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From Math to People Leadership

The Talent Tango

Release Date: 03/12/2025

Redefining the Employee-Employer Contract show art Redefining the Employee-Employer Contract

The Talent Tango

In this episode, Amir sits down with Suzanne McGovern, Chief People Officer and HR veteran, to explore how the employee-employer relationship has fundamentally changed. From the aftermath of COVID-19 and rise of remote work to shifting generational expectations and the role of company culture, they dig into what leaders need to do to build trust, adapt to new work models, and attract talent in a post-pandemic world. 🔑 Key Takeaways: The contract has changed: COVID-19 was a major inflection point, permanently altering what employees expect from work—especially around flexibility,...

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Startups Don’t Scale Without Real Culture show art Startups Don’t Scale Without Real Culture

The Talent Tango

In this episode, Brittany Blumenthal, VP of People at HiddenLayer, shares how early-stage startups can intentionally define and evolve their culture. She breaks down the challenges of working with strong founder imprints, the importance of documenting culture as a living contract, and how to build feedback loops that go both ways. If you're scaling a team and want culture to grow with it, this episode offers tactical insight and hard-earned lessons. 🔑 Key Takeaways: Culture Starts With the Founder’s Imprint Founders often shape company culture unintentionally. People leaders must help...

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The Employer Branding Strategy That Worked show art The Employer Branding Strategy That Worked

The Talent Tango

In this episode of The Talent Tango, Amir sits down with Caitlin Kamm, Director of People Growth at Envoy, to unpack a real-world employer branding initiative tailored specifically for engineering talent. Caitlin walks through how her team developed a laser-focused EVP to support a return-to-office mandate—balancing culture, candidate persona, and business needs. From strategy to stakeholder alignment to creative execution, it’s a playbook for anyone in talent roles grappling with attracting high-caliber candidates in a hybrid world. 💡 Key Takeaways: Start with specificity: Crafting...

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Why Is Feedback So Awkward? show art Why Is Feedback So Awkward?

The Talent Tango

In this episode of The Talent Tango, Amir Bormand is joined by Heather Cassar to unpack the nuances of giving and receiving feedback in the workplace. From real-time feedback practices to performance reviews, Heather shares practical tips on how to build trust, motivate teams, and make feedback a natural part of company culture—without making it awkward. Whether you're in HR, a people leader, or a manager navigating hybrid teams, this episode offers a human-centered approach to feedback that boosts both trust and performance. 🔑 Key Takeaways: Feedback must be real-time, detailed, and...

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From Founding Team to Future Leaders: Hiring with Intent show art From Founding Team to Future Leaders: Hiring with Intent

The Talent Tango

In this episode, Amir sits down with Girish Mirchandani, Head of Talent at WestBridge Capital, to unpack the nuances of executive recruiting across stages and geographies. From Series A scrappiness to global scale-ups, they explore what makes a successful hire, how founders should engage in the process, and why hiring for today often trumps hiring for tomorrow. Girish also offers a behind-the-scenes look at managing cross-border buildouts and aligning stakeholders on both sides of the globe. 🔑 Key Takeaways: Hire for the stage you're in: Optimizing for the current growth phase is more...

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Bringing AI into the Interview Process show art Bringing AI into the Interview Process

The Talent Tango

In this episode of The Talent Tango, Amir speaks with Allison DiDominick, Senior Technical Recruiting Manager at Flexport, about adopting AI interview tools to tackle inefficiencies in the hiring process. From delayed scorecards to inconsistent feedback, Allison walks us through the problem Flexport faced, the pilot implementation of BrightHire, and how AI tools are improving recruiter workflows and evidence-based hiring. 💡 Key Takeaways: Problem First, Then Tool: Flexport struggled with delayed or incomplete scorecards, especially in non-tech roles, which impacted hiring timelines and...

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Build a Long-Term Career in Talent show art Build a Long-Term Career in Talent

The Talent Tango

What does it take to thrive in talent—even when hiring freezes hit? In this episode, Amir talks with Frank Cebek about building a durable, impactful career in talent acquisition and people leadership. From surviving market downturns to translating business context into recruiting value, Frank shares his journey from consultant to senior people leader—and what skills made all the difference. This one’s packed with practical advice for recruiters, HR leaders, and anyone in people ops navigating today’s volatile job market. 💡 Key Takeaways Business fluency sets you apart. Understand...

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The Talent Roadmap: Strategy, Stakeholders, and Staying Ahead show art The Talent Roadmap: Strategy, Stakeholders, and Staying Ahead

The Talent Tango

In this episode, Amir sits down with Ashley Wines from Carta to dig into what it really means for talent teams to be proactive, not reactive. They unpack the need for talent leaders to embed themselves into the business earlier, how to build trust fast, the importance of internal product roadmaps, and how to handle stakeholder dynamics—especially when you're navigating complex matrix organizations. Whether you’re an HRBP, TA leader, or people ops pro, this episode is your blueprint for becoming a strategic talent partner. 🔑 Key Takeaways Embed Early: Talent needs to be in the room...

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Setting the Stage for Influence as Head of People show art Setting the Stage for Influence as Head of People

The Talent Tango

In this episode, Amir sits down with Michelle King, Head of People and Talent at Notable Health, to break down what it really means to have a strategic relationship with the CEO. From spotting red flags in the interview process to pushing back (with impact) once you're in the seat, Michelle shares lessons from the trenches—no fluff, all substance. This episode is a must-listen for anyone in a people/talent role looking to elevate their business partnership game and hold their own in the executive room. 🔑 Key Takeaways: Start Before You Start: The foundation of a strong CEO relationship...

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The Candidate Experience Toolkit: Referrals, Follow-Ups & CRM show art The Candidate Experience Toolkit: Referrals, Follow-Ups & CRM

The Talent Tango

In this episode, Amir Bormand is joined by Kate Esterman, Director of Global Talent Acquisition at Integral Ad Science. Together, they dive deep into the ever-evolving landscape of candidate experience, discussing how market shifts—from candidate-driven to client-driven—impact the way companies engage talent. Kate shares actionable strategies, real-world examples, and her perspective on balancing high-touch human interactions with the scalability of automation, all while maintaining a standout candidate journey. Whether you're scaling your TA team, facing hiring freezes, or juggling...

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More Episodes

In this episode, we dive into Brittany Rohde’s unconventional journey into the HR and people space. With a background in mathematics and a love for admin, Brittany has successfully navigated the world of people operations, compensation, and leadership. We explore how she transitioned from a math degree into HR, her philosophy on taking opportunities, and why she believes every people team should have an engineering component.

Key Takeaways

🔹 Diverse Backgrounds Can Drive Success – Brittany’s transition from math to HR showcases the power of transferable skills and how technical backgrounds can bring unique problem-solving abilities to people operations.
🔹 Say Yes to Opportunities – Raising her hand for projects at GitLab led Brittany into compensation and benefits, ultimately shaping her career trajectory.
🔹 The Power of Admin & Automation – A self-proclaimed admin enthusiast, Brittany discusses the importance of balancing operational efficiency with strategic initiatives.
🔹 People Ops Needs Engineers – She strongly advocates for having a dedicated engineering resource to automate and streamline HR processes, improving efficiency and scalability.
🔹 Passion Over Titles – Brittany emphasizes that career success isn’t about chasing promotions but about leaning into what excites you and where you can add the most value.

Timestamped Highlights

[00:01:00] – Brittany’s unexpected path from a math degree to HR
[00:03:00] – Landing an HR role at GitLab and leveraging technical skills
[00:05:00] – How raising her hand led her into compensation strategy
[00:08:00] – The role of admin work in HR and its strategic importance
[00:09:00] – Why every people team should have a dedicated engineer
[00:12:00] – Budgeting for automation and how to make the business case
[00:14:00] – The impact of technical skills on HR decision-making
[00:16:00] – Scaling the people function at Monarch Money
[00:18:00] – Advice for math and technical students considering HR careers

Quote of the Episode

"I've never been driven by title. I've always been driven by: Is this something that excites me? Is this something I can learn from?" – Brittany Rohde

Connect with Brittany

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-rohde-970964b2

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