Traditional annual reviews fail because they focus on output alone, leaving companies wondering why growth stalls. Rob Levin interviews leadership coach Mike Goldman on a practical alternative: the Talent Density framework—treating people growth as profit growth's true driver. Learn to evaluate performance beyond theater, separate real results from "busy," and implement a quarterly leadership cadence that builds resilience without bottlenecking HR.

About the Guest

Mike Goldman is a leadership team coach with 35+ years of experience helping organizations build high-performing teams, from global brands like Disney and Verizon to small and midsize businesses. He's the USA Today bestselling author of The Strength of Talent and a TEDx speaker who regularly presents to business leadership communities like Vistage and EO. He also hosts the Better Leadership Team Show, where he goes deep on building teams that drive durable growth.

Episode Highlight

"Unclear expectations don't lead to unclear results—they lead to unacceptable results."

Actionable Insights

1. Stop confusing "performance" with output alone, score productivity and culture fit: Stop rating high-output people who damage team culture. Make trade-offs visible. [06:28]
2. Run a quarterly talent assessment as a leadership team (not as secret HR paperwork): CEO and direct reports calibrate together on "level one down"—eliminates bias and vague labels. [10:00]
3. Move faster on low culture fit than low productivity (because it's rarely coachable): Culture gaps rarely coach out; productivity gaps develop. Test: coachable vs. fakeable. [14:26]

Ready to apply these insights to your own business? Download the free Action Kit

More About Mike Goldman

Check out Mike Goldman and The Strenght of Talent
Connect with Mike on LinkedIn.
Grab your copy of The Strength of Talent.

Other Resources

Your next reads: Breakthrough Leadership Team and Performance Breakthrough

Listen to the Better Leadership Team Show

More About Rob Levin & WorkBetterNow

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Follow Rob Levin on Substack.
Out now! The New Talent Playbook: The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Dream Team 📕 Available on Amazon or visit thenewtalentplaybook.com and get the free scorecard.

In this episode, Rob Levin (Founder of Work Better Now and author of The New Talent Playbook) distills the biggest concepts from the book into one clear framework, and introduces a key reframe: this isn't a temporary "talent crisis," it's a permanent talent shift. Rob breaks down what the top ~15% of companies do differently to attract and retain great people, why culture and core values are the foundation, how to fix retention and hiring for today's reality, why global/remote expands your options dramatically, and how AI makes great talent even more important.

Episode Highlight

"Talent deserves the same strategic attention you give revenue."

Actionable Insights

• Stop waiting for "back to normal", treat this as a permanent talent shift: In your next leadership meeting, make the language change explicit ("temporary crisis" → "structural shift"), then pick 1–2 systems you will redesign this quarter.
  
  • Read: 88% of Small Businesses Can't Find Qualified People. The Other 12% Are Doing This.

• Win candidates before they apply: clean up your employer brand (starting with Glassdoor): Go look at your Glassdoor profile today, read the reviews honestly, decide whether you have a culture problem or a visibility problem (or both), and ask 3–5 current employees for honest reviews if your culture is solid.
  
  • Read: Before Job Candidates Apply, They Check This. Have You?

• Retention that compounds: install a simple recognition + upskilling cadence: Launch one lightweight program this month (values-based recognition like the W Awards, an upskilling stipend + time, or a connection ritual like "story time").
  • Read: 3 Simple (and Proven) Ways to Turn a Good Team Into a Great One

Ready to apply these insights to your own business?

Download the free Action Kit to get started.

More About Rob Levin & WorkBetterNow

Like this show? Click on over and subscribe to our YouTube channel!
Follow Rob Levin on Substack.
Out now! The New Talent Playbook: The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Dream Team 📕 Available on Amazon or visit thenewtalentplaybook.com and get the free scorecard.

In this episode, Rob Levin sits down with Andrew Schenkel, founder of Double Play Marketing and Sales, to explore what it really takes to scale a marketing agency through intentional team design, systems, and leadership. Andrew shares how his approach to talent has evolved since launching the business in 2020, why EOS and DISC became foundational tools, and how nearshore talent and AI are shaping the future of his company. This conversation is a practical look at how great talent decisions drive great business outcomes.

About the Guest

Andrew Schenkel is an entrepreneur with a strong background in marketing and sales. He founded Double Play Marketing and Sales in 2020 as an outsourced marketing department and lead generation partner for growth-oriented companies. His agency takes a data-driven approach to building brand awareness, generating qualified leads, and delivering measurable ROI.

Episode Highlight

"In the beginning, it's who can we afford. As you grow, it becomes about having the right people in the right seats."

Actionable Insights

• Hire for clarity, not convenience: Early-stage teams often wear many hats. As companies mature, clearly defined roles and expectations become critical to sustainable growth. [01:55]
• Treat nearshore talent as true team members: Integrating nearshore professionals into meetings, PTO policies, and professional development strengthens performance and culture. [11:41]
• AI works best as an assistant, not a replacement: From process automation to content support, AI enhances efficiency—but still requires human judgment and creativity. [14:01]

Ready to apply these insights to your own business?

Download the free workbook to get started.

More About Andrew Schenkel

Check out Double Play Agency
Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn.

Other Resources

Check out EOS and DISC Personality Assessment

More About Rob Levin & WorkBetterNow

Like this show? Click on over and subscribe to our YouTube channel!
Follow Rob Levin on Substack.
Out now! The New Talent Playbook: The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Dream Team 📕 Available on Amazon or visit thenewtalentplaybook.com and get the free scorecard.

In this episode, Rob sits down with Jonathan B. Smith, Expert EOS Implementer® and negotiation strategist with The Black Swan Group, to explore how Tactical Empathy® can transform leadership, communication, and team health. Jonathan breaks down why self-awareness is a leader's greatest advantage, how every conversation is a negotiation, and why great systems (like EOS) reduce emotional fires so teams can focus on meaningful work.

About the Guest

Jonathan B. Smith has led more than 1,500 EOS® sessions with 150+ high-growth companies, helping leadership teams improve communication, execution, and results. He's also a negotiation strategist with The Black Swan Group, co-author of Fight Less, Win More, and a longtime collaborator of Chris Voss. Jonathan specializes in helping leaders communicate more effectively, navigate conflict with confidence, and remove themselves as the threat inside conversations that matter.

Episode Highlight

"People are dying to feel heard. If you can remove yourself as a threat and make your counterpart feel understood, 93% of the time you'll create a better outcome."

Actionable Insights

• Treat Every Conversation as a Negotiation: Any time a leader wants or needs something, they're negotiating. Tactical Empathy helps remove fear, create cooperation, and keep employees in a positive state—where they think 31% more clearly. (06:10)
• Systems Reduce Emotional Fires: EOS gives teams clarity and alignment, allowing leaders to spend less time putting out fires and more time having the conversations that move the business forward. (10:19)
• Human Skills Matter More in a Remote + AI World: AI can support thinking, but not connection. Tactical Empathy becomes even more essential as teams become more distributed. (12:46)

Ready to apply these insights to your own business?

Download the free workbook to get started.

More About Jonathan B. Smith

Check out Stay Curious JB
Your next read: Fight Less, Win More
Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn.

Other Resources

Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss

Traction and What the Heck is EOS? by Gino Wickman

More About Rob Levin & WorkBetterNow

Like this show? Click on over and subscribe to our YouTube channel!
Follow Rob Levin on Substack.
Out now! The New Talent Playbook: The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Dream Team 📕 Available on Amazon or visit thenewtalentplaybook.com and get the free scorecard.

In this episode, Rob talks with Joe Romano, founder of Romano & Associates, a tax planning and preparation firm with 19 full-time employees and more than 1,500 clients. Joe shares how his team stays sane during tax season, the deliberate choices he's made to reduce burnout, and why offshore talent has become essential to both client satisfaction and employee wellbeing. He also breaks down the ROI of administrative support, the importance of professional development in a rapidly changing tax landscape, and the culture practices that have allowed his firm to maintain less than 1% client attrition and almost zero accountant turnover in nine years.

About the Guest

Joe Romano is the founder of Romano & Associates, a fully remote tax planning and preparation firm he launched nine years ago. The firm now serves over 1,500 clients with a blended team of U.S.-based accountants and WorkBetterNow offshore administrative professionals. Joe is known for his intentional leadership, strong firm culture, and commitment to investing in both client experience and team wellbeing.

Episode Highlight

"The big ROI is making sure nobody cries. Keeping everybody happy and keeping everybody sane."

Actionable Insights

• Flexibility beats rigidity during high-pressure seasons: Joe doesn't enforce strict 9–5 schedules during tax season. Instead, he focuses on outcomes and client happiness, allowing people to choose the hours that help them stay productive and sane. [04:10]
• Administrative offshore talent boosts both capacity and morale: WorkBetterNow assistants help managers and tax preparers stay focused on high-value work. This has reduced turnaround times (from 7 days down to 1–2), improved client satisfaction, and kept the team under 60-hour workweeks, even at peak season. [05:20]
• Invest heavily in professional development, especially when regulations change: Every employee clocks ~40 hours of CPE annually, even if they're not CPAs. Joe believes education and upskilling are non-negotiable for quality, confidence, and protecting the firm from risk. [15:09]

Download This Episode's Workbook
Ready to apply these insights to your own business? Download the free workbook to get started.

More About Joe Romano

Check out Romano & Associates
Connect with Joe on LinkedIn.

More About Rob Levin & WorkBetterNow

Like this show? Click on over and subscribe to our YouTube channel!
Follow Rob Levin on Substack.
Out now! The New Talent Playbook: The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Dream Team 📕 Available on Amazon or visit thenewtalentplaybook.com and get the free scorecard.

In this powerful conversation, mindset transformation coach Curtis McCullom breaks down the hidden patterns that quietly limit a leader's success—no matter how accomplished they are on paper. Curtis explains why subconscious beliefs formed early in life can sabotage performance, stall growth, and affect how leaders show up at home and at work.

He also walks through his LGET Mindset™ framework (Learn, Grow, Expand, Transform) and shares how tools like NLP, Mental Emotional Release®, and Hypnotherapy help business owners release emotional baggage, make better decisions, and lead their teams with clarity and confidence.

This is a deep, eye-opening episode about doing the inner work that drives real transformation.

About the Guest

Curtis McCullom helps CEOs, founders, and entrepreneurs eliminate the blind spots that restrict their income, confidence, and freedom. Through his LGET Mindset™ method and modalities like NLP, MER®, and Hypnotherapy, he guides leaders in reprogramming the subconscious patterns that hold them back. Curtis is also the host of The Curtis McCullom Show, where he interviews top leaders on success, mindset, and personal growth.

Episode Highlight

"If you know what you know—and you're still not getting what you want—the block isn't strategy. It's mindset."

Actionable Insights

• Notice how blind spots show up in your behavior: Blind spots often manifest subtly, in emotional reactions, decision fatigue, or strained relationships. Self-awareness is the first step toward removing them. [01:53]
• Emotional patterns formed early in life still influence you: Childhood experiences, even small moments like hearing "money doesn't grow on trees," can shape beliefs that limit income, leadership, and confidence decades later. [05:09]
• Leaders must remove the "baggage" before setting big goals: According to Curtis, most leaders set goals on top of unresolved emotional blocks—leading to plateauing or self-sabotage. Clear the baggage first, then build. [08:23]

Download This Episode's Workbook
Ready to apply these insights to your own business? Download the free workbook to get started.

More About Curtis McCullom

Check out Bespoke Human Potential Coaching
Connect with Curtis on LinkedIn.

More About Rob Levin & WorkBetterNow

Like this show? Click on over and subscribe to our YouTube channel!
Follow Rob Levin on Substack.
Out now! The New Talent Playbook: The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Dream Team 📕 Available on Amazon or visit thenewtalentplaybook.com and get the free scorecard.

In this episode, Rob sits down with David Goldstein, founder of TeamBonding, North America's leading team building company built around the "power of play." David shares how team building has evolved, why culture and connection matter more than ever, and how consistent, intentional experiences can strengthen collaboration, engagement, and retention. He also breaks down how companies can integrate remote team members, avoid common pitfalls, and design team building around meaningful outcomes—not one-off events.

About the Guest

David Goldstein is the founder of TeamBonding, a company that has shaped the team building industry for over three decades. Guided by the belief that meaningful play builds meaningful teams, he has created innovative programs for thousands of organizations—expanding into virtual events, charitable initiatives, and earning a spot on the Inc. 5000 list.

Episode Highlight

"Team building is an investment in your people. You want them to succeed, to work better together—and that helps the company succeed."

Actionable Insights

• Team building isn't a one-off — it's a strategy: David explains that while a single event can create connection, true impact happens through recurring experiences that build on each other. [04:02]
• Team building strengthens retention: Companies that prioritize team building tend to value their people—and those people stay. Feeling seen, appreciated, and connected makes top talent stick around. [06:45]
• Remote team members can integrate seamlessly: David shares practical ways to bring overseas or remote employees into company culture—from virtual events to pairing them with teammates during in-person activities. [11:06]

Download This Episode's Workbook
Ready to apply these insights to your own business? Download the free workbook to get started.

More About David Goldstein

Check out TeamBonding.
Connect with David on LinkedIn.

More About Rob Levin & WorkBetterNow

Like this show? Click on over and subscribe to our YouTube channel!
Follow Rob Levin on Substack.
Out now! The New Talent Playbook: The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Dream Team 📕 Available on Amazon or visit thenewtalentplaybook.com and get the free scorecard.

In this episode, Rob sits down with LeiLani Quiray, Founder and CEO of be the change HR, to explore what it really means to build workplaces that are both high-performing and deeply human. With over 20 years of HR experience, LeiLani shares how shifting HR from a compliance function to a growth driver can transform a business from the inside out. She also reveals how her company's social mission—donating 1% of topline revenue to nonprofits supporting survivors of human trafficking—has created a culture rooted in purpose, compassion, and accountability.

About the Guest

LeiLani Quiray is the Founder & CEO of be the change HR, a certified woman-owned social enterprise that provides HR compliance, strategy, and people-focused solutions for small and mid-sized businesses nationwide. A seasoned HR professional and advocate for social impact, she built her company around her mantra, "Be the change," ensuring that purpose and profit go hand in hand.

Episode Highlight

"If you just do the right thing, it will be good for business — taking care of your people is always the best strategy."

Actionable Insights

• Look beyond compliance: The biggest HR opportunity lies in strategy, addressing root causes like leadership gaps and culture misalignment, not just turnover symptoms. [03:30]
• Start with the "people strategy": When planning for growth, ask "how does this align with our people?" Every business goal depends on humans to execute it. [07:02]
• Live your core values: Core values should drive hiring, feedback, and even fun. Ask regularly: Are we living our values day to day? [08:33]
• Invest in learning and growth: Supporting your team's development—both professionally and personally—builds loyalty, engagement, and long-term success. [10:47]

Download This Episode's Workbook
Ready to apply these insights to your own business? Download the free workbook to get started.

More About LeiLani Quiray

Check out be the change HR.
Connect with LeiLani on LinkedIn.

More About Rob Levin & WorkBetterNow

Like this show? Click on over and subscribe to our YouTube channel!
Follow Rob Levin on Substack.
Out now! The New Talent Playbook: The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Dream Team 📕 Available on Amazon or visit thenewtalentplaybook.com and get the free scorecard.