Most leaders love to say, “I’ll know it when I see it.” But here’s the truth: hiring off your gut alone is not leadership, it’s luck.

In this episode of Hire Power, Kim Frost breaks down the difference between instinctive hiring and intentional hiring. She shares why relying solely on gut feelings or vague phrases like “not a culture fit” can lead to bias, poor decisions, and costly mis-hires, and how the best leaders learn to balance intuition with structure.

Kim pulls from her own corporate experience to show how instinct can both help and hurt your process. You’ll walk away knowing how to spot the difference between valid intuition and untested assumptions—and how to interview with clarity, consistency, and confidence.

In this episode:

• Why “I hire off my gut” isn’t as intuitive as you think
• The problem with using “culture fit” as feedback
• How first impressions can mislead even experienced leaders
• The balance between instinct, structure, and evidence-based hiring
• Why values-based interviewing is the key to better hires

💬 Connect with Kim: linkedin.com/in/frostkim

🌐 Learn more: frostconnections.com

How do great leaders move people, not just manage them? In this episode of Hire Power, I sit down with storytelling expert Mario Juarez, founder of StoryCo to unpack why story is one of the most essential leadership tools most leaders underuse.

We explore why your story isn’t just what you say about yourself, but what people experience with you.

Drawing from nearly 30 years inside Microsoft and his work with executives, Mario shares how story has the power to transform cultures, align teams, and redirect entire organizations. He also gets real about what most leaders get wrong and what it really takes to tell stories that feel authentic, grounded, and emotionally resonant.

Whether you run a small team or an entire company, this conversation will change how you think about the way you talk to and lead your people.

In this episode:

• Why storytelling is a core leadership skill
• What your story really is (and isn’t)
• The biggest mistake leaders make with storytelling
• Where to start if storytelling feels uncomfortable
• What Mario learned working with senior executives at Microsoft, including the time investment and practice it takes to make a talk look “effortless.”
• Human storytelling in an AI-driven world
• Mario’s six-word story method and how it forces clarity on what truly matters in your message.

About Mario Juarez

Mario Juarez is the founder of StoryCo, where he helps leaders and organizations craft stories that move people to action. Before starting his firm, Mario spent nearly three decades at Microsoft in communications, marketing, PR, and executive communications. There, he developed his “Storytelling for Impact” framework and saw firsthand how story can reshape cultures, engage teams, and support major leadership transitions. Today, he teaches leaders how to use story as a strategic tool—not spin, but a way to connect, inspire, and lead with intention.

Connect with Mario: https://mario-juarez.com

💬 Connect with Kim: linkedin.com/in/frostkim

🌐 Learn more: frostconnections.com

After taking her first two-week vacation since 2018, Kim Frost is back, recharged, refocused, and reminded that real leadership requires rest.

In this episode of Hire Power, Kim unpacks what truly happens when you step away from the grind and give your brain, your relationships, and your business room to breathe. From the science of detachment and creativity to the leadership benefits of unplugging, this episode is your reminder that rest isn’t indulgent, it’s strategic.

In this episode:

• Why your best ideas come during the pause, not the push.
• The surprising link between time off and promotions.
• How detachment boosts creativity, problem-solving, and long-term perspective.
• What two weeks away revealed about love, leadership, and life beyond work.
• A leadership challenge to schedule your next real break... no excuses!

Rest like a leader, and show others how it’s done.

💬 Connect with Kim: linkedin.com/in/frostkim

🌐 Learn more: frostconnections.com