The Z Pod

Ziba Alizadeh

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We Don't Play Small Here.

2 Sept

Owning the Seat, Betting on Apprenticeships, and Unlearning Burnout with Michelle Sims

On this episode of The Z Pod, Host Z sits down with Michelle Sims, CEO of YUPRO Placement, to talk about what it actually means to lead, not just hold the title. Michelle opens up about the early days of her CEO role, when she found herself running every decision past her board chair for approval, until he told her plainly that the accountability was hers, not his. It's a lesson she now builds into how she leads her own team, making sure decision rights and responsibility are clear, not assumed. She talks through stepping into the CEO seat just ten days before COVID hit, steadying the company first, then making a bet almost nobody in the industry was making: building out apprenticeship programs with little precedent to lean on. That bet helped triple revenue in two years and put her in Washington advocating with the Department of Labor on apprenticeship policy. Michelle also gets honest about hitting real burnout and the unlearning it forced, that exhaustion was never proof of commitment, and how that belief now shows up at YUPRO through 200 hours of PTO and required wellness days. She closes with advice for early-career professionals: build an identity outside of work, and be selective about whose feedback you actually let in.00:00 Welcome to The Z Pod01:28 Meet Michelle Sims02:44 Playing Small as CEO04:44 Owning the Seat09:39 COVID Leadership Test10:22 Betting on Apprenticeships15:13 Unlearning Burnout Culture17:39 Wellbeing as a Value21:22 Advice for Early Careers24:52 Closing and Takeaways#leadership #wellbeing #staffing #ceo #recruiting
26 Aug

Leading to Lift Others with Andrea Brenholz

Andrea Brenholz took over ATR International months before COVID hit, and there was no "settling in" period, no honeymoon phase, just crisis leadership from day one. On this episode of The Z Pod, Andrea sits down with Z to talk about carrying forward what her parents built while making it her own, why she's obsessed with recession-proofing the business, and how she's learned to lead with empathy without letting people walk all over her. For Andrea, leadership isn't about claiming the head of the table. It's about pulling up more chairs. She breaks down how ATR diversified to survive anything the economy throws at it, why she shows up for CSP, TechServe, and ASA (especially so small and mid-size staffing firms don't get drowned out), and how she's mastered the art of spotting "emotional vampires" before they drain her dry. Add in her thoughts on delegation, mentorship, and the advice she wishes someone gave her sooner, and this one's packed. Highlights: Inheriting the CEO chair, then immediately leading through a global crisisMaking "recession-proof" a mission, not a marketing lineWhy industry involvement isn't optional if you want a seat at the tableNice vs. boundaries: how to protect your peace without losing your empathyNaming and handling "emotional vampires" like a proDelegation as a leadership flex, and growing the next generation of leadersThe mic-drop advice: you don't have to know everything to raise your hand Timestamps:00:00 – Welcome to The Z Pod00:17 – Meet Andrea Brenholz03:30 – Becoming CEO in Crisis04:39 – Recession Proof Mission06:38 – Boards and Industry Voice09:50 – Nice Versus Boundaries14:00 – Mentors and Delegation18:37 – Raise Your Hand Advice22:35 – Closing Thanks and Wrap24:14 – Host Takeaways Recap25:33 – Subscribe and Farewell
19 Aug

You are Capable of More with Chris Sund

On this episode of The Z Pod, Host Z sits down with Chris Sund, president of UnitMed and GQR Health Care and COO of Nebula, for a conversation that starts with a stolen shopping cart and ends with a challenge to stop selling yourself short. Chris doesn't open with the resume. He opens with the college prank that turned into a theft charge, and the years of self-doubt that followed him into every job interview after. Then he takes it further back, to dropping out of college to support his young son, landing in a restaurant job, and learning what real leadership looks like from a mentor who never asked anyone to do something he wouldn't do himself. That's where servant leadership stopped being a buzzword for Chris and became a habit. The conversation gets sharper from there. Chris opens up about a leadership blind spot he didn't see coming, being told he deflated a sales meeting by overriding someone else's idea, and what that taught him about ego and letting other people be right. He talks candidly about the risks he's taken, from rental properties to bigger bets on himself, and the mission behind his new book, You Are Capable of More, sparked by something an employee's spouse said to him that he never forgot. He closes with a message everyone needs to hear at least once: chase your potential, and stop selling yourself short. In this episode: The shopping cart prank that shaped how Chris saw himself for yearsWhy he dropped out of college, and the mentor who changed everythingUnlearning the habit of always needing to have the best idea in the roomThe moment that convinced Chris to start taking bigger risksThe real story behind You Are Capable of MoreHis advice to anyone who's been playing it safe
12 Aug

Owning Your Own Un-Edited Story with Kendra Cato

On this episode of The Z Pod, Ziba Alizadeh sits down with longtime friend Kendra Cato, director of strategic partnerships at Advance Partners, founding member of Women of Color in Staffing, and active with the American Staffing Association, for a conversation that gets uncomfortable in the best way.Kendra opens up about an exercise that cracked her open while writing her first book, Together We Rise, a journey-mapping workshop that forced her to stop editing her story and start owning it. The "messy middle" isn't something to hide, it's the part that actually connects. Ziba matches her honesty, admitting she built this podcast after years of feeling like she didn't "look the part," and Kendra fires back with a childhood memory about "a couple dollars" that reframes what it really means to wait for permission. Her advice to anyone earlier in their career: trust your gut sooner, and only take guidance from people whose actual lives you'd want.Then it gets tactical. Kendra makes the case that even seasoned executives still need sponsors, mentors, and paid coaches, no one graduates out of needing support. She closes with a line that's sticking with us: "Exposure builds your toolkit, but ownership secures your authority." If you've ever wondered why your work isn't landing the way it should, this is the episode that tells you why. In this episode: -The exercise that forced Kendra to stop polishing her story and start owning it -Why Ziba really started The Z Pod -The childhood lesson about "a couple dollars" that changed how Kendra sees permission -Trusting your gut before you feel ready -Why executives still need sponsors, mentors, and coaches, no matter how far they've climbed -The line that reframes exposure vs. ownership -Tying your value to visible, bottom-line impact Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 01:17 Done Playing Small 02:22 Unedited Story Strength 04:41 Why This Podcast Exists 06:46 Mentors and Permission 11:26 Trust Your Gut 15:26 Coaches and Sponsors 21:32 Owning Your Authority 25:17 Closing and Subscribe 26:11 Host Recap Takeaways
5 Aug

Leadership Starts Identity with Rodrigo Alcaine

On this episode of The Z Pod, Ziba Alizadeh sits down with Rodrigo, CEO of East Ridge Workforce Solutions, to talk about a truth most leaders avoid: you have to step into the identity of who you need to be before the results ever show up.Rodrigo walks through his fast climb, joining East Ridge as Chief Growth Officer, becoming president of staffing and recruiting, then accelerating into the CEO role after a February 2025 divestiture that refocused the company and left the remaining entity operating at a loss. With no runway to ease in, he expanded into finance, legal, and operations while building out a new executive team, ultimately closing the loss gap, growing the business over 12% year over year, and doing it with 22% less cost.The conversation goes deep on declaring your leadership identity to overcome imposter syndrome, why "buy-in" is the wrong goal and alignment is the right one, taking career risks to close experience gaps, the case for executive coaching, and why Rodrigo sees staffing as a noble profession built on hard work and helping people move forward.In this episode:- How Rodrigo stepped into the CEO role during a company-wide turnaround- Why declaring identity comes before results, not after- The difference between seeking buy-in and building real alignment- Taking bold career bets to fill leadership gaps- The value of executive coaching in high-stakes transitions- Staffing as a profession rooted in service, not just placements- The Jenga vs. Legos mindset for rebuilding a teamTimestamps:00:00 Welcome and Setup01:00 Meet Rodrigo03:15 East Ridge Turnaround07:09 Lead Before Ready10:48 Buy In vs Alignment12:53 Bold Career Bets19:03 Staffing Values and Work23:41 Jenga vs Legos Mindset26:07 Closing and Takeaways26:35 Host Reflection Outro
4 Aug

The Shark on Leaving to Grow: Reinvention, Kindness, and Embracing AI in Staffing

He was told to leave staffing. Instead, he took his billing from $4,000 a week to $40,000, and he did it without ever losing his humanity.Meet The Shark. On this episode of The Z Pod, we go deep on what it really takes to bet on yourself, the moment he stopped holding back his ideas and decided to go out on his own, and the mentor who taught him that kindness and humility aren't weaknesses, they're the whole game. The Shark opens up about knowing when a culture isn't a fit, why he refuses to let AI scare him out of the industry (spoiler: it won't take your job if you learn it), and why the leaders who win are the ones still in the trenches, on camera, showing up as real people.This one's for anyone who's ever been counted out and used it as fuel. Hit subscribe so you don't miss it, and don't forget to done play small.01:50 Meet The Shark03:11 Done Playing Small04:22 Rocky Mentor Story05:47 Kindness Pays Forward07:00 When to Move On08:11 Proving Them Wrong10:18 Industry Must Evolve13:29 No Fear Career Leap14:27 Social Media and Video16:01 Final Thoughts on AI18:09 Host Closing Reflection

6 Episodes

We Don't Play Small Here.

Creator

Ziba Alizadeh
Years Active

2026
Episodes

6
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© Ziba Alizadeh
Show Website

The Z Pod