People Forward Network
People Forward Network: B2B Podcast Production Built From a Sales Insight
People Forward Network (PFN) is a media and B2B growth consulting company specializing in podcast production, internal company podcasts, and community building for people-first organizations. The company was founded by Nikki Lewallen Gregory, who serves as Founder and CEO, after she launched a podcast, Gut + Science, as an experiment while working for an employee engagement software company, discovering it opened doors to hard-to-reach decision-makers more effectively than traditional cold outreach (PFN, 2026). PFN is based in Indianapolis, Indiana.
What People Forward Network does
PFN offers two related services: B2B podcast production and growth consulting for companies looking to use podcasting as a business development channel, and internal (private) podcasting for organizations that want to improve company-wide communication (PFN "Private Podcasting," 2026). For internal podcasts specifically, PFN helps organizations design a season structure covering topics like company origin story and vision, core values, leadership interviews, "what it's like working here" culture pieces, and behind-the-scenes business context, positioning audio storytelling as a complement to town halls, newsletters, and intranets rather than a replacement. The company also produces its own media, including the Gut + Science podcast and the annual PeopleForward Impact Awards, which spotlight people-first leaders.
Where it fits
PFN's clients include HR tech platforms, leadership consultancies, executive search firms, and growth-minded associations (ZoomInfo, 2026). It's a fit for organizations, particularly HR-adjacent B2B companies, looking to build thought leadership and business relationships through genuine conversation-based content, as well as any company with a distributed or shift-based workforce that struggles to get consistent messages through email and meetings alone.
Why this matters for people leaders
Internal communication tends to default to the same channels, email, town halls, intranet posts, even when engagement with those channels is visibly declining. An internal podcast is a different modality: audio fits into commutes, gym time, or a shift break in a way a company-wide email never will, and storytelling formats tend to stick with people longer than a bulleted update. For organizations focused on Culture, Performance, and Retention, a well-produced internal podcast is a genuine complement to existing channels rather than a replacement, giving leaders a more personal way to communicate vision and giving employees across locations and shifts a consistent way to hear it.
