Description:
On this episode of The Builders, Matt sits down with Tiffany Slowinski, owner of Team Spark Advisors and an Executive Advisor using Culture Index to help leaders stop guessing about people. Tiffany shares how a zigzag career through psychology, journalism, counseling, and local media sales led her to people analytics—and why builders should treat talent like any other core system: define the job, measure the fit, and manage to how people are wired.
They break down how a quick word-choice survey surfaces innate drives, making it easier to place the right people in the right seats and coach them effectively. Tiffany walks through real-world scenarios—stuck employees, misaligned roles, and the lure of “industry experience”—showing how data clarifies whether to coach, re-seat, or part ways. The result: better hires, clearer management, and teams that actually build.
Key Takeaways:
- Stop winging it: use people data to hire and manage with intent.
- A 10-minute survey can reveal innate strengths and role fit.
- Coach to wiring: adjust communication, motivation, and expectations.
- Hire for fit within existing team dynamics, not just résumés.
- Don’t over-index on industry experience; look for the right drives.
- Distinguish managers from doers—align the job to the person.
- When performance doesn’t rebound, make the hard (humane) call.
- Software makes the data actionable—no manual number-crunching.
Tiffany Slowinski
Tiffany Slowinski is a seasoned entrepreneur and co-owner of three successful franchises alongside her husband, Jake. As a mother of four spirited daughters, Tiffany has found inspiration in both her family life and professional career.
With a solid background as a former Vice President of Sales for a national franchise, Tiffany possesses expertise in optimizing work culture and driving tangible results. Her unique approach focuses on cultivating a positive and productive workplace environment driving both top and bottom line sales. Under Tiffany's leadership, in under three years the franchise count more than doubled.
Under the banner of “Team Spark Advisors: Hire. Retain. Empower the Best Performers,” Tiffany integrates the use of data into her consulting services, allowing her clients to gain profound insights into their teams, leading to improved communication, heightened productivity, and enhanced employee satisfaction.
Tiffany's educational journey includes earning a Master's degree in Psychology from Columbia University, which bolsters her ability to understand human behavior and its impact on organizations.
Through Team Spark Advisors, Tiffany is dedicated to helping businesses and leaders achieve their goals by fostering strong, purpose-driven cultures and delivering exceptional results.
THE MEAT OF IT!
- Opening: Why builders can’t “wing it” with people
- Stephen’s return since episode #30; what’s changed
- A quick detour: Formula 1, performance, and business parallels
- Tiffany’s builder journey
- Psychology + journalism → counseling → local media & sales
- Discovering people data while scaling a franchise operation
- Inside the Culture Index approach
- A simple, sub-10-minute word-choice survey
- Revealing innate drives and natural fit for roles
- Applying profiles to org needs and seats
- Data-driven team management
- Coaching and communicating to how people are wired
- Spotting misfit stress and role mismatches
- Hard calls: improvement timelines vs. letting go
- Hiring for fit (not just résumés)
- Hiring to team dynamics you already have
- Avoiding the “industry experience only” trap
- Manager vs. doer: align the role with the person
- Tools & implementation
- Software-assisted insights (no hand-drawn graphs!)
- Where to learn more and connect with Tiffany
Check out these related Episodes:
- Episode 243: Stephen Wilson Downey – The New Playbook: GEO, E-E-A-T, Signals & Being “The Answer”
- Episode 240: Madi Waggoner – Scale Without Burnout: Leadership, Infrastructure, Fuel & Team Building
- Episode 161: Jeannette Seibly – The Hiring Triangle: Assessments, Interviews, and Due Diligence
