Now to Next with Jason Averbook

How do we move from AI hype to real, useful change at work? In this episode, Jason sits down with Johannes Sundlo, HR practitioner, speaker, and creator of FullStack HR, to unpack what “practical AI” really means for the future of work. A former HR leader at Spotify, Johannes shares how small, low-risk experiments can create big impact — and why curiosity is the most underrated skill for navigating constant change. From reskilling and automation to leading with experimentation, this episode offers a playbook for turning AI anxiety into action.

How do you lead with humanity when AI and automation are reshaping work? What does belonging look like for frontline teams who rarely see HR? In this episode Jason sits down with Mercedes Sullivan, Executive Vice President, People, Culture & Communications at McKinley Companies, to explore HR as a values-driven practice — not just tech. We talk about frontline workforce strategy, “projects → products” in HR, the ethical choice points of AI, and how leaders create belonging for people who’ve historically been left out of the HR conversation. Mercedes brings a rare blend of front-line empathy and productized HR craft. A former touring tennis player turned HR transformation leader, she explains how HR can move from checkbox transactions to human-centered product thinking, why the frontline deserves a different technology playbook, and where AI helps — and where it must be restrained.

In this episode of Now to Next, Jason Averbook sits down with HR tech veteran Doug Berg, known as the “Kevin Bacon of HR Tech” for his deep connections across the industry. Doug shares his entrepreneurial journey—from building Techies.com during the dot-com boom, to founding Jobs2Web (later acquired by SAP/SuccessFactors), to creating ZapInfo (acquired by Indeed), and now his latest venture, Match 2, which aims to fix one of recruiting’s biggest problems: the broken candidate experience. Doug and Jason dive into why candidates still face repetitive, siloed processes, how companies lose great talent through poor systems, and why the future of talent acquisition must flip from job-first to candidate-first.

In this episode, Jason sits down with Dr. Tomas Chamorro, psychologist, author, and Chief Innovation Officer at ManpowerGroup, to explore the provocative themes from his upcoming book Why Authenticity is Overrated. Tomas shares insights from decades of research on leadership, psychology, and human behavior—challenging the popular notion that “being yourself” is always the best advice. From the dark side of authenticity to the impact of AI on human identity and trust, this conversation unpacks what authenticity really means in today’s workplace. Tomas argues that our obligation to others often outweighs our right to self-expression, and that the path to better leadership lies in self-control, perspective-taking, and compromise.

In this episode of Now to Next, host Jason Averbook sits down with Dr. Thomas Otter — General Partner at Acadian Ventures, longtime product leader, and one of the most outspoken thinkers in HR technology. From his career at SAP and Gartner to co-founding a VC fund, Thomas has a unique vantage point on where HR tech has been and where it’s heading. Using golf bags, buffets, and a splash of wine metaphors, he and Jason break down acquisitions, AI, and the realities of building for the future of work. This isn’t hype — it’s a candid look at what’s really happening inside the industry, who’s likely to thrive, and which players may become roadkill on the way to reinvention.

In this special solo episode of Now to Next, host Jason Averbook launches a new series — Questions from the Edge — where he takes on the toughest, most forward-looking questions from the community about HR, AI, and the future of work. Throughout the episode, Jason makes it clear: this isn’t an incremental shift — it’s a collapse moment. The winners will be those who design for intent, agent, and workflow rather than clinging to platform, process, and user. He leaves listeners with a powerful reminder: In the AI era, trust is the true competitive advantage. The technology can scale instantly, but belief and confidence cannot.

In this conversation with Shlomit, we cut past the surface of “AI in HR” and get to what really matters: wisdom, judgment, and the human side of transformation.

In this powerful episode of Now to Next, Jason Averbook sits down with Shirley Baumer—co-founder and Chief Product Officer of DreamTeam—for a raw and insightful conversation about building a company amidst war, reimagining HR tech from the ground up, and what true leadership looks like in 2025. From her early days as a journalist to scaling monday.com into a billion-dollar company, Shirley’s journey is anything but ordinary. She shares how DreamTeam was built as an AI-native, product-led people platform—not just to digitize outdated HR processes, but to rethink them entirely. You’ll hear firsthand how she and her team launched features while sheltering from missile attacks, why she believes presence is the ultimate leadership trait, and how AI should be designed not just for power—but for trust and humanity.

In this candid first episode of Now to Next, Jason Averbook sits down with Jess Von Bank for a deeply human conversation on curiosity as a leadership superpower, why burnout is a design flaw of legacy work systems, the difference between optics and impact, a clear-eyed take on DEI and equity, and how AI’s value exchange should be measured in human impact. From growing up in rural North Dakota to building a global community, leading Diverse Daisies, raising three daughters, even racing for the “thrill of the hunt,” Jess shares how purpose, community, and reciprocity shape better systems—for people and for business.

In this episode of Now to Next, Jason Averbook delves into the podcast's mission, emphasizing the urgency of speed in today's business environment and the importance of innovative communication channels. Drawing insights from conversations with leaders who are at the forefront of driving change, Jason explores the dynamics of transformation in the modern workplace. He also discusses the variety of content that listeners can expect, alongside notes on the publishing schedule. The episode concludes with a reflection on the journey ahead, setting the stage for future discussions that aim to reshape and redefine the business landscape.