This episode features an interview with Julie Barker, CEO of Cultivate Talent.

Julie brings 20 years of experience in HR and recruitment, having scaled teams and shaped talent strategies across startups and global enterprises, including Aprimo, Teradata and Appirio. She’s an advisor at Tercera, a VC firm focused on the next wave of cloud companies, and serves on the board of Next Gen Talent, where she helps rising HR leaders build the business acumen to drive impact.

In this episode, Julie unpacks what it really means to build an intentional people strategy in the age of AI. She shares a practical approach to evolving roles, structuring headcount planning that adapts in real time, and aligning talent to shifting business goals. Whether you’re leading a team of 10 or 10,000, Julie’s insights will help you design a more agile, aligned, and human-centered talent roadmap.

Guest Bio

Julie has spent 20 years in HR and Recruitment at companies across all stages and across the globe. Julie is an advisor for Tercera, which is a venture capital firm focused on enabling the third wave of cloud computing. She also serves on the board of Next Gen Talent focused on equipping emerging HR and Talent leaders with the business skills to move their organizations forward.

Guest Quote

“Companies spend a lot of time on their annual headcount plan… and then what I think sometimes happens is we lose sight of these quarterly checkpoints...We forget to reconnect the headcount strategy to those goal realignment conversations.”

Time Stamps

[00:41] Meet Julie Barker: Her Journey Into Talent Strategy

[03:32] The Hidden Risk of Hiring “Great” People

[07:59] What Intentional People Strategy Really Looks Like

[09:32] The Annual Headcount Plan Mistake Most Companies Make

[17:14] Designing for AI: Shifting Orgs, Roles & Mindsets

[21:39] Culture Truths: Tough Decisions, Real Alignment

Sponsor

I’m Telling HR is brought to you by Rippling, the #1 rated HR workforce management system that eliminates the friction from running a business. Visit Rippling.com to learn more.

Links

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