The podcast now has its own email so you can tell us how much you LOVE the podcast. Contact us at thehrlifepodcast@gmail.com.

In this episode the guys leave the "Red Seat" empty, recapping the first four episodes and introducing themselves to listeners. Steve shares an incredibly inspirational story of the death of his son and the amazing HR professional that helped him through it. Tony shares the moment his life changed forever when he decided to take debate in high school and the truly unique teacher that shaped the way he saw logic and argument. The guys discuss the recent SCOTUS ruling Ames V Ohio Dept of Youth Services and discuss the reverse discrimination cases coming.

- Steve has been in corporate recruiting since Feb 2005 after earning a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Brigham Young University. In 2008 he helped with the foundation of ApplicantPro, focusing heavily on small employers to enhance their ability to manage applicant flow. He consults with thousands of companies in hundreds of industries on sound hiring principles and marketing methodologies to attract applicants through proven marketing, SEO practices, and now, artificial intelligence.

- Tony Benjamin is a unique HR leader with more than 20 years of experience working for some of Utah’s oldest, fastest-growing, and most well-known companies. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Vernal Area Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Trustees at Ashley Regional Medical Center, and the Board of Directors at Utah SHRM. He chaired the Work Elevated Conference (WECon) — the state HR conference — for two years and is a regionally recognized authority on building successful company cultures. Tony holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix, a Bachelor’s degree from Utah State University, and is a certified Professional in Human Resources (PHR). He is married to a woman out of his league, has three brilliant kids he doesn’t deserve, and lives in Vernal, Utah.

Learn more about Steven "Big Deal Smith" at https://thehiringtreebook.com/
Learn More about Tony "Two Weeks Notice" Benjamin at https://www.thegrangellc.com/

Katey Connell is a force for transformation—on stage, in the workplace, and through her podcast, Become Alive. A dynamic Senior Talent Acquisition Manager at an advertising agency, Katey is known for doing things differently. She pioneered culture-first screening interviews to protect and elevate company culture, helping hire not just for skills, but for core-values. As a former SeaWorld Dolphin and Whale Trainer turned motivational speaker, certified life coach, group fitness instructor, and blackbelt in Taekwondo, Katey knows what it means to evolve—and she’s on a mission to help others do the same.
After hitting rock bottom in her own life, Katey learned to get comfortable in the uncomfortable. “Because that’s where growth happens—and that’s where you truly become alive.” Now living her ‘cloud 9’ life, she uses her personal story as a tool to empower others to realize and reach their full, God-given potential. Her philosophy? “Stop telling yourself you can’t. Make the scary decisions. They’re the ones that lead to real change.”
Katey brings her radiant energy, big smile, and deep conviction into every space she enters—whether she’s recruiting top talent, speaking at national events, or coaching others through their own breakthroughs. She resides in San Diego, California, where she surfs the big waves, hikes mountain trails with her dog, and serves in her local church.
Catch her on the Become Alive Podcast, book her to speak at your next transformative event, or partner with Become Alive: Recruiting to find your next top-tier hire. What sets her apart? She’s the only her. And what sets you apart?
Information about Katey Connell https://www.kateyconnell.com/
Information About Tony Benjamin https://www.thegrangellc.com/
Information About Steven J Smith https://thehiringtreebook.com/

Steve and Tony talk to Jeremie about data and Human Resources, the current state of Human Resources, the Business Partner model of Corporate HR, global views of HR, and when engagement trumps talent.
Jeremie Brecheisen is the managing partner of the Gallup EMEA division.
Over the past two years, Jeremie has led the Gallup CHRO Roundtable, which hosts 1,000+ large-company CHROs. He has conducted over 800 one-on-one interviews with these executives, hosted over 500 roundtables and facilitated over 200 briefings with large-company HR leadership teams. Jeremie has also published articles on quarterly CHRO survey data, many of which have appeared on Gallup.com and in the Harvard Business Review. His findings are quoted in many publications, including The Wall Street Journal.
Jeremie is a regular contributor and subject-matter expert for many topics on Gallup.com, including Gallup’s Real Future of Work series, disruptive forces, agility, the future of HR and industry-specific challenges.
Jeremie has managed many of Gallup’s largest global clients, and his work has taken him all over the world, including North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. He has personally trained or coached thousands of managers and has designed workplace solutions for hundreds of thousands more.
Jeremie is an experienced public speaker, having presented at many public conferences, such as HRD Summits, MoneyLive Events, HCI Conferences, Argyle Conferences, Merit Summits and CoreNet Conventions, among others. He has served as a keynote speaker at international conventions with in-person audiences of over 30,000 and live-streaming audiences of more than 10,000. He regularly conducts Gallup public webinars for international audiences.
Jeremie received an MBA in the China International Program from the University of Hawaii. He received his bachelor’s degree in modern Asian history from Brigham Young University. Jeremie speaks conversational Mandarin Chinese.

Learn more about Steven Smith here: https://thehiringtreebook.com/
Learn more about Tony Benjamin here: https://www.thegrangellc.com/

An interview with Beca Mark, Owner and CEO of MegaStar HR joins the podcast. In this episode we we discuss the current state of HR, eliminating the conflict with CFO's and finance, The Role of Human Resources, the difference between cutesy and effective, how to install culture, and the move to outside HR consulting agencies. Learn more about MegaStar HR at https://www.megastarhr.com/ . Steve Smith's Information: https://thehiringtreebook.com/ Tony Benjamin's Information: https://www.thegrangellc.com/

In this, our inaugural episode, we talk to Karisa Stahle, VP of Human Resources at Verde, and Chair of Utah's annual Work Elevated Conference, sponsored by Utah SHRM and GBS Benefits. She is a results driven HR executive with 4+ years facilities industry experience and 15 years experience in HR. She's also on the Board of Directors for Utah SHRM. She talks to Tony and Steve about The current state of Human Resources, the role of SHRM, the use of the word "strategic", and a lot of other topics.

A quick introduction to your hosts, Tony Benjamin and Steven Smith. The first full episode drops on June 17, 2025.