What do you do when you're expected to be the moral compass and the legal expert - and you’re neither a therapist nor a lawyer?

In this real-talk episode of Inside the C-Suite, Christy sits down with Jocelyn King, the founder and CEO of Virgil HR, who went from overwhelmed HR exec to startup founder by asking a simple but powerful question: Isn’t there a better way?

Together, they unpack the messy middle of leadership - where pressure, purpose, and people all collide.

Tune in to hear:

Why Jocelyn swears by grit, grace, and Google (yes, really)

The communication skill that almost derailed her career - and how she turned it into her superpower

The hidden weight of sitting in the C-suite (and how to carry it without crumbling)

What HR leaders are really facing in a post-COVID, multi-state world

And the moment that made her say: If the tool doesn’t exist... I’ll build it myself

Whether you’re leading a team, building something from scratch, or just trying to keep your head above water - this episode is your reminder that there is always a way forward.

And if you can’t find one?

Make one. 

Chapters:

00:01:52 - Why HR keeps saying “I’m not a lawyer”

00:02:22 - What grit and resilience really look like in a startup

00:03:44 - The people who shaped Jocelyn’s leadership

00:05:28 - Building a team you can trust

00:05:42 - Leading through chaos without rituals

00:07:12 - Traits that helped Jocelyn succeed

00:08:01 - Turning communication into a leadership superpower

00:09:15 - Jocelyn’s mantra for overcoming obstacles

00:10:22 - What Jocelyn would tell her younger self

00:11:51 - A startup failure that turned into growth

00:15:01 - The biggest compliance issues HR leaders face

00:17:51 - Why HR carries more weight than people realize

00:18:38 - Where to meet Jocelyn at upcoming events

00:19:14 - Jocelyn’s personal outlets and self-care habits

00:22:08 - What makes Virgil HR different

00:22:54 - What no one tells you about the C-suite

| Connect with Us |

Learn more about VirgilHR:

https://virgilhr.com/

Follow Jocelyn King:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jocelynanneking/

(She's the real deal: CEO of VirgilHR, HR Compliance Expert and Technology Innovator, & A Proud Dog Mom)

Meet Jocelyn IRL at Upcoming Conferences:

SHRM Annual Conference - San Diego 2025

HRTech Conference - Las Vegas 2025

Transform (Already attended, but one of her favs!)

HRWest (Already attended, but she may return next year!)

Follow Inside the C-Suite:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cwiseman/

Subscribe on Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/2gk39EvNtXLVHuAbp7tr6b

Subscribe on Apple – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-c-suite/id1739883160

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