Gathering

About Gathering

A podcast for people who bring teams together, by StartWell

Publisher

StartWell

Category

business · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

25 Oct 2022

Latest episode

24 Jan 2025

Latest episodes

32 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   24 Jan 2025

   10 Years in HR Before Becoming a CPG Founder - Sachi Kittur

   In this episode of StartWell's Gathering Podcast, you'll get an insider's look at Sachi Kittur (https://www.gocpg.ai/)'s remarkable journey from HR professional to successful entrepreneur. Starting with her early career in tech recruitment during the Y2K boom, Sachi shares honest insights about her time at companies like Sigma Systems, where she experienced everything from scaling teams to managing mergers and acquisitions. What makes this discussion particularly valuable is Sachi's candid take on the evolution of corporate leadership. She points out how CEOs have shifted their focus from purely sales and profits to emphasizing people, culture, and engagement – a change that reflects the modern understanding that successful companies need to nail the "people culture formula." The conversation takes an exciting turn when Sachi discusses her leap into entrepreneurship with Sachili, her CPG food brand. She doesn't sugar-coat the challenges, sharing real stories about the hurdles of getting products onto retail shelves and managing tight margins. This experience led her to create Go CPG, an innovative platform designed to help other CPG founders navigate the industry's complex landscape and reduce the staggering failure rate. Throughout the discussion, you'll find practical wisdom about mentorship, with Sachi emphasizing the importance of connecting with entrepreneurs who are "2-3 years ahead of where you want to be." Her experience reporting to six different CEOs provides fascinating insights into leadership styles and the crucial traits of successful executives – including their ability to maintain unwavering focus regardless of outside opinions. The conversation also dives into timely topics like remote work, the changing dynamics of talent acquisition, and the unique advantages that HR professionals bring to entrepreneurship. Sachi makes a compelling case for why people operations skills are a "superpower" in business development and relationship building. Whether you're an HR professional considering entrepreneurship, a current business owner, or someone interested in the evolution of workplace culture, this conversation offers valuable perspectives on building successful businesses in today's rapidly changing environment. Sachi's blend of corporate experience and entrepreneurial ventures creates a unique lens through which to view the modern business landscape.

2. 

   24 Jan 2025

   Why Recruiting Should Be More Human

   Get ready for a fascinating deep dive into the future of talent acquisition with Marianne Bulger (https://mariannebulger.com/), an executive recruiter who brings a refreshingly human perspective to the tech world. In this episode of The Gathering Podcast, you'll meet someone who started with a master's in human rights and found her way into tech because she "needed to find the people who are changing the world, but faster." As an executive at TrueSearch, North America's 6th largest executive search firm, Marianne shares game-changing insights about how companies should approach hiring. Forget everything you know about traditional recruitment – she's here to shake things up. You'll learn why reactive hiring is out and why building meaningful relationships before you need them is in. What makes this conversation special is Marianne's unique take on talent acquisition. She explains why companies need to think beyond just "people you could hire" and consider a whole orbit of talent – from investors to advisors to customers. She's particularly passionate about the rise of fractional roles and how they're changing the game for both companies and experienced professionals. The episode takes some fascinating turns when Marianne discusses her community-building experience, including her work with TechTO and her approach to bringing people together. There's a great segment where she breaks down why understanding different cultures and personalities is crucial in modern business relationships. Perhaps most intriguingly, she shares her vision for how AI will transform recruitment, spending "10% of time every week" exploring how technology can automate the mundane aspects of hiring, letting humans focus on what they do best – building relationships and making meaningful connections. Whether you're a founder looking to build your team, a professional considering your next career move, or just curious about how the workplace is evolving, this conversation offers valuable insights delivered with authenticity and practical wisdom. It's not just about filling positions – it's about rethinking how we connect talent with opportunity in today's rapidly changing business landscape.

3. 

   24 Jan 2025

   STOP Burning Out in Sales and Start Thriving - Jeff Riseley

   Jeff Riseley's journey from high-pressure sales to mental health advocate is a compelling story of personal transformation and industry innovation. After graduating from McGill University, he entered the sales world in a classic boiler room environment, where he faced intense quotas of 200 daily calls. Despite outward success, he struggled privately with anxiety, insomnia, and panic attacks. Rather than accepting medication as the only solution, Riseley began exploring ways to manage the pressures of his sales career through mental health and mindset techniques. His personal journey took a dramatic turn in July 2018 when, just three days after launching his first sales consulting website, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. This life-altering experience crystallized his understanding of how mental health strategies could be applied to both personal crises and professional challenges. Through Sales Health Allianc (https://saleshealthalliance.com/)e, founded six and a half years ago, Jeff has transformed his experience into a comprehensive approach to sales team wellness. He's trained over 10,000 sellers at major companies like Shopify, DoorDash, and Dell, promoting the concept of salespeople as "corporate athletes" who need proper mental and physical preparation to perform consistently. His methodology has evolved from one-off speaking engagements to a more sustainable approach. This includes his book "Stress Less, Sell More," which provides 220 daily discussion topics, and Project Mamba, featuring 80 micro-learning modules and a community of over 300 sellers. He conducts mental performance assessments to identify core needs and works with leadership teams to implement solutions. Riseley's approach challenges traditional fear-based management techniques, arguing they're outdated relics from industrial-era thinking. Instead, he advocates for psychological safety and department-specific wellness strategies. He criticizes generic corporate wellness programs, emphasizing the need for context-specific solutions that address the unique stressors each department faces. His work represents a shift in how organizations approach sales team wellness, moving from sporadic wellness initiatives to integrated, ongoing support systems. Through his community-based approach and micro-learning programs, Jeff is helping to reshape sales culture, proving that mental wellness and high performance aren't mutually exclusive but rather complementary aspects of successful sales operations.

Contact Gathering

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.