On the Up and Up

Pay and wages are hands-down one of the most confusing parts of hiring for the leaders we talk to. You’re not alone if you’ve found yourself wondering, why you can’t just cut a $500 check to your assistant at the end of a big project,

This episode gets right to the point to clear the fog and give you a straight answer about the only two legal ways to pay an employee. This one’s short, sweet, and essential if you’re building a team.

You’ll hear:

💰 The only two legal ways to p...

After coming off an inspiring in-person team retreat, I’m sharing the real markers of success inside a small business. This episode explores the culture-defining power of clearly communicating expectations, especially around one of the most misunderstood (and overused) buzzwords in business: flexibility. If you've ever wondered why your team isn't "getting it" or how to lead with more clarity, tune in to this episode!

We cover:

Let’s talk about how I’m using AI in my business and my personal life to make things easier without losing the heart, ethics, or human-centered focus of my work. I’m sharing the tools I use, the workflows that save me HOURS each week, and some surprising ways AI has helped me make decisions, manage my health, and even stay emotionally regulated.

If you’ve been feeling weird about using AI or wondering how to do it without turning into a walking ChatGPT regurgitator...

Tune in for:

What if your business was the least interesting thing about you? In this episode, Kira sits down with legal educator and author Sam Vander Wielen to talk about building a life-first business…one that can weather anything, from grief to burnout to the chaos of online entrepreneurship. They cover everything from crisis-proofing your systems to writing a book deal-worthy proposal and ignoring the internet gurus. Whether you're scaling or just starting out, this is your reminder that simpler can be smarter.

In this episode, you'll hear:

We made it to Q2, but not without some bruises. In this solo episode, Kira shares her raw, honest take on what Q1 of 2025 taught her as a founder, leader, and business owner navigating through uncertainty (and yes, a two-star review). From finding stability in chaos to staying agile in how we serve, this episode is full of hard-earned lessons and powerful reminders for anyone leading a team right now.

Whether you’re riding high or barely hanging on, this one’s for you.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

In this episode, I’m diving into all things HR in the wedding and events world—because let’s be real, planning dreamy days doesn’t mean your backend operations should be a nightmare. We’re talking about some of the most common missteps pros make when it comes to classifying employees, setting up pay structures, and building a team culture that actually works. I’m breaking down the legal stuff in a way that doesn’t make your eyes glaze over—and sharing how to make HR work for your business (not against it).

What You’ll Learn

✨...

Come gab with two pop-culture junkies with unhealthy celeb gossip addictions and an alarming depth of knowledge in HR and legal drama as we deep-dive into one of Hollywood’s juiciest legal cases.

Kelli Jones and I are serving up the piping hot tea on the Blake Lively vs. Justin Baldoni case. We're breaking down the details we can’t stop obsessing over and the surprisingly relatable lessons small business owners can steal from it. Long story short: there’s more to learn here than just who sent the cringiest late-night texts…

About Kelli Jones 

Kel...

This week, I’m diving into my journey towards hiring an assistant (mistakes were made) and how I intentionally created their role to sidestep the pitfalls I’ve fallen into before.

This one is for the entrepreneurs who are ready to get off the roller coaster.

In this episode, Kira reflects on her journey through 2024 and sets the stage for 2025 and how her word of the year for 2024 drove her takeaways from the year, which had more ups and downs than usual.

We discuss:

We did it! We’ve hit the big 1-0-0! In what was originally planned to be a celebratory episode, we’re talking about something a little heavier, because we know it's been on a lot of your minds right now. And that is...

How to manage your team’s post-election stress and shaky team dynamics - especially when politics aren’t part of your company culture. 

No matter what side of the aisle you sit on, this episode offers actionable advice on setting boundaries, aligning values with culture, and creating environments where tou...

Kira chats with Adrienna McDermott, founder of Ava and the Bee, about what it takes to build a successful wedding industry business. Adrienna shares about her journey from solopreneur to running a full-blown marketing agency – and the lessons she learned along the way about scaling with intention and why treating your people right is the right way to grow your business.

Whether you're a wedding pro or just someone who loves a good entrepreneurial success story, this episode is full of insights, laughs, and relatable moments.

Links Mentioned

Find Ava & The Bee and al...

Ever wondered if social media is actually making a difference in your business, or if it’s just another time suck? 🤔 

In today’s episode of On The Up & Up, we answer this question with Emma Tessler, founder of Ninety-Five Media. Emma’s been in the social media game since back when Instagram was all filtered food pics and sepia sunsets (we’ve come so far!). She’s seen firsthand how social has evolved from an afterthought to a make-or-break marketing tool, and she’s here to spill all the tea.

If you’re a small b...

Did you know the average business owner wastes 250 hours a year on tasks that could be automated? 

Today’s guest, Rachael Mueller, Fractional COO & Systems Expert, is here to help you reclaim that time. She’s an organization fanatic and aims to make herself obsolete for her clients by setting up sustainable systems, tools, and automations so your business runs smoothly – without needing constant oversight.

PLUS, since this *is* an HR podcast, we talk about how operations experts can stay independent without risking compliance classification issues (think: good contracts, defined scope, solid boundaries). And for the bus...

I always tell you to hire based on the role, not just the person you want... but today, I’m eating my words! At least I’m an honest hypocrite 😉

In this episode, I’m excited to introduce you to Ashley Mina, our newest team member at Paradigm. The moment I met Ashley, I knew we had to work together, so I created a whole new department just for her! (I know, do as I say, not as I do!)

Ashley’s here to share her insider insights about recruiting for small businesses. We got into:

Leadership is one of the biggest responsibilities you’ll take on in your career. But when you nail it, you don’t have to do it all yourself. You can actually hand off some of those people management duties to someone else (hello, delegation!).

As long as you’ve set your future leaders up for success first. That’s what today’s episode is all about: laying the groundwork so you can confidently pass the torch.

We’re giving practice advice about:

✨ What to look for when identifying fu...

We’ve all been sold a big fat lie: that the ability to lead is something everyone’s born with.

Let’s talk about this is not only untrue, but it’s also kind of dangerous.

Plus, we’re also exploring the real difference between leadership and management. (Yes, they’re not the same thing, even though we tend to use them interchangeably around here.) Let’s clear up the confusion and talk about what it really means to be an effective leader and manager.

Links Mentioned

Take adva...

It’s here! The fifth edition of People On Purpose®, our signature leadership and management training program, has officially launched – and I want to dive into it.

But don’t worry, this episode isn’t a sales pitch. I’m not here to talk you into POP, but to share the philosophy behind POP and why I built it the way I did. Understanding that philosophy gets to the heart of what real leadership training is all about.

The biggest takeaway? People On Purpose® isn’t for everyone – and that’s by design. It’s built...

If the thought of having a tough conversation with someone you manage makes you want to bolt , you’re not alone - and there’s actually a ton of science behind it.

Our brains aren’t exactly wired to enjoy this part of management. In fact, they’re working over time to convince us to avoid sitting down for that challenging chat with an employee.  

Today we’re talking about what’s really happening in our brains when we’re faced with an employee issue: from the fight-or-flight response and cognitive dissonance to social condit...

Most leaders don’t wake up planning to fail their teams, but sometimes it happens unintentionally. 

And one of the biggest culprits is a lack of common leadership language and management philosophy across the organization. 

When everyone’s on a different page and speaking a different language, silos start forming, and your team struggles to collaborate effectively. This is especially risky in those critical stages of small business growth when scaling your team is key to unlocking your company’s full potential.

I get it - this sounds s...

Last week, we kicked off a 5 day plan to go from a day-to-day manager to a trusted leader who knows how to boost your team’s profitability and productivity. If you missed that deep dive of the first 2 steps - reflect and observe - make sure you go back and catch that one too! Today, we’re wrapping it up with the 3 final steps:

Re...

Let’s hit the reset button - on both your management and your team.

As managers and leaders, it’s our job to get everyone on the same boat and moving in the same direction. But sometimes it feels like some people are in canoes, some are on jet skis, and some are in a totally different lake. 

It happens. But there are simple ways to get everyone back on course, including yourself.

In this episode, we kick off a 5-day plan designed to transform you from a manager to a trusted leader in un...

LoriAnn Kuntz, a finance expert by trade (and a legal eagle by necessity), never planned on hiring employees. 

She had properly classified contractors, and that arrangement was working out just fine…until it wasn’t. As soon as she realized she needed more say over her team’s work, she knew it was time to change up her team’s structure. 

It’s one thing to chat about these principles through our typical HR lens; it’s another to hear them straight from someone who’s in the trenches, leading and learning every day. 

Ever wonder why some new hires knock it out of the park while others can’t seem to find the ball, despite having all your training videos and SOPs at their fingertips?

In this episode, we’re focusing on the major mindset shift that leaders have to make - but often don’t - between sending the offer letter and training their new employee. We’ll talk about how this mindset sets the stage for effectively using documentation not just to instruct, but to uncover and bridge the skills gaps of new team members. 

Plus...

How crucial is community for small business owners and entrepreneurs? 

So crucial that our friend Taryn Rachelle restructured her entire business into a personal brand to better serve the community she'd spent years building.

In this episode, we're setting aside our usual convos on HR regulations and team management to dive into community-based business with Taryn. We chat about:

Our legal (Bravo) correspondent is back for some BREAKING news about our girls Ariana and Katie and their former Menu Consultant and Karen of the sandwich world, Penny . Also we break down Love Island USA because we can't stop talking about it, and dive into the weird world of sibling drama via the rumor that Sandoval and Rachel's lawyers are BROTHERS?

Also, Kelli teaches us about how trademarks add a value of about 30%+ to your business valuation, and why creating a business with assets is a key component to otherwise difficult to sell and scale service based...

There are two sides of the seamless onboarding coin:

There’s the one most people think about, which is all the compliance stuff. Paperwork, forms, yada yada yada. 

But today we’re talking about the other side: the cultural elements of seamless onboarding that contribute to not only the employee experience, but the leadership experience as well. 

Join us as we talk through the 4 stages of an employee’s onboarding (which start before you’re even paying them!) with tips to make each one seamless and reflective of your cu...

Let’s talk about one basic skill (dare I say, the #1 skill) that every business owner and leader can bolster within their teams to cultivate a culture rich in accountability, empowerment, productivity, and long-term relationships.

This skill is the answer to questions about how to build a proactive and engaged team while simultaneously creating an environment that’s in line with the way that you’re leading.

Surprisingly, this skill isn’t something you’ll find in most management books, and it’s probably not something you’ve encountered in the usual corporate settings. But it’s completel...

As an entrepreneur, you’re not expected to magically transform into a professional recruiter overnight. Interviewing without letting bias crash the party is a learned skill, not something that just pops into your brain the moment you launch your business.

But the truth still remains: bias in hiring is a sneaky thief that shrinks your candidate pool down to a fraction of what it could be.

Don’t worry, today’s episode isn’t about making you an expert recruiter. It’s simply about bringing your awareness to the 5 common biases we see in hiring, and recogn...

If there's one conversation we're never putting on mute, it's about the real value of diversity on your team. 

Not because 'diversity' has been a trendy buzzword since 2020, but because we've got recent and cited stats to prove that diversity really is better for your business.

In today’s episode, we're diving into why diversity is a major win for your bottom line, and we’ll show you how to champion it authentically, not performatively.

Tune in now!

SOURCES AND FURTHER READING 

"Corporate Divers...

Happy Juneteenth! 

Today we’re honoring the end of slavery, celebrating Black freedom, and celebrating the slow strides we're making. 

But part of our celebration as non-Black Americans is recognizing the work we have to put in to keep pushing the needle for racial equity.

Now, I recognize it’s not my place as a white woman to speak about the experience of Black Americans. But it is my place to spotlight the ongoing struggles and discrimination Black Americans face, particularly in the workforce.

So, keepin...

Think your career's best moments are in the rearview? Think again! 

Join us as we dive into the transformative journeys of women who are turning decades of experience - in and out of the office - into entrepreneurial gold.

Carmen Reed-Gilkison and Deirdre Harter of Encore Empire are flipping the script on what it means to be a “seasoned professional.” Together, we explore their unique approach to coaching late-blooming entrepreneurs: transitioning from the corporate ladder to the entrepreneurial journey, shedding the employee mindset for a CEO’s vision, and managing the limiting beliefs that often comes h...

As a creative entrepreneur, do you ever feel like your job completely transformed overnight? 

One moment, you’re working in your creative zone of genius, and the next, you’re knee-deep in job descriptions, payroll, team performance reviews...the whole People Ops shebang. 

Not exactly what you had in mind when you branched out on your own, is it?

Not everyone loves this shift. Some folks thrive, while others feel a little lost. If you’re gearing up to hire a team or have already taken the leap into leadership, how do you handle t...

Are you checking in with yourself and your mental health?

We know Mental Health Awareness Month has been all about how we, as leaders, can support our employees. But let’s flip the script for a moment: what about your own mental health? 

What's at risk when you're always operating at full throttle without a break?

This week, we have a story you don't want to miss from Mary Beth Storjohann, Co-CEO of Abacus Wealth Partners.

It's powerful to hear a woman who's achieved so muc...

You know what feels ickier than having that awkward underperformance chat with an employee in a stuffy conference room? 

Having to do it over Zoom. 

We’re huge champions of remote work, but it definitely throws in some extra hurdles for managers. Especially when you don’t have the benefit of connection from in-person settings. 

Addressing underperformance is never straightforward, no matter where your team is. But when you’re dealing with it remotely, knowing the right (and wrong) way to handle it makes all the difference.

...

Say it with me:

“My past experience in corporate America won’t dictate how I conduct employee performance reviews. I’m not here to give negative feedback just for the sake of documentation.” 

Performance reviews have a bad rap, but they don’t have to suck. When we rethink the purpose of the review process, it can actually become something everyone looks forward to.

Today, we’re offering a new perspective that will make performance reviews positive and productive, without the dread or anxiety.

We’ll co...

Performance management: Love it? Hate it? Wondering what the big deal is? 

It can be a real mixed bag. Maybe you skip into those meetings, giddy to shower your team members with glowing feedback and praise. Orrrrr maybe you’re dragging your when the feedback is a bit more…complicated.

But what if there was a way to make performance evaluations less of an emotional rollercoaster…

Today’s episode is all about how to shift from that dreaded annual review to continuous, two-way feedback that genuinely nurtures growth.

We're talki...

We're baaaack baby!

Kelli Jones and I are at it again with more Bravo legal drama, more HR disasters, and more fun. And maybe a little snark. I mean, we ARE talking about Bravo afterall.

Kelli is a trademark attorney, a fellow reality TV aficionado, and my go-to friend for Bravo drama and lawsuit breakdowns.

This time, we're covering:

They might just be faces on a screen, but your employees are real, living humans who need more than KPIs and goals to truly thrive.

Don’t get us wrong — clear goals and expectations are 100% crucial for measuring success. You'll never catch us telling you NOT to clearly communicate goals and expectations. But true leadership goes beyond just tracking performance. It's about filling each team member’s cup with motivation and engagement in ways that suit their unique work styles.

This doesn't just boost their productivity, it contributes to your ability to lead effectively. 

<...

Think your small business doesn’t need Public Relations? Don't write it off yet!

You might be wondering how a publicist could possibly help your under-the-radar biz. Or thinking you’re too “small” for a PR strategy.

But before you dismiss the idea, let Brittney Lynn share some insights that might just totally change the way you see PR and its potential for your business!

Brittney is a thought-leader for how purposeful connection can change the world. Through her agency, The Human Connection Agency, she’s leading the way in the online business space for...

When done right, employee and client appreciation gifts can stop your recipient in their tracks and generate a fantastic ROI. #goals

But if you miss the mark, they'll breeze past these gifts without a second thought, tossing them (and your hard-earned business dollars) in the trash as they go.

Eh ehm, no, that new client you just signed doesn't feel special opening a box of generic, branded knick-knacks weeks after onboarding.

Turns out, there's a lot to consider in crafting a gift-giving strategy!

This week, the Queen of intentional gifting, Kristin...