People Business w/ O'Brien McMahon

Hosted by O'Brien McMahon

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Episodes

247

Latest episode

Nov 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Every business is in some way a “people business” with success or failure often coming down to how leaders manage the people dynamics of their organization. People Business is a weekly podcast focused on what it takes to build and lead a successful, profitable business by navigating the human element.

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60 recent

November 10, 2026Episode 24853 min

Control, Manage, Influence w/ Tori DaCosta

Tori DaCosta is a businesswoman, coach, author, and speaker who focuses on empowering leaders to lead themselves well. Her work centers on helping individuals create impactful lives through the transformative power of ownership. As a leader in a Fortune 50 company and a mentor, Tori brings insight into the value of learning through experiences as she inspires others to become the best versions of themselves. Mentioned on the Show Learn more about Tori DaCosta and her new book on her website: https://nonamebastard.com/ Connect with Tori DaCosta on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toridacosta Get the book No Name Bastard on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0dYbPV3J Timestamps (00:00:00) – Author and Coach Tori DaCosta sits down with O’Brien McMahon on the People Business Podcast. (00:01:50) – What led Tori to write No Name Bastard. (00:03:18) – How do leaders balance personal struggles and maintaining workplace expectations? (00:05:48) – How did Tori change her workplace culture to make room for employees’ personal challenges? (00:11:43) – The Control, Manage, Influence framework: what can we actually control? (00:14:20) – Why begin the book with the theme of saying “no”? (00:16:33) – What process helps clarify priorities? (00:18:39) – How do you build consistent behaviors day after day, and quarter after quarter? (00:19:18) – Where do people struggle most with saying “no”? (00:21:56) – When is “no” not the right answer? (00:22:42) – Are women more likely to hesitate about opportunities when they do not feel fully qualified? (00:26:59) – What is the story behind Tori’s “But Did You Die?” T-shirt? (00:32:16) – How can we recognize fear faster and engage with it instead of rationalizing avoidance? (00:37:09) – What does “you get what you tolerate” mean? (00:40:12) – How can leaders set boundaries without creating a robotic or punitive environment? (00:43:00) – How can people handle when they feel like the “other” or as an outsider? (00:51:54) – What final message would Tori like to leave with listeners?

October 21, 2026Episode 2471 hr 1 min

Lessons from 100 HR "unConfidential" episodes w/ Turiya Gray & Gina Flaig

Gina Flaig and Turiya Gray are HR executives and co-hosts of the HRunconfidential podcast. After years of swapping behind-the-scenes stories about life in HR, they launched the show in 2018 to share candid insights and practical advice for navigating today’s ever-evolving workplace. Mentioned on the Show Listen to the HR unConfidential Podcast: https://www.hrunconfidential.com/ Turiya and Gina recommend their conversation on Episode 100. Listen here: HR unConfidential interviewing Aiko Bethea Work with Turiya and Gina: https://www.hrunconfidential.com/advisory Connect with Turiya on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/turiyagray Connect with Gina Flaig on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginaflaig Timestamps (00:00:00) – Turiya Gray and Gina Flaig of the HR unConfidential Podcast join O’Brien McMahon. (00:01:44) – What are Turiya's and Gina's backgrounds, and how did the podcast come about? (00:04:40) – Good HR vs. Bad HR. What does it look like when HR is functioning really well or not? (00:08:03) – What are the skills that make up a high-functioning HR leader today? (00:12:18) – Where is HR having difficult conversations today? (00:18:35) – What has surprised you the most about doing a podcast on HR? (00:21:27) – What have you changed your mind on because of the show? (00:31:12) – How do leaders decide what to say and when to say it during social, political, or other current events? (00:43:18) – What about people who will abuse the system? (00:43:49) – How do you draw a line between caring for people and upholding standards? (00:52:33) – Handling struggling employees (00:58:03) – Amid shifting circumstances, what about HR and HR leadership do you think is never going to change?

October 6, 2026Episode 24641 min

Building Self-Esteem w/ Alan Weiss

Alan Weiss, PhD, is a consultant, speaker, and author. Through his consulting firm, Summit Consulting Group, Inc., he has worked with more than 500 leading organizations. A sought-after speaker at major conferences, he’s also published more than 60 books. His new book is The Courage of Your Talents: How to Build Your Self-esteem, Trust Your Own Judgment, and Constantly Succeed in Business (and Life). Mentioned on the Show Alan Weiss is a prolific author, his latest is The Courage of Your Talent: https://a.co/d/022hIGzZ See all of Alan Weiss’ books here: https://alanweiss.com/store/books/ Alan’s website has many resources available, see them here: https://alanweiss.com/ Connect with Alan Weiss on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanweissphd Timestamps (00:00:00) - O'Brien McMahon welcomes super consultant Alan Weiss to People Business (00:03:12) - Esteem vs ego: what's the difference between an ego-based feeling about yourself and an esteem-based one? (00:05:09) - Are self-worth and self-esteem the same? (00:07:29) - Our worth is not determined by comparing to others (00:10:17) - Setting metrics for success. (00:12:55) - How do we deal with competition in the market? (00:22:20) - How do we establish our sense of identity? (00:26:14) - How do we shape our self-confidence? (00:35:32) - How do we deal with fear? (00:39:57) - Free resources from Alan Weiss.

September 23, 2026Episode 24550 min

Mental Performance: Self-Talk, Anchors, and Improving Your Life While Having Fun w/ Collin Henderson

Collin has authored seven books, hosts the Master Your Mindset podcast, and has trained #1 NBA draft picks, Heisman finalists, and top performers across pro sports and Fortune 500 companies. His brand new sales book, The Oz Method, is out now. Mentioned on the Show Collin Henderson’s book, The Oz Method on Amazon: https://a.co/d/03Dl58jT Collin is also the author of The Quiet Mind ( https://a.co/d/0gaz0bR6 ) and Culture is King ( https://a.co/d/0itxqEA8 ) Connect with Collin Henderson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/collinhendersonmindset Learn more about Collin’s podcast and his keynote presentations on his website: https://www.thecollinhenderson.com/ Timestamps (00:00:00) - O'Brien McMahon welcomes Collin Henderson, podcaster and author of "The Oz Method". (00:01:38) - Mindset, mental performance, and getting grounded. (00:02:01) - Collin's origin story and finding purpose through pain. (00:07:12) - Starting speech therapy and confronting the fear of public speaking. (00:13:18) - The value and impact of effective public speaking. (00:13:31) - Does the vulnerable "little kid" identity still exist in Collin? (00:14:45) - Three pillars of the Mind Gym: self-awareness, self-talk, self-identity. (00:16:33) - Why self-talk matters. (00:17:15) - Negative and recurring thoughts research; shame vs. fear. (00:19:05) - Leaving corporate sales to pursue speaking/coaching full-time. (00:20:35) - The pandemic's impact and pivoting to virtual speaking. (00:22:26) - What are "anchors" and how are they used in mindset conditioning? (00:24:39) - Recovering from failure: what is the research? (00:32:31) - The four levels of confidence (zero, shaky, stable, unshakable). (00:37:46) - The "powerful paradox" of caring and not caring simultaneously. (00:40:34) - Introducing the four-minute mental workout and the HAW method. (00:42:23) - The "I have, I am, I will" mental drill explained. (00:44:39) - How play and fun accelerates learning and reduces the reps needed for new habits. (00:47:03) - Modern attention spans and earning audience engagement. (00:48:32) - Final reflections: compassion, forgiving yourself, and imperfection. (00:49:33) Closing thoughts and where to find Collin's books.

September 9, 2026Episode 24458 min

Debriefing to Improve Performance w/ Jeff "Bones" Bonner

Jeff "Bones" Bonner is a former Marine and Air National Guard combat fighter pilot, current airline captain, and Harvard-trained performance strategist who speaks and writes on leadership and continuous improvement. Mentioned on the Show Start the Daily Debrief process today with a free download from Jeff “Bones” Bonner’s website: https://debriefadvantage.com/habit Connect with Jeff “Bones” Bonner on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffbonesbonner Get Jeff’s book, The Debrief Advantage, on Amazon: https://a.co/d/08oHqm5z Timestamps (00:00:00) - Jeff “Bones” Bonner joins O’Brien McMahon on the People Business podcast to talk about continuous improvement and the Daily Debrief model (00:02:54) - What is the path to becoming a fighter pilot? (00:07:54) - What other lasting lessons from military life has Jeff carried into his post-military career? (00:09:43) - When did the idea of debriefing first click? (00:13:35) - What mindset helps someone mentally shift into debrief mode after a demanding performance? (00:16:55) - The Daily Debrief model: what are the steps? (00:18:06) - Why is gratitude a part of a debrief process? (00:24:58) - What are the best practices for setting up a debrief session? (00:38:03) - How does someone actually start using the model? (00:40:01) - Aim for 1% better: incremental change; continual improvement. (00:45:21) - Should a leader debrief and communicate it, or open it up for everyone to contribute? (00:56:15) - How to start using the Daily Debrief model today and closing thoughts

August 25, 2026Episode 24351 min

When Every Student Must Launch a Business to Graduate w/ Jeff Meade

Jeff Meade is the Founding Director of Entrepreneurship at Paul Quinn College, where he is leading a bold initiative: Every Quinnite is an Entrepreneur. The program ensures every student launches a venture before graduation, making entrepreneurship a core life skill rather than an extracurricular option. With over 20 years of experience growing companies and advising businesses, Jeff has scaled agencies to multimillion-dollar revenues and built client-side marketing programs that gained national recognition. Mentioned on the Show Follow Jeff Meade on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffmeade Learn more about Jeff on his website: https://jeff-meade.com/ Every Quinnite is an Entrepreneur – program details here: https://paulquinn.edu/entrepreneurship/ Timestamps (00:00:00) O'Brien McMahon welcomes Jeff Meade of the Paul Quinn College Entrepreneurship program (00:02:07) How did Jeff Meade, an entrepreneur, get involved with a college? (00:06:40) Mentorship's role in entrepreneurship. (00:08:11) What qualifies as "starting a business" in the Paul Quinn program? (00:12:29) What's the biggest entrepreneurship lesson Jeff Meade wishes he'd learn earlier? (00:13:28) What core entrepreneurship principles does Jeff want his students to walk away with? (00:18:49) What is the ultimate goal of the Paul Quinn College entrepreneurship program? (00:24:15) What are some examples of student projects? (00:27:20) What is Jeff's day-to-day role and how hands-on is he with students? (00:30:56) Are these businesses group projects or solo ventures? (00:33:06) What does the accountability process look like? (00:39:20) What are the biggest transformations you see in students over the course of the program? (00:41:23) Does the curriculum include psychology or mental toughness training? (00:48:16) Final thoughts from Jeff Meade.

August 11, 2026Episode 24249 min

Job Seeking in an AI World w/ Garrett Rice

Garrett Rice is the CEO and co-founder of Callings.ai, an AI-powered workforce transition platform that helps organizations support employees through career change while improving outcomes for both departing talent and the employers they leave behind. Under Garrett’s leadership, Callings.ai has developed an AI- native platform that combines job discovery, career coaching, networking, personal branding, interview preparation, and job search management into a single experience. Mentioned on the Show Special offer for the People Business audience! Try Callings.ai complimentary: https://www.callings.ai/obrien Learn more about Callings.ai: https://www.callings.ai/about Connect with Garrett Rice on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrettrice Timestamps (00:00:00) – O’Brien McMahon of the People Business Podcast welcomes Garrett Rice of Callings.ai (00:03:17) - What’s the origin story of Callings.ai and how did Garrett Rice get into the business? (00:08:13) - What does traditional outplacement include? What is valuable about that model? (00:20:40) - What advice does Garrett has for job-seekers for positioning and marketing themselves? (00:28:14) - How can jobseekers use AI tools and remain authentic? (00:33:19) - What are the best practices are for breaking through to hiring managers, given how desensitized people are to outreach? (00:34:47) - Depersonalizing the results: how can a job-seeker keep going without getting demoralized? (00:44:05) – Special offer for the People Business audience and final thoughts about outplacement and job-seeking

July 28, 2026Episode 2411 hr 4 min

Managing Pharmacy Spend w/ Matt Jarvis, PharmD

Matt Jarvis is the SVP of Strategy in Lockton's national pharmacy practice. He has a PharmD (Doctor of Pharmacy) and has worked in both retail and consulting pharmacy roles. Matt is a subject matter expert in understanding current pharmacy market pricing, supply chain, and medication delivery to the consumer. He leads the development and implementation of innovative clinical solutions that drive optimal management in specialty drugs for Lockton clients. Mentioned on the Show Connect with Matt Jarvis, PharmD on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mjarvispharmd Would you like O’Brien or Matt to discuss your company’s pharmacy benefit plan? Reach out here: Contact O’Brien Matt and O’Brien discussed alternatives like Amazon Pharmacy and Mark Cuban’s venture, Cost Plus Drugs . Timestamps (00:00:00) – Matt Jarvis, PharmD joins his colleague O’Brien McMahon on the People Business Podcast (00:03:48) – What is the structure of a pharmacy plan and how does it differ from the medical plan? What are the common misconceptions? (00:05:43) – What a PBM is and why does it exist? Why isn't pharmacy handled through the regular health plan? (00:08:12) – Why don't drug manufacturers sell directly to health plans and what the steps are from drug creation to pharmacy purchase? (00:09:44) – What is a formulary? (00:13:09) – Why is there is a disconnect between doctors prescribing medications and what's actually covered by a plan? (00:14:37) – What is the role of drug reps in the overall pharmacy system? (00:18:43) – Is AI influencing how doctors prescribe medications? (00:19:54) – What role does the pharmacist plays in the current system? (00:21:18) – Do pharmacists have any ability to intervene or help patients navigate the formulary, or do they just dispense whatever is prescribe? (00:23:30) – What is prior authorization, and is it driven by clinical or financial outcomes? (00:27:36) – What are the different drug tiers and what qualifies a drug for each tier? (00:28:48) – What qualifies as a specialty drug? (00:30:20) – What is the difference is between prior authorization and step therapy? (00:31:40) – What role do generics in the current pharm landscape? (00:40:16) – Step therapy and biosimilars: how they each work (00:42:38) – Where does mail order fit into the pharmacy system? (00:48:00) – Rebates: the complicated and confusing system of paying for drugs (00:56:21) – Emerging PBMs and when it makes sense for clients to switch (00:59:33) – How can employers vet new-model PBMs when traditional rebate-heavy models look better on a spreadsheet? (01:02:59) – Closing thoughts from Matt Jarvis

July 21, 2026Episode 24057 min

Why We Resist Change (Even When It's Positive) w/ Travis Hahler

Travis Hahler has spent 15+ years leading transformation at scale. Simultaneously, he built the scientific framework that explains why transformation fails at the neurological level. His new book, Rethinking Resistance: Embracing Neuroscience to Lead Transformational Change is out now. Mentioned on the Show Your one-stop for all of Travis Hahler’s links is here: https://linktr.ee/theneurologicalnomad Travis’ book, Rethink Resistance is available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/02iE70p7 Connect with Travis on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travisdhahler Listen to the People Business episode with Achyuta Adhvaryu: https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/achyutaadhvaryu/ O’Brien and Travis bond over mutual admiration of the book The Rabbit Listened . Available on Amazon here: https://a.co/d/09zgnSuV Check out Shots of Awe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ShotsOfAwe Timestamps (00:00:00) – Travis Hahler, the Neurological Nomad sits down with O’Brien McMahon on People Business Podcast (00:02:01) — Travis Hahler origin story: why did he write a book on change? (00:04:45) — What physical/physiological things happen in people's brains when asked to change a routine? (00:06:23) — What is the physical work of the brain when encountering change (including calorie consumption)? (00:11:01) — Inclusion: what good inclusion looks like during the change planning process. (00:12:59) — What if everyone can't be included? (00:21:29) — Process of learning: step-by-step, how does learning happen? (00:22:36) — Taking breaks: what really works. (00:27:38) — Timing: when change happens too quickly or too slow (00:33:13) — Avoiding overwhelm: how to pace change properly (00:39:04) — How can ambiguity be avoided? (00:42:23) — How to communicate change effectively (00:44:33) — Clarity, consistency, and safety (00:48:39) — What do grief and loss have to do with change?

July 7, 2026Episode 23946 min

Developing Emotional Intelligence w/ Robin Hills

Dr. Robin Hills is a business psychologist and the director of Ei4Change, a company specializing in emotional intelligence training, coaching, and personal development. The company was awarded “International Impact Company of the Year” by Dotcom Magazine in 2025. With the most comprehensive and detailed courses around the topic of emotional intelligence, Robin has taught and empowered more than 500,000 people across 200+ countries. Mentioned on the Show Connect with Robin on LinkedIn here: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/robinhills Take Robin’s Emotional Intelligence quiz and learn more about Ei4Change: https://ei4change.com/ Read the classic EQ text by Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ: https://a.co/d/0eLKJfuW Timestamps (00:00:00) – O’Brien McMahon, host of People Business Podcast welcomes Robin Hills, founder of Ei4Change. (00:02:31) – Origins: How did Robin Hills get interested in emotional intelligence and build a business around EQ? (00:04:28) – What is emotional intelligence? (00:05:25) – Framework: How do we build better emotional intelligence? (00:07:45) – How can we better understand and gain distance from our own emotions? How do we improve self-control? (00:07:57) – What does the practice of building emotional self-awareness actually look like? (00:15:06) – Passion vs. Balance: How do we show engagement without losing credibility? (00:19:48) – What are the core human emotions? (00:20:10) – Inside Out: why the Pixar movies get so much right about our emotions (00:23:37) – Does improved emotional intelligence equal business results? (00:25:53) – How can individuals use emotional intelligence to make themselves more valuable at work? (00:27:43) – What's the value of leadership skills in non-leadership positions? (00:33:24) – Empathy vs. Performance: how can emotional intelligence ensure empathy doesn't overtake performance? (00:43:34) – What leading indicators signal business trouble on the horizon?