From 20+ year HR executive and host of the Future of HR Podcast…
Build the skills to be a business builder, not just a business partner
The Next-Gen HR Accelerator is a 4-week intensive that builds the business acumen, strategic thinking, and executive influence to turn your HR expertise into results the business can measure.
Reserve Your Spot
Filling now for January 26, 2027
WATCH JP EXPLAIN IT
Read a P&L and speak the
language of the business
Frame your recommendations
so executives can act on them
Turn business strategy into HR
initiatives that move the numbers
Execution got you here, but it won't get you there.
You're good at the job. That was never the question.
‍
You're the one people rely on to get it right. You deliver, and you've earned their trust.
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Then the bar moved again. You've been told to "be more strategic" more times than you can count, and you feel the gap in specific moments:
The meeting turns to the P&L, and you have less to add than you'd like.
A workforce decision gets made, and you find out once it's already done.
You bring a sharp, well-built recommendation, and somehow it doesn't move the room.
A leader asks for "more data," when the real issue is a decision nobody wants to make.
None of that is a knock on your skill. It isn't a talent problem. It's a development gap.

Almost no one in HR is ever taught these skills. Not because they're hard to teach, but because the expectations on HR changed completely while the way we develop HR leaders barely moved.

And it's a gap people close. Here's one graduate, before and after, in his own words:
“Before the program, I had a functional understanding of HR, but lacked the business acumen to connect my work to the strategic goals of the organization. I now confidently understand financial statements and key business metrics, align HR strategies with business objectives, and use data to inform decisions and demonstrate the impact of my work.”
Clint Nicol
HR Director, Cardinal Health
From supporting the business to shaping it
Four weeks from now, the same work lands differently.
You explain what happened
You shape what happens next
You speak in HR metrics
You speak in business outcomes
You support the strategy
You help build it
You answer the request
You reframe the problem
A program built for exactly this shift. For a long time, hard to find.

Until now…
Introducing...
The Next-Gen HR Accelerator
A 4-week intensive that turns high-potential HR professionals into strategic, business-first leaders.
What's inside:
4-week cohort-based virtual program with 12 live, interactive lectures
3 "Action & Reflection" Labs to put the ideas into action between sessions
Targeted 360 feedback and two 1:1 coaching sessions and a personal "From-To" development plan
Weekly guest sessions with accomplished HR and Talent executives
Private community of HR leaders, full course materials, and a certificate
Real development for real impact. Gain the business acumen, strategic thinking, and influence to lead at a higher level.
Reserve Your Spot
Filling now for January 26, 2027
Enrolling your team?
Talk to JP
“By the end of the four-week program, I felt equipped with a deeper comprehension of my business, enabling me to prioritize being a businessperson above all else.”
Lori Fuller
Associate Director, Learning & Leadership Development, AbbVie

Become the HR leader executives turn to

By the end of the program, you walk into business conversations differently.

You start to notice it in small ways:
A leader asks for your read before the decision, not after
Finance loops you in earlier on workforce calls
You get asked to present the recommendation, not just prep the deck
Someone senior repeats your point, by name, in the room
That's the shift. Here's how it happens:

1

You start thinking like a businessperson
The business and financial acumen most of us were never taught
Read a P&L and understand how your organization actually creates value
Connect a talent or workforce decision to the financial outcome behind it
See talent the way a CFO sees capital: something to invest, deploy, and get a return on
Speak the language of business, so finance and the C-suite engage with you
Now you speak the language the CFO and CEO already use.

2

You make sharper decisions, even with imperfect data
The critical and strategic thinking to work through any business challenge:
Sharpen your strategic thinking with frameworks you can apply anywhere
Tell the difference between needing more data and avoiding a decision
Use data to move a decision, not just to document one
Ask the question behind the request: "what decision are we actually making?"
You bring a recommendation, not just a report.

3

You influence how decisions get made
The executive presence and communication that change how leaders see you:
Define what you need them to think, do, and feel before a high-stakes conversation
Get clear before clever, so your idea is the one people can act on
Build trust in the quiet moments, before you ever need it
Drop the unconfident language ("I just wanted to," "this might be a dumb question") that undercuts you
You become the advisor leaders bring in before the decision, not after.

4

You deliver real business outcomes
The ability to turn strategy into people initiatives that move the numbers:
Tie your work to the two or three priorities the business actually cares about
Co-create with leaders so they own the outcome alongside you
Measure your work in revenue, efficiency, and strategic progress
Show the impact and ROI of what you build
Now your work shows up where the business keeps score: in revenue, cost, and results.
“The curriculum allowed me to evaluate my strengths and opportunities and provided tools to support continued growth in strategic thinking, financial acumen, and HR business partnering. The cross-organizational connections were wonderful.”
Colleen Vogel
Director, HR Business Partner, Cardinal Health
Picture the next big strategy meeting. This time, they're looking at you.
Start Building These Skills
Filling now for January 26, 2027
This isn't your typical HR development program
Most programs promise to make you "more strategic." But you don't become strategic because someone tells you to.

You build it, skill by skill. That's what the Accelerator does, and it's why it works differently.
Built by an HR executive who has sat in the seat
JP isn't an academic or a guru. He spent 20+ years as a Talent and HR executive at DICK'S Sporting Goods, McAfee, Lenovo, and Brink's, and served as a Chief People Officer in private equity.
You apply it the same week you learn it
Most programs hand you frameworks you never open again. In the three Action & Reflection Labs, you put each idea to work on your own role, from reading a real P&L to mapping the stakeholders you need to influence. You see it show up in your work the Tuesday after.
Feedback on your specific strengths and gaps
A targeted 360 on how others actually experience you, 1:1 coaching, and a personal "From-To" development plan you keep. Most HR professionals never get this kind of feedback inside their own organization.
A cross-industry peer cohort
You learn alongside HR leaders from different companies and industries, all making the same leap. The candor and the perspective become a network you carry well beyond the four weeks.
Weekly guest sessions with senior HR and Talent leaders
Every week, an accomplished HR or Talent leader joins the cohort to share what worked, what didn't, and take questions directly. You hear how these skills play out inside a real function, not just how they're taught.
Reserve Your Spot
Filling now for January 26, 2027
“The Next-Gen Accelerator transformed my approach to HR and strengthened my strategic thinking and business acumen. The skills and confidence I gained are already making a major impact in my career.”
Ashley Fish
Director of Talent Acquisition, ZuraBio
Is the Accelerator right
for you?
It's built for high-potential HR professionals ready to lead as businesspeople with HR expertise, whether you sit in a business partner role, a center of excellence, or HR operations.
It's for you if:
You're strong at the HR craft and want the business skills to match.
You've been told to be more strategic without much guidance on what that actually means.
You want to influence the decision, not just execute it well.
You're ready to do the work between sessions, not just attend them.
It's still for you even if:
You already consider yourself strategic. Most strong performers find the frameworks they didn't realize they were missing.
You go quiet in senior rooms. A large part of the program builds exactly that: presence, clarity, and influence.
You've taken HR courses before that didn't stick. This one runs on application and feedback, not passive watching.
Your calendar is full. It's about 5.5 hours a week, built to fit around your role.
Here’s how the program will work
Four elements, built to work together.
Live Instruction
A 4-week cohort-based virtual program with 12 interactive lectures.
Practical tools and frameworks you can apply immediately in your HR role.
Action & Reflection Labs
3 "Action & Reflection" Labs to put the ideas into practice
Fine-tune your skills as you learn with and from other HR leaders in different industries
Targeted Feedback & Coaching
A 360 assessment, a personality assessment and 1:1 coaching to surface your strengths and growth areas
A "From-To" development plan to guide you after the program ends
Other Benefits
Unlimited access to course materials and a private community of HR leaders
Direct access to JP and guest instructors
Certificate of Completion with a LinkedIn badge.
Here's what we'll cover, week by week
Module 1: Great HR Leaders Are Made, Not Born
Module 2: Building Business Acumen
Module 3: Mastering the Language of Business
Module 4: Foundations of Strategic Thinking
Module 5: The Importance of Asking Great Questions
Module 6: Data-Driven Decision Making
Module 7: Becoming a Trusted Advisor
Module 8: Stakeholder Management & Influence
Module 9: Communicating with Executive Presence
Module 10: Influence Through Storytelling
Module 11: Aligning HR Strategy with Business Strategy
Module 12: Measuring the Impact and ROI of HR Programs
Program weekly schedule
Cohort Start Date: Tuesday, January 26, 2027
Cohort End Date: Thursday, February 18, 2027
Lectures and Labs run 12:00 to 1:30 PM EST.
Registration closes Friday, January 15, 2027.

week

tuesday

wednesday

thursday

Week 1

Be a Business Person, Not Just a Business Partner

Interactive Lecture

12:00-1:30 EST

90 Min
Start Date: January 26
Action & Reflection Labs

12:00-1:30 EST

90 Min
Interactive Lecture

12:00-1:30 EST

90 Min
Week 2

Sharpen Your Critical & Strategic Thinking Skills

Interactive Lecture

12:00-1:30 EST

90 Min
Action & Reflection Labs

12:00-1:30 EST

90 Min
Interactive Lecture

12:00-1:30 EST

90 Min
Week 3

Influence & Communicate with Impact

Interactive Lecture

12:00-1:30 EST

90 Min
Action & Reflection Labs

12:00-1:30 EST

90 Min
Interactive Lecture

12:00-1:30 EST

90 Min
Week 4

Drive Value & Impact Through People Initiatives

Interactive Lecture

12:00-1:30 EST

90 Min
Action & Reflection Labs

12:00-1:30 EST

90 Min
Interactive Lecture

12:00-1:30 EST

90 Min
End Date: February 18

The time commitment: Around 5.5 hours a week. Roughly four hours for the live lectures, plus up to one hour preparing for the Labs, across four weeks.

“The perfect balance of self-reflection, expert knowledge, practical application, and peer learning. JP simplified complex concepts through actionable frameworks, then encouraged us to test and apply those concepts in our own organizations, with the safety to debrief with our peers each week.”
Meagan Martinovich
Director, Talent Management, Maxar
FOR TEAMS & COMPANIES
You can't hire your way to a strategic HR team
If you lead an HR function, you know the pressure. The business expects your team to be more strategic, more business-fluent, more able to influence.

And you know that taking admin off their plate won't get them there on its own. Strategic capability has to be built.

That's what the Accelerator does. The companies that start with one cohort tend to come back for the next one.
Cardinal Health has sent more than ten HR directors through the program, beginning with a single pilot cohort.
The Hershey Company sent four.
Prudential brought it in-house, and we built a custom Accelerator for more than thirty of their high-potential leaders.
Different sizes, same outcome: teams that come back sharper, more business-first, and speaking a shared language.
Two ways to bring it to your team:
Group enrollment
Secure multiple spots for your HR potential leaders for three of more participants.
Talk to JP about your team
Custom in-house cohort
Tailor the Accelerator to your organization. Run it virtually or in person, shaped around your strategy and your team's specific capability gaps.
Talk to JP about a custom cohort
“JP has struck just the right chord and filled a much needed market need for HR professionals. We sent three of our high-performing HRBPs, with a range of experience, who raved about the lecture and lab format.”
Joe Garbus
Former Global Head of Talent, PVH Corporation
350,000+ podcast downloads 
in 190 countries
100+ CHRO conversations from the world's top brands
Talent and HR executive at Fortune 500 companies, and Chief People Officer in private equity
Faculty member, Michigan Ross AHREP
What HR leaders say about working with JP.
JP's programs have developed hundreds of HR leaders across Fortune 500 organizations.
Lisa Buckingham
Chief Human Resources Officer
Jonathan Adams
Manager, HR Business Partner, Cardinal Health
Michelle Vallier
Director, Talent Catalyst, Prudential Financial
Jordana Kammerud
Chief Human Resources Officer at Corning Incorporated
Kelly Wilson
VP & Talent Management Cardinal Health
Caroline Becker
Chief Human Resources Officer at Rexel USA
Stephanie Liliak
Chief People Officer, Modelez International
The Investment
The Next-Gen HR Accelerator
$4,000
per participant
4-week cohort-based virtual program with 12 interactive lectures
3 "Action & Reflection" Labs to put learning into practice
Targeted 360 feedback, personality assessment, and 1:1 coaching
Weekly guest sessions with accomplished HR and Talent executives
A personal "From-To" development plan
Unlimited access to a private community of HR leaders
Unlimited access to course materials
Direct access to JP and guest instructors
Certificate of Completion and LinkedIn badge
Reserve Your Spot
Filling now for January 26, 2027
“This program hits the mark for so many reasons, and we are honored to partner with JP. A team of our HR Business Partners participated and had a tremendous experience. The sections on stakeholder analysis and financial acumen were well presented and are critical as stewards of the business.”
Ola Snow
Former, CHRO, Cardinal Health
FAQs
You might be wondering…
Is it really worth the time and the money?
How is this different from an MBA or other HR training?
I've taken HR courses before and didn't get much out of them. Why is this different?
What's the time commitment?
Will this work if I'm already pretty strategic?
I'm not a confident presenter. Is that a problem?
What if I have to miss a session?
For your team
Can we send more than one person?
Can you run it just for our organization?
What if we invest in someone and they leave?
You already know
you're ready for more
The business acumen to connect your work to what the company cares about. The presence to influence the room. The frameworks to turn strategy into results.

Four weeks. Live instruction, real application, feedback built for you.
I built the Next-Gen HR Accelerator because I see it all the time. Talented HR professionals who want more impact, but were never taught the business skills to get there. I get it. I've been there. If you're ready to show up, do the work, and become the kind of HR leader the business turns to, I'd love to have you in the next cohort.
JP
Reserve Your Spot Today
Seats per cohort are limited, and past cohorts have filled before the start date.
Registration closes January 15.
Enrolling your team?
Talk to JP
Built by Future of HR
Future of HR empowers next-gen HR leaders to drive real business impact.
You already know
you're ready for more
The business acumen to connect your work to what the company cares about. The presence to influence the room. The frameworks to turn strategy into results.

Four weeks. Live instruction, real application, feedback built for you.
Reserve Your Spot Today
Seats per cohort are limited, and past cohorts have filled before the start date.
Registration closes January 15.
Enrolling your team?
Talk to JP
I built the Next-Gen HR Accelerator because I see it all the time. Talented HR professionals who want more impact, but were never taught the business skills to get there. I get it. I've been there. If you're ready to show up, do the work, and become the kind of HR leader the business turns to, I'd love to have you in the next cohort.
JP
Built by Future of HR
Future of HR empowers next-gen HR leaders to drive real business impact.