The H.I.T. Podcast

Not every workplace complaint requires a formal investigation—but ignoring the small ones can have big consequences.

In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, Toby Kennedy sits down with Lauren Sweeney, Chief Growth & Impact Officer at Riviera Group Consulting, to discuss the "soft complaints" that HR professionals encounter every day—and how to address them before they damage culture and retention.

Topics include:

Are your employees truly getting value from their benefits — or are they forgetting about them until open enrollment rolls around?

In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, Toby Kennedy sits down with Cindy Washburn from TruHu to discuss why consistent, intentional communication may be the missing ingredient in maximizing employee benefits.

Too often, employees are overwhelmed with information during open enrollment and then hear little to nothing about their benefits for the rest of the year. Cindy explains how organizations can shift to a more effective, year-round communication strategy th...

Change is inevitable. The question is: how do great leaders respond to it?

In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, Toby Kennedy sits down with returning guest Magalie René, speaker, consultant, and expert in compassionate leadership and change management.

Together, they explore how leaders can become more adaptable, communicate more effectively, and guide their teams through uncertainty without sacrificing accountability or performance.

Topics include:

What if the skills your organization needs are already sitting inside your company?

In Part 2 of this conversation, Angela Finlay joins The H.I.T. Podcast to discuss skill stacking, talent architecture, and how organizations can better identify, develop, and leverage the talent they already have.

As job roles continue to evolve and technology reshapes the workplace, leaders must rethink how they evaluate skills, reward development, and prepare employees for the future.

In this episode, we discuss:

What if your greatest career advantage isn't your job title—but the unique combination of skills you've built throughout your life?

In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, Toby Kennedy sits down with Angela Blum-Finlay, senior HR executive, author, and "CHRO on demand," to discuss her book Skill Stacking and why career success is often built at the intersection of seemingly unrelated experiences.

Angela explains how professionals frequently underestimate the value they've gained from volunteer work, side projects, parenting, leadership roles, and everyday problem-solving.

What Yo...

What happens when employees stop trusting leadership?

In Part 2 of this conversation on The H.I.T. Podcast, Dr. Rob McKenna returns to discuss the real-world impact of trust on culture, leadership, performance, and retention.

Drawing from his research and book Whole Leaders, Wild Trust, Dr. McKenna explains why trust is one of the most powerful—and overlooked—drivers inside organizations.

What We Cover

What does trust actually look like inside an organization — and can it be measured?

In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, Toby Kennedy sits down with Dr. Rob McKenna, founder of Wild Leaders and author of the USA Today bestselling book Whole Leaders, Wild Trust.

Dr. McKenna explains why trust is one of the most important—and most misunderstood—drivers of organizational success. More importantly, he shows how leaders can move beyond vague conversations about “culture” and begin measuring the specific behaviors that build trust.

What We Co...

In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, we sit down with Scott Walker, former Scotland Yard detective, kidnap-for-ransom negotiator, bestselling author, and negotiation expert.

After handling more than 300 high-stakes cases around the world, Scott shares practical communication strategies that apply just as powerfully in business, leadership, sales, and personal relationships.

What We Cover:

What can a Scotland Yard hostage negotiator teach us about business, leadership, and everyday conversations?

In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, we sit down with Scott Walker, a former Scotland Yard detective and kidnap-for-ransom negotiator who spent nearly 20 years handling over 300 high-stakes cases around the world.

Now a bestselling author of Order Out of Chaos and a global negotiation expert, Scott shares how his experience translates directly into business and personal interactions.

What We Cover

Why negotiation is simply a “co...

In Part 2 of this conversation on The H.I.T. Podcast, Joe Van Brussel returns to go deeper on the real implications of AI in the workplace—and what leaders need to get right moving forward.

This episode moves beyond hype and into the human side of AI adoption.

We explore:

Why companies are rushing into AI—and the confusion it’s creating

The responsibility leaders have to slow down and set intentional guardrails

How over-reliance on AI can erode trust, communication, and creativity

The...

What is AI actually doing to the way we think and work?

In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, host Toby Kennedy sits down with Joe Van Brussel—creative director, writer, and philosopher—to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping creativity, decision-making, and professional work.

With experience at The New York Times and The Huffington Post, Joe brings a unique lens to the conversation—blending philosophy with real-world application.

We dive into:

Back at it again, with Joshua Barrows interviewing Toby Kennedy!

Here's the HOT question: What does it take to keep a great client?

In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, Joshua Barrows shares a memorable analogy—comparing a valuable client to a “beautiful wife.”

The idea is simple: when something (or someone) is valuable, there will always be other options. In today’s marketplace, top clients are constantly being approached by brokers, vendors, and new technology solutions.

So how do you keep the...

We flipped the show completely on its head for this one…

Joshua Barrows—payroll and HRIS guru—steps in as HOST…

and I’m in the guest chair.

That’s right—roles reversed.

(Yes… there may or may not be some jiu jitsu references)

In this special “backwards day” episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, we dive into the current state of the insurance industry, how things are evolving, and what makes Montage Insurance Solutions different.

What We Cover

Welcome back to the HIT (Human Resources, Insurance, and Technology) podcast! This week, host Toby Kennedy is joined by world-renowned business consultant and author Kevin Lawrence for a deep dive into the strategies that separate stagnant companies from high-growth organizations.

With over 30 years of experience helping executive teams scale 5x to 10x, Kevin shares why the "people piece" is the ultimate fuel for any growth engine.

In this episode, we explore:

The Discernment of Growth:

Learn the critical difference between making your business "better" (optimizing...

In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, host Toby Kennedy sits down with Kim Bohr, CEO of Spark Effect, to break down the latest research on organizational trust—and why it may be one of the most important (and overlooked) drivers of performance.

This conversation moves beyond theory and into practical frameworks leaders can use right now.

Key Insights on Organizational Trust

Trust as a KPI:

Trust isn’t soft—it’s measurable and directly tied to revenue, retention, and reputation.

Thr...

What does it actually take to build and lead companies that scale?

In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, entrepreneur, executive, and author Glenn Poulos joins the show to share lessons from nearly four decades of building, leading, and selling successful businesses.

Glenn discusses how moving away from “seat-of-the-pants” management toward a structured leadership system—specifically the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)—helped transform the way his companies operate and scale.

We dive into practical leadership strategies including:

What does it actually take to build and lead companies that scale?

In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, entrepreneur, executive, and author Glenn Poulos joins the show to share lessons from nearly four decades of building, leading, and selling successful businesses.

Glenn discusses how moving away from “seat-of-the-pants” management toward a structured leadership system—specifically the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)—helped transform the way his companies operate and scale.

We dive into practical leadership strategies including:

What are we actually chasing?

Likes?

Applause?

Recognition?

Or real impact?

In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, Dr. Brandi Stankovic, Ed.D. joins us fresh off her recent TED talk to challenge the modern definition of “success” — especially the kind fueled by online praise and performative wins.

We explore:

• Why fake happiness and surface-level validation are so easy to chase

• How leaders unintentionally reward the wrong behaviors

• What organizations should really be me...

What do rules and expectations have in common? You shouldn’t set them if you’re not willing to enforce them.

Unenforced standards make bad performers worse—and they quietly drain the motivation of your best people when they see inconsistency.

In this episode, I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Tommie Jo Brode for a powerful conversation about leadership, culture, team-building, and what it really means to hold the line as a leader.

We talk about:

What exactly is a TPA (Third-Party Administrator)—and why does it matter in the world of health insurance?

In this episode, Nick Buratti from Allied Benefit Systems joins me for a clear, practical conversation about how TPAs operate, what they’re responsible for, and where they fit into the broader health insurance ecosystem.

If you’re involved in employee benefits, self-funded health plans, or just want to better understand how all the moving pieces connect, this episode is a must-watch.

#TheHITPodcast #HealthInsurance #TPA #EmployeeBenefits #SelfFunded #HRLeadership #AlliedBenefitSystems #Health...

What does it really take to build a high-performing, low-drama team?

In this episode, we break down the real-world strategies behind employee management, intentional turnover, and aligning teams with mission, vision, and values—including practical lessons from the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS).

We cover:

Managing People & Turnover

Intelli...

That advice we all know we need to hear—delivered in a no-nonsense, get-it-done way.

In this episode, we’re joined in studio by Chris Hallberg, aka The Business Sergeant—one of Inc. Magazine’s Top 50 Leadership and Management Experts, published author, and personally trained by Gino Wickman, creator of EOS and author of Traction.

Chris breaks down his world-renowned leadership principles that help teams:

This is a must-watch for leaders who are done with excuses...

We’re excited to welcome Mark Dunahoo, President & COO of TruHu, into the studio for a thoughtful conversation on employee engagement and feedback.

In this episode, we dive into TruHu’s mission, how organizations can better listen to their people, and what HR leaders should be thinking about as they look to strengthen culture, communication, and trust across their teams.

We cover:

Following up on our 2026 employment law update, employment attorney Brian Koegle is back with a highly practical breakdown of the top three legal compliance issues that continue to trip up HR teams—even experienced ones.

In this episode, we cover:

This isn’t theory—it’s real-world guidance drawn from what Brian sees employers getting wrong every day. Clear, actionable, and incredibly relevant for HR leaders, managers, and business owners alike.

If...

Employment law continues to evolve—and staying ahead of it is critical for HR leaders and employers.

In this episode, employment attorney Brian Koegle joins me in studio to break down the most important legal updates impacting the workplace in 2026. We cover what’s already in effect, what’s changing, and what organizations should be preparing for now.

Topics include:

Clear, p...

“Do better. Somehow.”

That’s how a lot of professional goals are set — and it’s exactly why they fail.

Most goals don’t collapse because people lack motivation. They fail because they’re too vague, unowned, and impossible to measure once real work, real calendars, and real pressure show up.

In this episode, we break down what good professional goal setting actually looks like—the kind that survives busy schedules, competing priorities, and everyday reality.

We cover:

Curious what The H.I.T. Podcast is all about? This episode is the perfect place to start.

We’ve pulled together a hand-picked collection of our favorite moments—10 short clips stitched into one episode—to give you a true feel for the conversations, insights, and energy that define the show.

If you’re new here—or wondering why this podcast is a must-follow heading into 2026—this episode will tell you eve...

“We’re thinking about switching HRIS…”

Famous. Last. Words.

This episode is all about how HRIS platforms actually differ—and why so many teams end up frustrated after implementation.

If you’ve sat through five demos that all felt exactly the same, this will help you ask better questions before you sign anything. This is a truly neutral guide to HRIS platforms—no selling, no affiliate links, no bias.

I don’t work for those guys and I’m not here to push one platform over...

It’s that time of year… when HR gets absolutely flooded with FSA questions.

Yes — your FSA can buy some pretty weird stuff.

Oura rings?

Massage guns?

DNA tests?

Yep. All real.

In this episode, we break down unusual (but legit!) FSA purchases, clarify what actually qualifies, and help employees make the most of those use-it-or-lose-it dollars before they disappear.

Perfect for HR pros, benefits teams, and anyone trying to spend FSA funds wisely—without crossing the line.

This episode features an awesome conversation with Shane Foss, CEO of Hooray Health, about a super affordable and high-value option your employees will actually use and love.

We break down a benefit designed specifically for part-time and hourly staff, offering:

If you’ve been looking for a way to strengthen your benefits portfolio without blowing up your budget — this might be the perfect solution.

Don’t miss this fun, insightful episod

Some of you know my story, and some of you don’t — but growing up on the run from a violent household, spending time in battered women’s shelters, and even living through a kidnapping are all parts of what shaped me. They’re also why I care so deeply about doing good in this world… and why I’m so proud to serve on the board of Rainbow Services, Ltd., an incredible organization supporting survivors of domestic violence.

Coming right after Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday — days centered on food, deals, and consumption — Giving Tuesday g...

The holiday season is officially underway… which means holiday party planning is in full swing!

But before you hit send on those invites, this episode breaks down the 9 essential things HR and employers need to consider — the details that can truly make or break your event.

We cover:

A quick, practical guide your future self will thank you for.

There’s a fairly new(ish) legislative mandate that’s catching some employers off guard — the Gag Clause Attestation requirement tied to your company’s health insurance plan.

In this quick, informative episode, we break down:

Short, clear, and to the point — everything you need to know to stay compliant and avoid costly oversights.

There are a lot of plan designs out there that promise tax advantages, cost savings, or “creative” ways to structure benefits… but not all of them are compliant. Some are even double-dipping schemes that can create major legal and financial risk for employers.

So we brought in someone who actually knows this space at the highest level: Alden Bianchi — a nationally-recognized employee benefits attorney who:

Open enrollment season is here! Whether you’re choosing your health plan for the first time or just need a quick refresher, this under 9-minute episode gives you everything you need to make smart, confident choices.

We’ll break down:

Quick. Insightful. Actually fun. Tune in and get ready to make the most of open enrollment season!

In this very special (and very scary) episode, we’re diving into all things Halloween at work — from fun ideas and team activities to best practices for keeping it festive and professional.

We cover:

Don’t miss a chance to turn your trick into a treat this Halloween!

About the Show:

The H.I.T. Podcast (Powered by Montage Insurance Soluti...

Have you heard of an LSA—or wondered why they’re quickly becoming one of the most popular employee benefits out there?

In this episode, I sit down with Rob Cinco to break down everything you need to know about Lifestyle Spending Accounts—what they are, how they work, and why both employers and employees can’t get enough of them!

We cover:

This episode is all about helping you get ready to make it awesome. Whether you’re a team member, manager, or HR pro, we’ve got fun, thoughtful, and easy ideas to celebrate your boss (or your team leaders!) the right way.

We’ll cover:

Tune in for inspiration, last-minute ideas, and a reminder that a little appreciation goes a long way.

#TheHITPodcast #BossesDay #Leadership #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeAppreciation #HRLead...

We’ve reached the third and final episode in our incredible series with the Podfather himself — Spencer Smith — and we’re closing things out with a bang!

In this episode, we dig into point solutions, explore how they’re shaping today’s self-funded landscape, and then take a look into the crystal ball to talk about the future of healthcare.

If you want forward-thinking insights from one of the most trusted voices in the industry, this one’s a can’t-miss.

Be sure to catch Parts 1 & 2, available now, for the ful...

Self-insuring can feel complicated—especially when you get into contract provisions or health insurance captives.

In Part 2 of our 3-part series with the Podfather himself, Spencer Smith, CSFS®, we break down:

This series was a blast to record and is packed with value for employers, HR pros, and benefits decision-makers. If you missed Part 1, go check it out—and d...