Building Human-Centered Workplaces in the Age of AI
On the Brink with Andi Simon
As our workplaces grow more complex and technology accelerates, one skill set is becoming more essential than ever: emotional intelligence. In this compelling episode of On the Brink, I spoke with Jeremy Williams, an emotional intelligence coach and consultant based in Paris, whose journey from sailing instructor to sales professional to global coach reveals how transformative emotional awareness can be—especially in our rapidly digitizing world. Jeremy’s mission is simple yet profound: help individuals and teams enhance their self-awareness, empathy, and influence to become better...
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The Real ROI: People and Culture Drive Business Value
On the Brink with Andi Simon
In times of uncertainty, knowing what your business is worth—and how to protect or grow that value—can feel elusive. You are never sure what business you are really in. What should you do? How can you retain the value you have created and prepare for the next growth phase, or even the exit strategy? On this recent episode of On the Brink with Andi Simon, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dave Bookbinder. Dave is a business valuation expert whose groundbreaking work focuses on an often-overlooked truth: your people are your most valuable asset. Dave, the author of joined me to...
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How Nicole Loftus Is Disrupting Venture Capital
On the Brink with Andi Simon
In this inspiring episode of On the Brink with Andi Simon, I had the pleasure of interviewing Nicole Loftus, a powerhouse entrepreneur with a bold vision to democratize access to venture capital. As the founder and CEO of Pop Venture Enterprises, Nicole is doing more than imagining change—she’s building it. Nicole’s journey began, as many transformative ones do, with a disruption—not of an industry at first, but of her own life. Raised in a traditional, working-class Italian family near Chicago, Nicole was expected to follow a conventional path. But after a personal turning...
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Erika Baez Grimes: Purpose-Driven Business Transitions
On the Brink with Andi Simon
Are you ready to sell your business? It may be time to pass your family firm to the next generation. What do you do? Where do you begin? How can you ensure that you follow your values and transition your business with purpose, kindness, and profit? Maybe it is time to meet Erika Baez Grimes. What is the Human Side of Business Transitions? In this compelling episode of On the Brink with Andi Simon, we delve into the human side of business transitions with Erika Baez Grimes, a seasoned business broker, M&A specialist, and purpose-driven entrepreneur. Erika's extensive experience as a Senior...
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Women, #WorkSchoolHours Can Transform Your Life
On the Brink with Andi Simon
Imagine a ten-year-old girl in New Zealand watching an army commercial and declaring, "That's what I want to be". This simple declaration set Dr. Ellen Joan Ford on a transformative journey, a journey of leadership, service, and a new way of thinking about work. Her story is not just inspiring, it's a call to action for all of us. Women are asking for flexible work for working parents. Our businesses want the talented women to be able to focus on both their families and their workday. It is a time for changing how businesses treat women. In this episode of On the Brink with Andi Simon, I had...
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Navigating the Management Maze: Tips for New Leaders
On the Brink with Andi Simon
On this episode of On the Brink with Andi Simon, I'm thrilled to welcome back Dr. Karl Hebenstreit—organizational psychologist, executive coach, speaker, and now the author of a powerful new book: Explicit Expectations: The Essential Guide and Toolkit of Management Fundamentals. Karl's insights will be eye-opening if you're a leader, manager, or anyone asked to take charge without much training or clarity. His central message? Everything is a conversation—and when expectations aren't explicit, confusion and conflict inevitably follow. From Enneagram to Explicit Expectations You...
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Meet India Gary-Martin, the New Chair of the Women Business Collaborative
On the Brink with Andi Simon
This podcast is about an amazing woman and her journey from Wall Street to Purpose-Driven Leadership. Meet India Gary-Martin’s and listen to her amazing journey to Chair the . On this episode of On the Brink with Andi Simon, I had the great pleasure of speaking with India Gary Martin—an accomplished global executive, entrepreneur, and now the new Chair of the Women Business Collaborative (WBC). India’s story is more than a professional journey—it’s an inspiring narrative about opportunity, resilience, and leadership rooted in purpose. A Global Journey Rooted in Advocacy India began...
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Organizations Must Embrace Human-Centric Design
On the Brink with Andi Simon
In today’s rapidly evolving workplace, the disconnect between people and their work has never been more apparent—or more urgent to address. That’s why I was thrilled to welcome Brent Kedzierski, a renowned expert on the future of work and human-centric design, to the On the Brink podcast. Brent’s mission is clear: to improve the human condition at work, one experience at a time. With more than 35 years of experience—including as Head of Learning Strategy and Innovation at Shell—he brings unique insight into why digital transformation fails, how people resist...
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Gloria Bohan: From School Teacher to Travel Titan
On the Brink with Andi Simon
How you might ask, did Gloria Bohan transition from being a Schoolteacher to an amazing Travel Titan. Welcome to a special episode of On the Brink with Andi Simon, where we spotlight remarkable women entrepreneurs in our series, Wisdom of Women Entrepreneurs with Purpose: Hear Their Voices. I'm thrilled to kick off this journey with Gloria Bohan, a true trailblazer in the travel industry and the visionary founder of Omega World Travel. Starting with Passion, Building with Purpose Gloria's story is nothing short of inspiring. In 1972, she was a schoolteacher with no business experience, let...
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Unlocking the Power of Authenticity: Tammy Cho on Healing, Leadership, and Self-Love
On the Brink with Andi Simon
What if your face could reveal your deepest emotional blocks? What if your burnout, self-doubt, or imposter syndrome were not flaws—but signals calling you back to your truest self? In a recent episode of On the Brink with Andi Simon, I sat down with the remarkable Tammy Cho, a self-love and energy leadership coach based in British Columbia. Tammy is not just a coach—she’s a healer, a mentor, and a guide who helps leaders and entrepreneurs reconnect with their authentic selves. Using a unique combination of face and body analysis, psychosomatic therapy, human design, and NLP, Tammy helps...
info_outlineIn this episode of On the Brink with Andi Simon, I had the pleasure of speaking with Lotus Buckner, founder and CEO of HLB Talent Solutions and author of The Joy of HR. Lotus is a dynamic leader in the human resources field with experience spanning corporate environments, startups, and everything in between. Her insights on HR's evolution and intentional leadership are essential for understanding today’s workplace.
Lotus Buckner's Transformational HR Journey
Lotus’s path to HR began during college when she stumbled upon a management and HR concentration. After taking her first HR class, she discovered her passion and launched a career that has spanned nonprofits, healthcare, universities, and startups. Her first role at a nonprofit hospital turned into an 11-year journey where she advanced from intern to head of HR, managing significant growth and leading efforts through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Her experiences have shaped her understanding of how HR functions differ across industries. From resource-heavy corporations to scrappy startups, she emphasizes how organizations require distinct approaches to people management. This adaptability is a key theme in her book.
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Finding Joy In the Corporate vs. Startup HR
In larger organizations, HR often revolves around specialization, with leaders focusing on well-defined roles. In contrast, startups demand versatility and a generalist mindset, with employees wearing multiple hats. Lotus embraced this shift when she transitioned to leading HR for Chowbus, a food delivery tech startup. She describes startups as spaces where creativity and adaptability are paramount, which prepared her to establish her consulting business.
During her corporate career, Lotus often encountered leaders who viewed HR as the solution to culture change. She notes, however, that true cultural shifts require the engagement of everyone in the organization, not just HR.
Reach out and contact us if you need work on becoming a woman entrepreneur with a business that has both great profits and significance. Let’s Talk!
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From Observation to Innovation,
Andi Simon, PhD
CEO | Corporate Anthropologist | Author
Simonassociates.net
[email protected]
@simonandi
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