Meet the Team: Morgan & Sam

Meet our team members Morgan Yeargan, Client Solutions Partner, and Sam Mueller, Chief Growth Officer, as they share about their daily lives and work at WDHB! Get to know how they both got involved in the L&D space and became a part of WDHB’s team. Through the power of collaboration and collective challenges, they reflect on the lasting impacts that WDHB creates with diverse clients. They also share a bit about their favorite hobbies!

Transcript

Hey Sam! Hi Morgan, great to see you. How long have you been working in the L&D (Learning and Development) space? Well, honestly it wasn’t that intentional of a move. It’s been 12 years now. I had worked in innovations consulting for eight years and this exposure to many industries and the participative processes offered a really good fit for WDHB. It was really in that transition when I discovered that in order to create or tackle something new, a shift of perspective or change of behavior is necessary – that was really my segway into L&D and it’s been an exciting ride ever since. 

What about you? What got you started in L&D? I started working in the L&D space right out of college and actually just celebrated my five-year anniversary with the company last month! Oh, that’s super exciting, congratulations! What is it that you enjoy most about the job? We have a really cool job where we not only get to partner with diverse leaders and organizations, but we really create that lasting impact in a memorable way. It’s just always so remarkable to see when groups realize that when they break out of their routines, they start having conversations about things that matter to them in their normal context, but in a completely different way than at home.  

Is there a program that is particularly memorable to you? Yeah, I think the biggest highlight for me I would say is partnering with Hyatt, I was in charge of creating eight immersive experiences with Olympic and Paralympic athletes, coaches, and psychologists for over 900 of their general managers across the globe. Just to see on social media like the impact of this program was a really cool highlight of my career so far. 

What’s an insider’s tip for clients working with us to customize a program? Well, I think it’s most important that we manage to establish a collaboration where you want us to challenge you and we want you to challenge us. That’s when we can really build upon each other’s strengths and expertise. Like, for example, when we say, “We do need to allocate enough time for reflection’’, a classic example, but that just requires a bit of runway together so it’s good to start planning at least a quarter year in advance.

What do you actually love to do in your free time? I think maybe I’ve watched one too many HGTV shows during the pandemic, but I actually just bought and sold three houses over the last year. So I moved to Charleston with my dog Bailey, this was a fun experience to get out of my normal environment. I also found out that I’m going to be an aunt this summer for the first time, so I’ve been shopping like crazy for all the cute baby girl clothes. 

What do you like to do in your free time, Sam? I love to sing, I actually sing in two different choirs and it just really helps me be present in the moment, both for myself but also then obviously in harmony with those around me. I also really love to cook and bake and connect with that, I really like having people over so hopefully I’ll see you very soon Morgan! Yeah, thanks Sam and I hope we get to meet together soon.

Top 3 Points Made

Based on the video transcript, the top three points made are:

1. Career Paths into L&D: Both Sam and Morgan discuss their journeys into the Learning and Development (L&D) space. Sam’s transition into L&D was somewhat unintentional, stemming from a background in innovations consulting and the realization that creating or tackling new things requires a shift in perspective or behavior change. Morgan, on the other hand, started working in L&D right out of college and has recently celebrated a five-year anniversary with the company.

2. Impactful Experiences in L&D: Morgan expresses enthusiasm about the impactful nature of her job, particularly in partnering with diverse leaders and organizations to create memorable impacts. A notable example shared is the partnership with Hyatt, where Morgan was responsible for creating immersive experiences with Olympic and Paralympic athletes, coaches, and psychologists for over 900 general managers worldwide, highlighting the scale and impact of these L&D initiatives.

3. Advice for Effective L&D Program Planning and Personal Interests: Sam offers an insider’s tip for clients working on customizing L&D programs, emphasizing the importance of collaborative planning and allowing enough time for reflection, recommending starting at least a quarter year in advance. Additionally, both Sam and Morgan share their personal interests, with Sam being involved in singing and cooking, and Morgan enjoying real estate activities and anticipating becoming an aunt.