Welcome back to the FNDN Series, where we continue our deep dive into startup compensation with industry leaders from across the startup world. In our conversation with Lachlan Bradford, Community Content Manager at Sked Social and Co-Host of the Funny Business Podcast, we explore the powerful intersection of brand, community, and people operations. Lachlan shares his unconventional journey from cricket academy to lift operator in Canada, bar manager, e-commerce founder, and ultimately to building vibrant communities in the startup world. We unpack the critical lessons HR teams can learn from community building, the importance of authentic employer branding, the power of personal connection over automation, and how to create workplaces where people genuinely don't want to leave. Keep watching to discover how treating your people like community members can transform your retention, engagement, and company culture.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

01:45 Guest Introduction: Lachlan Bradford

03:20 Lachlan's Unconventional Journey: From Cricket Academy to Community Building

09:15 The Teachers Who Shaped His Approach to Leadership

13:40 From Bar Manager to E-Commerce: Building OB and Co

16:50 Starting Funny Business Podcast During COVID

32:40 The Founder Mindset: Customer Obsession Applied to HR

36:20 Authentic Employer Branding vs Generic Approaches

40:15 The Power of Niche: Speaking Your Audience's Language

44:30 LinkedIn Strategy: Real Relationships Over Automation

48:45 Surprise and Delight: Creating Memorable Employee Experiences

57:35 Creating Workplaces Where People Don't Want to Leave

58:45 Conclusion and Wrap-Up

Connect with Lachlan:

Visit: https://skedsocial.com

LinkedIn https://linkedin.com/in/lachlanbradford

Resources Mentioned:

• Sked Social - Social media management and scheduling platform where Lachlan serves as

• Community Content ManagerFunny Business Podcast - Podcast for free thinkers and creators hosted by Lachlan Bradford and Robbie

• HicksDream Big Social Club - Community initiative founded by Lachlan featuring events, workshops, and networking opportunities

• Ways of Working Consultancy - Agile delivery consultancy launched from the Funny Business podcast

• People Mentioned:Ben Waterman - CEO of The Resilience Project, former teacher at Cricket Academy

• David McKay - Fusion scientist and former Cricket Academy teacher (brother of Australian cricketer Clint McKay)

• Mark Worthington - Player Development Manager at Geelong Cats (AFL)Peter Boul - Leadership expert who delivered workshops for the Dream Big Social Club community

• Robbie Hicks - Co-host of Funny Business Podcast and business partner

• Concepts Discussed:Customer Obsession in People OperationsAuthentic vs Generic Employer Branding

• LinkedIn Relationship Building StrategiesCommunity-First Approach to Workplace Culture

• Surprise and Delight Employee Experiences

• The Power of Niche Positioning in Talent AttractionFounder Mindset for Employee Engagement

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More FNDN Episodes: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4GeBIeZOKrFxG1oiiPxmiM

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fndn-series/id1794263484