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News BY the Editors | September 30, 2025

From Day One Hosts Its 75th Live Conference Today

When From Day One hosts its conference today in San Francisco, it will mark a major milestone for the company: its 75th live and in-person conference since the company’s founding. Speakers at the Fort Mason Center will include Michael Walters, the CHRO of Samsung Semiconductor, and Bernard Bedon, CHRO of Levi Strauss & Co. Among the moderators leading these timely conversations will be Michal Lev-Ram, a contributor for both CNBC and Fortune.At a time of economic and political tumult, From Day One is bringing together leaders in HR and related fields to share ideas about how to bring positive change. This was the original mission of three founders of From Day One—Nick Baily, Erin Sauter and Steve Koepp–when they launched, exactly seven years ago this month, the organization’s very first event, a one-day conference of hundreds of business leaders at BRIC House in Brooklyn. From the start, it was designed to be something different.The idea was that the country needed a “forum on corporate values,” a gathering of professionals to talk about the relationship between companies and their employees, their customers, and their communities. The founders felt certain that they didn’t know the answer to these pivotal questions, but they felt equally certain that there were many people with inspiring, practical insight on these topics, and that bringing them together into the same room would be a positive first step.From Day One in Minneapolis at the McNamara Alumni Center (photo by Sarah Morreim for From Day One)Since then, From Day One has hosted more than 18,100 participants at its live conferences and nearly 105,000 attendees in all of its events, including virtual conferences and webinars. The total number of corporate leaders, authors and other experts speaking at the events has reached nearly 2,450. Among the locations visited in-person are Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Brooklyn, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Manhattan, Miami, Mountain View (Silicon Valley), Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.Some highlights of the year so far include fireside chats with Daniela Proust, the SVP and head of people & organization at Siemens in D.C., Lori Knowles, SVP and CHRO at Memorial Hermann in Houston, and Tarsha LaCour, chief people officer for the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas. Across the country, executive panelists shared insights on topics ranging from empowering women in leadership, to leveraging AI, employee well-being, and much more.Next week, the site of From Day One’s 76th live conference happens to be Philadelphia, not by design but by fortuitous coincidence. Among its speakers will be the chief people officer of Lincoln Financial Group, as well as leaders from Comcast, Burlington Stores, Cigna, and many more. Leading the conversations will be several journalists from the esteemed Philadelphia Inquirer.From Day One's 2024 Philadelphia conference at the Union League of Philadelphia (photo by Brandon Peszko for From Day One)Right around the corner, on Jan. 28, From Day One will be kicking off its new vertical focusing on values-based marketing with a full-day conference at Atlanta's breathtaking Georgia Aquarium, with speakers from Honeywell, Warner Bros. Discovery, SAP, and more.(Featured photo by David Coe for From Day One)

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Feature BY Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza | September 09, 2025

What Unusual Jobs Taught Me About Hiring, Retention, and the Talent You’re Overlooking

Paddy Fanning never set out to become one of the best sheepdog trainers in the world. He was a cowboy working on a Canadian cattle ranch when he came across an old book on horsemanship that described the magical give-and-take between humans and animals. Back in Ireland, as he worked to recover from a drinking problem, he put those lessons into practice with a border collie on his father’s sheep farm, and, in the process, discovered a new sense of purpose.Twenty years later, Paddy has represented Ireland in international herding dog competitions and earned a reputation as one of the finest trainers alive. “I’m probably still a bit unemployable,” he told me, laughing. “You hear my job there, and I don’t really have one. And yet we do okay. Dogs have given me all that. I just feel glad with the way the whole deal turned out.”For the last six years, I’ve been writing about work. How people get their jobs and how they lose them, the relationship between employer and the employed, and how all of us find meaning in our work. I frequently meet people who are unhappy with their careers. But I noticed something: People who have unconventional jobs often are happy with their work.So I started searching for the people who have jobs they don’t tell you about in school, roles that don’t show up on job boards: the death doulas, sheepdog trainers, puppeteers, and Foley artists of the world. And I made a podcast about it, called How to Be Anything.Each episode tells the story of someone with an unusual job, and after interviewing 15 of them, I realized their lessons aren’t only for people whose careers take them off the beaten path. Their wisdom and experiences are relevant for anyone working today–including those in corporate America. Some of my findings: Self-Determination Is a Powerful Retention ToolFrom Day One contributing editor and journalist Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza takes you inside the world of unique and unexpected jobs in her podcastAlmost everyone I spoke with chose their job intentionally. Sometimes it took years (or decades) to find, but in the end they carved out space to do work they found meaningful. That self-determination is a powerful reason they stay.Puppetry artist Heidi Rugg built a career by weaving together all the art forms she loves, and her work became stronger once she focused on the environmental themes that deeply matter to her. On the TV Show Dimension 20, lorekeeper (kind of like a script supervisor) Skye Smith designed their own system for tracking the plot, a process they owned from start to finish. For Smith, the real satisfaction comes from being taken seriously. “If I have opinions, I get to say them and they get taken into consideration, which I think is a huge blessing, especially as someone who's young and I didn’t finish college,” Smith told me.And when veterinarian Cindy Otto worked at Ground Zero after 9/11, she saw firsthand the need for better medical care for search-and-rescue dogs. Backed by the University of Pennsylvania, she launched an entire research program to address it, and now is on the leading edge of working-dog science. When workers have the freedom to pursue ideas that matter personally to them, they’re far more likely to stick around.Everyone Needs to See the Fruits of Their LaborWork feels meaningful when you can see its impact.Forensic artist Melissa Cooper has seen her sketches lead directly to the capture of violent criminals, and she draws joy from knowing she’s giving power and a voice to survivors. Gavin Cox, a research scientist who works a mile underground searching for dark matter, described the satisfaction of spending a month designing a procedure to safely move liquified xenon gas, a high-stakes task that required precision and patience. “That’s when I feel proud of my work,” he told me.Employees don’t need a dramatic story to feel accomplished, but they do need to see that the outcomes of their contributions matter.I asked veterinarian Cindy Otto what she thinks of her career now that retirement is in sight. She told me that at a recent veterinary symposium, a presenter asked the crowd for a show of hands: Who had been affected by the Penn Vet Working Dog Center and the work they’ve done? Every single person in the room raised their hand. “I think about it a lot,” she told me. “I’ve made a difference. I’ve made an impact,” she said. Excellence Requires Freedom to FailNo one starts out as an award-winning sheepdog trainer or an award-winning Foley artist. You start as lousy, and then you become okay, and then you become good–and then you become great.That’s why the famous Jack Welch mentality of routinely cutting lowest performers (a practice now back in vogue in 2025) is so damaging. It sends a message to your employees that stumbling is a punishable offense, and eliminates the top performers of the future.Organizations that want innovation have to accept that employees will struggle, or even fail, on their way to mastery.Careers Are Built on Soft SkillsBrendon King has been climbing 500-foot cell towers for more than a decade. The hardest part isn’t fixing the electronics, it’s staying calm when the steel tower sways like a noodle in the wind. Patience, composure, and a little bit of thrill-seeking keep him safe. The technical skills, like repairing fiber optic cables and network switches, those are things he learned on the job. But the best part? “It’s a constant adventure, no matter how you look at it,” he said. “I’ve been in places where people have lived there their entire lives and they’ve never once seen the view that I get to see. It’s amazing.”Similarly, Erin Bishop spent two decades in market research before becoming a death doula. You might be surprised that running a focus group translates quite well to conducting community discussions about death and dying. “Having a career that helps me be a better person in the world—I never thought I would have that in my life,” she told me.Too often, employers seek out candidates who have direct experience, and miss out on remarkably talented people with unconventional career paths.Work Should Be EnjoyableBusiness leaders love to talk about purpose and meaning. They want employees to connect to the company mission, touting its ability to increase engagement and retention. It’s true, and there’s evidence to back it up. But purpose alone isn’t enough.The people I spoke with not only find meaning in their unconventional jobs, but enjoy them in the moment. An employee may love working at a company that saves lives with medical equipment or helps people afford homes. But if the day-to-day is tedious, they won’t stay. Meaning is important, but fun doesn’t get enough credit.Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza is an independent journalist and From Day One contributing editor who writes about business and the world of work. Her work has appeared in the Economist, the BBC, The Washington Post, Inc., and Business Insider, among others. She is the recipient of a Virginia Press Association award for business and financial journalism. She is the host of How to Be Anything, the podcast about people with unusual jobs.(Featured photo courtesy of forensic artist Melissa Cooper)

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What Our Attendees are Saying

Jordan Baker(Attendee) profile picture

“The panels were phenomenal. The breakout sessions were incredibly insightful. I got the opportunity to speak with countless HR leaders who are dedicated to improving people’s lives. I walked away feeling excited about my own future in the business world, knowing that many of today’s people leaders are striving for a more diverse, engaged, and inclusive workforce.”

– Jordan Baker, Emplify
Desiree Booker(Attendee) profile picture

“Thank you, From Day One, for such an important conversation on diversity and inclusion, employee engagement and social impact.”

– Desiree Booker, ColorVizion Lab
Kim Vu(Attendee) profile picture

“Timely and much needed convo about the importance of removing the stigma and providing accessible mental health resources for all employees.”

– Kim Vu, Remitly
Florangela Davila(Attendee) profile picture

“Great discussion about leadership, accountability, transparency and equity. Thanks for having me, From Day One.”

– Florangela Davila, KNKX 88.5 FM
Cory Hewett(Attendee) profile picture

“De-stigmatizing mental health illnesses, engaging stakeholders, arriving at mutually defined definitions for equity, and preventing burnout—these are important topics that I’m delighted are being discussed at the From Day One conference.”

– Cory Hewett, Gimme Vending Inc.
Trisha Stezzi(Attendee) profile picture

“Thank you for bringing speakers and influencers into one space so we can all continue our work scaling up the impact we make in our organizations and in the world!”

– Trisha Stezzi, Significance LLC
Vivian Greentree(Attendee) profile picture

“From Day One provided a full day of phenomenal learning opportunities and best practices in creating & nurturing corporate values while building purposeful relationships with employees, clients, & communities.”

– Vivian Greentree, Fiserv
Chip Maxwell(Attendee) profile picture

“We always enjoy and are impressed by your events, and this was no exception.”

– Chip Maxwell, Emplify
Katy Romero(Attendee) profile picture

“We really enjoyed the event yesterday— such an engaged group of attendees and the content was excellent. I'm feeling great about our decision to partner with FD1 this year.”

– Katy Romero, One Medical
Kayleen Perkins(Attendee) profile picture

“The From Day One Conference in Seattle was filled with people who want to make a positive impact in their company, and build an inclusive culture around diversity and inclusion. Thank you to all the panelists and speakers for sharing their expertise and insights. I'm looking forward to next year's event!”

– Kayleen Perkins, Seattle Children's
Michaela Ayers(Attendee) profile picture

“I had the pleasure of attending From Day One. My favorite session, Getting Bias Out of Our Systems, was such a powerful conversation between local thought leaders.”

– Michaela Ayers, Nourish Events
Sarah J. Rodehorst(Attendee) profile picture

“Inspiring speakers and powerful conversations. Loved meeting so many talented people driving change in their organizations. Thank you From Day One! I look forward to next year’s event!”

– Sarah J. Rodehorst, ePerkz
Angela Prater(Attendee) profile picture

“I had the distinct pleasure of attending From Day One Seattle. The Getting Bias Out of Our Systems discussion was inspirational and eye-opening.”

– Angela Prater, Confluence Health
Joel Stupka(Attendee) profile picture

“From Day One did an amazing job of providing an exceptional experience for both the attendees and vendors. I mean, we had whale sharks and giant manta rays gracefully swimming by on the other side of the hall from our booth!”

– Joel Stupka, SkillCycle
Alexis Hauk(Attendee) profile picture

“Last week I had the honor of moderating a panel on healthy work environments at the From Day One conference in Atlanta. I was so inspired by what these experts had to say about the timely and important topics of mental health in the workplace and the value of nurturing a culture of psychological safety.”

– Alexis Hauk, Emory University