Human Side Up

Who Really Owns Workplace Culture? | Zach Blumenfeld & Nick Lombardino

Culture Isn’t HR’s Job: Building Work That Feels Human with Nick Lombardino & Zach Blumenfeld What if culture wasn’t something you rolled out—but something you practiced, person by person, day by day? In this episode of Human Side Up, host Natasha Nuytten sits down with Nick Lombardino and Zach Blumenfeld, co-founders of CultureCon (a certified B Corp), to unpack what actually makes workplace culture stick. From their origin story (Madison roots, high school connections, and an “accidental” community that turned into a movement) to the behind-the-scenes realities of building CultureCon, Nick and Zach share why the best cultures aren’t built by slogans—they’re built by trust, autonomy, and meaningful connection. They dig into the tension between flexibility and loneliness in remote work, why “culture fit” is often the wrong goal, and what it means to build “culture from the inside out”—starting with self-awareness, personal responsibility, and how you show up as an individual contributor. If you’re a leader trying to build culture without outsourcing it to HR—or an employee who wants to make work better from wherever you sit—this one is packed with practical insights and a whole lot of heart. Highlights & Takeaways 💡 Culture is everyone’s job (and why HR can’t carry it alone) 💡 Trust + autonomy = real connection (not just perks) 💡 Flexibility vs. belonging: what remote work can’t replace 💡 “Inside-out culture”: self-awareness as the foundation for meaning at work Human Side Up Hosted by Natasha Nuytten, CEO of CLARA, Human Side Up cuts through the noise to reveal how real leaders create workplaces—and lives—where people can thrive. Connect with Natasha: 🔗 LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-nuytten/] 🎧 Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6C0ODp690CSi6mNM1gss2L?si=ddca2121bd3a4943] 📺 YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@HumanSideUp] Connect with CLARA: 🔗 LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/get-clara-io/posts/?feedView=all] 🌐 Website [https://getclara.io/] 📺 YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@get-clara]

Will AI Take Your Job? | Ajay Malik

Let AI Do the Work: Becoming “Manager of One” in the Age of AI with Ajay Malik What if the future of work isn’t about replacing humans—but upgrading what we’re here to do? In this episode of Human Side Up, host Natasha Nuytten talks with Ajay Malik—CEO of StudioX-AI, former Head of Architecture & Engineering for Google’s worldwide corporate network, and holder of 100+ patents—about his mission to “let AI do the work so humans can do the thinking, feeling, and creating.” Ajay shares how his love for technology and his self-professed procrastination actually sharpen his ability to prioritize, focus, and build systems that quietly power billions of interactions behind the scenes. They dig into his core idea that every knowledge worker is now a “manager of one”—their own AI agent—and what that means for hiring, leadership, and personal responsibility. Ajay is refreshingly honest about the risks: AI will eliminate some jobs, especially for those who don’t learn it. But he also explains how the massive acceleration of innovation creates a new kind of demand for humans in the loop: orchestrators, conductors, project leaders, and ethical decision-makers who know how to direct AI, not just fear it. Along the way, he shares lessons from mentors, why doing one thing at 160% beats doing two things at 100%, and how AI is quietly teaching him to be more forgiving and more human. Highlights & Takeaways 💡 “Manager of one”: why every person now leads their own AI agent 💡 Human in the loop: 85% AI execution, 15% human oversight—and why that 15% is everything 💡 Job loss vs. velocity: how AI will cut some roles but create massive demand for new kinds of work 💡 Learning from AI: no grudges, no rumination, just next prompt—how that mindset can shape better leadership 💡 Everyone must learn AI (unless your job is literally with your hands): practical urgency for careers and companies Human Side Up What happens when we stop following the playbook and start writing our own? Hosted by Natasha Nuytten, CEO of CLARA, Human Side Up cuts through the noise to reveal how real leaders create workplaces—and lives—where people can thrive. Connect with Natasha: 🔗 LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-nuytten/] 🎧 Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6C0ODp690CSi6mNM1gss2L?si=ddca2121bd3a4943] 📺 YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@HumanSideUp] Connect with CLARA: 🔗 LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/get-clara-io/posts/?feedView=all] 🌐 Website [https://getclara.io/] 📺 YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@get-clara?sttick=0]

How Leaders Fail Returning Moms | Alexa Starks

Reentry Isn’t a Moment—It’s a System: Designing Support That Works with Alexa Starks What if “welcome back” wasn’t the plan—just the starting line? In this episode of Human Side Up, host Natasha Nuytten sits down with Alexa Starks—Founder & Chief Strategist of Executive Moms and host of The Reentry Room—to unpack how organizations can move beyond good intentions to build practical, repeatable frameworks that retain high-performing parents. Drawing from her own return-to-work experience and a decade in corporate ops, Alexa explains the “reentry gap,” why so many managers default to silence, and how leaders can co-create 30/60/90 re-onboarding plans that adjust goals, measure output (not hours), and make flexibility real. They get specific on scripts and shared language for managers and parents, weekly capacity check-ins, resetting OKRs, and the difference between policy and practice when it comes to boundaries. While the focus is parent reentry, the lessons apply across life events—because compassionate leadership and clear expectations improve outcomes for everyone. Highlights & Takeaways 💡Reentry is a process, not a date: co-create 30/60/90 plans and reset OKRs 💡Measure output, not “green dots”: flexibility that’s tied to clear goals 💡Policy vs. practice: manager behavior is the culture 💡Shared language: scripts for managers and parents to ask for—and offer—support 💡Beyond parenthood: compassion + clarity build stronger teams in any life event Human Side Up What happens when we stop following the playbook and start writing our own? Hosted by Natasha Nuytten, CEO of CLARA, Human Side Up cuts through the noise to reveal how real leaders create workplaces—and lives—where people can thrive. Connect with Natasha: 🔗 LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-nuytten/] 🎧 Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6C0ODp690CSi6mNM1gss2L?si=ddca2121bd3a4943] 📺 YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@HumanSideUp] Connect with CLARA: 🔗 LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/get-clara-io/posts/?feedView=all] 🌐 Website [https://getclara.io/] 📺 YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@get-clara]

How to Lead Humans in the Age of AI | CEO, Kern & Partners Russell Kern

Humans, AI, and the “Magnificent Middle” with Russell Kern What happens when you stop “managing” and start growing people—while inviting AI to help? In this episode of Human Side Up, host Natasha Nuytten sits down with Russell M. Kern—Founder & CEO of Kern & Partners—to explore how neuroscience, habit-formation, and AI can unlock what he calls the magnificent middle of managers. From selling jellybeans at 19 to scaling a 400-person creative agency and now advising global enterprises (SAP, AmEx, Caterpillar), Russell shares the K.E.R.N. method—Know, Empower, Reflect, Nurture—and why culture isn’t a slogan; it’s the behaviors we practice together. They dig into the cost of poor collaboration, why practice time isn’t just for sports teams, and how leaders become gardeners—creating the conditions for people to thrive while using AI as a thinking partner, not a crutch. Highlights & Takeaways 💡 The K.E.R.N. method: Know, Empower, Reflect, Nurture 💡 Why the “middle” makes or breaks culture and execution 💡 Neuroscience of habits: make the right thing the easy thing 💡 AI as a collaborator (not a replacement) for human judgment 💡 Building culture by design: small behaviors, big compounding effects Learn more about Russell & Kern and Partners: 🌐 Kern & Partners [https://www.kernandpartners.com] 🔗 Russell M. Kern [https://www.linkedin.com/in/russellmkern] Human Side Up What happens when we stop following the playbook and start writing our own? Hosted by Natasha Nuytten, CEO of CLARA, Human Side Up cuts through the noise to reveal how real leaders create workplaces—and lives—where people can thrive. Connect with Natasha: 🔗 LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-nuytten/] 🎧 Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6C0ODp690CSi6mNM1gss2L?si=ddca2121bd3a4943] 📺 YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@HumanSideUp] Connect with CLARA: 🔗 LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/get-clara-io/posts/?feedView=all] 🌐 Website [https://getclara.io/] 📺 YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@get-clara]

ADHD as a Superpower in Leadership | CEO, Full Scale Matt Watson

High Urgency, Hyperfocus, and Human Leadership with Matt Watson What happens when ADHD isn’t a limitation—but a leadership engine? In this episode of Human Side Up, host Natasha Nuytten sits down with Matt Watson—serial entrepreneur and CEO of Full Scale—for a conversation about obsession, grit, and redefining how teams scale. From selling his first company, VinSolutions, for $150M at just 29, to growing Full Scale from 0 to 300+ developers in the Philippines (with plans for 500), Matt has built a career by leaning into his ADHD traits: relentless problem solving, hyperfocus, and a fearless tolerance for risk. But Matt’s story is about more than exits and headcount. He shares candidly about self-awareness—knowing what he won’t do (like checking kids’ backpacks) as much as what he will—and why “courage” is the cultural keystone at Full Scale. He unpacks the power of ownership, the danger of treating developers like cogs, and why thoughtful offshoring isn’t cost-cutting—it’s opportunity creation across borders. Together, Natasha and Matt dig into what it means to lead without being the hero, to build psychological safety across cultures, and to turn grit into something bigger than success: purpose. Highlights & Takeaways 💡 Why ADHD can be a CEO’s superpower (and weakness) 💡 How hyperfocus fuels problem-solving and persistence 💡 The transition from CTO → CEO—and what changes (and doesn’t) 💡 Building ownership and “courage” into engineering culture 💡 Why thoughtful offshoring creates thriving teams and economies Learn more about Matt Watson & Full Scale: 🌐 Full Scale [https://fullscale.io] 🔗 LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mwatsonkc] Human Side Up What happens when we stop following the playbook and start writing our own? Hosted by Natasha Nuytten, CEO of CLARA, Human Side Up cuts through the noise to reveal how real leaders create workplaces—and lives—where people can thrive. Connect with Natasha: 🔗 LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-nuytten/] 🎧 Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6C0ODp690CSi6mNM1gss2L?si=ddca2121bd3a4943] 📺 YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@HumanSideUp] Connect with CLARA: 🔗 LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/get-clara-io/posts/?feedView=all] 🌐 Website [https://getclara.io/] 📺 YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@get-clara]