On the Up and Up

10 Episodes
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By: Kira La Forgia

We spend almost 100,000 hours of our lives working (probably more like 200,000 for entrepreneurs, let’s be honest). What if work didn’t have to suck? What if it can be fun? On the Up and Up™️ podcast challenges the status quo of the boring workplace, and teaches leaders how to use HR, legal, and ethics to boost the fun factor of your business. Welcome to the show! Every week, we talk about the real reality behind leadership and management. Not the buzzwords and HR appropriate policies, but the good, the bad, and the juicy gossip that comes with the behind-the-scenes of runni...

[Bonus Ep!] Bravo Drama and The Tea Behind The Lawsuits
#65
Last Friday at 1:00 PM

Whew, time to lighten the mood around here! 

We’ve spent the last few weeks digging into some heavy stuff, what with the DOL’s Final Ruling and all its implications on your business, and I know we could all use a little reprieve.

So today we’re taking a sharp left turn and gossiping in the other language I speak fluently: BRAVO DRAMA!!

I’m joined by attorney and fellow Bravohead, Kelli Jones, to pour some of the juiciest legal tea on Bravo stars' legal battles and the big takeaways we can all learn...


6 Factors Of Contractor Classification Explained [Part 1: Factors 1-3]
#64
03/20/2024

Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty, shall we?

The past few weeks we've been painting with broad strokes about the DOL's Final Ruling on the whole contractor vs. employee saga. If you’ve been following along, you’ve def heard us say that there are now 6 factors to consider for classifying your workers.  But we haven't really rolled up our sleeves and gotten into the weeds of what those factors actually mean…until now! 

Hit play for a deep dive into factors 1-3, and stay tuned for next week's episode where we'll tackle factors 4-6. If you...


DOL Debrief: The Final Contractor Ruling Explained
#63
03/13/2024

POV: You’re totally overwhelmed by the DOL’s Final Ruling on independent contractors.

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of info on this game-changing update from the DOL, and lots of businesses are scrambling to find their footing in this new terrain. So we’re taking a few steps back to come at this whole convo from a different angle.

I'm hitting pause on the "next steps" chat to dive into the who, what, when, where, and why of the DOL's shiny new rules on independent contractor classification. Getting a grip on the or...


Countdown to Compliance: Navigating Contractor to Employee Transitions
#62
03/06/2024

Clock’s ticking!! The DOL’s new ruling on independent contractor misclassification goes into effect in less!than!a!week! 

What does this mean for you?? 

Well, if you’re a business owner who nods your head “yes” after reading reading these two statements:

You understands you’re not in compliance with how you’ve classified your team and are ready to switch from contractors to employees; and,You want to keep the same folks in the same roles, just with a new classification to get your business on the right side of the law.

Then...


Countdown to Compliance: Navigating Contractor to Employee Transitions
#62
03/06/2024

Clock’s ticking!! The DOL’s new ruling on independent contractor misclassification goes into effect in less!than!a!week!

What does this mean for you??

Well, if you’re a business owner who nods your head “yes” after reading reading these two statements:

You understands you’re not in compliance with how you’ve classified your team and are ready to switch from contractors to employees; and,You want to keep the same folks in the same roles, just with a new classification to get your business on the right side of the law.


Sipping Success and Lessons in Leadership with Kaitlyn Parker [Copy Uncorked]
#61
02/28/2024

Here’s 1 of the 398,402 things nobody teaches you when building a brand and becoming a leader:

Your external brand ≠ your internal company culture. Just because the world sees your brand in a certain light doesn’t mean your team has to march to that beat behind the scenes.

Few people know this better than Kailtyn Parker of Copy Uncorked. Her business’s brand is strategically drenched in wine culture, but don’t let that fool her – their internal culture isn’t exactly what you’d expect.

Tune in to hear Kaitlyn’s approach to leading a team...


No Cubicle, No Problem: 3 Key Elements Of Your Remote Work Policy
#60
02/21/2024

Psst…I don’t know who needs to hear this, but:

It’s time we move past the old-school belief that real work only happens when we’re all parked in office chairs. That mindset is as outdated as the office cubicles tech giants are trying to herd their talent back into (oops! Guess I do know who needs to hear this!) 

Do remote work relationships crash and burn sometimes? For sure. But it’s not always about the distance. More often than not, it’s about the people and the policies, or lack thereof, that are supp...


Love Notes & Leadership: Cultivating Culture Through Internal Communication
#59
02/14/2024

What’s your most unpopular opinion as a manager or people leader?

I’m sharing mine this week, and it’s going to ruffle some feathers. It’s about one of my rules for internal communication with my remote team, and it’s one that I think a lot more leaders should adopt. This one small boundary has helped me establish a company culture steeped in respect for my team's space and energy, while aligning the way we work with the my values as a business owner.

Come for the hot take, stay for the essentials...


Behind The Screens: Establishing Remote Accountability and Building Trust At Work
#58
02/07/2024

Think leading a remote team is just a game of juggling Zoom calls and Slack messages in an effort to herd your team in a march towards deadlines? Think again. 

It's actually a trust-building marathon, and many leaders are dropping the baton by not establishing trust early or consistently enough with their team, leading to some major backfires.


Building trust and accountability with a remote team isn't a 'do it once and dust your hands’ kind of task. It's an ongoing journey and a continuous leveling up of your leadership skills. This isn...


4 Steps To Avoiding The Biggest First-Time Hiring Mistake
#57
01/31/2024

Ever wondered how people successfully go from solopreneur to CEO with a team?

The secret isn't about nailing one specific management style or mastering a recruiting trick. It's really about how your team comes together around your business’s growth goals, starting with an intentional hiring process that paves the way for everyone's success.

So why isn’t everyone who hires a team thriving and massively scaling their business?

This week we’re delving into one major hiring pitfall many fall into on their journey to team building. This one mistake is so major...