In this episode of MustardHub Voices: Behind the Build, Curtis Forbes sits down with Gabe Davis, Strategic Partner Manager at Cinch, to explore how thoughtful use of customer data can transform transactional moments into deeply personal experiences. Gabe shares his unconventional path into partnerships, how Cinch helps multi-location businesses clean up their data and build retention through smarter communication, and why empowering frontline workers is key to building trust and loyalty. From car washes to Chewy fan moments, this fireside chat dives into the future of work, leadership, and tech that puts people first.

About Gabe:

Gabe Davis is an experienced account executive and storyteller with a demonstrated history of working in the software as a service industry. Currently, he is based in Utah and is the Strategic Partner Manager at Cinch. He also has some past experience working for one of MustardHub’s competitors, but we are not going to mention any names.

From Dirty Data to Delightful Journeys: Gabe Davis on Personalization & the Power of People

In this episode of MustardHub Voices: Behind The Build, Curtis sits down with Jared Porter, co-founder and COO of 401Go, to talk about the power of possibility… and retirement plans. Jared shares the journey of building a platform that brings accessible, automated 401(k) benefits to small businesses and the people who power them. From saving stories that changed lives to cultural shifts within trucking companies, Jared unpacks how thoughtful technology and trust in people can transform the future. Tune in for real talk on financial wellness, the myth of work-life balance, and why hiring for trust is the foundation of any great team.

About Jared:

Jared Porter is Co-Founder and COO of 401GO, a company that created a proprietary and holistic technology platform for the 401(k) retirement benefit for businesses of all sizes. He loves solving problems, which is exactly why he helped start 401GO. What started from scratch has now grown to over 5,000 businesses and nearly a billion dollars saved for retirement. A father of six kids, his focus is always on doing the best he can for their future as well as improve the world they'll grow up in.

Retirement, Reinvented: Jared Porter on Making 401(k)s Work for Everyone

In this episode of MustardHub Voices: Behind the Build, Curtis chats with Jenny Leman, President and EOS Integrator at CareerPlug, about building values-driven workplaces that actually work. Jenny walks us through her journey from healthcare to SaaS leadership, explains why hiring without knowing your "why" is a major red flag, and makes a bold claim: 90% of performance issues are rooted in core value misalignment. From hiring and onboarding to retention and AI’s role in recruiting, Jenny shares actionable insights for business owners ready to stop whack-a-moling their way through people problems—and start building real momentum through empowered managers and culture-first systems.

About Jenny:

Jenny has a background in the health industry, but she pivoted to SMB/franchise business operations, and now SaaS operations have stolen her heart. She credits her journey with CareerPlug with allowing her to follow all of her loves and talents. She balances being a mom to 4 kids, leading CareerPlug as President and EOS Integrator, and sitting on a non-profit board that is focused on making tech safer for youth. In her spare time, you can find Jenny cheering her kids on at their activities and experimenting with AI as a curious enthusiast.

Jenny Leman on Core Values, Culture-First Hiring, and Empowering Great Managers

In this episode of MustardHub Voices: Behind the Build, Curtis sits down with Andrew Nielsen, General Counsel at MyHRCounsel, for a lively and enlightening conversation about the hidden pitfalls of HR law—and how to steer clear of them. Andrew shares his unconventional journey from pre-med to law, explains why FMLA is one of the most misunderstood areas in employment law, and gives practical advice on avoiding costly legal mistakes. From the rise of remote work to AI’s role in hiring discrimination, this chat covers the real-world challenges that growing businesses face—and how proactive policies, consistent enforcement, and a strong employee handbook can make all the difference.

About Andrew:

Andrew Nielsen is General Counsel at myHRcounsel.  He can convey complex HR and employment law issues to executives, human resources professionals, and salespeople alike.  Having handled more than 100 trials, he enjoys using that experience to help clients avoid litigation by taking a proactive approach to avoid problems before they arise.

Andrew Nielsen on Legal Landmines, Remote Work Realities & Getting HR Right From Day One

Doug Rixmann knows a thing or two about putting out fires—whether it’s in his volunteer fire department or in the day-to-day chaos of multi-unit restaurant operations. In this candid chat, he shares how OwlOps evolved from a homemade fix for his family’s QSR business into a must-have tech tool for franchises of all sizes. If you’ve ever tried to manage a store with a broken ice machine again or a missing soap dispenser still, this one’s for you.

About Doug:

Doug Rixmann is the co-founder and CEO of OwlOps. OwlOps is a task and maintenance management app that helps you improve communication, enhance accountability, and eliminate the paper shuffle in your restaurant operation. He’s a computer science professional and a dedicated volunteer firefighter, always driven by a passion for serving his community and solving problems. Doug likes to keep active outside of work through CrossFit-style workouts and pushing his limits by training for triathlons. He’s a happily married father to two teenagers, and he loves to travel and explore new places with his family.

Doug Rixmann on Building Culture and Fighting Fires (Literally and Figuratively)

In this episode of MustardHub Voices: Behind the Build, Curtis Forbes chats with Tevis Paxton, Director of Partner Development at HiringThing and veteran of the startup world. Tevis shares how a background in improv and a self-designed college major in "persuasion" laid the foundation for a thriving career in sales, partnerships, and go-to-market strategy. From the magic of white-label recruiting tech to the importance of context, alignment, and fun at work, this conversation is packed with wisdom for leaders building strong teams and scalable cultures. If you're into practical advice, startup storytelling, and a little humor along the way—this one's for you.

About Tevis:

Tevis Paxton is a startup guy, with primary professional focuses being: generating new revenue, strategic partner management, and launching new products. He's spent over a decade helping scale early-to-mid-stage startups and loves the opportunities and chaos that come with that.

Tevis Paxton on Startups, Sales, and the Secret to Making Work Matter

Many businesses leave money on the table, and Stephanie Cornejo and her colleagues at Corporate Tax Incentives know this all too well. This is also the case when examining the Human Resources department. HR doesn’t need to be the cost center most business leaders see it to be – once tax credits come into play.

About Stephanie:

Stephanie Cornejo is a talented, ambitious leader who heads CTI’s Credits & Incentives practice. With oversight of operations and practice development, Stephanie monitors the tax incentive landscape to identify federal, state, and local tax credits that CTI can capture, maximizing value that clients can use to power success.

Tax Info Every Employer Should Know With Stephanie Cornejo

In this insightful conversation, Curtis Forbes sits down with Elena Davis, the longtime HR leader at Bader Rutter, to explore what it truly takes to build a culture that lasts. With over two decades of experience, Elena shares her take on leading through generational divides, trauma-fatigued workforces, and the rise of AI, all while keeping humanity and empathy at the heart of it all. From employee listening strategies to shaping culture without ego, this chat is packed with grounded wisdom and practical takeaways for any people-first organization.

About Elena:

Elena Davis is the Director of HR at Bader Rutter, where she’s spent over two decades helping shape a people-first culture. She is a modern HR leader with deep expertise in benefits, relationship dynamics, and employee development. Elena brings a rare blend of big-picture thinking, objectivity, and practical empathy to her work, with a belief that what’s good for employees is almost always good for the business.

From Listening to Legacy: Elena Davis on the Role of HR in Modern Business

What happens when a founder scales a franchise to 100+ locations in just five years—then hits a wall? In this episode of MustardHub Voices: Behind the Build, Curtis Forbes sits down with Landon Eckles, former founder of Clean Juice and now a professional EOS implementer, to unpack the journey from entrepreneurial chaos to organizational clarity. Landon shares how the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) helped him regain focus, foster accountability, and build healthier teams—and how he now helps others do the same. From confronting hard truths to creating culture-fit teams and using scorecards to track what really matters, this conversation is packed with takeaways for leaders who want more than just growth—they want alignment, health, and traction.

About Landon:

Landon is a founder who implemented Entrepreneurial Operating Systems to scale and successfully exit the business. Landon understands the challenges entrepreneurs face firsthand. As a Professional EOS implementor and consultant, Landon helps businesses with 10 to 250 employees clarify their vision, gain traction, and build healthier teams. Landon leverages rich experience to guide leadership teams to break through barriers and achieve sustainable growth using the EOS.

Landon Eckles on Scaling Culture and Clarity with EOS

The savings rate in the United States is alarmingly low, with some studies indicating that nearly a quarter of American households have no emergency savings, and a significantly larger percentage of US families lack sufficient funds to weather a financial crisis. These statistics are scary, but this is where Devin Miller and SecureSave come in. Join Curtis and Devin as they discuss the importance of financial wellness to today's labor force and how employer-sponsored emergency savings accounts are a must-have benefit to support today’s workers and drive better business outcomes.

About Devin:

Devin Miller is an expert in workplace emergency savings. Devin is a financial technology entrepreneur who has built FinTech solutions used by tens of millions of Americans. Today, Devin serves as the CEO at SecureSave.

Devin Miller On Financial Wellness And Workplace Happiness

Explore what truly creates workplace happiness, builds a better culture, and drives greater engagement for the entire workforce — from the suits in the C-suite to team members on the frontlines. Get real-world insights and practical strategies to recognize, retain, elevate, and empower teams. From engaging interviews with thought leaders in our Voices web series to step-by-step how-tos, MustardHub helps you operationalize great culture and design the workplace of tomorrow... today. MustardHub Voices: Behind The Build addresses these hot topics and more with business leaders, entrepreneurs, HR professionals, consultants, coaches, researchers, and other brilliant minds committed to building, engaging, and elevating culture-driven, high-performing teams.

Fireside Chats: Behind The Build