In this six‑question, seven‑minute interview, Professor Pete Alexander talks with Cassandra Rose, a partner at Meridark and a global HR leader specializing in Millennials and Gen Z. Rose explains her background in HR and DEI across large corporations and unicorn startups, emphasizing how well‑designed benefits and performance programs can lift entire families and generations, especially for the sandwich generation. She stresses that the most critical business chapter is "Listen to your people," arguing that frontline insights drive better decisions, trust, and productivity. Rose also advises leaders to plan hiring and systems 3‑5 years ahead rather than reacting to short‑term crises, to avoid costly turnover and misaligned resources. The conversation concludes with a personal anecdote about her first job as a Radio City Music Hall tour guide, illustrating how storytelling, listening, and directing people are foundational HR skills. Finally, she shares her social‑media handles (Ms. Cassandra Rose on LinkedIn and Instagram) for listeners to follow her thought leadership.
Chapters
This is Professor Pete Alexander with the Winning at Business and Life podcast, where business leaders share their insights. It is 6 questions in 7 minutes because successful business leaders are busy and rarely have more time to spare. So let's get to it. Question number 1: In a few sentences, tell me who you are and what you do.
Hey, Professor Pete and everyone listening, my name is Cassandra Rose. I'm a partner at Meridark and a global HR leader, teaching millennials and Gen Z how to maximize their benefits to enhance their financial, physical, and mental well-being. Having held roles at multibillion-dollar companies as well as unicorn startups, I've developed proven HR and diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies which positively impacts employees in their well-being and embed equitable workplace practices.
Well, Cassandra, thank you so much for being on the show. It's a pleasure to have you here, and I'm looking forward to learning. Question number 2, what is something that makes you smile and/or laugh about working in your industry?
So I listened to a few episodes, maybe a lot more than I can admit. Just knowing that I can impact generations of people. When we think about the HR discipline, a lot of times we focus on the employee. But what we don't realize is that our practices and the ability to develop people both professionally and personally impacts their loved ones as well, whether that's able— they're able to purchase a home or a safer college for their kids or leave generational wealth behind for their children and loved ones. That is what our benefits programs are doing, our awards programs are doing. That's what performance management can do. It can take not just a person, but almost an entire generation up that socioeconomic ladder.
I love that. And what came to my mind as you were talking about that is also the sandwich generation, because I'm experiencing that as well, because still supporting my, my kids as well as my elderly mom. So that I'm assuming that that's something that you work with particular people as well.
Yeah, and that's a really great call out because as we think about, we're nearly out of the pandemic and this was an issue even before and it's been exacerbated even further from people losing their jobs, moving around the country, around the world, and just looking for villages of support. And now we're at a, a tipping point where that's going to be common to always be a sandwich generation because we're living longer, people are having children later. And so it really takes a lot of effort and intentionality to make sure that we're supporting people, not just in the work that they do, but in what is most important to them, why they do the work, why they make the money, to be able to support the people they love from age 0 to 99.
Very insightful. I'm so glad that, uh, you were able to clarify that because that helps me as well. Question number 3: I have a fictitious book with all the answers for business. What chapter would you think most companies should read?
Oh, that's super easy. Chapter 1: Listen to your people. I have been part of organizations that have, you invested millions of dollars and brought on, you know, amazing thought leaders to come in and reinvigorate how we work and morale. And those things are important and needed in certain circumstances. But guess what, the people that work within your organization, they're going to give you the best insights because they're on the ground, they're doing the work, they're speaking to your clients, they know what's broken within, they know what, you know, needs to be fixed. If you listen to your people as your foundation, you will be better at almost any other thing that you do. And then you have a better blueprint on what, what resources to bring in to really support them.
Hmm. That is very insightful. And I think to myself too, that when you listen to your people, that actually makes them feel more valued and it builds more trust in the organization. Am I correct?
Oh, absolutely. When I ask for something and I'm resourced, not only does that make me feel heard, but that encourages me to do better. I'm more productive because now I have what I need to be able to deliver. And that's what we're looking for. Um, there's actually going to be, and I think we're already seeing this now, labor shortages in the market. That's only going to increase as we go into the next decade. So just think about who's in your organization, how you can upskill them and grow them so that they're always learning, and then listen to what they ask for to be well-resourced to do what they need to do.
Excellent advice. Thank you so much. Question number 4, other than the generic work harder, have a great attitude, and care for customers, what insight would you give to other business leaders?
I would tell them to always think about what's next. I noticed that sometimes we think, okay, you know, we're having an issue, we need a coordinator or an analyst, or we just come up with some solution to help in the current moment. Try to think 3 to 5 years ahead. Would you want that person to grow with the organization? Because what we tend to do is solve for the now, and then we have resources who are kind of out there floating around, whether that may be a vendor partner that you chose or bringing in, you know, talent not at the right level. So whenever you're in a mode of great growth or a great crisis, try to think about the solution that's going to support you 3 to 5 years, not 3 to 5 months out.
Mm, that is really great advice. I, you know, I think about it too, and it's so not only the hiring of people, but systems that you bring in place. And often, you know, by the time those people are trained or the system has been implemented and stuff, all of a sudden something changes. And had it been thought out, as you're saying, 3 to 5 years, uh, you know, you, you're better prepared for it.
Exactly. And then you don't have all these hodgepodge of things happening where you have to sunset things, lay people off. That's where some of the friction comes from, and that's where some of the stress comes from, because people think that you don't know where you're going, even though you were well-intentioned and invested a lot of money and effort. So always try to think that far ahead.
Sound, sound advice. Question number 5: What other business leader like yourself would you like to acknowledge and invite to be on my podcast.
Yeah, I thought about it and I wonder if that person would actually take it on. So let me get back to you on that by asking them first.
No problem. I'll look forward to hearing from you. And question number 6, please tell me about your first job.
So a lot of people don't know this, but my first job, one of my first jobs and one of my favorite jobs ever was being a tour guide at Radio City Music Hall. So when I was in college, I took on a lot of odd jobs within the school to help me pay for my tuition. And one of was a tour guide, and I enjoyed it so much that after I graduated, I was working part-time and I got picked to be a tour guide at Radio City Music Hall. Now, this is an institution in New York City located in Midtown. If you haven't heard about it, you've probably heard about the Rockettes and the Christmas Spectacular. So I had to learn a 10-page script in less than 72 hours and audition for the part. And I had the capability of hosting up to 4 tour groups of sizes from 10 people to 100 people and just take them through this historic monument. And I've learned so much about architecture, artwork, entertainment, you know, just the burgeoning society of New York City in the '20s and '30s. And my favorite tour ever, I had someone who was there opening day. This woman was in her 80s. And she was like, I remember as a little girl running up to 6th Avenue and just seeing this amazing, you know, ball of light that was Radio City Music Hall. So she taught me, you know, something that those 10 pages of scripts could never teach me. So that was an awesome job. And it honestly helped me be a better HR professional because it's all about listening. It's about directing people. It's about digging into something that people may see all the time and showing them the true beauty of what it can be.
Mm, what a great story. And I'm thinking about each time that I've been in New York City, I almost always have had a picture at Radio City Music Hall. So I love that. But I have a question for you. Did you ever have on any of your tours somebody say, can you Can you show us how the Rockettes dance?
Of course. And the really cool thing is that there was always a Rockette on site. So part of the tour, a little bit of a surprise, but I may be ruining it for you, is that a Rockette comes out and they explain, you know, how they're selected. It's actually a pretty rigorous audition process. They have to be a certain height because those kicks are amazing. And they'll do some kicks and, you know, work it out. Now, please stretch before you try that if you ever go on the tour. But it's an amazing, amazing phenomenon, and I would never trade that experience for the world.
Oh, thank you so much for sharing that with us. A lovely, lovely story. And Cassandra, thank you so much for being on the show. How can people find you?
Yeah, so, uh, I share a lot of thought leadership on LinkedIn, so I go across all socials as Ms. Cassandra Rose. So that's Ms. Cassandra Rose. Can you tell I do that often? Ms. Cassandra Rose, LinkedIn and Instagram.
Perfect. This is Professor Pete Alexander with the Whittig at Business Life podcast. Get hundreds of amazing business insights from previous guest episodes on your favorite podcast app. Thanks for listening.
