The future is here, just not equally distributed.
Join best-selling author and seasoned business leader Paul Estes in ”Expert Intelligence,” a bi-weekly podcast that focuses on the human-centric, AI-enabled approach to work, shedding light on key trends like the freelance revolution, the rise of generative AI and the changing dynamics of the workplace.
With over 20 years of leadership experience at giants like Microsoft, Dell, Amazon, and numerous venture-based startups, Paul brings a wealth of knowledge and a unique perspective. Whether you’re a business leader seeking guidance in this new era or an employee looking for inspiration and insights to navigate complex changes, this podcast is your go-to resource. Paul and his guests offer practical advice and thoughtful analysis to help you understand and adapt to these shifts, ensuring a healthy and productive journey in your professional life.
Tune in to ”Expert Intelligence” every other week for engaging, conversational, and insightful discussions that will empower you to stay ahead in the ever-changing world of work.
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Marcus Sawyer, EQ app CEO and former Adecco Group X president, is building the AI recruiting revolution he predicted five years ago. In this eye-opening conversation with Paul Estes, Marcus reveals how AI is transforming hiring and Paul shares an experiment where AI ranked his friend's "best" resume dead last. If you're job hunting in 2025, you need these insider tips on getting past AI gatekeepers to land your dream role. From Marcus's "Zero Admin Revolution" mission to his practical OTT framework for implementing AI agents, learn how AI is transforming recruiting while keeping human relationships at the core of the recruiting process.
You'll Learn:
How AI analyzes resumes differently than humans—and what this means for your job search
Why the "Zero Admin Revolution" is transforming recruiting (and how to benefit)
The simple "OTT" framework for understanding and implementing AI agents
Why finding the hiring manager is more crucial than ever in an AI-filtered world
How to distinguish between companies truly solving problems with AI versus those just chasing the next shiny tech tool
The critical first steps anyone can take today to get started with AI (hint: it begins with play!)
Marcus's powerful “10 Ps" planning framework for implementing AI effectively
Subscribe to the Expert Intelligence podcast so you don't miss future conversations with industry leaders at the forefront of technological transformation. Each episode brings you practical insights to navigate our rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Producer: David Grabowski
Theme Music: Aleksey Chistilin
The Future of Creative Work in an AI-Powered World with Mark Heaps
Episode 13
Monday, March 10, 2025 • Duration 33:03
Mark Heaps went from cutting out photos by hand to shaping AI’s future at Groq—and trust us, he’s got receipts. In this no-filter conversation with Paul Estes, Heaps drops the ultimate truth bomb: AI won’t replace humans, but humans who master AI will replace those who don’t. After a nail-biting story involving his son, a lionfish sting, and an LLM that saved the day, you’ll understand why this creative-turned-tech-exec is convinced we’re just scratching the surface of AI’s potential.
From building basketball team apps on the fly to transforming how we experience NBA games, Heaps breaks down the real-world applications revolutionizing how we live and work. He’s seen creative professionals move from eye-rolling dismissal to existential dread to genuine curiosity—all in 18 months. Get ready for a masterclass in why critical thinking will never go out of style, how latency issues are the real innovation bottleneck, and why your kids should be more worried about developing unique opinions than memorizing facts.
Connect with Mark on X and Instagram @lifebypixels
You’ll Learn:
How the “labor” parts of creative jobs are vanishing (and why that’s not terrible news)
The reason creative professionals have shifted from fear to fascination with AI
Why your R2-D2 and C-3PO moment is coming—and how to be Luke Skywalker in the scenario
The critical skills to future-proof yourself when AI can do almost everything else
How agentic workflows are creating thousand-bot debates that deliver better answers
What parents should tell their kids about navigating an AI-dominated future
Subscribe to the Expert Intelligence podcast so you don’t miss future conversations with industry leaders at the forefront of technological transformation. Each episode brings you practical insights to navigate our rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Producer: David Grabowski
Theme Music: Aleksey Chistilin
We are all part of the Gig Economy with Patricia Romboletti
Episode 1
Thursday, September 15, 2022 • Duration 26:27
We are all part of the Gig Economy
Author, TEDx speaker, LinkedIn expert, and creator of the 4-Step Bulletproof Your Career Methodology— Patricia Romboletti is on a mission to fundamentally change our relationship with our careers.
Moving from a world where we ask, "what do you want to become when you grow up?" to "what kind of life do you want to live ?" Pat affirms that we are all part of the gig economy today – that operates flexibly, despite any uncertainty, and is the new future.
She points out, however, that some of us are still in denial. "That (the transition to a gig environment) is happening for others. And maybe it's happening in technology, but it's not going to happen in my industry; it's not going to happen to me."
Have you asked yourself: What is your path during this time of great uncertainty? Have you given the future of work some thought yet?
Catch Pat and me discussing the mindset, skillset, future planning, and how realizing you are a part of the Gig Economy is an essential first step.
Key Takeaways:
Why do so many think that the trend of the Gig Economy is ride-sharing and food delivery? For one, they mostly didn't see it coming. T
Why are employees complaining of burnout now more than ever? There are a few reasons; the first one is the extra work on their plate because employers are keen on utilizing the time saved on commute. Secondly, the "use fewer people to do more " ideology has recently strengthened. And lastly, micromanaging - Micromanagers of the past have become their worst selves since the pandemic as they cannot continually monitor how their employees have been doing. In Pat's words, "overloading happens from weaker managers who are overreacting."
Collaboration in an Outcome-Based World: Insights from Tim Sanders
Episode 10
Friday, March 17, 2023 • Duration 36:36
Collaboration is essential for the success of all businesses. Companies are more likely to succeed with a collaborative culture; therefore, business owners need to collaborate with talent to grow their company and preserve their resources. Gig models are a great way for businesses to work with freelancers and contractors without the hassle of finding and managing employees. They are also more cost-effective in the long run. Join this conversation with Tim Sanders and learn more about the future of an outcome-based world where entrepreneurs will only hire on demand. Learn more about the importance and types of collaboration.
As a former Yahoo chief solutions officer and best-selling author, Tim Sanders is one of the top-rated leadership keynote speakers on the lecture circuit. His keynotes at conferences and corporate meetings offer actionable insights into leadership development, sales, collaboration, and corporate culture. He’s passionate about motivating audiences to move to action. Tim’s mission is twofold: lead professionals to deepen all their relationships through the generosity and expand their collaborative webs to solve their toughest challenges.
Tune in!
What You Will Learn:
[00:01] Quick bio of today’s guest, Tim Sanders
[01:06] What inspired Tim to write his book, Love is the Killer App
[05:50] Correlation between what you study and your income
[07:02] Common talk that Tim has heard from people off stage
[07:58] Why human service will be obsolete by 2050
[10:07] The one problem companies can solve through gig platforms
[13:42] Importance and types of collaboration in a company
[16:08] Distributed collaboration
[18:49] Tim’s takeaway on collaboration
[21:37] Disruptive collaboration
[25:16] Protect and nurture your ideas
[28:38] The power of curiosity
[30:57] Damn collaboration
[33:22] The future of outcome-based world
[35:14] Working with a freelancer
Standout Quotes:
“Be a student, and when you learn something, become a teacher.” - Tim Sanders [02:43]
Resources Mentioned
Stay Connected
Gigging the Gap: Navigating the Future of Workforce Shortages with Jason Radisson
Episode 7
Wednesday, February 8, 2023 • Duration 26:16
Gigging the Gap: Navigating the Future of Workforce Shortages with Jason Radisson"
The gig economy, also known as the on-demand or freelance economy, is a rapidly growing sector of the global workforce. It is an economy that allows people to work independently in short-term, freelance jobs instead of traditional long-term employment. The gig economy is now seen as an effective solution to the global shortage of skilled front-line workers. By taking advantage of this new way of working, companies can access a larger pool of talented individuals willing to take on short-term projects or assignments, helping businesses fill their staffing gaps quickly and easily without going through the traditional hiring process.
Join this conversation with Jason Radisson as we discuss the advantages of using a gig economy in solving global workforce shortages and how it can benefit employers and employees. Jason Radisson is a serial unicorn breeder. His latest venture is Shift One, where he is the Founder & CEO, a platform that is helping solve the global shortage of skilled front-line workers, with more than 300,000 users, from nurses to solar technicians. Jason learned startup skills early in life.
Jason was born to a 16-year-old single mom and worked blue-collar jobs from short order cook to HVAC technician to fund school and climb out of poverty. From that inauspicious start, he went on to Harvard, a Fulbright Scholarship, and McKinsey & Company. Since becoming an entrepreneur, Jason has worked with more than a dozen first-tier VCs, firms like Softbank, Accel, DST, Andreessen Horowitz, Monashees, and Sequoia. Together he and his teams have built and scaled multiple tech unicorns, platforms that today provide work and improved living standards to millions of workers from Bogota to Boston.
Tune in!
What You Will Learn:
[00:34] Backstory of Jason Radisson
[02:24] How the gig economy will affect every industry
[03:24] Jason’s journey to technology and work
[06:55] His first experiences with doing work with automation
[11:43] How to balance the strengths and weaknesses of the gig economy
Standout Quotes:
Stay Connected
Direct Acess- Removing the Middleman
Episode 9
Wednesday, February 8, 2023 • Duration 27:38
The Future of Hiring: How SkillGigs is Revolutionizing Staffing with Brad Hill
The traditional brick-and-mortar staffing agencies have inefficient and biased ways of connecting employers with talent. Online platforms are beginning to disrupt this gig economy industry by providing a more efficient way to find the right people for the job. In this conversation, we are joined by Brad Hill from SkillGigs to talk more about their approach to effectively matching employers with the right talent for a job. Skillgigs is a technology that simplifies hiring and alleviates staffing shortages by placing talent quicker. With SkillGigs, there are no middlemen between employers and the people with the required talent. This ensures employers get the perfect fit.
Brad Hill serves as the SkillGigs’ division president of IT and digital, providing strategic and operating oversite for the company’s technology business. Over a 25-year career, Brad acquired global experience in design, construction, and execution in business development, executive leadership, operations, general management, and strategic consulting within the IT solutions & IT staffing industry.
Additionally, Brad worked for the Allegis Group for 19 years, primarily in their TEKsystems division, where he was an instrumental member of the team that helped scale TEKsystems to over $700mm in revenue. He also served as senior vice president of the ManpowerGroup business, Experis, where he was responsible for over $300mm in revenue. Brad earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology from Southwest Baptist University.
Tune in!
What You Will Learn:
[00:18] Brad Hill’s backstory and how he got into the gig space
[01:50] Effectively connecting who has it and who deserves it
[03:31] The inefficiencies of most staffing agencies
[07:51] The talent journey
[09:08] Specific problem that Skillgigs exists to solve
[10:20] How long will it take someone to be approved to start working in Skillgigs
[13:13] Most common types of jobs Brandhill has witnessed in Skillgigs
Standout Quotes:
Stay Connected
The Future of Work: Navigating the Pivot with Heather McGowan
Episode 8
Wednesday, February 8, 2023 • Duration 27:05
The Future of Work: Navigating the Pivot with Heather McGowan
The times of relying on outdated methods of working your way up the corporate ladder are ending, ushering in a new era of work that requires leaders to prepare their people and organizations for unprecedented changes. The gig economy is rising, with independent contractors filling labor shortages and creating opportunities for more flexible working arrangements. Automation and artificial intelligence are transforming the way we work, shifting the balance of power between employers and employees. To stay competitive in this changing landscape, leaders must develop strategies to attract and retain talent while also leveraging technology to drive innovation.
In this episode with Heather McGowan, we talk about everything you need to know about the future of work and how you can be better prepared for the pivot. McGowan is an author, advisor, and keynote speaker. She speaks at more than 75 events per year to companies from finance to consumer products to education to government agencies to media organizations—virtually every industry sector that engages humans. McGowan holds an undergraduate degree in industrial design from Rhode Island School of Design, an MBA from Babson College, and an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from Pennsylvania College of Art and Design.
Listen in to learn why McGowan believes that in the Third Industrial Revolution, we learned (once) in order to work, and now, in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, we will work in order to learn (continuously).
Tune in
What You Will Learn:
[00:01] Quick bio of today’s guest; Heather McGowan
[00:56] How our default factory settings of work have changed
[01:43] How people have reacted to taking the leap of changing their life
[03:01] How companies have pivoted to this shift
[04:30] What leaders need to do about their independent workers in their workforce
[05:31] Causes of the massive shortage in the labor force
[07:43] How leaders are reluctant to adapt to changes in the labor market
[10:38] Creating a work environment that Gen Z wants to work
The Gig Economy: Why it’s Faster, Cheaper, and Better with Rob Beiderman
Episode 5
Wednesday, February 1, 2023 • Duration 24:16
The Gig Economy: Why it's Faster, Cheaper, and Better with Rob Beiderman
The gig economy is not just about freelancing. It can be used for any contract work that requires talent. It also applies to organizations that want to outsource their work to save on costs but want to retain control over their brand and culture. The gig economy helps companies save on labor costs and acquire talent at scale by tapping into a global marketplace free from geographical restrictions or regulations. Join this conversation with Rob Beiderman and learn why companies need to pivot from a traditional talent network to a digital one which is faster, cheaper, and better.
Rob Biederman is the Co-Founder, Chairman, and former co-CEO of Catalant Technologies, the market leader enabling companies to get from strategy to execution faster. Biederman is also co-author of Reimagining Work: Strategies to Disrupt Talent, Lead Change, and Win with a Flexible Workforce, which lays out a vision and path for a new relationship between global companies and talent. More than 30 percent of the Fortune 100 use Catalant’s platform to frictionlessly access and deploy talent, ranging from employees to over 70,000 elite independent consultants and 1,000 boutique firms in Catalant’s Expert Marketplace.
Tune in!
What You Will Learn:
[00:01] Meet Rob Beiderman
[00:35] A bit about Catalant
[02:09] Rob’s pivotal moment in becoming a founder
[03:43] The world of remote working in 2013
[05:53] The time Rob saw the magic of the Catalant gig model
[07:43] What has been hindering Catalant from being a 4-billion dollar company
[09:05] Why Catalant has pivoted from a traditional talent network to a digital one
[11:15] Current areas of interest for investors that Rob has witnessed
[13:24] A bit about Halo
[15:04] A brief case study where a Halo scientist engaged with a client
[18:11] What’s the future of Uber
[21:15] Different markets where the gig economy model can be applied
Building Elite Teams with Raphael Ouzan: Insights from the Founder & CEO of A.Team
Episode 4
Wednesday, November 30, 2022 • Duration 26:41
Building Elite Teams with Raphael Ouzan: Insights from the Founder & CEO of A.Team
In today’s competitive world, it is essential to have an elite team of highly skilled professionals to help your company grow and achieve its goals. When building an elite team, it’s important to set a clear mission. Moreover, hiring the best people is not enough; you need to ensure they are all working towards the same goal.
In this incredible episode, Paul Estes interviews Raphael Ouzan, the Founder & CEO at A.Team. Raphael shares; what prompted him to go stealth for A.Team, the birth of the builder economy category, and how A.Team can build highly effective teams.
Additionally, he shares the challenges experienced by the A.Team when helping companies supercharge existing teams or create new ones and discusses how the desire for autonomy has led highly skilled professionals to resign from their jobs and opt to be Independent workers. If you are working with the right people, that’s a life worth living, and that’s when you can create exponential results.
Tune in for more insights!
During this episode, you will learn about;
[00:41] Introduction to the episode
[01:25] Meet our guest Raphael Ouzan the Founder & CEO at A.Team
[01:59] What prompted Raphael to go stealth for A.Team
[03:31] The birth of the builder economy category
[05:31] How A.Team can build highly effective teams
[08:14] An example of a scenario where the A.Team and the team graphs have
enabled companies to build and manage elite tech teams
Abbi - Automation, personalization, and no meetings: freelance life
Episode 3
Monday, October 24, 2022 • Duration 24:07
We always hear about the big names in the gig economy, such as Uber, Grubhub, TaskRabbit, Fiverr, UpWork, and TurboTax Live. We never really get to hear from the people who provide the services on these platforms.
Today, we’re hearing from Abbi Perets, freelance writer and Founder of Successful Freelance Mom. We talk about taking on freelancing as a lifestyle choice, juggling freelancing with being a mom, building culture, balancing automation and human touch, and getting Abbi’s Top 5 Tips for working with freelancers.
Timestamps
[02:11] Freelancing as a lifestyle choice.
[03:16] Abbi’s freelancing journey.
[05:21] Freelancing with large companies.
[08:11] The hardest parts of building culture.
[10:06] Using automation to scale.
[12:20] What it means to buck trends.
[17:25] Abbi’s top 5 tips for working with a freelancer.
[21:59] A question from Sydney.
Notable Quotes
“You don’t need all the things that people think that you need.”
“Your freelancer has a zone of genius. Let them do that thing.”
“Give people what they need in order to be successful.”
“Respect the process. The best freelancers have done what they’re doing, the thing you hire them to do, they’ve done it before.”
“Front-load on the meetings and then let people do their work.”
“Give feedback so that your freelancer can incorporate it going forward.”
“Think about what makes you happy. Is this job going to get you there?”
Meet Abbi Perets
Abbi Perets has been a freelance writer for over 20 years, working with some of the biggest companies in the world, all while raising five children - one of them with special needs.
She is the founder of Successful Freelance Mom, a platform where she helps women, and especially mothers, build their own successful freelance writing businesses to allow them to earn an income while managing their day-to-day lives.
Lessons from Pat's four-phase system to bulletproof your career:
Clarify the chaos around you. Have clarity about what you want to do and how you want your life to shape. For example, before taking action towards updating a resume on LinkedIn, think about your target for the following year.
The next step is to eliminate doubt and pursue your goal confidently.
Prioritize the things you should be doing to make the change.
Lastly, accelerate the process.
About Pat
Patricia Romboletti is an author, TEDx speaker, LinkedIn expert, and creator of the 4-Step Bulletproof Your Career Methodology. She also has almost two decades of experience as a trained executive recruiter.
Her coaching site - https://bulletproofyourcareer.com/
“There’s always a correlation between what you read and your income.”-Tim Sanders [05:50]
“If you study Tony Robbins and what turned his life around, it was one year in an apartment in San Diego, where he literally read 500 books. If you study Mark Cuban’s life, his turnaround was two years when he read about 80 books a year to master his space.”- Tim Sanders [05:58]
“Millenials don’t think or care about talent. They care about delivering work.”- Tim Sanders [07:29]
“Gig economy is the future of doing business. For digital natives, that could be the only way to get the services you are looking for.”-Host [11:56]
“All innovations come from four distinct personalities.”-Tim [18:04]
“Big ideas show up as ugly babies, and it’s your job as a leader to protect them so that they eventually get cute.”-Tim [25:38]
“If you approach everything from curiosity… then you start to learn.”-Host [28:38]
[17:19] Why Jason decided to operate his company in stealth mode
[18:40] The greatest challenge he has faced with customers
[21:38] What’s the future of Shift One company
[23:59] How Shift One helps in reshaping the old way of staffing
[27:19] Bringing a new ethical approach to blue-collar work
[29:39] Episode wrap-up and calls to action
“Almost any job can be broken into smaller jobs that can be done on-demand.” - Jason [02:30]
“When people talk about the gig economy, there are two sides of the coin. Some people believe that it provides a good opportunity, while others believe that it takes advantage of workers.”-Host [11:08]
“There’s a problem with traditional staffing that technology and a new way of thinking can help solve.”- Host [23:37]
“One of the greatest challenges to navigate when outsourcing is to determine the fair price for the labor.”- Jason [28:10]
“A lot of people don’t understand that work is a choice in the gig economy.’-Host [28:48]
[12:16] Data on the prevalence of diversity and the gig economy
[14:15] The framework of leadership around mindset
[17:15] The “we culture.”
[19:04] What is job scouting, and how it affects your purpose in a career
[21:43] The human behavior that needs to change in leadership
[22:47] Quiet quitting
[24:34] What Heather has witnessed as a common issue among people in the post-pandemic era
[25:30] Episode wrap-up and calls to action
“It takes about sixty days for a habit to form.”- Heather [00:57]
“Anything that has changed is a result of someone taking a risk.”- Host [07:23]
“Companies should only be formed around solving a specific need.’-Heather [10:40]
“In a skills-based economy, the human potential is the king!” - Host [23:31]
“Quiet quitting in the labor market is when somebody decides that they are no longer going to focus on a job, but their family and mental health.”-Heather [23:40]
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