“The Horse’s Mouth with Tom McManus” is a unique talk show offering opinions and facts that come straight from the source. No gossip, no hearsay, no agendas; just topics straight from the Horse’s Mouth! His guests include top of the line, high profile figures in sports, news, entertainment, business and leaders in the community. He will tackle the hard subjects in society over a beer and laughs. Today our host, Tom McManus spoke with Diane Faulkner, Chelsea Given, Samantha Cox, and Danny Monzon
Transcript:
From Studio Three of Buzz TV, it’s The Horse’s Mouth with Tom McManus.
Tom McManus:
Hi, welcome into another edition of The Horse’s Mouth here at Tommy Mac’s—my bar—brought to you by our good friends at Foodies Care and the Daily News Network. Everybody’s welcome to have a seat, tell their story, and we appreciate it big time. We’ve got a great show lined up today.
We’re talking human resources, AI, and real estate operations—and we’re going to have some fun doing it. Let’s welcome in the panel.
Tom McManus:
Welcome back Diane Faulkner, with a different business this time—Human Resources Made Easy. Diane, tell us about it.
Diane Faulkner:
Human Resources Made Easy is a full-service HR consultancy focused on compliance—employment law compliance—for small businesses with 50 employees or fewer. Small businesses often don’t know what they don’t know when it comes to employment law, and that’s where I help.
Tom McManus:
No doubt. Compliance keeps evolving, and you’ve got to stay on top of it.
Diane Faulkner:
Absolutely. You can actually go to jail for paying employees incorrectly. There was a case out of Texas where business owners served six months in jail—on top of fines—for wage violations.
Tom McManus:
Wow. That’s serious stuff. How did you get into HR?
Diane Faulkner:
My parents worked for General Motors, so labor and union conversations were always happening at the dinner table. I studied psychology at Michigan State, along with industrial-organizational psychology and labor law. I ended up going into management—much to my parents’ dismay—and I’ve been on both sides ever since.
Tom McManus:
A Spartan! I didn’t know that. Great to have you back, Diane.
Tom McManus:
Let’s talk real estate operations. Chelsea Given and Samantha Cox are here from OpSuite. Samantha, tell us what you do.
Samantha Cox:
We support real estate agents on the backend so they can actually build a business—not just sell a house. We handle transactions, listings, paperwork, budgeting, and help agents think like CEOs.
Tom McManus:
That’s huge. Agents are independent contractors—it is their business.
Chelsea Given:
Exactly. A lot of agents don’t realize they’re starting a business. There’s often no space to ask questions or get guidance, and we provide that support so they can be profitable.
Tom McManus:
And you’ve worked with over 100 agents already?
Chelsea Given:
Yes—and we’re not stopping.
Tom McManus:
So how did Ops Suite come about?
Samantha Cox:
I was a teacher who accidentally got into real estate and discovered operations was a real thing. I worked with the Rocco Group, where we grew from 37 to 400 transactions a year. Later, I became Director of Operations for Keller Williams Atlantic Partners, working with nearly 1,000 agents. That’s when I realized how badly agents needed operational support.
Tom McManus:
And automation—how much of that plays into what you do?
Chelsea Given:
Automation is essential. We bring it into workflows intentionally so agents can maintain a personal, strategic customer experience. AI helps—but there’s a balance.
Tom McManus:
Creative people want to create, not manage paperwork. That’s where you come in. Love the concept—thanks for being here.
Tom McManus:
Now let’s talk AI. Danny Monzon is back with Smart Jax City Pass. What are you working on?
Danny Monzon:
We built an AI that selects businesses based on Google reviews and places them into a personalized city guide. Locals and tourists can find restaurants, events, and experiences tailored to their interests.
Tom McManus:
That’s brilliant. Like having a local insider everywhere you go.
Danny Monzon:
Exactly. The AI remembers user preferences and suggests places accordingly—while still keeping the human element intact.
Tom McManus:
That’s a game changer. Great work, Danny.
Tom McManus:
Let’s wrap it up. What’s your favorite part of Jacksonville?
Diane Faulkner:
The weather—especially coming from Michigan.
Chelsea Given:
Atlantic Beach. It’s special for our family.
Samantha Cox:
The people. The human interaction here is different—in a good way.
Danny Monzon:
San Marco. It reminds me of New York—walkable, artsy, urban.
Tom McManus:
That’s what makes Jacksonville great—the neighborhoods and the people.
Tom McManus:
Thank you all for being here. Be sure to check out their profiles and this conversation, along with thousands more, at DailyNewsNetwork.com.
Until next time—stay safe, be cool, and we’ll see you right here on The Horse’s Mouth. Cheers.
