Welcome to this episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, where we sit down with industry leaders to uncover the real-life insights, strategies, and challenges that shape world-class organizations.

Our guest today is Michelle Wagner, a seasoned executive and current Talent Partner at Playground Global. Hosted by executive coach Jess Yuen and People Leader Accelerator co-founder Andrew Bartlow, this episode takes us through Michelle’s remarkable career journey, as she reflects on her path from accidental HR leader to CEO, and now to her unique role working with founders and early-stage companies in venture capital.

We dig into pivotal moments that shaped Michelle’s approach to leadership and the people function, including her transition to CEO during a time of crisis and her insights from supporting deep-tech startups. Michelle openly shares the lessons she’s learned about navigating ambiguity, building strategic partnerships, and developing the confidence to take on new challenges—often before feeling fully ready.

We also explore:

• The story behind creative benefits like house cleaning and how listening to others sparks new policy ideas
• What it’s really like to be a Talent Partner in a VC firm, and how founders and HR leaders can effectively leverage this relationship
• Strategies for building trust and clarity as a support partner to both CEOs and People leaders
• Lessons Michelle took from her CEO experience, especially around managing board relationships and leading through uncertainty
• Her approach to identifying and amplifying the strengths of others, and why context matters in developing talent
• How curiosity and a passion for learning new industries has guided Michelle’s career shifts
• Advice for mid-career HR professionals on accelerating growth, taking initiative, and seeking out challenges

Whether you’re navigating your own leadership pivot, interested in the intersection of people, business, and venture, or looking for practical strategies to increase your impact, you’ll find actionable insights in this conversation.

For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.

Our goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.

Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.

We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.

Welcome to the journey!

Listen, learn, and connect:

🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).

💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.

📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.

🤝 Connect with your hosts:

• Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com

• Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com