Eric Reiners

Peak Performance Coach | Advisor | Founder - I help individuals and teams unlock their potential using neuroscience-backed techniques for more joy, meaning, and impact.

I am an executive coach who helps leaders master energy, focus, and flow. My coaching is a unique blend of neuroscience, sports science, and my experience as a senior leader in highly volatile, complex and uncertain environments. 

I helped build three companies past $8B in valuation with two IPOs and one private exit. 

I have been a hacker, researcher, athlete and explorer most of my life. 

When I was 19, I started hacking my brain with light and sound, meditation, and neurofeedback.

This led to a lifetime of finding ways to train the brain just like an athlete would train the body.

I chased flow through mountaineering, rock climbing, and endurance events discovering a formula that worked for a while but was not sustainable. 

My training  in yoga, meditation, and breathwork helped me respond to the stresses of working as an executive in the cybersecurity industry. 

Further studies in neuroscience helped me ground the training in the latest knowledge about the brain and how it responds and adapts to stress. 

This experience led me to create the Corporate Athlete Program, to help leaders do the best work of their lives, while feeling great at the same time. 

What can I help with? 
>> Automate and eliminate low value activities
>> Increase time in flow for greater productivity
>> Turn curiosity into passion and purpose
>> Think big and use leverage to maximize impact
>> Give gratitude to increase joy and love in your life
>> Align activities to your purpose through clear goals
>> Reduce addiction to screens and cheap dopamine

→ GO HERE: www.bewellmind.org

Why should I be trusted?
I am certified by the Flow Research Collective as a Peak Performance Coach, hold a Masters in Applied Neuroscience from King’s College, London, and am a certified Ashtanga Yoga Instructor. I have two decades of leadership experience in public companies, growing people faster than the business. I am trained in effective coaching modalities including positive psychology coaching, solutions-focused coaching, and cognitive behavioral coaching. I have delivered thousands of hours of coaching, in real-world environments, with founders, CxOs, VPs, and high performing individual contributors. My practice is grounded in trust building, powerful practices, and empathic support and accountability.

Founder and CTO

The goal of Be Well Innovation is to bring practical and approachable neuroscience-backed practices to individuals, families, and teams to help them achieve more joy, meaning and impact. We use coaching modalities with proven efficacy and neuroscience-backed techniques for building great habits, achieving more flow, and having more impact.

Three years ago, I walked away from an awesome role to build something new.

I had no clients, no guarantee it would work, and a family counting on me.

What I did have was a belief that work could feel different. That people could thrive instead of just survive. That energy and joy aren't luxuries, they are requirements for doing great work.

You showed up. You read the posts. You shared your struggles. You booked calls. You trusted me with your team.

For every read, comment, share, and conversation, you made this possible.

Thank you! 🙏

I appreciate you and all you do.

After Thanksgiving, we will engage in our annual tradition of the Turkey Olympics. Healthy competition with family and friends, paired with Thanksgiving leftovers:

🏀 Basketball with stuffing breaks.
🏃 Sprints with turkey sandwiches at the starting line.
🥧 Apple pie for volleyball.

The competition is fierce, the sportsmanship questionable, the laughter guaranteed.

I hope you find moments like that this weekend. The ones that remind you why you work so hard in the first place.

What are you grateful for this year? Drop it in the comments.

#bewell #gratitude

Coach | Advisor | Helping Leaders Master Energy, Focus & Flow

No alternative text description for this image

I’m thrilled to share that I’ve joined NuVert Inc. as an advisor on cybersecurity strategy and product strategy.

NuVert sits at the intersection of AI, Executive Enablement, and Enterprise
transformation, helping leaders with AI strategy to build human-centered organizations ready for the AI era. 

As part of this next chapter, we are hosting the NuVert AI Executive Education
Summit for Senior Executives and Chiefs of Staff, taking place January 7–9 in
Cambridge, MA. This program is designed specifically for executives leading in an AI-driven world, bridging strategy, technology, and truly human leadership.

If you’d like to learn more about NuVert’s work or explore our upcoming AI Executive Education Summit, I'd love to connect.

#AI #ResponsibleAI #HumanAI #Innovation #Education #ExecutiveEducation #ExecutiveEnablement #EnterpriseTransformation

I was live on a webinar when the dog walked in.

He stared at me from three feet away, invisible in the camera, but I could feel his eyes and presence. He didn't care that I was on a public Zoom call. It was time to play.

His eyes showed enthusiasm that only dogs can have. Rarely see it in humans any more. It had been thirty minutes since our last fetch session. Clearly it was time to play, regardless of the live webinar.

We all laughed because the webinar was about burnout - the dog had his priorities straight...

I was live on a webinar when the dog walked in. He stared at me from three feet away, invisible in the camera, but I could feel his eyes and presence.

Open article: Move and Groove 91 - the enthusiasm of dogs by Eric Reiners • 3 min read

Move and Groove 91 - the enthusiasm of dogs

We started a movement.

To help corporate professionals master their energy, focus, and flow.

Pro athletes train and recover every week to prepare for performance. 

On the contrary, most professionals are expected to perform every day without a lot of training and recovery, sometimes at the expense of their mental, emotional, and physical health. 

I was one of them, performing as a C-level executive at a public cybersecurity company, experiencing chronic stress and physical and mental health issues. I was performing but losing my joy and motivation.

...until I trained with some of the best performance coaches in the world and started incorporating better practices into my daily work life. I became a better leader as I was more relaxed, more engaged, and more fun to work with. 

Harvard Business Review coined the term “Corporate Athlete” in 2001 to describe this whole-person approach to performance. Building physical, emotional, and cognitive capacity enables corporate athletes to perform better for longer, without the serious impact from chronic stress. Corporate athletes are engaged, focused, confident, and challenged. Corporate athletes surf their energy levels for maximum positive impact, recover capacity quickly, and consistently perform at high levels (HBR, January 2001).

My Corporate Athlete Program helps you become a pro. 

The program develops your physical, emotional, and cognitive capacities.

So that you can perform better than you ever have before.

So that you can feel better than you ever have before. 

So that your work can be challenging and still feel effortless.

So that you can love your work again.

Be the corporate athlete. 

I am in your corner. 

#bewell #corporateathlete #performance
_______
Hi, I am Eric and I help corporate athletes unlock their true potential using neuroscience backed techniques. Slots opening in December - see comments on how to sign up.

What drives teams and people to deliver audacious results? 

Waking up and feeling like you have electricity in your veins? 

I had the pleasure of joining Akash Ganapathi, Eric Speciel, Nate Meadows to talk about Flow vs. Burnout at the Daniel Opine Fireside Chat a couple weeks ago. 

Turns out there is a pretty good formula for this. People need:

– Curiosity
– Passion
– Purpose
– Autonomy
– Mastery

When you line all five up, you feel energized and motivated to do audacious things, with other people, for long periods of time. 

The trick is to make sure you are recovering along the way. It feels so good in this state that you don't want to leave it. However, this state is neurobiologically expensive and burnout can sneak up on you.

Taking the time for active recovery (not just rest and relaxation) makes all the difference in your ability to perform over long periods of time. 

What's your favorite way to recover? 

#bewell #flow #intrinsic

Your bucket list is making your life smaller.

You've got 47 things you're "supposed" to do before you die.

Machu Picchu. Write a book. Learn Italian.

Meanwhile, you're missing Wednesday.

The actual texture of your life isn't in those 47 moments. It's in the 47,000 moments between them.

Having coffee with a friend.
Playing on the floor with your kid.
Being frustrated at the grocery store.
The panic before a big presentation.
The relief after.
All of it counts.

I ditched my bucket list three years ago to live in higher resolution.

I still have the big events. But it's the little events in preparation that are the important ones. 

Training feels different when you don't have expectations. I'm just running because moving through trees makes me feel alive.

Dinner with my wife hits different when it's not squeezed between "important" things. It IS the important thing.

Your nervous system knows the difference between obligation and engagement. It knows when you're performing life versus living it.

Those bucket list items? Half of them aren't even yours. They're borrowed dreams from others or some version of yourself that doesn't exist anymore.

What's on your bucket list that you're doing out of obligation rather than genuine desire?

Time to cross it off.

#bewell #ditchthebucketlist

Here's a simple tool to reduce anxiety before a big meeting, event, performance, called the 4-7-8 Technique (courtesy of Dr. Andrew Weil): 
 
1️⃣ Find a quiet spot 
2️⃣ Sit comfortably, back straight 
3️⃣ Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds 
4️⃣ Hold your breath for 7 seconds 
5️⃣ Exhale through your mouth for 8 seconds, making a "whoosh" sound 
6️⃣ Repeat 4 times 
 
This will activate the parasympathetic nervous system, lower heart rate and blood pressure, and flood your brain with oxygen, improving your focus. 

You got this! 
 
#bewell #breathe

Calm is not something that happens to you.

When you have space, time, and no disruptions.

That time will never happen.

Distractions, transgressions, and pain will always arise. 

Waiting for the perfect state is a perfect way to suffer.

Calm is a practice that can be trained.

Calm is a decision you make and re-make over and over.

Calm is when you feel the tightness in your chest, the anger arising, and you respond well anyway.

You then gain freedom from the trained reactions.

The event is just the event.

Neutral and temporary, cause and effect.

Take three breaths before you answer a challenge. Listen fully before planning your responding. Name the emotions, feel them, and respond well despite them. 

You have the capacity to hold these and still respond with high quality.

Be the beach, not the surf.

#bewell #train #calm

One of my favorite things is flowing through jumps and turns at the pump track with the kids.

We throw the bikes in the truck, head to the park, and surf through the jumps and turns.

We try to see how many laps we can do without pedaling.

You accelerate if you surf each jump perfectly.

We go home happy and worked.

In only ninety minutes...

One of my favorite things is flowing through jumps and turns at the pump track with the kids. We throw the bikes in the truck, head to the park, and s

Open article: Move and Groove 93 - Stop grinding, start surfing by Eric Reiners • 3 min read

Move and Groove 93 - Stop grinding, start surfing

There is all kinds of advice on time management.

...and it can be helpful.

I manage energy, focus, and flow instead.

Time is fixed. You get 24 hours a day like everyone else.

Energy, focus, and flow are variables you control.

Energy - When do I have the most cognitive juice? Am I recovering enough? Are my intrinsic motivations aligned with the work? Your brain works differently at 7 AM versus 3 PM. Schedule accordingly.

Focus - Do I know what done looks like? What are the first three moves? Am I working on the right thing or just the urgent thing? Define outcomes before you start moving.

Flow - Have I stacked the triggers and removed the blockers for myself and team? Created space for deep work? Flow is not mysterious, it is a well-known state.

Most productivity advice shows you how to optimize your time.

I optimize for quality throughput instead. I protect my peak hours, clarify my targets, and remove everything that breaks concentration.

The result? I work fewer hours and ship more value than I used to.

What would change if you managed your energy instead of your time?

#bewell #productivity

Stuck on a writing problem for multiple days, my draft manuscript was getting worse.

I left my office and went for a walk with the dog. No podcast, no music, no news. Just the dog and the trees and the leaves and the squirrels. I forgot about the problem.

Twenty minutes in, the answer arrived. Not as a slow build, but as sudden clarity. Every word was clear...

I was stuck on a writing problem for multiple days. My draft manuscript was getting worse. I left my office and went for a walk with the dog. No podca

Open article: Move and Groove 92 - Walk Away by Eric Reiners • 3 min read

Time management advice is mostly wrong.

You can't manufacture time.

You can only prioritize what you do with the time and energy that you have.

When you say "I don't have time to do X".

You are really saying "X is not a priority for me".

"I don't have time" is disempowering.

"I have prioritized other things" is empowering.

Because then you get to confront what your actual priorities are...

Time management advice is mostly wrong. You can't manufacture time. You can only prioritize what you do with the time and energy that you have. When y

Open article: Move and Groove 94 - Prioritize by Eric Reiners • 3 min read

What if feeling more clarity, confidence, and engagement at work wasn’t just a dream?

It’s real. And it’s achievable.

Graduates of the Corporate Athlete Program are proof.

They report a 27% jump in goal clarity, a 19% boost in focus, a 31% increase in confidence, and 38% more engagement at work.

These are not anecdotal results, they are measured using a standardized assessment called the Flow Short Scale before and after the program.

Imagine waking up excited about your day, knowing exactly what to focus on, and executing with confidence.

Picture working on things that genuinely move your life and business forward, not just administrivia and useless meetings.

If you’re tired of feeling stuck, uninspired, or overwhelmed, the Corporate Athlete Program might be your answer.

Schedule some time to learn more.

No pressure. Just a complimentary session to help you see work differently.

Sometimes, all it takes is a new mindset for everything to change.

Are you ready to love your work again?

Let’s talk.

#bewell #corporateathlete

ClearRock, Inc.

Clear Rock is a true partner is addressing the complex needs of businesses and individuals throughout all phases of the employment lifecycle: selection, leadership, development and transition.  CEO Laura Poisson and I connected years ago, and finally found a way to partner together!

Advisory Board Member

Rapid7

Joining first as a consultant and then completely buying in and going native, 
I have  been able to play a role in another successful hyper growth story. Responsible for the entire employee lifecycle, but my key focus is on recruiting stellar talent in a competitive market, building and scaling culture, and making acquisition integration really work.  I love what I do, so I spend a lot of time helping other leaders figure out how to create people success in their companies too...and helping to build great places to work.

Chief People Officer

Hack.Diversity

Inspired by the incredible work of Jody Rose and her amazing team, Rapid7 partnered with Hack.Diversity as part of its first cohort.  We found the program so impactful, I got even more involved and committed by joining the board.

Board Member, Vice Chair

Harvard Division of Continuing Education

Helping Dean Coleman and team advance Harvard's DCE to be recognized as the gold standard for continuing education

Advisory Council

Pillar VC

Rather than joining boards, I tend to like to "go deeper on the people side" with CEOs and leaders to help them build exceptional companies from the start.  Wonderful to partner with Pillar and their fantastic portfolio companies, sharing my experience and lending a helping hand.

Operating Partner

BUILD

I am passionate about a lot of things...and helping to provide kids with the best possible chance at an incredible future is one of them.  After two years serving on this board and playing an active role with this inspiring program, I leaned in a little harder and took over as board chair in the fall of 2020.

Board Member

PatientPop Inc.

Joined the board of this game changing company because it allows me to bring together my love of growth companies, an industry in need of the type of innovation this team brings, and a chance to work with a couple of people from my past who I have mad respect for.  Merged with Kareo, now called Tebra.

People Innovations

A people strategy consulting firm focused on aiding start-up and high growth companies to achieve their strategic people goals.  I shut it down twice to join clients - once with @stake, and again with Rapid7.  I am still passionate about helping to build companies, so still frequently consult with CEOs to help on the people strategies of their growth companies.

Owner & Cultural Architect

@stake (acquired by Symantec)

Assembled the single most talented group of hackers using their powers for good - not evil-  in one company before selling to Symantec.  The stories that came from building this company alone made my chosen profession worth it.

Sapient

How do a group of 20-somethings build an exceptional company in just a few short years, and take it public? This was THAT company, long before it became in vogue to do so.

Vice President of People Strategy

People Strategy Executive for a variety of small and start up companies that have “scaled with soul”...including @stake (now Symantec), Sapient, and now Rapid7.  She's recognized as a visionary in her field, and truly believes a great company starts with the quality and leadership of people you have on the team...and the culture you build to scale the organization. 

Known for shunning the term "Human Resources," for she believes that if you think of your people as "resources,"​ you are completely missing the point.

She is passionate about what she does, and the companies she helps to build. 

Current goal:  to help Rapid7 achieve even greater success than the other companies she's had the good fortune to have been a part of.  They are currently crushing it. 

Specialties: Attracting and retaining stellar people in high growth companies.  Helping executives to "hold the mirror up," identify their strengths and weaknesses, and build the best possible culture for their business to excel.  She is passionate about building amazing places to work that actually scale and thrive over time. 

Side gigs: Operating Partner, Pillar Ventures. Vice Chair & Board member, Hack.Diversity. Board member, BUILD, Advisory Board, Paperless Parts. Frequent thought partner to CEOs and their growing companies.  Advisor to the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship.  She can also be found speaking about culture or sharing her blog on LinkedIn….and currently trying to finally finish the book she’s been working on for waaayyy too long. 

Christina Luconi

Thanksgiving always pulls me into reflection. Not the sugar-coated kind, but the honest inventory of what (and who) truly matters.

This year, I’m deeply grateful.

Grateful for 14+ years at Rapid7 and the incredible team there. A place that shaped me, stretched me, and surrounded me with some of the smartest, most passionate people I’ve ever known.

Grateful for Courtney Campbell, who had the courage to take a big swing with me and relaunch People Innovations. There’s nothing better than building something meaningful with someone who meets your energy, your ideas, and your drive.

Grateful for my friends, who make me laugh, ground me, challenge me, and remind me I’m loved.

Grateful for my family, who show up for me unconditionally with the kind of love that doesn’t waver no matter how chaotic life gets.

Grateful for Dr. Andrew Yee and my team at Mass General, who quite literally are keeping me alive and well enough to do (mostly) everything I love.

Grateful for the clients and partnerships I’ve built this year doing the kind of work that lights me up and gives me purpose and pays the bills. That combination is rare, and I don’t take it for granted for a second.

And finally, I'm grateful for this stage of my life.

2025 is my year of living life on my own terms. That didn’t happen by accident.

When I entered 2012, I was newly divorced, raising two daughters on my own,  just into a new "big job" and staring down a life that looked nothing like the one I had planned. Survival required ruthless prioritization. I decided I’d pour my energy into being the best mother I could be and put the rest into the work I cared deeply about. That was it. There was no room for much else, and instead of feeling guilty about what I couldn’t do, I made peace with it.

That decision saved me.

Nothing is forever.  Not the hard seasons, not the sacrifices, not the constraints. It paid off. My daughters have grown into people I'm incredibly proud of. My career gave me the experience and stability to one day bet on myself. And now, six months into this “new life,” I feel…grateful. Deeply.

I’m (mostly) healthy .
I’m doing work I love.
And after decades of being focused on others, I'm finally living life in a way that feels completely mine.

I’ve never been a fan of the word deserve, but I do believe I’ve earned this chapter, achieved through focus, discipline, perseverance, and a refusal to crumble when life got messy.

These are complicated times. People are tired, anxious, and stretched. But I’ve always believed in the power of finding the good inside the hard. My glass is perpetually half full, and I’m thankful for that mindset more than anything else.

Happy Thanksgiving, all!

Ex-Chief People Officer, Start Up Junkie, and Cultural Architect. I ♥️ Hypergrowth!

Over the past few days, I’ve been thinking a lot about the recent Boston Globe article highlighting Boston’s startup ecosystem, and how many of our local companies have quietly seeded the next generation of founders and builders.

This dynamic doesn’t happen by accident. It thrives because of the people who throw themselves into building something from nothing, learn like hell along the way, and then take that muscle memory, energy, and leadership into the next chapter. And the next. And often, they do it together.

I’ve always said work isn’t a family (let’s be honest, I’m not firing my mother!). It’s a team. And if you are fortunate, it's a team of fantastic, wildly capable humans who chase hard problems, celebrate the wins, and sometimes move on to new challenges. And when you’ve been in the trenches together, really building, you tend to find each other again down the road.

My career has been shaped by that truth. CSC Index. Sapient. @stake. Rapid7. Four hypergrowth environments. Four tours of duty with people who were smart, gritty, creative, resilient, and just the right brand of crazy (I say that with deep respect). These are the people drawn to early-stage chaos. The ones who thrive when the path is unclear, the stakes are high, and the only constant is change. If perfectionism is your north star, you’ll struggle. If being a little uncomfortable electrifies you, you’ll probably feel right at home.

One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned? Don’t take departures personally. We aren’t in a world where people stay at one company for life, and we shouldn’t be. If you want to build a career defined by growth, impact, and reinvention, you’re going to outgrow roles, teams, and sometimes entire companies. And if you’ve contributed to a successful rocket ship, it shouldn’t surprise anyone when you get the itch to do it again.

I entered the workforce inside a hypergrowth company, and I never looked back. Decades later, what amazes me most isn’t just the companies I’ve helped scale; it’s the people. The ones who learned with me. Built with me. Challenged me. And then left for their next chapter and circled back years later as clients, founders, partners, or friends.

As we head into Thanksgiving season here in the U.S., I’m reminded how grateful I am for all of them. My ecosystem. My community. The humans who made this career not just meaningful, but unforgettable.

The work matters. But the people - my people - continue to make it extraordinary.

Open article: Boston’s top cybersecurity companies are feeding a growing startup ecosystem - The Boston Globe by bostonglobe.com

Boston’s top cybersecurity companies are feeding a growing startup ecosystem - The Boston Globe

While so many of my friends packed up and headed west to Silicon Valley, I chose to stay in Boston and help build the tech startup ecosystem here. I’ve never regretted that decision. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside some wildly talented people. The kind who build something great together, then take those lessons and go build again. Watching that cycle continue is one of my favorite things about this community.

Aaron Pressman captures this dynamic beautifully in his piece and highlights just how much these relationships fuel Boston’s growth.

Side note: the people featured here are the polar opposite of the “I hate work” crowd. Their passion, grit, and creativity remind me daily why I love this ecosystem.  Read more in the link below!

🛠️ Building a way to get new customers via strong relationships @Via AI • 🚀 6x Entrepreneur/Operator • 💰 Angel investor @TBD Angels

Every time a pillar company like Rapid7 spins out alumni, #Boston #tech gets a new wave of momentum. I shared a quick thought in today's Boston Globe Media article "Boston’s top cybersecurity companies are feeding a growing startup ecosystem" by Aaron Pressman: https://lnkd.in/eJM6uhb4

I’ve seen firsthand the power of “getting the band back together” and have benefitted from and contributed to a few circles of tech #mafias. Startups get an incredible head start when smart people take what they’ve learned, recycle their skills and networks, and build the next big thing.

We're living this now at Via AI, building again with John Kalogerakis, Erika Bartucca, and Mark Faga, and a network of dozens of former and future colleagues at TBD Angels.

These relationships run decades long. Throwback photo from when Christina Luconi hosted the BUILD Entrepreneur Games committee.

#BostonTech #cybersecurity #startups

Glasswing Ventures Carbon Black BUILD617

Who is ready to Scale with Soul?!

There’s nothing more energizing to me than partnering with leaders who are all in, people with big ideas, real ambition, and the courage to build something extraordinary.

That’s why I re-started People Innovations. Not to be a consultant who checks the HR boxes, but to be a partner to CEOs who are playing to win.

My sweet spot is building and scaling culture from the ground up. But the truth is, only some CEOs truly understand how critical the human element is to their success. They don't need to know HOW to do it. Just how critical it is to their company's growth.  And those are the people we’ll go to the ends of the earth for.

If you’re a growth-stage CEO who wants to maximize your opportunity to succeed and create an extraordinary experience for your people (and ultimately, your customers), then let's talk. 

You can learn more at People Innovations. 
.
Let us help you build something remarkable.

If You Do One Thing Differently Today, Do This.

If you do one thing differently today, build your self-awareness muscle.
Not in a feel-good, “be more mindful” kind of way. Rather in a grounded, practical way that changes how you lead, how you love, and how you show up in every room you walk into.

Most people think they’re self-aware.
Very few actually are.

Self-awareness isn’t about overthinking. It’s about understanding the truth of who you are. Your strengths, your blind spots, your patterns, and the impact you have on the world around you.

It’s noticing when your confidence turns into steamrolling.
It’s catching the moment your stress leaks onto people.
It’s seeing how your silence can be as loud as your voice.
It’s knowing which parts of you elevate others, and which parts unintentionally shut them down.

When you get this right, everything shifts.

Your relationships get cleaner.
Your communication gets sharper.
Your leadership becomes more trusted.
And your life feels a little less reactive and a lot more intentional.

Here’s the simple truth:
You can’t lead others well if you don’t understand yourself first.
And in every company I’ve helped scale, the leaders who grow the fastest are the ones willing to look inward before they look outward.
This is the heart of the work we do at People Innovations. Helping leaders build the self-awareness, clarity, and confidence to show up in ways that actually create the cultures they want. Not through buzzwords or posters, but through real, honest reflection and intentional action.

So if you do one thing differently today, do this: Pause long enough to understand how you’re showing up and what those behaviors are creating around you.

That kind of honesty takes courage. But it’s the starting point for every extraordinary life and every extraordinary leader.

Start here.
Start with you.

The People Piece Most Founders Miss When Launching a Company

When you’re launching a company, there’s an endless list of things to do. Build the product, obtain funding, and find your first customers. And then you start to stress about some of the realities of having employees, like the need to set up payroll and putting healthcare in place. Those tactical pieces matter, but they’re not what determine whether your company scales successfully or struggles later. Think of those initial people pieces as tactical necessities. 

The real differentiator is how intentionally you approach your people philosophy from day one. Think about it this way. Every company needs a business strategy. Just as important, however, is your people strategy. A people strategy is how you actually accomplish your business strategy through your people.  That notion isn’t rocket science, but it is a critical step. Said differently, if you bypass the strategic piece of your people planning and only focus on the tactical elements, you’re missing out on some significant opportunities to embed alignment, culture, etc.
 
In those early days, every hire is a force multiplier. The first five people don’t just get work done.They define your culture, your communication style, and your pace. They become your company’s blueprint. Yet too often, founders make those first hires reactively: whoever’s available, affordable, or willing to take a chance.

Here’s the truth I’ve seen over and over again: when you get the early people foundation right, everything else becomes easier;  recruiting, retention, leadership, even scaling your customer base. When you skip it, you spend years cleaning up the ripple effects.

At People Innovations, we help founders and early teams build that foundation intentionally. Our work focuses on embedding the strategic people pieces right alongside the tactical ones.Like defining what your version of excellence looks like, shaping values and behaviors, and aligning your people practices with the company’s purpose and goals. To us, that is building the foundation to scaling with soul.

If you’re in that early stage, here's a few basics to get started:

- Get clear on what “excellent” looks like. Not just in skill, but in mindset and behaviors
- Put words around your culture early. Even as it evolves, clarity creates alignment
- Separate the tactical from the strategic.Payroll and benefits are table stakes; your people philosophy is your differentiator
- Ask for help when needed.Getting an outside perspective can save you from painful, expensive lessons later. While trying to argue this work is something anyone can do, a CEO once said to me, “We are all people - this isn’t that hard.”   He was wrong. The turnover and poor engagement in his company was staggering.

Fast growth is great, but lasting success comes from building with intention. We help companies do both: move quickly and build a culture strong enough to support the weight of that growth.

taplio

The Battle

Eric Reiners

Christina Luconi

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreEric Reiners's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreChristina Luconi's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Eric Reiners

Christina Luconi

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Eric Reiners's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreChristina Luconi's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreEric Reiners's LinkedIn Performance