Episode 151

EP 151: Building Cohesive Cultures: HR Insights from Sarah Ghessie

On today's episode of The Executive Appeal Podcast join Alex D. Tremble (CEO of GPS Leadership Solutions & KeynoteSpeaker) and Sarah Ghessie (Senior HR Director at Fundrise) as they discuss how to create strong workplace cultures, build HR departments from scratch, and use data to predict trends. Dive into her journey of understanding diverse perspectives and the human side behind every data point in today’s evolving society.

Guest BIO:

With over ten years of experience in human resources and operations, I am a passionate and strategic leader who drives organizational excellence and employee engagement. As the Senior Director of Human Resources at Fundrise, I oversee the People function for a high-growth, direct-to-investor alternative asset management platform, overseeing talent acquisition, performance management, compensation and benefits, learning and development, and diversity and inclusion initiatives. I hold a SHRM-CP certification and am graduate of the People Leader Accelerator, a program that equips HR professionals with the skills and tools to create high-performing and inclusive teams, and the Redefining HR Accelerator - Charlie Cohort. Previously, I held various HR and operations roles at Asurity Technologies, NJI Media, Social Tables, and Hukkster, where I supported the growth and success of different organizations in the technology, media, and retail sectors. I have a strong background in retail management and organizational leadership and learning, with master's degrees from the University of South Carolina and the George Washington University. I also hold a diversity and inclusion certificate from Cornell University, and I am committed to fostering a culture of belonging and respect at Fundrise and beyond.

About the Podcast

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The Executive Appeal with Alex D. Tremble
For CEOs of $10M–$25M companies who want to stop being the bottleneck.

About your host

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Alex D. Tremble

Alex D. Tremble is the Founder and CEO of GPS Leadership Solutions, a bestselling author, and an award‑winning executive coach to CEOs of early eight‑figure, multi‑location companies. With a Master’s in Industrial and Organizational Psychology and over a decade of advising Fortune 500 executives, federal leaders, and high‑growth founders, Alex helps CEOs stop being the bottleneck in their own businesses.

Through his Executive 360 Snapshot and 90‑Day CEO Reset programs, Alex uses his TP3™ framework – Trust, Proactivity, Productivity, Profitability – to reveal how CEOs are truly experienced, pinpoint the behaviors that are slowing everything down, and install simple leadership operating systems so their companies can run fast without them in every decision.

He is the author of five leadership books, including "Leadership Sucks! (Sometimes)" and Unlocking the Executive Advantage, and hosts The Executive Appeal, where he interviews CEOs and senior leaders on the real work of leading companies that no longer depend on hero leadership.