Prateek Mathur, Founder of Activated Scale, unpacks how flexible sales talent is changing hiring. We cover why outcomes best measure sales roles, how companies bring on fractional SDRs, AEs, and leaders in under 10 days, and why a clear sales process and onboarding plan beat long interview loops. 

Prateek shares use cases across Series A to C, from testing new territories to handling peak quarters, plus practical guardrails like monthly retainers with first quarter commitments and not selling to the same buyer persona across multiple gigs. If your sales metrics need a lift, this playbook shows how to align flexibility with revenue.

Brian Hoffmeyer, Senior Vice President of Market Strategies at Beeline, shares how enterprises can manage the full spectrum of their non-employee workforce with visibility, compliance, and speed. Brian explains how Beeline’s acquisition of MBO Partners strengthens its ability to serve independents and meet enterprise needs for diverse engagement models.

He also addresses enterprise challenges around risk and compliance, and how organizations can replace “pretending it doesn’t exist” with strategies that reduce exposure and unlock agility. Brian discusses why the right partnerships and data foundations matter more than being “AI-first,” and how Beeline ensures human oversight remains central to AI decision-making.

Erika Novak, Global Head of Customer Success at Worksome, explains how enterprises can move faster with contractors while staying compliant. She breaks down why an FMS should make instant classification, contracting, and onboarding simple, and how automation like job description generation and timesheet parsing removes friction.

We cover moving from rigid job taxonomies to skill-based hiring, practical ways to reduce “rogue spend,” and why portable benefits are accelerating independent work. The result is speed to talent with control, visibility, and a better experience for managers and freelancers.

Grady Gardner, GM and CRO at Braintrust AIR (AI Recruiter) and Marketplace, explains how an AI interview platform born inside a high-growth talent marketplace now helps enterprises move faster with high-volume hiring. Grady shares how AIR creates a natural, low-anxiety interview that adapts in real time, then returns clear scorecards recruiters can tune on the fly. 

We cover candidate experience, accuracy at scale, and why focused assessment beats all-in-one tools for speed and adoption. Grady also unpacks infrastructure choices that matter for global usage, the value of piloting vendors side by side, and where automation can streamline back-office ops.

Leaders,

Freelancers don't lack skill; they lack visibility. JJ Lammers, Founder of allGigs.nl, explains how his platform helps freelancers find and win work faster. He shares how aggregation and stacked jobs uncover hidden opportunities, when recruiters truly add value, and why Europe's freelance market is ready for a reset.

If you're tired of endless job boards and slow processes, this episode shows what the next generation of freelance platforms looks like: transparent, data-driven, and built for freelancers first.

Margaret Lilani, Global CRO at Highspring, shares how a 25-year staffing heritage evolved into a global professional services firm spanning consulting, managed services, and talent solutions. She explains Highspring’s agility framework for assessing how ready a company is to flex capacity, why many clients are shifting from hourly billing to outcome-based engagements, and how AI should be integrated into the work construct rather than treated as a quick fix. 

We cover change management, the creation of a common skills language across merged brands, and the importance of being customer zero before guiding clients. Margaret also highlights Highspring’s global expansion, including a new Dublin office that complements teams in APAC and the Americas.

Trevor Strauss, Chief Growth Officer at American Health Staffing Group (AHSG), explores how healthcare systems are redefining workforce strategies in an era of tight margins and rising burnout. Trevor explains how AHSG’s flexible staffing solutions meet clients where they are, whether they need a single nurse or a whole workforce solution, and how AI is transforming every layer of the process, from scheduling and reporting to error reduction and workforce optimization. 

He discusses why the status quo is the most significant barrier to progress, how technology helps hospitals adapt to a changing labor market, and how a “single source of truth” can empower leaders to make faster, smarter staffing decisions.

Rich Wilson, CEO & Co-Founder of Gigged.ai, shares how enterprises can achieve true talent access by combining internal mobility, external on-demand talent, and AI agents in a single platform. He explains how Gigged.ai starts small with skills inventories and real projects, builds adoption through hands-on results, and engages procurement early to make scaling easier. 

Rich also discusses the rise of “bring your own agent,” where companies track both human and AI capabilities side by side, and how subscription-based pricing simplifies enterprise adoption. This episode highlights a practical path to blended talent, helping hiring managers get work done faster while reducing friction across HR, procurement, and technology teams.

Steve Smith, Managing Director of Growth at Rep Cap (former Partner at The Starr Conspiracy), joins Matthew Mottola to talk about the real state of AI, work, and leadership. Steve explains why the job board is dead, how the shift from venture-backed growth to private equity discipline is changing how workplace technology companies operate and hire, and why human connection still drives business in an AI-first world.

They discuss how leaders can balance automation with creativity, the rise of small and intimate events over large conferences, and how data, not AI alone, will define the next wave of workforce technology. Steve also shares his perspective on what makes great leaders today, those who can integrate technology and human insight without losing authenticity.

Reena Gupta discusses how organizations can preserve institutional wisdom and make it accessible through digital avatars. As Founder and CEO of Wisdocity, she shares her journey from India to building a successful company in the US, reflecting on the challenges of knowledge capture, change management, and implementation in complex organizations.

The conversation explores how technology can enhance education, scale mentorship, and create a services hub that bridges human expertise with digital tools. Reena’s story underscores the power of continuous learning, accessibility, and using technology to make collective wisdom a living asset.

Brian Wallins discusses how AI, automation, and platform innovation are reshaping talent acquisition. As Research Director for Talent Acquisition Technology at SIA, he explains how the explosion of new tools is transforming the staffing industry and why flexible workforce models are now core to enterprise strategy.

The conversation explores the ongoing consolidation of technology providers, the structural impact of AI on workforce demand, and how organizations can stay competitive in a rapidly changing market. Brian also reflects on the importance of CollaborationX as a space for leaders to connect, share ideas, and shape the future of how companies find and manage talent.

John Nurthen discusses what SIA’s research reveals about the state of the contingent workforce and how data is shaping the future of work. Drawing from over 240 annual reports, he explains where growth is real, where perceptions are off, and why data comparability remains one of the biggest challenges in workforce analytics.

The conversation explores how AI is being applied in workforce management, the importance of ethics and explainability in algorithms, and how research-backed insights are helping organizations navigate a shifting, service-driven economy.

Sandra Pinnavaia, Global Head of On-Demand Talent Strategy & Innovation at Heidrick & Struggles, brings more than 25 years of experience as a business leader, management consultant, and trusted advisor. From her early days in biochemistry and McKinsey to building a freelance consulting practice before the “gig economy” even had a name, Sandra has been at the forefront of how companies access and deploy top talent.

In this episode, she explains why demand for interim executives has surged more than 300% since 2020, how “leadership liquidity” helps organizations stay agile in uncertain times, and what leadership assurance means for boards, CFOs, and HR leaders. Sandra also shares why projectizing AI and transformation work is reshaping strategy, and why compensation and culture must evolve to keep pace with today’s flexible, high-impact workforce.

Brian Evergreen discusses the transition from digital to autonomous transformation, emphasizing the need for organizations to envision a future worth solving for. He highlights the role of AI agents in shaping future work environments and the importance of moving beyond traditional digital transformation strategies.

Leaders,

Ian Gilbert, SVP Enterprise at Airtm, breaks down how stablecoin payouts and user-owned wallets improve speed, satisfaction, and repeat work.

We cover what “Airtm Friendly” means in practice, how to integrate wallet options into legacy systems without piling on friction, and what enterprises miss when they treat payouts as back-office ops.

Ian shares lessons from millions of users across the Global South, the realities of freelancers juggling multiple platforms, and Airtm’s path to serving 100 million digital entrepreneurs by 2030.

If you're sourcing specialized talent, scaling data work, or trying to pay people in currency that holds value where they live, this one will help you pressure-test your payment stack and find fast, lasting wins.

Leaders,

Developer talent is global, but opportunity is not. For our 200th episode, Paul Rios, Head of Revenue Experimentation at Telescoped and former HubSpot leader, breaks down why more companies are turning to Latin America for engineering.

We cover the hotspots driving growth, the loyalty and cultural alignment of LATAM talent, and why “will over skill” matters when building product teams. Paul also explains Telescoped’s invite-only TrustRank model, how curated shortlists beat endless resumes, and what an AI-first go-to-market stack looks like in practice.

If you want to hire smarter and build faster, this episode shows you how.

Leaders,

Anurag Bhalla, Co-Founder and CEO at Outsize, shares his journey from corporate and consulting to building one of the most impactful platforms for independent talent across Asia and Africa. He explains why traditional employment models fall short, how cultural attitudes toward work are shifting, and why companies are turning to flexible, project-based talent to stay competitive.

Anurag highlights the rise of the five-to-fifteen-year independent segment, the emotional shift from “I am my company” to “I am my skill,” and how enterprises can build agile workforce models that balance a strong core with flexible capabilities. He also discusses why independents often deliver stronger outcomes than traditional employees and how organizations need to rethink engagement, speed, and incentives to succeed in this new era of work.

Leaders,

Brad Jackson, Founder of Out Of Office, joins the Human Cloud Podcast to unpack the world of experiential marketing and why events have become a top revenue driver for sales and marketing teams. Brad explains what separates trade shows, conferences, and true experiential activations, sharing memorable examples from pop-ups to major brand stunts. He breaks down how freelancers are shaping the future of the industry, why mid-sized agencies are struggling, and how trust has become the new currency in connecting brands with the right partners. 

Brad also discusses the challenges of measuring ROI, what it truly costs to host an effective event, and how his platform is helping agencies and brands replace outdated spreadsheets with smarter workflows and a living roster of talent. This episode is a candid look at where experiential marketing is headed, the skills that matter most, and why flexible talent will define the next chapter of brand engagement.

Recorded live at SHRM25 in San Diego, host Tony Buffum speaks with Clayton Lord, Senior Program Director at the SHRM Foundation, about the launch of Skills First Future, a new initiative designed to help HR professionals and employers embrace skills-based hiring and advancement strategies.

Clayton explains how the program provides a library of 500+ resources, a Skills Action Planner for personalized assessments, and SHRM’s new credential for skills-first professionals. He also highlights the importance of change management, the role of technology in skills mapping, and why incremental adoption can make a big difference for organizations of all sizes.

This episode shows why a skills-first approach is not just a trend but the inevitable direction of HR, and how leaders can take their first steps today.

Leaders,
Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) President Ursula Williams discusses how staffing and workforce solutions continue to evolve, and how that evolution prompted the reimagination of SIA’s award-winning event. The last five years have brought unexpected swings, and Ursula explains why this feels like a true inflection point, how AI and automation are transitioning from buzz to everyday tools, and why speed and quality now determine who wins.
She shares what SIA is seeing across the supply chain, why remote work reshaped competition, and how executives are balancing optimism with real constraints. We also explore SIA’s reimagined CollaborationX, a reimagination reflecting the market’s shift beyond gig models toward a broader, tech-driven ecosystem, and practical ways leaders can stay ahead of what’s next.