As Co-Founder of Wowledge, Carlos is part of a steady, practitioner-first movement to make HR more execution-ready, more strategic, and more accountable to real outcomes, not performative “best practices.” We get into what happens when legacy institutions lose trust, why HR has to reclaim its craft, and what it looks like to create tools and frameworks that actually help leaders operate.

This is a conversation about standards, substance, and the future of the profession; with a clear focus on what’s happening underneath the systems: decision-making, accountability, and the human dynamics that shape whether HR actually works.

#BeeneethTheSurface #BeeneethTheSurfacePodcast #HolisticallyHR #TheHumanLayer #CarlosLarracilla #Wowledge #HRLeadership #HRStrategy #PeopleOperations #FutureOfWork #WorkplaceCulture #OrganizationalDesign #HRTransformation #TalentStrategy #LeadershipDevelopment #EmployeeRelations #ChangeManagement #HRGovernance #EthicalLeadership #CredibilityInHR #ModernHR #FounderLeadership #BusinessImpact #HumanCenteredLeadership

I sit down with Charles Goretsky, Chief Content Officer & Co-Founder of Wowledge—a 30+ year HR veteran, classically trained, deeply seasoned, and the real deal.

This conversation cuts through the noise to name what’s true about the HR profession right now: where credibility has been diluted, what real capability looks like in practice, and what it takes to build HR that actually holds up in the rooms where decisions get made.

If you’ve been craving substance over performance, this one will land.

💫 And for those of us who know… you know.

#BeneathTheSurfacePodcast #TheWorkWeLiveIn #HolisticallyHR #Wowledge #CharlesGoretsky #HRLeadership #PeopleStrategy #HRTransformation #FutureOfWork #LeadershipDevelopment #ExecutiveLeadership #OrganizationalEffectiveness #TalentStrategy #CultureAndChange #WorkplaceCulture #ChangeManagement #HumanCapital #StrategicHR #HonestTalk #RealChange

In moments like this, no single lens is enough. Across the country, people are carrying real tension into work and everyday life; grief, fear, anger, fatigue. Questions about safety, dignity, and what leadership even means when the ground feels unstable.

In this "BTS" riff, we anchor the conversation in Minnesota / Minneapolis, (where Russ is from) to talk about what leaders, teams, and humans can do when a national moment shows up in real time.

How to stay steady without going silent, how to set boundaries without shutting people down, and how to lead with clarity when opinions are loud and emotions are real.

Want more of Russ?

Beneath the Surface Podcast ("BTS"):

https://youtu.be/mDJG6mbJi5s?si=RlDTNvrf2nLd8nw2

What does it actually mean to be content, without shutting down your edge, your growth, or your truth?

I sit with Rick Hardin for a grounded, real conversation about the tension so many of us live in: wanting more while also wanting peace. We talk about the difference between contentment and resignation, how “success” can quietly become a performance, and what it looks like to pursue change without betraying yourself along the way.

This is one of those episodes that doesn’t give you a neat checklist, because life doesn’t. Instead, it offers language for the moment you’re in… and permission to re-examine what you’re building, why you’re building it, and what it’s costing you.

If you’ve been feeling restless, grateful, unsure, motivated, tired, or all of the above, this one will land.

Want to see more of Rick, check out Beeneeth The Surface Podcast on Youtube:

https://youtu.be/4y9Itb4wnvc?si=euoqTNFRoXtoO7p3

’Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the feed... As we move into a new year, my quiet hope is this: That we give ourselves permission to bring forward what’s genuinely ours — even if it’s imperfect, unfinished, or still forming.

Sometimes the most meaningful work doesn’t scale. It simply connects.

Wishing you a grounded close to the year and space for real thinking ahead.

As SHRM publicly unravels, something uncomfortable is happening across the HR industry. Instead of pausing to reflect, some organizations are rushing to launch new certificate programs, attempting to monetize uncertainty rather than learn from it. In the middle of credibility questions, governance gaps, and trust erosion, “credentials” are being sold as reassurance.

And that’s the problem. The reactive scramble.

This episode explores why the reflex to buy legitimacy, letters, badges, and certificates, misses the deeper issue. When a profession feels shaken by the instability of a single institution, it reveals how fragile our foundations really are. When practitioners panic about perception instead of practice, and when companies equate HR expertise with who they pay rather than how work is done, something is broken beneath the surface.

We don’t need more certificates. We need more competence, conscience, and courage.

This conversation challenges the certification culture in HR, calls out opportunistic behavior in moments of crisis, and asks a harder question: what actually makes someone credible in this profession? If HR is serious about its future, it won’t be rebuilt through branding, it will be rebuilt through judgment, accountability, and ethical leadership.

Abundance is misunderstood, especially in the creator economy, community, and network spaces, where numbers seem to define value.

Abundance has nothing to do with metrics if you’re not original = no skin in the game.

Shout out to the "BTS Guest Community". Keeping it real ❤️.

Gina dives into a real HR plot twist: SHRM, the organization that literally trains HR professionals, asked a judge not to treat them as HR experts in a racial discrimination trial.

A federal judge refused, opening the door for punitive damages and serious questions about accountability in HR. From dress codes banning sequins to investigation conflicts, we break down what this case reveals about governance, credibility, and why practicing “best practice” matters more than preaching it.

I sit down with Jenny Brandemuehl, former HR Executive and author of Forever Fly Free. Jenny didn’t arrive with splashy PR teams, advance buzz, or a hyper-curated launch plan. She showed up with a book that feels like a door opening: Forever Fly Free. a collection of lived experience, memory, and truth that somehow feels like it was written for the person you’re becoming, not just the person you’ve been.

In a world obsessed with “brand,” Jenny brought presence. No jargon. No clickbait. Just a voice that refuses to rush itself.

We live in a culture where creators are pushed to optimize everything — SEO, engagement cadence, funnel strategy, “drop windows,” hashtags, advance readers, pre-saves (IKYKIYK).

Meanwhile, Jenny moves with something different: intentional pacing.

It almost feels… rebellious.

A human being releasing a project on human time.

Here’s what struck me when we talked:

• Jenny didn’t write a book as content.
• She wrote a book as capacity; emotional, spiritual, reflective capacity.

There’s a difference.

Content fills. Capacity expands.

And the industry rarely knows what to do with that.

Because if you’re not playing the algorithm, people assume you’re not playing the game.

LOL we’ve made creativity a compliance system.

I sit down with Vanessa Gutiérrez, HR Director and Founder of the AI For HR Community, educator, emerging-tech strategist, and community builder focused on responsible adoption of AI inside organizations.

Vanessa brings both human insight and technical depth to the conversation, unpacking how AI can transform HR, simplify workflows, and expand strategic capacity, without losing the connection to people.

Together, we explore:

• How AI is actually being used by HR teams right now
• The difference between automation vs. augmentation
• Practical use cases for recruiting, compliance, talent development, and performance
• Why community matters in tech adoption
• How leaders can build ethical, sustainable, and human-first AI strategies
• What HR professionals must learn next to stay relevant

This episode is perfect for HR leaders, founders, creators, consultants, and anyone navigating AI in the workplace. You’ll walk away with realistic insight, not fear mongering hype, and actionable ideas you can test immediately.

I sit down with Doug Flynn, Founder and CEO of FlynnZito Capital Management, Newsnation advisor, and lifelong student of reinvention to talk about the moments that change the trajectory of a career, a mindset, and a life.

Doug brings a rare honesty and self-awareness to leadership conversations. We explore the inflection points that force growth, the courage to leave certainty, and the practical tools for building a path rooted in purpose, skill, and humility.

Together, we dig into:

• how to navigate reinvention when the title no longer defines you
• what leaders get wrong about confidence and vulnerability
• why curiosity creates momentum in every career season
• the discipline behind long-term professional growth
• how to listen to your own voice, not the constant noise that surrounds us

If you’re in a moment of career transition, leadership growth, or identity shift, this episode will feel like a deep exhale and a nudge forward.

I sit down with Greer Procich, HR Director and disability inclusion strategist, founder of Rethink Ability, and advocate for designing inclusive systems that actually work for real people.

Greer is shifting the conversation from compliance checkboxes to human-centered design, helping companies build accessible workplaces, inclusive products, and cultures where every person can contribute fully.

Together, we go beneath the surface of:

• disability inclusion beyond legal requirements
• universal design as a business strategy
• why accessibility fails when HR treats it as an afterthought
• the emotional reality of navigating work with invisible barriers
• how AI, technology, and product teams can build for all users
• what leadership looks like when inclusion is proactive

If you care about DEI, accessibility, inclusive HR, startup culture, employee experience, product design, or the future of work, you will walk away with practical, human insights, not just theory and word salads.

I sit down with Dr. Jon Finn, behavioral scientist, high-performance coach, TEDx speaker, and founder of the “Tougher Minds” system going deep on the psychology behind sustained change, peak performance, and the mental habits that drive real leadership.

Dr. Finn has spent the last 20+ years helping leaders, teams, athletes, and organizations improve resilience, focus, confidence, decision-quality, and human performance using evidence-based behavioral science.

Together, we explore:

• The science of habit formation and identity-based change
• Why most leadership training fails to change behavior
• How to build high-performance routines that actually stick
• The link between mental fitness, emotional regulation, and culture
• Practical tools for resilience, self-awareness, and high-pressure decision-making
• The human layer underneath AI adoption and business transformation

If you're a founder, CHRO, coach, leader, creator, or anyone navigating complexity, this episode will give you realistic, actionable ways to change how you think, feel, and lead, starting today.

I sit down with Russ Nordmeyer - aka “DJ Russ Rich"

“Sometimes the biggest risks are the ones we never take, because we fear starting over.” - Russ Nordmeyer.

In this episode, Russ dives into what it really means to reinvent yourself, not just your role, but your mindset, and how each chapter of life can sharpen you instead of making you settle.

And just wow, talk about a career pivots/changes! If you’re navigating change in your career, leadership, or identity, this conversation is for you. You won't want to miss this one!

🚨Want to listen to more of Russ's music 👉🏼

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5Cz4fEjtLUiAZwk7rYdEef?si=YTA3EuruQfmsUVVol5aqkg

I sit down with Kate Sargent, HR Executive and Founder of KJS Consulting and The Plus One Collective; meeting the moment on what's happening in the HR - supporting one another, creating a new reality of abundance.

Kate opens up about the experiences that forced her to slow down, listen, and rethink what success actually meant. She talks about the tension between ambition and identity, how her early career beliefs evolved, and why learning to let go of control is sometimes the most strategic move we can make.

We explore:

• The internal shifts that happen when you face an unexpected turning point
• Learning to trust your intuition in a world obsessed with performance
• The difference between being good at your role and being aligned with your purpose
• How real growth often feels chaotic, nonlinear, and uncomfortable
• Why clarity isn’t found in hustle; it’s found in stillness and honest reflection

This is one of those conversations that stays with you long after it ends — not because it tells you what to think, but because it reminds you to stop, notice, and feel what’s actually happening within you.

I sit down with Intuitive, Spiritual, Life Coach, Jen Whitbeck, riffing on the energetic weather of work. You know, that vibe you feel the second you walk into a meeting or log onto your video conference call. The tension, the burnout, the weird year-end stress people pretend isn’t happening.

We talk about intuition, emotional intelligence, the emotional climate of teams- the unspoken stuff people drag into the workplace during the holidays. Honestly, half the time we’re just calling out the things people feel but don’t name.

If you’ve ever thought, “Why does the energy feel off today?” or “What is going on with everyone right now?”- this episode is for you.

It’s casual. It’s honest. It’s us.

Gina dives into a real HR plot twist: SHRM, the organization that literally trains HR professionals, asked a judge not to treat them as HR experts in a racial discrimination trial.

Gina breaks down the verdict in the racial discrimination and retaliation case against the world’s largest HR association. The jury’s decision, and the potential for punitive damages, highlights a deeper issue: what happens when an HR organization fails to follow its own rules.

We explore the investigation conflicts, credibility gaps, and governance lessons beneath the surface of this case, and what HR leaders need to take seriously moving forward.

Accountability just got real.