Hungry, Humble & Smart: A Culture Without Silos w. Kristen Patty

Host Justin McMenamy welcomes Kristen Patty to discuss leadership and HR lessons from their time at Precision Planting during a decade of growth from under 100 employees to over 500, including global expansion across more than 15 countries and the acquisition by AGCO.

Kristen shares why she left a large multinational retailer early in her career for a startup, emphasizing self-discovery, taking the next right step, and seeking actionable feedback. They cover her transition from Sales Operations to head of HR and her focus on mission-driven recruiting. They discuss balancing HR process with situational care, how policy application affects company-wide trust, and practical ways to protect culture while scaling.

The episode ends with Kristen’s advice for leaders entering new roles, stressing humility, clarity of expectations, honesty about gaps, and building relationships through one-on-one conversations.