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Workforce Therapy Files

Workforce Therapy Files

Written by: Jim Ray
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About this listen

 This podcast is designed for business leaders and human resource professionals who are challenged with expanding their workforce. Workforce Therapy Files, an Employer Solutions Podcast, is hosted by 3 separate business owners who operate in the staffing and human resources space. They'll provide perspectives, tips and advice (along with a little humor) to help you prepare for and manage your workforce challenges. Need Help Supporting Your Company's Recruiting and Staffing Goals? We're here to help. You can contact us via our individual websites, depending on your specific needs or questions: • Jamie Swaim, SPHR – www.ParcelKnows.com • Molley Ricketts – www.IncipioWorks.com • Jason Heflin – www.CrowdSouth.com We hope you find it insightful and helpful. Thank you for listening!2023 Economics Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • Interview with Erin Mitchell - 2025 KYSHRM

    Interview with Erin Mitchell - 2025 KYSHRM
    Jan 12 2026

    The Workforce Therapy Files team attended the 2025 Kentucky SHRM Conference, in Louisville. We took the opportunity to interview over 20 professionals who stopped by our booth.

    Molley Ricketts sat down with Erin Mitchell, the Chief of Staff at Barnes Young Wealth Advisors. They discuss managing culture during a major merger that will grow Barnes Young from 19 to 55 people. With a background in political science, Erin discovered that her empathetic yet direct personality was a perfect fit for HR, where she prioritizes being able to step into other people's shoes. She is particularly proud of the culture she has helped cultivate and aims to maintain that sense of community across their expanding office locations.

    Erin believes the key to overcoming HR stigmas is building deep trust, acting as a transparent "middle woman" between the leadership team and the rest of the staff. She noted that while building trust is a foundation for success, it can be a double-edged sword when team members rely on her so much that she must guide them on how to handle situations themselves. If budget were no object, Erin would provide leadership training to every single employee, regardless of whether they are in a formal management role. She believes emotional intelligence, feedback skills, and career pathing are essential for everyone to lead within their own departments.

    Erin left this question for the next guest: "What are some tips of the trade or success stories for enhancing culture and relationships among multiple office locations?".

    To learn more, visit:

    · Website: www.blueprint.nm.com

    Erin Mitchell, thanks for stopping by to speak with us!

    That's where we'll leave the conversation for today. Before we close the file, we invite you to reach out to us with questions, suggestions or other comments. We'd love to hear from you.

    Need Help Supporting Your Company's Recruiting and Staffing Goals?

    We're here to help. You can contact us via our individual websites, depending on your specific needs or questions:

    · Jamie Swaim, SPHR – www.ParcelKnows.com

    · Molley Ricketts – www.IncipioWorks.com

    · Jason Heflin – www.CrowdSouth.com

    We hope you found this file insightful and helpful. Thank you for listening!
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    6 mins
  • Interview with Hannah Carretti - 2025 KYSHRM

    Interview with Hannah Carretti - 2025 KYSHRM
    Jan 6 2026

    The Workforce Therapy Files team attended the 2025 Kentucky SHRM Conference, in Louisville. We took the opportunity to interview over 20 professionals who stopped by our booth.

    Hannah Carretti, HR Director for Campari America, sat down with Jamie Swaim and Jason Heflin, at the 2025 KYSHRM conference to share her experiences as a "true generalist at heart" working in the distilling industry. Hannah's favorite area of HR is training and employee development, which she finds both humbling and an honor to lead. Currently, she is spearheading a frontline leadership training program, viewing these leaders as the essential support system for her manufacturing team. Safety is also a top priority at her site, leading them to host an annual safety day where they stop production completely for hands-on training, games, and team bonding.

    When asked what she looks for in a new hire, Hannah immediately pointed to empathy, explaining that while technical skills can be learned by anyone, empathy and understanding are much harder to teach. She believes these soft skills are vital for effective leadership across all levels of an organization. Hannah also enjoyed the conference keynote by Eric Williamson, finding his session on "how not to be a jerk" both lively and engaging. To keep the conversation going, she left this imaginative question for the next participant: "If you could train on any topic with no budget and no restriction on what the topic is, what would you want to train your team on?".

    To learn more, visit:

    · Website: www.camparigroup.com

    Hannah Carretti, thanks for stopping by to speak with us!

    That's where we'll leave the conversation for today. Before we close the file, we invite you to reach out to us with questions, suggestions or other comments. We'd love to hear from you.

    Need Help Supporting Your Company's Recruiting and Staffing Goals?

    We're here to help. You can contact us via our individual websites, depending on your specific needs or questions:

    · Jamie Swaim, SPHR – www.ParcelKnows.com

    · Molley Ricketts – www.IncipioWorks.com

    · Jason Heflin – www.CrowdSouth.com

    We hope you found this file insightful and helpful. Thank you for listening!
    Show More Show Less
    4 mins
  • How Leaders Embrace Change - Interview with Maggie Harlow

    How Leaders Embrace Change - Interview with Maggie Harlow
    Dec 30 2025
    File 32: In today's file, the team interviews Maggie Harlow, Co-Founder of Signarama Downtown. They discuss leadership lessons, evolving workforce expectations, the importance of communication and accountability, and the challenges of being a female CEO. Maggie shares her entrepreneurial journey, insights on personal growth, and the significance of vision boarding. The conversation emphasizes the need for clarity in expectations, respect among team members, and the courage to embrace challenges as opportunities for growth. Leadership and Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace As the leadership discussion unfolds, Maggie shares one of the most important lessons she has learned: the ability to stay centered while managing people and emotions at work. Emotional situations are inevitable in leadership roles. Effective leaders must learn how to remain calm without becoming disconnected. Rather than reacting emotionally, Maggie emphasizes observing situations carefully and responding with clarity and intention. Practical Leadership Strategies for Difficult Workplace Conversations The conversation shifts to practical strategies Maggie uses when navigating emotionally charged workplace conversations. She explains how listening closely to the language people use to describe their feelings allows leaders to acknowledge emotions without escalating conflict. By reflecting those feelings back, leaders help others feel heard, which often reduces defensiveness and tension. Maggie also highlights the importance of validation. She notes how acknowledging emotions does not mean agreeing with them. Instead, validation creates a foundation for productive dialogue and problem-solving. Curiosity as a Core Leadership Skill Curiosity is a central theme in today's discussion. Maggie explains how by staying curious leaders remain open rather than reactive, especially during moments of disagreement. Asking thoughtful follow-up questions and resisting the urge to correct or dismiss emotions helps leaders better understand people and situations. Curiosity can strengthen leadership effectiveness across teams, client relationships, and organizational culture. Learning Through Workplace Conflict and Growth Rather than avoiding conflict, Maggie reframes it as an opportunity for learning and leadership growth. She explains that moments of tension often reveal important insights about individuals, systems, and leadership blind spots. Leaders who approach conflict with openness and emotional awareness are better positioned to learn, adapt, and lead effectively. This approach is relevant to personal and professional development. Growth often comes from navigating discomfort thoughtfully. The Broader Impact of Leadership on Teams and Culture As the conversation begins to wrap-up, the group reflects on how leadership behavior influences teams and workplace culture. Maggie discusses how modeling calm, intentional responses sets expectations for how others handle challenges. Leaders who demonstrate emotional intelligence and self-regulation often create healthier, more resilient workplaces. The episode reinforces the mission of Workforce Therapy Files: helping leaders navigate real-world workplace challenges with clarity, empathy, and confidence. Interested in Contacting Maggie Harlow to Learn More? Website: www.signarama.com/locations/ky-louisville-downtown Phone: (502) 585-4099 That's where we'll leave the conversation for today. Before we close the file, we invite you to reach out to us with questions, suggestions or other comments. We'd love to hear from you. Did You Enjoy Today's Conversation? Visit www.WorkforceTherapyFiles.com to listen to additional WTF files or to let us know you'd like to be a guest on an upcoming file. Need Help Supporting Your Company's Recruiting and Staffing Goals? We're here to help. You can contact us via our individual websites, depending on your specific needs or questions: · Jamie Swaim, SPHR – www.ParcelKnows.com · Molley Ricketts – www.IncipioWorks.com · Jason Heflin – www.CrowdSouth.com We hope you found this file insightful and helpful. Thank you for listening!
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    44 mins
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