Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
OhHello - Reimagine Leadership with Heidi Hauver: Culture, Curiosity, and the Mentorship Moment
0 Playsin 5 hours
In Episode 97 of The OhHello Pod, host Jeremy Bloom sits down with Heidi Hauver, a bold, empathetic leader who’s built people-first cultures and guided founders through every stage of growth.
Together, they explore:
- What it means to “reimagine” leadership in the age of hybrid work
- How great culture isn’t copied — it’s co-created
- Why mentorship is no longer optional in a fast-changing workforce
- How OhHello is making expert guidance accessible, scalable, and real-time
Whether you’re a founder, people leader, or exec looking to level-up your culture — this one’s for you.
🎙️ OhHello is building the mentorship infrastructure modern teams need. If you’re curious how it works, we’re happy to share.
Big thanks to Adrian Salamunovic for making the intro!
#mentorship #peopleleadership #culture #futureofwork #reimagine
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Setting the Tone
00:00:05
Speaker
feel like the children would be very embarrassed right now if they saw me doing that. but No, they wouldn't. Everyone would dance at least once day. You have to. We're recording day, Heidi. That's like the beauty of this. Oh, hello, Heidi Hover.
00:00:18
Speaker
How are you? I'm good. How are you? I'm great. I'm great. That dance
Guest Introduction: Heidi Hover
00:00:22
Speaker
was great. You nailed it. It's so great to have you on the Oh Hello pod. ah It's so great getting to know you over the past couple months.
00:00:30
Speaker
Big thanks specifically to Adrian Salmanovic, who introduced us a couple months ago, such an ah awesome executive who was the co-founder of Million Soc Co. and has done a lot of great things throughout his career.
00:00:44
Speaker
I wanted to have you on here because you want to hit it off in such a great way of being two
Connecting Through Empathy and Mentorship
00:00:49
Speaker
kindred spirits. Oh, Of talking about empathy, talking about leadership, talking about mentorship, talking about giving advice, giving guidance, making sure that teams feel supported, understanding that the modern workforce and modern workplace is evolving.
00:01:05
Speaker
So Heidi, without further ado, why don't you tell our audience a little bit about who i have the pleasure of speaking with? When I think about evolving, I think about just like, I'm a work in progress.
00:01:17
Speaker
That's so interesting to describe myself. Right. I've spent most of my career um on the people side of the business, working with some really innovative companies. I've spent the large part of the last eight years spending a lot of time working with ah founders at all stages and ages, which is something I feel really privileged doing.
00:01:39
Speaker
I would say like if I would describe myself high level, and you can go read my LinkedIn profile and um look at the deets, but I'm an innovator. I'm a creative. um And that's kind of really what feels me. That's what gets me up in the morning.
00:01:52
Speaker
love that connection. We're going to a little bit about that later. But I think, you know, when we think about that involvement in our career, i am still really excited about what I get to do every day.
00:02:03
Speaker
I wish that for
Heidi's Career and Passion for Innovation
00:02:04
Speaker
everyone, you know. And so when I think about what have I achieved? And I mean, there's a lot of things I'm really proud of. i've loved that I've been able to go and be the first people executive for three to four companies at the stage already.
00:02:16
Speaker
I'm doing it again right now. ah love the ability to build, to to create and to innovate and and to create a place where everybody can thrive, be their best selves. And it's so important. So you're in Ottawa, I'm in Chicago. Help us understand a little bit more about just what has shaped your leadership style. What has, as you have ascended into your role as a, as a chief people officer and running different organizations and hiring and culturing, cultivating hundreds, thousands of people throughout your
Leadership Philosophy and Team Culture
00:02:47
Speaker
career, what's this some of the special sauce that has made you into the executive of who you are today?
00:02:54
Speaker
what a huge responsibility that is right? um you fake as about over that like When you think about being a leader, like first foremost, huge responsibility. I've done a ton of self-reflection.
00:03:06
Speaker
And so I think I've learned that I personally really need to feel engaged as a leader, not just in what I'm doing, but also who I'm doing it with. I'm inspired by people who think differently, who bring energy to the collaboration, who aren't afraid to change the challenge, the status quo.
00:03:23
Speaker
But it's really, ah whether it's in my day job or in the work I'm doing with the community, I'm and engaged by that creating, that innovation. I love a great brainstorm. and like I can brainstorm with anybody on any topic. It's kind of like my superpower.
00:03:37
Speaker
But I've learned that I'm kind of disengaged when I'm not being able to connect with people or do work that's meaningful and make an impact. And this is important because it's shaped kind of the leader I am today. so I've learned that need to lead with curiosity.
00:03:53
Speaker
Because leadership isn't about having all the answers. You learn that over time. It is about listening. It's about co-creating. It's about bringing out the best in others. And so whether I'm building a business, advising founders, leading a team myself, it's going to be the innovation of human connection that really fuels me.
00:04:09
Speaker
I want people to feel heard. I want to feel heard. I want them to feel seen. And I want them to be challenged in the right way. Because I think that's really where the magic happens. How do you build a strong, inclusive, resilient team culture in this day and age when teams are primarily remote and or hybrid?
00:04:30
Speaker
You know, there's one conversation that I've dozens of times with teams, you know, at every stage from early stage founders, you know, those folks with the game changing ideas to the seasoned leaders who are kind of scaling global teams.
00:04:44
Speaker
Conversation always starts with get inspired by what other people are doing, but write your own story. And let me explain that. Please. It is so easy to fall into the trap of recreating someone else's culture playbook.
00:04:57
Speaker
And we've all read Netflix's that's play book from before. And but that's ever evolving. that's That's just updated again, like in 2024 on the website. And I encourage you to go look at it to get inspired.
00:05:09
Speaker
However, you know, ah we fall into that trap because we think we can replicate that company's success. It doesn't work that way. You have to take the time to build a strong, inclusive, resilient culture in 2025 by doing it intentionally rooted in your own values with your people, with your purpose.
Authenticity and Company Values
00:05:29
Speaker
I don't think culture sticks unless it's real. And I think when it reflects the lived experiences, the people inside your company, it It can't reflect, you know, just trends that are happening outside of it.
00:05:41
Speaker
And really what I'm saying is be yourself, you know, be the leader you are is good enough. um That's going to be your edge. That's going to be what differentiate you and your company. Most importantly, it's going to be the most authentic.
00:05:54
Speaker
So when you're welcoming people into your organization, they go, oh, this is actually what they, this is what they started. What's going to be like? And not pretending that we're someone we're not.
00:06:06
Speaker
And I think, again, applaud those companies that want to have great best practices and do a great place to work, playbook and all that. But you still need to make it make sense for you and your team.
00:06:19
Speaker
um So get inspired by what other people are doing, but be you
The Role of Mentorship
00:06:23
Speaker
and be out. I love that. yeah Yeah. It's so important to look around and understand the culture that you're creating with the people that you're creating it with, because people are different at every single company you go to.
00:06:36
Speaker
The features, the benefits of the products that you're selling, the ICP of who you're selling to, the motivations of the workforce, of the people that are joining each company. As a chief people officer, as someone who advises myriad of different companies and has spent ah spent ah so much time helping other executives on their journeys, I'm You have made it clear to me how important it is to you. And I feel similar how important it is for everyone at all levels to talk to more and more people in a fractional way to understand how they value mentorship, how they value expert advice.
00:07:12
Speaker
How do you see platforms like Hello expanding in the new age, in the new ways that we are are working and knowing how important mentorship has been throughout your career?
00:07:23
Speaker
Well, listen, like so many of us, I started my career with no network, no clear North Star. course um And I'm grateful for the mentors who are taking time to have real conversations with me about what was possible, right? Like they helped shape the leader I am today.
00:07:39
Speaker
More importantly, they actually helped inspire me to keep reimagining what I could achieve. And everyone deserves that opportunity, right? To live their best life, to do their best work. Often that begins with someone who sees the potential you having you before you can see it in yourself.
00:07:54
Speaker
To this day, like I still have mentors I turn to who helped me navigate my journey because it's a journey, right? It's not about the nation and platforms like Oh Hello help create meaningful access make it accessible to people, a shared space where anybody can connect to people who will help champion in their growth, help celebrate their wins, right?
00:08:14
Speaker
You think about like having someone walk alongside you, help you sort navigate the puzzles you're trying to solve as you're trying to navigate your career. That's huge. And I'm a big believer that I often get people say, well, one day I want to become a mentor.
00:08:28
Speaker
like, don't wait, create those opportunities. Now, not only for someone else, but for yourself. I mean, you know, as a mentor, What you get from mentoring someone else, you just, you i all the right but I'm like, I'm getting so much from this relationship because I'm learning, I'm growing.
00:08:47
Speaker
And I often thank the mentor for the experience because i get so much out of it. So I would say like, that there's no reason that anyone today can be mentoring.
Influential Mentors and Lessons Learned
00:08:57
Speaker
Everybody's at a different, like in their journey, someone else can learn what you learned even a few months ago.
00:09:02
Speaker
So well said. I love that specifically, ah whether you are 30, 40, 80 years old, ah you're constantly evolving and learning and there's something new taking place.
00:09:15
Speaker
Tell us, feel free name drop a couple of few different mentors that have made an impact on you. Like pay forward. You know, I've had some great mentors over my career. um I remember a ah really senior HR leader taking time with me very early my career.
00:09:30
Speaker
And i I looked up to that person so much and they taught me a lot. I will say, you though, one of my greatest influences ah on my career so far on my life certainly has been my husband, not because he's my life partner.
00:09:42
Speaker
and call Call him out. Give it give him a... But I deeply admire him as a CEO. I've worked with him. So through that experience, I learned firsthand how to lead with intention and impact. you know And I often reflect on the ways that he shaped my leadership style.
00:09:56
Speaker
um Lessons that have stood out to me, kind of you know the power of a growth mindset, how critical that is. no matter where you are in your journey, right? Whether you're an emerging leader or when you're just kind of transitioning to something different, you know, as you're heading to a stage where you're maybe kind of changing the, you know, kind of you know regular full 40-hour work week to maybe just working on stuff that you're really excited about, growth mindset really is going to drive, i think, just purpose, um the importance of choosing curiosity over certainty
00:10:28
Speaker
You know, and that belief that leadership isn't about solving puzzles for your people, but not about controlling outcomes. He's taught me that words matter, who you listen to and why matter. And most importantly, I think he's shown me that the strength and guiding through suggestions, not instruction.
00:10:46
Speaker
And the same thing goes with parenting, right? Like it's really easy for us to tie our kids shoes, but we don't teach them how to tie their shoes. They're never going to be able to do it on their own. And think that influences,
00:10:57
Speaker
ah from him and and other mentors that I've had that have really inspired me, the best leaders don't just lead, they actually quietly inspire you to lead others as well.
Empowering Leadership through Language
00:11:08
Speaker
And I think that's beautiful. The inspiration behind that is great. I really want to hit home on the words matter piece. That was really important because we all, no matter what role any of us have, you're constantly talking, communicating, whether you are typing on keys and hitting a bunch of zeros and ones, or if you are conversing in this way, words really matter. And I'll give you an example. I'd love to give you an example.
00:11:36
Speaker
Please. So when we get started out as a leader, there's there's this journey we go on where we kind of become, we don't want to, nobody wants to be a micromanager, but we kind of go through those questions, right? As we're learning to, you know, exercise our muscles and figure out kind of where we fit in the in the broader kind of you know, relationship.
00:11:57
Speaker
And I remember I used to use the language like, you know, am I in your, you want me in your kitchen or do you want to get out of your kitchen? And It made everybody kind of uncomfortable, but they got the point.
00:12:08
Speaker
And so I changed my language over the time. And I started saying, is this a lean in moment or is this a lean out moment? And that language gave my team permission to be like, Heidi, this is a lean out moment.
00:12:20
Speaker
I'm like, okay, cool. Awesome. I was like, you know, they could tell me get out of my kitchen without actually telling you me to get out of their kitchen. um And so that to me, like the words really mattered there because I was could equip them and empower them and honestly motivate them to speak up and share what they needed with me.
00:12:39
Speaker
in the most respectful way possible. So like, that's one example of how, for me, words really do.
Future Possibilities and Growth Mindset
00:12:48
Speaker
Words matter. How do you, if there was one word with that said to sum up what is important to you for this year, i know we're, we're a third of the way through the year and nearly half the way through the year, but if there's one word that is sitting at the forefront of your brain right now, what would that one word be?
00:13:09
Speaker
Reimagine. o it's and i I think about it in a lot of different ways. right um I think it's a time in the world to reimagine what's possible and everybody kind of thinking about what's next. From a career perspective, what an exciting opportunity for all of us to rethink what could be possible with work that we're doing today.
00:13:37
Speaker
I appreciate the vulnerability that a lot of people have and fear around, and you know, these advancements and how quickly they're moving. But again, with a glass half full mindset, I'm thinking, I'm reimagining what the future looks like for me, where I can take the things I'm really excited about, and actually say I to manage some of the I'm not as excited about.
00:13:59
Speaker
And as a creative, ultimate co-collaborators. Like, I mean, in an hour, I'll use five different AI tools to leverage what I can do here.
00:14:09
Speaker
It takes me to here. um And so ah for me, it's all about re-imagining what is possible and I think this is an opportunity for everybody.
Closing Remarks and Future Collaborations
00:14:19
Speaker
Heidi, this has been fantastic. Reimagine is ah such a great word to explain you, explain what we're building at Oholo together.
00:14:29
Speaker
We're so excited to have you be a part of Oholo and thank you so much. This was a great discussion. Really appreciate it. Thanks everybody for listening.