What happens when a Marine-turned-practitioner-turned-analyst puts adoption ahead of hype and refuses to ship “shiny things” no one will use.
On this episode of Inside the C-Suite, Christy sits down with her long-time friend and mentor Pete Tiliakos - chief payroll champion, veteran, longtime HR operator, and the analyst behind an “open-source” approach to sharing insight. From auditing records in the Marines to building Disney’s HR/payroll transformation and advising the largest HCM platforms, Pete has sat in every seat that matters. He’s blunt about what works, generous with what he knows, and unapologetic about leading with heart.
They unpack:
Tech that dies on the shelf vs. products people actually touch - why user adoption beats executive intent every time
Investment vs. being invested - how leaders move beyond budget approvals to shoulder the work with their teams
The Payroll Profession Competence Index - what sentiment reveals about sponsorship, trust, and the real state of the employee experience
“Failing to fail” - how imposter syndrome nearly derailed Pete’s analyst career and the discipline that kept him on the field
The Marine advantage - habits, urgency of perfection, and mission focus you can graft onto any team
Co-opetition over posturing - why open collaboration outperforms closed, “we-know-it-all” models
If you’ve ever been sold a solution that never stuck - or wondered what it takes to earn adoption at scale - this conversation answers the question you’ve been avoiding and puts language to what your best operators already know.
Because transformation isn’t a launch.
It’s leadership showing up, consistently, with discipline and a bias for humans over headlines.
Chapters:
00:05:09 - User adoption over top-down IT in HR tech
00:09:12 - Securing organization-wide buy-in for change
00:09:52 - Tracksuit moment and brand authenticity context
00:11:43 - Favorite podcasts and shows cited
00:16:26 - Military branch and service origin shared
00:21:07 - 18-year-old self perspective on today
00:21:37 - Advice to 18-year-olds starting out
00:23:41 - Common C-suite myths challenged
00:30:56 - Failure that became a turning point
00:38:02 - Final message and where to connect
| Connect with Us |
Follow Pete Tiliakos:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/petetiliakos/
Twitter - https://x.com/petetiliakos
Check Out Pete & Julie’s Podcast – HR & Payroll 2.0:
Apple – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hr-payroll-2-0/id1763160959
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/10HlnoTCwGPVQEtUHNcCWl
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@HRPAYROLL2_0
(Pete is a globally recognized HR and payroll authority with 30+ years spanning practitioner, buyer, vendor, consultant, analyst, and advisor - known for sharp research and strategic guidance across global payroll, EOR, fintech/payments, and HCM. He co-hosts HR & Payroll 2.0, hosts The Source by DailyPay, and is a go-to voice for industry associations, publications, and events.)
Follow Inside the C-Suite:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cwiseman/
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Subscribe on Apple – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-c-suite/id1739883160
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