Episodes

Brand deals rarely come from playing it safe inside your niche. Kristi Kennebrew built Get Me Hired Kristi into a career brand with hundreds of thousands of followers, then landed sponsorships nobody expects from a recruiter turned creator: a World Cup activation, a mattress pitch, even a fly trap brand. She never quit her day job to do it. Host Rhona Pierce talks with Kennebrew about how she pitches lifestyle and mainstream brands by connecting everyday products to her audience's real lives, no...

How do you come up with newsletter ideas every week? If you write anything on a schedule, you've felt this pain. Hebba Youssef writes I Hate It Here, one of the biggest newsletters in HR, and she used to do what most of us do: wake up on Sunday and pick a random thought. It worked until it didn't. "It's really stressful when you're trying to be creative in the chaos." Her fix: pick one theme per quarter, then break it into 12 newsletters that build on each other. Readers get a continuous s...

Hosting an event is easy. Building a community that people return to month after month is much harder. In this episode of Workfluencer, Rhona sits down with Chaselle Gazelle, founder of Jacksonville Bestie, to explore what separates unforgettable in-person events from forgettable networking mixers. Chaselle shares how she turned casual brunches with friends into one of Jacksonville's most recognizable community brands, why relationships matter more than transactions, and how busin...

Most people spend months preparing for a single DisruptHR presentation. Ashlynne Valdez delivered two different talks in 30 days, won Best Speaker at one event, and helps select speakers for DisruptHR Las Vegas. In this episode, we go behind the scenes of DisruptHR to explore what separates a good talk from a great one. Ashlynne shares how she develops topics, finds a disruptive angle, prepares for the fast-paced five-minute format, and what organizers are really looking for when reviewing sp...

Most LinkedIn advice teaches you how to fit in. Jillian Richardson believes the opposite. In this episode of Workfluencer, Rhona sits down with one of LinkedIn's most recognizable ghostwriters to discuss why being a little weird might be your biggest advantage online. Jillian shares the story behind her viral "Be Weird on LinkedIn" movement, what founders get wrong about personal branding, and why authenticity is becoming the best defense against AI-generated content. They also discuss emp...

What does it take to turn years of workplace observations into a published book? In this episode of Workfluencer, Abi Adamson shares the story behind her debut book, Culture Blooming: Nurturing Workplaces Where People Grow. From witnessing favoritism, discrimination, and toxic leadership to developing her own workplace culture framework, Abi explains how she transformed real-world experiences into a book designed to help leaders create better workplaces. Abi pulls back the curtain on the p...

Most creators think they need a massive audience before brands will take them seriously. Chad Sowash says that's nonsense! In this episode of Workfluencer, Chad shares how he and his co-host, Joel Cheesman, built the Chad & Cheese podcast into a profitable business from day one, why most creators dramatically undervalue themselves, and what brands are actually buying when they sponsor content. We discuss why niche audiences outperform vanity metrics, how to create sponsorship packages that...

Strong POV content feels risky for most creators, but Jillian O'Malior built her audience by removing the corporate pleasing filter completely. After being laid off in November 2024, she ran a 90-day experiment leaning into “strategically unhinged” content about layoffs, labor reform, and the dehumanization of workers — and the inbound work, brand deals, and podcast invites started rolling in. In this episode of Workfluencer, Rhona Pierce sits down with brand strategist and workplace advocate...

Most conferences focus on information. Anna Morgan focused on belonging. In this episode of Workfluencer, Anna takes us behind the scenes of building Evolve — a fast-growing HR and recruiting conference brand built around trust, community, and real human connection. From hosting LinkedIn audio rooms and recruiter communities to executive dinners and a full-scale conference ecosystem, Anna shares how she turned years of relationship-building into one of the most community-driven experiences...

What if candidates were lining up before you even posted the job? In this episode, Rhona sits down with Bradley Clark to break down how his team turned honest, transparent employer branding into a high-performing talent engine. They get into why most employer branding fails, how transparency filters in the right candidates (and repels the wrong ones), and the exact system behind their “early access” hiring strategy that drives 60% of hires before jobs ever hit job boards. This is a t...

How do you actually turn content into clients—especially when you’re just starting out? In this episode, we unpack what it really looks like to build in public and use content as more than just a visibility play. Not polished. Not hindsight. Real-time. Preston recently left corporate and is building his business from the ground up, documenting the process as he goes. That means sharing what’s working, what’s not, and how his approach to content has shifted from “just posting” to something ...

Most people get laid off and go quiet. Vanita Capobianco did the opposite. She started creating content, launched a podcast, and began building a personal brand from scratch. No audience. No experience. No roadmap. In this episode, we break down what actually happens after a layoff—and how to turn that moment into momentum. Vanita shares how she built consistency, found her voice, and created opportunities by showing up online. We also get into the real side of content creation. Late ni...

If you’re constantly consuming content but still struggling to come up with ideas… this episode is your reset. Jeff Harry argues that the problem isn’t a lack of inspiration, it’s too much input. In this episode, we break down why overconsumption leads to overthinking, how that blocks creativity, and what actually helps you generate better content ideas (hint: it’s not more scrolling). You’ll learn how to: Stop relying on inspiration from other creators Break out of the doomscrollin...

At Transform 2026, I sat down with Rebecca Taylor to unpack what’s really holding HR and Talent leaders back from showing up online—and why that needs to change. We get into the real risks, the perceived risks, and the responsibility that comes with having a voice in HR. Because whether you’re posting or not, the narrative is being shaped—with or without you. Rebecca also shares a deeply personal career story that highlights how power, identity, and early decisions can shape everything tha...

I just got back from Transform 2026 and had way too much time before my flight… so I made my own awards show. This is a fun, unfiltered recap of what stood out. The swag. The activations. The people. The random moments you don’t see in the polished LinkedIn posts. Some brands nailed it. Some tried. Some just gave out tote bags. If you were there, this will hit. If you weren’t, this is the version you actually want. In This Episode The best swag (yes, it matters) The activation I ...

Employee generated content already outperforms every job ad you are paying for — and most companies still haven't figured out why. The real tension here isn't whether EGC works. It's that brands keep trying to control a conversation that's already happening without them. In this episode, Rhona Pierce sits down with Tracey Parsons, recruitment marketing veteran and founder of Flockity, to unpack why employee voices convert candidates better than any sponsored post or job board listing. They cove...

Most advice about LinkedIn content says the same thing: follow trends, post consistently, and play the algorithm. But what if that’s exactly why your content isn’t standing out? In this episode, leadership strategist Julia Rock breaks down how to stand out on LinkedIn without copying trends, chasing viral formats, or sounding like everyone else. She shares what actually drives meaningful engagement, how to build authority through content, and why authenticity matters more than ever in a cr...

Building a consulting business through content sounds simple. In reality, it requires clarity, conviction, and a willingness to say things others avoid. In this episode of Workfluencer, talent, culture, and DEI consultant Dani Herrera shares how LinkedIn content became the engine behind her consulting business. Dani didn’t start posting to become a creator. She started out of necessity while navigating the U.S. immigration system and needing to prove visibility in her field. What began as ...

Personal branding for women over 40 who feel invisible is rarely about a lack of expertise. It's about two decades of keeping your head down, taking care of everyone else, and forgetting to tell the world what you know. In this episode, Monica Rivera breaks down what it actually takes to stop hiding and step into the visibility you've already earned. Together, Rhona Pierce and Monica unpack why experienced women, especially women over 40, feel invisible even after 20 years of building skil...

Content creation burnout is real, and most professionals don’t realize they’re heading toward it until it’s too late. In this episode, Rhona sits down with internal communications and employee experience consultant Jo Coxhill to talk about content creation burnout, chasing the LinkedIn algorithm, and what happens when that same pressure shows up inside employee advocacy programs. If you’re building a personal brand while running a business, or leading employee-generated content (EGC) strat...

Starting a podcast while working full-time requires a different strategy than the usual “quit and go all in” advice. In this episode, Lee Cage Jr. shares how he built and monetized a podcast while working full-time as a Director at BDO, serving in the National Guard, and speaking at conferences. Together, Rhona and Lee break down what it actually takes to start a podcast while employed — from choosing a short-form format to attracting sponsors without obsessing over download numbers. Th...

Keirsten Greggs shares what it takes to build a personal brand as a Black woman in corporate America without shrinking yourself.

In this episode, Rhona sits down with Madison Butler to unpack what it really means to build a creator career after corporate layoffs—especially when content becomes a financial necessity, not a passion project.

What do you do when you’re supposed to post… and you just can’t? In this episode, Rhona Pierce sits down with Jeffrey Fermin for an honest conversation about creating content during moments of exhaustion, fear, and emotional overload. Not burnout. Not strategy hacks. Just real talk about what it feels like to show up online when the world feels heavy and your energy is gone. This isn’t an episode about forcing consistency. It’s about knowing when to pause, how to protect your energy, and h...