The Organized Chaos Podcast
The show dedicated to helping Founders and HR leaders scale their startups from 7-figures to 9-figures by turning HR into rocket fuel for their growth.
Not enough time to listen? No problem! Find focused summaries of each episode’s key learning points below.
11 Feb 2026
Ep. 40 - Workforce Planning that Doesn’t Shorten Your Cash Runway
Most startup layoffs are not caused by “bad markets” or “bad luck.” They are caused by undisciplined headcount decisions during growth, which quietly inflate your burn and shorten your runway long before the downturn hits. This edition breaks down exactly how that happens, why most hiring requests are actually symptoms of deeper operational problems, and how to build a practical, math-driven workforce planning discipline that protects your cash runway without freezing growth. You’ll learn how to differentiate between true capacity gaps and “nice-to-have” capability hires, how to use a few simple metrics to stress-test every role, and how to avoid the painful pattern of hiring fast and then doing multiple rounds of layoffs.
27 Jan 2026
Ep. 39 - Your People Strategy Is Theater Without “Human Infrastructure”
In this episode, I met with Barbara Wittmann, founder of Digital Wisdom Collective and long–time IT and transformation leader who has spent decades inside complex organizations watching digital projects succeed, stall, or completely unravel. Barbara has led and advised on major transformation programs and now dedicates her work to one central idea: technology is never the core problem, people are. We explored why so many digital transformation initiatives fail, what “human infrastructure” actually means, and why middle management is the real change engine in any organization. We unpacked the mindsets, structures, and training that make the difference between yet another failed tool rollout and a genuinely transformed business. If you care about turning buzzwords like “digital transformation” and “AI adoption” into real business outcomes, this conversation offers a refreshingly honest and practical perspective.
14 Jan 2026
Ep. 38 - The Human Side of AI: Why Leadership, Not Technology, Decides the Future of Work
In this episode, I sit down with Nikki Barua, visionary entrepreneur, transformation expert, and CEO at FlipWork. Rather than centering on her impressive backstory, we dive quickly into her bold thesis: every leader today must think on a 300 year horizon, redesign how their organization engages with AI, and radically reimagine the role of people, leadership, and HR in this new era. From bootstrapping philosophy and funding discipline, to where AI should “live” in the org chart, to what it truly means to be an AI enabled leader, this conversation challenges conventional thinking and offers a practical roadmap for decision makers navigating disruption.
30 Dec 2025
Ep. 37 - How Profit Sharing Turns Employees into Owners
In this episode, I sat down with Rob Gallaher, founder of ProfitX, to talk about profit sharing and how it can be a catalyst for business growth. Rob shares his journey from running his own company to realizing that the way most businesses handle bonuses and incentives is fundamentally broken. Out of that frustration grew a systematic approach to profit sharing that is simple, transparent, and sustainable. The conversation explores why traditional bonus programs so often fail, what truly effective profit sharing looks like in practice, and how it can transform both your bottom line and your culture. Rob breaks down the rules he uses with clients, the mistakes to avoid, and the step–by–step way to roll out profit sharing even if your business is seasonal or cash–constrained.
16 Dec 2025
Ep. 36 - HR Compliance Essentials for Startups
Are you confident that your startup is built on a solid legal foundation? It’s a question many founders push aside in the race to build a product and find market fit. In the latest episode of Organized Chaos, I had an incredibly insightful conversation with Halisi Tambuzi, a seasoned workplace investigator and HR compliance expert. We explored the common but dangerous HR pitfalls that startups often fall into, why the “we’re too small for rules” mindset can lead to disaster, and when you absolutely must start paying attention. We demystified the often-intimidating world of HR compliance, providing a clear roadmap for founders who want to build great companies the right way. This is a must-listen for anyone leading a team, no matter how small.
09 Dec 2025
Ep. 35 - The New HR Frontier
In this episode, we explored the evolving landscape of HR, diving into how AI is transforming the field, the critical skills modern HR professionals need, and the unique challenges startups face when scaling their people strategies.
18 Nov 2025
Ep. 34 - The Interview Question Framework That Predicts Success
This edition breaks down why traditional “gut-feel” interviews often lead to costly hiring mistakes and introduces a data-driven, structured framework for getting it right. You’ll learn how to identify critical job competencies, ask behavioral questions that predict future performance using the STAR method, and implement a consistent scoring system. Stop guessing and start building the high-performing team your startup needs to scale.
11 Nov 2025
Ep. 33 - Turning Startup Challenges into Opportunities
This week on Organized Chaos, I had the pleasure of speaking with Vijay Rajendran, an executive coach and advisor to founders at Startup System. Vijay shared his invaluable insights on overcoming the critical challenges that startups face, including fundraising, sales, team scaling, and building a sustainable company culture. We explored the systems and strategies that separate successful, high-growth companies from those that falter. It was a deep dive into creating a strong foundation for sustainable success.
28 Oct 2025
Ep. 32 - Navigating Conflict in Startups
In the latest Organized Chaos newsletter, I share my conversation with Daneal Charney, a Fractional HR Leader and executive coach, where we explored the critical people-related challenges that fast-growing companies face. We discussed the importance of an “Extreme Ownership” mindset for success in a startup environment and the concept of “founder-stage fit,” which requires founders to adapt their roles as the company scales to avoid becoming a bottleneck. The conversation also delves into how fostering a culture of healthy conflict is essential for driving innovation and speed, and when it’s the right time for a growing business to bring in strategic HR leadership.
14 Oct 2025
Ep. 31 - Secrets to Sustainable Startup Growth
Is your startup hitting a growth ceiling? It might be time to rethink your operations. I sat down with fractional COO Katie Barnes to discuss how founders can overcome common scaling pitfalls. Dive into this week’s edition to learn about the power of process, the role of fractional executives, and more!
30 Sep 2025
Ep. 30 - Escaping the Venture Capital Trap
This edition features an interview with Fabien Pinel and J.Y. Delmotte, the co-founders of BuddiesHR, the employee engagement software for Slack. The discussion covers their entrepreneurial journey, the pros and cons of venture capital versus bootstrapping, and their strategy for identifying a niche in the crowded HR technology market. Their story is a masterclass in resilience, adaptability, and business-focused thinking, offering valuable lessons for HR professionals on how to be strategic partners within their organizations.