Redefining how we talk about work. Hosted by Rhona Pierce, Workfluencer spotlights professionals using content to grow careers, build personal brands, and shape industries. From employee creators reshaping corporate culture to entrepreneurs turning side-hustles into businesses, we explore the real stories and strategies behind blending work, creativity, and influence in todayâs world.
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Most people spend months preparing for a single DisruptHR presentation. Ashlynne Valdez delivered two different talks in 30 days, won Best Speaker at one event, and helps select speakers for DisruptHR Las Vegas.
In this episode, we go behind the scenes of DisruptHR to explore what separates a good talk from a great one. Ashlynne shares how she develops topics, finds a disruptive angle, prepares for the fast-paced five-minute format, and what organizers are really looking for when reviewing speaker applications.
Whether you're thinking about applying to DisruptHR or simply want to become a more impactful speaker, this conversation offers a rare look inside one of the most unique speaking formats in the workplace community.
What You'll Learn:
Why a five-minute talk is harder than an hour-long presentation and how to prepare for it
The three things Disrupt HR selection committees look for in speaker applications
How to find the disruptive angle in any topic, even one that seems overdone
Why "less is more" is the most critical principle when the slides are beyond your control
How to use LinkedIn content to test and validate your talk ideas before you even submit
How to take a narrow, specific topic and make it land for every person in the room
Resources Mentioned:
SoundHR Website: https://www.soundhr.com/
Connect With Us:
Connect with Ashlynne: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashlynne-valdez-phr-295706219/â
Connect with Rhona: â â https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhonabarnettpierce
Want to turn your team into creators?
Visit â â workfluencermedia.comâ â  to learn how we help companies build video-first content systems that attract, engage, and retain talent.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#93: How to Stand Out on LinkedIn
Episode 93
Monday, June 15, 2026 ⢠Duration 49:42
Most LinkedIn advice teaches you how to fit in. Jillian Richardson believes the opposite.
In this episode of Workfluencer, Rhona sits down with one of LinkedIn's most recognizable ghostwriters to discuss why being a little weird might be your biggest advantage online. Jillian shares the story behind her viral "Be Weird on LinkedIn" movement, what founders get wrong about personal branding, and why authenticity is becoming the best defense against AI-generated content.
They also discuss employee-generated content, ghostwriting, creator monetization, brand partnerships, and the realities of putting yourself out there online.
If you've been playing it safe on LinkedIn, this episode will challenge you to rethink what professional content should look like.
In this episode:
Why blending in is becoming riskier than standing out
The real meaning of "being weird" on LinkedIn
How founders and executives can create more engaging content
Why employee-generated content builds more trust than corporate messaging
How ghostwriting actually works behind the scenes
The relationship between authenticity and AI-generated content
What creators should know about negotiating brand partnerships
How to find your unique voice on LinkedIn
Resources Mentioned:
Jillian's Website: https://www.makelinkedinweird.com
Connect With Us:
Connect with Jillian: â https://www.linkedin.com/in/thatjillian/
Connect with Rhona: â https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhonabarnettpierceâ
Want to turn your team into creators?
Visit â workfluencermedia.comâ  to learn how we help companies build video-first content systems that attract, engage, and retain talent.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#92: How to Write a Book About Workplace Culture
Episode 92
Monday, June 8, 2026 ⢠Duration 46:42
What does it take to turn years of workplace observations into a published book?
In this episode of Workfluencer, Abi Adamson shares the story behind her debut book, Culture Blooming: Nurturing Workplaces Where People Grow. From witnessing favoritism, discrimination, and toxic leadership to developing her own workplace culture framework, Abi explains how she transformed real-world experiences into a book designed to help leaders create better workplaces.
Abi pulls back the curtain on the publishing process, including how she landed a publisher through LinkedIn, rewrote her entire framework, worked through multiple drafts with her editor, and balanced personal stories with practical advice. She also shares some of the workplace experiences that shaped both her career and the book itself.
Whether you've considered writing a book, building a thought leadership platform, or simply want a deeper understanding of workplace culture, this conversation offers an honest look at what it takes to turn expertise into intellectual property.
What You'll Learn:
How to get your first book deal
Why you do not need a finished manuscript to approach a publisher
What it takes to write a business book that is accessible to people with dyslexia, non-native English speakers, and first-time managers
How to honor creative rest without losing momentum, and why forcing writing produces content that reads like filler
How to balance personal stories with practical workplace advice
Resources Mentioned:
Pre-Order Abi's Book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/824116/culture-blooming-by-abi-adamson/
Connect With Us:
Connect with Abi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abiadamson/
Connect with Rhona: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhonabarnettpierce
Want to turn your team into creators?
Visit workfluencermedia.com to learn how we help companies build video-first content systems that attract, engage, and retain talent.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#91: How to Monetize a Podcast Without Losing Your Integrity
Episode 91
Monday, June 1, 2026 ⢠Duration 45:02
Most creators think they need a massive audience before brands will take them seriously. Chad Sowash says that's nonsense!
In this episode of Workfluencer, Chad shares how he and his co-host, Joel Cheesman, built the Chad & Cheese podcast into a profitable business from day one, why most creators dramatically undervalue themselves, and what brands are actually buying when they sponsor content.
We discuss why niche audiences outperform vanity metrics, how to create sponsorship packages that deliver real value, and why some of Chad's strongest sponsor relationships started after publicly criticizing those companies. Chad also explains how he evaluates HR tech vendors, why creators have a responsibility to vet the products they promote, and the rules he follows to protect audience trust.
If you've been wondering whether it's possible to make money from content without becoming a spokesperson for every brand that waves a checkbook, this conversation is for you.
What You'll Learn:
Why Chad built his podcast as a business from day one
What brands actually want from creator partnerships
The biggest mistake creators make when pricing sponsorships
Why niche audiences are often more valuable than large audiences
How Chad handles disagreements with sponsors
The role creators play in vetting AI and HR tech products
Lessons learned from nearly a decade of podcast monetization
Resources Mentioned:
Listen to the Chad & Cheese Podcast: https://www.chadcheese.com/
Connect with Us:
Connect with Chad: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadsowash/
Connect with Rhona: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhonabarnettpierce
Want to turn your team into creators?
Visit workfluencermedia.com to learn how we help companies build video-first content systems that attract, engage, and retain talent.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#90: Rebuilding a Personal Brand After a Layoff
Episode 90
Monday, May 18, 2026 ⢠Duration 48:49
Strong POV content feels risky for most creators, but Jillian O'Malior built her audience by removing the corporate pleasing filter completely. After being laid off in November 2024, she ran a 90-day experiment leaning into âstrategically unhingedâ content about layoffs, labor reform, and the dehumanization of workers â and the inbound work, brand deals, and podcast invites started rolling in.
In this episode of Workfluencer, Rhona Pierce sits down with brand strategist and workplace advocate Jillian O'Malior about the moment she dropped corporate Jillian, the dinner-party framework she uses to keep her voice consistent, and the seven-story-plot approach she applies to every post. They cover how to be vulnerable without overexposing yourself, why a strong POV content strategy doubles as a filter, and how to build a personal brand without sounding like a rant.
At its core, this episode is about what happens when you stop optimizing for the broadest possible audience and start saying what only you can say. The professionals who try to please everyone get scrolled past. The ones who plant a stake in the ground get hired.
You'll hear Jillian's exact content framework, the difference between venting and a strong POV, why âstrategically unhingedâ outperforms safe corporate content, how she handled friends who thought she'd âgone off the deep end,â and the specific advice she gives clients building their personal brand from scratch.
What You'll Learn:
How to build a personal brand after a layoff
Why authentic content outperforms sanitized corporate posting
How to use content as a filter for career opportunities
The difference between vulnerability and unhinged oversharing
How layoffs are reshaping conversations around work
Why AI-generated content is the reason for the loss of originality online
Why having a strong POV online is less risky than people think
How to create content that actually sounds like you
Jillianâs framework for developing a memorable personal brand
The future of work, portfolio careers, and labor reform
Resources Mentioned:
Jillian's Website: https://www.jilliandoesbranding.com/
The Liquidity of Truth Case Study: https://www.jilliandoesbranding.com/showrunner-methodology
Connect With Us:
Connect with Jillian: â https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillian-omalior
Connect with Rhona: â https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhonabarnettpierceâ
Want to turn your team into creators? Visit â workfluencermedia.comâ to learn how we help companies build video-first content systems that attract, engage, and retain talent.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#89: How to Build an HR Conference People Actually Want to Attend
Episode 89
Tuesday, May 12, 2026 ⢠Duration 51:19
Most conferences focus on information. Anna Morgan focused on belonging.
In this episode of Workfluencer, Anna takes us behind the scenes of building Evolve â a fast-growing HR and recruiting conference brand built around trust, community, and real human connection.
From hosting LinkedIn audio rooms and recruiter communities to executive dinners and a full-scale conference ecosystem, Anna shares how she turned years of relationship-building into one of the most community-driven experiences in the HR space.
We talk about:
How she launched her first conference in just 69 days
Why most networking at conferences feels transactional
The realities of bootstrapping an event business
How she designs experiences people actually want to return to
Why content should extend the life of an event instead of just marketing it
What sponsors really want from conferences in 2026
How Evolve On Demand is expanding the conference beyond the room
If you care about HR events, employer branding, community building, recruiting, or creating experiences people genuinely connect with, this episode is packed with practical insights.
Resources Mentioned:
Join the waitlist for EVOLVE on Demand: https://evolve.short.gy/5EKAv9
Connect With Us:
Connect with Anna: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annamorgan-recruiter-careerbff
Connect with Rhona: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhonabarnettpierce
Want to turn your team into creators? Visit workfluencermedia.com to learn how we help companies build video-first content systems that attract, engage, and retain talent.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#88: How Honest Employer Branding Attracts Better Candidates
Monday, May 4, 2026 ⢠Duration 54:11
What if candidates were lining up before you even posted the job?
In this episode, Rhona sits down with Bradley Clark to break down how his team turned honest, transparent employer branding into a high-performing talent engine.
They get into why most employer branding fails, how transparency filters in the right candidates (and repels the wrong ones), and the exact system behind their âearly accessâ hiring strategy that drives 60% of hires before jobs ever hit job boards.
This is a tactical, behind-the-scenes look at what happens when employer brand is actually aligned to hiring goalsânot vanity metrics.
What Youâll Learn:
Why honesty is the most effective employer branding strategy
Why âaspirationalâ employer branding hurts hiring
How radical transparency improves candidate quality
The early access hiring strategy (and how to copy it)
Why you should close jobs early (and stop collecting resumes)
The 4 content pillars behind a high-performing employer brand
How to use rejection emails as a brand-building tool
Why unpolished content outperforms high-production campaigns
How employer brand should directly support talent strategy
Resources Mentioned:
Visit Article's LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/article.com/
If you've been wanting to post more consistently on LinkedIn, try Stanley for FREE - â â â â https://workfluencerpodcast.com/stanley â â
Subscribe to Rhona's Newsletter: â â â â https://link.rhonapierce.com/newsletter2â
Connect with Us:
Connect with Brad: â https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradmclark/
Connect with Rhona â â â â â â https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhonabarnettpierce/â
Want to turn your team into creators? Visit â â â â workfluencermedia.comâ â â â to learn how we help companies build video-first content systems that attract, engage, and retain talent.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#87: How to Turn Content Into Clients (By Building in Public)
Episode 87
Tuesday, April 28, 2026 ⢠Duration 36:01
How do you actually turn content into clientsâespecially when youâre just starting out?
In this episode, we unpack what it really looks like to build in public and use content as more than just a visibility play. Not polished. Not hindsight. Real-time.
Preston recently left corporate and is building his business from the ground up, documenting the process as he goes. That means sharing whatâs working, whatâs not, and how his approach to content has shifted from âjust postingâ to something much more intentional.
We talk about how content evolves from a side project into a true business driver, what âbuilding in publicâ actually means in practice, and where to draw the line between transparency and oversharing. Youâll also hear what types of content are gaining traction right now, whatâs falling flat, and how to connect what you post back to real opportunitiesâwithout feeling salesy.
Itâs an honest look at figuring things out as you go, including the mental and financial side of making the leap.
If youâve been showing up online and wondering if itâs ever going to lead to something⌠this is the episode that connects the dots.
What You'll Learn:
Why waiting until you feel ready to build in public is still delay â and what actually gets you started
How to use memes and infographics to educate your professional niche on LinkedIn without being generic
The financial runway strategy Preston used to safely leave a decade-long corporate career
Why content creation is the cheat code for introverts who hate networking
The difference between posting to educate and posting with a business development strategy
How to be selective with sponsorships in a way that protects your credibility and your audience's trust
What building in public looks like when you're still mid-pivot and haven't nailed your niche yet
Resources Mentioned:
Visit Preston's website: https://www.guidelinetalent.com
If you've been wanting to post more consistently on LinkedIn, try Stanley for FREE - â â â https://workfluencerpodcast.com/stanley â
Subscribe to Rhona's Newsletter: â â â https://link.rhonapierce.com/newsletter2
Connect with Us:
Connect with Preston: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prestonsharpston
Connect with Rhona â â â â â https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhonabarnettpierce/
Want to turn your team into creators? Visit â â â workfluencermedia.comâ â â to learn how we help companies build video-first content systems that attract, engage, and retain talent.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#86: How to Build a Personal Brand After a Layoff
Episode 87
Monday, April 20, 2026 ⢠Duration 43:41
Most people get laid off and go quiet. Vanita Capobianco did the opposite.
She started creating content, launched a podcast, and began building a personal brand from scratch. No audience. No experience. No roadmap.
In this episode, we break down what actually happens after a layoffâand how to turn that moment into momentum. Vanita shares how she built consistency, found her voice, and created opportunities by showing up online.
We also get into the real side of content creation. Late nights. Self-doubt. Low views. And why none of that matters if you keep going.
If youâve ever thought about building a personal brand but feel like youâre ânot ready,â this episode will challenge that fast.
What Youâll Learn
Why layoffs can be a turning point (if you use them right)
How to start creating content with zero audience
How to promote your content when no one knows you yet
Why consistency beats perfection every time
How to balance a 9â5, kids, and content creation
Resources Mentioned:
Listen to Vanita's Podcast: https://laidofftoliftoff.riverside.com/
If you've been wanting to post more consistently on LinkedIn, try Stanley for FREE - â â https://workfluencerpodcast.com/stanleyÂ
Subscribe to Rhona's Newsletter: â â https://link.rhonapierce.com/newsletter2â
Connect With Us:
Connect with Vanita: â https://www.linkedin.com/in/vcapobiancohrtech/
Connect with Rhona â â â â https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhonabarnettpierce/â
Want to turn your team into creators? Visit â â workfluencermedia.comâ â to learn how we help companies build video-first content systems that attract, engage, and retain talent.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
#85: How to Get Content Ideas Without Overthinking
Episode 86
Monday, April 13, 2026 ⢠Duration 49:31
If youâre constantly consuming content but still struggling to come up with ideas⌠this episode is your reset.
Jeff Harry argues that the problem isnât a lack of inspiration, itâs too much input.
In this episode, we break down why overconsumption leads to overthinking, how that blocks creativity, and what actually helps you generate better content ideas (hint: itâs not more scrolling).
Youâll learn how to:
Stop relying on inspiration from other creators
Break out of the doomscrolling cycle
Use boredom as a creative advantage
Create content that feels natural, not forced
If youâve ever thought, âI know I should be creating, but I just canât get startedââthis oneâs for you.
Resources Mentioned:
Watch Jeff's TEDx Talk: https://youtu.be/Abnzm6czeP4
Visit Jeff's Website: https://www.rediscoveryourplay.com/
Subscribe to Rhona's Newsletter: â https://link.rhonapierce.com/newsletter2
Connect With Us:
Connect with Jeff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffharryplays/
Connect with Rhona â â â https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhonabarnettpierce/
Want to turn your team into creators? Visit â workfluencermedia.comâ to learn how we help companies build video-first content systems that attract, engage, and retain talent.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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