Secrets of Staffing Success

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Jun 2026

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Candid conversations with entrepreneurs and thought leaders in the staffing and recruiting industry. Brought to you by Haley Marketing

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June 16, 2026Episode 32841 min

Why are we stuck chasing happiness? (Declan Edwards)

Note from the host, Brad Bialy: This conversation remains one of my favorite episodes of Take the Stage. This week, we're publishing a replay for the first time. If you've heard the episode before, it's an opportunity to slow down and rethink your own happiness. If you're new to the show, I promise this one is worth your time. In this episode of Take the Stage, Brad Bialy sits down with Declan Edwards to explore why happiness is a skill not a destination and how mastering human skills can lead to greater fulfillment, stronger relationships, and more meaningful success. About the Guest Declan Edwards is a happiness researcher, author, and the Founder of BU Happiness College, a global organization dedicated to teaching the science and skills of happiness. Through his work in positive psychology, Declan helps individuals and organizations build the human skills that drive wellbeing, performance, and long-term success. Key Takeaways Happiness is a prerequisite for success, not a reward for it. Human skills will outlast technical skills in the age of AI. The emotions we bring to work ripple far beyond ourselves. Progress feels better when we learn to savor it. Connection is built through shared experiences, goals, and purpose. Timestamps [00:00] – Why happiness always feels out of reach [02:08] – Winning the inner game first [04:15] – The rise of “work of the heart” [06:46] – Why meaningful work matters [09:57] – The surprising ripple effect of happiness [13:44] – Measuring energy-giving work [15:12] – Creating a personal “win wall” [17:31] – Why success never feels like enough [22:04] – Practical exercises for staying present [24:55] – Breaking free from phone-driven distractions [28:07] – Building connection in remote teams [33:06] – The future of happiness in a changing world About the Host Brad Bialy is a trusted voice and highly sought-after speaker in the staffing and recruiting industry, known for helping firms grow through integrated marketing, sales, and recruiting strategies. With over 13 years at Haley Marketing and a proven track record guiding hundreds of firms, Brad brings deep expertise and a fresh, actionable perspective to every engagement. He’s the host of Take the Stage and InSights, two of the staffing industry’s leading podcasts with more than 225,000 downloads. Sponsors Take the Stage is presented by Haley Marketing. For a limited time, we're offer 50% off of a brand new staffing website. Just message Brad Bialy on LinkedIn and mention the Crazy Website Promo.

June 8, 2026Episode 32736 min

The Mindset of a Seven-Figure Headhunter (with Brent Orsuga)

In this episode of Take the Stage, Brad Bialy sits down with Brent Orsuga to explore why the best recruiters win by mastering mindset, controlling inputs, reverse-engineering success, and refusing to blame the market for their results. About the Guest Brent Orsuga is the founder of Pinnacle Growth Advisors, an award-winning talent advisory firm specializing in supply chain and logistics recruiting across the U.S. and Canada. A seven-figure recruiter, headhunter and entrepreneur with more than two decades of recruiting experience, Brent is widely recognized for helping companies attract top-performing talent while teaching recruiters how to operate at an elite level. Key Takeaways You control more than you think. Elite performers expect to win. Activity creates opportunity. Identity determines outcomes. Success is reverse-engineered, not hoped for. Timestamps [00:25] – Stop blaming the market [01:00] – Inputs, outputs, and outcomes [02:00] – Why pipeline solves panic [03:24] – Planting seeds for future revenue [04:53] – Playing offense during slow seasons [06:05] – Becoming a professional shoulder tapper [08:14] – From recruiter to talent advisor [12:23] – Escaping commodity recruiting [15:29] – Why mindset changes everything [17:59] – Reverse-engineering seven-figure billing [23:41] – Building a personal performance center [30:24] – You are the problem and solution About the Host Brad Bialy is a trusted voice and highly sought-after speaker in the staffing and recruiting industry, known for helping firms grow through integrated marketing, sales, and recruiting strategies. With over 13 years at Haley Marketing and a proven track record guiding hundreds of firms, Brad brings deep expertise and a fresh, actionable perspective to every engagement. He’s the host of Take the Stage and InSights, two of the staffing industry’s leading podcasts with more than 250,000 downloads. Sponsors Take the Stage is presented by Haley Marketing. For a limited time, we're offer 50% off of a brand new staffing website. Just message Brad Bialy on LinkedIn and mention the Crazy Website Promo. For 30 years, Benefits in a Card has delivered benefit plans designed specifically for the staffing industry—over 140 unique options with immediate coverage, unique perks like FreeRx, and solutions that reduce turnover while improving ACA compliance. Give your workforce benefits they’ll actually use and give your staffing firm a competitive edge. Learn more at https://www.BenefitsInACard.com.

June 1, 2026Episode 3261 hr 2 min

Your Competitors Aren’t Better...They’re Just More Visible (with Brad Smith)

What if the reason you're losing business has nothing to do with your service and everything to do with being forgotten? This week we're taking a break from InSights and Take the Stage to bring you a replay of Lunch with Haley, hosted by Brad Smith (Chief Strategy Officer, Haley Marketing). Brad reveals why the staffing firms that consistently win aren't necessarily the best firms. They're simply the ones that stay visible long enough to be there when opportunity strikes. About the Guest Brad Smith is the Chief Strategy Officer at Haley Marketing and a Certified Inbound Marketing professional who has helped hundreds of staffing and recruiting firms implement effective digital marketing strategies. He specializes in translating emerging marketing trends and technologies into practical growth strategies for staffing organizations. Key Takeaways Consistency creates opportunities that luck cannot. The firms that stay visible win more business. Education builds trust faster than selling. Nurturing outperforms persistence alone. Relationships grow when value comes before the ask. Timestamps [00:44] – Why staffing is a timing business [03:31] – The costly “I didn’t know you did that” [06:42] – The math behind winning new accounts [08:44] – Why sales teams need marketing air cover [11:06] – Building trust through systematic nurturing [13:32] – Why education beats hard selling [15:21] – The powerful 3x3 relationship matrix [19:23] – The multiplier effect of multi-channel marketing [22:14] – Branded publications that drive conversations [26:55] – Why print mail stands out again [31:41] – Automating touches without losing personalization [42:20] – Using Challenger insights to create demand Sponsors InSights is presented by Haley Marketing. For a limited time, we're offer 50% off of a brand new staffing website. Just message Brad Bialy on LinkedIn and mention the Crazy Website Promo.

May 26, 2026Episode 32529 min

Why Most Offshore Hiring Fails Before Day One (with Greg Fischer)

In this episode of InSights, Brad Bialy sits down with Greg Fischer to unpack why most offshore hiring fails before it even begins and how the best staffing firms use global talent to remove bottlenecks, increase trust, and scale without burning out their team. About the Guest Greg Fischer is the founder of Well Oiled Machine and former CEO of AMI Network, where he scaled the business to $4.2M in gross profit with nearly half the team based outside the U.S. After spending 18 months failing to make offshore hiring work, Greg developed a repeatable framework for building integrated global teams across recruiting, sourcing, operations, and sales. Today, he helps staffing firms avoid the costly mistakes most agencies repeat when trying to scale with international talent. Key Takeaways Clarity scales faster than hustle. Cheap labor becomes expensive leadership. Trust creates performance. Bottlenecks don’t disappear — they relocate. Great teams aren’t divided by geography. Timestamps [00:01] – Finding the real bottleneck [01:22] – Why hustle stops working [02:02] – The utility-player trap [04:11] – Why offshore hires fail twice [05:09] – Process problem or people problem? [07:18] – Can recruiters fund this themselves? [08:59] – What elite firms do differently [09:54] – Killing the “us vs. them” mindset [11:51] – Is AI replacing offshore talent? [17:53] – Holding everyone to the same standard [21:52] – Why screen monitoring backfires [25:17] – Hire right. Then lead right. About the Host Brad Bialy is a trusted voice and highly sought-after speaker in the staffing and recruiting industry, known for helping firms grow through integrated marketing, sales, and recruiting strategies. With over 13 years at Haley Marketing and a proven track record guiding hundreds of firms, Brad brings deep expertise and a fresh, actionable perspective to every engagement. He’s the host of Take the Stage and InSights, two of the staffing industry’s leading podcasts with more than 250,000 downloads. Sponsors InSights is presented by Haley Marketing. For a limited time, we’re offering 50% off a brand new staffing website. Just message Brad Bialy on LinkedIn and mention the Crazy Website Promo. Book a 30-minute business and marketing consultation with host, Brad Bialy: https://bit.ly/Bialy30

May 18, 2026Episode 32437 min

[InSights] The Biggest Lie Staffing Firms Believe About Marketing Automation

In this episode of InSights, Brad Bialy sits down with Rachel Reed to unpack why marketing automation is a long-term relationship-building strategy not a quick-fix sales tactic and how staffing firms can use it to create stronger pipelines, smarter sales outreach, and lasting client trust. About the Guest Rachel Reed is a recruitment and sales automation expert specializing in marketing automation strategy and execution for staffing and recruiting firms of all sizes. With experience across recruitment automation and B2B sales strategy, Rachel helps firms turn complex automation tools into practical systems that drive engagement, strengthen relationships, and support long-term business growth. Key Takeaways Trust compounds faster than transactional selling. The right message matters more than more messages. Automation should support sales—not replace it. Segmentation creates relevance, relevance creates engagement. Long-term consistency beats short-term urgency. Timestamps [00:00] – Why automation is not a “slot machine” solution [02:13] – How consumer marketing reshaped buyer expectations [04:38] – Playing the long game with staffing relationships [07:09] – The power of pain-point driven messaging [08:39] – What marketing automation success actually looks like early on [10:28] – Turning engagement into smarter sales outreach [13:25] – Why lead scoring changes prospecting strategy [15:59] – Moving prospects through marketing automation “buckets” [18:22] – Why transactional selling no longer works [21:52] – Recognizing buying signals before prospects ask [24:45] – How premature sales pitches destroy trust [28:43] – The “slow miles” running mindset for sustainable growth About the Host Brad Bialy is a trusted voice and highly sought-after speaker in the staffing and recruiting industry, known for helping firms grow through integrated marketing, sales, and recruiting strategies. With over 13 years at Haley Marketing and a proven track record guiding hundreds of firms, Brad brings deep expertise and a fresh, actionable perspective to every engagement. He’s the host of Take the Stage and InSights, two of the staffing industry’s leading podcasts with more than 250,000 downloads. Sponsors InSights is presented by Haley Marketing. For a limited time, we're offer 50% off of a brand new staffing website. Just message Brad Bialy on LinkedIn and mention the Crazy Website Promo. Book a 30-minute business and marketing consultation with host, Brad Bialy: Book with Brad Bialy

May 4, 2026Episode 32333 min

The $6.99 Secret: The Candidate Retention Driver Staffing Firms Are Missing (with Carl Stecker)

In This Episode Why staffing firms with bundled benefits plans are accidentally forcing workers to overpay, or opt out entirely, and how unbundling changes everything Employees who elect benefits stay on contract assignments four to five weeks longer What the collapse of a major benefits provider in early 2025 revealed about how dangerously fragile most staffing benefits programs actually are Why Carl Stecker built a full prescription drug platform delivering medications to entire families for under $7 a week, and what pharmacy closures in major U.S. cities made that more urgent than anyone expected How an AI-powered predictive enrollment system is flipping traditional insurance logic upside down by telling workers what NOT to buy Expect to Learn Most staffing firms spend enormous energy chasing client retention while leaving candidate retention almost entirely to chance. This episode exposes exactly what that blind spot is costing them. Carl Stecker breaks down the mechanics of a benefits model built specifically for high-turnover industries, one where the design itself keeps workers engaged, covered, and on the job longer. By the end of this conversation, you'll never think about benefits as a checkbox again. You'll see them as one of the sharpest competitive weapons a staffing firm can carry into the market. Timestamps and Key Moments [00:01] – Benefits: Bigger Than You Think [02:41] – Bundled Plans Are Broken [05:22] – Finding a Stable Provider [07:59] – The 40% Nobody's Serving [10:22] – Power Back to the Candidate [12:17] – AI Meets Enrollment [16:17] – Benefits as a Differentiator [18:13] – 4–5 Extra Weeks of Retention [20:03] – Candidates Are Your Inventory [23:30] – FreeRx: $12 a Week Coverage [25:38] – What Top Firms Do Differently [28:05] – Why Drug Prices Are So High [31:52] – The Pharmacy Desert Problem [33:37] – About Benefits in a Card [34:59] – Rapid Fire Round About the Guest Carl Stecker has spent more than three decades solving a problem most of the staffing industry didn't know it had: benefits designed for the wrong kind of worker, priced for the wrong kind of market, and built on a model that punishes turnover instead of surviving it. As the founder and CEO of Benefits in a Card and FreeRx, he pioneered weekly coverage cycles, two-year rate guarantees, and most recently, a prescription drug platform delivering medications to entire families for under $7 a week. His perspective is rare because it sits exactly at the intersection of insurance economics, staffing operations, and frontline worker welfare — and after 34 years in the trenches, he has the data and the scar tissue to back it up. About the Host Brad Bialy is a trusted voice and highly sought-after speaker in the staffing and recruiting industry, known for helping firms grow through integrated marketing, sales, and recruiting strategies. With over 13 years at Haley Marketing and a proven track record guiding hundreds of firms, Brad brings deep expertise and a fresh, actionable perspective to every engagement. He's the host of Take the Stage and InSights, two of the staffing industry's leading podcasts with more than 2,000 downloads. Sponsors and Offers Heard Book a 30-minute business and marketing consultation with host, Brad Bialy: https://bit.ly/Bialy30

April 27, 2026Episode 32238 min

The AI Knowledge Gap: How to Own Page One of Google Search (with Shaun Chojnacki)

In This Episode Why SEO isn't being replaced by AI — it's actually powering every LLM answer your clients and candidates are getting right now, and doubling down is the only logical move How a single blog post about an obscure AI job role drove 3,000 website visitors in five months with zero ad spend What "AI knowledge gaps" really are, why a BBC reporter's absurd hot dog claim proves they're real, and how staffing firms can use them to manufacture authority almost overnight Why FAQs are secretly one of the most powerful ranking tools available right now This episode of InSights, presented by Haley Marketing, will permanently change how you think about content. You'll stop seeing blog posts as marketing obligations and start seeing them as assets that get your firm found in Google, ChatGPT, and every LLM your clients are already using every day. More importantly, you'll walk away with a concrete, actionable framework for finding the exact knowledge gaps that no one else in your niche is filling and a clear strategy for filling them first. Timestamps and Key Moments [00:01] – Is SEO Actually Being Replaced by AI? [01:06] – LLMs Still Run on SEO [02:17] – Play the Long Game [03:45] – The Long-Game Case for Owners [05:20] – Measuring AIO Rankings [06:15] – The 6-Year Client Breakdown [08:23] – Building the Site Loop [09:00] – Why FAQs Rank Separately [12:04] – FAQs — How Simple Is It? [13:48] – What Is an AI Knowledge Gap? [16:10] – The MrBeast Content Strategy [19:37] – How to Find the Gap [21:01] – The Blog That Got 3K Visitors [23:08] – Retargeting That Traffic [24:02] – Real Gaps in Staffing Right Now [28:43] – Why SEO Needs a Partner [30:19] – Social Media Now Feeds Google [31:59] – Which Platform Actually Wins [33:54] – Fix the Foundation First [35:22] – Why Old Content Still Ranks About the Guest Shaun Chojnacki is a Senior Marketing Strategist at Haley Marketing, actively managing 35+ client account services across the staffing and recruitment industry. He specializes in SEO, AI-driven search optimization (AIO), and LLM SEO including AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization). With more than a decade of experience spanning Staffing, SaaS and eCommerce, Shaun combines data-driven marketing with creative execution to help staffing firms turn their websites into high-performing lead generation engines. Connect with Shaun on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/shaunsavvy About the Host Brad Bialy is a trusted voice and highly sought-after speaker in the staffing and recruiting industry, known for helping firms grow through integrated marketing, sales, and recruiting strategies. With over 13 years at Haley Marketing and a proven track record guiding hundreds of firms, Brad brings deep expertise and a fresh, actionable perspective to every engagement. He's the host of Take the Stage and InSights, two of the staffing industry's leading podcasts with more than 200,000 downloads. Sponsors and Offers Heard Book a 30-minute business and marketing consultation with host, Brad Bialy: https://bit.ly/Bialy30 This episode is brought to you by FoxHire. If you’re looking for an Employer of Record partner that helps recruiters confidently grow contract placements and build recurring revenue without taking on extra risk, FoxHire is perfect for you. Learn more at FoxHire.com/Haley

April 20, 2026Episode 32145 min

[Stage] The Biggest Mistake that's Holding Staffing Firms Back (with Anna Frazzetto)

HEARD IN THIS EPISODE ◼ Why the four-year decline in staffing revenue isn't a market problem — it's a sales behavior problem that leaders are actively making worse by obsessing over the wrong metrics ◼ How COVID didn't just change where salespeople work — it quietly made them lazy, and why most sales leaders haven't noticed yet ◼ What the best staffing firms are doing differently right now that almost nobody else is: pulling recruiters into the sales process before the deal is even close ◼ Why your ICP is probably wrong — and how getting more specific with a smaller target list will generate more revenue than casting a wider net ever could ◼ How one simple mental shift — from account management to pre-client acquisition — could completely rewire the way your sales team operates EXPECT TO LEARN This episode will fundamentally challenge how you think about sales activity and what it's actually worth. You'll walk away with a sharper framework for diagnosing what's broken in your sales organization, whether it's your people, your process, or the pressure you're putting on both, and a clear-eyed view of why doing less, more deliberately, consistently beats doing more with less intention. If you lead a staffing firm or a sales team, this conversation will make you uncomfortable in exactly the right way. KEY MOMENTS [00:01] – The #1 mistake holding firms back [01:08] – Chasing shiny objects kills revenue [02:21] – What to do when business is down [04:08] – How to prioritize your fix-it list [05:28] – Did COVID break the staffing industry? [07:02] – How COVID made staffing sales reps lazy [08:21] – Outputs vs. outcomes in sales [09:18] – Rewarding the wrong KPIs [10:48] – What consultative selling looks like [12:49] – Where firms get their ICP wrong [14:45] – Messaging by ICP level [16:38] – The Under Armour sales analogy [18:58] – Research has never been easier [23:00] – What top firms do differently [24:45] – Speed closes deals, not relationships [27:52] – Fixing staffing's reputation problem [31:42] – Sales reps as pre-client managers [33:26] – Optimistic or pessimistic on 2026? [35:41] – Coach in the moment, not end of month [37:17] – About AFM Strategic Partners [42:20] – Rapid fire: book that changed her life [43:24] – Advice for new staffing professionals ABOUT THE GUEST Anna Frazzetto is the Founder and CEO of AFM Strategic Partners and one of the most recognized voices in staffing and sales leadership — named to Staffing Industry Analysts' Global Power 150 Women in Staffing for seven consecutive years. She built her career scaling businesses from the ground up, including growing a solutions practice from $3M to $100M, and has led global sales transformations across some of the most complex corners of the industry. Her perspective is rare because it spans both sides of the table: the strategic and the deeply human, shaped in part by her experience as a cancer survivor who chose to bet on herself and start something new. Her new book, *Sales Leadership in Action*, distills over 100 field-tested tips for sales leaders who want to stop firefighting and start building teams that close. ABOUT THE HOST Brad Bialy is a trusted voice and highly sought-after speaker in the staffing and recruiting industry, known for helping firms grow through integrated marketing, sales, and recruiting strategies. With over 13 years at Haley Marketing and a proven track record guiding hundreds of firms, Brad brings deep expertise and a fresh, actionable perspective to every engagement. He's the host of Take the Stage and InSights, two of the staffing industry's leading podcasts with more than 225,000 downloads. SPONSORS AND OFFERS Book a 30-minute marketing consultation with host Brad Bialy: https://bit.ly/Bialy30 Benefits in a Card helps staffing firms offer meaningful benefits to their entire workforce through flexible, unbundled plans designed for high-turnover environments—making it easier to control costs, improve retention, and stay competitive. https://www.BenefitsInACard.com TRICOM partners with staffing firms as an asset-based lender and full-service back-office provider, helping owners scale confidently by reducing risk and easing the operational strain of payroll, cash flow, and administration. https://www.tricom.com

April 13, 2026Episode 32040 min

[InSights] Stop Day Trading Your Marketing (with Steve Gipson)

In this episode of InSights, Brad Bialy sits down with Steve Gipson to unpack why staffing firms keep day-trading their marketing for short-term wins and how long-term visibility, consistency, and trust-building turn you into the first call when urgency hits. About the Guest Steve Gipson is the Director of Sales and Operations at Recruiters Websites, where he helps staffing and recruiting firms build stronger digital ecosystems through smarter website strategy, search visibility, and long-term marketing systems. In this conversation, Steve breaks down why most firms sabotage growth by demanding instant ROI and why the real winners are the ones willing to compound trust long before an emergency ever happens. Key Takeaways If clients only remember you when you call them, you’ve already lost. Day trading your marketing keeps your pipeline permanently fragile. The first call in a crisis is earned months (or years!) before the crisis. Bad execution is often mistaken for bad strategy. The boring basics are where market leaders are built. Timestamps [00:00] – Discipline lessons hidden inside dad life [04:37] – The flooded basement story every marketer needs [07:06] – Why clients only call names they remember [10:38] – The dangerous reset happening in every search [12:06] – The day-trading analogy that changes everything [17:03] – The ROI obsession quietly killing growth [19:00] – Why shiny tactics keep firms invisible [23:08] – The trust signal most firms ignore [24:45] – The AI search shift firms are missing [26:52] – The nurture sequence that wins future urgency [31:46] – Why P.T. Barnum still beats modern marketers [35:18] – The boring basics that become your moat About the Host Brad Bialy is a trusted voice and highly sought-after speaker in the staffing and recruiting industry, known for helping firms grow through integrated marketing, sales, and recruiting strategies. With over 13 years at Haley Marketing and a proven track record guiding hundreds of firms, Brad brings deep expertise and a fresh, actionable perspective to every engagement. He’s the host of Take the Stage and InSights, two of the staffing industry’s leading podcasts with more than 200,000 downloads. Sponsors Book a 30-minute business and marketing consultation with host, Brad Bialy: https://bit.ly/Bialy30 This episode is brought to you by FoxHire. If you’re looking for an Employer of Record partner that helps recruiters confidently grow contract placements and build recurring revenue without taking on extra risk, FoxHire is perfect for you. Learn more at FoxHire.com/Haley

April 7, 2026Episode 31959 min

Essential Sales Tools for 2026: How Staffing Firms Sell Smarter Today

It's a bonus episode this week, taken from Lunch with Haley. Top staffing firms aren’t just selling differently — they’re selling smarter. In this Lunch with Haley, we’ll walk through the essential tools, content, and AI workflows every staffing firm needs in 2026 to shorten sales cycles, differentiate effectively, and empower buyers to make decisions faster. Expect to Learn: What’s changed in the 2026 buyer journey — and how to adapt The self-service and buyer-enablement assets every firm should have Practical examples of sales collateral that increase conversion How to use automation and AI to strengthen follow-up Tools that accelerate proposals, presentations, and positioning Whether you’re refining your process or rebuilding it, this Lunch with Haley gives you a sharper sales toolbox for 2026. About the Speakers David Searns, Co-CEO, Haley Marketing When it comes to marketing a staffing firm, few people know the industry like David. He literally grew up in the business. He has been helping staffing companies create innovative marketing strategies and award-winning websites for more than 25 years. Brad Smith, Chief Strategy Officer, Haley Marketing Brad is a Certified Inbound Marketing professional, and he has managed the implementation of digital marketing campaigns for hundreds of staffing firms. Brad stays on top of new marketing and technology trends, transforming them into winning strategies for staffing and recruiting firms. Rachel Reed, Senior Automation Specialist Rachel is a recruitment and sales automation expert specializing in marketing automation strategy and execution for clients large and small. With experience in both recruitment automation and B2B sales strategy, she brings a unique perspective to the potential of automation tools in the industry. Rachel excels in making sophisticated platforms accessible and valuable for staffing and recruiting professionals – delivering actionable strategies to drive sales leads, qualified applications and customer retention.