Building L&D at Tesla, GoDaddy, and LifeStance
How do you build an L&D function that scales with a fast-growing company? Madison Artist has done it at some of the most innovative organizations, including Tesla, GoDaddy, and LifeStance. In this episode of The Intelligence Amplifiers Podcast, she shares her journey of designing impactful learning programs that drive employee development, leadership growth, and business success.
Scaling Onboarding at Tesla
At Tesla, Madison was responsible for onboarding thousands of employees during one of the company’s fastest periods of expansion. She reflects on how she and her team introduced over 10,000 new hires to Tesla’s culture, balancing rapid hiring with a meaningful onboarding experience.
With limited resources, Tesla’s L&D team had to get creative. Madison shares how they used scrappy, high-impact solutions to ensure new employees were set up for success. She also discusses why onboarding is more than just training—it’s about creating a lasting first impression that aligns employees with a company’s mission from day one.
Revolutionizing Leadership Development at GoDaddy
After Tesla, Madison transitioned into leadership development at GoDaddy. There, she launched an eight-week cohort-based program that helped leaders strengthen their skills through structured learning, coaching, and peer collaboration.
The program was built around CliftonStrengths assessments and emotional intelligence, ensuring that leaders first understood themselves before leading others. Demand for the program skyrocketed, leading to an 18-month waitlist.
Madison reveals how GoDaddy’s approach to leadership development improved employee engagement and retention, with data showing that leaders who completed the program saw a 15% decrease in voluntary attrition within their teams.
Building L&D from Scratch at LifeStance
Now at LifeStance, Madison is creating an L&D function from the ground up. She discusses the challenges of launching an entirely new learning initiative, from earning executive buy-in to structuring programs that serve a diverse workforce.
She also shares how her team is handling the overwhelming demand for learning and leadership development, balancing limited resources while still scaling high-quality training. AI is playing a role in this evolution, and Madison discusses how new technology is shaping the future of learning.
Proving the Business Impact of L&D
One of the biggest challenges in L&D is demonstrating impact. Madison explains how she uses data and storytelling to prove the ROI of learning programs.
By measuring skill development, leadership effectiveness, and attrition rates, she builds a compelling case for continued investment in L&D. She shares how tying numbers to real employee stories makes learning initiatives resonate with executives and helps them see the true value of training programs.
The Future of Learning and Leadership Development
What’s next for L&D? Madison shares her insights on the future of leadership training, including how organizations can move beyond tactical management training to focus on human-centered leadership.
She also discusses how AI and automation can help scale learning, but emphasizes that human connection and facilitation will always be at the heart of effective development programs.
Listen Now
This episode is packed with actionable insights for L&D professionals, HR leaders, and anyone looking to scale learning programs. Madison’s experience across Tesla, GoDaddy, and LifeStance provides a roadmap for building impactful training initiatives that empower employees and drive business success.
🔗 Connect with Madison
🔗 Connect with Marko and PlusPlus
