Joey
If we're at the end stages of either a decision or a body of work or a change, and that question is still asked, we aren't solving for the right problem. And measurement is a great way to call that out early on, and make sure we're aligned and clear on what we're solving for.




INTRO
This is Blu Thread Conversations with Blu Ivy Group. Today we're joined by Joey Frosst, head of business development at Blu Ivy Group. In her role, Joey is often the first to hear what leaders believe they need. An EVP refresh. Stronger hiring results. Better alignment. Or improved reputation. But as those conversations unfold, the real work begins. Because surface requests rarely tell the story. In this episode, we explore why digging deeper matters. How uncovering the root cause behind hiring pressure, retention strain, or performance gaps leads to more meaningful and measurable impact. And why taking the time to clarify the “Why?” behind the work is what ultimately drives stronger leadership, alignment, and results.




Leandra
Stacy is out looking after her adorable puppy. So happy to have you join, Joey. And it actually works out perfectly to have you this week because we are talking, and I love the title of this podcast that you and I, well really you came up with, and it's titled “Okay, But Why?” The problems beneath the problems. And what you do as head of business development, Joey, you were talking to so many people about why they are looking for our help. And you come from a global consulting background, so you have a lot of experience, hearing firsthand from prospects about the challenges they are having. And often you're hearing the same challenges, right? Where revenue isn't where, you know, we need it to be. Productivity is down. We've gone through a lot of change. But what you get and what you probe is, that's often not the problem.


The problem is much deeper than that. Clients aren't going to us and saying, Joey, our leadership team isn’t aligned. Joey, our, you know, trust has been broken. They're coming to you with, you know, asking for the deliverable or focusing on the financial problem.


So I'd love to start with, what are you hearing out there in the market? What are prospects coming to you for what they need help with?


Joey
Yeah, I think you said a great you know, we don't often get the ask in plain English, decipher the ask a little bit. I think to start, no one asks for employer branding by name. You know, we don't hear employer brand used as a solution unless you're in the industry or unless you're an employer brand practitioner yourself. And so the fun of, of what I get to do is peel back some of those layers. You know, where is that problem stemming from?


And it really comes from one place, which is change. There's positive change. There's not-so-positive change that can happen. But regardless of what side of the fence you sit on, that's really where the ask derives from. And then it's just a matter of determining how that change is going to impact. So that could be on the one side of things, we're growing like crazy and we need new talent.


We're opening new locations. You know, how do we keep up with this rapid growth? And there's this excitement and this buzz. It could also mean we're going through a reorg and it's a challenging time. And we need something that's going to help us, you know, keep everyone together and keep things moving forward in a time where there's maybe not as exciting of a change.


And so regardless, it's trying to look beyond that ask of, you know, we need to look at a financial metric, or we have a goal for headcount and say, well, why? Why don't you have that answer already?

Watch the full episode: YouTube

Learn more: www.bluivygroup.com

What truly drives sustainable business growth?
It’s not strategy alone, it’s leadership behaviour, culture, and the employer brand lived every day.

In this episode of Blu Thread Conversations, hosts Leandra Harris and Stacy Parker of Blu Ivy Group sit down with Bill Williams, leadership expert, author of "Electric Life," and keynote speaker, to unpack the leadership behaviours that fuel performance, engagement, and growth.

Together, they explore:
• Why emotional intelligence is now a non-negotiable leadership skill
• How leadership behaviour directly shapes culture, performance, and the bottom line
• The real reason middle management breaks during growth and transformation
• How leaders can build trust, accountability, and belonging across teams
• Why employer brand is lived through managers — not marketing
• How organizations can scale without losing their culture
• What CEOs must do differently in 2026 to retain talent and drive results

This conversation is essential viewing for:
✔ CEOs and executive teams
✔ HR and People leaders
✔ Employer brand and culture leaders
✔ Organizations scaling across Canada and the United States
✔ Companies navigating growth, transformation, or private equity investment

At Blu Ivy Group, we help organizations build employer brands and cultures that attract, retain, and engage talent — not just in theory, but in everyday leadership behaviour.

Watch the full episode: YouTube

Learn more: www.bluivygroup.com

Culture is no longer a “people initiative.” It’s a business strategy.

In this episode of Blu Thread Conversations, Blu Ivy Group Co-Founders Leandra Harris and Stacy Parker sit down with Keri Fraser, Chief People Officer at Westland Insurance Group, to explore how culture, leadership, and employer brand are shaping business performance.

Keri shares how Westland embedded culture into its five-year “2030 Level Up Plan,” why accountability is a form of care, and how leaders operationalize culture through systems, metrics, and everyday leadership behavior. The conversation dives into employer brand as alignment (not attraction), leadership credibility, manager enablement, engagement execution, and what people strategy must become in the age of AI, skills-based work, and real-time reputation.

This episode is for CHROs, HR leaders, employer brand professionals, culture leaders, executives, and people strategy teams across Canada, the United States, and globally who are looking to move culture from intention to infrastructure.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Culture as a strategic business driver
• Employer brand & EVP as performance enablers
• Accountability, kindness, and leadership credibility
• Manager enablement and culture systems
• Engagement execution and transparency
• Employer brand ROI and quality of hire
• Skills-based organizations and talent marketplaces
• The evolving role of HR in 2026 and beyond

Watch the full episode: YouTube

Learn more: www.bluivygroup.com

Watch the full episode: YouTube

Learn more: www.bluivygroup.com