Summary:

What happens when your biggest critic is you? In this raw and reflective conversation, Selyn Hong shares the messy, defining moments that pushed her from law to HR, from obligation to intention. We talk about the moment she dropped out of college to reconnect with her estranged father, how she redefined what it means to “play it safe,” and why fear can actually be a compass. This episode is about transformation—from compliance to courage.

Chapters:

00:00 – The Weight of Expectations and Internal Pressure

03:45 – Reaching a Breaking Point in College

07:30 – Losing and Finding Her Father

11:15 – A Scary But Empowering Decision to Withdraw

15:00 – From Compliance to Clarity: Living Into Her Values

18:30 – The Second Diagnosis That Changed Everything Again

22:00 – Prioritizing People Over Prestige

26:15 – From Lawyer to HR: The Unexpected Pivot

30:45 – Designing Human-Centered Workplaces

33:15 – Redefining Safety, Risk, and Regret

34:45 – Advice to Her Younger Self: “Lean Into the Fear”

Host Alexa Beavers: linkedin.com/in/alexabeaverspmp

Guest Selyn Hong: linkedin.com/in/selyn-hong-b467784a

Executive Producer Jim Kanichirayil: linkedin.com/in/drjimk

Music Credit: "Lost in Dreams" by Kulakovka

Summary:

What happens when two things that feel opposite are both true? In this conversation, Keri opens up about navigating a new executive role while moving through a divorce—holding professional composure at work and real, messy feelings at home. We unpack how she leveraged support systems, practiced grace, and built confidence she didn’t know she had—without oversharing or hiding who she is.

Keri Smith is the Senior Vice President of HR at HH Hunt, known for people-first leadership, deep EQ, and building trust through candid, compassionate conversations.

Chapters:

00:00 – Letting It Out, Not Shutting Down (naming feelings and the role of silence)

03:00 – The “Both/And” Messy Middle (new company + divorce at the same time)

08:00 – A Boss Who Gets It (prior context, trust, and early candor)

13:00 – Facts Over Stories (stopping the spiral with better questions)

19:00 – The Friend Who Coaches (open-ended questions that heal)

24:00 – Reading the Room (EQ at work, introvert strengths)

29:00 – From Private to Helpful (others start seeking her counsel)

35:00 – Faith, Family, and Hard Choices (prayer, discernment, and next steps)

42:00 – Where to Connect + Final Advice (know yourself early; trust your gut)

Host Alexa Beavers: linkedin.com/in/alexabeaverspmp

Guest Keri Smith: linkedin.com/in/kerilsmith11

Executive Producer Jim Kanichirayil: linkedin.com/in/drjimk

Music Credit: "Lost in Dreams" by Kulakovka

Summary:

Early in her career, Melissa was steering a major system implementation when the unthinkable happened: the go-live slipped and then slipped again. In this episode, we unpack how things went sideways, the vendor dynamics that masked risk, and the leadership moves that turned a multi-department fire drill into a stronger, smarter program.

Melissa Turley is a globally experienced HR executive and operations leader with 10+ years in senior roles across healthcare, education, construction & engineering, and maritime oil & gas. She specializes in large-scale implementations, cross-cultural team building, and business process development.

Chapters:

00:00 – The ‘go-live’ that didn’t: setting the scene

00:03 – Early signals: smooth meetings, hidden risks

00:09 – Slipped once, slipped twice: how dates quietly erode

00:15 – Standing up change agents inside each function

00:21 – Communication that actually changes behavior

00:27 – Delegation and leadership altitude: getting out of the weeds

00:33 – Go-live approach 2.0: phased, controlled, and transparent

00:36 – Lessons learned and the new operating rhythm

Host Dr. Jim: linkedin.com/in/drjimk

Guest Melissa Turley: linkedin.com/in/melissa-turley-mhrm-mba-iapmc-shrm-scp-phr-b275403a

Executive Producer Jim Kanichirayil: linkedin.com/in/drjimk

Music Credit: "Lost in Dreams" by Kulakovka

Summary:

What do you do when your subject-matter expert walks out during an acquisition and hundreds of market-sensitive trades are on the line? In this candid conversation, Lauren shares how she shifted from panic to a repeatable playbook—mapping stakeholders, designing smart escalation paths, and preparing teams to operate confidently amid ambiguity. If you’ve ever led through change, this one hits home.

Chapters:

00:00 – Rapid growth, new role, and a brave question-asking culture

03:30 – The crisis: acquisition, trades at stake, and raising the bar for leadership

07:00 – Winning the role… and losing the SME; imposter syndrome hits hard

10:30 – From panic to plan: widen the network, define support, move fast

14:00 – Leading in ambiguity: ask better questions, find the true owners

17:30 – Champions matter: the leader who opened doors (and why that worked)

21:00 – Managing anxiety in high-stakes work: tactics that actually help

24:30 – Stakeholder maps, escalation paths, and the “unexpected” protocol

28:00 – Proactive outreach: how to make first calls less awkward (and more useful)

31:30 – Wrap and where to find Lauren

Host Alexa Beavers: linkedin.com/in/alexabeaverspmp

Guest Lauren Jenkins: linkedin.com/in/laurenhroschjenkins

Executive Producer Jim Kanichirayil: linkedin.com/in/drjimk

Music Credit: "Lost in Dreams" by Kulakovka

Summary:

Dr. Gina Anderson, CEO of Luma Brighter Learning, joins the podcast to discuss the power of resilience and mindset shifts in the entrepreneurial journey. Sharing her own experiences of overcoming multiple grant rejections, Dr. Anderson illustrates how failure can fuel confidence and spark innovative thinking. She emphasizes the importance of letting go of assumptions and seizing unexpected opportunities, highlighting her transition into the logistics and transportation industry. Discover how embracing a bias towards action and fostering partnerships can accelerate success and enable entrepreneurs to turn challenges into growth opportunities.

Chapters:

0:00

Building Resilience Through Rejection and Mindset Shifts

4:03

Overcoming Self-Doubt and Rejection in Entrepreneurship

9:56

Building Resilience and Confidence Through Entrepreneurial Challenges

18:24

Innovative Learning Solutions for the Trucking Industry

21:53

Overcoming Inertia and Embracing Self-Talk for Startup Success

Host Dr. Jim: linkedin.com/in/drjimk

Guest Dr. Gina Anderson: linkedin.com/in/gina-anderson-luma

Executive Producer Jim Kanichirayil: linkedin.com/in/drjimk

Music Credit: "Lost in Dreams" by Kulakovka

Summary:

Dr. Jim chats with Kelsey Arico, head of client experience and brand engagement at The Axela Group. They look into early career challenges, focusing on navigating leadership without authority and the power of self-advocacy. Discover how embracing assertiveness, honing critical questioning skills, and quieting self-doubt accelerates career growth. Ideal for anyone seeking to develop their leadership story, this engaging discussion explores effective strategies for influencing and executing meaningful projects, regardless of your role or title.

Chapters:

0:00

Navigating Leadership Without Authority and Learning From Mistakes

3:33

Navigating Leadership Without Authority and Building Credibility

10:44

Building Confidence Through Support and Confrontation

11:12

Collaborative Efforts in Large-Scale Initiatives

12:28

Claiming Leadership Without Authority in Career Development

16:22

Quieting Self-Talk and Embracing Personal Strengths

17:46

Navigating Career Growth Through Vulnerability and Strategic Questioning

23:53

Balancing Assertiveness and Leadership Without Aggression

26:57

Effective Communication and Accountability in Leadership Roles

29:32

The Importance of Asking Questions in Career Development

Host Dr. Jim: linkedin.com/in/drjimk

Guest Kelsey Arico: linkedin.com/in/kelsey-arico-775b772b

Executive Producer Jim Kanichirayil: linkedin.com/in/drjimk

Music Credit: "Lost in Dreams" by Kulakovka

Summary:

Join Alexa Beavers as she welcomes Amanda Smith, Chief Human Resources Officer at Vision Innovation Partners. Amanda shares her journey of overcoming career struggles and the importance of self-advocacy, especially after moving across the country for a job opportunity that didn’t materialize. Discover how Amanda learned to give herself permission to aspire to more and the lessons she gathered from navigating career challenges. This conversation explores themes of ownership, authenticity, and courage in professional growth, offering insights into finding the right path and embracing one's unique journey.

Chapters:

0:00

Advocating for Yourself: Lessons from Amanda Smith's Career

3:14

Career Setbacks and Personal Growth in a Cross-Country Move

9:05

Balancing Single Motherhood and Career with Resilience

11:23

The Costs of Not Advocating for Yourself at Work

13:23

Advocating for Yourself in Career Development and Growth

19:38

Finding the Right Shade of Green in Your Career

21:38

Authenticity, Passion, and Self-Advocacy in Career Development

24:04

Embracing Opportunities and Growth in Unexpected Career Paths

27:07

Embrace Authenticity and Self-Advocacy in Your Career Journey

30:14

Amanda Smith Shares Unfiltered Advice on Transformation Unfiltered

Host Alexa Beavers: linkedin.com/in/alexabeaverspmp

Guest Amanda Smith: linkedin.com/in/amandatatesmith

Executive Producer Jim Kanichirayil: linkedin.com/in/drjimk

Music Credit: "Lost in Dreams" by Kulakovka

Summary:

Ben Madden is a veteran HR exec (nearly 20 years) known for scaling teams, integrating acquisitions, and leading people operations through complex change. He served as SVP of HR at The Ambit Group, helping drive growth, two integrations, and a successful sale in 2022, and he’s an active leader in the NOVA SHRM community.

I brought Ben on because real leadership isn’t about keeping the peace, it’s about rocking the boat when the situation demands it. In this one, we unpack a consulting engagement that went sideways: new leadership, values misalignment, blatant compliance risks, and a “my way or the highway” culture. Ben made the hard call to walk away on principle, and we dig into how to spot red flags early, protect yourself, and exit without burning your team or your reputation.

Chapters:

00:00 — The Ice-Out Begins: From stabilizing HR to a 180° pivot 【】

02:00 — Rock the Boat: Why principled conflict is leadership 【】

05:00 — The Flashpoint: “My way or the highway” and shouting matches 【】

11:00 — 180º Philosophy Shift: From stabilize to “run fast, break things” 【】

13:00 — Team Fallout: Fear, churn risk, and dual bosses 【】

17:00 — Plan the Exit, Protect the Work 【】

22:00 — As a Consultant: When you can’t even raise it at the table 【】

26:00 — Frontline Reality: Boundaries when the boss says “be a team player” 【】

32:00 — Close + CTA: Reviews, shares, and where to find Ben 【

Host Dr. Jim Kanichirayil: linkedin.com/in/drjimk

Guest Ben Madden: linkedin.com/in/benmadden

Executive Producer Jim Kanichirayil: linkedin.com/in/drjimk

Music Credit: "Lost in Dreams" by Kulakovka