The HR Life Podcast

Tony Benjamin
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The HR Life Podcast is a show about the work-life experience of those of us in Human Resources and business leadership. This long-form podcast is a conversation, casual, and not always the corporate line. Hosts and guests touch on everything from serious or even controversial topics to the absurdity of modern American business practices. Your hosts are Tony Benjamin, owner and founder of The Grange Strategic HR Consulting, and Steven J. Smith, Author of The Hiring Tree: Laws of Applicant Attraction and all-around important guy. Guests include the best minds in the HR world. Join the show weekly.

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    EP 18 The Layoff Stayed in Vegas, From the Couch to the Superbowl with Steve Jaffe

    The guys talk to Steve Jaffe, author of the book The Layoff Journey: From Dismissal to Discovery.  The discussion moves from statistics of the increasing numbers of people caught in layoffs, to some of the pitfalls of using an ATS fully screen applicants.  Recovering from being caught in a layoff is a journey and this episode looks at it from 100 different angles including HR’s.     Born and raised in sunny San Diego, Steve began his writing journey at San Diego State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and communication. After a 25-year career in advertising and marketing—including work on the iconic “What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas” advertising campaign—he has returned to his writing roots. Throughout his career, Steve has built a reputation for creativity, strategic insight, and a deep understanding of human experiences. These qualities shape his approach to both his work and life, infusing his writing with authenticity, empathy, and a genuine desire to connect with others.  Steve resides in Altadena, California, with his wife, two children, and a perpetually shedding dog. When he’s not writing or consulting as a marketing expert, you can find him chasing waves along the coast or carving fresh powder on the slopes—always seeking balance and adventure in his professional and personal life. Steve’s journey continues to be a testament to resilience, innovation, and the belief that sharing authentic experiences can inspire growth and lead to a deeper understanding of who we truly are.   Find Steve Jaffe’s book at: https://amzn.to/4pNZ5CZ   Learn more about Steve Jaffe at: https://thestevejaffe.com/ Learn More About Steven “Big Deal Smith” at: https://thehiringtreebook.com/ Learn More About Tony “Two Weeks’ Notice” Benjamin at: https://www.thegrangellc.com/   Thank you to MegaStarHR for their continued support.  Learn more at https://www.megastarhr.com/ The guys support The Thrive Life Project.  Learn more at https://www.thrivelifeproject.org/

    1h 16m

  2. 7 OCT

    EP 17 Free Bird, The Work Elevated Conference, and Mullets

    Recorded live at The Work Elevated Conference, this episode will shock you into a smile.  After another brilliant introduction, the guys talk to both organizers and attendees at the conference.  Rachel Child joins the podcast again and talks about working at the conference, Karisa Stahle then talks about turning over the reigns to Joylynn Jepson who also joined and promised to first release the theme of next year’s conference exclusively on the podcast.  Attendee Carl McCain talks to the guys about winning a TV at last year’s conference along with what he learned about being kind to others (in addition to the thrill of talking to Steve and Tony).  Sterling Barker sits in the Red Seat from Utah SHRM, talks about serving and why he does it.  Then, Scott Key, the breakout networker of the conference joins and talks about his experience attending while looking for work.    Warning: This episode contains light humor and lacks a lot of boring employee handbook knowledge.  Listeners should be prepared for humor, sarcasm, and a little background noise.  Some listeners may experience uncontrollable smiling, laughter, and a desire to attend next year’s conference.     Learn more about Rachel Child at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelm-child/ Learn more about Joylynn Jeppson at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joylynn-jeppson-a87149142/ Learn more about Karisa Stahle at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karisa-stahle-shrm-cp-23395950/ Learn more about Carl McCain at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-mccain-ab309614/ Learn more about Sterling Barker at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sterling-l-barker-mshr-phr-shrm-cp-031bb32/Learn more about Scott Key at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-key-3297b0193/  Learn More about Tony Benjamin at: https://www.thegrangellc.com/ Learn more about Steven "Big Deal" Smith at: https://thehiringtreebook.com/

    2h 2m

  3. 30 SEPT

    EP 16 Illegal Lizards, Divine Recruiting and Melissa Musgrave

    Steve admits his troubled past selling lizards and the guys talk recruiting, interviewing, and the state of HR with Melissa Musgrave.  Melissa shares her experience "recruiting Jesus" and some other fun stories.  The guys take a few minutes and discuss the assassination of Charlie Kirk.  Melissa believes people are the capital, and growth is the return.  Founder of Melissa Musgrave People Collective, where she helps leaders, professionals, and organizations unlock clarity, confidence, and sustainable growth. With over 20 years in HR strategy and leadership—including as Chief People Officer for an aerospace startup and Head of Employment at Airbus Americas—she knows what it takes to scale teams, build resilient cultures, and deliver business outcomes through people.  My career has spanned hiring 10,000+ professionals, leading high-growth organizations through scale-up and transformation, and guiding executives at critical leadership inflection points. She partners with leaders navigating career transitions, burnout recovery, or next-level growth, teams building trust, alignment, and performance, and organizations scaling sustainably through HR strategy and fractional leadership Learn more about Melissa at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissamusgrave/ Learn more about Tony "Two Weeks' Notice" Benjamin at: https://www.thegrangellc.com/ Learn about Steven "Big Deal" Smith: at: https://thehiringtreebook.com/

    1h 32m

  4. 22 SEPT

    EP 15 Insurance Fun with Diane Fullerton

    After a shaky start, the guys talk to Diane Fullerton from GBS Benefits about that time she helped save the Work Elevated Conference and her association with Utah SHRM.  They also talk the world of benefits, what your broker should be doing for you, and the process of getting benefit quotes.  We know... all sexy topics for sure, but it was a lot of fun.  Monday was a full participant in this episode. This episode drops the first day of the Work Elevated Conference and can provide a fantastic backdrop to the wonderful opportunities available at the conference.  The guys will be recording live at the conference on Tuesday September 23, 2025 at a vendor booth.  Stop by and say hi.   Diane Fullerton is a dynamic leader with a proven track record of success at GBS, where she embarked on her journey in 2007 as Chief Operating Officer and has since risen to the position of Chief of People and Community in 2021.  Diane is a trailblazer in building a workplace culture centered around people-first attitudes. Under her leadership, GBS has consistently prioritized the well-being and professional growth of its employees, resulting in a motivated and engaged workforce that drives innovation and excellence. Her visionary approach to employee development and mentorship programs has not only elevated GBS as an employer of choice but has also set industry standards. Beyond the confines of the corporate world, Diane is a passionate advocate for community involvement. She has spearheaded numerous initiatives that have made a positive impact on the communities in which GBS operates. Her dedication to corporate social responsibility has earned GBS a reputation as a responsible and caring corporate citizen.  Learn more about Diane Fullerton at: https://gbsbenefits.com/team/diane-fullerton/ Learn more about Tony "Two Weeks' Notice" Benjamin at: https://www.thegrangellc.com/ Learn more about Steven "Big Deal" Smith at: https://thehiringtreebook.com/  Learn about Thrive Life at: https://www.thrivelifeproject.org/ Learn More About MegaStar HR at: https://www.megastarhr.com/

    1h 26m

  5. 16 SEPT

    EP 14 JD Robinson, The New Guy in Steve's Database

    The guys talk with JD Robinson about Recruiting, the state of HR, making transformative relationships with people, and acknowledge that HR is not your friend... but neither is accounting or marketing.  They discuss the value of experience verses a degree and why high performers that nobody likes shouldn't be on your team as well as the greatest recruiting process JD has ever been a part of.  (No pets were heard in the recording of this episode.)  JD Robinson is a business and HR executive with 15 years of experience driving organizational performance and profitability. Certified in GPHR, SPHR, and SHRM-SCP (with his PMP certification in progress), he specializes in turning complex challenges into business solutions that fuel growth. JD has helped organizations strengthen retention, optimize operations, and build high-performing teams, delivering measurable improvements in productivity and scalability. Known for his direct style and results-driven approach, he focuses on creating sustainable business success by aligning people, strategy, and performance. Learn more about JD Robinson at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdrobinson1Learn more about Tony "Two Weeks' Notice" Benjamin at: https://www.thegrangellc.comLearn more about Steven "Big Deal" Smith at: https://thehiringtreebook.com/  Contact the podcast at thehrlifepodcast@gmail.com

    1h 15m

  6. 9 SEPT

    EP 13 It Takes an Olympic Village To Raise a Culture with Dan Merkley

    The guys talk to Dan Merkley about his experience organizing and managing the athlete's village for the Olympics.  What does it take to create an organization that exists to put on a single event and then disband? How do you staff hundreds of workers and keep them all engaged and working hard until the end of the games?  How do you keep them from finding another employer two weeks into the event?  The guys find out that culture and chemistry are the secret ingredients.   Dan Merkley is a professional, diplomatic executive / sub-executive of events and venue operations with 25 years experience in planning and operations management of regional and global entertainment and sports-oriented projects. Cross-functional expertise in client relations, teaching, training, project development, commercial development.  Negotiator and advocate, having represented the interests of the Lima 2019, Rio 2016, Sochi 2014, Vancouver 2010, Beijing 2008, Torino 2006, and Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Villages to scores of internal and external stakeholders, and international clients. Cross-cultural exposure also includes having lived abroad in Rio de Janeiro (15 mo), Russia (2.5 years), Italy (2 years), Romania (2 years), and Qatar (5 mo).  Learn more about Dan Merkley at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-merkley/ Learn more about Tony "Two Weeks' Notice" Benjamin at: https://www.thegrangellc.com/ Learn more about Steven "Big Deal" Smith at: https://thehiringtreebook.com/  Additional Links:  https://worldphygital.org/   https://gofuture.games/  https://valkyrierelay.com/ Send translation of the Romanian phrases to thehrlifepodcast@gmail.com.  The first person to do so will receive a free copy of Steve's book, The Hiring Tree.  Careful listeners will note special guest parakeets Natasha Romanov and Phillipa Sue.  Tony and Steve want to thank their respective talent agents.

    1h 13m

  7. 2 SEPT

    EP 12 The Undeniable Halo of Matt Hilbig

    The guys talk to Matt Hilbig from OCM, Inc about the state of HR from the perspective of the job seeker.  The discussion covers the current labor market, bad behavior by both candidates and recruiters, the reputation companies develop over time by how they treat applicants, and, of course, the word "strategic."   Guest appearance by Rizzo.    Matthew Hilbig is Executive Vice President and co-owner of OCM, Inc., a 40-year-old career transition services and HR consulting firm. He is president of the Central Utah SHRM Board and serves on the Employment Advisory Council for the state of Utah as well as the UVU HR Advisory Board. He’s also a member of Salt Lake SHRM.  Matt had a successful career in sales before becoming a consultant and career coach, where he’s helped over a thousand clients with their job search.  He has a BS in Mass Communications (Public Relations emphasis) from the University of Utah and an MBA from Grand Canyon University. Matt is a major bookworm, Jeopardy! Junkie, and Mountain Dew fiend. His latest endeavor is learning Spanish. Learn more about Matt Hilbig at: https://www.ocminc.com/Learn more about Tony "Two Weeks' Notice" Benjamin at: https://www.thegrangellc.com/Learn more about Steven "Big Deal" Smith at: https://thehiringtreebook.com/

    1h 28m

  8. 26 AUG

    EP 11 Your Religious Uncle Robot and Josh Brecheisen

    The guys sit down and talk to Josh Brecheisen about working in HR while being religious, recruiting, how to become the best version of yourself and the future of AI in helping people find jobs.  Josh discusses the idea that, in the future, AI bots will find everybody a job instead of individuals applying for jobs.  Josh is a recruiting leader, trainer, and speaker. He's recruited for top brands such as Dell-EMC, VMWare, and LogMeIn.  His career has been focused on stepping into recruiting teams in difficult situations and establishing recruiting industry best practices, building teams from the ground up, and increasing team performance.  He's been a contributor and speaker at SourceCon and the Recruiting Trends conferences.  Not to mention he was part of a national championship volleyball team at BYU.  Learn more about Josh at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshblife/ Learn more about Tony "Two Weeks Notice" Benjamin at: https://www.thegrangellc.com/ Learn more about Steven "Big Deal" Smith at: https://thehiringtreebook.com/ Tony's band, Two Weeks' Notice, will be playing on Monday night of the Work Elevated Conference (September 22) at Big Daddy's Pizzeria in Provo.  Find out more at https://www.facebook.com/share/1BNhzqyE7Z/?mibextid=wwXIfrRegister for the Work Elevated Conference at: https://utahworkelevated.com/

    1h 14m
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About

The HR Life Podcast is a show about the work-life experience of those of us in Human Resources and business leadership. This long-form podcast is a conversation, casual, and not always the corporate line. Hosts and guests touch on everything from serious or even controversial topics to the absurdity of modern American business practices. Your hosts are Tony Benjamin, owner and founder of The Grange Strategic HR Consulting, and Steven J. Smith, Author of The Hiring Tree: Laws of Applicant Attraction and all-around important guy. Guests include the best minds in the HR world. Join the show weekly.

Information

  • Creator
    Tony Benjamin
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 The Grange LLC
  • Show Website
    The HR Life Podcast

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