Alignment Podcast

it's magic when teams are aligned

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People are happier and more fulfilled when they feel aligned with the organizations and teams they are a part of, and we are on a mission to create that in the world! Tune in to listen to leaders share their experiences around building and leading teams that are aligned. hirealigned.substack.com

٢٧ يناير

Managing Humans and AI Agents at the Same Time

Overview As AI agents become part of everyday work, organizations face new questions about ownership, visibility, and how work actually gets done. In this episode, Jacob Crockett sits down with Matt Wyman, CEO and co-founder of Okareo, to explore the parallels between managing people and managing AI agents. Drawing on experience from developer tools, product leadership, and automotive systems, Matt offers a thoughtful framework for thinking about tools, innovation, and alignment in an agent-augmented workplace. What we cover * Matt’s path from engineering to product leadership – How starting as a builder shaped his perspective on tools, systems, and decision-making. * Why AI agents should be treated as tools, not coworkers – The risks of personifying agents and how trust can be misplaced. * Ownership in an agent-driven workplace – Who should own AI agents: the individual employee or the organization? * Lessons from the automotive industry – What mechanics owning their own tools reveals about modern knowledge work. * The boundary between “bringing tools” and “receiving systems” – How companies typically control infrastructure while individuals control contribution tools—and where agents complicate this. * Visibility and accountability with AI agents – Why agent participation in decisions must be transparent, even if humans make the final call. * Innovation, experimentation, and perceived waste – Why effective innovation often looks inefficient and how managers misinterpret it. * Strategic alignment vs. tactical control – The danger of over-managing at the task level and how it creates brittle organizations. * AI and learning depth – How over-reliance on agents can short-circuit understanding, pattern recognition, and long-term growth. * Stretching vs. leaning back – The emerging divide between people who use AI to explore new domains and those who use it to disengage. * What managers must do differently – Setting expectations, creating space to stretch, and making opportunities visible in an AI-augmented team. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hirealigned.substack.com

٢٣ من الدقائق
٢٠ يناير

Why the Most Effective Leaders Lead With Love

Overview In this episode, Jacob sits down with Greg Montgomery to explore an often-overlooked leadership skill: love. Together, they unpack why genuine one-on-one connections matter more than scalable systems, how fulfillment differs from fleeting happiness, and what intentional leadership looks like in practice. Greg shares formative experiences—from influential ideas by Stephen R. Covey to lessons from Ed Mylett—that reshaped how he shows up at work and in life. This conversation is especially relevant for leaders who want stronger cultures without losing their humanity. What we cover * Why love belongs in leadership conversations – exploring why care, empathy, and genuine concern aren’t “soft extras,” but foundational to trust, influence, and long-term impact at work. * The limits of scalability in human relationships – why the most meaningful leadership moments can’t be automated, outsourced, or multiplied without loss, and why one-on-one presence still matters. * Love as a verb, not a feeling – unpacking the idea (inspired by Stephen R. Covey) that love is something you do through consistent actions, sacrifice, and attention—not something you passively feel. * Happiness vs. fulfillment – distinguishing between short-term happiness driven by money, success, or status, and the deeper fulfillment that comes from connection, service, and meaning. * Vulnerability as a leadership strength – why openness and emotional honesty build credibility and psychological safety rather than undermining authority. * How intentional one-on-ones actually work – reframing one-on-one meetings as relationship-building time rather than tactical checklists, and why this shift changes team dynamics. * Feeling seen at work – a story of how simple appreciation and acknowledgment from a leader can fundamentally change motivation, loyalty, and confidence. * The business impact of human-centered leadership – why investing in people, culture, and connection ultimately shows up in retention, customer experience, and financial outcomes. * Men, identity, and inner work – discussing why many men struggle with fulfillment despite external success, and the importance of creating space to reflect, reset, and reconnect. * Creating environments for transformation – Greg’s vision for The Shift retreat and why intentional experiences can catalyze lasting personal and professional change. Time-stamped outline * 00:00 – Intro and first-time podcast nerves * 01:14 – Greg’s background and winding career path * 03:30 – Why Jacob associates leadership with love and one-on-one connection * 04:19 – Stephen R. Covey, love as a verb, and early mindset shifts * 06:45 – Ed Mylett, fulfillment, and the role of vulnerability * 09:30 – Building relationships through intentional leadership * 11:55 – A manager who modeled genuine care at work * 14:58 – Gary Vee, Chief Heart Officers, and culture at scale * 18:00 – The Shift Retreat and creating space for transformation * 21:37 – Closing reflections on love-driven leadership This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hirealigned.substack.com

٢٢ من الدقائق
١٧‏/١٢‏/٢٠٢٥

What Employee Reviews Really Say About Your Company

Overview Employee reviews used to feel like an HR afterthought. Today, they’re shaping how candidates, customers, and even AI systems perceive companies. In this episode, Jacob sits down with Matt Vance, Co-Founder & CEO of Mobrium, to explore how platforms like Glassdoor and Indeed influence culture, retention, and growth. They discuss why transparency is becoming unavoidable—and how leaders can approach employer reputation thoughtfully and ethically. What we cover * The rise of employee reviews – how Glassdoor and similar platforms have quietly gained influence over the last decade * Culture as a public signal – why employee experience now affects candidates, customers, and investors * The “law of self-selecting extremes” – why most reviews skew negative when companies don’t ask for feedback * Transparency in the age of AI – how tools like ChatGPT aggregate reviews and surface hidden issues * When companies truly don’t care – what disengagement on review platforms signals to the outside world * Retention and ROI – how employer reputation can reduce preventable turnover * Building culture intentionally – lessons Matt has applied while growing Mobrium as a startup This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hirealigned.substack.com

٢٠ من الدقائق
٠٩‏/١٢‏/٢٠٢٥

Turning Overwhelm Into Clarity: Jessica’s New Approach to Hiring

Overview In this client testimonial episode, Jacob talks with Jessica Chase about her experience using HireAligned to manage one of her most demanding hiring cycles yet. Faced with more than 450 applicants for a single role, Jessica describes how HireAligned’s values-based scoring and AI-driven filtering shifted her from overwhelm to clarity. She explains what changed in her process, what surprised her, and why this was her most confident hiring decision to date. This episode is especially helpful for founders and small-team leaders who want to hire well without drowning in resumes. What we cover * How HireAligned narrowed 450 applicants to the right 25 – reducing stress while improving confidence. * Why Jessica rebuilt her hiring process – and what wasn’t working before. * The power of values-based hiring – and how HireAligned surfaced cultural fit early. * Human bias vs. data clarity – Jessica’s insight on “square peg, round hole” hiring tendencies. * What she learned from HireAligned’s culture insights – especially around team learning and growth. * Shifting from personal chemistry to organizational fit – a distinction that changed how she interviews. * Reflections on pricing and value – how she thought about cost relative to time saved and quality improved. * Advice for other small businesses – especially those feeling overwhelmed by applicant volume. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hirealigned.substack.com

١٠ من الدقائق
٠٤‏/١٢‏/٢٠٢٥

From Corporate Burnout to Franchise Freedom

In this episode, Jacob talks with franchise coach Giuseppe “G” Grammatico about what draws people into franchising, what surprises new owners most, and how motivations around work have shifted since COVID. G shares his own story of leaving a grueling Wall Street career to build a business that gave him both time freedom and financial stability. Together, they unpack how to evaluate whether franchising is the right fit, the real risks and misconceptions, and the traits that consistently predict success. Listeners will walk away with a clearer sense of how franchising works—and how to think about entrepreneurship with eyes wide open. What we cover * Giuseppe’s shift from Wall Street to franchising – how a 13-hour workday pushed him to rethink his entire career. * Why time freedom now outweighs financial upside – especially for parents and post-COVID professionals. * What people get wrong about franchising – including the myth that “you can’t lose money.” * How to evaluate fit – focusing on personal roles, characteristics, and family alignment rather than specific brands. * Avoiding common due diligence mistakes – like skipping conversations with current franchisees. * The people problem – what’s actually hard about staffing, and how the best systems support franchisees without crossing HR boundaries. * The mindset shift from paycheck to ownership – the emotional hurdle of not earning immediately. * What successful franchisees have in common – coachability, comfort with systems, and clarity about why they’re doing it. * Creative staffing and support models – from franchisor recruiting help to simplified operations with fewer employees. * Giuseppe’s process for helping clients decide – including financial planning and building toward readiness if timing isn’t right. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hirealigned.substack.com

١٨ من الدقائق
٠٢‏/١٢‏/٢٠٢٥

Offshoring Without Losing Culture: The KapTek Approach

In this episode, Jacob sits down with KapTek co-founder Andrew Lott to unpack how his team is rethinking offshore software development. Instead of competing on rock-bottom pricing, KapTek hires exclusively from Armenia and focuses on quality, culture fit, and long-term integration with client teams. Andrew explains why Armenia has become a quiet hub for world-class engineering talent, how they vet both developers and clients, and what they’ve learned about using AI in the hiring process. Along the way, they explore what it really takes to build a “family-like” culture across borders and time zones. What we cover * Why Armenia for software development – how a small country with a booming tech sector became KapTek’s sole talent market. * Competing on quality, not price – why KapTek chose a boutique positioning instead of racing to the bottom on rates. * How they vet developers – from technical tests to a “vibe check” and final client interviews focused on mutual fit. * Culture fit in small vs large teams – the different ways startups and bigger companies approach bringing on international developers. * Using AI in the hiring pipeline – how KapTek leans on AI to generate and grade domain-specific technical tests. * Developers’ relationship with AI – why many Armenian engineers use AI as a speed boost, not a crutch, and how that affects quality. * From contractors to true teammates – practices that help clients see Armenian engineers as integral team members, not disposable resources. * Selecting the right clients – how KapTek now screens out companies that view offshore developers as purely transactional. * Scaling a “family-like” culture – why Andrew believes a strong, human culture can scale and what they’re doing to protect it as they grow. * Where KapTek is headed next – hints at in-house product lines and continued focus on long-term, high-trust partnerships. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hirealigned.substack.com

١٨ من الدقائق
٢٠‏/١١‏/٢٠٢٥

Beyond the Algorithm: Hiring’s Human Edge with Travis Cariveau

Today I’m joined by Travis Cariveau, Managing Partner at Careers Launch. He’s a small-town Minnesota dad of four with a big-picture take on where hiring is headed. We dig into how tech and AI have reshaped recruiting—and why the teams who win are doubling down on human moments, not mass automation. We cover: * Travis’s path: construction + manufacturing roots → global recruiting → founding a firm → merging into Careers Launch. * What hasn’t changed: relationships, trust, and the fact that candidates aren’t resumes—they’re people. * What has changed: the flood of automated outreach, one-click applies, and why response rates cratered. * The pivot back to personal: fewer, handcrafted messages; in-person events; real conversations that convert. * AI done right: use it to clear admin work and speed research—not to replace thinking or ghost candidates. * Candidate experience playbook: never ghost, close the loop, share feedback, and tell the story behind the hire. * Favorite analogy: Netflix didn’t kill theaters—it forced better experiences (recliners, food, service). Same idea for hiring. * Tactical nuggets: why 100 thoughtful messages can beat 2,000 blasts; how to hire for culture in a remote world; helping execs stand out in the AI era. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hirealigned.substack.com

٢٠ من الدقائق
١٨‏/١١‏/٢٠٢٥

Founder Magic and Culture Fit: What Makes Startups Win with Jeff Erickson

In this episode, Jacob sits down with Jeff Erickson, a familiar face in the Utah startup community and a veteran of companies like Carta and Forecastr. Jeff’s seen startups from every angle — as a founder, investor, and early team member — and he shares what he’s learned about the real drivers of growth: people, purpose, and alignment. They dive into: * Lessons from scaling Carta and now helping Forecastr become a household name * How to set culture early before it sets itself * What it looks like when core values actually show up in day-to-day decisions * Why hiring for alignment is more powerful than hiring for skill * The snowball effect of “founder energy” and how it attracts the right people * How remote teams can still feel deeply connected Jeff’s perspective is equal parts startup wisdom and human insight — a reminder that even in the world of venture capital, valuations, and growth curves, the people are still the point. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hirealigned.substack.com

٢٠ من الدقائق

مشاهدة الكل (٣٦)

People are happier and more fulfilled when they feel aligned with the organizations and teams they are a part of, and we are on a mission to create that in the world! Tune in to listen to leaders share their experiences around building and leading teams that are aligned. hirealigned.substack.com

صناع العمل

it's magic when teams are aligned
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٢٠٢٥ - ٢٠٢٦
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Alignment Podcast