Episodes

  • How Leaders Fail To Quantify Human Capital And Still Rely On Bias Over Data with Bachul Koul

    How Leaders Fail To Quantify Human Capital And Still Rely On Bias Over Data with Bachul Koul
    Jul 22 2026
    In this episode of the Human Capital Quantified Podcast, host Sandy Fiaschetti sits down with Bachul Koul, Board Chair of the Public Rights Project and Global Advisory Board member at We Create Space, to explore how human capital decisions directly impact value creation in private equity-backed companies. Bachul shares insights from their career spanning consulting, executive search, people analytics, and private equity, highlighting how data, assessment, and structured frameworks can transform leadership and talent decisions.Key Takeaways:Human capital is a measurable driver of value: Bachul explains why translating deal thesis into actionable talent decisions is critical for portfolio company success.CHROs often lack a seat at the table: The episode explores the challenges human capital leaders face in influencing executive decisions and shaping strategic outcomes.Quantifying leadership and talent: Using structured assessment frameworks and organizational network analysis helps identify high-impact executives and team dynamics.Reducing bias in hiring: Behavioral simulations and data-driven assessments help level the playing field and surface overlooked talent.Integrating human capital with deal strategy: Aligning talent assessment, leadership advisory, and team alignment ensures people decisions support business objectives.AI and analytics as accelerators: While AI can process data and model outcomes, human judgment is essential for interpretation, validation, and application.Overcoming fear and objections: Educating leaders on assessment tools and framing data as actionable “cheat codes” builds credibility and adoption.Building a value creation plan: Human capital insights must be embedded into performance metrics, talent development, and organizational alignment, not left on a shelf.Episode Timestamps:[00:00] — CHROs and whether HR truly has a seat at the table[01:09] — Introduction of guest Bachul Koul[02:30] — Career journey: operator → consulting → private equity[05:05] — “Been there, done that” hiring bias in leadership roles[06:30] — Translating deal theses into human capital outcomes[08:39] — Systems thinking: executives inside organizational ecosystems[10:30] — Organizational network analysis and identifying influence[12:30] — Deal team dominance in private equity culture[15:10] — AI, data strategy, and the future of talent analytics[31:51] — Closing thoughts: rethinking performance management systems🔗 Connect with Guest, Bachul Koul:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yashomati-bachul-koul/🔗 Follow Guest’s Company, We Create Space on:👉 Website: https://www.wecreatespace.co/👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/we-create-space/ 🔗 Connect with the Host, Sandy Fiaschetti:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandy-fiaschetti/🔗 More from Lodestone People Consulting:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lodestone-people-consulting/👉 Website: https://www.lodestonehr.com/🔗 Follow the Podcasts:👉 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/human-capital-quantified/id1895354012👉 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1oDeRJK5KN2DBzio2Q4xfW?si=0dd409091c244f7e👉 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LodestonePeopleConsulting
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    33 mins
  • AI Workforce Analysis for CEOs to Cut 50% of Headcount and Save Millions with Adam Stein

    AI Workforce Analysis for CEOs to Cut 50% of Headcount and Save Millions with Adam Stein
    Jul 8 2026

    In this episode of the Human Capital Quantified Podcast, Sandy Fiaschetti sits down with Adam Stein, Managing Director of Talent at Lead Edge Capital, to discuss how AI, data, and structured human capital work are reshaping portfolio company growth.

    Adam shares how Lead Edge Capital supports around 50 portfolio companies across talent strategy, executive search, leadership development, HR operations, CEO assessment, and value creation. He also explains how his small team uses AI tools like Claude and Claude Code to analyze organizational communication patterns, identify operational inefficiencies, and create measurable cost savings.

    Key Takeaways:

    AI Can Reveal Hidden Organizational Problems: Adam explains how his team used AI to analyze email traffic and communication patterns within a customer success organization, helping identify inefficiencies and potential savings of around $2 million.

    CEO Effectiveness Drives Portfolio Success: Much of Adam’s work centers on helping CEOs understand strategy, leadership team design, execution gaps, and what needs to change as companies scale.

    Assessment Tools Need Real Behavior Behind Them: Lead Edge uses Hogan assessments, but Adam stresses that psychometric data is only a compass. Real behavioral patterns are still needed to make strong leadership decisions.

    Early Human Capital Work Matters: Adam highlights the importance of evaluating the CEO and leadership team within the first 90 days so companies can quickly address gaps, develop leaders, or make needed changes.

    Talent Strategy Is Both Data and Human: AI can support analysis, but Adam reminds us that influence still depends on people feeling seen and heard. Because apparently humans still matter. Shocking, but touching.

    Episode Timestamps:

    [00:00] – Teaser

    [01:30] – Meet Adam Stein and His Role at Lead Edge Capital

    [03:30] – How Talent Work Spans Portfolio Companies

    [04:33] – AI-Powered Org Design Case Study

    [08:03] – How Claude and Claude Code Power Analysis

    [10:41] – CEO Archetypes and Leadership Evaluation

    [15:16] – Measuring Leadership Traits in Practice

    [21:34] – The First 90 Days: Talent Diagnostics and Org Design

    [29:03] – M&A Integration and Add-On Complexity

    [33:23] – Closing: Talent Communities and the Future of PE Talent Strategy

    🔗 Connect with the Guest, Adam Stein:

    👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-stein-7041495/

    🔗 Follow Guest’s Company Lead Edge Capital:

    👉 Website: https://leadedge.com/

    👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lead-edge-capital/

    🔗 Connect with the Host Sandy Fiaschetti:

    👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandy-fiaschetti/

    🔗 More from Lodestone People Consulting:

    👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lodestone-people-consulting/

    👉 Website: https://www.lodestonehr.com/

    🔗 Follow the Podcast:

    👉 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/human-capital-quantified/id1895354012

    👉 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1oDeRJK5KN2DBzio2Q4xfW?si=0dd409091c244f7e

    👉 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LodestonePeopleConsulting
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    36 mins
  • Your Hiring Decisions Are Costing You Millions and Slowing Growth in the Age of AI with Angela Geffre

    Your Hiring Decisions Are Costing You Millions and Slowing Growth in the Age of AI with Angela Geffre
    Jul 1 2026
    In this episode of the Human Capital Quantified Podcast, host Sandy Fiaschetti sits down with Angela Geffre, an industrial-organizational psychologist and Head of Human Capital at GrowthCurve Capital, to discuss why people decisions are not just “soft” business issues but measurable drivers of value creation in private equity-backed companies. Angela shares how her background in industrial-organizational psychology shaped her approach to human capital, talent assessment, leadership decisions, and AI-driven workforce planning.Key Takeaways:Human capital directly impacts value creation: Angela explains that GrowthCurve Capital pays close attention to talent because portfolio companies cannot scale without the right people in the right roles at the right time.Private equity needs more science in people's decisions: Industrial organizational psychology brings data, prediction, assessment, and structured thinking into areas that are often treated as intuition-based decisions.AI is reshaping work, not eliminating human value: Angela shares examples of portfolio companies using AI tools like Claude to analyze job descriptions, employee data, tasks, and automation opportunities. Still, human judgment remains essential for validation and decision-making.Bad senior hires are extremely expensive: A wrong executive hire can delay value creation by 9 to 12 months, affect investor returns, slow down teams, and cost roughly $1 million or more when recruiting fees, lost time, and business disruption are considered.Chief people officers are critical in PE-backed companies: Angela explains why GrowthCurve prioritizes placing a strong CPO early in the ownership period to support change management, leadership alignment, recruiting, performance systems, and talent strategy.Episode Timestamps:[00:00] – Trailer[00:55] – Meet the Guest & the Role of Human Capital[03:30] – From People's Decisions to Value Creation[07:00] – Building a Scientific Approach to Talent[10:30] – AI, Job Analysis, and Org Design in Practice[14:30] – Will AI Replace Jobs?[17:30] – The Real Cost of a Bad Executive Hire[21:11] – Why Chief People Officers Matter Early[23:28] – What a Human Capital Leader Actually Does in PE[28:00] – Hot Takes: Intuition vs. Evidence in Hiring[31:42] – Magic Wand for Better People Decisions[34:41] – Advice for Early-Career Human Capital Professionals[37:05] – Why IO Psychologists Belong in Private Equity🔗 Connect with the Guest, Angela Geffre:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelakgeffre/🔗 Follow Guest’s Company, GrowthCurve Capital, on:👉 Website: https://www.growthcurvecapital.com/👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthcurvecapital/🔗 Connect with the Host, Sandy Fiaschetti:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandy-fiaschetti/🔗 More from Lodestone People Consulting:👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lodestone-people-consulting/👉 Website: https://www.lodestonehr.com/🔗 Follow the Podcast:👉 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/human-capital-quantified/id1895354012👉 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1oDeRJK5KN2DBzio2Q4xfW?si=0dd409091c244f7e👉 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LodestonePeopleConsulting
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    39 mins
  • New Episode Coming Soon!

    New Episode Coming Soon!
    Apr 24 2026

    In the fast-paced world of private equity and portfolio growth, there is one variable that changes everything: the people.

    Welcome to Human Capital Quantified, hosted by Sandy Fiaschetti, Founder and Managing Partner at Lodestone People Consulting. This is where the science of human capital meets the grit of strategic operations. Each episode, Sandy interviews leaders and innovators who are mastering the art of the internal system - transforming complex organizational gaps into scalable engines for value creation.

    From refining team dynamics to launching the processes that help businesses thrive, this podcast offers a front-row seat to intentional leadership in action.

    Subscribe now to Human Capital Quantified. New episodes coming soon.
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    1 min