with McMillon and Rainey, at which time Walmart had already secured its Yahoo Finance Company of the Year recognition.In a Dec. 2 phone call with Yahoo Finance, Walmart's chief people officer, Donna Morris, defended the company's choice:"We are the exact same company today as we were last week, and we will continue to be the same company," Morris said. "We act with integrity, we serve our customers and our members, and we strive for excellence. So our values are absolutely not changing.""Our values are absolutely not changing, the specific initiatives or terms, they change over time," she continued. The company started moving to "belonging" in early 2023, though Morris said the move wasn't due to pressure from any specific group."When you talk about diversity, equity, inclusion, all in part, there can be communities, and often the largest communities, that step back and say, 'Geez, I'm not sure if I'm even actually included'," Morris explained of the decision.After Floyd's murder, a "majority" of companies felt the need to boost their DEI efforts, but now they are reevaluating. "What we observed and felt was really important is that everyone was part of that work, and that's why we really made the shift," Morris said.‘A huge regression': Walmart's DEI rollback incites new racial equity pushA year after the murder of George Floyd, Doug McMillon, CEO of Walmart had a warning for corporate America. The death of Floyd triggered a wave of protest over systemic racism and was “not an isolated event. We have a long history of racism, and we see unacceptable events continue.”Walmart and other large US corporations made pledges to address inequities within their business, ones many feared would be dropped once the focus on Floyd's killing and its aftermath faded. “We can't let that be the case,” he wrote, outlining how the company was releasing its “diversity metrics twice a year” and calling on companies to “continue to address systemic racism and the structural inequities that are rooted in this nation's history of slavery and that persist today”.Times have changed. Last month Walmart became the latest corporation to cave to a rightwing campaign against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, announcing it would stop using the term DEI altogether, drop DEI trainings, no longer consider race and gender as a means to improve diversity when making offers to suppliers and would not renew a racial equity center committed to addressing “the root causes of gaps in outcomes experienced by Black and African American people”.The union-backed Walmart workers group United for Respect has tried to introduce a shareholder proposal at Walmart's past two annual shareholder meetings for a third-party independent racial equity audit of the corporation.The racial equity shareholder proposal has come up short of the 20% support it would need for Walmart to discuss it, receiving 18% in 2023 and just over 15% in 2024. Hightower said she planned on reintroducing it at the 2025 annual shareholder meeting in Arkansas.Why Tarang Amin, CEO of E.l.f. Beauty, is Modern CEO of the YearModern CEO set out to recognize an executive who embodies the traits and values we've been covering in this newsletter for the last two years: inclusion, accessibility, humility, and innovationEarlier this year, E.l.f. proclaimed its commitment to diversity when it launched “Change the Board Game,” a campaign to encourage corporate board diversity. “I'm proud to say that our board has 78% women and 44% diverse representation,” Amin tells Modern CEO. “We've seen the power in our own business of having that type of representation, but we don't want to be the only company.” As part of its board diversity effort, the company sponsored 20 diverse candidates for a National Association of Corporate Director's program for boardroom readiness and grabbed headlines with its “So Many Dicks” research that found there are more men named Richard, Rich, Rick, or Dick on U.S. public company boards than entire groups of underrepresented candidates. “There's nothing wrong with being a Richard or a Dick,” Amin says with a smile. “I just want to make room for everyone else.”Honorable MentionsBijal Shah, CEO, GuildShantanu Narayen, CEO, AdobeTammy Sun, founder and CEO, Carrot FertilityUnion coalition calls for Kroger CEO's removal amid buyback controversyKroger has shifted strategy with $7.5bn stock buyback after Albertsons merger setback.A faction of the US trades union United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) has called for the ousting of Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen in the wake of a controversial $7.5bn stock buyback announcement. The move follows an unsuccessful attempt to consolidate its position in the grocery market by merging with Albertsons. The Stop the Merger coalition, spearheaded by several UFCW local unions, contends that the substantial buyback initiative is ill-timed, arguing that the company should prioritise investments in workforce enhancement, store maintenance and renovations. The potential $25bn merger between Kroger and Albertsons was halted in early December 2024 when a federal judge issued an injunction against the deal, citing concerns over reduced competition in the grocery market. Starbucks CEO doubles parental leave amid turnaround effortStarting this spring, the company will double its paid parental leave benefits. For some workers, it's as much as three times the original amount. For instance, paid leave for birth mothers is increasing from six to 18 weeks. All other non-birth parents – whether welcoming a child through birth, surrogacy, adoption or long-term foster care – will receive up to 12 weeks of paid leave at 100% of their average pay, according to Starbucks. For employees to be eligible for benefits, they need to work an average of 20 hours per week, according to the company's current policies.Former OpenAI employee who died by suicide was named in a court case that could decide the future of the internetSuchir Balaji, a former OpenAI researcher, died by suicide late last month.After he left the company, Balaji raised questions about OpenAI possibly violating copyright law.His name appears in a New York Times lawsuit against OpenAI that could have far-reaching implications.Eight days before the former OpenAI researcher Suchir Balaji was found dead in a San Francisco apartment, the 26-year-old's name appeared in a lawsuit against his former employer that could have significant implications for the future of AI and the internet.The lawsuit — filed by The New York Times last December — accused OpenAI and Microsoft of using "millions" of articles published by the newspaper without permission to train the AI startup's popular ChatGPT model. The companies have denied that they violated copyright law.On November 18, the Times' attorneys asked a judge to add Balaji as a "custodian" in the lawsuit, according to court documents viewed by Business Insider. The attorneys' letter described Balaji as someone with "unique and relevant documents" that could support their copyright infringement case against OpenAI and Microsoft.NEO Murder stuff:In Armed America, CEOs Get Protection. Schoolkids Get 'Thoughts and Prayers'While top executives of multibillion-dollar companies beefed up security and canceled in-person meetings in the wake of the assassination of UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson earlier this month in New York City, students and teachers were offered little more than the typical outpouring of "thoughts and prayers" after the latest school shooting this week.Peter Thiel Reveals How Scared Oligarchs Are Of The PeoplePlutocrats like Thiel are constantly thinking about the fact that ordinary people vastly outnumber them and can kill them at any time. They think about it way more often than ordinary people do.Billionaire Peter Thiel had a fascinating televised moment the other day when asked by Piers Morgan what he thought about the public making a hero of the man suspected of murdering health insurance CEO Brian Thompson. The way he stumbled and stuttered when trying to answer the question gives a lot of insight into how terrified such people are of the public turning against them one day.“And to those who think this shooter is a hero, because he did it because he said this healthcare executive is presiding over a healthcare system which kills thousands of Americans by denying them cover, what would you say to them?” Morgan asked.Thiel paused for a long time, and then stuttered for a long time, and then eventually got out the words, “It's, I don't know what, what to say? I, I think I still think you have, you should try to make an argument. And I, I think this is, this is you should, you know, there may be things wrong with our health care system, but you have, you have to make an argument, and you have to try to find a way to convince people and and change, change it by by that, and this is, you know, this is not going to work.”Socialist fashion brand to launch 'most-wanted CEOs' playing cards in wake of Brian Thompson murderThe Four Suits of Exploitation:Hearts: Real Estate, Retail, and Healthcare – Exploiting care and connection to put profits over people.Diamonds: Finance, Tech, and Media – Hoarding wealth and controlling the narrative to maintain power.Spades: Weapons, Oil, and Pharmaceuticals – Profiting from destruction, war, and illness.Clubs: Chemicals, Agriculture, and Logistics – Grinding the planet and its people into submission.“Play the game, know the players.”Gail Boudreaux: Anthem Insurance (3 of Hearts)Technically CEO (23%) at Elevance Health; changed name from Anthem in 2022Richard Sackler: Purdue Pharma (Jack of Clubs)Company no longer exists; was previously President and Co-ChairHoward Schultz: Starbuck (Jack of Hearts)Is this a nod to Robbie Starbuck?Chair Emeritus, founder and former CEOElon Musk: Twitter (2 of Diamonds)Now called X; not the CEOKathy Warden: Northrop Grumman (Queens of Spades)CEO/Chair (21%)Jeff Bezos: Amazon (King of Diamonds)founder/former CEO/Exec Chair (67%)The Waltons: Walmart (Ace of Hearts)The Sacklers: Purdue Pharma (Ace of Clubs)defunctThe Kochs: Koch Inc. (Ace of Spades)Private companyThe Murdochs: New Corp. (Ace of DIamonds)Featuring Rupert with 4 kids behind himLachlan is CEO/Chair (68%); Rupert Chair EmeritusMATT1Changing the Methodology for Fortune 100 Most Powerful ExecutivesSize of the business = max league + network powerJust having a big company doesn't matter - half the CEOs are hired hands and the board is more powerful than the CEO, some are founders with outsized power… company size isn't an indicator, but who you know is.Health of the business = performance returnsLiquidity was one of Fortune's indicator - liquidity? Really? What if the individual has contributed to the health of the business? We're going to use individual EBITDA and TSR batting averages, and we're doing to do it over the last 5 years, not just this year.Innovation = Influence = influence!Unlike for Fortune, this is EASY for us - we actually measure it - we can use a couple variations, including total influence (added across multiple companies), max influence (at any one company), and median influenceTrajectory = aggregate tenure across all companiesIt's stupid to focus on where someone is in their “career arc” - do you penalize someone young? Do you give more weight to Buffett just because he's 300 years old? Is there a singular “career height” that Fortune decides someone has hit (or hasn't)? Let's go with something measurable - aggregate tenure across all company boardsImpact = controversiesThis was originally written as “do they make the world a better place”, so we're going to go with “do they make the world NOT a worse place?”

What does it take to raise a blended family in the church? Donna Morris shares her incredible journey of becoming a step-mother to 6 children at age 23, and navigating the unique challenges of trying to raise a blended family in the gospel.Now a mother of 9 and a grandmother of 8, she reflects on some of the many experiences, difficulties, trials, and blessings that have helped to strengthen her faith and shape her life,Through trials such as a major car accident, infertility struggles, and the heartbreaking loss of a son, Donna reveals the depth of her faith and the support of her loved ones. This episode highlights the resilience required to manage a blended family and the miraculous blessings that can arise even from the most challenging circumstances.*** Please SHARE Donna's story and help us spread hope and light to others. ***To WATCH this episode on YouTube, visit: https://youtu.be/bn29ASKg7pw-----To READ Donna's book "A Practical Guide for Latter-day Saints Step Families", visit (direct link): https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Guide-Latter-day-Saint-Stepfamilies/dp/173557922X/-----Also, if you have a faith-promoting or inspiring story, or know someone who does, please let us know by going to https://www.latterdaylights.com and reaching out to us.

Hosts Jessica Neal and Patty McCord chat with Donna Morris, Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer for Walmart, exploring leadership, innovation, and navigating changes in large organizations. Tune in to hear about innovation at the largest scale, and how Walmart has created a culture of learning and growth. Do you have an ongoing work issue you need guidance solving? Or maybe you want to know how Patty and Jess would have dealt with a past problem. Share your stories and questions with our producers here.TruthWorks is hosted by Jessica Neal and Patty McCord. The show is edited, mixed and produced by Megan Hayward and Mik Finnegan. Our Production Manager is Kathleen Speckert. TruthWorks is an editaudio production.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of Redefining Work, I'm joined by Donna Morris, executive vice president and chief people officer at Walmart. We discuss what it takes to simplify the lives of millions of workers, how the retail giant is revolutionizing workplace technology and why people remain at the nucleus of Walmart's business model.

Dr. Shirley Cherry and Donna Morris talk about Mary Washington Healthcare's School of Radiologic Technology. sort.mwhc.com

We hear a lot about how people can start learning about AI so they don't fall behind in the labor market. Yet, we haven't heard much about how companies are using the technology to help their workforce. Donna Morris, executive vice president and chief people officer at Walmart, sits down with LinkedIn News Editor Gianna Prudente on the latest episode of Get Hired with Andrew Seaman to explain how they're deploying generative AI among their workers. The two discuss how employees can get ahead of the AI learning curve. Additionally, Donna shares what people need to know about holiday hiring and more. This episode is for anyone who wants to know where AI is headed and how to keep their skills sharp.  Follow Donna on LinkedIn by clicking here. Follow Andrew on LinkedIn to join the Get Hired community by clicking here.

My guest is Donna Morris.   Donna was born and lives in Jamaica. Donna is a very fun-loving personality that impacts people positively. She is also an Empowerment Speaker, Marriage Mentor, Christian Life Coach, and Youth Mentor. She enjoys writing and empowering others to encounter new depths in their faith.  She served over 20 years in the Life Insurance Industry - Guardian Life Insurance Company, JamaicaShe is the published author of 3 books▪︎Moved to a New Mindset "Free from limitations, rejections, and fears"▪︎Moved to a New Mindset, 21 days devotional "Encouragement for the transformed mind"▪︎90 days New Mindset Journal  Support the show

In this episode of CEO Perspectives, Donna Morris, Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer at Walmart, joined Rebecca Ray, Executive Vice President of Human Capital at The Conference Board, to discuss the future of HR. Tune in to find out:   What will the future of work look like—especially as generative AI advances—and how can HR support employees through this evolution? How does the size of an organization impact the strategy for leading through times of change? How can we expect careers to change as people live and work for longer and how can employers adapt? How can you foster a sense of belonging and purpose among your workers? What top priorities should HR leaders consider as we move into the future of work?

We're so lucky to have some great guests with us today to discuss pursuing your passion, growing your business & motherhood and so much more.  The panelists are also content partners.  Content partners help Voyage in so many ways from sponsoring our mission, spreading the word about the work we do and collaborating with us on content like this.Donna Morris & Dwayna Williams | PR & Brand Image ArchitectsIntro: I help women business owners and mompreneurs create magical brands through publicity, brand image strategy & style guides.CanvasRebel Story: https://canvasrebel.com/meet-dwayna-and-donna-williams-and-morris/Website: https://www.tgndconsulting.com/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTJ4fXlM1v14CLLNS0uFgpw/featuredInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tgndconsulting/Joye Jackson | Purpose Coach and Business StrategistIntro: I encourage women to unleash the power within and walk in their God-given purpose through purpose coaching and strategic planning.Voyage Story: http://voyagehouston.com/interview/meet-joye-jackson-speaking-joye-llc/Website: https://www.speakingofjoye.com/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsq-eJa_rWvUH5ZosoPAa_QInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakingofjoyeKristin Rossi | International Nail ArtistIntro: I am an international nail artist specializing in international fashion shows, editorial photo shoots, and high-profile clientele.Voyage Story: http://voyagedenver.com/interview/meet-kristin-rossi-international-nail-artist/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nails.by.kr/Stephanie Pitts | Artist/OwnerIntro: I own 2 Art Studios for kids ages 1-12. This is my 5th year in business and my job is to ensure everything is running well in addition to working on growth opportunities.Voyage Story: http://voyagemia.com/2020/12/21/community-member-spotlight-stephanie-pitts-artistowner/Website: www.artneststudios.comInstagram: @artneststudios

The HR Works Showcase series is back to share another episode BambooHR's The Era, a podcast dedicated to the employee experience. In Episode 8, listen as Brad Rencher and Donna Morris, Walmart's Chief People Officer, discuss how building a positive corporate culture is just as valuable for teams of two employees or two million employees.

Employee experience and customer experience are clearly linked—especially on a large scale at the world's largest employer.  According to Donna Morris, Chief People Officer at Walmart, if employees don't have a great experience, it's difficult for people who don't get a paycheck to have a great experience. A great customer experience starts with a great employee experience, and the line between the two is increasingly blurring. After all, employees are customers of the brand. And with more than 2 million global associates, Walmart's employees have an incredible impact on the brand and the customer experience.

Self-employed individuals and small businesses are a critical part of the US economy. One important subset of self-employed businessperson, whose work uniquely impacts both the US economy and US lifestyle, is the “mompreneur.” In this episode, we're joined by two mompreneurs who have founded their business specifically to support other mompreneurs and lifestyle brands. Join me in this invigorating and inspiring conversation with twins Dwayna Williams and Donna Morris, founders of TGND Consulting. In our conversation, we discuss the power of terminology, the challenges of overcoming stigmas, and the legitimacy and importance of mompreneur and lifestyle businesses as a specific type of self-employment.   TGND Consulting® is an agency providing public relations, brand imaging, and strategy to moms with lifestyle brands. With a passion for building a brand's image through publicity, digital platforms, and style guides, twins Dwayna Williams and Donna Morris are taking over the PR industry! TGND's mission is to guide and build brand awareness through fresh and innovative expertise.  And be sure to subscribe to The Self-Employed Life in Apple Podcasts or follow us on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode. Everything you need can all be found at jeffreyshaw.com.  Dwayna Williams and Donna Morris, thank you so much for being here!     Remember, you might be in business FOR yourself but you are not in business BY yourself. Be your best self. Be proud and keep changing the world.     Guest Contact – TGNDConsulting.com TGNDConsulting on Facebook (@TGNDConsulting) TGNDConsulting on Instagram (@TGNDConsulting) TGNDConsulting on LinkedIn (company/tgnd-consulting) Contact Jeffrey –   JeffreyShaw.com Books by Jeffrey Shaw Business Coaching for Entrepreneurs The Self-Employed Summit Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share!     Valuable complimentary resources to help you –   The Self-Employed Business Institute — You know you're really good at what you do. You're talented, you have a skill set. The problem is you're probably in a field where there is no business education. This is common amongst self-employed people! And, there's no business education out there for us! You also know that being self-employed is unique and you need better strategies, coaching, support, and accountability. The Self-Employed Business Institute, a five-month online education is exactly what you need. Check it out! Take The Self-Employed Assessment! — Ever feel like you're all over the place? Or frustrated it seems like you have everything you need for your business success but it's somehow not coming together? Take this short quiz to discover the biggest hidden gap that's keeping you from having a thriving Self-Employed Ecosystem. You'll find out what part of your business needs attention and you'll also get a few laser-focused insights to help you start closing that gap. Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! — Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO!   Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Consultant, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life (May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.

Donna Morris is a retirement specialist and certified Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor with over 18 years of professional experience. Donna Morris discusses common pitfalls in retirement and how to avoid them. https://www.transamerica.com/portal/ascension

This year was quite the rainy year for the Croom Fools Run near Brooksville, Florida. However, that adversity was no problem for many runners... to include my two guests Donna Morris and Doreen Hoffman who both finished the 50 Miler together! They did amazing! The Croom Fools Run has three distances being the 16 Miler, a 50k, and the 50 Miler. For myself, I did the 16 Miler before heading out to an aid station for the rest of the race. The morning started off beautifully out there, the weather was great! The rain came in around 1:30pm and came down pretty hard in waves followed by some light rain and sprinkles between. Overall, those runners nailed it! They got it done!

Amanda Andrews, NHBR's associate editor, sits down with Donna Morris, president of the Greater Salem Chamber of Commerce, to discuss some of the workforce initiatives the chamber has created in Salem to bridge the skill gaps in various industries. From the formation of the Commerce Corridor to creating a high-quality tourism package for a "Price Is Right" winner, Donna and her colleagues have been busy providing resources to businesses and residents alike.

Donna Morris, Administrator at Eye Surgery Center in Shreveport, La., joined the podcast to talk about the big reimbursement trends for eye centers and building a collaborative center.

Over the past year and a half, there have been seismic shifts in the workplace as we know it. Through these massive changes, many aspects of corporate culture have been reevaluated. In this episode, we speak with Donna Morris, Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer of Walmart Inc., about how people are the company's most important asset and the ways she's working toward building a better, more inclusive organization. Morris has more than 20 years of leadership experience in delivering innovative people solutions, developing and managing agile teams, and helping to build a high-performance culture that promotes diversity and inclusion. As a member of Walmart's executive committee, she is responsible for attracting, retaining, and developing talent for one of the world's largest private employers. Morris joined Walmart after 18 years at Adobe, where she served as CHRO and Executive Vice President of Employee Experience. She has also led a number of worker-friendly initiatives, including expanding family leave policies and simplifying standard HR processes. Morris holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Carleton University and serves on the board of directors at Marvell Technology Inc. Morris shares insights about her dedication to building transparency and accountability around Walmart's hiring process, as well as what it takes to create a more diverse, representative workforce. She also discusses how Walmart is educating employees in tech, what it's like to join a multibillion-dollar company during a pandemic, and how the company is creating future-ready associates. Some Questions Asked:What was it like to transfer from Adobe to Walmart just as the COVID-19 pandemic began?What was the reason behind releasing the new Me@Walmart associate app? And why did you give smartphones to 740,000 employees?What kind of hybrid work arrangements do you expect to be the most common at Walmart?In This Episode, You Will Learn:The value behind offering a monetary incentive for employees to receive COVID-19 vaccinations The ways Walmart is aiming to upskill their workforce About Walmart's new 24-hour hiring process and what the company has gleaned from its implementationLinks:Donna Morris - in the Financial TimesDonna Morris - on CNBCDonna Morris - LinkedIn See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Donna Morris joined Walmart as our Chief People Officer in February 2020. During a pandemic and civil unrest, the well-being of our associates was and still is a top priority. Donna and her team jumped right in and got to work - helping establish our COVID-19 leave policy, partnering to change our hiring process and onboard more than 500,000 new associates, supporting our many diversity initiatives like the Racial Equity Center, and the list goes on. Listen to this new episode of The Huddle with John Furner to hear her experience becoming an American citizen and why she believes becoming more inclusive as a team will make us an even better company.

Donna Morris joined Walmart as our Chief People Officer in February 2020. During a pandemic and civil unrest, the well-being of our associates was and still is a top priority. Donna and her team jumped right in and got to work - helping establish our COVID-19 leave policy, partnering to change our hiring process and onboard more than 500,000 new associates, supporting our many diversity initiatives like the Racial Equity Center, and the list goes on. Listen to this new episode of The Huddle with John Furner to hear her experience becoming an American citizen and why she believes becoming more inclusive as a team will make us an even better company.

The guests on this week’s special bonus episode are Arianna Huffington, CEO and Founder of Thrive Global and Donna Morris, Chief People Officer at Walmart. In our conversation, we discuss how the pandemic has thrust the human resources function centre stage, and how HR has thrived during this difficult time in organisations where the function is well led, has strong senior stakeholder equity, has prioritised employee wellbeing and has robust capability in people analytics. If anything, this has raised expectations of Chief People Officers even further, can they and the functions they lead evolve at the pace necessary to deliver on the expectations of Leaders and the workforce? In our conversation, Arianna, Donna and I discuss: How the role of the Chief People Officer has changed since the beginning of the pandemic What the impact of these increased expectations have had on Chief People Officers themselves The lessons in workforce agility Walmart has learned from hiring over 500,000 associates so far in the crisis and how they will carry these learnings forward How to adopt the mindset to find opportunity in ambiguity and why it is important that Leaders set the tone What HR can do in 2021 and beyond, to capture more value for the business This episode is a must listen for anyone interested or involved in HR and how it can create value for the organisation and protect the health of its workforce. So that is Business Leaders, Chief People Officers and anyone in an Organisational Health, Employee Experience, People Analytics or HR Business Partner role. Support for this podcast is brought to you by gloat. To learn more, visit https://www.gloat.com

MasterMyTrades.com Patreon.com/GoodMorningLiberty Walmart pays hourly staff nearly $180M in bonuses with 'more to come' Federal Judge Blocks California Law Requiring Background Checks For Ammunition Purchases https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/walmart-pays-hourly-staff-180m-bonuses Walmart paid almost $180 million in cash bonuses to its hourly associates nationwide on Thursday and has fulfilled its goal of hiring 200,000 more employees since March in response to demand prompted by the novel coronavirus, the company announced. Donna Morris, the company’s chief people officer, said in a memo posted to its website Thursday that hourly associates received the extra cash, which was actually accelerated quarterly incentive payouts, in addition to previously announced bonuses. Walmart announced in a mid-March press release it plans to pay its full-time hourly employees $300 each and it’s part-time hourly workers $150 as a “special cash bonus,” totaling more than $365 million. Amazon’s CEO tells investors ‘you may want to take a seat,’ as he explains why the company will spend ‘entirety’ of $4 billion profit https://www.marketwatch.com/story/amazons-ceo-tells-investors-if-youre-shareowner-you-may-want-to-take-a-seat-as-he-explains-why-the-company-will-spend-entirety-of-4-billion-profit-2020-04-30 Amazon.com Inc. unsurprisingly topped expectations for quarterly sales amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but it was comments from CEO Jeff Bezos, in a written statement accompanying the retailer’s earnings report, that really drew the focus on Wall Street Thursday evening. The remarks constituted arguably the lengthiest such statement from the world’s richest man in a quarterly report and underscored the magnitude of the deadly disease that has left much of the world struggling to emerge from forced business shutdowns and a temporary cessation of normalcy to help limit the contagion’s spread. FDA authorizes remdesivir for emergency use as coronavirus treatment https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fda-authorizes-remdesivir-for-emergency-use-as-coronavirus-treatment/ The Food and Drug Administration has authorized the antiviral drug remdesivir for emergency use in treating coronavirus cases, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn announced in an impromptu Oval Office meeting on Friday afternoon. Daniel O'Day, the CEO of Gilead Sciences, which produces the drug, also attended the meeting with administration officials. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/goodmorningliberty/support

This interview is with Bill Sweat and Donna Morris, owners of Winderlea Vineyard and Winery. In this interview, the couple discusses how wine was a big part of their story, especially the food aspect as wine is a strong part of that experience as well. They describe how they ended up living in Oregon and owning a winery as “serendipity” as they put themselves in the hands of the people they were learning from and continued to grow. They talk about the Oregon wine industry and how collaborative and gracious people were in helping them out. This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Winderlea Vineryard and Winery on July 18, 2018.

Valcan Cellars and Winderlea Vineyard talks with us in the studio about their stories, and family history of making wine. In this episode, we hear one story centered on second careers, a well-planned next chapter, and the pursuit of a shared passion. Then we uncork a second story coming from one of a multi-generational line of wine entrepreneurs, who focus on an Argentinean approach to fermentation. GuestsBill Sweat, Founder & Winemaker, Winderlea Winery JP Valot, Owner & Winemaker, Valcan Cellars Guest Biographies Bill Sweat & Donna Morris The kernels of Winderlea were spun over milestone birthdays and anniversaries travels to Bill Sweat & Donna Morris's favorite wine regions, and nightly dinners with a bottle of wine after good and not so good days at the office. In the early 90s they fell in love with Pinot Noir. Its elegance and sensuality – and the beautiful way it paired with a range of foods delighted them. As they tasted through wines from across the country they found the characteristics they most loved in Oregon Pinot Noir. They believe it is due in large part to Oregon's unique climate and soils paired with the heritage of artisanal craftsmanship and an obsession with making small lots of the highest quality wine. On a practical level, they found the Oregon wine community to be a collaborative one – where newcomers are welcomed, tutored and expected to perfect their craft. In 2006 they relocated from Boston and have made Dundee, Oregon their home. They are committed to continuing the traditions of responsible stewardship of the land and the highest quality artisan winemaking. JP Valot, Juan Pablo (JP) was born in Mendoza, the heart of Argentina's wine country, and completed a five-year degree in Agricultural Sciences with a focus in Enology and Viticulture at the National University of Cuyo. After graduation, JP worked as an enologist for Esmeralda, one of the Catena wineries. In 2001, he came to Oregon looking for new challenges and was attracted by Oregon's growing wine industry. Shortly after, he met his wife Doris and both decided to settle in Oregon.JP worked for Willamette Valley Vineyards, Soter Vineyards, and Dobbes Family Estate. JP's qualifications include 16 years of winemaking experience between 19 vintages in Oregon and Argentina. He has played multiple roles in Oregon's wine industry including winemaker, vineyard manager, and educator, and was appointed by the Governor to be a member of the Oregon Wine Board. JP is a well-rounded wine professional who understands the winemaking process from the vine to glass. He brings strong educational and professional experience; but most importantly, he brings his passion and commitment to making high-quality wine. Host: Heidi Moore, Wine Enthusiast and Country Financial {wine} Insurance Agent --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/winecrushoregon/message

Valcan Cellars and Winderlea Vineyard talks with us in the studio about their stories, and family history of making wine. In this episode, we hear one story centered on second careers, a well-planned next chapter, and the pursuit of a shared passion. Then we uncork a second story coming from one of a multi-generational line of wine entrepreneurs, who focus on an Argentinean approach to fermentation. GuestsBill Sweat, Founder & Winemaker, Winderlea Winery JP Valot, Owner & Winemaker, Valcan Cellars Guest Biographies Bill Sweat & Donna Morris The kernels of Winderlea were spun over milestone birthdays and anniversaries travels to Bill Sweat & Donna Morris's favorite wine regions, and nightly dinners with a bottle of wine after good and not so good days at the office. In the early 90s they fell in love with Pinot Noir. Its elegance and sensuality – and the beautiful way it paired with a range of foods delighted them. As they tasted through wines from across the country they found the characteristics they most loved in Oregon Pinot Noir. They believe it is due in large part to Oregon’s unique climate and soils paired with the heritage of artisanal craftsmanship and an obsession with making small lots of the highest quality wine. On a practical level, they found the Oregon wine community to be a collaborative one – where newcomers are welcomed, tutored and expected to perfect their craft. In 2006 they relocated from Boston and have made Dundee, Oregon their home. They are committed to continuing the traditions of responsible stewardship of the land and the highest quality artisan winemaking. JP Valot, Juan Pablo (JP) was born in Mendoza, the heart of Argentina’s wine country, and completed a five-year degree in Agricultural Sciences with a focus in Enology and Viticulture at the National University of Cuyo. After graduation, JP worked as an enologist for Esmeralda, one of the Catena wineries. In 2001, he came to Oregon looking for new challenges and was attracted by Oregon’s growing wine industry. Shortly after, he met his wife Doris and both decided to settle in Oregon.JP worked for Willamette Valley Vineyards, Soter Vineyards, and Dobbes Family Estate. JP’s qualifications include 16 years of winemaking experience between 19 vintages in Oregon and Argentina. He has played multiple roles in Oregon’s wine industry including winemaker, vineyard manager, and educator, and was appointed by the Governor to be a member of the Oregon Wine Board. JP is a well-rounded wine professional who understands the winemaking process from the vine to glass. He brings strong educational and professional experience; but most importantly, he brings his passion and commitment to making high-quality wine. Host: Heidi Moore, Wine Enthusiast and Country Financial {wine} Insurance Agent --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/winecrushoregon/message

Ramon interviews Donna Morris, founder of Xtra Pair of Hands DC as she shares how, exceptional attention to the customer is her secret sauce to success and MORE. See full article on http://www.smarthustle.com with Ramon Ray, entrepreneur, author, global speaker

On this episode we’re answering an intern’s question about overtime. How do you approach your manager when you’re working overtime and not getting paid for it? Donna Morris, the Chief Human Resources Officer of Adobe, offers advice.   This is the first episode of a series called Work Smarter Wednesdays—expert advice for your most challenging questions. You’ll find Work Smarter Wednesdays during the weeks between regular episodes of Secrets of the Most Productive People. If you have a problem on the job search or in your career, tell us about it. Leave us a voicemail at ‪(201) 371-3278 or tweet with #FCMostProductive and we will find an expert to answer your question. 

We've featured Winderlea on our popular radio program over the years, and this time we revisit the Dundee Hills to learn about what's going on behind the scenes. Winderlea is certified biodynamic and B-Corp, and co-owner Bill Sweat tells us why he & Donna Morris have chosen to make a statement about how they farm their historic vineyards.

Craig Dufton and Donna Morris welcome David Garofalo. David is the owner of Two Guys Smoke Shop and The Studio 21 Podcast Café. Greater Salem New Hampshire Chamber of Commerce presents Success in the 603. A podcast focusing on Granite Staters who have had success in the public or private sector. We will hear stories of how these people came to be where they are and what you can do to get there too! Sit back and enjoy. You are in Wicked Awesome Company! We cover a variety of topics including: Dave has been in the cigar business for 34 years He also owns the Studio 21 podcast café Dave grew up in Everett, MA but has been in New Hampshire for 10 years He has always been self employed owning a diner, a DJ business and eventually a cigar shop Why did Dave decide that New Hampshire was a better place to locate his businesses? He talks about the first store he opened in Salem, NH How did Dave get into the podcasting business? Dave explains the power of podcasting for marketing a business Success in the 603 is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at the Studio 21 Podcast Café upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH.

Craig Dufton and Donna Morris welcome William Sherry. Bill is COO of Granite United Way and former Chair of the American Cancer Society. Greater Salem New Hampshire Chamber of Commerce presents Success in the 603. A podcast focusing on Granite Staters who have had success in the public or private sector. We will hear stories of how these people came to be where they are and what you can do to get there too! Sit back and enjoy. You are in Wicked Awesome Company! We cover a variety of topics including: Bill has been working since he was 10 years old After graduating from college, Bill worked for National Grid for 32 years He was a charter member of the Greater Salem Rotary Club where he is a Paul Harris Fellow Bill was a board member at The Salem Chamber of Commerce in the late 90s and early 2000s Bill is a veteran of the Air Force Graduate of Brandeis University and an MBA from Bentley Recipient of the William A. Brown Business Person of the Year in 2009 Jefferson Champions Award for Public Service in 2012 Bill discusses the mentors who helped shape and influence his career Success in the 603 is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at the Studio 21 Podcast Café upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH.

Craig Dufton and Donna Morris welcome Wayne and Shane Bernard from the Pica’s Pub & Grill Wayne and Shane have restored the legendary restaurant and are here to share their story with us on how they came to own this successful restaurant on the border of the 603. Pica’s is location at 10 Ayers Village Rd Methuen, Ma also known as Route 97. Greater Salem New Hampshire Chamber of Commerce presents Success in the 603. A podcast focusing on Granite Staters who have had success in the public or private sector. We will hear stories of how these people came to be where they are and what you can do to get there too! Sit back and enjoy. You are in Wicked Awesome Company! We cover a variety of topics including: Pica’s Pub and Grill is a 9 iron away from the 603 Rich family history starting with Shane’s Great Grand Father in the 30’s Became a video rental store for a while Transitioned to a coffee and lottery spot Fire consumed the original location in 2016 Rebuilt and revamped everything from the ground up During the rebuild they ran the business out of a trailer and their customers kept coming back picaspub.com Recipes based on home cooking   Success in the 603 is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at the Studio 21 Podcast Café upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH.

Craig Dufton and Donna Morris welcome Mike Morin. Mike spent 43 years as a radio and TV personality. Mike talks about his new book Lunch with Tommy and Stasia – TV’s Golden Age of Candlepin Bowling. Greater Salem New Hampshire Chamber of Commerce presents Success in the 603. A podcast focusing on Granite Staters who have had success in the public or private sector. We will hear stories of how these people came to be where they are and what you can do to get there too! Sit back and enjoy. You are in Wicked Awesome Company! We cover a variety of topics including: Mike is devoting his retirement to writing He just released his new book today - book Lunch with Tommy and Stasia – TV’s Golden Age of Candlepin Bowling Mike shares his experience in radio and how the business changed over the years Mike shares a story that he reported when the tall ships were in town Because of liability issues and the current climate in radio, Mike wouldn’t be able to do the same types of things today Mike shares how he ended up in the 603 – there were lots of stops along the way He was heavily influenced by Detroit DJs Mike was the DJ at Donna’s wedding Mike went to WZID in 1994 Mike’s future books will be nostalgia based His books are available at mikemorinmedia.com and on Amazon Success in the 603 is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at the Studio 21 Podcast Café upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH.

Craig Dufton and Donna Morris welcome Tim Howard. Tim is the President and CEO of RMON Networks. Greater Salem New Hampshire Chamber of Commerce presents Success in the 603. A podcast focusing on Granite Staters who have had success in the public or private sector. We will hear stories of how these people came to be where they are and what you can do to get there too! Sit back and enjoy. You are in Wicked Awesome Company! We cover a variety of topics including: RMON Networks is in Plaistow, NH Tim shares his thoughts on handling adversity Tim attended Wentworth Institute of Technology He talks about self-funding his college education Tim talks about the early days of his career He talks about what sparked his desire to do computer coding How did Tim transition into management? He shares the story of how he started his own business? What does RMON Networks do? RMON Network’s website is at rmonnetworks.com Success in the 603 is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at the Studio 21 Podcast Café upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH.  

Craig Dufton and Donna Morris talk about what’s going on at the Greater Salem Chamber of Commerce.  Donna is the President of the chamber. Greater Salem New Hampshire Chamber of Commerce presents Success in the 603. A podcast focusing on Granite Staters who have had success in the public or private sector. We will hear stories of how these people came to be where they are and what you can do to get there too! Sit back and enjoy. You are in Wicked Awesome Company! We cover a variety of topics including: Donna has been working at the Chamber for 13 years Donna is a graduate of UNH and details how she ended up where she is today The Chamber is all about people Craig talks about how he came to live in New Hampshire and how his business ended up in the state What is the Chamber of Commerce? Donna gives some of the history of the Chamber of Commerce There are about 500 members in the Greater Salem Chamber of Commerce The Chamber of Commerce host many different types of events Craig and Donna discuss the themes they’ve seen with the themes they’ve seen with their guests Craig and Donna give some insight on The Leadership New Hampshire program The Greater Salem Chamber of Commerce website is at gschamber.com Success in the 603 is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at the Studio 21 Podcast Café upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH.

Marco Abreu joins Craig Dufton and Donna Morris. Marco is the Chief Executive Officer of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salem. Greater Salem New Hampshire Chamber of Commerce presents Success in the 603. A podcast focusing on Granite Staters who have had success in the public or private sector. We will hear stories of how these people came to be where they are and what you can do to get there too! Sit back and enjoy. You are in Wicked Awesome Company! We cover a variety of topics including: Marco Abreu discusses his background Marco first went to the Boys & Girls in Sommerville when he was 5 years old He covers some of the benefits of young people going to the club He started working at the Boys & Girls Club when he was 16 The club is a home away from home for many kids Marco details some of the programs available at the Boys & Girls club Marco helped establish the club in Medford Marco offers advice leadership for non-profit leaders Marco talks about how the Boys & Girls Club has changed during the time he’s been associated Who influenced Marco the most? Marco details some of the current projects at the club What is the Youth of the Year award? The club’s website can be found at salembgc.org Success in the 603 is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at the Studio 21 Podcast Café upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH.

Mark Latham and Gary Miller join Craig Dufton and Donna Morris. Mark is the Music Director and Conductor of the philharmonic and Gary is the Board of Directors President. Greater Salem New Hampshire Chamber of Commerce presents Success in the 603. A podcast focusing on Granite Staters who have had success in the public or private sector. We will hear stories of how these people came to be where they are and what you can do to get there too! Sit back and enjoy. You are in Wicked Awesome Company! We cover a variety of topics including: The New Hampshire Philharmonic has been performing for 135 years Mark talks about this weekend’s program Gary discusses the challenges with keeping the philharmonic going The Seifert Performing Arts Center is the home to the New Hampshire Philharmonic Gary talks about what led him to his position today Gary shares his thoughts on education and how the arts fit into the curriculum Mark was born in Tanzania As a child, he got a toy piano for Christmas After that, he started playing the violin He studied in London and the US, but started conducting in Canada Mark become the Music Director in 2012 He also conducts the UMass Lowell orchestra Mark is very passionate about the education side of music Make tries to remind people that all music has the potential to be fun Success in the 603 is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at the Studio 21 Podcast Café upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH.

Josh Judge joins Craig Dufton and Donna Morris. Josh is a meteorologist at WMUR-TV. Greater Salem New Hampshire Chamber of Commerce presents Success in the 603. A podcast focusing on Granite Staters who have had success in the public or private sector. We will hear stories of how these people came to be where they are and what you can do to get there too! Sit back and enjoy. You are in Wicked Awesome Company! We cover a variety of topics including: Josh grew up in the Berkshire in MA The blizzard of ’78 ignited Josh’s interest in meteorology Originally Josh was drawn toward broadcasting over meteorology Before high school, Josh interned on a radio station Josh attended Emerson College After college, Josh worked as a traffic reporter Josh moved to the 603 in 1990 After working in radio for 8 years, Josh decided to go back to school to study meteorology Josh started working as a fill in on 3 different TV stations He started working full time at WMUR in 2003 Josh has written three books including a children’s book Success in the 603 is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at the Studio 21 Podcast Café upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH.

Jim Smith joins Craig Dufton and Donna Morris. Jim is a retired brigadier general of the United States Air Force and former Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Greater Salem New Hampshire Chamber of Commerce presents Success in the 603. A podcast focusing on Granite Staters who have had success in the public or private sector. We will hear stories of how these people came to be where they are and what you can do to get there too! Sit back and enjoy. You are in Wicked Awesome Company! We cover a variety of topics including: Jim has been in Salem since 2007 Under President Obama, Jim was Ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 2009-2013 He is originally from Georgia and grew up on a dairy farm At an early age, Jim knew he wanted to see the world Jim recounts his experience at the Air Force Academy How did Jim progress to the rank of Brigadier General? Jim spent 22 years in the F-15 Jim discusses where he was on 9-11 He retired from the air force in 2002 Jim details how he came to be Ambassador of Saudi Arabia Success in the 603 is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at the Studio 21 Podcast Café upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH.

Kathryn Mayes joins Craig Dufton and Donna Morris to talk about her success in The Salvation Army. Kathryn is a Corp Officer and Pastor. Greater Salem New Hampshire Chamber of Commerce presents Success in the 603. A podcast focusing on Granite Staters who have had success in the public or private sector. We will hear stories of how these people came to be where they are and what you can do to get there too! Sit back and enjoy. You are in Wicked Awesome Company! We cover a variety of topics including: Katie works in the Greater Derry area Katie talks about the training program for The Salvation Army Katie sees herself as a pastor The Salvation Army just purchased their building in Derry They need the support of the community to survive Katie talks about the back to school drive They helped more kids than ever this Christmas season Is there increased demand for the services offered by The Salvation Army How did Katie find her calling? What year-round programs does the Salvation Army offer? Katie discusses her influences and mentors Text Derry to 41444 if you want to donate Katie does a quick review of the programs offered by The Salvation Army Success in the 603 is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at the Studio 21 Podcast Café upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH.

Thomas Taylor joins Craig Dufton and Donna Morris to talk about his success. Greater Salem New Hampshire Chamber of Commerce presents Success in the 603. A podcast focusing on Granite Staters who have had success in the public or private sector. We will hear stories of how these people came to be where they are and what you can do to get there too! Sit back and enjoy. You are in Wicked Awesome Company! We cover a variety of topics including: Lab Rat Gifts is the world’s largest science themed gift store Tom fell in love with New Hampshire, so he moved his company here Tom grew up outside of Flint, MI Tom’s dad was in the automotive industry His family emphasized education Hard work helps to create luck Tom was the youngest VP in the history of Millipore Tom talks about his career journey This region is a great area for a life sciences company Success in the 603 is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at the Studio 21 Podcast Café upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH.

Ryan Snow author of the books The Miracle Morning Salespeople and Explosive Sales Growth in Real Estate joins Craig Dufton and Donna Morris to talk about his success. Greater Salem New Hampshire Chamber of Commerce presents Success in the 603. A podcast focusing on Granite Staters who have had success in the public or private sector. We will hear stories of how these people came to be where they are and what you can do to get there too! Sit back and enjoy. You are in Wicked Awesome Company! We cover a variety of topics including: Ryan is a speaker, trainer and coach as well as the owner of the Ryan Snow Real Estate Team at Keller Williams Realty in Beverly Ryan started his sales career selling kitchen knives What led Ryan toward becoming an author? They discuss Front Row Foundation Can humans really multitask? Ryan explains how his book helps people to be successful Ryan discusses personal and professional development The energy of the people around you can either build or drain your own energy Who were Ryan’s influences? Success in the 603 is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at the Studio 21 Podcast Café upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH.

Joanne Flynn, PGA Professional and owner of Windham Country Club joins Donna Morris and Craig Dufton on today’s episode. Joann talks about her background and how she got to where she is today. Greater Salem New Hampshire Chamber of Commerce presents Success in the 603. A podcast focusing on Granite Staters who have had success in the public or private sector. We will hear stories of how these people came to be where they are and what you can do to get there too! Sit back and enjoy. You are in Wicked Awesome Company! We cover a variety of topics including: Joanne is a long-time community activist Joanne is originally from Danvers, MA Her dad, Bill Flynn, was a golf professional and is in the New England Golf Hall of Fame Joanne is a PGA professional Given all her ownership and teaching responsibilities, Joann does not get to play golf as often as people may think What personality traits did Joann need to get to where she is Do not try to teach your wife or significant other how to golf Success in the 603 is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at the Studio 21 Podcast Café upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH.

Donna Morris and Dwayna Clark of TGND Consulting are twins that come from a family of entrepreneurs. Before starting their current business, each twin had her own blog. Eventually, they decided to go into business together to begin their consulting company. In today’s episode, we discuss how to overcome perfectionism. We also discuss the dangers of comparing your success to others, and we talk about embracing business challenges. ----- You’ll find links to everything we discussed in this episode at

In 2017 I had a lot of great conversations with a wide variety of thought leaders. I gathered up some highlight clips from last year's podcast interviews and put them into one podcast mashup. These clips show how customer experience can be defined and implemented, what it means for businesses in the future, and more. The first interview I looked back on was with Mary Winfield, VP Customer Experience and Trust at Lyft. The company has to focus on two sets of customers: drivers and passengers. The entire business model is centered around making customers' lives easier, from providing services people want and need to using technology that makes things simple and efficient. She describes the symbiotic relationship between employee experience and customer experience at Lyft. Donna Morris is the EVP Customer and Employee Experience at Adobe. I visited the Adobe offices in San Jose, and we talked about the future of customer experience. She believes the role of customer experience is only going to grow. Digital technology will have a huge part in the future and will need to ‘emote' as face-to-face interactions are going away. This will direct how organizations think about the customer experience and creating great experiences without the human element. Under the direction of Adobe's Chief Marketing Officer Ann Lewnes, the company created an attention-grabbing ad that reached out to customers and kept their attention. In this clip, Ann talks about the Adobe commercial that starts with a bank robbery and ends by showcasing digital technology and customer experience. One of the hottest topics of 2017 was the chatbot. The next podcast interview is with singer, actress, and entrepreneur Christina Milian. Together with her business partner Josh Bocanegra, they created Persona, a tech company that builds chatbots for celebrities. Christina describes the value the chatbot brings to her brand, how it works, and how to get started when considering adding a chatbot to your company. The future of marketing is not an easy thing to scale. Karin Timpone, CMO of Marriott International, is definitely up to the task. Marriott has a focus on Guerrilla marketing and jumps on real-time marketing opportunities via social media. One recent example was the Pokemon Go craze. Marriott's social media team put its efforts on high octane and placed Pokémon monsters in pools knowing that guests photographed them and that they would possibly go viral. They got wind of one Pokémon Go super user and decided to sponsor him by sending him to Japan, Australia, and Europe to catch more Pokémon. Social media is a powerful way for marketing teams to engage with customers in real time, but it requires marketing to constantly have eyes and ears on the ground

Join us live as we meet with the Salem Chamber of Commerce live at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe as we discus why your business should be podcasting. David Garofalo and Donna Morris explain that this is the golden age of podcasting and how we can help you grow your business and be ahead of the curve when it comes to be perceived as the Authority on the subject of your business. Building and reaching your target audience is a lot easier than you think!

When it comes to building strong relationships and experiences, organizations are often faced with a difficult choice: do they focus on employees or on customers? Like many companies, Adobe had two groups working parallel to each other—one focused on reaching out to employees and the other on building experiences for customers. But then Adobe realized that the two audiences actually worked together, and Adobe's leadership combined customer experience and employee experience under the direction of Donna Morris, EVP Customer and Employee Experience. People have always been Adobe's core asset, and that focus is part of the reason the company has seen such rapid growth. For years Adobe focused on being a great company to work for and building a strong employee experience. But at the end of the day, customers actually drive the business, so the company adjusted its focus to be as great to work with as it is to work for. The two ideas go hand in hand—satisfied and engaged employees are more likely to give their best effort and represent the brand well, while satisfied customers are happier and easier to work with. Central to the idea of bringing employees and customers together is to focus on people and make them the core of the organization's culture and strategy. Although they are similar, uniting the focus on these two groups isn't something that can happen overnight. In order to be truly successful, there must be a cultural change that emphasizes the importance of employees and customers. Employees need to understand the metrics of how customer experience and satisfaction are gauged and know what the company's goals are to improve the scores. Each person should see how his or her role plays into the larger customer experience. With a changed mindset, companies can evaluate their processes to see how employee and customer experience can be connected. According to Donna, many organizations will be surprised by how easily their core mechanisms can be aligned to streamline the experience model, especially if employees are using the same products and becoming customers themselves. Adobe does this by using employees as advocates for its customers' needs. Any employee can report an issue about the software or service quickly and easily, which means that issues can be resolved as soon as they are spotted instead of waiting for customers to find issues and go through the entire reporting process themselves. Employee compensation at Adobe is also tied to customer experience, which drives a greater incentive to put the customer first. Regularly checking in with employees through engagement surveys provides the company with periodic updates to see where it is improving and where it can continue to grow. It also helps measure how connected employees feel to the customers and creates opportunities for feedback. One of the keys to building a strong customer and employee experience is to focus on the long-term relationship with each group. Instead of simply getting a customer to make a sale or pushing an employee to hit their quarterly goals, organizations should look for ways to build lasting relationships that keep customers and employees satisfied and coming back for more. An often overlooked aspect of building relationships is focusing on empathy and understanding where people come from. When leaders and organizations focus on emotions, they can foster better employee and customer bonds. Although customer and employee experience are similar, organizations can't just apply a one-size-fits-all solution. One of Adobe's biggest challenges and opportunities is providing the right experience for its wide array of customers. With more than 100 different products, the company's customers range from individuals to large global corporations, and each group has a different set of needs. Adobe hopes individual customers can be entirely self-directed and get great service and answers without contacting the company. On the opposite end of the spectrum are large companies, where Adobe is considered a thought partner and who require more interaction to understand and address their concerns. In order to best meet the needs of customers at varying levels, employees need to receive the right training and be aware of the service required for each type of product. Putting that in motion means that employees must understand the products and their customers and feel comfortable and supported in the workplace to deliver quality service. As customer experience and employee experience both become a larger focus at organizations, it seems only natural that they will grow together. Both of these experiences are connected and should be constantly evolving based on the trends, technology, and needs of both groups. By focusing on the connected experience of employees and customers, organizations don't need to put one group ahead of the other and can enjoy a cohesive experience with a strong people-centric culture.     Disclosure: Adobe is a client of Blake Morgan's speaking business.