Episodes

  • Bridging the Workforce Divide with Harvard’s Joseph Fuller

    Bridging the Workforce Divide with Harvard’s Joseph Fuller
    Jun 17 2025
    This Week on Great Minds: People & CultureRen Akinci is joined by Professor Joseph Fuller, a leading expert on workforce strategy from Harvard Business School. Together, they dive into why so many companies still treat talent like a spot-market transaction, how employers can reframe community colleges as strategic partners, and what it will take to […]
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    49 mins
  • Redefining Parental Leave with Allison Whalen, Founder & CEO of Parentaly

    Redefining Parental Leave with Allison Whalen, Founder & CEO of Parentaly
    May 21 2025
    After returning from her own parental leave to find her team struggling and her career momentum stalled, Allison Whalen knew this wasn’t just a personal challenge—it was a systemic issue. That insight led her to launch Parentaly, a company helping employers turn parental leave into a strategic advantage rather than a career disruption. In this […]
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    43 mins
  • The Courage to Nourish: Ground-Up Leadership with Natalie Flores of NourishLA

    The Courage to Nourish: Ground-Up Leadership with Natalie Flores of NourishLA
    May 7 2025
    For Earth Day, Ren Akinci sat down with Natalie Flores, founder of NourishLA, a community-powered nonprofit tackling food waste, hunger, and local sustainability in Los Angeles. In this episode, Natalie shares how she turned a crisis into a catalyst—launching NourishLA during the pandemic to connect surplus food with families in need. We talk about what […]
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    34 mins
  • Rethinking Sleep: The Leadership Advantage You’re Overlooking

    Rethinking Sleep: The Leadership Advantage You’re Overlooking
    Apr 30 2025
    If you’re constantly running on empty, pushing through stress, or telling yourself you’ll “catch up on sleep later”—this episode is for you. This week, Ren Akinci is joined by Ahna de Vena, a Sleep and Performance Specialist who has spent over 20 years helping high-performing leaders and teams rethink their relationship with rest. We explore […]
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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • What Companies Miss When They Require Degrees: A Conversation with OneTen’s Debbie Dyson

    What Companies Miss When They Require Degrees: A Conversation with OneTen’s Debbie Dyson
    Apr 17 2025
    On this Episode of Great Minds: People & Culture, Ren Akinci speaks with Debbie Dyson, CEO of OneTen, about how the organization is helping employers break away from outdated hiring practices by removing four-year degree requirements and focusing on skills. They talk about what it really takes to drive change inside companies, how to get […]
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    31 mins
  • Success, Status & Starting Over: Melani Dziire on Finding Meaning in Work

    Success, Status & Starting Over: Melani Dziire on Finding Meaning in Work
    Mar 20 2025
    In this episode of Great Minds, Ren Akinci sits down with Melani (Walker) Dziire, who made the bold decision to leave behind a high-powered executive career to pursue a completely different path. Melani shares what inspired her to take the leap, the biggest obstacles she faced, and how she prepared—both practically and mentally—for such a […]
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    29 mins
  • Unlocking the Power of Inclusive Marketing with Lisette Arsuaga

    Unlocking the Power of Inclusive Marketing with Lisette Arsuaga
    Feb 26 2025
    In this episode of Great Minds, Ren Akinci sits down with Lisette Arsuaga, co-founder of AIMM and Co-CEO of DMI Consulting, to explore how brands can drive meaningful impact through cultural authenticity and inclusive marketing. They discuss AIMM’s role in providing guidance and data to help marketers remain competitive, the importance of equity in investment […]
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    33 mins
  • Diana Brooks, Founder and CEO of THE 3RD EYE, on Leadership, Innovation, and Empowerment

    Diana Brooks, Founder and CEO of THE 3RD EYE, on Leadership, Innovation, and Empowerment
    Feb 10 2025
    In this episode, our host Ren Akinci speaks with Diana Brooks, founder and CEO of THE 3RD EYE, who, at a young age, was told that women couldn’t succeed in her career choice. Taking those words to heart, Diana shifted her path, ultimately finding her place as a trailblazer in the advertising industry. She shares […]
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    37 mins
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