HR veteran Kyle Patrick Smith didn't grow up with college as an option, his father didn't finish 11th grade, and his grandparents barely made it past elementary school. Yet after 25 years climbing corporate HR ladders, he walked away to build something better: HR Kyle Services, a consultancy proving "people first" can be more than corporate propaganda. As an Amazon bestselling author of both "Get the Job You Love" and "Find the Talent You Love," Kyle attacks talent strategy from both sides of the desk with uncommon candor about what's broken in today's workplace.

The conversation tackles post-COVID talent dynamics with refreshing honesty—people aren't just chasing paychecks anymore, and organizations still pretending otherwise are bleeding talent. Kyle champions treating departing employees as "alumni" rather than "former employees," recognizing relationships don't end at exit interviews. He predicts successful organizations will embrace the "total person" concept, meeting individual needs with flexibility instead of forcing everyone into identical employee boxes. On AI, the discussion reveals how technology serves as an articulation engine for human ideas rather than replacing genuine connection. For HR leaders exhausted by empty slogans, this episode delivers real strategy.

Small Town Roots, Big Ambitions - 01:47

Breaking the Education Barrier - 02:27

25 Years in Corporate HR - 03:05

Why He Started HR Kyle Services - 03:12

Two Books, Two Perspectives - 03:51

Get the Job You Love Philosophy - 04:02

Find the Talent You Love Approach - 05:30

Post-COVID Talent Reality Check - 15:45

From Former Employees to Alumni - 31:12

The Total Person Concept - 31:00

AI as Articulation Engine - 31:48

The Future of People-First HR - 30:37

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