Catalyst Chats

Lindsey Hammer
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  • Entrepreneurship

Catalyst Chats is where bold ideas spark real change. Through authentic conversations with innovators, leaders, and creative thinkers, we unpack the moments, mindsets, and catalysts that accelerate growth in business and life.

  1. Aug 27

    Jaime Klein on Building Inspire HR, AI's Impact on Hiring & Why Fractional Work Makes Us Whole

    "Fractional work makes us whole as a human." That's the founding thesis Jaime Klein has built Inspire Human Resources on since 2007, when her twins arrived and she needed to work in a way that let her show up fully for both her career and her family. Twenty years later, Inspire HR is on speed dial for companies across six states - a firm built on the radical (in 2007) idea that some of the best HR practitioners in the country wanted to work on a part-time, fractional basis. In this episode, Lindsey Hammer sits down with Jaime Klein, CEO and Founder of Inspire Human Resources, to talk about the fractional HR model, how AI is reshaping workforce planning in real time, and why HR leaders need to be back at the strategic table. We discuss: Why "fractional work makes us whole" isn't a compromise - it's how some of the best talent in the workforce show up fullyThe 2007 pitch that took convincing: "It's better to Airbnb a mansion than have access to no mansion at all"Where AI is delivering real ROI in HR right now (talent acquisition, benefits coordination, succession planning)The AI-that-rejected-the-HR-leader story and why AI isn't the be-all-end-allThe "left-handed writer" metaphor: why AI adoption is the ultimate in change managementThe Moderna CTO/CHRO convergence role - where HR and tech are merging at the C-suite levelThe optometrist story: how her dad's profession was going to be "the last man standing" (or will it?)Why AI can't detect a candidate's warmth to reception, their punctuality, or the empathy needed to notice a condolence card on someone's deskWhere HR belongs at the strategic table - and how to get back in the room 00:00 Intro: Meet Jaime Klein - CEO & Founder of Inspire HR 02:59 From Living Room to Inspire HR: 20 Years of Lessons 05:31 AI's Impact on HR in 2026 13:38 What ROI Looks Like: Investments in AI and Tech 18:56 The Hybrid Workforce: Where AI and Humans Actually Collaborate 22:04 AI in Talent Acquisition: The Cost Saves and the Challenges 25:51 The Human Elements AI Can't Replace 26:52 The Role of HR: Balancing Data and Humanity 31:38 Vision for Inspire HR's Next Chapter 33:12 Self-Care as a Business Practice If you're an HR leader navigating AI adoption, a founder building an organization from scratch, or a professional considering fractional work for the first time - this conversation will change how you think about workforce strategy in an AI-augmented world. 🎙️ Connect with Jaime: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kleinjaime/ 🌐 Learn more about Inspire HR: https://www.inspirehumanresources.com/

  2. Aug 14

    Lynn Hazan on Storytelling in Recruiting, the Human Factor in AI & Building Trust That Lasts

    What happens when you meet with a recruiter who's worked with the same client for 21 years? She listens to you, says she's going to place you, and three days later, you're hired. Lynn Hazan, who has built recruiter-client relationships that outlast most careers, did just that. As President of Lynn Hazan & Associates, Inc., she calls herself "the relationship and storytelling recruiter" and on this episode, she proves why that positioning matters more in an AI-saturated hiring market than ever before. Lindsey Hammer sat down with Lynn Hazan, President of Lynn Hazan & Associates, Inc., to unpack how storytelling, curiosity, and human connection are becoming the real differentiators in recruiting. What we get into: The 3-day placement story that captures why "intuitive focus" always beats keyword matchingWhy AI-generated interview responses come across as robotic to interviewers (pun intended) - and how to sound like a human insteadLynn's storytelling framework for interviews: challenges, opportunities, strategy, tactics, resultsThe industry-level warning we should all be questioning: if AI replaces junior roles now, who gets promoted in two years?Why Gen Z is quietly leading the shift back to in-person workHow compassionate feedback actually lands: "I'm committed to your growth" as the openerRenaissance thinking - every pandemic era leads to reinventionLynn's signature sign-off: CCC (Click, Connect, Conversation) Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Personal Connections 00:15 The Essence of Transformation 08:10 The Role of Curiosity in Recruitment 09:28 Building Trust in Recruitment 12:21 The Human Factor in AI Recruitment 15:00 The Shift Towards In-Person Interaction 15:57 Preparing Candidates for AI in Interviews 19:02 The Power of Storytelling in Interviews 20:04 Leveraging AI for Research and Strategy 25:38 Integrating AI with Human Connection 26:30 The Importance of Continuous Learning 32:04 The Convergence of Storytelling and Recruiting 33:32 Building Trust in Feedback 35:19 The Art of Compassionate Communication 37:26 Commitment to Growth and Success 37:54 Vision for the Future: Learning and Contribution 40:45 Optimism in an AI-Driven World 42:54 The Importance of Connection and Conversation If you're a recruiter, a hiring manager, a candidate navigating an AI-heavy job search, or a founder wondering how to keep your team human-centric - this conversation will stick with you. 🎙️ Lynn Hazan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynnhazan/ 🌐 Lynn Hazan & Associates: https://lhazan.com

  3. Jul 23

    Vikram Wadhawan on Building Vasitum, Zero Touch Hiring & Why AI Moves Work in a More Human Direction

    Everyone is worried AI will make work less human. Vikram Wadhawan thinks the opposite is about to happen. As machines take over the transactional parts of hiring - sourcing, screening, scheduling - Vikram sees a future where the human work rises: real cultural fit conversations, coaching, engagement, therapy, art, hospitality, personalized experiences. The rote work goes. The experiential work grows. It's the opposite of the doom narrative everyone else is running. In this episode, Lindsey Hammer sits down with Vikram Wadhawan, Founder and CEO of Maven Workforce and Vasitum, to talk about building an AI recruiting platform out of frustration with the industry, why recruiters juggle 4-7 broken tools to do one job, and what "zero touch hiring" actually means in practice. What we get into: The counterintuitive AI take: as machines take over rote work, humans get to be MORE human, not lessRecruitment's evolution from a back-office support function to a boardroom discussionThe Broken Ecosystem Problem: why recruiters juggle 4-7 platforms to do ONE jobVasitum's Zero Touch Hiring vision - and the three hiring KPIs it's built to impactVikram's origin story: borrowed money from his sister for his first venture, lost it all, two partners bailed on day one, kept going anywayWhy "we'll be jobless" fears have been wrong every time - and why AI will be no differentThe future work Vikram is bullish on: cooking, art, coaching, therapy, hospitality, travelBootstrapped founder GTM decisions: US vs Middle East vs Southeast Asia - and why the Middle East is on his radarThe rise of Global Competency Centers (GCCs) as an alternative to traditional staffing Chapters: 00:00 Intro: Meet Vikram Wadhawan - From First-Gen Entrepreneur to 4th Venture 03:12 Current Projects: Vasitum, GCCs, and What's Live at Maven Workforce 06:47 Recruitment Moves from Back Office to Boardroom 11:28 Why AI Moves Work in a MORE Human Direction 17:59 Bootstrapped GTM: US, Middle East, or Southeast Asia? Whether you're a founder, an HR leader, a recruiter, or anyone thinking about how AI is going to reshape work - this conversation offers the counterintuitive take you haven't heard yet. 🎙️ Connect with Vikram: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vikramw/ 🌐 Learn more about Vasitum: https://vasitum.com/

  4. Jul 8

    Nick Hiter on Being the Buffalo, Why Your Personal Brand Is Recession-Proof & AI as Payroll

    There's a story about cattle and buffalo. Cattle run away from the storm - so they end up moving with it, staying inside it longer. Buffalo run head-first into the storm and get out the other side faster. Nick Hiter has built his career on being the buffalo. Twenty years scaling 150+ insurance agencies, $100M+ in revenue, the launch of Processing 1st, the founding of Hitlab Creative, a SiriusXM voice talent gig, and a podcast (The Hitstreak) that's about to be acquired - all built on the same refusal to wait out the storms. In this episode, Lindsey Hammer sits down with Nick Hiter - Media Architect, Fractional CMO, Fractional CRO, and Keynote Speaker - to talk about why most operators are framing AI investment wrong, what makes a personal brand recession-proof, and the one reframe that took him from zero affiliate revenue in 2024 to $1.4M in contracted partnerships in 2025. What we get into: The Buffalo mindset - why running into the storm gets you out fasterThe biggest mistake entrepreneurs make when choosing a payment processor (and why it's not what you think)The AI-as-payroll reframe: why that $25K tool is really a hire, not a subscriptionWhy your personal brand is recession-proof - and what to invest in BEFORE you invest in your companyThe Netflix insight: how OLD content is making more advertising revenue than new content - and what that means for your social media strategyThe "five sets" framework Nick gives his clients to scale content without burning outWhy "you're either going to sell it, stop doing it, or die doing it" is the only way to think about every business decisionThe three-word rule for every piece of content you ever make: educate, entertain, encourage Chapters: 00:00 Intro: Meet Nick Hiter - Media Architect, Fractional CMO & Founder 01:21 The Secret to Success: Failing Forward (and Being Ready) 03:33 Choosing the Right Banking Partner - Why It's Like Picking Insurance 07:18 The Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make With Payment Processors 09:07 The Storm Every Founder Has to Run Through 11:50 AI as Payroll: Why That $25K Tool Is Really a Hire 15:11 Be the Buffalo: How to Move Through Hard Things 18:10 Why Your Personal Brand Is Recession-Proof 20:28 Monetizing Old Content: What Netflix Knows That You Don't 24:58 Your Bank Account Is Your Report Card 29:20 Take Less Than You Give: Nick's Advice for Leaders 32:32 The $1.4M Story: Why Relationships Beat Transactions 36:09 Final Thoughts: Educate. Entertain. Encourage. Whether you're a founder, an operator, a content creator, or anyone wondering how to scale yourself without scaling your headcount, this conversation will reframe how you think about media, money, and momentum. 🎙️ Connect with Nick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickhiter/ 🌐 Learn more about Nick's work: https://nickhiter.com/ 🎧 The Hitstreak podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/61mf8Q1aa6qwj955krpTBt

  5. Jun 26

    Kat Kibben on The Billion Dollar Job Data Problem, AI Hype vs Reality & Treating AI Like an Intern

    Why have 90% of AI pilots failed? Kat Kibben's answer might surprise you - it's not the technology. A recent MIT study found that 90% of AI pilots have failed. The headlines blame the tools. Kat Kibben, who has spent over 20 years inside recruiting and HR tech, has a different theory: the data we're feeding these systems is broken, and nobody wants to talk about it because cleaning up bad data isn't sexy. In this episode, Lindsey Hammer sits down with Katrina Kibben, author, CEO, and Founder of Three Ears Media, to talk about the Billion Dollar Problem hiding inside every job posting on the internet, the rule of thumb every leader should adopt before deploying AI, and the founding story that started with a manager telling Kat they had "no talent." What we get into: The MIT study that found 90% of AI pilots have failed - and what most people are getting wrong about whyThe Billion Dollar Problem: how decades of bad job postings are poisoning every AI tool in recruitingThe rule Kat lives by: "Don't trust AI to do anything you wouldn't trust an intern to do"The peanut butter and jelly sales-training analogy that explains why we're all bad at prompting AIHow Kat quit their job and announced Three Ears Media from a conference stage two weeks later - with no services, no plan, and no business cardsWhy "we promote our best workers, not our best leaders" - and what to do about itThe sh*t sandwich principle from Elizabeth Gilbert's Big Magic that explains how to know if you actually love your workWhy learning to quit is a muscle - and what Kat means by "the quitting muscle"Kat's three to five year vision: building the education pipeline recruiters never had Chapters: 00:00 Intro: Meet Kat Kibben - Author, CEO & Founder of Three Ears Media 01:57 From VP of Marketing to "PhD in Recruiting by Accident" 04:05 Why Hiring Is Hard - and Nobody Tells You 05:44 AI in Recruiting: 90% of Pilots Have Failed 08:03 The Billion Dollar Problem: Bad Job Data Poisoning Every AI System 10:19 "Don't Trust AI to Do Anything You Wouldn't Trust an Intern to Do" 11:42 The Moment Kat Quit and Started Three Ears Media 13:35 When Toxic Feedback Becomes the Catalyst 16:23 We Promote Our Best Workers, Not Our Best Leaders 19:14 Finding the Problem You're Obsessed With Solving 21:54 Why Loving Your Work Isn't a Privilege - It's Sustainability 25:11 The Quitting Muscle: How to Drop What Isn't Yours 29:23 What's Next for Three Ears Media 31:49 Upskilling Teams to Navigate Uncertainty Whether you're a recruiter, an HR leader, or anyone building AI tools that touch people, this conversation will change how you think about data, hiring, and the work worth doing. 🎙️ Connect with Kat: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrinakibben/ 🌐 Learn more about Three Ears Media: https://threeearsmedia.com/ 📚 Kat's new book "The Bounce Back Factor": https://a.co/d/0eaLN9Nt

  6. Jun 17

    Nicole Martin on Franchising HR Boost, the Freelance Talent Shift & Why HR Is a Profit Center

    Most business leaders treat HR as a necessary cost. Nicole Martin built a $1M+ firm on the opposite thesis: when HR is done right, it's a profit center. Nicole walked into a financial services firm in Chicago at 18 as the receptionist. Six months later, after pitching the owner a project from a college class, he told her "you belong in HR." Twenty-five years later, she's founded HRBoost, become a published author, keynoted in Paris and Tokyo, and is now franchising her firm across the U.S. - with a target of 64 franchisees by the time her youngest son graduates high school. In this episode, Lindsey Hammer sits down with Nicole Martin, CEO and Founder of HRBoost, to talk about why HR keeps getting framed as a cost center, the franchising play nobody else in HR is making, and the talent shift she predicted on LinkedIn two years before everyone else caught on. What we get into: The 18-year-old receptionist story that landed her in HR (and the lesson about not knowing you're not "supposed" to walk into the CEO's office)Why HR is a profit center when it's done right - and what "culture by design vs. culture by default" actually means in practiceThe franchising play - 64 HRBoost franchisees by 2030, why she's making it accessible to mid-career HR pros, not investorsThe 3 worldview camps Nicole sees on AI in HR across her client base - and which one she thinks is rightWhy freelancing is "the true threat of talent" - and why hiring will require W-2, 1099, AND W-8 going forwardThe 3-person team for the price of one: how HRBoost gives clients a strategist, consultant, and specialist instead of one generalist"For every 6 clients we gain, we net 4 per year" - the counterintuitive services-business move of working yourself out of a jobThe reframe Nicole used in the 2010 recession that any HR pro in transition can borrow today Chapters: 00:00 Intro: Meet Nicole - CEO and Founder of HRBoost 00:51 From Receptionist at 18 to Founding HRBoost in 2010 02:30 HR Doesn't Need to Be In the Office 5 Days a Week 03:41 COVID, PPP, and What Saved Small Business America 05:00 AI in HR: The Three Industry Camps Nicole Sees 06:31 Culture by Design vs. Culture by Default 08:00 Why HR Is a Profit Center, Not a Cost 09:21 Franchising HRBoost - The 64 Franchisee Vision 11:00 Why Freelancing Is the True Threat to Talent 12:10 The "HR Person on a Mission" Reframe 14:51 Closing Thoughts and Reflections Whether you're a founder, an HR pro, or an operator trying to figure out how to attract and retain talent in a freelance-first economy, this conversation will change how you think about people strategy. 🎙️ Connect with Nicole: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cnicolemartin/ 🌐 Learn more about HRBoost: https://hrboost.com/ 📚 Nicole's books and keynote work: https://nicolemartin.live/

  7. Jun 10

    Dorna Moini on Building Gavel, AI Inside Microsoft Word & The Legal Access Crisis

    What if most people who need a lawyer aren't using one? That's not hypothetical. Roughly 77% of people accessing legal services in the U.S. are doing it without a lawyer - because the average $500-an-hour rate puts traditional legal help out of reach for most of the people who need it. A growing wave of legal tech founders is building what comes next. In this episode, Lindsey Hammer sits down with Dorna Moini, CEO and Founder of Gavel, to talk about the access-to-justice crisis, building AI tools that actually live where lawyers work, and the one founder habit she refuses to give up no matter how big the company gets. What we get into: Why Dorna left a litigator role at Sidley Austin to build "TurboTax for domestic violence law" - and how that pro bono project became GavelThe 77% stat that reframes the entire AI-vs-lawyers debateWhy narrowing AI training to corporate and real estate transactional law produced better results than going broadHow Gavel Exec lives inside Microsoft Word - and why that decision removed the biggest adoption barrier in legal techThe pricing and packaging shift Dorna believes will reshape legal practice over the next 3-5 yearsWhy "building the technology is only half the battle" - and what the harder half actually isThe one habit Dorna has kept from day one through thousands of firms on the platform Chapters: 00:00 Intro: From Sidley Austin Litigator to Legal Tech Founder 00:15 The Pro Bono Work That Sparked Gavel 02:30 TurboTax for Domestic Violence Law - and What Came Next 03:48 Why Legal Aid Was the Path of Least Resistance 05:00 Training AI to Think Like a Lawyer 07:01 Why 77% of People Skip Lawyers (and What It Means for the Profession) 09:00 Scaling Lawyers Through Technology, Not Replacing Them 09:42 Becoming a Business Leader After Seven Years of Practicing Law 11:27 The Gavel Workflows Revamp Launching Now 12:30 Gavel Exec: AI Inside Microsoft Word 14:14 How Dorna Uses AI Day-to-Day (Notion AI, ChatGPT, Claude) 17:00 The One Habit Every Founder Should Keep Forever Whether you're a lawyer, a founder, or just curious about how AI is reshaping one of the most resistant-to-change industries on the planet, this conversation will shift how you think about access, adoption, and the real job of building a company. 🎙️ Connect with Dorna: https://www.linkedin.com/in/documentautomation/ 🌐 Learn more about Gavel: https://www.gavel.io/

  8. Jun 2

    Shaheen Mazloom on Cold Outreach, Trust in Lending & Why He Hires Bartenders Over Salespeople

    What if the people you think are out of reach are just one DM away? That's the lesson Shaheen Mazloom learned in 2020 and it changed how he's built every business since. In January 2020, Shaheen accidentally started a medical supply company three months before COVID hit the U.S. He messaged Bob Saget on Instagram asking for help promoting it, and Saget made a free promo video the same day. No PR team. No back-and-forth. Just: done. That moment cracked open a belief most entrepreneurs never let go of - that the gatekeepers are out of reach. They aren't. In this episode, Lindsey Hammer sits down with Shaheen Mazloom, CEO and Founder of Versa Business Systems, to talk about cold outreach, building trust in a low-trust industry, and what it actually takes to scale a business that lasts. What we get into: The Bob Saget cold DM story and why "just ask" works more often than people thinkHow Versa hit a 50% close rate in week one - and got flagged for fraud by their first partnerWhy 99.9% of the small business lending industry collapsed in 2020 - and how Versa grew through itThe biggest mistakes business owners make when seeking funding (and the two-page Google trap)Why Shaheen hires bartenders and entertainers over experienced salespeopleHow an AI email tool gave him back three hours a day - the equivalent of a fourth workday per weekHis three-year plan: from "best in the industry" to mergers and acquisitions Chapters: 00:00 Intro: From Shoveling Snow to Building Businesses 04:00 The Bob Saget Cold DM That Changed Everything 08:00 Why Shaheen Almost Didn't Go Into Lending 09:30 Flagged for Fraud: A 50% Close Rate in Week One 11:29 The Two Biggest Mistakes Business Owners Make 15:30 Why Relationships Matter More Than Rates 20:03 Why He Doesn't Watch the Economy 22:30 Why 99.9% of His Industry Died in COVID 24:30 The Mad Men Lesson on Team Alignment 27:14 Adapt or Die: Advice for Entrepreneurs 29:00 AI, Email & Getting Back an Extra Workday 30:30 What's Next for Versa Whether you're a founder, an operator, or just curious how someone builds a business that's rare in its industry for client satisfaction, this conversation will change how you think about outreach, hiring, and resilience. 🎙️ Connect with Shaheen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaheen-mazloom/ 🌐 Learn more about Versa Business Systems: https://www.versabusinesssystems.com/

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About

Catalyst Chats is where bold ideas spark real change. Through authentic conversations with innovators, leaders, and creative thinkers, we unpack the moments, mindsets, and catalysts that accelerate growth in business and life.

Information

  • Creator
    Lindsey Hammer
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    16
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Lindsey Hammer
  • Show Website
    Catalyst Chats