People strategy doesn’t have to be improvised. The thought leaders above are pushing the future of work forward in real time. By following them, you’ll access insights, tactics, and trends before they hit the mainstream.

1. Lars Schmidt (@Lars on LinkedIn / @Lars on X)

Founder of Amplify, Lars is a champion of modern HR. His insights into progressive People Ops, organizational design, and inclusive leadership are essential for early-stage startups.

Why follow: Realistic, strategic, and deeply human-first.

2. Hung Lee (@HungLee)

Curator of the Recruiting Brainfood newsletter, Hung is at the intersection of recruitment, tech, and talent trends.

Why follow: Weekly insights into what’s working (and what’s broken) in global hiring.

3. Jessica Zwaan (@JessicaZwaan)

COO at Whereby and author of Built for People, Jessica is redefining HR with her ops-focused, product-style thinking.

Why follow: If you want to treat People Ops like a product—start here.

4. Claude Silver (@claudesilver)

Chief Heart Officer at VaynerMedia, Claude’s emotional intelligence-first approach to leadership is a breath of fresh air.

Why follow: If you’re building a culture of empathy and humanity.

5. Ben Whitter (@WorldEmployeeExp)

Known as “Mr. Employee Experience”, Ben’s work focuses on building employee-centric organizations that perform.

Why follow: Actionable insights into employee experience (EX) design.

6. Kristina Martic (@KristinaHppy on X)

Based in Europe and founder of Smart HR Hub, Kristina curates trends in employer branding, HR tech, and digital culture.

Why follow: Regional perspective + future of HR tech = startup gold.

7. Janine N. Truitt (@CzarinaofHR)

With a focus on equitable workplaces, Janine speaks truth to power on what it really takes to build inclusive, sustainable HR practices.

Why follow: Grounded, direct, and values driven.

8. David Green (@David_green_uk)

A global expert on People Analytics, David helps demystify how startups can use data to drive better talent decisions.

Why follow: People analytics without the jargon.

9. Natal Dank (NatalDank)

Co-author of Agile HR and host of the Agile HR Community, Natal is your go-to for adapting lean and agile principles to People Ops.

Why follow: For fast-moving teams that want modern HR systems that scale.

10. Jenny Podewils (JennyPodewils on LinkedIn)

Co-founder of Leapsome, a leading People Enablement platform, Jenny is shaping how fast-growth companies approach performance, engagement, and development. She blends tech, psychology, and strategy to help leaders build better workplaces.

Why follow: For scalable systems to drive feedback, learning, and continuous growth—especially useful for startups building their first People Ops stack.