LEARN AT LAUNCH | The "Soft" Side of Hiring & Teambuilding

Skills and technical experience might get a candidate through the door, but the real secret to building a powerhouse team lies in the "soft side" of hiring.

For growing businesses and established teams alike, a strong resume simply isn't enough. When resources are tight and pace is fast, you need team members who not only execute, but also adapt, communicate, and elevate the people around them. Workforce data consistently shows that reliability, coachability, and emotional intelligence are the truest predictors of retention and growth.

Join our October Learn at Launch for a fireside chat featuring Amber Fields, Partner and Chief Growth Officer of trueU, and Chef James "Mackie" Jones, Founder and Executive Chef of the acclaimed His Place Eatery.

In an industry notoriously challenged by turnover, Chef James has built a standout culinary destination celebrated as much for its culture as its cuisine. His hiring philosophy prioritizes character, attitude, and service mindset over credentials alone: “You can teach someone how to do the job, but you can’t teach them how to care about people overnight.” What starts as trust and mutual respect behind the scenes directly shapes an exceptional customer experience.

Together, Amber and Chef James will bridge real-world entrepreneurial insights with strategic workforce data. They will explore why hiring the “whole person” drives high-performing teams, protects your bottom line, and builds an environment where people genuinely want to stay and grow.

Key Takeaways:

• Hiring for Character: How to identify, screen, and interview for soft skills, coachability, and a “pitch-in” mindset alongside technical capability.
• Culture Drives Retention: Practical strategies to build a people-first culture rooted in trust, accountability, and belonging to reduce costly turnover.
• The Employee-to-Customer Link: Why the internal employee experience directly mirrors and elevates your customer experience and brand reputation.
• Navigating Growth & Ambiguity: How to apply a "whole person" hiring framework to build agile, cross-functional teams in fast-paced startup and small business environments.

About the Speakers:

Chef James "Mackie" Jones | Founder & Executive Chef, His Place Eatery

Chef James Jones successfully transitioned from a corporate media sales career to graduate with honors from Ivy Tech’s culinary program in 2009. Alongside his wife Shawn, he built His Place Eatery into a premier soul food and barbecue brand in Indianapolis, earning national acclaim and a feature on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Defying restaurant industry turnover trends, Chef James credits his success to a people-first hiring philosophy centered on human connection, collaboration, and character. His focus on team culture has created an internal community that directly translates into a warm, unforgettable guest experience.

Amber Fields | Partner & Chief Growth Officer, trueU

Amber Fields believes culture isn't a perk but a business strategy. As Partner and Chief Growth Officer at trueU, she helps organizations leaders build workplaces people are proud to be part of, and turns that commitment into measurable results.

Amber came to culture work through IT services sales, and she still brings a seller's instincts to everything she does. She listens closely, reads the room, and knows how to move people from ideas to action. She pairs that with a forward-looking practice that uses people and technology in HR and culture work, helping organizations stay efficient and competitive and get ahead of what's coming.

She's a natural connector: the person who knows exactly who needs to be at the table. Whether she's developing leaders, growing trueU's Culture Community, or producing events that bring people together, her goal is the same. She wants people and organizations to become the best versions of themselves.