The Human Capitalist

Trent Cotton & Purple Acorn Network
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What is a Human Capitalist? Well, it's the new version of Human Resources. It's time to get rid of the outdated and reactive HR and replace it with Human Capitalism. I'm Trent Cotton and I'm ready to give the HR industry the punch it needs to become more focused on Human Capital versus the old stauncy HR. I’m thrilled to have you here as we dive into the future of Human Resources together. This podcast is all about empowering HR professionals to step up as proactive consultants, using AI and cutting-edge practices to manage a company’s largest expense and highest revenue producing asset—its people. As a senior HR Executive at HatchWorks AI, I get a rare glimpse into the impact technology advancement will have on the industry. This podcast is designed to share those insights with you! I’ll show you how to turn your biggest expense into a revenue-generating powerhouse by embracing change and leading with insight. If you are ready to be a rebel in the industry and unlock the true potential of human capital, this is the channel you've been looking for.

  1. 1d ago

    Anthropic CEO Admits: We Overstated AI Job Losses

    The media and companies keep AI layoffs on the wrong thing. But what if that's not the real story? Dario Amodei — the CEO of Anthropic — spent 2025 warning the world that AI would eliminate 50% of white-collar jobs. Then in May, both he and Sam Altman publicly walked back their predictions. So if the people who *built* the technology are backing off the apocalypse narrative... what's actually driving these cuts? In this video, I break down what I believe is really happening: companies built their organizations wrong — measuring power by headcount instead of value creation. Now AI is being used as the perfect corporate alibi to fix a problem that has nothing to do with AI. **What we cover:** - Why the "AI did it" narrative is the perfect corporate cover story - Cameron Herold's square root principle + Pareto's 80/20 — and the uncomfortable math they create together - How augmented high performers (think Tony Stark + Jarvis) change the workforce equation entirely - The Human Capitalist Value Matrix — how to identify where value is created, accelerated, and must be protected - Why most CHROs are either reactive or ra-ra — and what the modern CHRO actually needs to be - Why reskilling your workforce isn't just smart strategy — it's a moral obligation **Referenced in this video:** - AI-Related Job Impacts Clarity Act (full breakdown): https://youtu.be/tH_OhrxPrY4 - Cameron Herold / COO Alliance: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameronherold/ - Zuckerberg's leaked memo (Reuters, June 12, 2026): https://www.reuters.com/business/metas-zuckerberg-admits-mistakes-made-ai-transformation-2026-06-12/ - Challenger, Gray & Christmas — May 2026 job cuts report: https://www.challengergray.com/blog/challenger-report-may-job-cuts-rise-16-from-april-highest-may-total-since-2020/ - *FutHRist* by Trent Cotton — Take the Assessment: https://www.trentcotton.com/futhrist-self-assessment TIMESTAMPS 00:00 They Got It Wrong 01:43 AI Is the Perfect Corporate Alibi 03:21 The Real Reason Companies Are Cutting Jobs 06:16 The High Performer Equation 07:41 The Value Creation Framework 13:31 Why HR Keeps Missing the AI Conversation 15:57 The Hard Truth About Layoffs 17:56 Who Wins Next --- 🔔 Subscribe for weekly content on workforce strategy, HR leadership, and the future of talent. #CHRO #WorkforceStrategy #AIJobs #HRLeadership #FutHRist #Rightsizing #HumanCapitalist #TalentStrategy #Layoffs2026 #CameronHerold #Meta #Zuckerberg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    21 min

  2. Jun 15

    Why the Resume Is Dead (And What Actually Predicts Performance)

    Candidates are gaming the hiring process. And honestly? Good. In this episode I sit down with Charlotte Melkert, CEO of Equalture, a game-based hiring intelligence platform out of the Netherlands, to unpack something SHRM just put a name to: skill phishing. Skill phishing is the act of presenting credentials and capabilities that never translate into real execution. We've always experienced it. AI just made it impossible to ignore — and that's exactly why it's an opportunity, not a crisis. Charlotte and I go deep on why candidates polishing their CVs with AI isn't the problem. The problem is that we've been using the wrong tools to evaluate talent for decades, and we just got caught. We also dig into frontline hiring — an area where job openings keep climbing but application rates are dropping. There's a reason for that, and it has everything to do with a broken process that was designed to filter people out, not bring the right people in. This one is for TA leaders, CHROs, and HR practitioners who are tired of defending a process they know isn't working. What we cover: Why skill phishing is exposing tools we should have retired years ago The difference between a job description and a job advertisement (and why it matters) The AI literacy paradox: we want it, then penalize candidates who show it How HR must lead AI adoption — or step out of the way The frontline hiring crisis hiding in plain sight How top frontline employers are achieving 4.5-star candidate experience AND 30-45% less early attrition Charlotte's 3 rules for choosing and using a skills assessment Internal mobility: flipping the model so the assessment finds the job, not the other way around Connect with Charlotte: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-melkert-07987b81/ Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/equalture/about/ Subscribe for weekly conversations at the intersection of AI, workforce strategy, and the future of talent. 0:00 - Is This Assessment Ruining Your Hiring? 0:32 - Welcome to The Human Capitalist 1:04 - Meet Charlotte: CEO of e-culture (Game-Based Hiring) 2:20 - What Is "Skill Phishing"? The New SHRM Term Explained 3:52 - Why AI Exposing Bad Hiring Tools Is Actually Great News 5:28 - Job Ads vs. Job Descriptions: We're Doing It Wrong 6:32 - The AI Literacy Paradox: We Penalize What We Need 7:14 - Why Gen Z Is Forcing a Skills Assessment Revolution 9:55 - Meet Your New Coworker: AI (WEF Report Breakdown) 11:53 - HR's Mandate: Lead AI Adoption or Step Aside 12:20 - Frontline Hiring Is Broken. Here's the Proof. 14:47 - The Quality vs. Speed Trap (It's Not Binary) 16:46 - What Good Frontline Hiring Actually Looks Like (Client Data) 19:17 - The Ideal Frontline Hiring Process Step by Step 21:19 - The Results: 4.5 Stars, 7-10x Faster, 30-45% Less Attrition 23:18 - How to Pick the Right Assessment (Charlotte's 3 Rules) 24:30 - Soft Skills Are Just as Critical for Frontline Roles (DHL Example) 25:45 - Stop Putting Your Own Bias Into the Scoring Model 27:45 - Trent's Framework: The Three-Legged Stool 29:31 - How to Remove Manager Bias Completely 30:50 - Your Frontline Workers Are Your Future Leadership Pipeline 32:09 - Can You Point Assessments Inward? Internal Mobility Deep Dive 35:07 - How to Use Assessment Results to Supercharge Interviews 37:27 - The 80% of Assessment Value Nobody Is Using 39:42 - Two Ways Top Companies Use Assessments for Internal Mobility 42:20 - Flip the Model: Match People to Roles They Don't Know Exist 45:28 - Where to Find Charlotte + Wrap Up CHAPTERS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    48 min

  3. Jun 1

    The Hollywood Model of Work

    What if the career ladder you've been climbing is disappearing? In this conversation, futurist and portfolio career strategist Jules challenges one of the biggest assumptions in modern work: Your title was rented. Your skills are yours. We dive into the future of work, why traditional career paths are breaking down, and how professionals can create more security, flexibility, and opportunity in an increasingly uncertain job market. Jules explains her "Hollywood Model" of work—where highly skilled people come together to solve specific problems, deliver outcomes, and then move on to the next project. As AI, automation, and organizational change reshape the workforce, this model may become far more common than the traditional career ladder. In this episode we discuss: • Why the career ladder is collapsing • The rise of portfolio careers and multiple income streams • How AI is changing organizations and talent management • Why your title doesn't define your value • The concept of "career archaeology" and uncovering hidden skills • How to monetize expertise while still employed • Why diversification may be the new career security • What the future workforce could look like Whether you're an HR leader, executive, manager, entrepreneur, or someone navigating career uncertainty, this conversation will challenge how you think about work, identity, and professional success. One of my favorite quotes from this conversation: "Your title was rented. Your skills are yours." Connect with Julie: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliefedele/ YouTube: @julie_fedele TikTok: @julie_fedele⁩ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 The Future of Work Looks Like Hollywood 01:46 The Hollywood Model Explained 05:55 What This Means for HR 12:00 The Workforce of the Future 19:06 Your Title Was Rented 24:21 The Career Ladder Is Collapsing 27:33 Building a Portfolio Career 29:31 Your Employer Is Your Angel Investor 32:11 Career Archaeology 37:30 What Do People Thank You For? 39:55 Energy, Evidence & Market 43:20 Final Thoughts Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, HR, talent, careers, and the future of work. #FutureOfWork #CareerDevelopment #PortfolioCareer #Leadership #HR #CareerGrowth #ArtificialIntelligence #FutureOfJobs #PersonalBrand #WorkplaceTrends Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 7m

  4. May 27

    Why Bolt's CEO Fired HR and the 5 Mindsets Every CHRO Needs Now

    Last week, Bolt's CEO Ryan Breslow defended firing his entire HR team. He said the problems disappeared the day they left. He is not the only CEO who has thought it. He is just the only one who said it out loud. If you are a CHRO doing the same job you did five years ago, your seat is already obsolete. Unless you adopt one of these five mindsets, you are next. In this episode I break down what Breslow got right, what he got wrong, and why AI is already filling the CHRO seat at the companies that still have one. Then I lay out the five mindsets every Modern CHRO must hold to survive what is coming next: the Architect, the Engineer, the Scientist, the COO, and the Coach. ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ CHAPTERS 00:00 Cold open: a CEO fires HR and means it 00:30 Why the traditional CHRO is on a five-year clock 01:30 Act 1: The Bolt case, in Breslow's own words 04:30 Act 2: AI is already reading employee Slack messages 07:30 Act 3: Right diagnosis. Wrong cure. 10:00 Act 4: The Five Mindsets of the Modern CHRO 13:30 What to do this week ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ THE FIVE MINDSETS OF THE MODERN CHRO The Architect: sees the organization as a system The Engineer: closes the seams between functions The Scientist: builds the causal story, not the dashboard The COO: operates in business rhythms, not HR rhythms The Coach: translates leadership behavior into business KPIs ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ WATCH THE FULL MODERN CHRO SERIES https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt89w_O9KY0J3C66aw1g-R0uEYlm1n5OV ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ SOURCES Fortune (May 19, 2026): Bolt CEO Ryan Breslow defends eliminating HR https://fortune.com/2026/05/19/bolt-ceo-ryan-breslow-cut-hr-department-causing-problems-fintech-startup-turn-around/ The Times: Ryan Breslow / Bolt sacks HR team https://www.thetimes.com/business/technology/article/ryan-breslow-bolt-ceo-sacks-hr-team-m003kh5gh CNBC (February 2024): How Walmart, Delta, Chevron and Starbucks use AI to monitor employee messages https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/09/ai-might-be-reading-your-slack-teams-messages-using-tech-from-aware.html Fast Company: Your boss's AI may already be reading your Slack messages https://www.fastcompany.com/91544725/your-bosss-ai-may-already-be-reading-your-slack-messages ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ CONNECT WITH TRENT Website and newsletter: https://www.trentcotton.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trentcotton/ The Human Capitalist podcast: https://www.purpleacornnetwork.com/podcasts/the-human-capitalist If this episode hit, drop a comment telling me which of the five mindsets is the hardest in your seat right now. I read them. ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ #ModernCHRO #HumanCapitalist #CHRO #HRLeadership #AIinHR #FutureOfHR #WorkforceStrategy #TalentAcquisition #HRStrategy #PeopleAnalytics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    12 min

  5. May 18

    Your HR Data Means Nothing Without This Mindset

    You have more HR data than ever. They're still not answering your hardest questions. In Episode 4 of The Five Personas of the Modern CHRO, we're breaking down Persona 3 — The Scientist. This isn't about hiring a data analyst or buying a new people analytics platform. It's about a fundamental shift in how your CHRO engages with workforce data — and the difference between an HR leader who reports numbers and one who actually diagnoses the business. Deloitte found that 71% of companies say people analytics is a high priority — but only 9% believe they have a strong analytics capability. Gartner reports that only 22% of HR leaders say their analytics are driving real business impact. And McKinsey's research shows that companies with mature people analytics are 3.1x more likely to outperform their peers on total shareholder return. The gap isn't about tools. It's about approach. In this episode I break down: - Why most HR functions are data-rich and insight-poor - The difference between correlation and causation in workforce data - A real consulting story: how we traced 73% of high-performer attrition back to just 6 managers - The 4 capabilities of the Scientist CHRO: Hypothesis-Driven Thinking, Causal Chain Mapping, Evidence-Based Recommendation, and Intellectual Honesty - 3 action steps you can take this week to start making the shift If your CEO is still getting dashboards instead of answers — this episode is for them. And for you. 🔔 Subscribe for weekly insights on the future of HR leadership. 👇 Drop a comment: Is your HR function data-rich and insight-poor? --- 📺 THE FIVE PERSONAS OF THE MODERN CHRO SERIES: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt89w_O9KY0J3C66aw1g-R0uEYlm1n5OV --- #CHRO #HRLeadership #PeopleAnalytics #HumanResources #FutureOfWork #HRStrategy #WorkforceData #TheHumanCapitalist #CHROSeries #HRData Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    15 min

  6. May 3

    Should the CHRO Become the Chief Technologist?

    In this episode, I sat down with Sarika Lamont (Chief People Officer at Vidyard) to break down one of the most critical shifts happening in HR leadership right now. Here’s the uncomfortable truth: 97% of AI transformations are failing. It’s not the technology that’s broken. It’s because we—HR leaders—aren't leading them. AI transformation is fundamentally about behavior change, not tooling. And that means HR is uniquely positioned to own it. In this conversation, we unpack: 🔑 Key Topics: Why AI is evolving entry-level roles, not eliminating them (and the critical 20% gap everyone's missing) How the CHRO role has shifted from managing HR functions to owning the entire operating model The difference between automation, AI, and agentic AI (and why most organizations get this wrong) Why HR leaders need to become "Chief Technologists"—not engineers, but business-savvy innovators How to separate hype from reality when every AI vendor claims to solve everything The power of "building in public" for real AI adoption (not compliance) Why HR leaders must understand revenue, ARR, and cash flow to earn a seat at the table Practical steps CHROs can take today to lead AI transformation in their organizations ⏰ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro – why AI is changing HR 01:30 Guest intro – Sarika Lamont, CPO at Vidyard 04:48 Is AI really killing entry-level jobs? 12:35 Microsoft’s new HR model and “workforce acceleration” 14:11 How the CHRO role has changed in the AI era 15:44 Should HR lead AI transformation? 21:31 What CHROs should actually focus on with AI 25:32 Why HR leaders must become technologists 29:28 How to lead AI even without enterprise tools Core Takeaway: The CHRO role is evolving from "people function owner" to "Chief Technologist"—someone who understands how humans, systems, and business outcomes interconnect. If you're not getting hands-on with AI tools, building in public, and learning your business inside out, you're going to get left behind. Connect with Sarika:* LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarikalamont (She's actively building in public and always open to connecting on AI, HR, and organizational transformation) 🎧 The Human Capitalist is a podcast + newsletter at the intersection of AI and HR leadership. We talk about what actually works—grounded in real HR challenges, bold thinking, and practical advice. Subscribe to never miss an episode. Newsletter here: https://tinyurl.com/humancapitalist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    36 min

  7. Apr 28

    The Future CHRO Thinks Like an Engineer

    HR isn't broken because it lacks data. It's broken because the data isn't connected to anything that drives decisions. 63% of HR professionals describe their function as the company's crisis hotline. 41% of their time goes to admin work. And 98% of CHROs are unhappy with how performance management works — despite sitting on more workforce data than ever. That's not a data problem. That's a gap problem. And in Episode 3 of The Five Personas of the Modern CHRO, we get into the persona built to fix it: The Engineer. The Engineer doesn't own any single function's process. They hunt the gaps between functions — where Sales ends and Talent begins, where Finance is making workforce decisions without people data, where two AI implementations are running in parallel and nobody's coordinating them. Then they close those gaps. I also share a real story from my consulting work — a Sales team missing ramp targets, a recruiting team taking the blame, and the gap nobody was looking at that was sitting right between them. **In this episode:** - Why HR is data rich and insight poor — and what that's costing the business - The AI stats making cross-functional gaps more expensive by the month - How engineers actually think — and what that mindset looks like in the CHRO seat - The four behaviors that define the Engineer persona - A real-world example: how closing a Sales-Recruiting gap improved quota attainment and first-year retention - Three action steps to start this week --- **Timestamps** 0:00 The gap problem nobody owns 0:40 Welcome back 1:00 Series recap 1:45 Problem: HR as the crisis hotline 3:40 Research: AI is making gaps more expensive 5:30 How engineers actually think 6:40 The CHRO as Engineer 7:10 Real world example: Sales and Recruiting 10:05 The four behaviors of the Engineer CHRO 12:10 Plan of action: 3 moves this week 13:30 Bottom line --- **Further reading:** [AI Isn't Breaking Your Middle Managers](https://www.fastcompany.com/91514051/ai-isnt-breaking-your-middle-managers) — Fast Company -https://www.fastcompany.com/91514051/ai-isnt-breaking-your-middle-managers --- **About The Human Capitalist** For 20 years I've been rebuilding organizations for C-suite leaders. This channel is an intelligence briefing on the business of people — for CEOs, Board Members, and CHROs who want the signal without the noise. New episodes every week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    16 min

  8. Apr 25

    The Architect: The Only CHRO Skill That Matters Now

    HR isn't broken because it lacks data. It's broken because the data isn't connected to anything that drives decisions. 63% of HR professionals describe their function as the company's crisis hotline. 41% of their time goes to admin work. And 98% of CHROs are unhappy with how performance management works — despite sitting on more workforce data than ever. That's not a data problem. That's a gap problem. And in Episode 3 of The Five Personas of the Modern CHRO, we get into the persona built to fix it: The Engineer. The Engineer doesn't own any single function's process. They hunt the gaps between functions — where Sales ends and Talent begins, where Finance is making workforce decisions without people data, where two AI implementations are running in parallel and nobody's coordinating them. Then they close those gaps. I also share a real story from my consulting work — a Sales team missing ramp targets, a recruiting team taking the blame, and the gap nobody was looking at that was sitting right between them. **In this episode:** - Why HR is data rich and insight poor — and what that's costing the business - The AI stats making cross-functional gaps more expensive by the month - How engineers actually think — and what that mindset looks like in the CHRO seat - The four behaviors that define the Engineer persona - A real-world example: how closing a Sales-Recruiting gap improved quota attainment and first-year retention - Three action steps to start this week --- **Timestamps** 0:00 The gap problem nobody owns 0:40 Welcome back 1:00 Series recap 1:45 Problem: HR as the crisis hotline 3:40 Research: AI is making gaps more expensive 5:30 How engineers actually think 6:40 The CHRO as Engineer 7:10 Real world example: Sales and Recruiting 10:05 The four behaviors of the Engineer CHRO 12:10 Plan of action: 3 moves this week 13:30 Bottom line --- **Further reading:** [AI Isn't Breaking Your Middle Managers](https://www.fastcompany.com/91514051/ai-isnt-breaking-your-middle-managers) — Fast Company -https://www.fastcompany.com/91514051/ai-isnt-breaking-your-middle-managers --- **About The Human Capitalist** For 20 years I've been rebuilding organizations for C-suite leaders. This channel is an intelligence briefing on the business of people — for CEOs, Board Members, and CHROs who want the signal without the noise. New episodes every week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    17 min
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About

What is a Human Capitalist? Well, it's the new version of Human Resources. It's time to get rid of the outdated and reactive HR and replace it with Human Capitalism. I'm Trent Cotton and I'm ready to give the HR industry the punch it needs to become more focused on Human Capital versus the old stauncy HR. I’m thrilled to have you here as we dive into the future of Human Resources together. This podcast is all about empowering HR professionals to step up as proactive consultants, using AI and cutting-edge practices to manage a company’s largest expense and highest revenue producing asset—its people. As a senior HR Executive at HatchWorks AI, I get a rare glimpse into the impact technology advancement will have on the industry. This podcast is designed to share those insights with you! I’ll show you how to turn your biggest expense into a revenue-generating powerhouse by embracing change and leading with insight. If you are ready to be a rebel in the industry and unlock the true potential of human capital, this is the channel you've been looking for.

Information

  • Creator
    Trent Cotton & Purple Acorn Network
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    60
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Trent Cotton & Purple Acorn Network
  • Show Website
    The Human Capitalist

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