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The guys talk to Desma and Elrona D'Souza, the "HR Sisters" and owners of S&K HR Consulting. What is it like to live in a country where 80% of the population is imported? What is similar between HR in Dubai and the US, what is different? If you give somebody a bobblehead of Tony in Dubai is it a positive thing or not?
Desma D'Souza - After spending over 15 years building a successful corporate career, Desma D’Souza took a bold leap into entrepreneurship after a transformative sabbatical. Today, she serves as Managing Partner at S&K HR Consulting, the trusted HR consultancy for international businesses setting up or expanding to the UAE. Drawing from nearly two decades of HR experience across diverse industries, Desma brings a unique blend of operational insight and entrepreneurial energy to the table. At S&K, she leads Marketing and Business Development, serving as the first point of contact for global businesses entering the UAE. Desma is also the co-creator and co-host of The HR Sisters Podcast, the UAE’s first HR podcast designed for entrepreneurs. Through relatable conversations and real-world examples, the show simplifies UAE HR topics and supports the region’s growing business ecosystem with practical, actionable insights. Her work is anchored in one belief: HR is a strategic advantage. With a focus on building compliant HR foundations, Desma’s mission is to help business owners thrive without compromising culture or employee experience. A committed lifelong learner, she invests heavily in continuous development through coaching, reading, and staying ahead of global trends. As one of the UAE’s Top 1% HR Creators on LinkedIn, she shares insights with over 41,000 followers, inspiring better leadership and smarter people practices. Desma is available for Keynotes, panels, and advisory roles where her expertise in HR, entrepreneurship, and business scaling can create lasting impact.
Elrona Silba D'Souza - With over 24 years of deep HR expertise, Elrona Silba D’Souza serves as Managing Partner at S&K HR Consulting, the trusted HR consultancy for international businesses setting up or expanding to the UAE. She also helps start-ups and SMEs grow their profitability through simplified, scalable, and founder-friendly HR systems. Having lived in the UAE for almost 44 years and consulted across 54+ industries, Elrona brings a rare GLOCAL perspective to her work blending global best practices with grounded, real-world understanding of the UAE market. This fusion of insight allows her to guide international founders with clarity while supporting homegrown businesses with proven, practical solutions. Elrona’s approach is built on a simple belief: HR is the bridge between people and profit. Her work focuses on building strong HR foundations, improving decision-making for leaders, and creating workplace cultures where performance and well-being can co-exist. As one of the region’s most respected HR voices as UAE’s Top 2% HR Creator on LinkedIn, Elrona is frequently invited to share her expertise at leading industry platforms, including the Middle East HR Summits and Nationalization Conferences. Her perspectives on HR, culture, and organizational design have also been featured in respected publications like the HR Observer, further solidifying her position as an industry thought leader. Elrona is available for Keynotes, panels and advisory roles where her expertise in setting up businesses in the UAE, HR practices in UAE and cultural intelligence can create meaningful and lasting impact.
Learn more about Elrona and Desma at: https://snk.ae/
Learn more about Tony "Two Weeks' Notice" Benjamin at: https://www.thegrangellc.com/
Learn more about Steve "Big Deal" Smith at: https://thehiringtreebook.com/
Find books referred to on the podcast at: https://thehiringtreebook.com/hr-life-podcast
Learn more about our sponsor at: https://www.megastarhr.com/
Desma D'Souza - After spending over 15 years building a successful corporate career, Desma D’Souza took a bold leap into entrepreneurship after a transformative sabbatical. Today, she serves as Managing Partner at S&K HR Consulting, the trusted HR consultancy for international businesses setting up or expanding to the UAE. Drawing from nearly two decades of HR experience across diverse industries, Desma brings a unique blend of operational insight and entrepreneurial energy to the table. At S&K, she leads Marketing and Business Development, serving as the first point of contact for global businesses entering the UAE. Desma is also the co-creator and co-host of The HR Sisters Podcast, the UAE’s first HR podcast designed for entrepreneurs. Through relatable conversations and real-world examples, the show simplifies UAE HR topics and supports the region’s growing business ecosystem with practical, actionable insights. Her work is anchored in one belief: HR is a strategic advantage. With a focus on building compliant HR foundations, Desma’s mission is to help business owners thrive without compromising culture or employee experience. A committed lifelong learner, she invests heavily in continuous development through coaching, reading, and staying ahead of global trends. As one of the UAE’s Top 1% HR Creators on LinkedIn, she shares insights with over 41,000 followers, inspiring better leadership and smarter people practices. Desma is available for Keynotes, panels, and advisory roles where her expertise in HR, entrepreneurship, and business scaling can create lasting impact.
Elrona Silba D'Souza - With over 24 years of deep HR expertise, Elrona Silba D’Souza serves as Managing Partner at S&K HR Consulting, the trusted HR consultancy for international businesses setting up or expanding to the UAE. She also helps start-ups and SMEs grow their profitability through simplified, scalable, and founder-friendly HR systems. Having lived in the UAE for almost 44 years and consulted across 54+ industries, Elrona brings a rare GLOCAL perspective to her work blending global best practices with grounded, real-world understanding of the UAE market. This fusion of insight allows her to guide international founders with clarity while supporting homegrown businesses with proven, practical solutions. Elrona’s approach is built on a simple belief: HR is the bridge between people and profit. Her work focuses on building strong HR foundations, improving decision-making for leaders, and creating workplace cultures where performance and well-being can co-exist. As one of the region’s most respected HR voices as UAE’s Top 2% HR Creator on LinkedIn, Elrona is frequently invited to share her expertise at leading industry platforms, including the Middle East HR Summits and Nationalization Conferences. Her perspectives on HR, culture, and organizational design have also been featured in respected publications like the HR Observer, further solidifying her position as an industry thought leader. Elrona is available for Keynotes, panels and advisory roles where her expertise in setting up businesses in the UAE, HR practices in UAE and cultural intelligence can create meaningful and lasting impact.
Learn more about Elrona and Desma at: https://snk.ae/
Learn more about Tony "Two Weeks' Notice" Benjamin at: https://www.thegrangellc.com/
Learn more about Steve "Big Deal" Smith at: https://thehiringtreebook.com/
Find books referred to on the podcast at: https://thehiringtreebook.com/hr-life-podcast
Learn more about our sponsor at: https://www.megastarhr.com/
Creators and Guests
Host
Steven "Bid Deal" Smith
Steve will be the first to tell you that recruiting is marketing. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Finance at Brigham Young University and started his career in recruiting in Feb 2005. In 2008, he took a risk during a recession to help start a new company with Ryan Kohler, called ApplicantPro, a full suite HR platform for small to mid-sized businesses. In March 2025, ApplicantPro became iSolved Talent Acquisition, now serving 177,000 clients and close to 9800 employees. Before the merger, ApplicantPro made the Inc 5000 list 12 years in a row, Top Places to work in Utah 3 years in a row, and Steve was named the Small Business Utah HR Achievement Award winner in May 2024. iSolved was also named an Indeed Platinum Partner in 2023, 2024, and 2025 and is one of only ten ATS platforms in the country to obtain that designation. SHRM-CP & PHR certified, Steve currently volunteers on the Utah SHRM State Council as the immediate past State Executive Director. His book, The Hiring Tree: Laws of Applicant Attraction, was released in early 2023, and has helped thousands of organizations across the country rethink their approach to hiring. If you need help understanding the principles and role of SEO, marketing, and AI when it comes to attracting job seekers, Steve provides a solid framework for hiring effectively.
Host
Tony "Two Weeks Notice" Benjamin
I am a unique HR leader with more than 20 years’ experience working for some of Utah’s oldest, fastest growing, and most well-known companies. My experience includes Superior Drilling Products, Air Medical Resource Group, Control4, Ovivo USA and Deseret Book. I am a regionally recognized authority on building successful cultures and am an alumni speaker at DisruptHR SLC and DisruptHR St. George. I have earned an MBA from the University of Phoenix, a Bachelor’s degree from Utah State University, and am a certified Professional of Human Resources (PHR). I'm married to a woman out of my league, have three brilliant kids I doesn’t deserve and, although I travel a lot, live in Vernal, Utah.
What is The HR Life Podcast?
The HR Life Podcast is a show about the work-life experience of those of us in Human Resources and business leadership. This long-form podcast is a conversation, casual, and not always the corporate line. Hosts and guests touch on everything from serious or even controversial topics to the absurdity of modern American business practices. Your hosts are Tony Benjamin, owner and founder of The Grange Strategic HR Consulting, and Steven J. Smith, Author of The Hiring Tree: Laws of Applicant Attraction and all-around important guy. Guests include the best minds in the HR world. Join the show weekly.