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Are too many people being promoted into leadership roles? As a result, are companies becoming too top heavy? If we’ve created a system that values managers over executers, is this a recipe for disaster?
In this episode, we’re joined by Ron Hetrick, Principal Economist at Lightcast and one of the most influential labor economists in the country. Together, we unpack one of the most important questions facing today’s labor market: whether modern organizations are overloaded with managers and what that means for productivity, hiring, layoffs, and career paths. Drawing on decades of labor market research and macro workforce data, Ron explains why middle managers are often the first cut during layoffs, how that decision can negatively impact companies, and why a contributor-based evaluation might be a better approach. This dynamic conversation digs into provocative questions we’re all asking, challenges assumptions, and poses some very real solutions about improving our collective thinking about the labor force.

In This Episode, We Cover
● Why organizations naturally accumulate management layers over time
● The hidden risk of promoting top performers into leadership roles
● How layoffs disproportionately affect middle managers
● The mismatch between workforce expectations and available leadership roles
● Why companies reward management more than execution
● The growing importance of Individual Contributor career paths
● How interest rates and capital costs influence layoffs
● The long term consequences of overhiring during economic spikes
● Why forecasting failures create workforce instability
● How companies can rethink compensation structures to retain expertise
● The role AI may play in reshaping management structures
● Why trades and technical careers are becoming more attractive again

Key Insight from Ron Hetrick
One of the biggest workforce challenges today is not simply too many managers. It is a system that rewards leadership titles more than execution excellence.

If organizations want stability, they must create career ladders where experts can grow inancially without being pushed into management roles if it creates misalignment.
As Ron explains during the episode:
The farther your role is from creating revenue or protecting margin, the harder it becomes to justify during restructuring.

About the Guest: Ron Hetrick
Ron Hetrick is a leading labor economist and Principal Economist at Lightcast. He previously worked at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and advises Fortune 100 companies, policymakers, and workforce strategists.

He is also the author of:
● Demographic Drought
● Who’s Going to Do the Work
● The Rising Storm (contributor)
● Fault Lines (co-author)

Ron is widely recognized for translating workforce data into practical strategic insight for organizations navigating talent shortages and economic change.
Connect with Ron on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronlhetrick/

Discussion Highlights
Some standout takeaways from this episode:
✔ Promotions are often used as retention tools rather than structural necessities
✔ Middle management roles expand fastest during economic growth cycles
✔ Overhiring during temporary demand spikes leads directly to layoffs later
✔ Organizations rarely forecast workforce demand accurately
✔ Execution roles are often undervalued compared to leadership titles
✔ Skilled experts need compensation parity with managers
✔ Career ladders must evolve beyond title based advancement

Our Panel
● Aaron Wolpoff – Host and Marketing panelist
● Melissa Eaton – Operations and C/X panelist
● Chino Nnadi – People, Talent and Culture panelist
● Ron Hetrick (Guest) - Labor economist and Principal Economist at Lightcast.

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• Website – www.wefixeditpod.com
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If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your friends!
Keep listening to find out how we fix companies and put them back better than we found them.

Disclaimer
A quick disclaimer. We are going into this somewhat cold and nothing we say should be onstrued as legal advice, financial advice or anything that would get us in trouble. These are our views and opinions. We're here to ask the kinds of questions everyone's thinking, have an engaging conversation and maybe come to some conclusions that we feel are worth exploring.
By the end, if we fixed it, you're welcome. All trademarks, IP and brand elements discussed are property of their respective owners.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Space exploration used to be reserved for governments and elite astronauts only. Today, commercial launches, private space stations, and civilian missions are raising questions about opening up space travel and making access more widely available.
In this episode, global space policy executive Christopher Hearsey joins the conversation to explore the future of commercial spaceflight, the role of private companies, and whether humanity is entering a new era where space truly becomes accessible to everyone.
From billionaire tourism headlines to satellite infrastructure that powers everyday life on Earth, this discussion separates myth from reality and explains what space tourism and space commercialization actually means for society.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
Why space is no longer just for astronauts and governments
How private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin are accelerating the push for space travel
The legal reality behind the Outer Space Treaty and ownership in space
The economics of space tourism and why costs are still high
How satellites already power GPS, banking, communications, and security systems
Whether governments or private companies should lead the next phase of exploration
About Christopher Hearsey
Christopher Hearsey is a global space executive and founder of OSA Consulting, specializing in commercial space policy and regulatory strategy.
He previously worked at the U.S. State Department and helped support implementation of the National Space Policy. He also co-founded the Space Court Foundation, which promotes global education around space law and governance.
Learn more:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/hearsey/
Our Panel
Aaron Wolpoff – Host and Marketing panelist
Melissa Eaton – Operations and C/X panelist
Chino Nnadi – People, Talent and Culture panelist
Christopher Hearsey - Guest and global space executive

Subscribe for more deep dives where we fix big business problems with fresh perspectives.
• Website – www.wefixeditpod.com

• Follow us on:

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/wefixeditpod
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/wefixeditpod
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@WeFixedItPod

If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your friends!
Keep listening to find out how we fix companies and put them back better than we found them.

Disclaimer
A quick disclaimer. We are going into this somewhat cold and nothing we say should be construed as legal advice, financial advice or anything that would get us in trouble. These are our views and opinions. We're here to ask the kinds of questions everyone's thinking, have an engaging conversation and maybe come to some conclusions that we feel are worth exploring. By the end, if we fixed it, you're welcome. All trademarks, IP and brand elements discussed are property of their respective owners.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Target is dropping prices on more than 3,000 items to win back shoppers. But can price cuts alone win back customer trust and brand loyalty?
In this episode, our panel analyzes Target’s plan to address declining foot traffic, shrinking sales, and boycotts. We explore whether these price discounts are a short term marketing tactic or part of a deeper brand reset, and whether we think they will work.
From customer sentiment to operations complexity and employee impact, this conversation breaks down what Target can do to hold onto relevance in a crowded retail landscape, and to win back customers who feel Target is no longer for them.

Key Takeaways
Discounts increase traffic temporarily but do not rebuild loyalty alone
Target risks losing differentiation if it competes purely on price
Brand trust requires transparency and consistency
Employees and customers both need clarity on the company’s direction
A strong narrative must support any pricing strategy

Our Panel
Aaron Wolpoff – Host and Marketing panelist
Melissa Eaton – Operations and C/X panelist
Chino Nnadi – People, Talent and Culture panelist

Subscribe for more deep dives where we fix big business problems with fresh perspectives.

• Website – www.wefixeditpod.com
• Follow us on:
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/wefixeditpod
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/wefixeditpod
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@WeFixedItPod

If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your friends!
Keep listening to find out how we fix companies and put them back better than we found them.

Disclaimer
A quick disclaimer. We are going into this somewhat cold and nothing we say should be construed as legal advice, financial advice or anything that would get us in trouble. These are our views and opinions. We're here to ask the kinds of questions everyone's thinking, have an engaging conversation and maybe come to some conclusions that we feel are worth exploring. By the end, if we fixed it, you're welcome. All trademarks, IP and brand elements discussed are property of their respective owners.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, our panel explores a troubling trend in today’s job market: companies that exist to exploit job seekers. The reality of today’s job market? Ongoing layoffs and exponentially more candidates than open jobs. As a result, many people are opening their wallets to paid recruiters, coaches, career accelerators, and “job connector platforms” that promise hidden opportunities for a steep monthly fee.
It’s all so confusing: which of these services provide legitimate help? Which ones are just middlemen that prey on the unemployed? How can job seekers steer clear of the ones motivated by greed that don’t provide any real value?
Throughout this timely conversation, our panel discusses how the modern job search landscape has changed, why so many questionable services have emerged, and how candidates can protect themselves. We also share practical advice on identifying ethical recruiters, avoiding scams, and navigating the job market with confidence and strategy.
The episode ultimately builds to an upsetting realization: instead of job seekers being treated as the customer, many systems now treat them as a product to be monetized. With this in mind, our panel explains how workers can start to shift the power dynamic by building authentic relationships, verifying credibility, and trusting their instincts when evaluating job search services.

👥 Get to know our panel:
Aaron Wolpoff – Host & Panelist / Marketing Background
Melissa Eaton – Panelist / Operations & CX Background
Chino Nnadi – Panelist / People, Culture & Corporate Recruitment Background, founder of Like Cappuccino recruitment agency

Key Takeaways
Most legitimate recruiters never charge candidates for job placement.
Many “job search services” profit from fear and uncertainty.
Always research the credibility of coaches, recruiters, or platforms.
Trust your instincts when evaluating job opportunities or programs.
Networking and direct connections remain the most effective path to new opportunities.

Subscribe for more deep dives where we fix big business problems with fresh perspectives.

• Website – www.wefixeditpod.com
• Follow us on:

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/wefixeditpod
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/wefixeditpod
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@WeFixedItPod

If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your friends!

Keep listening to find out how we fix companies and put them back better than we found them.

Disclaimer
A quick disclaimer. We are going into this somewhat cold and nothing we say should be construed as legal advice, financial advice or anything that would get us in trouble. These are our views and opinions. We're here to ask the kinds of questions everyone's thinking. Have an engaging conversation and maybe come to some conclusions that we feel are worth exploring. By the end, if we fixed it, you're welcome. All trademarks, IP and brand elements discussed are property of their respective owners.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Southwest Airlines is financially strong. Record revenues. Stock price near multi-year highs.
Yet longtime customers are walking away angry.
In this episode, we unpack the growing tension between Wall Street performance and customer loyalty at Southwest Airlines. Host Aaron Wolpoff sits down with brand strategist Rene Huey-Lipton, founder of The Dame Collective and former strategy lead on Southwest during its golden years.
The question at the center of the conversation:
How can a brand be winning financially while simultaneously losing its best customers?
From controversial assigned seating to unpopular baggage fees to the triggering “Boarding Royale” Super Bowl campaign, we analyze how strategic shifts have taken the most beloved airline identity in America off course for many consumers.
What We Cover
1️⃣ The Core Problem: Financial Success vs Brand Equity
Southwest reported record revenue, yet load factors are declining
Loyal flyers publicly declaring they are leaving
The emotional equity of “We’re all in this together” is eroding
The danger of extracting more revenue per customer while shrinking the customer base
Rene explains how this mirrors classic Wall Street optimization: maximize short-term revenue, risk long-term brand health.
2️⃣ The Boarding Royale Backfire
Southwest’s Super Bowl ad mocked its former open seating model.
Instead of feeling like a self-aware evolution, customers felt:
Belittled
Gaslit
Reduced to the punchline
Rene breaks down why making your most loyal customers the joke is a strategic miscalculation.
3️⃣ Hierarchy Changes Behavior
Referencing research from Harvard Business School and the University of Toronto, Rene highlights how:
Class distinctions increase conflict
Introducing hierarchy shifts employee roles from hosts to referees
Southwest’s once-democratic seating model helped create community
When tiered seating and baggage fees entered the picture, the cultural dynamic shifted.
4️⃣ Internal Culture Risk
Southwest’s frontline employees have historically been its greatest asset:
Humor
Warmth
Human connection
But layoffs, operational constraints, and policy changes are altering that culture.
The episode explores whether internal friction could accelerate brand decline faster than customer dissatisfaction alone.
5️⃣ What Should Southwest Do?
Rene proposes a bold alternative:
A Dual-Brand Strategy
Modeled after Qantas and Jetstar:
Preserve Southwest as a high-trust, economy-focused domestic brand
Launch a separate premium or long-haul sub-brand
Protect the emotional equity instead of diluting it
Other ideas discussed:
Restore fee transparency
Recommit to “Bags Fly Free”
Monetize passenger engagement through paid brand research partnerships
Re-empower employees as ambassadors rather than enforcers

Subscribe for more deep dives where we fix big business problems with fresh perspectives.
Rene Huey-Lipton
https://www.linkedin.com/in/hueylipton/

• Website – www.wefixeditpod.com

• Follow us on:

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/wefixeditpod
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/wefixeditpod
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@WeFixedItPod

If you liked this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your friends!
Keep listening to find out how we fix companies and put them back better than we found them.

Disclaimer
A quick disclaimer. We are going into this somewhat cold and nothing we say should be construed as legal advice, financial advice or anything that would get us in trouble. These are our views and opinions. We're here to ask the kinds of questions everyone's thinking. Have an engaging conversation and maybe come to some conclusions that we feel are worth exploring. By the end, if we fixed it, you're welcome. All trademarks, IP and brand elements discussed are property of their respective owners.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.