“If I’m running a business and I can’t afford to pay my electricity, I can’t say the electric company is lazy.” So, why are so many companies over the last few weeks going on TV and calling workers lazy? Gordon Lafer has been fighting for the rights of workers for over 30 years. He is a political economist who has served as Senior Labor Policy Advisor for the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Education and Labor and has a history of Labor Union activism. He has written widely on labor and employment policy issues and is the author of one of our favorite books, The Job Training Charade. He started his political work as an economic policy analyst in the Office of the Mayor in New York City under Mayor Ed Koch. Lafer is currently an associate professor in the Labor Education & Research Center at the University of Oregon and a research associate of the Economic Policy Institute. This episode raised some really important questions around the true effectiveness of job training, wage inequality and the role of government to create a more equitable climate for workers. This is definitely one you’re not going to want to miss, so let's bring it in!

“Leadership today is more about taking care of your people.”   On this pod episode, Ian Adair joined us for an important conversation on mental health. He has been one of the greatest mental health advocates for the workforce, currently serving as the Executive Director for the Gracepoint Foundation, as well as the author of “Stronger Than Stigma” and “A Call To Action: Stories of Grief, Loss, and Inspiration.”   Unfortunately, for the last decade, mental health issues have steadily been on the rise in North America, but people like Ian are rising to the challenge to ensure every worker is cared for and has the tools and resources necessary to ensure their own wellbeing. If you’re a leader who wants to take the best care possible of their people, this episode is definitely for you...let’s bring it in!

"Failure is inevitable on the road to success." Emilie Aries, CEO and Founder of Bossed Up has been tackling the threat of burnout head on. Speaker, podcaster, and author, Emilie has first hand experience in conquering burnout after years of working in the Washington D.C. legislative industry. She wanted to create a space that vouched for self-advocacy, rather than advocating for her latest political client, so, she founded Bossed Up in 2013. Offering data driven, impact-oriented programs to empower marginalized workers and consulting with companies like Google, Linkedin, Facebook. TEDx, Indeed, American Express. Her work has been featured in CNN Money, Forbes, The Washington Post and Glamour. When COVID hit, 100% of all of Bossed Up’s operations had to shut down, but Emilie guided her team through it all, and in 6 months had completed a business pivot that resulted in 3 brand new programs. With mental health awareness month just passing, this is an important episode focused on the wellbeing and health of your people, and one you really don’t want to miss so...let’s bring it in!

How do you get credit for 73 Conference Championships, 54 Final Fours, and 39 National Championships across every major athletic sport in America? Dr. Jerry Lynch, ex-Navy Officer, sports psychologist, author, speaker, athlete, and coach, has advised, guided, and coached some of the most successful, winningest, and dominant athletes in the world. You might’ve heard of a few of them...Steve Kerr, Phil Jackson, and Kobe Bryant. With a unique perspective that combines eastern philosophy, Native American Tradition, and Western Philosophy, Dr. J has written over thirteen books and given countless lectures to help people achieve their prime mentality to win. When I sat down with Dr. J, he dove into his latest book, “The Competitive Buddha,” a book about mastery, leadership, and spirituality, drawing from the ancient teachings of The Buddha and showing how many of those philosophies apply to winning. This is definitely one of the most unique podcasts I’ve ever had so...let’s bring it in!

How do you earn the title of “The Godmother of Silicon Valley?” By raising the CEOs of YouTube, 23 and Me, a college professor and becoming an award-winning journalist, lifelong teacher, personally mentoring Steve Jobs’ child, and writing dozens of books on the educational system. That’s how Esther Wojcicki made her mark in Palo Alto and became a central figure in the tech boom of California. When 1Huddle’s Founder and CEO, Sam, caught up with Esther they talked about everything from the importance of allowing kids to fail when they learn, society's failure to fully embrace mobile tech to how the definition of infrastructure has changed over the years. Being so involved with educating those that drove the biggest tech boom in history, Esther has tons of experience and stories to share, this is definitely an episode you’re going to want to listen to. So...let’s bring it in!

“Talent leaders should recognize that trafficking is everyone’s problem.” At any given time, an estimated 24.9 million people are victims of human trafficking around the world. Today’s guest has dedicated her life to giving those people a voice, a refuge, and the resources to escape and recover from human trafficking. Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri is a board member of Saving Jane, a group dedicated to empowering survivors of all forms of modern-day slavery and human trafficking to live the life that they want to live. She’s also a Tribeca Film Festival/Disruptive Innovator Awarded film director, photographer, and writer. Mentored by Mother Theresa and David Bowie, Indrani has used her creative platforms to bring awareness to some of the biggest social justice issues in our time, earning her over 50 awards from Cannes, Tribeca, CNN, and dozens of other organizations, her work has spoken to millions. She’s helped launch the careers of Beyonce, Lady Gaga so...she has an eye for spotting talent. Let’s bring it in!

“There's something incredibly captivating about purpose, and knowing that you have one.” Coach Craig White is the founder and head coach of the rowing team St. Benedict’s Prep School in Newark, New Jersey, where he also serves as a math teacher and Dean of Freshman Level. For Coach White, every day spent with his rowing team has been an adventure, and he’s always working to build a better tomorrow for his team. When Coach White sat down with 1Huddle’s CEO and founder Sam Caucci they talked about everything from the importance of letting your people fail and make mistakes to what it means to be a truly great coach and mentor. This powerful episode has important insights for all current and aspiring leaders who want to lift up their teams and their communities, so let’s... Bring it in!

Never punt? Today’s guest is known by many as “the coach who doesn’t punt.” He’s also known for having a 203-29-1 record as head coach, winning 8 state championships, and coaching players and teams that have set 15 national high school football records. And did we mention, he was also named the National Football Coach of the Year in 2016 by USA Today? Kevin Kelley, the Pulaski Academy football coach who gained national notoriety for his 'never punt' attitude, recently accepted the job as D1 Head Football Coach at Presbyterian College. During his career, he has defied all the wisdom of conventional football and come out on top as a champion. So if you want to know: How can I tap into my people’s strengths to create a world-class team? How do you become great at something by practicing for just five minutes a day? Or how does someone even come up with the idea to become the coach who never punts? Then this is the episode for you. Let’s bring it!

“The practicing mind is about learning to be in the process and enjoy the process.” Today’s Bring It In guest is an expert on how we can align our minds and bodies to stay in the moment so that we’re getting the most out of what we do. Tom Sterner is the founder and CEO of “The Practicing Mind Institute: Teaching the Power of the Present Moment,” and he authored the popular book The Practicing Mind: Developing Focus and Discipline in Your Life on the same topic. Before founding The Practicing Mind Institute, Tom served as the Chief Concert Piano Technician for a major performing arts center where he prepared instruments for the world’s most demanding performances. During his 25 year tenure as a technician, Tom personally worked for industry giants like Pavarotti and Fleetwood Mac. When 1Huddle’s CEO and Founder Sam Caucci sat down with Tom on this episode of Bring It In, they talked about everything from what it really means to operate at our highest levels to how we can make better, more effective goals that enable us to practice to our fullest potential. This is one of the most compelling, thought-provoking episodes yet, so let’s get ready to… Bring it in!

Today’s guest is someone who knows that “employees will leave if they don't feel like they're learning anything new. So to keep them, you need to keep teaching them new things.” After more than 30 years of experience in hotel management at properties across the country, our guest knows what it takes to keep employees engaged, happy, fired up, and excited to come to work every day. He also knows a thing or two about games. Kevin Thorstenson is the Hotel General Manager at WinStar World Hotel. WinStar, which is located in Thackerville, Oklahoma near the Oklahoma-Texas border, is the biggest casino in America. It has more than 500,000 square feet of gaming space and more games than any other casino in the world; WinStar is also renowned for hosting huge events — from MMA to theatrical entertainment, and even golf competitions. The WinStar World Hotel employs nearly 500 people, so Kevin has a wealth of experience managing huge teams. When 1Huddle’s CEO and Founder Sam Caucci sat down with Kevin on this episode of Bring It In, they talked about everything from why communication is so important to what it takes to be a great manager who knows how to make learning stick. I’m willing to bet this is going to be one of the best episodes yet. So, let’s... Bring it in!