Talent Titans: Recent Episodes
Suky Sodhi
High performance staffing industry mastermind leader, Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Her podcast, Talent Titans serves as a platform to share her research and findings with us, including best tips and practices to take your business to the next level.
If you enjoyed this episode, please tell us what you think so that we can create more content around this topic. Your feedback is key to help us grow!
You Didn't Get the Job. Here's Why You're Mad at the Wrong Person
A listener wrote in furious she'd done multiple interviews, an assessment, took time off work, paid for parking… and still didn't get the offer. In this episode, Suky Sodhi breaks down exactly why that anger is misplaced, walks through what's actually happening on the employer's side of the hiring funnel, and gives you the one move to make in the first 30 days after a rejection that turns it into your competitive advantage.
This one's for every candidate stuck feeling "wasted my time" — and every recruiter who's tired of explaining the filtering math to angry applicants.
Key Moments:
00:00 – You're Mad At The Wrong Person
00:30 – Welcome to Talent Titans + Sponsor
01:15 – The Listener's Story: She Invested Everything, Still Got Rejected
03:10 – The Employer's Reality: Filtering Hundreds of Applicants Down to One
05:00 – The Other Candidate You're Not Thinking About
06:30 – Reframe: Disappointed, Not Angry
08:15 – What If Companies Screened Stricter? The Alternative Nobody Wants
09:20 – Turn Rejection Into Growth — The LinkedIn Trick
10:30 – Control Your Reaction, Stay In The Game
Check out more episodes of the Talent Titans Podcast:
Why Contingency Recruiting is Dying: https://youtu.be/BAE9lrl8z74
Master Niche Recruiting: https://youtu.be/RoRWQ5bwPm0
Connect with Suky: Award-Winning Advisor & Industry Voice | Founder: Canadian Staffing Summit, Talent Titans, Recruitment Professionals Forum | Backing Bold Moves in Staffing, Tech & Investment — No Clickbait, Just Real Talk
Suky doesn't just observe the staffing industry — she helps shape it.
She's built platforms where the industry's most honest conversations happen:
🔹 Canadian Staffing Summit
🔹 Talent Titans Podcast
🔹 Recruitment Professionals Forum
For over two decades, Suky's helped recruitment businesses scale with integrity — from internal team builds to boardroom strategy. She works with agency leaders, tech innovators, and the investors backing the future of staffing.
But here's what Suky doesn't do: copy-paste playbooks, fluff-filled advice, or empty hype.
She believes in smart growth, real talk, and community over competition.
Her work sits at the intersection of:
People + Performance
Tech + Disruption
Strategy + Soul
Whether she's coaching founders, advising SaaS firms, or connecting those quietly rewriting the rules — one thing holds true:
Suky backs those who build.
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Grab of a copy of "How to Launch a Staffing Agency: Plan to Profits in 90 Days or Less"
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Is ageism in hiring really an unconscious bias—or was it deliberately engineered over decades?
In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky Sodhi challenges one of the most accepted narratives in modern hiring: that older professionals are "too expensive," "hard to manage," or "stuck in their ways."
She explores how economic downturns created incentives to replace experienced professionals with cheaper labor, how those decisions evolved into long-standing hiring myths, and why businesses today are paying the price through lost institutional knowledge, weaker leadership, and widening generational divides.
If you're a recruiter, staffing leader, hiring manager, or business owner, this episode will challenge how you think about experience, leadership, and the future of hiring.
⏱️ Key Moments: 00:00 – Ageism Was Engineered, Not Accidental 00:40 – Welcome to Talent Titans 01:20 – How Economic Downturns Created Hiring Bias 03:10 – The Myth: "Older Workers Are Stuck in Their Ways" 04:15 – "Hard to Manage" or Hard to Fool? 05:15 – The Experience Gap Businesses Created 06:00 – The Generational Divide in Today's Workforce 06:50 – The Real Value of Experienced Professionals 07:55 – How Companies Can Eliminate Age Bias 10:15 – A Final Message Every Hiring Leader Needs to Hear 11:15 – Closing Thoughts
Check out more episodes of the Talent Titans Podcast:
Why Contingency Recruiting is Dying: https://youtu.be/BAE9lrl8z74
Master Niche Recruiting: https://youtu.be/RoRWQ5bwPm0
Connect with Suky: Award-Winning Advisor & Industry Voice | Founder: Canadian Staffing Summit, Talent Titans, Recruitment Professionals Forum | Backing Bold Moves in Staffing, Tech & Investment — No Clickbait, Just Real Talk
Suky doesn't just observe the staffing industry — she helps shape it.
She's built platforms where the industry's most honest conversations happen:
🔹 Canadian Staffing Summit
🔹 Talent Titans Podcast
🔹 Recruitment Professionals Forum
For over two decades, Suky's helped recruitment businesses scale with integrity — from internal team builds to boardroom strategy. She works with agency leaders, tech innovators, and the investors backing the future of staffing.
But here's what Suky doesn't do: copy-paste playbooks, fluff-filled advice, or empty hype.
She believes in smart growth, real talk, and community over competition.
Her work sits at the intersection of:
People + Performance
Tech + Disruption
Strategy + Soul
Whether she's coaching founders, advising SaaS firms, or connecting those quietly rewriting the rules — one thing holds true:
Suky backs those who build.
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Grab of a copy of "How to Launch a Staffing Agency: Plan to Profits in 90 Days or Less"
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Is your sales team underperforming — or is the real problem sitting in the manager's seat?
Chris Beckage , Vice President, Business Development at ProCom, doesn't pull punches. In this episode of Talent Titans, Chris and Suky break down the uncomfortable truth about why most staffing sales teams stall: it's not the market, it's not the reps, and it's almost never what you think.
From killing "Always Be Closing" to uncovering Canada's secret weapon in the US market — this is a masterclass in modern staffing sales built for founders and leaders who are done with excuses.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
→ The one question that instantly separates a pipeline builder from a busy salesperson
→ Why "Always Be Closing" is dead — and the two principles that replace it
→ How Canadian politeness became ProCom's competitive edge in the US market
→ The mid-market opportunity most agencies are missing (and why ego is the reason)
→ How ProCom uses AI coaching to level up junior reps faster than ever
→ Why the market is almost never the real problem — and what actually is
ABOUT CHRIS:
My purpose is simple: to provide the guidance, support, and tools that empower people to build the lives and careers they choose — and to help them find success and happiness along the way. At Procom, I lead client acquisition, account expansion, and recruiting operations, working alongside a team of account managers and recruiters who share that same commitment to the people we place and the clients we serve. The value I bring is in the listening. I take the time to truly understand a business and its challenges before I try to solve anything. From there, I ask the right questions — even the uncomfortable ones — because that's what surfaces the real problem, drives innovation, and leads to better outcomes for everyone involved. Growth — in revenue, in client relationships, in people — isn't something you force. It's something you build by paying attention first. Connect with Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisbeckage/
KEY MOMENTS:
00:00 Introduction & Chris Beckage's Personal Purpose
02:00 Golf, Trust & Reading Clients in Their Natural State
03:45 Canada's Secret Weapon in the US Staffing Market
06:25 Why Collaborative Decision-Making Wins Long-Term
08:00 Busy vs. Building: How to Spot True Pipeline Builders
12:20 Why "Always Be Closing" Is Dead
15:00 Always Be Aligning & Always Be Useful
17:00 AI Coaching Tools & Sales Development at ProCom
22:00 Culture Shock: US vs. Canadian Decision-Making Pace
26:00 Open Territories & North American Expansion
27:30 People Over Playbook: How to Scale in New Markets
30:30 The Mid-Market Sweet Spot (Stop Chasing Fortune 500)
34:00 When the Market Is the Excuse and Management Is the Cause
Check out more episodes of the Talent Titans Podcast:
Why Contingency Recruiting is Dying: https://youtu.be/BAE9lrl8z74
Master Niche Recruiting: https://youtu.be/RoRWQ5bwPm0
Connect with Suky: Award-Winning Advisor & Industry Voice | Founder: Canadian Staffing Summit, Talent Titans, Recruitment Professionals Forum | Backing Bold Moves in Staffing, Tech & Investment — No Clickbait, Just Real Talk
Suky doesn't just observe the staffing industry — she helps shape it.
She's built platforms where the industry's most honest conversations happen:
🔹 Canadian Staffing Summit
🔹 Talent Titans Podcast
🔹 Recruitment Professionals Forum
For over two decades, Suky's helped recruitment businesses scale with integrity — from internal team builds to boardroom strategy. She works with agency leaders, tech innovators, and the investors backing the future of staffing.
But here's what Suky doesn't do: copy-paste playbooks, fluff-filled advice, or empty hype.
She believes in smart growth, real talk, and community over competition.
Her work sits at the intersection of:
People + Performance
Tech + Disruption
Strategy + Soul
Whether she's coaching founders, advising SaaS firms, or connecting those quietly rewriting the rules — one thing holds true:
Suky backs those who build.
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Grab of a copy of "How to Launch a Staffing Agency: Plan to Profits in 90 Days or Less"
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Two words. That's it. Two words buried in your indemnity clause that could save your staffing agency hundreds of thousands of dollars — and most agency owners have never heard them.
In this episode, Suky Sodhi sits down with employment and staffing lawyer Dale Friedland to pull back the curtain on the legal landmines hiding inside the MSAs and contracts you're signing every single day.
If you run a staffing agency or recruitment firm, this is the episode you forward to your lawyer — and then wonder why your lawyer didn't already know this.
What We Cover:
- The single most dangerous clause hiding in your MSA (and the two words that neutralize it)
- Uncapped liability vs. third-party liability — why the difference matters enormously
- Contractor misclassification: Canada vs. US vs. UK — and why "at will" changes everything
- The "control test" — how to legitimately protect your independent contractor relationships
- Backdoor hiring protection: the contract clause that stops clients from cutting you out
- Extended payment terms and the early warning signs of a client who won't pay
- When to use an EOR service vs. incorporating locally in the US
🔑 Key Moments:
00:00 The 2 Words That Could Save You Thousands 01:03 Meet Staffing Industry Lawyer Dale Friedland 05:20 The Biggest Legal Risks in Staffing Contracts 08:00 The Clauses Staffing Firms Need to Watch 13:00 Why Your MSA Could Be Putting You at Risk 19:20 Protecting Your Agency in Client Agreements 22:00 Building a Stronger Staffing Contract 27:00 Employment Law & Protecting Your Business 34:33 What Happens When Clients Backdoor Hire 41:00 Protecting Your Recruitment Fees 47:00 When Clients Refuse to Pay 51:41 When to Walk Away From a Bad Client 52:48 Closing & How to Connect With Dale
Connect with Dale:
Dale Friedland is a trusted employment and staffing law lawyer based in Toronto, with a focused practice on advising businesses, recruitment agencies, and HR professionals navigating complex workforce challenges. With years of experience and a deep understanding of the legal landscape governing hiring, employee relations, and contingent workforces, Dale provides strategic, practical counsel tailored to modern workplace realities.
Specializing in staffing, recruitment, and employment law, Dale regularly advises clients on matters including master staffing agreements, employment contracts, independent contractor agreements, sub-vendor/subcontractor agreements, workplace policies, compliance with provincial and federal regulations, wrongful dismissal claims, and dispute resolution. As former In-House Counsel at a leading Canadian staffing firm, Dale has particular expertise in the legal nuances affecting staffing agencies, including temporary placements, co-employment risks, and regulatory compliance.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dale-friedland-95065a3a/
Check out more episodes of the Talent Titans Podcast:
Why Contingency Recruiting is Dying: https://youtu.be/BAE9lrl8z74
Master Niche Recruiting: https://youtu.be/RoRWQ5bwPm0
Connect with Suky: Award-Winning Advisor & Industry Voice | Founder: Canadian Staffing Summit, Talent Titans, Recruitment Professionals Forum | Backing Bold Moves in Staffing, Tech & Investment — No Clickbait, Just Real Talk
Suky doesn't just observe the staffing industry — she helps shape it.
She's built platforms where the industry's most honest conversations happen:
🔹 Canadian Staffing Summit
🔹 Talent Titans Podcast
🔹 Recruitment Professionals Forum
For over two decades, Suky's helped recruitment businesses scale with integrity — from internal team builds to boardroom strategy. She works with agency leaders, tech innovators, and the investors backing the future of staffing.
But here's what Suky doesn't do: copy-paste playbooks, fluff-filled advice, or empty hype.
She believes in smart growth, real talk, and community over competition.
Her work sits at the intersection of:
People + Performance
Tech + Disruption
Strategy + Soul
Whether she's coaching founders, advising SaaS firms, or connecting those quietly rewriting the rules — one thing holds true:
Suky backs those who build.
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Grab of a copy of "How to Launch a Staffing Agency: Plan to Profits in 90 Days or Less"
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Are your instincts costing you your best recruiter hires? In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky Sodhi exposes the hidden unconscious biases that cause staffing firms to reject proven revenue producers — and how to stop it before it costs you thousands.
We break down a real case study: a tech recruiter who knew his contractor counts, profit margins, and fill rates cold — but got rejected because he hesitated on a complex tiered commission question. The verdict? "Not hungry enough." The reality? A textbook case of the Fundamental Attribution Error.
This is vibe-based hiring. And it's statistically broken.
The research is clear: gut-feel interviews carry only 14% predictive validity for job performance. Structured, competency-based assessments? 48%. Every week a seat stays empty on a 15-contractor desk is $12,000 in unrealized gross profit. The math is simple. The bias is the problem.
In this episode:
→ The "hungry enough" fallacy and why it's a legacy sales stereotype
→ Fundamental Attribution Error, anchoring bias & confirmation bias — the psychology behind bad hiring decisions
→ Why operational metrics (contractor counts, margins, fill rate) predict performance better than any interview gut feeling → The financial cost of prolonged vacancies in your firm
→ A 3-step consultation framework to challenge and coach your clients through biased rejections
→ Why the candidate who "dodged a bullet" is still getting a final interview — because consulting works
Don't hire by vibes. Hire on facts. Let the numbers tell the story.
KEY MOMENTS:
00:00 The Hidden Bias Costing Recruitment Firms Millions
01:40 The Interview Mistake That Rejected A Top Recruiter
03:20 Why "Not Hungry Enough" Is A Dangerous Assumption
04:40 The Metrics That Actually Matter In Recruiting
06:30 How Unconscious Bias Impacts Hiring Decisions
08:30 Why Gut Feel Interviews Fail
10:30 The Real Cost Of Passing On Top Talent
12:00 How Recruiters Can Challenge Client Bias
13:30 Stop Hiring On Vibes — Use Data Instead
15:00 Final Thoughts
Check out more episodes of the Talent Titans Podcast:
Why Contingency Recruiting is Dying: https://youtu.be/BAE9lrl8z74
Master Niche Recruiting: https://youtu.be/RoRWQ5bwPm0
Connect with Suky: Award-Winning Advisor & Industry Voice | Founder: Canadian Staffing Summit, Talent Titans, Recruitment Professionals Forum | Backing Bold Moves in Staffing, Tech & Investment — No Clickbait, Just Real Talk
Suky doesn't just observe the staffing industry — she helps shape it.
She's built platforms where the industry's most honest conversations happen:
🔹 Canadian Staffing Summit
🔹 Talent Titans Podcast
🔹 Recruitment Professionals Forum
For over two decades, Suky's helped recruitment businesses scale with integrity — from internal team builds to boardroom strategy. She works with agency leaders, tech innovators, and the investors backing the future of staffing.
But here's what Suky doesn't do: copy-paste playbooks, fluff-filled advice, or empty hype.
She believes in smart growth, real talk, and community over competition.
Her work sits at the intersection of:
People + Performance
Tech + Disruption
Strategy + Soul
Whether she's coaching founders, advising SaaS firms, or connecting those quietly rewriting the rules — one thing holds true:
Suky backs those who build.
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Grab of a copy of "How to Launch a Staffing Agency: Plan to Profits in 90 Days or Less"
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
If your ATS needs a 24-month contract to keep you, that's not a partnership — that's a trap.
In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky Sodhi sits down with Karen Somal , CEO and Founder of Athena CRM, who's disrupting the recruitment software industry with a radical promise: full customizability, month-to-month contracts, and zero migration costs.
After 15 years in recruitment tech, Karen has seen it all — from directors building systems that treat recruiters like "data entry clerks" to agencies trapped in "bad marriages" with their ATS providers.
She breaks down:
• Why legacy ATS platforms force YOU to adapt YOUR workflow to THEIR software
• The hidden cost of poor recruiter adoption (and why it's killing your placements)
• How data migration horror stories are keeping agencies stuck in broken systems
• Why Athena covers migration costs — and buys clients out of existing contracts
• The "director-led vs. recruiter-led" design philosophy that's changing the game
Karen's message to agency founders: "If you need a 24-month contract to keep someone, you're admitting that the product can't retain them on merit." This is real talk for recruitment leaders who are tired of software that works against them instead of for them.
🔑 Chapters
00:00 — The ATS Trap: Why Your Software Is Working Against You
02:15 — Director-Led vs. Recruiter-Led: The Design Philosophy Shift
08:30 — The 24-Month Contract Problem 14:00 — Data Migration Horror Stories
22:45 — "We're Unsellable Right Now": When Bad Data Kills Acquisitions
28:30 — Athena's Radical Approach: No Migration Fees, Monthly Contracts
35:00 — Why Recruiter Adoption Is Never About Features
42:00 — Word-of-Mouth Growth: From Canada to Dubai
47:30 — What's Next for Recruitment Tech
Connect with Karen:
I'm Karen Somal, a recruitment technology specialist with years of experience helping agencies improve their systems, processes, and use of technology. I've worked on CRM implementations, automation projects, data transformation, and business process improvement across the recruitment sector. I'm also the founder of Athena CRM, a platform created to give recruitment businesses a more flexible and configurable approach to managing their operations. I'm passionate about using technology to solve real business challenges while keeping people and relationships at the heart of what I do.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-somal-35569117/
Check out more episodes of the Talent Titans Podcast:
Why Contingency Recruiting is Dying: https://youtu.be/BAE9lrl8z74
Master Niche Recruiting: https://youtu.be/RoRWQ5bwPm0
Connect with Suky: Award-Winning Advisor & Industry Voice | Founder: Canadian Staffing Summit, Talent Titans, Recruitment Professionals Forum | Backing Bold Moves in Staffing, Tech & Investment — No Clickbait, Just Real Talk
Suky doesn't just observe the staffing industry — she helps shape it.
She's built platforms where the industry's most honest conversations happen:
🔹 Canadian Staffing Summit
🔹 Talent Titans Podcast
🔹 Recruitment Professionals Forum
For over two decades, Suky's helped recruitment businesses scale with integrity — from internal team builds to boardroom strategy. She works with agency leaders, tech innovators, and the investors backing the future of staffing.
But here's what Suky doesn't do: copy-paste playbooks, fluff-filled advice, or empty hype.
She believes in smart growth, real talk, and community over competition.
Her work sits at the intersection of:
People + Performance
Tech + Disruption
Strategy + Soul
Whether she's coaching founders, advising SaaS firms, or connecting those quietly rewriting the rules — one thing holds true:
Suky backs those who build.
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Grab of a copy of "How to Launch a Staffing Agency: Plan to Profits in 90 Days or Less"
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Canada is NOT one single hiring market — and if you're treating it like one, you're already losing top talent. In this episode, we break down why a one-size-fits-all recruitment strategy fails across Canada's five distinct regional markets.
From the boomerang talent strategy in Atlantic Canada to Bill 96 compliance in Quebec, from Alberta's affordability edge pulling talent away from Ontario to British Columbia's "Pacific premium" battle with US tech giants — we cover 5,000 kilometers of talent landscape in one episode. If you're a staffing agency founder, recruitment leader, or talent acquisition professional hiring across Canadian provinces, this is your playbook for thinking globally and acting locally.
⏱️ Key Moments:
00:00 - Why Canada is NOT one hiring market
02:15 - Atlantic Canada: The boomerang talent strategy
04:30 - Quebec: Bill 96, language laws, and cultural identity
06:45 - Ontario: The Toronto-Waterloo corridor under threat
09:00 - Alberta: The affordability advantage changing the game
11:15 - British Columbia: The Pacific premium and US tech competition
Check out more episodes of the Talent Titans Podcast:
Why Contingency Recruiting is Dying: https://youtu.be/BAE9lrl8z74
Master Niche Recruiting: https://youtu.be/RoRWQ5bwPm0
Connect with Suky: Award-Winning Advisor & Industry Voice | Founder: Canadian Staffing Summit, Talent Titans, Recruitment Professionals Forum | Backing Bold Moves in Staffing, Tech & Investment — No Clickbait, Just Real Talk
Suky doesn't just observe the staffing industry — she helps shape it.
She's built platforms where the industry's most honest conversations happen:
🔹 Canadian Staffing Summit
🔹 Talent Titans Podcast
🔹 Recruitment Professionals Forum
For over two decades, Suky's helped recruitment businesses scale with integrity — from internal team builds to boardroom strategy. She works with agency leaders, tech innovators, and the investors backing the future of staffing.
But here's what Suky doesn't do: copy-paste playbooks, fluff-filled advice, or empty hype.
She believes in smart growth, real talk, and community over competition.
Her work sits at the intersection of:
People + Performance
Tech + Disruption
Strategy + Soul
Whether she's coaching founders, advising SaaS firms, or connecting those quietly rewriting the rules — one thing holds true:
Suky backs those who build.
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Grab of a copy of "How to Launch a Staffing Agency: Plan to Profits in 90 Days or Less"
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
🎙️ Is AI making recruitment more efficient—or are we automating away the very thing that makes recruiters valuable?
In this episode, we explore the growing tension between automation and human connection in recruitment. From AI bias and legal risks to candidate backlash and commoditization, we discuss why the future belongs to agencies that are tech-enabled but human-driven.
Learn what should be automated, what must stay human, and how recruiters can use technology to strengthen relationships instead of replace them.
⏱️ Key Moments:
00:00 The Friction of Automation vs. Human Connection 03:02 Why Clients Pay for Human Judgment 05:54 The Illusion of Bias-Free AI 09:48 The Legal Risks of Over-Automation 15:39 Tech-Enabled, Human-Driven Recruitment 18:20 What AI Should Automate 20:08 What Must Stay Human 22:04 The Future of Recruitment
Check out more episodes of the Talent Titans Podcast:
Why Contingency Recruiting is Dying: https://youtu.be/BAE9lrl8z74
Master Niche Recruiting: https://youtu.be/RoRWQ5bwPm0
Connect with Suky: Award-Winning Advisor & Industry Voice | Founder: Canadian Staffing Summit, Talent Titans, Recruitment Professionals Forum | Backing Bold Moves in Staffing, Tech & Investment — No Clickbait, Just Real Talk
Suky doesn't just observe the staffing industry — she helps shape it.
She's built platforms where the industry's most honest conversations happen:
🔹 Canadian Staffing Summit
🔹 Talent Titans Podcast
🔹 Recruitment Professionals Forum
For over two decades, Suky's helped recruitment businesses scale with integrity — from internal team builds to boardroom strategy. She works with agency leaders, tech innovators, and the investors backing the future of staffing.
But here's what Suky doesn't do: copy-paste playbooks, fluff-filled advice, or empty hype.
She believes in smart growth, real talk, and community over competition.
Her work sits at the intersection of:
People + Performance
Tech + Disruption
Strategy + Soul
Whether she's coaching founders, advising SaaS firms, or connecting those quietly rewriting the rules — one thing holds true:
Suky backs those who build.
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Grab of a copy of "How to Launch a Staffing Agency: Plan to Profits in 90 Days or Less"
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
If your LinkedIn posts get likes from other recruiters but zero DMs from decision-makers, you're not building a business — you're building a fan club.
In this episode, Suky Sodhi dismantles the biggest lie sold to recruitment professionals: that "reach is king." She breaks down why chasing vanity metrics (follower counts, likes, shares) keeps you trapped in a dopamine loop that feels productive but generates zero revenue. The truth? The people you most want in front of — CEOs, VPs, CTOs — are the quietest people on LinkedIn. They're lurkers. They don't like, they don't comment, but they're watching. And if your content is designed to go viral instead of speaking directly to them, you're pushing them away.
What you'll learn:
• Why a post with 10 CTO likes is worth more than 1,000 likes from people who'll never hire you
• The LinkedIn algorithm trap: how generic content miscategorizes you and buries your posts for the audience that matters
• How to escape the "work bestie" engagement loop and attract the right lurkers
• Why being boring to the masses is essential to being essential to your ideal client
• The real metric that matters: high-value DMs and emails, not crowded threads
This is real talk for recruitment founders, staffing leaders, and agency owners who are tired of posting into the void and ready to reach the people who actually move their business forward.
⏱️ Key Moments:
00:00 - The Reach Illusion: Why More Isn't Better
02:16 - Why Your Follower Count Is Lying to You
05:24 - 10 CTOs vs 1,000 Strangers
08:20 - Quality Engagement Beats Quantity Every Time
11:43 - The Vanity-to-Value Shift
14:24 - Finding Partners That Actually Move Revenue
Check out more episodes of the Talent Titans Podcast:
Why Contingency Recruiting is Dying: https://youtu.be/BAE9lrl8z74
Master Niche Recruiting: https://youtu.be/RoRWQ5bwPm0
Connect with Suky: Award-Winning Advisor & Industry Voice | Founder: Canadian Staffing Summit, Talent Titans, Recruitment Professionals Forum | Backing Bold Moves in Staffing, Tech & Investment — No Clickbait, Just Real Talk
Suky doesn't just observe the staffing industry — she helps shape it.
She's built platforms where the industry's most honest conversations happen:
🔹 Canadian Staffing Summit
🔹 Talent Titans Podcast
🔹 Recruitment Professionals Forum
For over two decades, Suky's helped recruitment businesses scale with integrity — from internal team builds to boardroom strategy. She works with agency leaders, tech innovators, and the investors backing the future of staffing.
But here's what Suky doesn't do: copy-paste playbooks, fluff-filled advice, or empty hype.
She believes in smart growth, real talk, and community over competition.
Her work sits at the intersection of:
People + Performance
Tech + Disruption
Strategy + Soul
Whether she's coaching founders, advising SaaS firms, or connecting those quietly rewriting the rules — one thing holds true:
Suky backs those who build.
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Grab of a copy of "How to Launch a Staffing Agency: Plan to Profits in 90 Days or Less"
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Is your staffing agency actually sellable — or are you just building a bigger cage?
In this solo episode, Suky Sodhi breaks down the single most important shift staffing founders need to make if they ever want a high-value exit: margin over revenue.
Most agency owners chase headcount and top-line growth, not realizing their low-margin book of business is quietly destroying their valuation. Suky walks through the brutal math that separates a $8M exit from a $16M exit — with the same profit — and gives you a three-step blueprint to flip your valuation before it's too late.
In this episode:
- Why revenue is a vanity metric and EBITDA is everything
- The "Valuation Chasm" — why low-margin agencies get 3-5x and high-margin agencies get 7-10x
- Client concentration risk: if one client is >20% of your revenue, you're a high-risk gamble
- Keyman risk: why being indispensable makes you unsellable
- The three-step blueprint: Strike Teams, Dolphin Clients, and the High-Margin Pod
- How to build a business where you're the least important person in the building
The bottom line: The path to that sandy beach is a maths problem. Let's solve it.
Key Moments 00:00 – Welcome to Talent Titans & Ascen Sponsorship
00:41 – The Big Contract Myth That's Keeping You Trapped
01:36 – The Only Number That Matters: Your Exit Multiplier
02:00 – The Valuation Chasm: 3-5x vs. 7-10x EBITDA
03:00 – Owner A vs. Owner B — The $8M vs. $16M
Exit 03:48 – The Real Cost of Chasing Low-Margin Business
04:14 – The Poison Pill: Client Concentration Risk
05:00 – How Buyers See You (And Why They'll Lowball You)
05:48 – The Low-Margin Treadmill: Stuck as Chief Everything Officer
06:12 – Keyman Risk: Why Being Indispensable Makes You Unsellable
07:04 – Vanity Revenue vs. Real Wealth — The Choice
08:00 – The 3-Step Blueprint to Flip Your Valuation
08:39 – Step 1: Strike Team + Dolphin Clients
09:27 – Step 2: Grow the High-Margin Pod
09:52 – Step 3: Move from Supplier to Specialist
10:52 – The 3-Part Exit Formula (Your Sandy Beach)
11:29 – Thanks for Listening + Follow & Share
Check out more episodes of the Talent Titans Podcast:
Why Contingency Recruiting is Dying: https://youtu.be/BAE9lrl8z74
Master Niche Recruiting: https://youtu.be/RoRWQ5bwPm0
Connect with Suky: Award-Winning Advisor & Industry Voice | Founder: Canadian Staffing Summit, Talent Titans, Recruitment Professionals Forum | Backing Bold Moves in Staffing, Tech & Investment — No Clickbait, Just Real Talk
Suky doesn't just observe the staffing industry — she helps shape it.
She's built platforms where the industry's most honest conversations happen:
🔹 Canadian Staffing Summit
🔹 Talent Titans Podcast
🔹 Recruitment Professionals Forum
For over two decades, Suky's helped recruitment businesses scale with integrity — from internal team builds to boardroom strategy. She works with agency leaders, tech innovators, and the investors backing the future of staffing.
But here's what Suky doesn't do: copy-paste playbooks, fluff-filled advice, or empty hype.
She believes in smart growth, real talk, and community over competition.
Her work sits at the intersection of:
People + Performance
Tech + Disruption
Strategy + Soul
Whether she's coaching founders, advising SaaS firms, or connecting those quietly rewriting the rules — one thing holds true:
Suky backs those who build.
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Grab of a copy of "How to Launch a Staffing Agency: Plan to Profits in 90 Days or Less"
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
What if the people your competitors are screening out are actually your best hire?
Marcia Nozick didn't come from the world of HR or corporate recruiting. She came from community economic development — and she built a multi-million dollar staffing company out of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside by betting on the people everyone else wrote off: those with addiction histories, criminal records, and experience with homelessness.
Embers Staffing is a fully self-funded social enterprise that reinvests 100% of its profits back into its workers. And in this episode, Marcia makes a compelling, data-backed case that the traditional staffing model is extractive by design — and that the agencies clinging to it are leaving both talent and margin on the table.
This is real talk about what resilience actually looks like in a workforce, why construction is opening doors that corporate HR won't, and what it takes to build a staffing company around loyalty instead of just labour.
In this episode, we cover:
- Why the "unemployable" label is a competitive blind spot — not a hiring signal
- The bottom-up financial model that outperforms traditional margins in a downturn
- How Embers builds worker loyalty through community, not just compensation
- Client reactions to placing workers with criminal records — and where the industry is genuinely open
- Removing real barriers: PPE lending libraries, counseling, housing support, and more
- Why screening for resiliency beats screening for risk every time
- The tech adoption balance — automating without excluding your workforce
- Embers' expansion plans from BC into Alberta and Ontario
Key Moments 00:00 Introduction & Sponsor Welcome
00:30 Meet Marcia Nozick & Embers Staffing
01:52 Why Not-For-Profit? The Origin Story
04:25 The Bottom-Up Financial Model
06:57 Building Trust & Community With Workers
09:07 Client Reactions to Non-Traditional Hires
11:09 The Hidden ROI: Embers' Competitive Advantage
14:00 Removing Barriers: PPE, Food & Support Programs
17:46 Is the Staffing Industry Leaving Money on the Table?
20:18 Managing Risk & Overcoming Prejudice
29:51 Hiring Internal Staff & Workplace Safety
33:56 Self-Funding & Technology Adoption
38:33 Expansion Plans: Alberta, Ontario & Beyond
39:53 The Alternative Staffing Association
41:00 Closing Remarks
Connect with Marcia Nozick:
Marcia Nozick founded EMBERS (Eastside Movement for Business and Economic Renewal Society) in 2001 to create economic and employment opportunities for low-income residents in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. Over the past 23 years, her leadership has helped thousands overcome barriers through self-employment education, training, job placements, and ongoing support.
In 2008, she launched EMBERS Staffing Solutions (ESS), a self-sustaining social enterprise that reinvests profits into the community. In 2024 alone, ESS paid $10.9 million in wages & benefits and employed more than 1,600 people in flexible, short-term roles.
Marcia's work has earned national recognition, including the Governor General's Innovation Award (2020), the BC CEO Lifetime Achievement Award (2021), and the YWCA Women of Distinction Award (2016). She holds a Master's in City Planning and is the author of No Place Like Home: Building Sustainable Communities, praised by David Suzuki as "a must read."
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcianozick/
Check out more episodes of the Talent Titans Podcast:
Why Contingency Recruiting is Dying: https://youtu.be/BAE9lrl8z74
Master Niche Recruiting: https://youtu.be/RoRWQ5bwPm0
Connect with Suky: Award-Winning Advisor & Industry Voice | Founder: Canadian Staffing Summit, Talent Titans, Recruitment Professionals Forum | Backing Bold Moves in Staffing, Tech & Investment — No Clickbait, Just Real Talk
Suky doesn't just observe the staffing industry — she helps shape it.
She's built platforms where the industry's most honest conversations happen:
🔹 Canadian Staffing Summit
🔹 Talent Titans Podcast
🔹 Recruitment Professionals Forum
For over two decades, Suky's helped recruitment businesses scale with integrity — from internal team builds to boardroom strategy. She works with agency leaders, tech innovators, and the investors backing the future of staffing.
But here's what Suky doesn't do: copy-paste playbooks, fluff-filled advice, or empty hype.
She believes in smart growth, real talk, and community over competition.
Her work sits at the intersection of:
People + Performance
Tech + Disruption
Strategy + Soul
Whether she's coaching founders, advising SaaS firms, or connecting those quietly rewriting the rules — one thing holds true:
Suky backs those who build.
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Grab of a copy of "How to Launch a Staffing Agency: Plan to Profits in 90 Days or Less"
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Episode 126 - The Truth About DEI in Canada That Nobody's Talking About with Angelina Brathwaite
What does it take to build a 20-year career in staffing — and still love what you do? Angelina Brathwaite, Director of Life Sciences at Brunel Canada, has the answer.In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky Sodhi sits down with one of Canada's most respected voices in talent acquisition for a raw, honest conversation about purpose-driven leadership, the evolution of the staffing industry, and why relationships will always outperform technology.
Angelina shares the real story behind her 20-year journey at Brunel — from clearing ATMs at Royal Bank to leading Life Sciences recruitment across Canada. She opens up about the autocratic managers who shaped her empathetic leadership style, the hustle of building a recruitment desk before LinkedIn existed, and why she chose purpose over success — and how that decision changed everything.
🎯 In this episode, you'll learn:
How to lead with empathy, integrity, and team buy-in (without losing results)
Why networking isn't something you start — it's something you are
The truth about DEI in the staffing world: "Sometimes the language changes, but the purpose doesn't"
How to overcome fear of cold calls using the discipline of an athlete
What it really means to build your personal brand inside an organization
Whether you're a recruiter, staffing leader, or talent acquisition professional, this conversation is packed with hard-won insight from someone who's been in the trenches — and thrived.
Key Moments:
- 00:00 Introduction & Award Recognition
- 02:00 Angelina's Personal Philosophy: "A Human in Training"
- 03:00 Her Diverse Career Before Recruitment
- 07:00 How the Staffing Industry Has Changed
- 12:00 How Bad Management Shaped Her Leadership Style
- 17:00 Building a Hustle Culture Without the Old-School Pressure
- 19:00 From 360 Desk to Director of Life Sciences
- 23:00 DEI Leadership & Community Involvement
- 28:00 Why Relationships Still Win in Recruitment
- 30:00 Overcoming the Fear of Cold Calls
- 35:00 Future Plans: Board Certification & Consulting
- 39:00 Advice for Career Growth & The Power of Teamwork
Favorite Quote:
"I always thought — do I want success or purpose? And for me, purpose drives success."
Connect with Angelina:
Angelina Brathwaite has been a dedicated member of Brunel Canada Limited for the past 18 years, where she currently serves as Director of Life Sciences and Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DIB) Leader for North America. In 2006, Angelina founded Brunel's Life Sciences practice in Canada, building it from a single client relationship into a trusted national business line supporting leading pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, and emerging startup organizations. Under her leadership, the practice has expanded to include the food, beverage, and agriculture sectors—solidifying Brunel's presence as a comprehensive partner across the life sciences value chain.
Angelina is recognized for her inclusive leadership style, her ability to elevate talent, and her commitment to shaping a high-performance culture rooted in collaboration, confidence, and accountability. She has a proven track record of developing long-standing client partnerships, driving strategic growth, and empowering teams to deliver exceptional results.
Passionate about industry advancement and community impact, Angelina actively contributes to several organizations. She serves on the boards of Women Leaders in Pharma, Advancing Black Talent in Pharma, and the Clinical Research Association of Canada, and is a member of the Advisory Board for The Mina Project under the Learning Enrichment Foundation.
Angelina's dedication to creating opportunities for others, championing diverse perspectives, and strengthening Canada's life sciences ecosystem has established her as a respected leader within Brunel and across the broader industry.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelina-brathwaite-4173914/
Check out more episodes of the Talent Titans Podcast:
Why Contingency Recruiting is Dying: https://youtu.be/BAE9lrl8z74
Master Niche Recruiting: https://youtu.be/RoRWQ5bwPm0
Connect with Suky: Award-Winning Advisor & Industry Voice | Founder: Canadian Staffing Summit, Talent Titans, Recruitment Professionals Forum | Backing Bold Moves in Staffing, Tech & Investment — No Clickbait, Just Real Talk
Suky doesn't just observe the staffing industry — she helps shape it.
She's built platforms where the industry's most honest conversations happen:
🔹 Canadian Staffing Summit
🔹 Talent Titans Podcast
🔹 Recruitment Professionals Forum
For over two decades, Suky's helped recruitment businesses scale with integrity — from internal team builds to boardroom strategy. She works with agency leaders, tech innovators, and the investors backing the future of staffing.
But here's what Suky doesn't do: copy-paste playbooks, fluff-filled advice, or empty hype.
She believes in smart growth, real talk, and community over competition.
Her work sits at the intersection of:
People + Performance
Tech + Disruption
Strategy + Soul
Whether she's coaching founders, advising SaaS firms, or connecting those quietly rewriting the rules — one thing holds true:
Suky backs those who build.
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Grab of a copy of "How to Launch a Staffing Agency: Plan to Profits in 90 Days or Less"
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Episode 124 - How to Build A High-Performing Staffing Team Without A Toxic Sales Culture with Corie Begley The staffing industry thrives on performance...but at what cost?
In this episode of Talent Titans, Suki is joined by Corie Begley, Senior Vice President at Vertical Staffing Resources, to unpack one of the most overlooked challenges in recruitment: the rise of the "lone wolf" biller and how it silently erodes team culture, client growth, and long-term success.
Corie shares how her organization transformed from siloed, individual-driven performance into a collaborative, high-impact model, without sacrificing results. From navigating client demands, AI in recruitment and protecting margins to knowing when to walk away from bad business, this conversation delivers valuable leadership lessons for anyone in staffing or sales.
If you're leading a team, scaling an agency, or trying to survive in a high-pressure sales environment, this episode will challenge how you think about performance, culture, and growth.
Key Moments: * 00:00 Intro and Message from Ascen * 00:40 Meet Corie Begley * 01:37 The Lone Wolf Culture * 03:41 Building Collaboration * 16:19 Upgrading Candidate Quality * 22:59 Walking Away from Risk and Over Terms * 26:44 Honesty Builds Partnerships! * 28:49 An AI Hype Reality Check * 39:18 We're in The People Business
Favorite Quote: "We're in the people business. If everything becomes manufactured, you lose the relationship—and that's everything."
Connect with Corie:
Corie is an accomplished executive with a diverse leadership skill set that spans sales, marketing, operation strategic planning, and finances. For the past 10 years she has leveraged these experiences to ensure best-in-class client service delivery, building and maintaining key partnerships as well as driving sales, profit, and market shares in the staffing industry. As the Senior Vice President at Vertical Staffing Resources Inc, one of Canada's fastest growing staffing companies, Corie oversees the success of 5 regional operational teams, a national sales team, and a successful direct hire division. She has been instrumental navigating two acquisitions in under four years setting the standards for creating a collaborative, inclusive, empowering working environment while striving to ensure Vertical remains a trusted, respected business partner to their many clients across Canada.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coriebegley/
Check out more episodes of the Talent Titans Podcast:
Why Contingency Recruiting is Dying: https://youtu.be/BAE9lrl8z74
Master Niche Recruiting: https://youtu.be/RoRWQ5bwPm0
Connect with Suky: Award-Winning Advisor & Industry Voice | Founder: Canadian Staffing Summit, Talent Titans, Recruitment Professionals Forum | Backing Bold Moves in Staffing, Tech & Investment — No Clickbait, Just Real Talk
Suky doesn't just observe the staffing industry — she helps shape it.
She's built platforms where the industry's most honest conversations happen:
🔹 Canadian Staffing Summit
🔹 Talent Titans Podcast
🔹 Recruitment Professionals Forum
For over two decades, Suky's helped recruitment businesses scale with integrity — from internal team builds to boardroom strategy. She works with agency leaders, tech innovators, and the investors backing the future of staffing.
But here's what Suky doesn't do: copy-paste playbooks, fluff-filled advice, or empty hype.
She believes in smart growth, real talk, and community over competition.
Her work sits at the intersection of:
People + Performance
Tech + Disruption
Strategy + Soul
Whether she's coaching founders, advising SaaS firms, or connecting those quietly rewriting the rules — one thing holds true:
Suky backs those who build.
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Grab of a copy of "How to Launch a Staffing Agency: Plan to Profits in 90 Days or Less"
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Episode 123 - How Top Staffing Leaders Are Reinventing Growth in 2026 (AI, Culture & Risk) The staffing industry is changing faster than ever...shrinking margins, rising compliance risks, AI disruption, and talent shortages. The firms that adapt now will dominate the next decade.
In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky sits down with top industry leaders to break down what's actually working right now, from self-managed organizations and AI-driven workflows to compliance strategies and global workforce trends.
You'll learn how leading agencies are eliminating operational friction, leveraging global workforce trends, and turning uncertainty into growth while smaller firms discover how to compete without massive resources.
If you run or are scaling a staffing agency, this is a must-watch.
Get your tickets for the 2026 Canadian Staffing Industry Summit here: https://canadianstaffingindustrysummit.com/book-your-spot-now
Key Moments: * 00:40 Summit Updates and Giveaways * 02:27 Meet The Panelists * 11:34 Differentiation, Fear, and Collaboration * 20:54 Compliance Risk Subvendors * 28:58 Why You Need to Modernize Agency Processes * 30:04 Missing Out on Gen Z * 30:49 Automate Shifts and Workforce Tools * 32:43 Eliminate Friction, Improve Flow * 33:30 Scaling Tech For Small Firms * 34:45 How Global Trends Reshape Canada * 39:35 Employee Expectations Flexibility * 41:26 Canada's Opportunity In Chaos * 45:25 Finding Opportunity In Downturns * 50:25 Enterprise Risk Management Future * 51:32 Get Your Tickets for the Summit!
Favorite Quote: "When people truly understand the business and feel ownership, that's when innovation accelerates."
Check out more episodes of the Talent Titans Podcast:
Why Contingency Recruiting is Dying: https://youtu.be/BAE9lrl8z74
Master Niche Recruiting: https://youtu.be/RoRWQ5bwPm0
Connect with Suky: Award-Winning Advisor & Industry Voice | Founder: Canadian Staffing Summit, Talent Titans, Recruitment Professionals Forum | Backing Bold Moves in Staffing, Tech & Investment — No Clickbait, Just Real Talk
Suky doesn't just observe the staffing industry — she helps shape it.
She's built platforms where the industry's most honest conversations happen:
🔹 Canadian Staffing Summit
🔹 Talent Titans Podcast
🔹 Recruitment Professionals Forum
For over two decades, Suky's helped recruitment businesses scale with integrity — from internal team builds to boardroom strategy. She works with agency leaders, tech innovators, and the investors backing the future of staffing.
But here's what Suky doesn't do: copy-paste playbooks, fluff-filled advice, or empty hype.
She believes in smart growth, real talk, and community over competition.
Her work sits at the intersection of:
People + Performance
Tech + Disruption
Strategy + Soul
Whether she's coaching founders, advising SaaS firms, or connecting those quietly rewriting the rules — one thing holds true:
Suky backs those who build.
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Grab of a copy of "How to Launch a Staffing Agency: Plan to Profits in 90 Days or Less"
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Episode 122 - AI Interview Agents Are Replacing Recruiters? The Truth No One's Talking About AI is transforming hiring faster than ever...78% of candidates now prefer AI interviews, but could this shift be costing you top talent without you even realizing it?
In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky breaks down the real impact of AI in recruitment, from massive cost savings and faster hiring times to the hidden risks most agencies aren't talking about.
With 88% of companies already using AI in hiring and agencies reporting up to 87% cost reductions in screening, the pressure to adopt AI is undeniable. But is this technology actually improving hiring quality, or just rewarding candidates who know how to game the system?
Suky dives into the groundbreaking data, including a study of 70,000 applicants where 78% chose AI interviews over humans, and explores why candidates feel less bias, more flexibility, and greater control. At the same time, she raises critical concerns about the 22% who opt out—and whether companies are unintentionally shrinking their talent pool.
This episode challenges recruiters, agency owners, and hiring leaders to rethink where AI fits in the hiring process and how to balance efficiency with the human touch that truly drives long-term success.
Get your tickets for the 2026 Canadian Staffing Industry Summit here: https://canadianstaffingindustrysummit.com/book-your-spot-now
Key Moments: * 00:00 Intro and Sponsor Message * 00:39 Why AI Interview Agents? * 02:17 Traditional vs Generative AI * 03:23 Recruiting Pressures and Data * 05:22 78% of Candidates Prefer AI * 06:56 Risks and the 22% * 07:58 Client ROI and Case Studies * 10:37 Cost Savings for Agencies * 11:19 Regulation and Transparency * 12:27 CVs Are Becoming Useless * 15:22 What's Your Opinion?
Favorite Quote: "You're not hiring from the best talent pool—you're hiring from the pool willing to do AI interviews."
- Suky
Check out more episodes of the Talent Titans Podcast:
Why Contingency Recruiting is Dying: https://youtu.be/BAE9lrl8z74
Master Niche Recruiting: https://youtu.be/RoRWQ5bwPm0
Connect with Suky: Award-Winning Advisor & Industry Voice | Founder: Canadian Staffing Summit, Talent Titans, Recruitment Professionals Forum | Backing Bold Moves in Staffing, Tech & Investment — No Clickbait, Just Real Talk
Suky doesn't just observe the staffing industry — she helps shape it.
She's built platforms where the industry's most honest conversations happen:
🔹 Canadian Staffing Summit
🔹 Talent Titans Podcast
🔹 Recruitment Professionals Forum
For over two decades, Suky's helped recruitment businesses scale with integrity — from internal team builds to boardroom strategy. She works with agency leaders, tech innovators, and the investors backing the future of staffing.
But here's what Suky doesn't do: copy-paste playbooks, fluff-filled advice, or empty hype.
She believes in smart growth, real talk, and community over competition.
Her work sits at the intersection of:
People + Performance
Tech + Disruption
Strategy + Soul
Whether she's coaching founders, advising SaaS firms, or connecting those quietly rewriting the rules — one thing holds true:
Suky backs those who build.
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Grab of a copy of "How to Launch a Staffing Agency: Plan to Profits in 90 Days or Less"
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Episode 121 - Why Most Offshore Recruiting Fails (And the Model That Actually Works) with Rob Chorney Offshore recruiting is broken, but not for the reasons you think.
In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky sits down with Rob Chorney of Everyday People to expose the truth behind offshore recruiting models and why most agencies are getting it completely wrong.
If you've ever struggled with poor-quality offshore hires, slow ramp-up times, or brand damage from spammy outreach, this conversation will change how you think about global talent forever. Rob shoots it straight on the outdated "cheap labor" model and reveals a radically different approach—one built on hiring elite, experienced recruiters who deliver results from day one.
This isn't just about saving money. It's about staying competitive.
Get your tickets for the 2026 Canadian Staffing Industry Summit here: https://canadianstaffingindustrysummit.com/book-your-spot-now
Key Moments: * 00:00 Sponsor Message from Ascen * 00:40 Meet Rob Chorney * 05:41 Offshoring Real Talk * 06:40 Time to Productivity * 11:58 Hiring Top Offshore Talent * 16:00 Protecting Your Brand * 22:46 Standing Out and Retention * 27:16 Management and Incentives * 35:24 Data Security Safeguards * 40:01 Client Pushback and Pricing
Connect with Rob: With over 20 years in recruiting, Rob has built a business that challenges traditional staffing by removing unnecessary overhead and focusing on performance, autonomy, and real market expertise. His team operates across North America and India, delivering high-quality recruiting solutions without the inefficiencies of legacy firms.
Rob is passionate about redefining offshore recruiting—proving that with the right structure, it can be both cost-effective and world-class.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobchorney/
Website: everydaypeopleinc.ca
Favorite Quote: "It doesn't matter how much you save—if your recruiter takes eight months to become productive, you've already lost."
- Rob
Check out more episodes of the Talent Titans Podcast:
Why Contingency Recruiting is Dying: https://youtu.be/BAE9lrl8z74
Master Niche Recruiting: https://youtu.be/RoRWQ5bwPm0
Connect with Suky: Award-Winning Advisor & Industry Voice | Founder: Canadian Staffing Summit, Talent Titans, Recruitment Professionals Forum | Backing Bold Moves in Staffing, Tech & Investment — No Clickbait, Just Real Talk
Suky doesn't just observe the staffing industry — she helps shape it.
She's built platforms where the industry's most honest conversations happen:
🔹 Canadian Staffing Summit
🔹 Talent Titans Podcast
🔹 Recruitment Professionals Forum
For over two decades, Suky's helped recruitment businesses scale with integrity — from internal team builds to boardroom strategy. She works with agency leaders, tech innovators, and the investors backing the future of staffing.
But here's what Suky doesn't do: copy-paste playbooks, fluff-filled advice, or empty hype.
She believes in smart growth, real talk, and community over competition.
Her work sits at the intersection of:
People + Performance
Tech + Disruption
Strategy + Soul
Whether she's coaching founders, advising SaaS firms, or connecting those quietly rewriting the rules — one thing holds true:
Suky backs those who build.
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Grab of a copy of "How to Launch a Staffing Agency: Plan to Profits in 90 Days or Less"
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Episode 120 - Feras Elkhalil on Building IT/IQ, Surviving Adversity, and Leading Through Uncertainty What does it take to build a successful staffing business when your life begins with instability, survival, and starting over?
In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky sits down with Feras Elkhalil, President and CEO of IT/IQ Tech Recruiters and President and Chairman of The IQ Group of Companies, for a powerful conversation on grit, leadership, entrepreneurship, and belief.
Feras shares his journey from immigrating to Canada as a child after fleeing conflict in Lebanon and Libya, to building multiple recruiting businesses through partnership, resilience, and long-term vision. He opens up about how adversity shaped his mindset, the leadership mistakes he had to unlearn, why most CEOs struggle with insecurity, and how true business growth comes from surrounding yourself with the right people.
Get your tickets for the 2026 Canadian Staffing Industry Summit here: https://canadianstaffingindustrysummit.com/book-your-spot-now
Key Moments: * 00:00 Sponsor Message from Ascen * 00:40 Meet Feras Elkhalil * 01:57 Immigration and Adversity * 03:47 Fleeing War to Canada * 05:11 Why Vancouver, Not Montreal * 09:31 Paranoia and Losing It All * 13:02 From Hard Edges to Growth * 19:50 Building Through Partnerships * 25:57 Facing Investment Fear * 29:14 When Partnerships Fail * 31:59 Corporate vs Entrepreneur * 36:00 Building a Safety Net * 45:06 Belief and Final Advice
Connect with Feras: As Co-Founder of IT/IQ Tech Recruiters, Penta Search Group, Executives IQ, Morningstar Solutions IQ, Horizon Recruitment, Blueprint ECM, and QA Centric, I've pursued a vision of developing specialized firms that solve real business challenges while building meaningful careers for the people within them.
Each company was built on the same foundation: deep relationships, market expertise, and a relentless commitment to delivering the right solution.
Email: feras@itiq.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/feraselkhalil/
Favorite Quote: "Go through that entire hallway of people telling you it's a bad idea. When you get to the other end, we'll see you there."
- Feras
Check out more episodes of the Talent Titans Podcast:
Why Contingency Recruiting is Dying: https://youtu.be/BAE9lrl8z74
Master Niche Recruiting: https://youtu.be/RoRWQ5bwPm0
Connect with Suky: Award-Winning Advisor & Industry Voice | Founder: Canadian Staffing Summit, Talent Titans, Recruitment Professionals Forum | Backing Bold Moves in Staffing, Tech & Investment — No Clickbait, Just Real Talk
Suky doesn't just observe the staffing industry — she helps shape it.
She's built platforms where the industry's most honest conversations happen:
🔹 Canadian Staffing Summit
🔹 Talent Titans Podcast
🔹 Recruitment Professionals Forum
For over two decades, Suky's helped recruitment businesses scale with integrity — from internal team builds to boardroom strategy. She works with agency leaders, tech innovators, and the investors backing the future of staffing.
But here's what Suky doesn't do: copy-paste playbooks, fluff-filled advice, or empty hype.
She believes in smart growth, real talk, and community over competition.
Her work sits at the intersection of:
People + Performance
Tech + Disruption
Strategy + Soul
Whether she's coaching founders, advising SaaS firms, or connecting those quietly rewriting the rules — one thing holds true:
Suky backs those who build.
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Grab of a copy of "How to Launch a Staffing Agency: Plan to Profits in 90 Days or Less"
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Episode 119 - AI in Staffing: What Top Agencies Know About Automation, Agentic AI and Scaling Faster What does AI actually mean for staffing agencies right now?
In this episode of Talent Titans, host Suky Sodhi brings together a powerhouse panel ahead of the Canadian Staffing Summit including Kelsey Burt, Bill Boorman, Mike Wolford, and Sabashan Ragavan to unpack one of the biggest shifts in the recruiting industry: the move from basic automation to agentic AI.
This conversation goes far beyond surface-level AI hype. The panel digs into the real questions agency owners are asking: What's the difference between automation and agentic AI? Should firms build their own AI tools or buy proven platforms? How can smaller agencies compete with larger players? And what does the recruiter's role look like as AI takes over more of the manual work?
You'll hear each panelists thoughts on AI adoption, workflow strategy, recruiter enablement, candidate engagement, interviewing at scale, and why the firms that win next won't just use more tools, they'll use smarter systems. The discussion also highlights a major shift in the staffing business: moving from relying on headcount for growth to using AI to create scale, speed, and better outcomes.
Get your tickets for the 2026 Canadian Staffing Industry Summit here: https://canadianstaffingindustrysummit.com/book-your-spot-now
Key Moments: * 00:00 Sponsor Message * 01:49 Meet The Panelists * 04:21 Agentic AI Mindset Shift * 08:10 AI Process Management Jobs * 10:41 Humans And Agents In Harmony * 18:16 Small Agency Scale Advantage * 25:05 Why Agencies Hesitate * 27:23 Human Touch With AI * 28:28 AI Workflows As Assets * 30:44 Mass Customization Era * 32:15 Agent Scale Case Study * 39:37 Build Versus Buy Debate * 46:42 Get Your Tickets And Wrap Up
Favorite Quote: "Small agencies should actually be more excited about this than the enterprise, because your capability for scale is becoming possible."
- Bill Boorman
Check out more episodes of the Talent Titans Podcast:
Why Contingency Recruiting is Dying: https://youtu.be/BAE9lrl8z74
Master Niche Recruiting: https://youtu.be/RoRWQ5bwPm0
Connect with Suky: Award-Winning Advisor & Industry Voice | Founder: Canadian Staffing Summit, Talent Titans, Recruitment Professionals Forum | Backing Bold Moves in Staffing, Tech & Investment — No Clickbait, Just Real Talk
Suky doesn't just observe the staffing industry — she helps shape it.
She's built platforms where the industry's most honest conversations happen:
🔹 Canadian Staffing Summit
🔹 Talent Titans Podcast
🔹 Recruitment Professionals Forum
For over two decades, Suky's helped recruitment businesses scale with integrity — from internal team builds to boardroom strategy. She works with agency leaders, tech innovators, and the investors backing the future of staffing.
But here's what Suky doesn't do: copy-paste playbooks, fluff-filled advice, or empty hype.
She believes in smart growth, real talk, and community over competition.
Her work sits at the intersection of:
People + Performance
Tech + Disruption
Strategy + Soul
Whether she's coaching founders, advising SaaS firms, or connecting those quietly rewriting the rules — one thing holds true:
Suky backs those who build.
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Grab of a copy of "How to Launch a Staffing Agency: Plan to Profits in 90 Days or Less"
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Episode 118 - The Compliance Mistakes That Can Tank Your Agency with Kalpesh Baxi Entering the US or Canada as a UK recruitment firm? North America can be the most lucrative staffing market you'll ever touch...or the fastest way to rack up costly compliance mistakes.
In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky sits down with Kalpesh Baxi (Baxfield Consulting; co-founder of RecXperts and CRIMatter) to break down what really happens when agencies expand into North America, why "send your best recruiter to New York" often fails, how EORs protect your margin and your business, and why the smartest founders don't hire "big names"… they hire skills.
Kalpesh shares the concept every scaling agency needs: the Entourage - the legal, payroll, compliance, HR, and marketing experts you must have around you to avoid expensive errors and accelerate growth.
Get your tickets for the 2026 Canadian Staffing Industry Summit here: https://canadianstaffingindustrysummit.com/book-your-spot-now
Key Moments: * 00:39 Meet Kalpesh Baxi * 01:58 RecXperts Concept * 04:14 Hire Skills Not People * 09:26 Launching North America Right * 11:00 Local Knowledge and Mentors * 15:45 Compliance and Market Nuances * 21:59 Remote Work and Entourage * 24:48 Why UK Resists EOR * 25:51 Hidden Costs and Liability * 28:30 Why North America Pays * 36:54 How RecXperts Works * 42:19 Build Your Entourage * 43:03 How to Join and Connect
Connect with Kalpesh: Kalpesh is the co-founder of RecXperts, an on-demand network of experienced recruitment operators providing advisory and execution support to staffing firms. RecXperts was built on a simple principle. Recruitment businesses do not need theory. They need access to people who have built, scaled and fixed agencies before.
Website: https://recxperts.com/
Favorite Quote: "Don't hire the person—hire the skills."
- Kalpesh
Check out more episodes of the Talent Titans Podcast:
Why Contingency Recruiting is Dying: https://youtu.be/BAE9lrl8z74
Master Niche Recruiting: https://youtu.be/RoRWQ5bwPm0
Connect with Suky: Award-Winning Advisor & Industry Voice | Founder: Canadian Staffing Summit, Talent Titans, Recruitment Professionals Forum | Backing Bold Moves in Staffing, Tech & Investment — No Clickbait, Just Real Talk
Suky doesn't just observe the staffing industry — she helps shape it.
She's built platforms where the industry's most honest conversations happen:
🔹 Canadian Staffing Summit
🔹 Talent Titans Podcast
🔹 Recruitment Professionals Forum
For over two decades, Suky's helped recruitment businesses scale with integrity — from internal team builds to boardroom strategy. She works with agency leaders, tech innovators, and the investors backing the future of staffing.
But here's what Suky doesn't do: copy-paste playbooks, fluff-filled advice, or empty hype.
She believes in smart growth, real talk, and community over competition.
Her work sits at the intersection of:
People + Performance
Tech + Disruption
Strategy + Soul
Whether she's coaching founders, advising SaaS firms, or connecting those quietly rewriting the rules — one thing holds true:
Suky backs those who build.
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Grab of a copy of "How to Launch a Staffing Agency: Plan to Profits in 90 Days or Less"
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Episode 117 - How Private Staffing Firms Win in 2026 | Londa Burke on AI, Leadership & Canada's Hiring Comeback Is AI helping or hurting the staffing industry? And can privately owned firms outperform global giants in 2026?
In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky sits down with Londa Burke, VP of BeverTec, to unpack 30+ years of leadership through Y2K, the 2008 crash, COVID, and today's AI disruption.
Londa reveals why privately owned Canadian staffing firms are thriving, how to lead teams through downturns without losing momentum, and where AI fits (and doesn't) in modern recruitment. If you're a staffing leader, recruiter, or agency owner navigating economic uncertainty, automation, and evolving candidate expectations—this episode delivers.
Get your tickets for the 2026 Canadian Staffing Industry Summit here: https://canadianstaffingindustrysummit.com/book-your-spot-now
Key Moments: * 00:40 Meet Londa Burke * 01:35 Private Company Journey * 02:51 Why Private Firms Win * 05:18 Relationships Over Process * 09:44 Leading Through Downturns * 12:55 Private vs Public Decisions * 20:15 AI With a Human Core * 26:35 Spam Outreach Backlash * 28:59 Using AI Responsibly * 31:45 Evolving Tools and Balance * 36:48 Canada Outlook 2026-27 * 40:04 Canadian Staffing Summit Invite
Connect with Londa: Londa Burke is a seasoned staffing industry leader with over 30 years of experience driving
recruitment excellence and operational success. She has managed major client accounts, built high-performing teams, and led the expansion of recruitment operations across Canada.
Currently serving as Director of Professional Services at Bevertec CST Inc.,and BITS
Recruitment, Londa oversees the operations, focusing on service delivery, profitability, issue
resolution, and continuous improvement.
She holds a Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC) designation through ACSESS and a Bachelor of Science from Mansfield University in Pennsylvania. Londa's strategic insight and deep industry knowledge continue to make a strong impact across every client engagement.
Connect with Londa:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/londa-burke-68847110/
Favorite Quote: "Market swings and tools evolve—but matching people and aligning strengths and value has never changed."
- Londa
Check out more episodes of the Talent Titans Podcast:
Why Contingency Recruiting is Dying: https://youtu.be/BAE9lrl8z74
Master Niche Recruiting: https://youtu.be/RoRWQ5bwPm0
Connect with Suky: Award-Winning Advisor & Industry Voice | Founder: Canadian Staffing Summit, Talent Titans, Recruitment Professionals Forum | Backing Bold Moves in Staffing, Tech & Investment — No Clickbait, Just Real Talk
Suky doesn't just observe the staffing industry — she helps shape it.
She's built platforms where the industry's most honest conversations happen:
🔹 Canadian Staffing Summit
🔹 Talent Titans Podcast
🔹 Recruitment Professionals Forum
For over two decades, Suky's helped recruitment businesses scale with integrity — from internal team builds to boardroom strategy. She works with agency leaders, tech innovators, and the investors backing the future of staffing.
But here's what Suky doesn't do: copy-paste playbooks, fluff-filled advice, or empty hype.
She believes in smart growth, real talk, and community over competition.
Her work sits at the intersection of:
People + Performance
Tech + Disruption
Strategy + Soul
Whether she's coaching founders, advising SaaS firms, or connecting those quietly rewriting the rules — one thing holds true:
Suky backs those who build.
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Grab of a copy of "How to Launch a Staffing Agency: Plan to Profits in 90 Days or Less"
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Episode 116 - Why Profit Doesn't Define Leadership | Canadian Staffing Industry Summit Awards 2026 Leadership in staffing isn't measured by revenue alone.
With the Canadian Staffing Industry Summit Awards happening April 16th at One King West in Toronto, Suky makes a compelling case for redefining leadership, especially after a challenging 2025 across global recruiting markets.
If your agency struggled last year but your leaders showed up, protected culture, supported teams, and elevated people despite the numbers, this episode is your call to action.
Nominations are open. They're free. And they are decided by impact, not vote volume. Click the link here to nominate: https://canadianstaffingindustrysummit.com/awards-2026
📍 Event Details for the Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
📅 April 16
📍 One King West, Toronto
🎟 Limited VIP & workshop tickets remaining
💰 Nominations are free
Get your tickets here: https://canadianstaffingindustrysummit.com/book-your-spot-now
Key Moments: * 00:00 Welcome to Talent Titans + Sponsor Message (Ascen) * 00:39 Canadian Staffing Industry Summit Awards: What, When & Where * 01:18 Categories and Who Can Submit * 02:02 Recognizing Leadership Through a Tough 2025 * 04:18 The 'Why' Matters More Than Vote Count * 06:08 Elevating Canada's Staffing Leaders with Global Attendance * 06:48 Tickets, Deadlines & Free Nominations + See You April 16
Favorite Quote: "There's more to being a really strong leader and company than just the bottom line."
- Suky
Check out more episodes of the Talent Titans Podcast:
Why Contingency Recruiting is Dying: https://youtu.be/BAE9lrl8z74
Master Niche Recruiting: https://youtu.be/RoRWQ5bwPm0
Connect with Suky: Award-Winning Advisor & Industry Voice | Founder: Canadian Staffing Summit, Talent Titans, Recruitment Professionals Forum | Backing Bold Moves in Staffing, Tech & Investment — No Clickbait, Just Real Talk
Suky doesn't just observe the staffing industry — she helps shape it.
She's built platforms where the industry's most honest conversations happen:
🔹 Canadian Staffing Summit
🔹 Talent Titans Podcast
🔹 Recruitment Professionals Forum
For over two decades, Suky's helped recruitment businesses scale with integrity — from internal team builds to boardroom strategy. She works with agency leaders, tech innovators, and the investors backing the future of staffing.
But here's what Suky doesn't do: copy-paste playbooks, fluff-filled advice, or empty hype.
She believes in smart growth, real talk, and community over competition.
Her work sits at the intersection of:
People + Performance
Tech + Disruption
Strategy + Soul
Whether she's coaching founders, advising SaaS firms, or connecting those quietly rewriting the rules — one thing holds true:
Suky backs those who build.
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Grab of a copy of "How to Launch a Staffing Agency: Plan to Profits in 90 Days or Less"
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Episode 115 - How Canadian Staffing Leaders Win in 2026: Reboot, Innovate & Scale | Canadian Staffing Summit Canadian staffing agencies are facing margin pressure, tech disruption, and slow growth, but the leaders who embrace innovation, mindset shifts, and operational efficiency are winning. In this episode of Talent Titans, we break down exactly how to reboot your staffing agency for 2026 and why the Canadian Staffing Summit is the room you need to be in.
Huruy Tewelde and Bryan Wilson from Staffing OS join Suky to unpack what's really holding Canadian staffing agencies back—and what the top-performing firms are doing differently. From mindset shifts and operational automation to disruptive innovation and redefining client value, this conversation is a masterclass in scaling smarter in today's staffing market.
To learn more about the 4th Annual Canadian Staffing Industry Summit in Toronto on April 16th, 2026, visit the website here: https://canadianstaffingindustrysummit.com/
Key Moments: * 00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message * 02:19 Challenges in the Canadian Staffing Market * 04:19 Keys to Success for Staffing Firms * 08:12 Reboot and Rise: Adapting to Change * 12:49 The Importance of Industry Collaboration * 15:35 Sponsoring Excellence in Staffing * 17:43 The Importance of Leadership Beyond Growth * 19:12 Recognizing Canadian Leaders in Staffing * 19:49 Criteria for Leadership Awards * 21:32 The Value of Relationships in Staffing * 29:01 Encouraging Nominations for Leadership Awards * 31:03 Final Thoughts and Call to Action
Favorite Quote: "The sign of a true leader isn't what they do in the good times—it's how they show up in the tough times and how they treat their people."
- Suky
Check out more episodes of the Talent Titans Podcast:
Why Contingency Recruiting is Dying: https://youtu.be/BAE9lrl8z74
Master Niche Recruiting: https://youtu.be/RoRWQ5bwPm0
Connect with Suky: Award-Winning Advisor & Industry Voice | Founder: Canadian Staffing Summit, Talent Titans, Recruitment Professionals Forum | Backing Bold Moves in Staffing, Tech & Investment — No Clickbait, Just Real Talk
Suky doesn't just observe the staffing industry — she helps shape it.
She's built platforms where the industry's most honest conversations happen:
🔹 Canadian Staffing Summit
🔹 Talent Titans Podcast
🔹 Recruitment Professionals Forum
For over two decades, Suky's helped recruitment businesses scale with integrity — from internal team builds to boardroom strategy. She works with agency leaders, tech innovators, and the investors backing the future of staffing.
But here's what Suky doesn't do: copy-paste playbooks, fluff-filled advice, or empty hype.
She believes in smart growth, real talk, and community over competition.
Her work sits at the intersection of:
People + Performance
Tech + Disruption
Strategy + Soul
Whether she's coaching founders, advising SaaS firms, or connecting those quietly rewriting the rules — one thing holds true:
Suky backs those who build.
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Grab of a copy of "How to Launch a Staffing Agency: Plan to Profits in 90 Days or Less"
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Episode 114 - UK Recruiters: These US Hiring Mistakes Can Get You Sued (Language, Pay & Compliance) Expanding your UK recruitment agency into the US or Canada?
Your biggest risk isn't tax, payroll, or funding...it's language, compensation, and compliance mistakes that quietly destroy credibility or land you in court.
In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky breaks down the real-world nuances UK founders and recruiters must understand before launching in North America. From dangerous interview questions to misunderstood phrases like "quite good" and "let's table this," this episode exposes how cultural misalignment costs deals, talent, and trust.
You'll learn why UK modesty fails in the US, how salary history questions can be illegal, why US recruiters see pay as a scorecard, and how UK-style flexibility is a competitive advantage if used correctly.
If you're serious about scaling in North America, this episode is not optional.
Key Moments: * 00:39 Challenges of Launching a New Business in North America * 01:20 Cultural Nuances in Business Communication * 02:33 Compliance and Legal Considerations * 03:43 Talent Pool and Work Environment * 05:32 Compensation Structures * 07:20 Holiday Policies and Terminology Differences * 10:10 Adapting to the North American Market * 11:16 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Favorite Quote: "If you keep your UK understatement and right-to-work habits, no amount of funding will save your reputation in the US."
- Suky
Check out more episodes of the Talent Titans Podcast:
Why Contingency Recruiting is Dying: https://youtu.be/BAE9lrl8z74
Master Niche Recruiting: https://youtu.be/RoRWQ5bwPm0
Connect with Suky: Award-Winning Advisor & Industry Voice | Founder: Canadian Staffing Summit, Talent Titans, Recruitment Professionals Forum | Backing Bold Moves in Staffing, Tech & Investment — No Clickbait, Just Real Talk
Suky doesn't just observe the staffing industry — she helps shape it.
She's built platforms where the industry's most honest conversations happen:
🔹 Canadian Staffing Summit
🔹 Talent Titans Podcast
🔹 Recruitment Professionals Forum
For over two decades, Suky's helped recruitment businesses scale with integrity — from internal team builds to boardroom strategy. She works with agency leaders, tech innovators, and the investors backing the future of staffing.
But here's what Suky doesn't do: copy-paste playbooks, fluff-filled advice, or empty hype.
She believes in smart growth, real talk, and community over competition.
Her work sits at the intersection of:
People + Performance
Tech + Disruption
Strategy + Soul
Whether she's coaching founders, advising SaaS firms, or connecting those quietly rewriting the rules — one thing holds true:
Suky backs those who build.
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Grab of a copy of "How to Launch a Staffing Agency: Plan to Profits in 90 Days or Less"
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Episode 113 - This AI Tool is Revolutionizing Staffing | Sabashan Ragavan on Balancing Tech with Human Touch How do you scale your staffing agency without losing that personal touch? In this powerful episode of Talent Titans, Suky sits down with Sabashan Ragavan, co-founder of HeyMilo, to unpack how AI agents are transforming high-volume hiring. From candidate screening to voice interviews, HeyMilo's tech is reshaping what it means to be efficient, without sacrificing the human experience.
Key Moments: * 00:00 Scaling Your Staffing Agency * 01:04 Introduction to AI Agents in Staffing * 01:31 Guest Introduction: Sabashan from HeyMilo * 01:42 How HeyMilo Uses AI to Improve Candidate Screening * 03:30 Addressing Concerns About AI in Recruitment * 09:05 The Role of AI in High-Volume Hiring * 12:55 Adapting AI for Diverse Candidate Pools * 16:24 Integrating HeyMilo into Staffing Agencies * 24:04 Impact of AI on Staffing Agencies * 30:28 Transparency with Clients * 36:49 Future of AI in Hiring
Favorite Quote: "Candidates just want to know they've been heard or seen. That's it. And if AI can make that happen faster, it's not removing humanity—it's restoring it."
- Suky
Check out more episodes of the Talent Titans Podcast:
Why Contingency Recruiting is Dying: https://youtu.be/BAE9lrl8z74
Master Niche Recruiting: https://youtu.be/RoRWQ5bwPm0
Connect with Sabashan: Sabashan R is the founder of HeyMilo AI, a platform rethinking how high-volume recruiting is done using applied AI. He previously worked at Meta and Microsoft, where he built large-scale recommendation systems and helped scale data labeling and human-in-the-loop teams. As a hiring manager, he experienced firsthand the inefficiencies and breakdowns in high-volume recruiting—manual screening, inconsistent evaluation, and tools that didn't reflect how teams actually hire. These experiences led him to build HeyMilo, focused on bringing reliable, practical AI systems into real-world hiring workflows. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabashanragavan/ HeyMilo: https://www.heymilo.ai/ Connect with Suky: Award-Winning Advisor & Industry Voice | Founder: Canadian Staffing Summit, Talent Titans, Recruitment Professionals Forum | Backing Bold Moves in Staffing, Tech & Investment — No Clickbait, Just Real Talk
Suky doesn't just observe the staffing industry — she helps shape it.
She's built platforms where the industry's most honest conversations happen:
🔹 Canadian Staffing Summit
🔹 Talent Titans Podcast
🔹 Recruitment Professionals Forum
For over two decades, Suky's helped recruitment businesses scale with integrity — from internal team builds to boardroom strategy. She works with agency leaders, tech innovators, and the investors backing the future of staffing.
But here's what Suky doesn't do: copy-paste playbooks, fluff-filled advice, or empty hype.
She believes in smart growth, real talk, and community over competition.
Her work sits at the intersection of:
People + Performance
Tech + Disruption
Strategy + Soul
Whether she's coaching founders, advising SaaS firms, or connecting those quietly rewriting the rules — one thing holds true:
Suky backs those who build.
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Grab of a copy of "How to Launch a Staffing Agency: Plan to Profits in 90 Days or Less"
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Episode 112 - 5 Costly Mistakes UK Staffing Firms Make in the US & Canada (And How to Avoid Them) Thinking about expanding your UK staffing business into North America?
Don't move an inch until you hear this. In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky breaks down the top five mistakes UK and European recruitment agencies make when entering the US and Canadian markets...errors that can cost you thousands in fines, lost contracts, or worse: your business. From misjudging employment laws to underestimating tax burdens and cash flow traps, this episode is the ultimate guide in what not to do, and how to do it right with the help of partners like Ascen.
Whether you're already operating overseas or considering your first move, this episode will save you time, money, and major compliance headaches.
Key Moments: * 00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message * 00:39 Common Mistakes in North American Market Entry * 01:16 Mistake 1: Right to Work Advertising Trap * 03:46 Mistake 2: Multi-State Compliance Challenges * 05:45 Mistake 3: Miscalculating Loaded Labor Costs * 08:28 Mistake 4: The At-Will Employment Illusion * 10:16 Mistake 5: Cashflow Death Spiral * 13:01 Summary and Key Takeaways
Favorite Quote: "Bill rate is vanity—loaded cost is sanity."
- Suky
Check out more episodes of the Talent Titans Podcast:
Why Contingency Recruiting is Dying: https://youtu.be/BAE9lrl8z74
Master Niche Recruiting: https://youtu.be/RoRWQ5bwPm0
Connect with Suky: Award-Winning Advisor & Industry Voice | Founder: Canadian Staffing Summit, Talent Titans, Recruitment Professionals Forum | Backing Bold Moves in Staffing, Tech & Investment — No Clickbait, Just Real Talk
Suky doesn't just observe the staffing industry — she helps shape it.
She's built platforms where the industry's most honest conversations happen:
🔹 Canadian Staffing Summit
🔹 Talent Titans Podcast
🔹 Recruitment Professionals Forum
For over two decades, Suky's helped recruitment businesses scale with integrity — from internal team builds to boardroom strategy. She works with agency leaders, tech innovators, and the investors backing the future of staffing.
But here's what Suky doesn't do: copy-paste playbooks, fluff-filled advice, or empty hype.
She believes in smart growth, real talk, and community over competition.
Her work sits at the intersection of:
People + Performance
Tech + Disruption
Strategy + Soul
Whether she's coaching founders, advising SaaS firms, or connecting those quietly rewriting the rules — one thing holds true:
Suky backs those who build.
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Grab of a copy of "How to Launch a Staffing Agency: Plan to Profits in 90 Days or Less"
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Episode 111 - Audit Your Performance: Data, Mindset and Accountability for Success in the Staffing Industry This episode of Talent Titans features Suky guiding Canadian staffing professionals and recruitment leaders through a performance audit, especially of Q4 in 2025. She covers analyzing data, identifying disconnects, and cultivating accountability for your actions. Suky provides real-world strategies for recruiters and business owners to understand their contribution to results, move past blame, and achieve consistent success. This episode highlights how self-reflection and asking "why" can lead to significant agency improvements.
Watch the episode about mindset shifts you need to make in your staffing business here: https://youtu.be/oxvvHmJMyuo
Key Moments: * 00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message * 00:39 Jumping into Auditing 2025 * 01:19 Running a 360 Desk: Key Metrics and Analysis * 05:28 Mindset and Self-Reflection for Success * 09:12 Managing a Team or Business: Leadership Insights * 14:34 Conclusion
Favorite Quote: "But if you want different results, you have to think differently about your business, about your desk, you have to take total accountability for your actions and taking accountability for your actions can't happen until you understand what's going on up here."
- Suky
Check out more episodes of the Talent Titans Podcast:
Why Contingency Recruiting is Dying: https://youtu.be/BAE9lrl8z74
Master Niche Recruiting: https://youtu.be/RoRWQ5bwPm0
Connect with Suky: Award-Winning Advisor & Industry Voice | Founder: Canadian Staffing Summit, Talent Titans, Recruitment Professionals Forum | Backing Bold Moves in Staffing, Tech & Investment — No Clickbait, Just Real Talk
Suky doesn't just observe the staffing industry — she helps shape it.
She's built platforms where the industry's most honest conversations happen:
🔹 Canadian Staffing Summit
🔹 Talent Titans Podcast
🔹 Recruitment Professionals Forum
For over two decades, Suky's helped recruitment businesses scale with integrity — from internal team builds to boardroom strategy. She works with agency leaders, tech innovators, and the investors backing the future of staffing.
But here's what Suky doesn't do: copy-paste playbooks, fluff-filled advice, or empty hype.
She believes in smart growth, real talk, and community over competition.
Her work sits at the intersection of:
People + Performance
Tech + Disruption
Strategy + Soul
Whether she's coaching founders, advising SaaS firms, or connecting those quietly rewriting the rules — one thing holds true:
Suky backs those who build.
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Grab of a copy of "How to Launch a Staffing Agency: Plan to Profits in 90 Days or Less"
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Episode 110 - Why Smart Entrepreneurs Still Fail Their Goals (And the Mindset Shift That Changes Everything) You set the goals. You made the plans. So why do you still feel stuck, burnt out, or avoiding the one move that actually matters?
In this solo episode of Talent Titans, Suky breaks down the uncomfortable truth behind why most entrepreneurs and agency owners fail to execute, despite having the knowledge, the strategy, and the ambition. From the danger of "effortless" social media gurus to the fear-driven behaviors we disguise as productivity, this episode goes deep into mindset, self-awareness, and the real work required to scale without burning out.
As we step into 2026, Suki challenges the traditional way entrepreneurs approach goal setting. Instead of resolutions, affirmations, and endless planning, this episode focuses on the knowledge/action gap, the space where most people stall. Suky shares a candid breakdown of how fear of failure nearly stopped her from launching a $150,000 industry summit, why consuming more content can actually be a form of procrastination, and how deep self-reflection became his competitive advantage.
Key Moments: * 00:39 New Year's Resolutions and Goal Setting * 02:05 The Impact of Social Media on Mindset * 04:50 Evaluating Influencers and Self-Audit * 06:12 Overcoming Fear and Taking Action * 10:39 The Importance of Consistency and Self-Reflection * 17:54 Applying Mindset to Professional Scenarios
Favorite Quote:
"When you keep consuming content but never take action, you're not learning, you're avoiding the discomfort of doing the real work."
- Suky
Connect with Suky: I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Episode 109 - Mindset, Not AI, Will Decide the Future of Staffing (Here's WHY) What if the real threat to your staffing agency isn't AI or the economy, but your own mindset?
Fresh off the South African Staffing Summit, Suky shares the raw truths that were revealed during two powerful days of one-on-one strategy sessions with agency leaders. From the false promises of AI to the silent drain of mindset fatigue, this episode gets real about why some will rise in a tough market and why others are already sinking.
Suky explores why mindset, not technology, is the real differentiator in today's staffing landscape. She exposes the illusion of AI as a magic fix, calls out the passive waiting game many are playing, and offers a direct, no-fluff blueprint for regaining clarity, direction, and control. If you're exhausted by the market, questioning your next step, or secretly waiting for someone to save your business, this episode is your wake-up call.
Key Moments: * 00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message * 00:39 Recap of the South African Staffing Summit * 02:31 The Reality of Market Exhaustion * 05:57 The AI Illusion in Staffing * 09:28 Mindset: The True Separator * 12:06 Actionable Steps for Growth * 14:28 Conclusion
Favorite Quote:
"Mindset leaves a scent. You can smell when someone is ready, and you can smell when someone has already quit."
- Suky
Connect with Suky: I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Episode 108 - Why Your Marketing Isn't Working (and How Staffing Firms Can Fix ROI, Branding & Growth) with Leslie Vickrey If your marketing feels busy but not profitable, you're not alone. In this episode of Talent Titans, staffing leaders get a straight-talking breakdown of why marketing ROI fails, and what actually works when budgets, teams, and time are limited.
Suky welcomes Leslie Vickrey, Founder and CEO of ClearEdge, to talk about why marketing often underperforms in staffing and recruitment businesses. With nearly two decades of experience inside global staffing firms and as an agency founder, Leslie explains the critical difference between branding and marketing, why "checking the box" kills ROI, and how small and mid-sized firms should think about strategy before tactics.
The conversation covers everything from LinkedIn content myths and chasing vanity metrics, to when it makes sense to hire a fractional CMO, how much staffing firms should really invest in marketing, and why founders can't hide from being the face of their brand.
If you've ever said "we tried marketing and it didn't work," this episode explains exactly why and what to do instead.
Key Moments: * 00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message * 00:52 Meet Leslie Vickrey: Founder of ClearEdge * 02:01 Branding vs. Marketing: Understanding the Difference * 03:11 Marketing Strategies for Small and Mid-Size Companies * 04:39 Aligning Marketing with Business Goals * 08:08 The Importance of Target Audience and Engagement * 12:05 Challenges and Solutions in Marketing for Smaller Companies * 19:08 Breaking Down Marketing Silos * 20:34 The Importance of Marketing Investment * 21:57 Aligning Marketing with Business Goals * 24:21 Who Should Own Marketing? * 25:22 The Role of Executives in Marketing * 29:14 Steps for Improving Marketing Effectiveness * 32:34 When to Seek External Marketing Help * 34:52 Conclusion and Contact Information
Favorite Quote:
"If what you're doing in marketing isn't directly tied to your business goals, you're not doing strategym you're just checking boxes."
- Leslie
Connect with Leslie: Leslie Vickrey is an author, podcast host, business leader, investor, board member, and advocate for unleashing the power of women. She is the founder of ClearEdge, a company dedicated to transforming the business of talent through marketing, recruiting, and leadership development services, and the co-founder of ARA, an organization working to attract, retain, and advance women in technology.
Leslie is a co-author of Together We Rise and the forthcoming Rising with Courage: A Women's Guide to Life and Leadership, and hosts two podcasts, TheEdge and Honestly, We're Learning. Through her work, Leslie aims to break down stereotypes, build confidence, and encourage the next generation of leaders to rise.
Leslie also serves on the Board of Advisors for New ERA ADR, VMS Professionals, and Central Michigan University's College of Business Administration, which honored her with its Distinguished Alumni Award. Recognized as one of Chicago's most compelling innovators and entrepreneurs, Leslie was inducted into the UIC Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame and honored as an Enterprising Woman of the Year.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lvickrey/
Connect with Suky: I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Episode 107 - Why South African Offshore Recruiters Outperform: Cost, Culture & Global Opportunity with Deborah Booth Is South Africa the offshore talent secret you've been missing? Discover how tapping into this powerhouse market could slash costs by 60% without compromising performance.
In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky is joined by Deborah Booth, co-founder of Talexus, to explore why South African offshore recruitment teams are not just a cost-effective alternative, but a competitive advantage.
They go deep into what sets South African recruiters apart from traditional offshore markets like India and the Philippines, including cultural alignment, communication style, and work ethic. Deborah breaks down the operational models, time zone benefits, and the surprising long-term ROI companies can gain. Whether you're considering global recruitment support or just curious about the evolving BPO landscape, this episode will reshape the way you think about offshore staffing.
Key Moments: * 00:00 Introduction to Offshore Savings * 00:53 Meet Today's Guest: Deborah Booth * 01:40 South Africa vs. Traditional Offshore Markets * 04:08 Recruiter Management Models * 05:40 Working Hours and Time Zones * 07:22 Youth Unemployment and Graduate Opportunities * 09:07 Ensuring Client ROI * 12:19 Cultural and Communication Advantages * 19:36 Spelling Differences Between US and UK English * 20:26 Cultural Nuances in Communication * 21:50 Challenges in Recruitment * 22:55 South Africa's Western Influence * 23:46 Future of South Africa's Offshore Industry * 25:47 Training and Recruitment Strategies * 29:11 Legislative Challenges in South Africa * 32:12 Opportunities and Challenges for Foreign Investment * 37:14 Conclusion and Contact Information
Favorite Quote:
"If your outreach feels staged or too professional, it'll come across as AI, even if it's not. That nuance in communication is where South African recruiters shine."
- Deborah
Connect with Deborah: Deborah Booth brings over two decades of expertise in Financial Services and thereafter Talent Management and Recruitment Strategy and Operations. After completing her Marketing Degree, she worked in London for 2.5 years, gaining experience in companies such as Gartmore Asset Management. Upon her return home, Deborah started off her career within Marketing and thereafter as a Financial Services professional spending 7 years at Investec and Standard Bank in Private Banking, Wealth Management and Corporate and Investment Banking.
Since 2011, Deborah has found her passion within the talent arena where she excels at delivering top talent for clients by driving high-impact recruitment teams and the strategies and operations behind the business. For the past 11 years Deborah has been a Director and Partner within her own businesses and has worked closely with her team and clients to successfully deliver talent locally and internationally across numerous industries such as Financial Services, Payments, Tech, Cyber Security, Finance and Executive level roles globally. Deborah has a B.Tech in Marketing Degree (Cum Laude), is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and has an Advanced CFP Postgraduate Diploma.
Email: Deborah.booth@talexusgroup.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahaimeebooth/
Connect with Suky: I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Episode 106 - How Strategic Partners, AI & Culture Shape Talent Acquisition with Vinolia Singh What really happens behind the scenes when global brands like Coca-Cola hire talent? In this candid conversation, Vinolia Singh shares what makes or breaks partnerships, why tech won't replace recruiters, and the true cost of a bad hire.
In this episode of Talent Titans, host Suky sits down with Vinolia Singh, Head of Talent Acquisition and Employer Branding at Coca-Cola, for an unfiltered look at the evolving recruitment landscape. With experience on both sides of the table, agency and corporate, Vinolia offers a sharp look into what makes recruitment partnerships thrive (or fail), how AI and tech will change hiring (but not replace humans), and why the "wise work" still belongs to people.
They dive into ghosting, culture fit, hiring metrics, the emotional cost of a bad hire, and how to future-proof talent strategies. Whether you're in staffing or internal TA, this episode challenges assumptions and reveals what top talent leaders actually want from their agency partners.
Key Moments: * 00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message * 00:40 Meet Vinolia Singh: A Journey in Talent Acquisition * 02:26 The Value of Recruitment Partners * 04:52 The Role of Technology in Recruitment * 07:28 Balancing Speed and Quality in Hiring * 10:50 The Importance of Culture Fit * 12:51 Transparency and Communication in Recruitment * 20:54 The Cost of Prioritizing Price Over Quality * 26:02 Metrics and Their Impact on Recruitment * 30:27 The Future of Hiring: Skills vs. Adaptability * 33:42 Accountability in Failed Hires * 39:02 Improving Agency-Client Partnerships * 42:28 Conclusion
Favorite Quote:
"While AI can do the smart work, recruiters still own the wise work, the judgment, the connection, the care."
- Vinolia
Connect with Vinolia: Vinolia Singh is a dynamic People & Culture Executive and transformative leader in talent acquisition, renowned for driving strategic people initiatives that align with the future of work. With a unique blend of operational expertise and visionary leadership, Vinolia has consistently delivered strategic value to organizations by shaping talent strategies that elevate organizational performance and foster sustainable growth.
Leveraging her deep understanding of both human capital and advanced technologies, Vinolia has revolutionized recruitment processes, ensuring they are not only efficient but also future-ready. Under her leadership, organizations have adopted data-driven insights, AI-powered solutions, and human-centered strategies that maximize talent potential, promote diversity, and enable agility in today's fast-moving business environment.
With a career marked by successfully integrating HR and talent acquisition strategies at the executive level, Vinolia has driven the cultural and organizational transformations needed to thrive in a rapidly changing global landscape. She is passionate about creating high-performing teams, unlocking untapped potential, and ensuring organizations attract, engage, and retain top talent that will lead them into the future.
As a sought-after speaker, Vinolia inspires industry leaders to rethink talent acquisition as a strategic lever for organizational success, pushing the boundaries of traditional hiring models while embracing innovation at every level
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinoliasingh/
Connect with Suky: I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Episode 105 - AI Tools vs. Vendor Hype: How Recruiters Can Take Back Control with Mike Wolford Is your recruitment tech stack working for you, or just draining your budget? In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky sits down with Lex Duo CEO and AI educator Mike Wolford to dismantle the hype around artificial intelligence in staffing. From $30,000 retainer promises to sourcing tools you can build for under $150, Mike explains exactly how agency recruiters can cut through the noise, ditch unused tech stacks, and actually use AI to reclaim their time and competitive edge.
Mike exposes the pitfalls of vendor overload, AI slop, and why most recruiters are barely scratching the surface when it comes to leveraging artificial intelligence. Mike brings 20 years of recruiting experience, from agency to RPO to corporate, and now helps recruiters build their own custom AI tools with zero engineering background. He breaks down what tech stacks recruiters really need, why explainability is critical for compliance, and how to avoid wasting thousands on tools that underdeliver.
Key Moments: * 00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message * 00:39 Meet Mike Wolford: AI Expert * 02:10 AI in Recruiting: Tools and Independence * 05:30 Building Custom AI Tools * 09:09 AI's Evolution and Legal Implications * 17:28 Optimizing Tech Stacks for Recruiters * 26:12 Process Improvement and AI Integration * 28:12 Challenges with LinkedIn and AI Tools * 32:33 The Future of AI in Recruitment * 37:36 Building Custom AI Tools * 42:49 The Importance of Client and Candidate Engagement * 47:28 Conclusion and Contact Information for Mike
Favorite Quote:
"If you're doing what everyone else is doing with AI, you're going to get what everyone else gets and that defeats the entire point."
- Mike
Connect with Mike: CEO, Lex Duo | Author "The AI Recruiter" & "The AI Analyst" | Turning TA teams from prompt dabblers into AI workflow builders
With over 18 years in talent acquisition and stops at NPR, Capital One, Twitter, and Claro Analytics, I've seen every side of the hiring game. From the war for talent to the leadership lessons learned in storms, one thing's always been clear: recruiting isn't broken—it's just behind.
My work has been featured in RecruitingDaily, ERE, and on stages like Talent42. Whether I'm writing about lessons from old farmers, unpacking Google's success, or calling out LinkedIn's blind spots, my goal is always the same: tell the truth and raise the bar.
I teach AI Basics Bootcamps for recruiters, empowering people to build their own tools, no code, no nonsense. Because AI isn't going to replace recruiters. But recruiters who know how to use AI? They're already winning.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikewolford/
Email: mike.wolford@lexduo.ai
Connect with Suky: I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Episode 104 - Are You Playing Small in Your Staffing Agency? The Real Reason You're Stuck Are you unknowingly holding your agency back?
In this raw and honest solo episode of Talent Titans, Suky confronts a hard truth that many staffing leaders face, but rarely admit: you're not being held back by the market, AI, or your clients…you're being held back by your mindset.
If you've found yourself avoiding hard conversations, lowering your fees, or hesitating to make bold moves in your business, this episode will resonate deeply. Suky shares from her personal journey of playing small to leading with clarity, expansion, and intention, and even offers a framework to help you step into the version of yourself your business truly needs. This is a must-listen for agency founders, recruiters, and staffing leaders who are ready to stop shrinking and start scaling.
Key Moments: * 00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message from Ascen * 00:39 The Dangers of Playing Small * 01:46 The Cost of Playing Small * 03:36 Why Leaders Play Small * 07:48 The Power of Expansion * 09:29 Steps to Overcome Playing Small * 11:40 Conclusion
Favorite Quote:
"Playing small is the ultimate survival strategy, but you're not in survival mode anymore. You don't need permission to rise. All you need is courage."
- Suky
Connect with Suky: I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Episode 103 - Don't Pause Your Job Search in December (Learn Why) Think no one hires in December? Think again. In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky breaks down why Q4 might just be your hidden window to land the perfect role and what not to do when offers start rolling in.
Contrary to the myth that hiring stops before Christmas, Suky shares insider knowledge that prove companies are still making offers, often with January start dates. But there's a catch: too many candidates rush into roles out of fear or panic. From setting clear intentions to tracking your applications and avoiding the "panic accept," this episode is all about powerful reminders that will help you job hunt with clarity, purpose, and confidence.
Key Moments: * 00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message * 00:39 Job Hunting During the Holidays * 05:28 Be Intentional with Job Applications * 09:27 Staying Organized and Reducing Anxiety * 10:39 Conclusion
Favorite Quote:
"Make decisions from a place of clarity, not a place of panic."
- Suky
Connect with Suky: I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Episode 102 - How to Lead High-Performance Teams Without Traditional Structures Through Vision with Jeremy Peters Is your company's vision just words on a wall or does it drive real results? In this episode of Talent Titans Podcast, we uncover how visionary leadership can transform not just your strategy, but your entire workforce, especially outside of a traditional structure.
Jeremy Peters, Executive Director of Growth at Teema Solutions, sits doesn't with Suky to detail what it really means to lead with vision. But this isn't your typical leadership talk. Jeremy shares how Teema is flipping the traditional staffing model by empowering a community of independent contractors through a member-based ecosystem.
They get into how to align vision across decentralized teams, the pitfalls of top-down strategy, and why most leaders get vision, and execution, dead wrong. Jeremy also shares his thoughts on navigating today's volatile market and why leadership has to evolve in the face of disruption.
Key Moments: * 00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message * 00:40 Meet Jeremy Peters * 02:05 The Unique Vision of Teema Solutions * 04:24 Balancing Vision and Individual Goals * 06:39 Leadership Challenges and Strategies * 10:16 Inspiring and Aligning with Vision * 15:19 Innovative Hiring Practices * 18:13 Leadership in a Non-Traditional Model * 22:02 Defining and Achieving Success * 22:56 Empowering Self-Employed Members * 24:02 Vision and Accountability in Leadership * 26:03 Challenges and Strategies in Staffing * 27:35 Data Forecast and Market Trends * 29:31 Adapting to Market Changes * 33:01 Exploring New Opportunities
Favorite Quote:
"Vision answers: Where are we going, and why does it matter? But unless people feel inspired by it, it's just another statement on the wall."
- Jeremy
Connect with Jeremy: With nearly two decades in Human Capital, I've shaped careers and organizations across North America—delivering innovative workforce solutions that fuel growth. My initial journey from Recruitment Consultant to today as Executive Director of Strategic Growth at TEEMA Solutions Group includes leadership roles with GLOBAL firms like Randstad, Adecco, and now TEEMA. I'm passionate about the evolving world of work, I'm an architect of opportunity—connecting people, purpose, and performance to unlock potential.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremybpeters/
Website: https://teemagroup.com
Connect with Suky: I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Episode 101 - Why Contingency Recruiting is Dying…And What's Replacing It What if working "for free" is the real reason your firm isn't growing? In this episode of Talent Titans, we uncover the silent profit killer inside the recruitment industry and reveal the bold model replacing it.
There's a rising shift from contingency recruitment to contained search, a powerful hybrid model that demands client commitment and transforms agency profitability. Suky touches on how contingency recruiting quietly drains time, energy, and money from staffing businesses and why it's time to stop normalizing it. It's time to stop whispering about the hidden costs of working without a retainer and we're outlining the real benefits of contained search (like client respect, team motivation, and fewer but more profitable roles). This episode is a wake-up call for recruiters stuck in outdated models.
Key Moments: * 00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message * 00:40 The Quiet Revolution in Recruitment * 01:53 The Shift from Contingency to Contained Search * 05:02 The Contained Search Model Explained * 06:15 Benefits of the Contained Search Model * 11:43 Transitioning to a Contained Search Model * 13:23 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Favorite Quote:
"You're not selling CVs. You're selling certainty."
- Suky
Connect with Suky: I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Episode 100 - The Secret to Scaling Your Staffing Agency without Back Office Chaos What's really holding back your agency's growth? Spoiler: it's not sales. It's your back office. Aascen can help you fix it fast.
In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky shines a spotlight on the often-overlooked engine behind successful staffing agencies: the back office. From payroll nightmares and misclassification risks to cashflow gaps and compliance chaos, she unpacks the real challenges that stunt agency growth, especially when expanding into the US and Canada.
Suky introduces Aascen, the sponsor of this podcast, as more than just a payroll vendor. It's a full-service, white-labeled platform designed to help staffing firms scale confidently, while still owning their brand. Whether you're placing W2's, entering new states, or going global, this episode breaks down how Aascen removes the operational pain points that cripple growth without sacrificing brand visibility or control.
Key Moments: * 00:00 Introduction to Aascen * 00:44 Understanding the Importance of Back Office * 04:20 Challenges in the Staffing Industry * 07:43 How Aascen Can Help Your Agency * 10:06 Practical Benefits of Using Aascen * 12:43 Final Thoughts and Recommendations
Favorite Quote:
"You do all the hard work to win your clients and find great talent, don't let your operations choke your growth."
- Suky
Connect with Suky: I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Episode 99 - $100K Visas, Vanishing Talent & the Politics of Immigration: What Recruiters Must Know with Hung Lee When immigration policy collides with hiring reality...today, we're unpacking the true cost of the $100K H-1B visa fee, why mid-sized firms are being squeezed out, and how global labor trends are shaking up recruitment. It's not just about visas, it's about survival.
In this very raw and real episode of Talent Titans, Suky sits down with recruiting industry thought leader and brain behind Recruiting Brainfood, Hung Lee, to dissect the chaos surrounding U.S. immigration policy, especially the proposed $100,000 H-1B visa fee. From the real-world impact on small and mid-sized staffing firms to the human toll on workers and families, this is a raw, insightful look at what happens when politics, business, and global talent collide.
Key Moments: * 00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message * 00:40 Guest Introduction: Meet Hung * 02:10 The Reality of Online Information * 05:22 Challenges in the Job Market * 07:04 H-1B Visa Controversy * 08:58 Impact on Mid-Sized Companies * 10:53 Ambiguity and Risk for H-1B Holders * 19:50 Global Trends in Immigration Policies * 25:14 Canada's Opportunity Amidst US Visa Issues * 28:17 Challenges of Distributing Immigrants in Rural Areas * 30:10 Personal Story: Encountering Racism in a Rural Pub * 31:46 Economic Benefits of Immigrants * 33:49 Political and Cultural Clashes in Immigration * 34:38 Demographic Challenges and Economic Solutions * 40:12 Impact of Political Decisions on Immigration * 44:24 Adapting to a Volatile Global Environment * 55:43 Final Thoughts and Advice
Favorite Quote:
"When the cost of labor rises, you don't always get paid more, the job might just vanish."
- Hung
Connect with Hung: Hung Lee is the Editor of leading industry newsletter Recruiting Brainfood.
He is an industry professional with over 20 years experience as an agency recruiter, Recruitment manager, Internal Head of Talent, recruitment trainer, founder of award winning online recruiting platform WorkShape.io, and now Editor and Community builder at Recruiting Brainfood - the best weekly newsletter in recruitment.
Hung lives and works in London.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunglee/
Website: http://www.recruitingbrainfood.com/
The Recruiting Brainfood Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3dFBspf9jXwpnJPLwSd72u
Connect with Suky: I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Episode 98 - How Canada Can Win the Global Talent War: Immigration, H-1BB Visas & the Future of Staffing What happens when the U.S. slaps a $100,000 fee on H-1B visas? Canadian staffing companies might just find themselves holding a golden opportunity. In this episode, Suky welcomes Michael Dha, founder of Strive Recruitment, to have a conversation about the real impact of immigration shifts, global talent mobility, and how Canada can turn geopolitical uncertainty into economic advantage.
With sweeping immigration changes, rising protectionism in the U.S., and housing and talent shortages mounting across Canada, staffing leaders are facing a new frontier. From immigration strategy and regional job placement challenges to shifting employer mindsets and the battle for diversity of thought, this very real conversation digs into the future of Canadian staffing, and why agencies must step up as true consultants, not just suppliers.
If you're in recruitment, HR, or workforce planning, especially in tech or healthcare, this episode is a must-listen.
Key Moments: * 00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message * 00:40 Welcoming the Guest: Michael Dha * 02:05 Discussion on Immigration and Staffing * 07:45 Challenges and Opportunities in Canadian Tech Sector * 12:28 Impact of H-1B Visa Changes on Canada * 22:34 Mindset Shift Needed Among Employers * 28:43 Navigating Discrimination Laws * 29:19 Challenges for Recruitment Agencies * 30:25 Building Trust with Clients * 31:50 Educating Clients on Talent Market * 37:37 Supporting New Immigrants * 41:46 Advocating for Recruitment Agencies * 44:29 Balancing Client and Candidate Needs * 48:37 Diversity and Inclusion in Hiring * 51:20 Final Thoughts on Canadian Economy
Favorite Quote:
"Imagine if Canada could attract the top 1% of global talent - tech, healthcare, engineering. What would that mean for our economy and for the next generation?"
- Michael
Connect with Michael: Michael Dha is the Founder and Managing Director of STRIVE Recruitment and has over 20 years of experience in the recruitment industry. He founded STRIVE in 2008, during the global recession, and built it into a trusted partner for top Canadian Organizations through two offices in BC and Ontario.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldha/
Email: michael@striverecruitment.ca
Connect with Suky: I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.
Episode 97 - Why the Global Staffing Industry is Turning to South Africa: Inside the 2025 S.A. Staffing Summit Get ready for an energizing behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming South African Staffing Summit on November 6th!
In this special episode of Talent Titans, we've got a live roundtable as host Suky is joined by co-presenters Jacqui Ford, Mark Coetzee, and Skhumbuzo Dlamini to dive into why the global staffing spotlight is shifting to South Africa.
We'll go behind the scenes of the 2025 South African Staffing Summit to discover the opportunities, challenges, and market realities that make this a not-to-be-missed moment for recruitment professionals. From skill shortages and economic shifts to game-changing recruitment models and global scalability, this episode unpacks it all. Whether you're scaling a staffing firm, expanding internationally, or looking to move beyond the contingency model, this is an essential episode.
To Purchase Tickets to the 2025 South African Staffing Summit: https://www.apsoevents.com
Key Moments: South African Staffing Summit Overview
Importance of Professional Bodies in Staffing
Tender Processes and Payment Terms
Client Panels and Listening to Clients
Business Owners Panel: Lessons and Collaborations
Favorite Quote:
"If you want growth and to be paid what you're worth, you have to believe you're good and prove it. Clients will pay, but not for the service you deliver today. They pay for what they experience."
- Suky
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Episode 96 - Global Job Market Face-Off: Canada, US, and South Africa Compared How do the job markets in Canada, the US, and South Africa really stack up against each other? The numbers are in...and they tell three very different stories.
In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky is diving deep into the latest employment data from Canada, the United States, and South Africa, ahead of the summit in October, analyzing the stark differences and shared challenges in their labor markets. With new info from recent reports, including August 2025 job stats from North America and Q2 data from South Africa, we uncover surprising trends in part-time employment, youth unemployment, and the shifting strategies of businesses across the globe.
Plus, for South African companies eyeing international expansion, this episode offers a compelling case for why North America, despite recent slowdowns, remains a golden opportunity.
Key Moments: Canada’s labor market slowdown: August 2025 numbers
The US employment situation: sharp shift in part-time jobs
South Africa’s labor force challenges: Q2 2025 stats
Why North America still makes business sense for South African companies
The BPO boom: South Africa’s value to international firms
Favorite Quote:
“Even with slowing job growth, the sheer size of these markets provides a scale of opportunity that really is unmatched.”
- Suky
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Episode 95 - Do MSPs Still Deliver Value? A Brutally Honest Debate with Jason Bruckman When Jason Bruckman posted “MSPs suck” on LinkedIn, the staffing world took notice. In this candid episode of Talent Titans, the CEO of Bold X Talent, Jason Bruckman, joins Suky to explain why he believes today’s MSP model is broken and why it’s failing clients, recruiters, and most of all, candidates. Suky challenges him head-on about whether MSPs are truly to blame or if clients themselves have created the problem through unrealistic expectations and razor-thin margins.
Together, they unpack how the MSP model has drifted from strategic partner to compliance traffic cop, what it takes to fix it, and why every stakeholder needs to refocus on candidate experience. Whether you're a client, an MSP, or a niche recruiter trying to break into big programs, this episode delivers a brutally honest look at what’s gone wrong in staffing and how to build something better.
Key Moments: * Why Jason publicly called out MSPs as “sucking” in today’s market * The evolution of MSPs: from strategic advisor to compliance traffic cop * Why clients, MSPs, recruiters, and especially candidates, are all losing right now * What small, niche recruiters can do to get onto vendor lists * Why fixing candidate experience should be every stakeholder's top priority
Favorite Quote:
“Right now, it’s lose-lose-lose. The candidate is losing. The recruiter is losing. The client is losing. And the MSP? They’re barely hanging on. If we don’t fix this model, there won’t be many MSPs left.”
- Jason
Connect with Jason: Jason Bruckman is a recruitment leader with 25 years of experience, trusted advisor, investor, and AI enthusiast with a passion for backing innovative startups. He helps organizations accelerate growth by building high-performing teams, activating executive referral networks, and advising on talent strategy and go-to-market execution. Deeply engaged with the future of work, Jason explores how AI is transforming recruiting and workforce development. His approach combines strategic insight with hands-on leadership, guiding companies to scale efficiently and create lasting competitive advantage.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-bruckman-2454794/
Email: jason@boldxtalent.com
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Episode 94 - Why AI Interviews Are Changing the Hiring Game with Grady Gardner of Braintrust "If someone’s uncomfortable with AI, do you really want them on your team?" In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky dives into the rapid evolution of AI in recruitment with Grady Gardner, GM of Braintrust. From improving hiring accuracy to reducing recruiter burnout, this episode goes into detail about how AI-powered interviews are transforming the talent landscape and why resistance may cost companies their best hires.
AI is no longer just a buzzword in recruitment, it’s becoming a critical part of efficient, fair, and scalable hiring. Grady shares the journey of Braintrust, how AI-powered conversational assessments are revolutionizing the candidate experience, and why hiring teams must adapt quickly to keep up. Suky and Grady also tackle bias, language accessibility, soft skills, and what talent leaders can expect over the next 12 months. This is a must-listen for anyone in talent acquisition, staffing, or HR tech.
Key Moments: * How AI-powered interviews and assessments are changing the game * Humanizing AI in candidate experience * Reducing bias in hiring processes with AI * The future of talent acquisition and AI
Favorite Quote:
"We're not trying to remove people from the process, we're trying to make sure they actually see the right people."
- Grady
Connect with Grady: Grady is is the GM of Braintrust, the largest user owned talent network revolutionizing hiring with Braintrust AIR, the world's first and only end-to-end AI recruiting platform.
Trained with human insights and proprietary data, Braintrust AIR reduces time to hire from months to days, instantly matching you with pre-vetted qualified candidates, and conducting the first round interview for you. Trusted by hundreds of Fortune 1000 enterprises including Nestlé, Porsche, Atlassian, Goldman Sachs, and Nike, Braintrust AIR is making talent acquisition professionals 100x more effective and saving companies hundreds of thousands of dollars in recruiting costs.
Grady has led the client-facing teams at Braintrust since inception, growing the network from a stealth mode startup to generating over $335M in revenue. Grady built the network’s go-to-market strategy and secured partnerships with leading Fortune 1000 companies like Google, Bank of America, Cisco, Goldman Sachs, Spotify, Walmart and many more.
Prior to building Braintrust, Grady spent much of his career leading enterprise sales teams within the traditional IT service companies like Concentrix, ServiceSource, and Convergys.
Grady is a proud graduate of Colorado State University and resides in Denver with his wife, son Sunny, and chickens.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gradygardner/
Email: grady@usebraintrust.com
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Episode 93 - What Most Leaders Get Wrong About AI, Talent Strategy & Canadian Staffing with Travis O’Rourke AI won’t replace your job...yet. But the gap between tech and adoption just might. In this episode of Talent Titans, Travis O’Rourke, President of Hays Canada, reveals what most companies misunderstand about AI, Canada's immigration missteps, and why throwing more people at a problem is killing productivity.
From the dangers of relying solely on immigration to fill skill gaps, to why most leaders aren’t ready for the real impact of AI, Travis breaks down the urgent challenges facing recruitment and business today. Suki and Travis explore the productivity crisis in Canada, the stigma around trades, and how agency models must evolve to stay relevant. Whether you're running a staffing agency or leading teams, this one is filled with hard truths and smarter strategies.
Key Moments: * Why AI won’t eliminate jobs as quickly as headlines suggest * Canada’s immigration vs. skill development strategy: Where it’s going wrong * Why staffing companies must evolve from “bodies” to “solutions” * Leadership truths: When being liked and being effective don’t align * How to structure failure and why quitting sooner saves more than ego
Favorite Quote:
“If people have to leave your company to live the life they want, buy a house, start a family, you don’t have a revenue problem. You have a leadership problem.”
- Travis
Connect with Travis: Travis setup and established Hays' outsourced talent solutions business and played an integral role in building Hays’ temporary and contract divisions throughout Canada. Initially joining Hays with a deep background in Technology, he holds extensive cross functional knowledge to provide clients with talent solutions in Financial Services, Energy, Mining, Manufacturing, Retail, and the Public Sector.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travisorourke/
Email: travis.orourke@hays.com
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Episode 92 - AI, Loyalty & The Great Stay: What Today’s Candidates Really Want with Tracey Both Is loyalty dead in the job market—or are candidates just hugging their jobs out of fear?
In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky sits down with Tracey Both, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at the Mirillion Group (and Suky's best friend!), to decode what’s actually happening in today’s hiring landscape. From the rise of AI in recruitment to the return-to-office push, Tracey shares honest, data-driven insights on how both candidates and companies can thrive in a shifting economy.
This episode covers the new rules of talent attraction and retention, including the rise of “job hugging,” the death of outdated job search habits, and what candidates truly value beyond salary. Whether you're a hiring manager looking to stand out in a tight market or a job seeker navigating a changing landscape, this episode delivers the roadmap for you.
Key Moments: * AI's impact on hiring and candidate experience * Job hugging vs. job hopping: a post-pandemic shift * Why “loyalty” looks different in 2025 * The top 3 non-negotiables for today’s candidates * What’s next: AI-to-AI hiring and the need for human oversight
Favorite Quote:
“Low personalization equals low impact. In today’s job market, clarity, authenticity, and human connection win, every time.”
- Tracey
Connect with Tracey: A seasoned recruitment professional, Tracey chose to leave the large, global recruitment firms behind to build a forward-thinking, people-first firm that believes that relations comes first. Thoughtful, yet direct, Tracey brings transparency, responsiveness and a little bit of humour to her client and candidate relationships.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/traceyboth/
Email: tboth@mirillion.ca
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Episode 91 - Elaine Daniels on Owning Her Value and Building Better Teams with Purpose What happens when an engineer trades blueprints for building talent?
In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky sits down with Elaine Daniels, founder of Oakdale Consulting, whose journey from project coordinator on major infrastructure builds to talent strategist and entrepreneur is anything but linear. Elaine shares how she discovered that behind every successful project is a deeper story, one about people, purpose, and the power of asking better questions.
Elaine tells us how her logical, engineering-trained mindset clashed (and eventually evolved) within the unpredictable world of recruitment and HR. She reveals how storytelling became her most effective hiring tool, why internal teams often struggle with time-to-fill, and how she transitioned into building a sourcing-focused agency rooted in deep industry understanding. Whether you're in talent acquisition, leading a team, or thinking of going out on your own, this conversation offers real conversation into how values, not just strategy, drive long-term success in recruitment.
Key Moments: * Elaine’s three career pivots: engineering to HR to staffing entrepreneur * How project experience shaped her understanding of talent needs * Misalignment between internal hiring processes and actual talent goals * Common gaps in hiring strategy and candidate communication * Entrepreneurship lessons: structure, planning, and self-leadership
Favorite Quote:
“Projects need people and people want to work on projects, so how do I bring all that together?”
- Elaine
Connect with Elaine: Elaine Daniels is the Founder and Managing Principal of Oakdale Consulting, specializing in executive sourcing and recruitment strategies for the engineering and infrastructure sectors. With more than 30 years of experience across construction, project management, human resources, and recruitment, Elaine brings a rare 360° perspective to building high-performing teams in the consulting engineering industry.
Her career has evolved through three major shifts in response to changing economic landscapes. She began in construction and project management, supporting large commercial and heavy industrial projects as a project administrator and coordinator. In 1999, she transitioned into human resources, where she advanced from recruitment specialist to HR manager and ended her corporate career leading a North American talent acquisition team. This journey gave her a deep understanding of employee relations, workforce planning, and the critical link between talent strategy and business performance.
In 2017, Elaine retired from Hatch, launching Oakdale Consulting in 2018. Today, she partners with construction and consulting engineering firms to deliver executive sourcing solutions that help organizations identify, engage, and secure the leadership talent needed to drive growth and deliver on complex projects.
Elaine is also deeply committed to advancing globally diverse talent. She has collaborated with organizations such as the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers, the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council, and ACCES, facilitating workshops for internationally educated professionals. She believes their diverse experiences bring innovation, resilience, and new perspectives that strengthen Canada’s workforce.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elainedaniels/
Email: elaine.daniels@oakdale.ca
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Episode 90 - Legacy and Leadership: How Gillon Tadman Built Penta Search Into A Global Supply Chain Powerhouse What happens when a top-tier recruitment leader leaves a legacy company to build his own? Gillon from Penta Search Group shares the raw truth behind scaling a global niche firm, building real trust, and why integrity always wins.
In this episode of Talent Titans, Suki sits down with Gillon, founder of Penta Search Group, to explore his journey from recruitment leader to successful entrepreneur in the supply chain and manufacturing space. With over two decades of experience, Gillon opens up about the real challenges of launching a firm just before the pandemic, how deep sector expertise gave his company a competitive edge, and why trust-based leadership and deliberate hiring are core to his company's success.
From working remotely to global expansion plans, this episode is packed with lessons for agency owners, recruiters, and business builders alike.
Key Moments: * Why deep functional and sectoral expertise matters in recruitment * Building a credible brand from scratch * Trust and long-term client relationships in a niche market * Hiring experienced professionals in a remote-first world * Creating a culture of autonomy, accountability, and performance * Predictions on AI’s impact in supply chain recruitment
Favorite Quote:
“You can’t just parachute a supply chain director from one company into another and expect it to work. True expertise comes from understanding both the function and the industry nuances.”
- Gillon
Connect with Gillon: Gillon Tadman is President & Managing Partner of Penta Search Group Inc. and has over 20 years executive recruiting experience gained in European, Canadian, US and LATAM markets.
Gillon is recognized as a subject matter expert in this field and has worked for both big name recruitment brands and smaller specialist executive search companies, enabling him to bring a best of breed approach to the market.
Gillon has also held several senior leadership and board-level positions within recruitment and executive search organizations and has led complex specialist search teams across multiple countries and locations.
As President & Managing Partner of Penta Search Group, Gillon has responsibility for the strategic direction and overall growth of the business, as well as taking a lead role in client engagement and business development.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillontadman/
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Episode 89 - The Hidden Traps of Global Hiring and Why Most Offshore Projects Fail with Luis Derechin Is your offshore team a ticking time bomb? With 70% of offshore projects failing, serial entrepreneur Luis Derechin says it's not just about hiring cheaper talent...it’s about avoiding the offshore team death trap.
In this bold episode of Talent Titans, Suky sits down with Luis Derechin, founder of NIR-YU and creator of the Remote Intelligence Framework, to challenge everything you think you know about offshoring.
From unsustainable pricing models and cultural blind spots to the looming disruption of AI, Luis lays out why so many global hiring strategies backfire and what smart companies can do differently. They break down the flawed obsession with “fast and cheap,” how BPO margins create hidden costs, and why onboarding with transparency is non-negotiable. Whether you’re scaling a startup or running a staffing firm, this is a must-listen if you're hiring across borders.
Key Moments: * Why 70% of offshore projects fail * The 7 signs of offshore failure * What the “offshore team death trap” really means * The danger of fast-and-cheap hiring * Transparency vs. traditional pricing models * AI’s disruption of offshore and BPO roles
Favorite Quote:
“If you're optimizing for fast and cheap, you're not building for success. You're building for failure on a delayed timeline.”
- Luis
Connect with Luis: Luis Derechin is a serial entrepreneur, global talent strategist, and author of "The Nearshore Edge: How Smart Companies Scale With Latin American Talent. As the founder and CEO of Nir-Yu, Luis created the REMOTE Intelligence framework, helping ambitious startups and mid-market enterprises access top talent while cutting costs by up to 70%.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luisderechin/
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Episode 88 - Inside RPO: Slashing Hiring Costs and Scaling Fast with Maria Arvanites In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky welcomes Maria Arvanites, Vice President at Robertson & Company RPO, for an in-depth conversation into the realities and misconceptions of Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO).
Wondering what truly sets RPO apart from traditional staffing? Curious how RPO slashes costs by up to 50%, elevates candidate experience, or how it’s not just for the Fortune 500? This conversation covers it all, from the core model differences and tech integration to the emerging rise of Contingent RPO.
Maria unpacks the scalable structure RPO offers, how it embeds with internal TA teams, and why mid-size companies may benefit even more than the enterprise players. If you're navigating hiring challenges or simply want to future-proof your talent strategy, this episode is your blueprint.
Key Moments: * - What is RPO, really? * - Why RPO isn't just for large enterprises * - The measurable ROI: cost-per-hire, retention, and time-to-fill * - The role of AI, automation, and modern tech stacks * - Data as a driver for smarter hiring decisions
Favorite Quote:
“Most companies don’t have time to build a scalable recruitment process. That’s what RPO delivers: structure, speed, and strategy without the internal lift.”
- Maria
Connect with Maria: Where recruitment meets tech, agility, and real human connection.
Maria helps companies build smarter hiring engines—because real growth comes from people. Through every tech revolutions, economic upturns and downturns, one thing remains consistent, the human element is behind why all companies win: in dollars, culture, and market leadership. Building programs to access your future talent is what Maria does.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariaarvanites/
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Episode 87 - Burned Out and Undervalued: How Harmeen Johal Took Control and Built Her Own Staffing Empire What happens when a top-performing recruiter burns out after 12 years in the corporate world?
In this powerful episode of Talent Titans, Suky sits down with Harmeen Johal, founder of Talencia, to unpack her journey from burnout and self-doubt to launching a thriving solo recruitment business. Harmeen shares how walking into a staffing agency by chance led to a successful career at Randstad, and why hitting a wall in 2023 became the turning point for her business and life.
You'll hear how Harmeen overcame professional burnout, rediscovered her confidence, and built a six-figure business in just months, entirely on her own terms. She reveals the mindset shifts, revenue models, and personal boundaries that helped her break free from the corporate mold. If you're in staffing, considering going solo, navigating burnout, or self-employed, this episode will hit home.
Key Moments: * Navigating burnout in the staffing industry * Transitioning from corporate recruitment to solopreneurship * Managing guilt and boundaries as a working mom * Personal branding and LinkedIn as a lead funnel * Revenue planning and workback models * Lessons in confidence and trusting yourself
Favorite Quote:
"The burnout is what led me to where I am today. It was the wake-up call I needed to take control, define my own worth, and finally bet on myself."
- Harmeen
Connect with Harmeen: With close to 15 years of experience in staffing and recruitment, Harmeen is a seasoned and results-driven professional specializing in permanent placements across Quebec, with particular expertise in accounting and finance, administrative, and human resources roles. She is the founder of Talencia, a recruitment firm committed to providing tailored, high-quality service and fostering long-term partnerships between clients and top-tier talent.
Harmeen brings a strategic and human-centric approach to recruitment, grounded in a deep understanding of both employer needs and candidate potential. Her ability to deliver efficient, thoughtful hiring solutions has earned her a strong reputation among organizations seeking to build high-performing teams.
A dedicated working mother of two young children, Harmeen exemplifies the balance between professional ambition and personal fulfillment. She is guided by the principles of discipline, consistency, and a belief in creating opportunities through intentional action.
Before launching her career in recruitment, Harmeen worked as a travel agent and explored the world extensively. That global perspective continues to shape her human approach to business today. She is bilingual (French and English) and holds a Human Resources Management certificate from Concordia University.
Beyond her professional pursuits, Harmeen is passionate about health and wellness. She maintains an active lifestyle through daily fitness and hot yoga, believing that resilience, focus, and personal growth are essential in both life and business.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harmeen-johal-3059377/
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 86 - Master Niche Recruiting: Specialize to Earn More, Build Authority & Attract Top Talent In this episode of Talent Titans, we explore the power of niche recruiting and specialization. If you’ve ever worried that narrowing your focus will limit your opportunities, think again. You’ll discover why carving out your niche, whether it’s placing DevOps engineers in FinTech or bilingual legal assistants, can skyrocket your credibility, attract top talent, and allow you to command premium fees that generalist recruiters can only dream of.
We break down how becoming a specialist recruiter turns you from a vendor into a strategic partner, why clients are eager to work with experts who speak their language, and how to build a self-sustaining pipeline of loyal candidates. Plus, learn how to choose the right niche, mitigate risks, and evolve your expertise as the market shifts. Ready to move from general recruiter to true Talent Titan? Don't miss this episode.
Key Moments: * Defining what a niche means in recruitment * Overcoming the fear of specialization and losing opportunities * Escaping the high-volume, low-margin competition of generalist recruiting * Becoming a magnet for passive, high-caliber talent * Mitigating the risks of putting all your eggs in one niche * Choosing the right niche based on demand, interest, and growth potential
Favorite Quote:
"Stop trying to be all things to all clients. Find that intersection where your passion and the market meet, and become the disruptor expert in your field."
- Suky
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 85 - Why Recruitment Agencies Fail Their Own Candidates (And How to Fix It) In this episode of Talent Titans, we explore a paradox that plagues recruitment agencies everywhere: while they champion exceptional candidate experiences for their clients, their own hiring processes often fall embarrassingly short. From ghosting qualified applicants to inconsistent communication, the gap between what agencies preach and what they practice damages their credibility, employer brand, and ability to attract top talent.
We dive into hard-hitting statistics revealing just how widespread these issues are, for example, 40% of candidates are ghosted after multiple interviews, and over 70% share their negative experiences publicly. You'll learn why internal hiring gets neglected, how bias creeps in, and most importantly, actionable solutions to transform candidate experience from an afterthought into a competitive advantage. Whether you’re a recruitment professional or a job seeker curious about what goes on behind the scenes, this episode will challenge assumptions and inspire change.
Key Moments: * The irony of recruitment agencies failing at candidate experience * Statistics on ghosting and poor communication * The impact on employer brand and talent pipeline * Why internal hiring often gets deprioritized * How to build transparent and timely communication practices * Using technology and feedback loops to improve candidate care * The ROI of positive candidate experiences
Favorite Quote:
"The recruitment industry is built on connections, but to truly excel, agencies have to embody the principles of excellent candidate experience in every single interaction."
- Suky
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 84 - Why Change Management Fails: The Hard Truth About Leadership and Culture with Janelle Beiler In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky sits down with Janelle, Head of US for Akkodis Tech, to dissect why so many change management initiatives fail, even in well-established staffing companies. From communication breakdowns and cultural misalignment to the hidden influence of middle management, this honest conversation exposes the hard truth about why companies lose top talent and clients during times of change.
Janelle shares experiences from her own extensive leadership experience across major staffing firms, explaining why “intentional” planning is the make-or-break factor in successful change. You’ll hear real-life examples about creating safe zones for employees, avoiding rushed decisions, and the power of transparent communication. Whether you’re navigating a merger, a reorganization, or a sales transformation, this episode offers a roadmap to drive lasting change without destroying culture and morale.
Key Moments: * Common mistakes and misconceptions in executing change initiatives * The risks of relying on special teams or consultants instead of frontline managers * The danger of expecting instant results without proper planning * Painting a clear vision of the "why" so employees understand and embrace change * Identifying early, mid, and late adopters to guide the rollout strategy
Favorite Quote:
"Effective change only happens when you’re intentional about every detail and create a safe zone where people feel it’s okay to learn, be vulnerable, and make mistakes."
- Janelle
Connect with Janelle: Janelle Bieler is President of Akkodis US a division of The Adecco Group, a global staffing company. Ms. Bieler has comprehensive experience in Leadership, Strategy, Sales, Operations, Marketing, and Financial Management. Her areas of expertise include turnaround endeavors, building new markets and revenue streams, P&L management as well as leading, driving, and developing high-performing teams.
Ms. Bieler has over a decade of leadership experience in the staffing industry. Prior to Akkodis, she most recently served as President of the Western Division at Employbridge where she led a total business transformation and market leading results.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janellebieler/
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 83 - Why Leaders Must Rethink Mental Health: Tracy Schreifels on Mindset, Triggers & True Self-Care In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky sits down with Tracy Schreifels, Executive Director of the Ellison Center and licensed marriage and family therapist. Tracy shares how early childhood trauma, global crises, and everyday stressors influence our mindset and leadership behavior, especially in high-pressure environments like recruiting and staffing. Discover how to replace "self-care" with self-responsibility, and why setting boundaries and naming emotions can transform not just your day, but your entire career.
We dig into practical strategies for identifying triggers, creating pause moments, and integrating mental and physical health approaches into work, beyond buzzwords. Tracy explains how leaders can encourage emotional awareness in their teams and lend real support without crossing into micromanagement. Plus, learn how to address resistance when someone labels mental health as their reason for poor performance and why how you respond matters more than what you decide.
Key Moments: * The intersection of mental health and leadership in high-stress industries * Why traditional “self-care” falls short—and the case for self-responsibility * How unprocessed trauma, including from COVID, affects workplace behavior * The role of self-awareness and accountability in employee performance * How early experiences shape stress responses in adult professional life
Favorite Quote:
“It takes more energy to suppress emotions than it does to experience them and process them.”
- Tracy
Connect with Tracy: Tracy Schreifels, MS, LMFT, IMH-E®, is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Ellison Center, a Minnesota-based nonprofit focused on mental health and well-being for families. As an Infant Mental Health Clinical Mentor, Tracy brings over two decades of experience supporting children and their caregivers through therapy, reflective consultation, and clinical supervision and mentorship to mental health professionals.
Her background includes teaching as an adjunct instructor at several colleges, providing trainings internationally, and serving in leadership roles to expand the field of Infant Mental Health. Tracy also serves as on the Board and as a Co-Chair of the Minnesota Association for Children’s Mental Health Infant and Early Childhood Division. She is passionate about supporting caregivers and professionals with practical tools to navigate mental health, challenging behaviors, and overall well-being in both family and workplace settings.
Website: www.ellisoncenter.org
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 82 - How to Build An Offshore Team That Actually Works with Greg Fischer of Well Oiled Machine In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky sits down with Greg Fisher, founder of Well Oiled Machine, to break down the real workings behind successful offshore hiring. From the brutal mistakes that cost him time and money, to the management processes that turned offshore into a true superpower, Greg shares his full journey, from skepticism to scale.
You'll learn why most offshore efforts fail, how to get around the time difference challenges, how to vet international talent, what KPIs matter most, how to deal with tech challenges, and whether building your own offshore team is the right move or a disaster waiting to happen. If you're serious about scaling your recruitment firm sustainably, this is a must-listen.
Key Moments: * Why most offshore staffing models fail. * How to structure offshore teams for long-term success. * Cultural and time zone challenges with offshore talent. * Tools and strategies for onboarding and retention. * How to avoid the biggest offshoring mistakes.
Favorite Quote:
"You have to treat offshore like onshore. Train, manage, and measure like you would with any team. It’s not a shortcut, but it is a superpower when done right."
- Greg
Connect with Greg: Greg Fischer grew AMI Network’s 4x in just three years, achieving $1.4 in EBITDA on just $4.2M in Gross Margin. He did it by building an agency with nearly 20 offshore staff ranging from Sourcers, to Prospectors, and even Recruiters and Sales Associates. He made every imaginable mistake along the way, and from these lessons developed his current company, Well Oiled Machine. Today he coaches recruitment firms on how to scale by building their own internal offshore teams.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/offshoreisasuperpower/
Website: https://www.welloiledmachine.co
Resources: https://www.welloiledmachine.co/resources
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 81 - Will AI Replace Recruiters? Julian D’Angelo on How Tech is Disrupting the Staffing Industry In this episode of Talent Titans, host Suki sits down with Julian D’Angelo, founder of Talin, to explore the powerful intersection of recruitment, technology, and AI. From his unexpected journey from growth marketing into staffing tech to leading one of Canada’s most promising recruitment platforms, Julian shares how Talin is empowering agencies to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving space. They dissect where traditional recruitment models are breaking, how AI is reshaping sourcing, and why the human touch is still irreplaceable, at least for now.
Suki and Julian don’t hold back on discussing automation fears, the myth of FULL tech replacement, and practical advice for agency leaders navigating today’s crowded tech landscape. Whether you're running a lean firm, building your tech stack, or trying to figure out what AI can and shouldn’t do in recruitment, this episode delivers honest, and authentic thought processes for future-focused talent pros.
Key Moments: * Why Talin was created and what problem it solves for staffing agencies. * The impact of AI on sourcing, screening, and recruiter workflows. * Misconceptions about AI replacing recruiter.s * Building an efficient, cost-effective tech stack without sacrificing quality. * The long-term outlook on AI’s role in human-centered recruiting functions.
Favorite Quote:
"If you do nothing, you're screwed. But if you invest just 10% of your time into tech and acumen, you could double your revenue without doubling your headcount."
- Julian
Connect with Julian: After nearly a decade working with early and mid stage SaaS start ups as a growth marketer, I began my own SaaS venture: Talin. While building out growth teams for start ups, I dove head first into learning how the average agency recruiter operates.
What I found were:
-
fragmented tech stacks with weak integrations
-
dozens of manual processes
-
terrible UX
Specifically, these problems were at their worst in a recruiter's top of funnel workflow. Engaging talent and acquiring new customers is a core pillar for any agency; and we knew we could improve it by 10x.
So we built Talin - an automation platform designed to streamline the sourcing, data enrichment, and outreach process so that agency recruiters can spend less time on spreadsheets, and more time on people.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliandangelo/
Email: julian@talon.ai
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 80 - How Quil Is Saving Recruiters Several Hours a Week | Ryan Frampton on AI & the Future of Staffing In this episode, we head down the road into how AI is transforming the recruiting world, with none other than Ryan Frampton, co-founder of Quil. From scaling sales teams to accidentally pivoting into the staffing industry, Ryan shares the surprising origin story of Quil and how it's now automating everything from note-taking to CRM and ATS updates across 16 different countries. Learn why recruiters are embracing AI not to replace people, but to encourage relationship-building.
We target the real pain points of staffing: overwhelming admin, outdated Word doc processes, and the tech fatigue that hits both founders and recruiters. Ryan breaks down how Quil goes beyond tools like Otter and Fireflies by integrating across platforms (yes, even your cell phone) and syncing directly with 35+ ATS/CRM systems. Whether you're skeptical about AI or searching for that one tech fix that’ll give you back your time, this conversation delivers tons of value you can’t afford to miss.
Key Moments: * The origin story of Quil and its unexpected pivot from sales tech to staffing. * Key differences between Quil and other tools like Otter, Fireflies, and Google Gemini. * Overcoming resistance to AI and technology in recruiting. * Tech fatigue and intentional decision-making when choosing software. * The future of recruiting technology and how to adapt without losing your edge.
Favorite Quote:
"We don’t replace recruiters, we help them spend more time being present in the moments that matter."
- Ryan
Connect with Ryan: Ryan Frampton spent the first decade of his career scaling software companies like Vidyard and HyperComply. Over that time, Ryan hired and managed over 100 employees, where he would collaborate with both internal and agency recruiters. With the birth of AI, Ryan has spent the last two years as the CEO & Co-Founder of Quil, bringing the power of AI to the third-party recruitment industry. Quil uses AI to automate note-taking, applicant tracking system updates, and submittal write-up creation.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-frampton-02623a100/
Website: https://quil.ai/
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 79 - Why David Sweetman Launched a Staffing Firm in a Downturn | Project XIII Founder on Timing, Risk & Purposee In this episode, I welcome David Sweetman to the podcast, industry veteran and founder of Project XIII. What kind of leader launches a new business during economic uncertainty? Well, we're about to find out. David shares the decade-long vision behind his firm, why launching in a “bad time” was the right time, and the non-negotiables that define his personal and professional mission.
From choosing a niche with conviction to resisting the urge to “be everything to everyone,” David offers a candid look into the mindset, mistakes, and meaningful wins of starting up solo. He speaks about the importance of staying in your lane, prioritizing family while building a business, and saying “no” to work that doesn’t fit your values or vision. Saying "no" can sometimes be the most profitable choice in your business. Whether you're a staffing entrepreneur, a recruiter looking to level up, or a leader in transition, this episode will resonate and motivate.
Key Moments: * Launching a staffing firm during an economic downturn. * Family, legacy, and the personal “why” behind a business. * The importance of saying “no” and defining boundaries early. * Building for long-term impact, not short-term gain. * Advice for aspiring staffing entrepreneurs.
Favorite Quote:
“I’m not here for a transactional handshake. I’m here to build long-term relationships, even if it doesn’t generate revenue right away.”
- David
Connect with David: David Sweetman is a seasoned executive in human capital solutions with over 18 years of experience helping organizations around the world identify, attract, and retain top talent. Specializing in the engineering, construction, manufacturing, and IT sectors, David leads with a deep understanding of the industries he serves — and a clear commitment to people-first recruiting.
Having led high-performing teams for some of the largest brands in the industry, David provided strategic guidance, supported critical delivery needs, and coached leaders through strategic designs to uncover blind spots, build confidence, and enhance performance. His coaching-based leadership approach fosters a culture of collaboration, accountability, and agility — key pillars that drive success for both clients and candidates. David partners closely with both emerging Canadian SMEs and global enterprises with Canadian operations, ensuring talent strategies are tailored to the unique needs of each client across the country’s dynamic engineering and technical landscape.
David’s team leverages advanced recruitment technologies to accelerate hiring while maintaining a human touch. They don’t just fill roles — they form partnerships. With a proactive mindset, they provide insights and tailored advice that go beyond the transaction to deliver real business impact.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/projectxiii-inc/
Website: https://projectxiii.com
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 78 - How to Sell Your Staffing Agency for Top Dollar: Insider M&A Advice from Brian Kennedy In this episode of Talent Titans, I sit down with M&A advisor and industry veteran Brian Kennedy of R.A. Cohen Consulting to spill all the details of preparing your business for sale—whether you're looking to exit in 5 months or 5 years. With over 200 staffing firm transactions under his belt, Brian gives practical, brutally honest advice on valuations, deal structures, and what makes buyers actually pay more.
We even get into why every staffing firm owner needs a “business GPS” to measure readiness, how to navigate skeletons in the closet, and the difference between what your company is worth vs. what you wish it was worth. You’ll learn what metrics really matter, the downside of revenue-only bragging rights, and how to build lasting enterprise value that gets buyers actually competing for your business.
Key Moments: * Why selling your staffing firm takes years of preparation. * The truth about valuations, margins, and inflated expectations. * Direct hire vs. contract: which model gets you more in a sale? * How earnouts work and how to structure them. * Creating transferrable value beyond yourself as the founder.
Favorite Quote:
"Stop navel gazing. Start talking to your clients, your candidates—people who’ll tell you what you need to hear, not just what you want to hear."
- Brian
Connect with Brian: Now in my 45th year of continuous service to and employment in the staffing industry, I’ve built, scaled, and sold firms and now help others do the same as a senior M&A advisor with R.A. Cohen Consulting.
I joined the firm in 2012, encouraged by my late friend and mentor Bob Cohen, and have worked closely with Sam Sacco ever since. I bring a founder’s mindset, a no-nonsense approach, and a deep respect for what it takes to build a great staffing company.
Off the clock: RVs, dogs, tennis, and the occasional strong opinion.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briankennedy81/
Book a time with me here: https://calendly.com/bkennedy911
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 77 - Top Staffing Trends in 2025: DEI, Leadership, and Economic Insights with Carolyn Levy In this episode, I welcome Carolyn Levy, Head of Canada for Randstad Digital Americas for a wide-ranging, no-BS conversation on the shifting tides in recruitment, leadership, and DEI. With nearly two decades of experience, Carolyn brings clarity to complex issues—from talent shortages and billable-hour trends to equitable prosperity and authentic leadership.
We dig into uncomfortable truths the industry often avoids: why smaller staffing firms miss key economic indicators, how DEI got hijacked by bad branding, and what future-ready leadership actually looks like. Whether you're a founder, a team leader, or someone who believes staffing can be a game-changer for real societal change, this episode will challenge your thinking and cause you to really think about the future of not just our industry, but all industries.
Key Moments: * Why the staffing industry is a frontline economic barometer. * DEI: Intent vs. impact, and why the label is getting in the way. * Equitable prosperity vs. equality explained! * Creating a real future of work through accountability and empathy.
Favorite Quote:
“You can’t tell someone they’re empowered—you have to create the conditions so they feel empowered.”
- Carolyn
Connect with Carolyn: Carolyn Levy, Managing Director & Head of Canada at Randstad Digital, collaborates with executive leaders to drive digital transformation and talent-driven solutions. She partners with organizations across industries to navigate the evolving digital landscape, future-proof operations, and foster sustainable growth. Carolyn brings a results-oriented approach, leveraging her expertise in leading change and building high-performing teams. A passionate advocate for cultivating workplace cultures rooted in accountability and collaboration, she is dedicated to continuous development and organizational excellence.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynlevy/
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 76 - Why Insurance Matters for Staffing Agencies: Crucial Risks Explained with Matthew Calvin In this episode, I sit down with my own insurance professional, Matthew Calvin of ProLink about why insurance is so important for staffing agencies. Insurance might not be the most exciting topic—but it could be the most important one for your staffing agency’s survival. We cover hidden risks staffing firms face, from professional liability to cyber breaches, and why understanding your policy’s exclusions is critical. Whether you’re a startup or a experienced recruiter, this conversation is a must-listen to audit your coverage and protect your business.
We touch on everything from professional indemnity across countries, the crucial differences between independent contractors and employees, to the rise of cyber liability insurance. Plus, we address the ethical and legal stakes of worker misclassification—and how a single oversight could financially devastate your firm. If you’ve never done an insurance audit, this episode will make you rethink what you’re covered for (and what you’re not). Don’t wait for a claim to find out.
Key Moments: * Why insurance is a “necessary evil” in staffing * Real-world risks in staffing agencies & what policies to prioritize * Misclassification of employees vs. contractors * Cyber liability risks in recruitment and candidate data * How to audit your insurance coverage effectively
Favorite Quote:
“You don’t know what you don’t know—until you’re sued. That’s why an insurance audit isn’t optional; it’s survival.”
- Matthew
Connect with Matthew: Matthew has been a licensed commercial insurance broker for over 15 years, with extensive experience in several industry sectors, including market research, financial institutions, and management consulting. For the last 10 years, he has focused exclusively on the Staffing, Recruitment, & Executive Search industry and has seen risk from every perspective. As the leader of PROLINK’s Staffing & Recruitment Solutions Practice, Matthew works with clients to develop tailored, practical, and innovative risk management solutions that align with their unique needs, business operations, and strategic objectives.
In addition being licensed in almost all provinces and territories in Canada, Matthew has earned the following industry-specific designations: Certified Insurance Professional (CIP) and Canadian Risk Management (CRM).
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-calvin-920a8518/
Phone: 416-644-7736
Email: matthewc@prolink.insure
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 75 - Reinventing Success at 60 On Your Own Terms with Claire Collins In this episode, I'm approaching an incredibly niche topic with my guest, Claire Collins, whom, at nearly 60 years old, was made redundant from a long-standing career in recruitment. Instead of slowing down, she stepped into entrepreneurship, launching Ammolite Consulting with a mission to do meaningful work on her terms. In this candid and deeply inspiring episode, Claire shares what it really feels like to start over later in life—and why she wouldn’t change a thing.
Claire opens up about the shock of job loss, navigating ageism in recruitment, overcoming imposter syndrome, and recalibrating her identity beyond a corporate title. From choosing solopreneurship to redefining what success means at 60, this episode is a must-listen for anyone questioning their next chapter. Whether you're mid-career, facing unexpected change, or simply considering what it means to build a business with purpose, Claire's story offers courage, clarity, and compassion.
Key Moments: * How to navigate age bias in the staffing industry. * Rebuilding confidence and identity post-corporate job. * The emotional reality of self-employment. * Tips for career pivots later in life. * Why mindset is everything, especially when starting over.
Favorite Quote:
"When you meet me now, you’re meeting the real Claire Collins—not the one I had to be in corporate."
- Claire
Connect with Claire: Claire is the founder of Ammolite Consulting, following over 30 years in corporate recruitment agencies, she has taken the leap into self-employment following a redundancy late last year. She is now focused on helping individuals and organizations build self-awareness and strengthen team communication to create more productive, engaged workplaces. Her focus is on hiring the right people and fostering retention, ensuring businesses thrive with teams that truly work well together. A lifelong learner, Claire is currently exploring the Japanese concept of Ikigai—understanding purpose and fulfilment—which she will integrate into her approach to coaching and recruitment.
Her work is focused on the ESG and Healthcare sector both of which she is passionate about. ESG has been pushed further into focus recently, inspired by her daughter’s studies in environmental & sustainability science at Cardiff University.
On a personal level she is based on the south coast of the Uk in Brighton where her and her husband Dave live life either calmly by the sea or enjoying their love of music with a love for rock 'n' roll and northern soul, dancing is their workout.
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/clairecollinsammoliteconsulting
Phone: +44 7927 458 712
Email: claire@ammoliteconsulting.com
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 74 - Funding Your Staffing Firm: Smart Capital Strategies with Hunter Reid In this episode, I'm excited to talk money and funding with Hunter Reid, founder of Payroll Funding Canada. We go over the smartest — and riskiest — funding options available to staffing firms in 2025. From banks and credit cards to factoring and equity partnerships, this episode is a basically a workshop in cash flow strategy, risk management, and scaling your firm with confidence.
Whether you're just launching or expanding, our conversation will help you understand when to go to the bank, when to lean on invoice financing, how to de-risk your business, and why the ultra-wealthy don’t always own their own assets. With so many actionable tips, Hunter also demystifies personal guarantees, client payment optics, and how to grow without giving up control. No matter what stage you're at in your business, there's so much value here not to be missed!
Key Moments: * -Traditional bank loans vs. non-debt funding options. * -Pro-tip: When to lease instead of buy. * How to finance growth without relying on personal assets. * -Risk management and what exactly is de-risking? * -It's all about the optics in client-facing collections.
Favorite Quote:
"Cash flow doesn’t kill dreams — poor planning does."
- Hunter
Connect with Hunter: A serial entrepreneur, Hunter is the founder of Faithshire Corporation, Payroll Funding Canada, WorkForce Capital and a founding member of TheMCLS.com (Multiple Career Listing Service).
Hunter’s businesses operate in full support of the Staffing Industry, providing staffing firms with human resources and recruitment support, payroll funding and growth capital as well as full service back-office support.
As an honours graduate of Sheridan College with additional studies in business and psychology at the University of Toronto, Hunter is community focused and was one of the founders and directors of the Milton Christian School and the non-profit Milton Christian Education Association, he has held Trustee roles in both Churchill Meadows Christian Church, where he was active as Vice Chairman, and past trustee of Westcoast Christian Church in Surrey, British Columbia. He has served on several boards and advisory boards for not-for profits and has participated at the board level for both public and private companies believing in the philosophy that we all have opportunity to give back to our communities through our time, talent and treasure.
With a passion for coaching and teaching, and a love for assisting growth-oriented companies including start-ups, he is an articulate and active speaker. Hunter is an avid marksman, stand-in bartender, and is known to travel for good music. Hunter is married to “His Person” and lives in the Niagara region. He has eight beautiful children and four grandchildren.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunterreid/
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 73 - How Roxanne Seguin Went From Solo Startup to Bilingual Recruitment Powerhouse In this episode, I'm happy to welcome Roxanne Seguin, founder of Opal Corporate Connections, to explore how she turned two decades of bilingual recruitment experience into a thriving business. Roxanne shares what inspired her to go solo in 2021, how she built a niche in French-English staffing across Canada, and why relationships are her ultimate growth strategy.
Roxanne breaks down the realities of running a small agency, including the unexpected challenges of administrative work and the hidden power of community collaboration among solopreneurs. She also opens up about the demand for bilingual talent outside Quebec, the nuances of recruiting for French-first provinces, and the misconception that "bigger means better" in staffing. Whether you're a recruiter, business owner, or talent leader, this episode is full of value, practical advice, and we're even treated to a look at what’s ahead for 2025.
Key Moments: * Roxanne’s journey to entrepreneurship after 20+ years in recruitment. * The power of in-person community networking vs. automation * The demand is there for bilingualism, beyond Quebec. * The importance of collaboration among small agency owners. * What 2025 looks like for recruitment in Canada.
Favorite Quote:
"There’s so much business out there—we’re all in this together, so why not support each other instead of stabbing each other in the back?"
- Roxanne
Connect with Roxanne: OPAL Corporate Connections was founded by our Director of Recruitment, Roxanne Seguin. Over 20 years ago, Roxanne made a name for herself in talent acquisition and head hunting, originally specializing in bilingual recruitment within the Insurance, Retail, and Finance sectors. Through referrals, as well as steadfast and loyal relationships with her clients, the demand for Roxanne’s assistance naturally evolved into her leading teams of recruitment professionals and foraying into other dynamic industries including Information Technology, Healthcare, Corporate Services/Administrative Support, and more.
However, while working within the guided, and often rigidly banal, structure of other recruitment firms, Roxanne realized that there were more creative, effective, and innovative ways to connect with her clients and candidates. And so, this was the foundation upon which OPAL Corporate Connections was built.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roxanne-seguin-69768bb/
Website: http://opalcorporateconnections.ca
Email: rseguin@opalcorporateconnections.ca
Phone: 905-466-7408
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 72 - From Disrupted to Disruptor: How Tech is Reshaping the Staffing Industry with Kelli Ryan In today's episode, I sit down with Kelli Ryan, a 28-year veteran of the staffing world who made the bold leap from being part of a disrupted industry to becoming one of its disruptors. Now at Cartwheel, a SaaS company focused on accounts receivable automation, Kelli shares how automation, AI, and smarter tech stacks are revolutionizing everything from operations to client experience. We get into the critical trends shaping staffing today like gig platforms, digital transformation, and what it really means to grow in a down market without burning out your team or budget.
Together, we explore why healthcare staffing is outpacing traditional firms in tech adoption, the power of white-labeled platforms for smaller agencies, and the mindset shifts staffing leaders need to make to stay competitive. Kelli also breaks down how to evaluate your current tech stack, ask the right questions before buying, and why solving invisible bottlenecks, like AR, is one of the fastest ways to scale. Whether you're a new founder or running an established agency, this conversation is full of honest advice from someone who's lived both sides of the industry.
Key Moments: * Trends in the industry that are likely to stick around. * Why AI is a little bit controversial in such a people-based industry. * How to balance tech with manual labor - start small. * Why do we resist collaboration when it comes to platforms and solutions in the staffing industry?
Favorite Quote:
"You don't often think of accounts receivable as being a growth lever, but it really can be—because when you automate the manual, you give your team the space to actually drive revenue."
- Kelli
Connect with Kelli: Kelli Ryan is a results-driven executive sales leader with extensive experience in leading business development and customer retention teams. As the Chief Customer Officer, Kelli works closely with the Cartwheel team to drive growth and deliver the best possible experience for their customers.
Before joining Cartwheel, Kelli was the SVP of the National Partnership Group at Employbridge, leading teams responsible for new Enterprise customer development and existing customer retention and expansion. Kelli played key roles at Employbridge, and The Select Family of Staffing Companies, where her strategic leadership enabled her to build and maintain high-performing, cross-functional teams that consistently exceeded revenue targets and drove company-wide success.
Kelli holds a BA in Industrial Psychology from San Diego State University.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelliryan/
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 71 - The Highs and Lows of My Two-Week Experience in India In this week's episode, I'm following up on the first part of my travel experience through India, but this time, I'm giving a bit more of a personal perspective. From the beauty of the Taj Mahal to the stark realities of Agra's development, I share candid reflections and experiences, offering insights and travel tips that you need to know.
As I recount my travels, we shift to the cultural nuances and personal encounters that made this journey so memorable. Despite my Indian heritage, it's fascinating to experience being perceived as a foreigner. Whether it's feeling the chaotic shopping experience or visiting lounges that have transformed Delhi's nightlife scene, this episode captures the essence of a nation that's as dynamic as it is diverse.
Key Moments: * The Taj Mahal is stunning, but the surrounding area...not so much. * Nightlife in Delhi is incredible and puts New York, London, and other major cities to shame. * How the chaotic shopping experience emphasized that pricing cannot be the only differentiator between you and your competitors in business. * A very uncomfortable experience - what to be aware of.
Favorite Quote:
"India's economy is booming and it's got a long way to go yet. But why not be part of that?"
- Suky
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 70 - Why You Should Consider India for Your Next Big Move in the Recruitment Industry It's been 12 years since I've been back in India and in today's episode, I'm giving you my experience and telling you why you should consider breaking in to the Indian market. Besides India's booming business economy and vibrant culture, I'm giving you a little insight in to the elegance, highlighted by a memorable Holi celebration that filled the air with color and joy and the reality, after an experience with the healthcare system in India which involved a medical emergency. There's been an impressive rise of India's middle class and a shift in the economy that's brimming with potential.
I experienced the warmth of extraordinary customer service and the beauty of the Taj Mahal, but I also share reflections on cultural nuances, such as a customs incident and the shocking revelation between women and business. This episode is an invitation to see India through a more personal lens, revealing the many layers beyond its renowned landmarks, and solidifying why you should be considering the Indian market for your next big move.
Key Moments: * Suky's travel experience including an incident while going through customs. * The colors and festive atmosphere around the festival of Holi. * A shocking experience with the medical system in India. * Are women truly suppressed in India? A story about women-owned businesses in India.
Favorite Quote:
"India's infrastructure is booming, with highways connecting everything and a vibrant middle class driving economic progress."
- Suky
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 69 - No Shortcuts, Do The Work, and Why You Need Failure with Aimee Hagerty Today, I welcome Aimee Hagerty, the innovative mind behind EA Associates, to help shed light on the recruitment industry's many, and often challenging facets in today's climate. Aimee's journey from the traditional staffing arena to founding a consultancy tailored to life sciences recruitment is nothing short of inspiring. In our conversation, Aimee shares how EA Associates transcends the usual agency functions by crafting recruitment strategies and talent acquisition plans based on genuine human connection and relationships.
The topic ventures into the competitive edge boutique consultancies hold over their larger counterparts. Smaller firms, with their agility and personalized touch, often capture clients feeling overlooked by big agencies. Aimee and I emphasize the value of building deep, meaningful relationships over merely focusing on financial metrics in a growing business.
The conversation turns to technology's role, particularly AI, as an invaluable tool for sourcing while preserving the human element crucial to recruitment. Concluding with a focus on the future, we predict a continued emphasis on passion and cultural fit over mere technical skills, positioning companies who value human interaction and personalized solutions to excel in this evolving landscape.
Key Moments: * No matter what, always deliver, be who you say you are, and always be learning. * There are no shortcuts, do the work! * A few of the challenges Aimee has faced while building her business and how failure actually helped her. * How Aimee uses AI in her business and why maintaining human connection is the focus.
Favorite Quote:
"Our transition from a service provider to a solution provider during the pandemic underscored the importance of relationships and resilience in business."
- Aimee
Connect with Aimee: Aimee Hagerty is the Founder and CEO of EA Associates Inc., a recruitment consultancy headquartered in Southern Ontario and primarily focused on the life sciences and engineering sectors. Aimee's leadership at EA Associates Inc., combined with her robust background in both life sciences and engineering recruitment, has been pivotal in allowing EA to create innovative staffing solutions for both clients and candidates. By integrating empathy mapping and social networking into EA's recruitment strategies, Aimee has built a consultancy that supports Pharmaceutical, Biologics, Biotech Engineering, and Food Manufacturing sector recruitment across multiple markets and on a global level.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/communicatecollaboratecreate/
Email: aimee@eaassoc.com
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 68 - One Client, One Candidate at a Time: Up’s and Downs in the Recruitment Industry with Zag Dutton In today's episode, I welcome, Zag Dutton, 30-year recruitment industry veteran and the founder of Career Connections Canada, and we're talking all about the current up's and downs in the recruitment industry. Zag offers a fresh perspective on the flexible lifestyle choices favored by many temporary workers today, and highlights the necessities that other temporary workers have. She also discusses the importance of being approachable and accountable, emphasizing integrity and respect as cornerstones of building lasting relationships with both clients and candidates.
As we really get into the up's and downs, we talk about the challenges small businesses face with technological evolution, particularly AI. The key takeaway? Embrace tech advancements that truly add value instead of chasing every shiny new tool.
The episode wraps up with an exploration of honesty and integrity in recruitment, where Zag stresses the importance of candid conversations with candidates, even when delivering tough news. Her commitment to respect and genuine interaction proves that sincerity holds a powerful place in the recruitment process.
Key Moments: * The 2 types of temporary workers. * Stay in your lane! You can't be all things to all people. * The effects of US politics in Canada. * As a small business, you can never afford to stand by and do nothing.
Favorite Quote:
"Every situation is different, and being a small business allows us to respond quickly and tailor solutions without the bureaucracy of larger organizations."
- Zag
Connect with Zag: Zag Dutton, the Founder and President of Career Connections Canada Inc., established the company in 1995 as a recruitment firm specializing in permanent (direct hire) placements across all levels of staff, primarily within the pharmaceutical industry. Over the years, responding to client demand, the company expanded its services to include temporary placements, catering to a diverse range of industries beyond pharmaceuticals such as manufacturing and 3PL. Today, Career Connections stands as an award-winning boutique recruitment firm, providing comprehensive solutions for permanent, temporary, and contract staffing needs. As 2025 approaches, Zag and Career Connections are gearing up to commemorate 30 years of successfully bridging Great People with Great Companies.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zagdutton/
Email: zag@careerconnectionsinc.com
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 67 - Navigating the Complexities of EOR in The Recruitment Industry with Francis Larson In this episode, I sit down with Francis Larson, the visionary CEO and founder of Ascen, as we navigate Employer of Record (EOR) services in the recruitment industry. Francis sheds some light on how EORs are transforming the staffing industry, taking full charge of employment responsibilities from HR compliance to benefits management. He clarifies the distinctions between EORs and the traditional Professional Employer Organization (PEO) model, busting myths around revenue recognition and highlighting the immense value of seeking accounting expertise, avoiding placing so much value on vanity numbers in your business, especially in acquisition scenarios where EBITDA is critical. With the EOR model handling back-office complexities, businesses can focus on delivering exceptional client service and growth without getting stifled by regulatory hurdles.
Finally, our conversation heads into the realm of international employment regulations, where British and Canadian companies face unique challenges entering the US market. We explore the intricacies of independent contractor classification in the US, where state-driven enforcement adds layers of complexity. We also touch on workforce management trends, particularly the transformative impact of AI in recruitment.
Key Moments: * Busting EOR myths around top line revenue. * Some of the biggest mistakes being made in the staffing industry. * Going in to the US market is risky - how does EOR support this move? * How companies can prepare for new workforce management regulations.
Favorite Quote:
"EORs are transforming the staffing industry by taking full charge of employment responsibilities, from HR compliance to benefits management, allowing businesses to focus on growth and client service."
- Francis
Connect with Francis: Francis Larson is the founder and CEO of Ascen, a back office platform and employer of record for staffing firms expanding into the US, providing payroll, onboarding, and funding for US placements. Ascen is funded by Y Combinator, the top seed investor in startups in the world. Before founding Ascen, Francis was the founder and CEO of Leif, a fintech lending platform he sold in 2018.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/francislarson/
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 66 - Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s): Why We Need Them and How To Make Them Work For You with Joanna Oakley Today's episode approaches the taboo topic of Standard Operating Procedures or SOP's, and I'm featuring Joanna Oakley, owner of Argylestone Consulting, as she unveils how SOP's can drive consistency, improve service quality, and facilitate efficient growth for small to mid-sized staffing enterprises. Despite the misconception that SOPs don't contribute directly to the bottom line, Joanna makes a strong case for their long-term advantages.
Simple tasks can lessen the burden of creating SOP's like delegating SOP creation to your team, who knows the ins and outs of daily operations, focusing on critical processes first, and utilizing slower times in the business to create them. Joanna shares strategies on evolving SOPs to integrate cutting-edge technology and AI, ensuring compliance and data integrity as well. Learn how SOPs can lead to smarter tech purchasing decisions and process optimizations, empowering your team to work more efficiently. This episode promises to have you approaching SOP's with a shifted mindset so you can make them work for you and elevate your staffing operations to new heights.
Key Moments: * How we need to start shifting our mindset towards SOP's. * Plan SOP's efficiently and focus on the critical processes first. * SOP's help ensure end-to-end, a seamless process for both the candidate and the client. * You've created the SOP's. How do you encourage people to follow them? * The one compelling argument for why you need to have SOP's.
Favorite Quote:
"The real cost of not having SOPs isn't just inefficiency—it's the potential loss of revenue and operational chaos that can arise from inconsistent processes."
- Joanna
Connect with Joanna: Joanna Oakley is a seasoned recruitment industry professional with over 20 years of experience across four global brands: ManpowerGroup, Randstad, Agile 1, and RGF Staffing (part of the Recruit Group). Beginning her career in sales-focused roles, she advanced to onsite client management and ultimately served as Chief Operating Officer for the UK division of the world's 5th largest staffing firm. In 2022, Joanna founded Argylestone Consulting Ltd., where she leverages her extensive expertise to assist staffing firms in transforming and optimising their operations, reducing costs, and driving sustainable growth. Joanna holds certifications including CCWP (Certified Contingent Workforce Professional) and is a Chartered Member of CIPD. Additionally, she is a co-author of the 2024 best-selling book, "The Rise of the Female Entrepreneur," which supports the Women Supporting Women initiative by The Prince's Trust.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanna-oakley-ccwp-mcipd-6171b95/
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 65 - Align Your Words to Your Behaviors, Build Trust, and Be Accountable with Rodrigo Alcaine My guest today is Rodrigo Alcaine, the freshly appointed CEO of Eastridge Workforce Solutions, and is joining me in a conversation about the nuances of leadership and accountability in today's professional landscape. Rodrigo brings a fresh perspective on true accountability as a commitment to integrity rather than a punitive measure. The effects of leaders who act on their promises is huge and behavior that reflects this establishes a standard of excellence across any organization.
The power of feedback is often overlooked, along with the role it plays in building trust within teams. We talk about the importance of a communal approach to accountability, similar to how a coach guides a marathon runner toward their goal, as well as dissect strategies like stress testing organizational standards and preparing for the worst to ensure resilience in challenging times.
Reflecting on personal growth and leadership development, we share our own experiences in high-performance settings and how they've shaped our understanding of effective management and leadership. Rodrigo opens up about the necessity of aligning leadership styles with personal values and shares another experience that highlights the importance of adapting to the diverse needs of team members to build trust. In conclusion, we emphasize the positive effects of accountability and leadership, showing exactly how leaders' actions influence trust and performance throughout an entire organization.
Key Moments: * Why do some leaders deviate from doing what they say they're going to do? * Actionable strategies to implement to help keep you accountable. * How employees can become comfortable with giving honest feedback, without fear of repercussions. * Align your words to your behaviors and begin to build that trust. * Accountability is not done to you, it is done for you - changing the narrative.
Favorite Quote:
"Building trust within a team starts with aligning your words to your behaviors. Consistency in actions is key to cultivating a culture of trust."
- Rodrigo
Connect with Rodrigo: Rodrigo Alcaine is a results-driven leader with a track record of transforming businesses, accelerating growth, driving revenue expansion, and building high-performing teams. As CEO of Eastridge Workforce Solutions, he leads the company’s strategic vision and operational excellence, delivering innovative workforce solutions across industries while scaling business impact.
With over 16 years in staffing and workforce management, Rodrigo has transformed organizations through strategic turnarounds, enhanced sales performance, and a culture of accountability. He previously held executive roles at JoinedUp (Beeline) and Adecco, driving market expansion and business optimization.
Rodrigo’s leadership philosophy is rooted in getting the best out of people, believing in excavating talent and unlocking potential at every level. Rodrigo previously sat on the board of directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Triangle, is an active mentor for the American Staffing Association, and was recognized in Staffing Industry Analysts’ 40 Under 40 list. Based in Raleigh, NC, he balances his work with quality time with his family and enjoys endurance training.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodrigoalcaine/
Email: ralcaine@eastridge.com
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 64 - Looking Past Risk and Encouraging Talent to Remain in Canada with Michael King In today's episode of Talent Titans, I'd like to introduce my guest, Michael King, from Spruce Infotech. Michael made quite the career shift from being a South African diplomat to a pivotal figure in Canada's recruitment industry. His journey, marked by a transition from international finance to the dynamic technology and recruitment sectors, is driven by a passion for influencing careers and changing lives. Our conversation focuses on the challenges of retaining talent in Canada amidst the allure of the U.S. market. We get into factors like the necessity for greater R&D investment by Canadian firms, highlighting Canada's robust skilled workforce and we discuss how these factors position Canada as a prime location for talent to remain.
Approaching the subject of today's new generations, we hit a button on the pitfalls of prolonged recruitment processes and the importance of maintaining transparency. Finally, emphasizing commitment to nurturing credibility through client referrals and building strong, trust-based relationships, this episode encourages those in the recruitment industry to get creative about how we can encourage our incredibly qualified, fresh talent.
Key Moments: * There are risks involved with making such a career shift, but looking past them is understanding how you'll be able to thrive. * So, what can we do to help encourage talent to remain in Canada? * The recruitment industry needs to get creative and look beyond money to encourage people to stay in Canada for their careers. * Complacency, stability, differences in decision-making - all play roles in deciding to stay. Hear how.
Favorite Quote:
"We're in danger of becoming too transactional as an industry. We need to focus on specialization rather than generalization and foster quality, trust-based relationships with our clients."
- Michael
Connect with Michael: Upon immigrating to Canada, Michael was responsible for advancing institutional sales for RBC Global Asset Management in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Scandinavia. His technical experience includes building and managing new Data Analytics business in North America and providing data analytics solutions for companies globally. More recently Michael has over seven years of experience in the recruitment industry, having advanced enterprise sales for global recruitment companies. More recently Michael was appointed as the Vice President of Sales for Spruce Infotech in Canada, a dynamic privately owned company headquartered in the United States providing technical recruitment and managed services. Michael holds a B.A Hons. degree in International Relations and has also completed various courses including Managing Cross Cultural organizations at the University of Berkley, California.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miking2/
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 63 - Mobile Solutions for Staffing Agencies and Why You Need Them with Bryan Wilson In this episode of Talent Titans, I'm excited to welcome Bryan Wilson from StaffUpApp, a seasoned expert with over 25 years in the staffing industry, who joins us to shed light on the power of adopting a mobile-first strategy for staffing agencies. In an era where traditional job boards like Indeed dominate the landscape, Bryan shares his insights on how staffing companies can pivot and thrive by reaching candidates through private label mobile apps. These apps allow candidates and recruiters alike to streamline operations, enhance experiences, and keep up with the ever-evolving digital trends.
We explore the incredible efficiencies mobile apps bring to staffing agencies, particularly those that need to act swiftly, like temporary staffing firms, as well as those looking to consolidate their tech stack. As the importance of a mobile presence skyrockets, we discuss strategies to engage passive candidates and amplify a company's branding efforts. Indeed, mobile apps are not just a luxury but a necessity for any staffing agency.
Key Moments: * The efficiencies created by having a mobile app. * How a mobile app can help you consolidate your tech stack, depending on your philosophies. * Staffing is a people business and technology can actually help us create more human connections. * How a mobile app can transform the candidate and recruiter experience.
Favorite Quote:
"Streamlining the candidate experience by integrating every step—from brand discovery to getting paid—into a seamless mobile process is a game-changer."
- Bryan
Connect with Bryan: Bryan is the Head of Product Strategy with StaffUpApp, a leader in the Platform Staffing market. With over 25 years of experience in the Staffing Industry, he spends his time partnering with forward thinking leaders to build solutions that support growth and profitability for their firms. Knowing that GIG Platforms and mobile apps are eating the industry, he does his best to help staffing firms evolve to this next phase so they can not only survive, but thrive in the coming decades.
Website: https://www.staffupapp.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanmwilson/
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 62 - Building Influence and Trust: It’s Time to Level Up Your Leadership with Nadia Ciani I’m so excited for you to hear today’s guest, Nadia Ciani, founder of Energy Xchange Group, on how small to mid-sized staffing firms can rise above the crowd by leveraging the power of personal connections to level up their leadership skills. With a rich background in HR and consulting across North America, Nadia spills the secrets to building influence and trust in the staffing industry.
In the thick of the hustle and bustle of running a small team, maintaining momentum without burnout is an art. We explore how fostering a culture of trust can be the foundation of team growth, highlighting the need for structured, and spontaneous, one-on-one interactions and empowering team members to be confident in decision-making. This episode tackles the common but often unspoken challenges leaders face, such as trust issues and confidence in delegation, shedding light on how these can inadvertently stifle both business and personal growth.
As businesses increasingly embrace remote work, effective leadership becomes more crucial than ever. We navigate the complexities of managing geographically dispersed teams, from turning mistakes into growth opportunities to ensuring accountability with random check-ins. We also don’t leave out data-driven decision-making, urging firms to focus on meaningful metrics and invest wisely in technology. Finally, we emphasize the incredibly important role of leadership in crafting a vibrant company culture, reminding listeners that ultimately, it's the people, not the technology, that clients buy into.
Key Moments: * The advantages small and mid-size staffing firms have over large organizations. * How to be a good leader without burning yourself out. * Building trust requires risk - allow people to make mistakes and use them as growth opportunities. * 3 tips for leading remote teams. * How to properly measure data to help get you to your goals. * Your company is building culture with, or without you.
Favorite Quote:
"Small to mid-sized staffing firms have a unique advantage: their intimate client relationships are built on significant trust, allowing them to influence outcomes and build deeper connections."
- Nadia
Connect with Nadia: Nadia is the Founder of EnergyXChange Group, an HR Consulting and Fractional Leadership firm and has close to 30 years of experience in HR - nearly 20 in an executive capacity. Nadia has lead HR teams across North America in a Hybrid model with expertise in leading virtual teams as well as lead all aspects of HR from Business Partner teams, Talent & Development, Talent & Succession Planning through to Data and Analytics.
Nadia has been part of and has lead the HR workstreams for numerous acquisitions from due diligence to integration and is a certified coach who has helped countless leaders achieve their goals.
Website: https://energyxchangegroup.com/
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 61 - Why Embracing VMS and New Technology is Essential for Success in The Staffing Industry with Matt Cook In today’s episode of Talent Titans, I welcome my guest, Matt Cook from VMS, an expert on workforce management and how it can transform your small business operations in the staffing industry. From job requisitions to invoicing, using Vendor Management Systems (VMS), Matt brings a wealth of experience and insight, first sharing a compelling case study where VMS technology elevated a staffing company into a master vendor role, enhancing their client relationships and value proposition.
As client demands for transparency and efficiency grow, the adoption of VMS and new technology becomes crucial for success. We talk about common misconceptions, including the complexity and cost, illustrating how even small businesses can reap significant benefits from these systems. We also highlight the role of automation in preserving margins and boosting efficiency, without losing the human touch. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to harness technology to navigate the evolving landscape of workforce management effectively.
Key Moments: * What exactly is workforce management, VMS, and why you need it. * What can happen if you don’t embrace new technology in business? * The more efficient you can help people be in your organization, the more capacity you have to grow. * Why you must be documenting all of your processes!
Favorite Quote:
"One of the biggest misconceptions about VMS is the cost, but in reality, mid-market programs can affordably implement enterprise-level solutions that provide significant ROI."
- Matt
Connect with Matt: With over 25 years of experience, Matt is a globally recognized expert in sales, inbound marketing, and business development. He has successfully founded, built and sold three companies, including a sales recruiting company and a digital marketing company focused on scaling staffing companies. He grew his sales recruiting company SalesForce Search and was on Profit Magazine’s Hot 50 list as the 4th fastest growing company in Canada.
Matt has a deep understanding of the staffing and recruiting industry and a passion for helping companies grow revenue. He is highly analytical and results-oriented, with a proven ability to develop and execute successful strategies.
Matt is also an engaging speaker and thought leader, sharing his insights on topics such as sales, digital marketing and scaling business. He has written articles for Forbes Magazine, Canadian Business, Profit Magazine and others and has been a featured guest on BNN. Matt has spoken several times at Inbound, Hubspot's annual conference and was a member of Hubspot’s Sales Services Advisory Council.
In 2017, Matt won Hubspot's Sales Enablement Award and was named one of LinkedIn's Top Most Influential Sales Professionals in 2019.
He is currently the Chief Revenue Officer for Bridge VMS with offices in Austin, London (UK) and Toronto.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-cook-b541011/
Email: mc@bridgevms.com
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 60 - Exploring the Benefits of Creating an Open and Honest Company Culture From the Beginning with Tracy Rocca As we continue to explore empathetic leadership within the staffing industry, my guest on this week's episode is Tracy Rocca, who brings over 30 years of experience to the table. Tracy shares her insights on creating an environment where authenticity and open communication are key from the start in the hiring process, highlighting the significance of creating a safe space for team members to feel heard and respected.
The art of building effective team dynamics is not overlooked, emphasizing the importance of understanding candidates beyond their resumes during interviews. This approach, which fosters genuine connections, contrasts with more traditional leadership styles that prioritize efficiency over personal connection. We challenge the misconception that money is the primary motivator for salespeople, suggesting that respect, appreciation, and a desire to win are equally crucial.
The episode further explores the role of KPIs and what they're truly designed for and the evolving perspectives on work-life balance across generations. This episode is a testament to how leaders can balance organizational needs with the human aspect of employment, ensuring that even the toughest decisions are handled with care and respect.
Key Moments: * The more authenticity you can welcome in at the start, during the hiring process, they brighter the future for all parties. * Openness, honestly, and empathy will allow people to be much more productive in their roles. * You can be an empathetic leader and still expect KPI's to be met. * If you've had open and honest conversations, there should be no surprises.
Favorite Quote:
"Our business is people. If empathy doesn't come naturally to you, maybe this isn't the right industry for you."
- Tracy
Connect with Tracy: Tracy has worked in various aspects of the staffing business at both the branch and corporate level. Some of the roles that she has held include Senior Consultant, Branch Manager, Strategic Account Manager, and has had Vice President roles in National Acccounts, On-site Management and now responsible for Canada from coast to coast. She has won many awards in her time in the business that show her dedication and reliability. Her extensive experience includes supporting clients across Canadian industries, full P&L responsibility and building high-performance teams.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-rocca-186867a/
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 59 - The Impact of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Shifts in the Workplace with Louisa Benedicto Welcome back to Talent Titans! In this episode, I welcome Louisa Benedicto, a Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at Hays. Louisa, who brings her extensive recruitment and DEI expertise from across the UK, Japan, and North America, discusses the evolving corporate attitudes towards DEI strategies, particularly in North America, where many companies are reevaluating their commitments amid economic and societal pressures. We refer to the pendulum effect post-2020 that has led some organizations to shift their focus back to profit-driven areas, while still considering the crucial role of legal, social, and ethical factors in shaping their DEI approaches.
While navigating DEI challenges in the workplace is complex, Louisa and I examine the need for inclusive recruitment practices, advocating for the removal of unnecessary barriers such as degree requirements and lengthy tenures, and the importance of transparent job ads that cater to underrepresented groups. We also highlight the importance of systemic changes within organizations, employee morale concerns, transparency and honesty, ensuring opportunities for all are based on skills and potential.
Key Moments: * How companies are shifting from the DEI efforts of 2020. * DEI covers so many more areas than just hiring from marginalized communities. * Get clear about what you want to do. Do you truly welcome diversity? * Employee morale is at an all-time low. Companies taking steps back in DEI initiatives come across as though they don't care.
Favorite Quote:
"The essence of effective DEI strategies lies in systemic change—ensuring opportunities are based on skills and potential, rather than arbitrary qualifications."
- Louisa
Connect with Louisa: Louisa Benedicto is Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I), Corporate Social Responsibility, and Sustainability at Hays – covering the Americas region including Canada, the U.S. and Latin American Countries. She specializes in DE&I within the recruitment process, enabling our clients to implement best practices that ensure everyone gets a fair opportunity in the recruitment practices.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisabenedicto/
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 58 - Humanizing Leadership and Creating Empathetic Culture with Jaime Alvarez In this episode of Talent Titans, I’m talking to Jaime Alvarez, the Global Head of RPO at Brunel, about how we can further humanize leadership and his REAL definition of empathy. His upbringing, coupled with his exposure to varied cultures, taught him the universal language of empathy—a vital tool in his global leadership journey. Jaime shares how his early experiences shaped his empathetic leadership style, allowing him to effectively manage diverse teams across the globe while fostering an environment of understanding and mutual respect.
Empathy in the workplace goes beyond simply acknowledging colleagues' emotions; it is the backbone of a culture that encourages growth and accountability. Throughout our conversation, Jaime and I get real about honesty and sometimes difficult dialogues that provoke improvement and collaboration. By reimagining conflict as an opportunity for growth, we discuss how to cultivate an environment of empathy that thrives on flexibility and mutual support. Leadership with empathy doesn't just happen—it requires intentional choices and genuine care.
Key Moments: * The value of empathy begins with your upbringing and childhood experiences. * How to create a culture of empathy and spread it among associates within an organization. * Why some leaders are so quick to just let people go. * Attention leaders: It’s okay to be vulnerable! You don’t have to have all of the answers.
Favorite Quote:
"Empathy for me is creating an environment where people understand everybody's clear, including myself, that we have goals to meet. It is my job as a leader to make sure that they have it clear."
- Jaime
Connect with Jaime: I get excited easily when I see an opportunity to help and influence companies, improve their talent acquisition process and subsequently see fast improvement in their business. I am passionate about people, about their careers and what we do, as a company, to support them. In this fast moving world I adapt fast, build teams and solutions that represent a need today or anticipate the one for tomorrow.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alvarezjaime/
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 57 - How A.I. and Automation Are Disrupting the Staffing Industry with Laura Boivin In this episode of Talent Titans, I welcome Laura Boivin from Cartwheel to discuss how automation is a game-changer, with particular focus on the staffing industry. With her rich expertise in technology and AI, Laura clarifies the critical distinction between automation and artificial intelligence, explaining how automation's efficiency and error reduction can effectively complete mundane tasks. We go through the historical evolution of automation and its vital role in reducing manual workloads, highlighting why staffing agencies can't afford to ignore this technological advancement.
It's not always easy. Sometimes, you reach a bumpy road to tech adoption in staffing agencies, stressing the importance of involving frontline staff in crucial technology decisions. Whether you're a decision-maker or a tech enthusiast, this episode is full of thought-provoking discussions designed to keep you at the forefront of industry innovation.
Key Moments: * The definition of automation and an explanation of how AI and automation are very different. * Staffing agencies are losing money by not automating - learn why. * A staggering 50-60% of tech bought by a company is actually being used in the business. * The pushback and fear regarding AI and automations replacing workers.
Favorite Quote:
"The goal of automation isn't to take away people's jobs, but to free them up for strategic thinking and business growth."
- Laura
Connect with Laura: Laura is the Director of Enterprise Partnerships at Cartwheel. She is an accomplished entrepreneur, computer scientist, and sales professional with a proven track record of driving business growth and implementing transformative solutions in the technology sector. She is passionate about empowering staffing organizations to grow by transforming their accounts receivable process.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-boivin/
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 56 - How to Balance Empathy and Assertiveness in Leadership with Andrea Mancini In today's episode, I'm excited to welcome Andrea Mancini, Vice President of Sales at ADECO Canada, as she shares over 20 years of expertise in the staffing industry. Andrea offers a fresh perspective on how to balance empathy and assertiveness, especially in sales, can invigorate team dynamics and drive success without compromising performance goals.
We address the complexities of managing and coaching sales teams in a rapidly changing market, like how transparent communication and empowering team members without micromanagement can enhance collaboration and creativity. Andrea shares how empathy has been instrumental in guiding underperforming team members toward success by recognizing their potential and understanding their struggles. Ultimately, you must develop empathy, or you will struggle in your leadership role.
Key Moments: * You must be able to put yourself in other people's shoes to lead with empathy. * How do you manage or coach without the person feeling like they're being micromanaged? * Combat micromanaging with transparency in your messaging. * You can't hide from the numbers. Why sales is the perfect space to practice empathy in leadership.
Favorite Quote:
"Empathy should be in your DNA as a leader. If you don't have it, then you shouldn't be a leader."
- Andrea
Previous episode with Ziba Alizadeh: https://youtu.be/nVj1_s8p9aY
Connect with Andrea: Appointed Vice President of Sales at Adecco Canada in 2023, Andrea Mancini brings over 20 years of experience in the staffing industry, having held a variety of leadership roles from Recruitment Management to SMB Business Development, Field Management, and Enterprise Sales. Prior to her current position, Andrea was Director of Sales for Adecco Canada, where her achievements included winning the company’s prestigious Super Stars Award for highest sales in Canada as an Enterprise Sales Associate in 2018 and 2020.
Andrea’s success stems from her ability to solve complex workforce challenges in today’s dynamic job market. Her leadership is characterized by a strong track record of inspiring sales teams to achieve significant wins. She is deeply passionate about coaching and mentoring her teams to grow both personally and professionally.
In addition to her extensive experience in staffing, Andrea has worked in the retail, advertising, and education sectors, where she has continually embraced challenges to push herself and reach her full potential.
A graduate of Brock University with an Honours Degree in Business Communications, Andrea also holds a College Diploma from Humber College in Theatre Arts. She is an active member of the Centennial College Corporate Program Advisory Committee, where she contributes her expertise to guide the next generation of professionals.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/all/?heroEntityKey=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_profile%3AACoAAAD7JoMB0xzeaa-4UvU6nDTLYyyaw_KG82Y&keywords=Andrea%20Mancini&origin=ENTITY_SEARCH_HOME_HISTORY&sid=1N6
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 55 - Using Empathy and Logic to Redefine Leadership with Angela Baade Welcome back to another episode! This time, I'm pleased to introduce you to Angela Baade as she shares her wisdom on how empathy and leadership can transform the staffing industry. Angela brings to light the importance of investing in underperforms who are willing to learn and grow, highlighting resilience and adaptability as key to weathering market fluctuations. Angela has a very nuanced understanding of supporting team members through industry shifts, especially those who are new to these dynamics.
We address the frustrations around how fear and uncertainty are reshaping strategies and candidate decisions, leading to a more challenging recruiting environment. We emphasize the critical need for clear communication and consistent expectations to effectively navigate these issues, with an acknowledgment of how candidates are increasingly reconsidering offers amidst these uncertainties. We also discuss strategies to align individual performance with company goals while maintaining financial viability, stressing that empathy is a focus, we must consider the cost of accountability.
Key Moments: * Who underperformers are and why we choose to retain them. * Even when things are looking sad and bleak, you must find the wins to celebrate. * The numbers will tell you everything. Learn to read and understand them. * How to move forward when goals aren't being met and empathy has been given.
Favorite Quote:
"Leadership with empathy involves recognizing the potential in underperforming employees and investing in their growth, as they might be the key to future success."
- Angela
Connect with Angela: Angela Baade is a staffing and recruitment expert with over 15 years of experience. As an Executive Vice President at Gainor Staffing in NYC, she oversees operations, temporary staffing services, and recruitment. A Certified Staffing Professional, Angela's expertise lies in uniting teams, fostering career growth, and staying updated on industry best practices. Her passion for making a positive impact on lives and workplaces, coupled with her love for lifelong learning and career development, drives her dedication to the field. Angela is a member of the ASA Women in Leadership Council and is active with the New York Staffing Association.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelabaade/
Email: angela@gainor.net
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 54 - Discovering Rebel Leadership and The Purpose of Positive Agitation with Mark Coetzee In this episode of Talent Titans, I'm sitting down with Mark Coetzee, a consultant who's disrupting the realms of traditional leadership methods and we're discovering how these methods often fall short in addressing the challenges of innovation in businesses. We kick off with an exploration of what it truly means to be a rebel leader. Contrary to common misconceptions, rebel leadership isn't about causing chaos; it's about challenging the status quo with a focus on constructive disruption.
Many leaders shy away from the nitty-gritty tasks such as interviews or order fulfillment, often due to fear of embarrassment or the desire to maintain an ego. However, Mark argues for the power of vulnerability, urging leaders to embrace humility and empathy. By learning from their teams and fostering a culture where empathy is seen as a strength, leaders can transform their organizations.
Mark introduces the concept of "positive agitation," which involves setting ambitious yet realistic targets through open communication. This approach not only motivates employees but also helps recognize and address signs of a stalling culture. By engaging directly with their teams, leaders can ensure growth and success while maintaining employee satisfaction and retention. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in innovative leadership in not just the staffing industry, but any industry, worldwide.
Key Moments: * What is Rebel Leadership and the surprising fact about innovation in many businesses. * Surrounding yourself with "yes" people is not a solution. * Why some leaders refuse to get into the trenches in their organizations. * Positive agitation and the purpose behind delivering communication with the intent to constructively disrupt.
Favorite Quote: "Many organizations, believe it or not, do not actually want to innovate. They'd rather be focused on buying turnover and happy to just tick along."
- Mark
Connect with Mark: Mark, the winner of the 2024 Canadian Staffing Summit Leadership Award, brings over 30 years of executive/board level experience across five continents, achieving excellent returns for shareholders with a track record of formulating, advising, and assisting in execution of chosen strategy, resulting in high impact performance improvement, business transformation and company turnarounds in multicultural environments. Working within organisations across 5 continents – including start up’s, mid-sized, and large/multinational organisations – typically within Private Equity, Private Equity/ Venture Capital type environments. Mark has played a pivotal role including but not limited to 3 successful exits: 2 x PE events, 1 x listing on a stock exchange, several 100% business transformation gigs, from major loss-making situations to full profitability.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-coetzee-0b383548/
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 53 - Being A Woman’s Ally in A Man’s World with Sean Simmonds In this episode, I'm happy to be talking with Sean Simmons, the operations lead for RemX Staffing's healthcare division. Last week's episode featured Ziba, Sean's colleague and I'm excited to hear his perspective on the topics at hand, being an ally for women. With his extensive experience across various roles in the U.S., Sean offers a unique perspective on how female leaders often bring a heightened sense of empathy and care to the workplace. Sean helps to highlight how men can support these strengths by embracing diverse leadership styles, fostering inclusivity, and actively advocating for women's career advancement. Sean also touches on the power of sponsorship in building a more inclusive and effective leadership culture, creating a supportive environment that benefits everyone.
On a bit of a more serious note, we stress the importance of seeking guidance, documenting incidents, and the role men play in advocating for equity. Reflecting on the workplace culture shifts over the past decade, the presence of strong female leaders like Ziba is celebrated for inspiring teams to become allies for change. Additionally, we explore the dynamics of adapting to leadership styles, whether familiar or new, and offer strategies for thriving under female leadership.
In this episode:
-Sean's perspective on why women make great leaders in the workplace.
-Leadership isn't a one-size-fits-all operation.
-Reasons why ideas brought on by women oftentimes are looked over, especially in the workplace.
-How we can support women, their ideas, and make the workplace overall a more cohesive place to be.
-Nothing will ever change if you continue to sweep issues under the rug.
Key Moments: * Sean's perspective on why women make great leaders in the workplace. * Leadership isn't a one-size-fits-all operation. * Reasons why ideas brought on by women oftentimes are looked over, especially in the workplace. * How we can support women, their ideas, and make the workplace overall a more cohesive place to be. * Nothing will ever change if you continue to sweep issues under the rug.
Favorite Quote:
"Encouraging women to voice their ideas and collaborating with them can create a platform where their contributions are respected and acknowledged. It's about fostering an environment where everyone feels valued."
- Sean
Connect with Sean: I grew up in Seattle, Washington area and graduated from University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. Shortly after school, I moved to Scottsdale, AZ and found my first professional position in staffing. I recruited Nurses and caregivers for home health and clinical services for 4 years and then was given an exciting opportunity to recruit in the IT space at a boutique talent partner for leading private equity investors in San Francisco.
I learned a lot from Silicon Valley and loved living in SF but again was provided another unpassable IT recruiting opportunity that would take me to Chicago, IL and recruit for an excellent Managed Service Firm. I didn’t last too long in Chicago due to those freeeeezing holiday months, so after my second winter I moved to LA and found a home at RemX.
I was recently promoted from a Senior Staffing Manager role in September of last year and now am the Operations Lead for a brand new Healthcare Division with RemX. I’m extremely excited to contribute to its success and watch it grow so we can make a real difference in the industry!
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 52 - Exploring Gender Dynamics in Healthcare Leadership with Ziba Alizadeh In this episode, I'm sitting down with Ziba Alizadeh, Vice President of Healthcare Solutions at RemX, so we can explore the role gender dynamics plays in our lives and businesses. Despite the booming addition of healthcare jobs, the industry faces a daunting talent shortage. Ziba talks about how the burnout from the COVID-19 pandemic and the economy are reshaping the landscape, leaving healthcare organizations in a relentless race to attract and retain skilled professionals.
We'll explore the complexities of leadership as we dive into the often-unseen battles women face in traditionally male-dominated industries. Through my own journey, I share the delicate balance of masculine and feminine energies in leadership roles, navigating perceptions of being "too alpha," and the power of authenticity. We explore the vital role of empathy and mental health in leadership, challenging outdated traditions for a more inclusive future.
Finally, the conversation shifts to the importance of allies and networking in creating equitable opportunities for all. We celebrate the progress made towards gender equality, emphasizing the necessity of male allies who genuinely support and foster inclusive environments. Through personal stories of mentorship and serendipitous connections, we underscore the importance of authenticity in leadership and the power of community in shaping the recruitment industry's future.
Key Moments: * -Why burnout is so prominent among healthcare workers and what Ziba's company is doing to help with the shortage of workers. * -3 helpful pieces of advice Suky received before diving into the staffing industry. * -It's not about doing things the perfect way, it's about overcoming fears and embracing bravery. * -When you're truly authentic, you will be more respected in the long run. * -We have to ask questions to learn about others, especially in different gender roles.
Favorite Quote:
"Words have the power to build humanity or tear it down; it's essential to use them wisely, both in how we communicate with others and how we speak to ourselves."
- Ziba
Connect with Ziba: Ziba has been bringing value to internal/external clients and industry work teams for over 20 years. Ziba has a list of devoted clients and long-term partnerships on account of her fresh and comprehensive approach to talent acquisition along with her unwavering commitment to quality service delivery.
She is working in the Contract, Contract to Hire, and Direct Hire space managing expansive multi-million-dollar territories. She is the leader of Employbridge’s Healthcare solutions division supporting clinical and non-clinical roles for our clients throughout the country.
Her ability to navigate nuances in these large diverse markets has been instrumental in her success.
Ziba underscores her commitment to staying at the forefront of industry through her multiple designations including:
Certified Healthcare Professional (CHP), Certified Staffing Professional (CSP), Certified Search Consultant (CSC), Certified Internet Recruiter (CIR), Advanced Certified Internet Recruiter (ACIR), Certified External Search Consultant (CESC), Certified Internal Search Consultant (CISC), Certified Staffing Professional, and Certified Staffing Consultant.
One mark of her commitment to delivering extraordinary results is her long-standing partnership with one of California's largest employers. Exclusivity is a mark of both trust and competency in our business and Ziba is fortunate enough to enjoy exclusive relationships with 95% of her clients.
Ziba has demonstrated her leadership acumen by managing and developing up to 25 person teams, leading and guiding them to achieve collective goals and multiple top performance awards. Ziba currently serves as a committee member on American Staffing Association’s Healthcare section. Additionally, she acts as a trainer to the staffing industry and is a public speaker in various sectors.
Outside of her professional life, Ziba enjoys the simple pleasures of life. You can often find her engrossed in a great book, gliding along the beach on rollerblades, exploring destinations both domestic and international, and cherishing quality time with her loved ones.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zibaalizadeh/
Email: ziba.alizadeh@remx.com
Connect with Suky: I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 51 - Dave Hartin, Success Isn’t About Clocking Hours
People often show up every day and expect results from simply doing that. But if you own your own business or make your money off of commission, you’re going to need to do more than just punch the clock and occupy the space. Learning what to do to be the most effective in the least amount of time is what brings success, not just showing up.
Key Moments:
- How Dave came to a place where they decided to start Aixal Consulting Ltd
- One of the biggest challenges Dave and his team faced launching Aixal
- Why Dave feels like you are more secure in a smaller company versus with one of the large corporations
- Why Dave and Aixal don’t advertise and what they focus on instead
- The difference between hours worked and hard work and how to focus on the latter
- Some of the common mistakes Dave sees other staffing companies make
Favorite Quote:
“Understand what’s important, what’s urgent, and what isn’t.“
- Dave
Connect with Dave:
Dave is a leader who has dedicated his career to the art of talent acquisition and executive search. As the President of Aixal Consulting Ltd, he brings a wealth of experience and a reputation for excellence in identifying and placing top-tier talent across diverse industries and sectors.
With a deep-rooted passion for helping organizations find the perfect fit for their leadership teams, Dave has consistently demonstrated an innate ability to match exceptional individuals with companies seeking to drive growth and innovation. His strategic insights and unwavering commitment to client satisfaction have positioned Aixal as a trusted partner for organizations striving to build high-performing leadership teams.
Outside of his professional endeavors, Dave is an advocate for community involvement and philanthropy. He has been heavily involved in minor sports, running local sports organizations and coaching at all levels. He is involved in various charitable organizations and believes in giving back to the community as a means of creating a better future for all.
With a commitment to excellence, a dedication to fostering diverse leadership, and a deep-seated passion for the executive search industry, Dave continues to lead Aixal to new heights, helping clients secure the key talent they need to succeed in a rapidly evolving business landscape.
Connect with Suky:
I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 50 - Mark Tower, Obtaining US Relevancy From Canada
Many times we look at borders as impassable brick walls, especially the border between the United States and Canada. Changing your perspective is the first step to expanding your business into the US, which is probably not nearly as hard as you may anticipate.
Key Moments:
- How Mark got started working in the US without ever leaving Canada
- Why Mark feels that there is plenty for room for expansion in the US staffing industry for companies based in Canada
- Why living close to an airport in Canada can make more of a difference than actually living in the US
- Why Mark feels that working internationally with the US should go both ways
- Mark’s tips for gaining legitimacy in the US staffing market
- How the US and Canadian Staffing Industries differ the most
- Why you should try to first determine someone’s objection before just trying to lower the price
Favorite Quote:
“I think we are now beyond borders.“
- Mark Tower
Connect with Mark:
Phone: 905.515 9986
Email: TheTowers44@gmail.com
Mark Tower is the Chief Operating Officer at Joblio, where he leads strategic initiatives to enhance operational efficiency and drive growth. With over 25 years of experience in the staffing and recruitment industry, Mark has a proven track record of optimizing processes and developing innovative solutions to meet the evolving needs of clients and candidates alike.
Before joining Joblio, Mark held various leadership roles in prominent staffing firms, where he successfully implemented scalable systems and improved service delivery. His expertise lies in operations management, project execution, and team leadership, ensuring that Joblio remains at the forefront of the employment sector.
Mark holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration and is passionate about leveraging technology to transform the recruitment landscape. Mark enjoys mentoring young professionals and exploring the latest trends in workforce management.
Outside of work, Mark enjoys travel, family, faith and all competitive sports.
Connect with Suky:
I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 49 - Richard Fernandes, Demonstrating Value as a Headhunter
Headhunters and the rest of us in the recruitment industry tend to downplay what it is that we do and the effect we have on the world. It is said that we will spend more than one third of our lives working, so that is why finding the right butt for the right seat is so incredibly important. So don’t downplay it!
Key Moments:
- Where Richard’s passion for the staffing industry first originated from
- Why Richard holds the industry in such high esteem and is proud to be in staffing
- How staffing affects the GDP and so much more than just the individual industries
- Why so many people are unhappy in their current position and why they struggle to leave
- Why Richard thinks that we in the staffing industry can learn a lot from real estate
- Why Richard doesn’t look down on those who work from home and aren’t employed by big firms
- How to build trust with your clients through building processes behind the scenes
Favorite Quote:
“80% of the workforce is unhappy in their job, and the reason being is that a lot of folks that have taken a job are stuck in the job.“
- Richard Fernandes
Connect with Richard:
Richard C. Fernandes is a highly recognized thought leader in the $150 billion North American recruitment industry. His vision and energy inspired the creation of The Staffing Exchange’s “Recruiter Entrepreneur Platform”.
The Staffing Exchange Inc. (TSE) was founded with a firm commitment to standardizing the multi-billion dollar recruitment industry with streamlined managed services for leading corporations and passive candidates through recruiter entrepreneurs. “Our fully integrated platform provides investment capital, technology, support systems, and payroll funding for all our stakeholders to collaborate more effectively in the recruitment process. TSE provides Best-in-Class services combined with payroll funding to help any size company with their growth and workforce planning needs," asserts Mr. Fernandes. TSE is the first consolidated platform to fully integrate coaching, technology, investment capital, and unlimited payroll funding in the recruitment industry.
About Our Founder: Richard C. Fernandes is a highly recognized thought leader in the $150 billion North American recruitment industry. His vision and energy inspired the creation of The Staffing Exchange’s “Recruiter Entrepreneur Platform”. Company Overview: The Staffing Exchange Inc. (TSE) was founded with a firm commitment to standardizing the multi-billion dollar recruitment industry with streamlined managed services for leading corporations and passive candidates through recruiter entrepreneurs. “Our fully integrated platform provides investment capital, technology, support systems, and payroll funding for all our stakeholders to collaborate more effectively in the recruitment process. TSE provides Best-in-Class services combined with payroll funding to help any size company with their growth and workforce planning needs," asserts Mr. Fernandes. TSE is the first consolidated platform to fully integrate coaching, technology, investment capital, and unlimited payroll funding in the recruitment industry.
Connect with Suky:
I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 48 - Why Do You Fear Making Sales Calls?
Ultimately we are primally adverse to failure because in the past, failure could mean death. So when the chance of failure appears, we often turn the other way and run so as to avoid certain danger. If we want to find success, we must stay and endure and make the calls. It’s the only way.
Key Moments:
- Why it’s so important to embrace text but to be careful with email automation
- How getting to the root of why you don’t like cold calls can be helpful
- Things you can do to warm up the client so you don’t have to call cold
- Why you need to learn to deal with rejection if you ever hope to be successful
- Why you are still in sales if you are only on the candidate side of the equation
- How to deal with your feelings that your cost may be too high for the market
Favorite Quote:
“He told me, ‘Suky, I told them they need to fire you. You’ll never be successful in this industry because you don’t know how to sell and you are fearful of rejection.’ All of that was true at the time.“
- Suky Sodhi
Connect with Suky:
I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 47 - What is The Recruitment Professionals Forum (RPF)
Often the Canadian Staffing Industry gets lumped in with the US industry even though they are two entirely different industries that do include some crossover, but the rules are indeed very different. It’s time for Canada to stand on its own.
Key Moments:
- Why the Canadian staffing community needs to unite and work together in collaboration
- How Bill 27 helped point out the need for the community to become more organized
- Some upcoming dates those in the Canadian Staffing Industry need to be made aware of
- Some of the benefits of becoming a forum member and why you should join
Favorite Quote:
“It was time we stood up on our own two feet… Bill 27, we nearly got blindsided on that one.“
- Suky Sodhi
Connect with Suky:
I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 46 - Pam Ghandial, Recruitment Through Relationships
Recruitment really is about building and maintaining relationships. Every relationship is different and requires a different level of attention, but maintaining that relationship in the long run almost always pays off with referrals and repeat business, which is the bread and butter of any staffing agency.
Key Moments:
- How Pam came to cofound Alliance Consulting with her son
- Some of the things Pam most likes about working with her son and what younger people can bring to the industry
- Why referrals and relations are so important in staffing and most industries in general
- Why treating people how you want to be treated has always worked and will always work
- Why it makes such a difference in your life if you truly love what you do
- Some of the things people fear when people switch directions in their career
- How taking a mental break can make you much productive and happy in the long run
Favorite Quote:
“You have to find something that you are passionate about besides your work that you can go and do for yourself. That’s so important…your work should not be your life“
- Pam Ghandial
Connect with Pam:
Alliance Consulting consists of a team of specialists within the Staffing and Recruitment industry. We know that exceptional companies require exceptional people, and that's exactly what we aim to provide.
Asides from sourcing candidates, we go above and beyond by also interviewing, screening, and vetting each and every candidate. Each candidate will discover the value of your company and aid with providing growth without exception.
Co Founder, Alliance Consulting Co.
As the Co Founder at Alliance Consulting Co., I bring over a decade of experience in HR and recruitment to my role, offering unparalleled expertise in sourcing top talent for diverse industries. Established in January 2023 and based in Canada,and USA , Alliance Consulting Company US. thrives under joint leadership, providing clients with specialized and expert recruitment services tailored to their unique needs.
With a career spanning over 20 years across various sectors and roles, I bring a wealth of experience and a people-first approach to everything I do. My commitment to excellence and my ability to deliver results have consistently driven the success of the teams and organizations I have worked with. Today, as the head of Alliance Consulting Co., I continue to provide expert recruitment solutions that meet and exceed the expectations of our clients.
Connect with Suky:
I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 45 - Michael King, Why We Need to Drive R&D
Playing things safe will rarely get you to where you intend to go, especially if you are in the tech industry. Canadians tend to want to play it safe and squirrel away money when really in the long run that’s not the safest plan. A tech company must continue to evolve and that means extensively investing in R&D.
Key Moments:
- How Michael went from being a diplomat in South Africa to technical recruitment in Canada
- What motivated Michael to leave a well-known staffing industry to a company relatively unknown in Canada
- Why Michael feels some tech companies are abandoning the Canadian market
- How driving R&D will help keep tech companies who are operating in Canada
- Some of the things Michael things we can do to retain skilled tech workers in Canada
- Why Michael feels that recruitment is a linchpin in any economy
- Why being transactional with clients will only hurt you in the long run
- Where Michael’s optimism for the future of Canada’s economy comes from
Favorite Quote:
“We are responsible for people’s lives. We are responsible for families, and we need to take that very seriously.“
- Michael King
Connect with Michael:
Michael started his career as a diplomat for the democratically elected government of South Africa, responsible for engagement and negotiations with multilateral agencies such as the United Nations, World Bank, and IMF. In this role Michael had the good fortune of briefly working with former president Nelson Mandela during South Africa’s return to the General Assembly. He then advanced to manage donor funding for NORAD and the establishment of a Venture Capital fund to advance collaboration between Norwegian and Sub-Saharan businesses in Africa. Michael’s subsequent executive roles were in Asset Management, building asset management businesses from the ground up in Africa and the Middle East.
Upon immigrating to Canada, Michael was responsible for advancing institutional sales for RBC Global Asset Management in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Scandinavia. His technical experience includes building and managing new Data Analytics business in North America and providing data analytics solutions for companies globally. More recently Michael has over seven years of experience in the recruitment industry, having advanced enterprise sales for global recruitment companies. More recently Michael was appointed as the Vice President of Sales for Spruce Infotech in Canada, a dynamic privately owned company headquartered in the United States providing technical recruitment and managed services. Michael holds a B.A Hons. degree in International Relations and has also completed various courses including Managing Cross Cultural organizations at the University of Berkley, California.
Connect with Suky:
I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 44 - Lana Khoury - Failing Towards Success
Things are rarely as they seem. It’s not until you are truly knee deep in a subject that you fully begin to understand the ins and outs. That’s why we can’t fake experience, and the easiest way to gain real experience is to jump in and start failing.
Key Moments:
- How COVID favored those who were not hourly workers and how that changed things for Lana
- How Lana came up with the name Aukazi and how you pronounce it and why she likes that it’s quirky and weird
- How Aukazi is helping hourly paid workers to connect with employers and how either side can leverage the platform
- Some of the challenges Lana has faced while building Aukazi and how she has overcome them
- Why Lana is not interested in competing with agencies but rather working with them to make the industry better
- Why Lana feels like it’s all been worth it even though they didn’t launch on budget
- Why you need to bring in experts and not be able to expect to do everything on your own
- While failing early and often is so important when starting a new venture
Favorite Quote:
“We can’t be set in our ways when you start a business. You think you know what you want and you go with it, but then you have to use the data, and you have to use the feedback, and you have to work directly with customers and industry experts to help you make the right move.“
- Lana Khoury
Connect with Lana:
Aukazi
Lana Khoury is a visionary leader revolutionizing temporary and seasonal hiring through her innovative platform, Aukazi. With over 16 years of full-cycle recruitment experience and a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing from Concordia University's John Molson School of Business, Lana leverages her strategic and analytical strengths to create a seamless ecosystem that connects employers and workers using advanced technology, all while partnering with several recruiting agencies.
Her career includes notable roles at Cardinal Health Canada, WilsonHCG, New Frontiers School Board, Optimal Payments PLC, Pfizer, and TEKsystems, where she honed her skills in enhancing candidate experience, optimizing recruitment processes, and driving HR initiatives in complex, cross-functional environments.
Connect with Suky:
I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 43 - Suky Sodhi: Preparing For Bill 27 Changes
Big changes are coming for those in the staffing industry who do business in Ontario starting July 1st. Bill 27 is coming and will undoubtedly change the way you do business in some shape or form.
Key Moments:
- What is Bill 27 and how does it affect those who do business in Ontario?
- Who Bill 27 is designed to help and how it is designed to help them
- How Suky and others worked with the government to reshape the bill
- How and when to have your application in to stay compliant in Ontario
- Some of the new requirements going forward starting July 1st
- Further details on who all of these changes apply to and how they will affect your business
Favorite Quote:
“We really must come together as a community and as an industry and speak for ourselves because nobody else is going to do it.“
- Suky Sodhi
Connect with Suky:
I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 42 - Andy Kohler, How COVID Empowered the Worker
There’s no doubt the game was changed with the onslaught of COVID. The tables have now shifted and the workers have now proven they are to be trusted to be productive even when not under the direct scrutiny of the higher-ups. Things are no doubt different, but what exactly does that mean for staffing?
Key Moments:
- What some of the upcoming changes are for US staffing companies working in Canada including licensing requirements
- Why trends in staffing tend to be an indicator or where things are headed with the economy
- How and why Presidential elections in the US tend to slow down decision making
- How COVID has flipped the script and why the worker has more power now
- Why Andy feels that remote working is here to stay and what that means
- Why Andy is watching the developing legislation in New Jersey and what it means for the temp workers and staffing agencies
- How AI can be used to make things more efficient in the staffing industry
Favorite Quote:
“The worker can demand more than what they used to just a couple years ago because of COVID. It kind of flipped the script on who had the power.“
- Andy Kohler
Connect with Suky:
I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 41 - Moe Nazariha, Solving Problems in Staffing
Some people are pessimistic and spend a good portion of their time looking for problems. A small selection of people are optimistic and also spend a good portion of their time looking for problems, only they often refer to and view them as opportunities for ways to grow and further serve a need. Moe Nazariha is most certainly the latter.
Key Moments:
- Some of the things that Moe seems as problems worth fixing in the staffing industry
- Why it’s so important to have a solid foundation and process if you expect to see growth
- How Suky’s Staffing Summit and Podcast have inspired Moe to work on their own presence
- Why it’s so important to get on a better cycle of repeat business so you aren’t continually having to sell yourself just to stay alive
- How Moe and OpenShortlist.com are helping streamline the process for Indie Recruiters
- How Moe plans to further serve the needs of recruiters moving forward into the future
Favorite Quote: “In the case of a recruiter, you have two customers, there’s the company that’s hiring, and the candidate. So you have to treat them both as customers, and you want that experience to be consistent.“
- Moe Nazariha
Connect with Moe:
As the founder of OpenShortlist.com, Moe Nazariha has carved out a unique niche in the recruitment industry, particularly focusing on independent and boutique recruitment agencies. Moe's journey into entrepreneurship is built upon his experience and curiosity in the intersection of humans and technology. Moe's vision for OpenShortlist emerged from a keen observation of the challenges faced by independent recruiters. Challenges that are often overlooked by larger firms and traditional recruitment platforms. Recognizing this potential, Moe founded the OpenShortlist platform - dedicated to the "Indie Recruiters" - to empower these professionals by providing them with the tools and resources necessary to thrive in the competitive recruitment landscape. In addition to building and running a software company, Moe has recently launched - OpenShortlist Radio, not to be just another podcast, but a vibrant community hub, and the collective voice for forward-thinking indie recruiters. Through this channel, he aims to influence the recruitment industry, advocating for changes that not only improve how small recruitment businesses operate but also how they are perceived in the broader business community.
If you're curious to learn more about his platform or the community, you can reach out to him directly on Linkedin Moe Nazariha
Connect with Suky:
I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 40 - Saye Sathyiakumar, Thrive to Serve: Cultivating Growth for Giving
Everyone would love to change the world or at the very least their community. The reality is that money can help as a catalyst for the change you wish you could see. So why not put in some extra hustle in your everyday life to grow big so you can afford to give big?
Key Moments:
- How and why Saye got into the staffing industry right out of college
- Why Saye feels so connected to the neighborhood that he grew up in to the point that he still mostly employs people that grew up like he did
- The events that led to Saye becoming an investor and owner of a local restaurant he had gone to all his life
- How and why Saye has gotten involved in providing support for the elementary school he went to as a child
- The method Saye uses to help determine who and how he will offer support to those in need
- Why Saye has chosen to keep his business in Scarborough vs. moving into the Downtown Toronto area
Favorite Quote: “You can either change the world, and it might take you decades to do… Or you can change your community in one lifespan.“
- Saye Sathyiakumar
Connect with Saye:
Saye is an elite executive within the recruitment industry, with 10+ years of high-level sales, strategy, operations, and management experience. Saye’s main focus is with Power Group, gunning to be the largest Healthcare & Technology staffing agency in Canada. He is also a shareholder in multiple businesses within Canada & U.S. Saye most recently acquired Stay Home Forever Inc. in Feb 2023, following another acquisition of Hourglass HR Inc. In March 2023, in which he served as President for both companies. Saye is a minority-based owner, who is very passionate about business and solving challenges.
Alongside his entrepreneurial ventures, he is a big advocate of giving back and specifically in regards to mental health awareness. Saye has been dedicating the last 2-3 years to gentrify and improve the lifestyle in his hometown of Scarborough, Ontario. Working alongside education institutions, community groups, and less fortunate neighborhoods to provide a platform for the beautiful culture, people, and talent of Scarborough to flourish in this corner of East Toronto.
Connect with Suky:
I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 39 - Paul Ratcliffe Part 2, Leading By Example
Often managers elevate themselves to that level so they won’t actually have to dig in and do the job, but is that really the best strategy? Is that a good way to lead? Or would you be much better off getting into the trenches when necessary next to those you are leading? How could you expect someone else to do the things you yourself are not willing and/or able to do?
Key Moments:
- The role emotional intelligence plays and why it’s so important to an organization
- Some of the questions that you should probably be asking yourself to get your mindset in the right place
- Some of the steps you can take to learn to get over the fear of cold calling
- Why you need to be willing and able to do the job itself if you plan to lead and manage others
- Why being vulnerable as a leader is so key and how it affects those around you
- How being flexible and open minded can serve you not only in the staffing industries but in pretty much any part of your life
Favorite Quote:
“I would never ask somebody to do something that I either have not done or would not be prepared to do. I think that is Leadership 101.“
- Paul Ratcliffe
Connect with Paul:
Paul Ratcliffe is the Vice President of Brunel and a Career and Executive coach based in Houston Texas specializing in helping people on a global basis to transform their careers and find purpose and passion in their professional lives.
Paul has a 20+ year in corporate staffing and human resources and moved into career coaching to help people overcome the challenges he personally faced when deciding to change career path.
Connect with Suky:
I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 38 - Paul Ratcliffe, The Business of People
Really when you break it down, staffing is just the business of people. That’s all there is. There are no otherwise tangible products or services involved. That is why you must have a passion for people and you must genuinely care about the people around you or be left with mediocre results.
Key Moments:
- Why you need to make sure people are capable of growth before asking them for more
- Why getting people on the right training program and making time in the day to do the training to grow is so crucial
- The reasons you really need to get out there and spend time with your team if you are in management
- Why if you’re not delegating properly you could be creating a glass ceiling
- The fear that some people have regarding delegation that prevents them from doing it
- Where Paul’s leadership style comes from and what it all consists of
- Why structure always seems to help especially with those in leadership roles
Favorite Quote: “This a people, pure people business. That’s the only thing it can be.“
- Paul Ratcliffe
Connect with Paul:
Paul Ratcliffe is the Vice President of Brunel and a Career and Executive coach based in Houston Texas specializing in helping people on a global basis to transform their careers and find purpose and passion in their professional lives.
Paul has a 20+ year in corporate staffing and human resources and moved into career coaching to help people overcome the challenges he personally faced when deciding to change career path.
Connect with Suky:
I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 37 - Canadian Staffing Industry Summit Awards
The 2024 Canadian Staffing Industry Summit is happening April 16-17th at the One King West Hotel in Toronto. On April 17th will also be the Canadian Staffing Industry Summit Awards. Listen in as Suky sits in with the board to hear some insights about how the board selects their winners.
Key Moments:
- What to consider when nominating people for the Canadian Staffing Industry Summit Awards
- Why noone on the board that chooses the winners are actually in the staffing industry
- The reasons only the board will know the winners prior to the award show. Not even Suky will know!
- How being recognized for your efforts can help attract more and better clients
- Why they have created categories for both large organizations and small to medium size ones
- Who is allowed to nominate people for the Canadian Staffing Industry Summit Awards
Favorite Quote: “The more companies we know, the more that we can reach to get those types of nominations to elevate some of these people that are just in the background. Men and women that are doing amazing work.“
- Michael Coffill
Connect with the Canadian Staffing Industry Summit Awards:
The Canadian Staffing Industry Summit is exclusively for staffing industry professionals and features International guest speakers. The Summit is headed up by Suky Sodhi, an award-winning staffing industry coach and trainer with over 40K LinkedIn followers and connections and a database of over 40K staffing industry professionals.
The summit is aimed to elevate the Canadian staffing industry on a global scale and will provide boutique agencies with access to expertise and technology which will allow them to scale their business with ease. Attendees will have the opportunity to collaborate with industry peers and service providers on best practices
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
Connect with Suky:
I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 36 - Gary Hayman, Identity Clarity: A Recipe for Retention
In staffing it’s easy to hire the first warm body that comes through the door. It’s even easier if you REALLY need people., but we all know what happens when you hire in haste. Taking the time to define who you are and who you are looking for is the key to lowering your turn over. So get defining!
Key Moments:
- How Gary feels it’s different going into staffing versus being on the other side of the counter
- How Adecco does so much more than just providing temporary staffing and how they can help your company
- Why the blue collar workforce is still continuing to show an increase in demand
- What Gary likes about the variety of industries he gets to work in while working n staffing compared to before when he was just in one industry
- Why taking the time to hire the right people always pays off in over turnover
- Why it’s so important to define yourself as an individual and as a company
- Why Gary is so passionate about communication and why he feels it's so key
- How staffing always ultimately comes down to working with people and why it’s important to remember that
Favorite Quote:
“If you can define who you are and what it means to work for an organization such as Adecco, that becomes the platform to grow from.“
- Gary Hayman
Connect with Gary:
Gary Hayman is the Senior Director of HR at Adecco Canada. Gary is passionate about building an organization that attracts and retains the best talent through which he can bring focus to developing a culture that enables the achievement of strategic business plans and supports colleagues in achieving their career best.
Gary brings over 25 years of management and executive human resource experience, connecting people with purpose within organizations. As a mentor and coach, Gary engages talent to realize their full potential while driving results.
Linked In
Connect with Suky:
I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 35 - Jeremy Schreifels, Your Brand, Your Dime, & Making It Count
Building your brand doesn’t have to mean investing a ton of money. There are a lot of things that you can do right now or sometime in the near future with little to no investment other than your time.
Key Moments:
- Why you need to think about your personal brand in everything that you do
- Why a good way to judge were your brand is is to simply type your name into Google and see what all comes up
- Some of the reasons Jeremy feels people are naturally afraid to be on camera
- Why “Just Starting” is so important and why you should do that immediately
- How doing one video podcast a month can be repurposed to provide you with a full month’s worth of content
- How you can use AI to help you generate content from your podcast episodes
- Why consistency is so crucial if you plan to launch your own podcast
Favorite Quote:
“You can get anywhere from probably 35-40 pieces of content out of one podcast video episode… So it’s like a month’s worth of content.“
- Jeremy Schreifels
Connect with Jeremy:
Jeremy Schreifels is a multi-talented individual who has made a significant impact in the realms of audio production, writing, voice activation, and executive coaching. Jeremy shines as an Executive Producer, Author, Keynote Speaker, Podcast Host, Executive Coach, and world-class Touring Drummer.
With a relentless commitment to integrity, a burning passion for his craft, and an unwavering dedication to creativity, Jeremy has emerged as a force to be reckoned with in his diverse fields of expertise. Most recently Jeremy has founded Box 7 Media, through which he is helping entrepreneurs get their voices heard.
JeremySchreifels.com
Box7Media.com
Rhythm of The Road Podcast
Connect with Suky:
I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 34- Chris Horak & Louisa Benedicto, Clearing The Path & Removing Barriers to Making More Placements
At the end of the day, the goal is always getting the best people for the job into the right seats. Today’s podcast offers tips and insight from some of the foremost experts currently in the industry in Canada into how you can successfully make more placements.
Key Moments:
- Learn what drove Louisa to get into staffing and where her burning passion lies
- What was the #1 Driver causing Chris to look more closely into women’s issues
- Why it seems to help get people onboard if you speak on why these issues are important
- Why there’s a push towards skill-based hiring vs. hiring people with certain qualifications
- Why you should always go back and adjust the job description and requirements everytime you go to rehire for a position
- How trying to hire a clone of the last successful person who was in the position almost never works
- Why pay transparency seems to be effective and why it’s spreading fast
- Why money is not always the #1 motivator on whether or not to take a position but it’s usually in the top 3
Favorite Quote:
“I should do a study on the amount of recruitment industry hours that have been wasted because a candidate wouldn’t take a job because of what it was paying, and only found out at the last stage.“
- Louisa Benedicto
Connect with Chris:
Chris Horak’s greatest ideas come from his love of cooking, chess, philosophy, economics, video games, hip-hop, novels of all kinds, and an endless stream of podcasts.
The passion Chris possesses for his ideas raises the spirits and sights of those he works with and inspires them to do more than they thought possible.
With Women@Indeed, Chris has helped raise awareness and donations for several charitable organizations focused on helping women. His teams have helped ~75k people get a job in Canada last year through their work with direct employees and staffing agencies.
CHorak@Indeed.com
Connect with Louisa:
Louisa Benedicto is the Senior Vice President and head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability for Hays which is the expert at recruiting qualified, professional and skilled people worldwide.
They operate across the private and public sectors, dealing in permanent positions, contract roles and temporary assignments. With 10,000 staff operating from 250 offices in 33 countries across 20 specialisms, last year Hays placed around 70,000 candidates into permanent jobs, and around 240,000 people into temporary assignments.
Louisa.Benedicto@Hays.com
Connect with Suky:
I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 33 - Michael Coffill, Leveraging EOR’s to Facilitate Growth
If you could allow someone else to take on the risk in parts of your business that you aren't as familiar with, you’d do it, wouldn’t you? For some reason, Canadians are seemingly slow to adopt the use of EOR’s in the staffing industry. But should they be?
Key Moments:
- What exactly does an EOR do and how do they help business owners
- How the laws regarding EOR’s differ from the United States and Canada
- How and EOR can help so you don’t have to fulfill the payroll while you are waiting to get paid
- Why some Canadians seem hesitant to adopt the EOR model even though it is recognized in the US and Europe
- How the new software that Michael and his team are working on help those in the staffing industry and when it is expected to launch
- Why Michael has gotten away from checks and is only using direct deposit for payroll
Favorite Quote:
“We take all the risk in hiring and give you all the profit.“
- Michael Coffill
Connect with Michael: With over 30 years of experience in staffing and recruitment, Michael Coffill founded Wages Corp in 2019 to provide various services to help you manage your Canadian workforce. Wages Corp is a business passionate about enabling independent recruiters, as well as small businesses, to reduce costs and risks, using their experience-based, back-office support system.
As the Founder and General Manager, Michael leads a team of professionals who specialize in payroll and receivables administration, employer of record, human resources, employer branding, and workers compensation administration. They take one of the largest costs (payroll) and leverage it to accomplish tasks only larger companies can afford to do.
WagesCorp.com
Connect with Suky:
I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 32 - Bryan Doyon, Investing Big In Your Company
Sometimes you need to go big and invest in yourself in the way that feels right to you and your business. Big moves when done methodically can lead to big gains, so you need to hang it out there and put your money where you mouth and invest.
Byran Doyon, founder of Professional Sourcing Solutions, has done just that by having a fellow Canadian company help him launch SourceMe, a new platform connecting those in the staffing world.
Key Moments:
- What the SourceMe Platform is and how it came to be out of necessity
- How SourceMe helps connect clients and candidates to fill both of their needs
- Why Bryan decided to use local companies to code the platform even though it raised the cost on the entire project
- Why if you are collecting clients data you should be concerned about who is managing it and where they are located
- The reasons Bryan is pleased they went with a local coding company and why he would do it the same way again
- Why dealing with Canadians helps Bryan feel at ease especially on big deals
Favorite Quote: “In the end if I look at it, did my company really overspend? Probably not, because I had a lot more time to do what my company was doing, which is recruitment.“
- Bryan Doyon
Connect with Bryan:
Bryan Doyon is the founder of Professional Sourcing Solutions, a permanent and temporary staffing agency. Professional Sourcing Solutions has also developed a secondary part of the company, a candidate management software solution platform that connects clients to candidates.
Bryan started the company in 2018, initially focusing on recruiting in the healthcare sector for nurses, physicians, and frontline staff. In essence, Professional Sourcing Solutions focuses on creating efficiencies and improving the quality of candidates for their clients.
Bryan@ProfessionalSourcingSolutions.ca
ProfessionalSourcingSolutions.ca
Essential Designs
Connect with Suky:
I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Episode 31- The All New Talent Titans!
Connect with Suky:
I’m Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.
With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous “recession” cycles.
Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the “people business”. For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.
Canadian Staffing Industry Summit
www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com
www.professionalselection.com
Today, we are kicking off our first annual Canadian Staffing Summit and it is SOLD OUT! Canada is gearing up to host its first-ever Canadian Staffing Industry Summit, an event that is slated to be the premier gathering for the global recruitment industry in the country. Hosted by Suky Sodhi, the summit will take place in Toronto on April 20th and is expected has attracted industry leaders, decision-makers, and experts from across the globe. The event will feature a range of speakers and industry professionals and is sponsored by numerous companies, including Job Adder, Daxter Technologies, Social Hire, Meridian Group, Deco Canada, Wage Cope, and Drake International. Among the speakers at the summit is Craig Brown, who will be introducing ProLink, an insurance company specializing in the staffing industry. TICKETS ARE SOLD OUT! And it is clear that the Canadian Staffing Industry Summit is shaping up to be a massive success. Craig Brown is excited to create a collaborative environment for industry discussions and hopes that the event will serve as a platform for industry professionals to share their insights and experiences, and build meaningful connections with one another. If you'd like to be included in upcoming events next year, be sure to drop a line to Suky at www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com . How To Get Involved: High-performance staffing industry mastermind leader. Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Connect with Suky: suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
Be sure to check out this and other previous episodes of Talent Titans in Apple Podcasts.
The Toronto Recruiting Summit is days away and none of it would be possible without the participation of Global Recruitment Industry Leaders like Cassidy Stewart of Job Adder.
Job Adder is sponsoring the first-ever Toronto Recruiting Summit on April 20th, which is focused on small-medium-sized businesses.
The summit includes legal power hours, CEO panels, and client panels, and explores the benefits of flexible contracts for businesses in the current economic climate.
Canadian staffing companies need to diversify their portfolios and adopt technology to optimize their processes and stay ahead of the latest technologies and laws.
At the summit, you will learn about the importance of data migration and cybersecurity, the benefits of using AI in recruitment, and the need for collaboration among industry leaders. Additionally, you'll gain insight into how to evaluate new providers and choose systems that are future-proof.
What You'll Learn:
- The importance of diversifying portfolios and adopting technology to optimize processes
- The need for Canadian staffing companies to find new ways to succeed and stay ahead of the latest technologies and laws
- The benefits of flexible contracts for businesses in the current economic climate
- The significance of data migration and cybersecurity in the recruitment industry
- The importance of collaboration among industry leaders and the need to stay open to disruption
- The value of evaluating new providers and choosing systems that are future-proof
How to Connect with Cassidy:
JobAdder
How To Get Involved: High-performance staffing industry mastermind leader. Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Connect with Suky: suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
Be sure to check out this and other previous episodes of Talent Titans in Apple Podcasts.
We are preparing for the Canadian Staffing Industry Summit coming up on April 20th in Toronto and right now, it's 70% sold out! We have so many titans in the Staffing Industry coming in as featured panelists and speakers including:
- Janelle Bieler, President, Adecco Canada
- Mark Coetzee, International Business Transformation, Global Executive, Drake International
- Craig Brown, CEO, Agilus Work Solutions
- Allison Haynes, HR Services Core Operations Leader at Capgemini Canada, Inc
- Rami Thabet, Senior VP, Digital Products BC
- Els Schaefer, VP Talent Acquistion, FGF Brands
- Tracey Both, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, The Mirillion Group
- And many more
Important Highlights:
- Exclusively for staffing industry professionals
- International guest speakers
- Headed up by Suky Sodhi, award-winning staffing industry coach and trainer with over 60K LinkedIn followers and connections and a database of over 40K staffing industry professionals
- The summit is aimed to elevate the Canadian staffing industry on a global scale
- It will provide boutique agencies with access to expertise and technology which will allow them to scale their business with ease
- Attendees will have the opportunity to collaborate with industry peers and service providers on best practices
If you'd like to attend, it's not too late to get a seat:
https://canadianstaffingindustrysummit.com/
We look forward to seeing you there!
How To Get Involved: High-performance staffing industry mastermind leader. Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Connect with Suky: suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
Be sure to check out this and other previous episodes of Talent Titans in Apple Podcasts.
What's the difference in leaders?
The person.
Back when Suky was starting her journey into leadership, the whole model was based on modeling or echoing the previous leaders in the industry. Their styles would be adopted and you would be expected to lead this way.
The only challenge is, there's a huge gap between what you want and what you get in life. The same goes for leadership.
There are over 26,000 data points when it comes to leadership and what qualifies a person as a good leader.
In this episode, we're going to outline some good measures to consider when bringing on leaders.
Giving them the resources necessary to do their jobs effectively.
Chasing vision over perfection is more important, but there are a few main factors to consider:
- As a leader, can you still be an effective leader true to who you are?
- Do you have the latitude to follow your DNA to lead according to who you are
- Is your family or your personal mental health at risk in this position of leadership?
- Are your forced to work on your weaknesses, or operate on your strengths?
There are so many factors discussed in this episode.
Pull up a chair.
Bring a pen and pad, or your ReMarkable and get ready to take notes!
You're in for a quick study on 2 more myths of leadership.
How To Get Involved:
High-performance staffing industry mastermind leader. Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Connect with Suky: suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
Be sure to check out this and other previous episodes of Talent Titans in Apple Podcasts.
A global crisis always comes in one form or another.
It can be the bird flu, pandemic, financial collapse, natural disaster, and anything else you can imagine.
If you pay close attention, it comes in cycles.
It's almost as if they're pre-planned or orchestrated.
Back in 1999, the biggest "fear" that was focused on and discussed across various media channels was Y2K. It was fear centered around coding or potential computer errors related to the formatting of calendar data for dates in and after the year 2000.
They made a mess of the media with the "shock and awe" tactics, and this caused people around the globe to go into a frenzy.
This is no different for the Global Recruitment Industry post-Covid. And while I don't like to talk about things from the past, there is a historical repeat of the same kind of fear being spread that creates myths.......myths that sometimes anchor into a belief system.
We're going to reveal the number 1 myth around the Global Recruitment Industry today!
How To Get Involved:
High-performance staffing industry mastermind leader. Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Connect with Suky: suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
Be sure to check out this and other previous episodes of Talent Titans in Apple Podcasts.
William Branum is a Leadership Coach who Formerly served as a Navy Seal for 26 years. With his combat and character development experiences, Will decided that he wanted to help others take control of their mindset.
People have been focusing on their successes rather than their failures. Will and Suky have a candid discussion on what true leadership is and the differences that have been erupting in society lately. Get Naked is a part that William loves teaching others. It’s a process of stripping yourself of your baggage and understanding who you are at your core.
After his 26 years of service, Will shares a few stories about how he developed his leadership skills and applied them in combat. These skill sets translated into the civilian world where he has continued to impact others. Will also speaks about the benefits of CBD and how it has helped him along with many other Veterans who suffer from physical pain and PTSD.
Connect with William:
5 Seal Secrets
5 Seal Secrets Podcast
Linktree
How To Get Involved:
High-performance staffing industry mastermind leader. Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Connect with Suky: suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
Be sure to check out this and other previous episodes of Talent Titans in Apple Podcasts.
With the Talent pool increasing in Canada the Recruiting Industry is working harder than ever to find the perfect candidates. Head of The North American sector, Cassidy Stewart of Job Adder is speaking about what he sees in the market and how he has been able to be successful when helping Recruiters and Staffing agencies by building their skill sets.
At this moment in the market there are many things to look for. Suky and Cassidy speak about why Candidates are the new currency and why we need to be a step ahead. There is a discussion on how to build value to find the growth that your company needs.
We are going to look into which companies have been successful during the pandemic and what they do to stay at the top. Cassidy shares and speaks about Data migration and cybersecurity and why these are the two most overlooked parts.
Connect with Cassidy:
JobAdder
How To Get Involved:
High-performance staffing industry mastermind leader. Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Connect with Suky: suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
Be sure to check out this and other previous episodes of Talent Titans in Apple Podcasts.
There is a talent pool of immigrants that most employers are not looking at. Lately, Canada's talent pool is increasing.
Suky hosts Yiclea Escobar who is a Senior Account Manager for Adecco and came to Canada from Peru. Being an immigrant to Canada Yiclea shares her story and why there is an advantage for immigrants that become candidates.
Cultural diversity is a remarkable benefit because now you have different outlooks on different situations. Suky and Yiclea both give perspectives on what to expect when coming to work in a new country and how you should approach it.
How To Get Involved:
High-performance staffing industry mastermind leader. Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Connect with Suky: suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
Be sure to check out this and other previous episodes of Talent Titans in Apple Podcasts.
It’s remarkable to see the opportunity that the Canadian Staffing Industry has to offer, especially in Toronto. That’s why I am excited to announce that we have booked a staffing summit at the St. Regis Hotel in Toronto!
Make sure you get your tickets now as there will be limited seating. Thursday, April 20th. I have some very exciting guests that I can’t wait to tell you about, along with information about our VIP dinner.
How To Get Involved:
High-performance staffing industry mastermind leader. Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Connect with Suky: suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
Be sure to check out this and other previous episodes of Talent Titans in Apple Podcasts.
After working in your chosen industry for 15+ years you get comfortable and scared to divert into a different path- Don’t be! You can do it. People focus on the competition that comes with switching industries by thinking about their age or even their lack of experience. Lisa Thompson didn’t allow that to stop her.
Lisa Thompson is today’s special guest. Lisa has over 30 years of experience in the staffing industry and has made a name for herself by satisfying her clients by making them a priority. Lisa needed to make a change when it came to staffing, she fell into the same routine that we eventually find ourselves doing in our careers.
Suky and Lisa discuss what it means to make a career change and the factors that come with it. During COVID Lisa had a realization that she wanted to leave general staffing but had to take a step back and think about what other opportunities she wanted to take. Here are some of the factors you need to have before making a career change:
What’s next? - Understand what you want to do and how to approach this with the skill sets you already have.
Recognize - Know when it’s the right time for you to take that next opportunity, and don’t be afraid to take it.
Ignore the Stereotypes - When starting over it doesn’t matter if you’re 25 or 55. What matters is whether are you capable of filling in the position you want and do you have the knowledge to perform for the client.
Connect With Lisa:
Drake International
How To Get Involved:
High-performance staffing industry mastermind leader. Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Connect with Suky: suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
Be sure to check out this and other previous episodes of Talent Titans in Apple Podcasts.
Welcome to the New Year! I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays. It’s a new year and with that comes reflecting on what went right and what went wrong this year for Recruiting and what you can do to start the new year off right.
Suky addresses the conversation of the Recession- there might not be a recession but we sure could experience a softening. Suky shares what the factors are for having a good year with the different fluctuations that we have been seeing.
Today is filled with a lot of different nuggets, but the focus is Recruiting Strategies, what went right, and what we need to learn from, along with Self Development.
How To Get Involved:
High-performance staffing industry mastermind leader. Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Connect with Suky: suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
Be sure to check out this and other previous episodes of Talent Titans in Apple Podcasts.
The new year is approaching. Don’t be like everyone else making resolutions.
After a phone call, Suky took the time to reflect on the two things she wants to improve moving forward.
Reevaluating her inner circle, and what she wants to accomplish.
It’s time to push your wins to the front and ignore being uncomfortable.
Finding your areas of growth is the main focus. Suky addresses why you need to go for what you’re resisting and take the action to expand your curiosity and become uncomfortable.
How To Get Involved:
High-performance staffing industry mastermind leader. Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Connect with Suky:suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
Be sure to check out this and other previous episodes of Talent Titans in Apple Podcasts.
In this second portion of Recruitment Leaders Of The Future the group speaks about the strategies and approaches they created and put into action as they were forced to do by being hit by multiple waves of Covid. They also dive into detail and answer a few questions by covering multiple topics.
They will be covering the understanding of not just analyzing numbers when looking to purchase a company but finding out what the current staff thinks. Adam shares a secret on how he is able to retain talent through his SOP’s. They talk about the importance of recognizing SOP as you provide them in multiple countries and how to make them easy for other cultures to understand.
However the most significant part of this conversation is how to build your talent, and start new practices that are easy for staff to follow and understand.
How to Connect With Today’s Guest’s:
Adam Lyons- TEXT 512- 957- 3141
Vinolia Singh- LinkedIn
Mark Coetzee- LinkedIn
How To Get Involved:
High-performance staffing industry mastermind leader. Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Connect with Suky:
suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
Be sure to check out this and other previous episodes of Talent Titans in Apple Podcasts.
In this episode of Talent Titans Suky hosts multiple guests as they speak on multiple key points about how modern leadership looks at companies from the period of Covid-19 and their transition to present day. They all chime into the conversation about how universities do not create leaders. Leaders are developed through experience.
After COVID-19, almost every company was faced with a problem; Finding quality leaders. Since then, creating a new business plan of action is the priority. Every company has taken the measures to adapt to the Pandemic by providing new training, online services, and safety measures to make sure every employee is set for success.
How To Get Involved:
High-performance staffing industry mastermind leader. Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Connect with Suky:
suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
Be sure to check out this and other previous episodes of Talent Titans in Apple Podcasts.
It is our pleasure to Welcome new coach Chris Kerschbaumer. Chris made his start in Rec2Rec as a Resource Manager and worked his way up to his current position as a Senior Search Consultant.
Chris attended Ontario Tech University where he completed his Bachelor of Commerce (HONS) where he Majored in Finance and Financial Services and where he also Minored in Accounting from 2011-2015. He also attended and completed a two week course at The Chinese University of Hong Kong where he studied Contemporary China and Hong Kong. This course played a significant role for Chris where he learned the importance of Chinese History and its alignment of significance to Hong Kong and North America.
Chris is an important Coach as he focuses on Recruiting Staffing & Recruiting Industry Professional for Rec2Rec, workforce solutions, search and corporate clients.
How To Get Involved:
High-performance staffing industry mastermind leader. Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Connect with Suky:
suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
In most career professions there are “Leaders” and then there are “True leaders”. The difference between a true leader and a leader is a true leader is passionate about their position. They will do anything despite all odds to ensure their employees are receiving up to date information and are providing services and completing the job with the utmost professionalism and intelligence, while also making sure that their employees fully understand their position and how it impacts the business.
Today Suky is hosting Emma Griffin who is a Global Business Manager and Head of Talent for Clark House Human Capital who is based in the City of Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa. Emma is an open introvert who is striving to become more knowledgeable to become a better leader everyday.
In this episode of Talent Titans Suky and Emma discuss many topics but they are all revolving around a main point… “Accountability” That’s a term often used that many do not take to heart. The recruiting business can be cut throat so to make sure the systems and processes are running smoothly, the managers must make sure their employees are providing the best support. Providing the best amount of information. Today, Emma shares her experiences as a manager and how she has been staying accountable by providing her employees with help and guidance with anything they may need.
Get in contact with Emma:LinkedIn
How To Get Involved:
High-performance staffing industry mastermind leader. Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Connect with Suky:
suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
Oftentimes there can be instances where you come across a negative thought or critic. You can do a thousand positive things but forfeit it the one time you get caught speeding and are then known as a reckless driver. This world has been shaped to make you be filled with doubt and a limited mindset. The only person that can truly control the negative mindset in your life is you.
In today’s episode Suky Sodhi hosts two coaches Sinead Finnegan and Chris Kerschbaumer as they discuss a new program that Suky created that is designed to turn your recruiting around completely in 12 months. Chris and Sinead will be engaging with each other most of the episode speaking about how your growth and positive mindset will improve the growth of your self awareness.
A few main discussions the trio have is focused on mindsets, actions, and awareness. What you do before going to bed can impact your next day. They talk about the importance of separating personal and work life and placing boundaries in between them. People don’t leave companies because they hate it there, most of the time it’s because they feel that they can’t implement their ideas and creativity. Chris talks a little bit about the mindset you need to have when interacting with sales, Sinead speaks about how social media can have an impact, and Suky dives into that conversation speaking about how it can be hard sometimes to block out the negative people within the platforms.
How To Get Involved:
High-performance staffing industry mastermind leader. Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Connect with Suky:
suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
In today’s world, there's many excuses for people to give up. Pandemics, recession, inflation, and other personal issues causing continuous blockage in business operations. Companies are constantly struggling to find “elite” candidates for posions. Many people are scared to make moves due to fear from the unknown. There is never a wrong time and opportunities aren’t always going to show themselves.
Based out of Toronto, Canada- Sadiar Ameri is a Managing director for Adecco, a staffing and recruiting agency based in Switzerland. Once the pandemic hit, Sadiar left his old company as a senior director at the “Robert Hall” legal practice group. Sadiar enjoys being able to help candidates find their niche with the company they deserve to be with. Sadiar is a man of many important roles. Aside from being a Managing Director, he serves as a Staffing Executive, transformation leader, and an expert in specialized search.
Suky Sodhi hosts Sadiar in today’s segment as they both give their advice on frequent concerns that many people have about recruiting. Sadiar speaks about what standards you should have when looking into transferring into a different company, and what it takes to sharpen your skills. Sadiar clarifies the relationship between a candidate and a consultant.
What You’ll Learn:
- Why you should keep a list of your candidates short/long term goals
- What you need to know before interviewing as a candidate
- What makes a candidate important
- How “recession” can impact your recruiting
- Why people are more attracted to the money aspect over their workplace environment
- How mentality of a consultant is important
- How retention is becoming a consistent problem
- When to recognize when communication should be improved
- What makes technology more of an advantage for contact and recruiting purposes
- Why you have to be a few steps forward, looking into who you are going to work for
- Sadiar explains what made him get into the global staffing industry
- The toughest challenge is finding talent
FAVORITE QUOTE:
“Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. ”
- Sadiar Ameri
Connect with Sadiar:
Adecco
How To Get Involved:
High-performance staffing industry mastermind leader. Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Connect with Suky:
suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
In today's modern world, technology has made it easier than ever to communicate via text, email, phone call, DMs and everything short of carrier pigeon. But yet, we have a disconnect in the way we communicate. It has affected our businesses and personal lives.
Today's guest is Tracy Rocca, National VP of Talent World in Canada. She's a 28-year veteran of the Global Recruitment Industry.
Suky and Tracy dive right into today's episode talking about:
- Key Evolutions in Global Staffing
- Why Tracy believes we've changed more in the last 2 years compared to previous 30 years.
- Suky shares what recruitment was like when the "job boards" like Indeed first came out
- A candid discussion between Tracy and Suky as to why technology cannot truly and completely replace the human touch
- How text and email communication are causing humans to lose the art of communication
- A unique formula Suky used to determine if they were going to keep a recruiter on board after 90 days
- Tracy and Suky talk about the best way to hit sales goals is to pick up the phone and have a conversation
- The biggest challenges companies and candidates face as a result of the widening gap in communication
If you'd like to get a true perspective of where the industry is in real time, Suky features the very best guests and leaders in the Global Recruitment and Staffing Industries.
Connect With Tracy:
How To Get Involved:
High-performance staffing industry mastermind leader, Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Connect with Suky:
suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
When it comes to the world of Global Recruitment, you’ll find many people that have one thing in common……..they simply fell into this very unique world. Today’s guest has served in the recruitment industry for over 22 years as a corporate recruiter, HR, agency recruiter, working in the United States, and abroad.
Katherine Eriksen is VP of Business Development and Global Recruiting for Energy Resourcing, LTD Canada. She cites her lengthy career as one of fortune and regards it with a great deal of gratitude. She recently transplanted from Calgary, Canada to Toronto.
Today’s episode brings a breadth of experience, knowledge, wisdom, and insight that spans well beyond a 22-year career. Katherine dives heavily into the current nature of the industry being very remote, in this post-pandemic world. She cites missing the in-person collaborations on whiteboards, the social aspects as a team, and her desire to get back to some semblance of normalcy. Suky comes in hard with great questions in terms of what a company’s responsibilities are when it comes to relocation, managing expectations of employees as it pertains to hybrid versus in-office mandates that often come up in negotiations. They discuss salary expectations and the realities of how companies are looking at the experience level of each candidate and matching them with an appropriate compensation structure.
What You’ll Learn:
- How Covid has impacted the desirability to come to certain tourist locations
- Negotiating salaries, what it should and should not cover including benefits, and travel expenses
- Suky shares how she thinks companies should be paying for everything including moving expenses
- How many companies do not have a remote-working policy or relocation policy in place
- Why people are missing out on the huge opportunity of moving into the Recruitment industry
- The importance of active listening and why it’s so critical to becoming a desirable candidate
- What a company should cover if they have remote workers and some of the discussions had around reimbursements of electricity, rent/mortgage, internet, and cell service
- Katherine talks about her concern about people’s physical well-being while working from home
- Suky shares how she got rung by a client who was approached with the request of a salary, not in sync with the candidate’s experience
- The high expectations people have around inflated salaries, mismatched entitlement, and the grand adjustments that have occurred as a result of Covid and current working environments
- Why it’s important to look at the big picture and educate newbies to the industry by showing them the basics of what specific compensation standards are
- How to create a talent map to recruit new talent
- And much more!
Connect With Katherine:
How To Get Involved:
High-performance staffing industry mastermind leader, Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Connect with Suky:
suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
It’s a common theme in business that HR is always made the nemesis of the entrepreneur or high-level CEOs and executives charged with running small to medium-sized companies. But like everything in life and business, it’s one’s ability to take a different perspective that translates to streamlining processes, efficiencies, company morale, and ultimately profitability. You can choose to take an adversarial approach to HR or think of it in a more cooperative effort like today’s guest.
Melissa Law is founder of Sunrise Coaching Canada. Her 25+ year career in HR Management and Developmental Coaching has transformed small to large companies in several different industries. She is trusted counsel for senior leaders who value talent as a critical resource for executing strategy and delivering on organizational goals.
Today, Suky and Melissa dive into the impact of the relationship HR can have on businesses of any size. They discuss learning, leadership, and company culture. Suky candidly shares that sometimes entrepreneurs are the “bottlenecks” while growing and scaling a company. Melissa shares how the integration of HR starts with the alignment of expectations. She highlights the perception that HR partners are analy retentive, uptight, very conservative, politically correct, and sometimes the crippling shades of black and white. Melissa compares herself to HR’s crazy aunt who has come to change the ever-challenging relationship between HR and businesses and finding the truest path to permanent growth.
What You’ll Learn:
- What HR is and what it is not.
- Why companies who have HR are not hitting their KPIs often blaming one department for the ineffectiveness of their organizational plan.
- The best time to bring in an HR partner for an industry, business, their leadership team, and employees
- Why changing the mindset of HR being an expense to an investment that will help the company and organization to grow
- The beliefs you have to identify in order to drop the self-judgment in order to move towards progress
- Why business strategies and talent strategies have to align and why it’s important to manage the expectations up front.
- How to start the plan of integrating HR into your business as it continues on a trajectory of growth
- Why most CEOs and owners are not ready to check their egos at the door
- The multi-faceted factors to consider when hiring an HR partner in a post-pandemic world
- The disconnect between company leaders and Human Resources
- And much more!
Connect With Melissa:
Sunrise Coaching, Canada
Email: Connect@sunrisecoaching.ca
How To Get Involved:
High-performance staffing industry mastermind leader, Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Connect with Suky:
suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
If you’ve been following the series of powerful CEOs who have come together to join Suky Sodhi on previous episodes of Talent Titans, you’re going to love today’s episode.
Suky has managed to corral a group of dynamic leaders in Global Recruitment for a specific discussion as they celebrate their accomplishments and contributions to the Women in the recruitment industry.
You’ll hear from powerful female leaders and business influencers from companies like Drake International, Hayes US, Robertson Company, and more as they do a deep dive on everything related to the Global Recruitment Industry, including trends they’ve seen post-pandemic. They’ll share insights into the mentality of the workforce who has realized the power of efficiency in working remote and the challenges staffing agencies have encountered in enticing their employees to come back to the office.
What You’ll Learn:
- How each leader has been able to maintain a growth mindset during one of the most sluggish times in human history
- They talk about mental health challenges and PTSD associated with office environments in various industries
- How to come from a place of power and not fear
- Strategies for becoming powerful by simply executing a choice
- The meaning of true success
- One of the biggest reasons most people stay in the proverbial box they’ve designed their lives around
- Why it’s important to be true to yourself at work and at home
- Onboarding experiences during the pandemic
- Why protecting culture in the workplace is a non-negotiable in today’s business climate
- Why one company decided to host wellness workshops
- Micro-aggression, passive-aggressiveness and their effects in the workplace
- What happens when you focus on building a culture of training and learning to enhance the workforce
- And much more!
How To Get Involved:
High-performance staffing industry mastermind leader, Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Connect with Suky:
suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
Some of the hardest things we do in life are painful and they’re also rewarding. As we “mature,” our health, and how we feel can be more valuable than anything in the world. It affects how we move in our daily lives, the way we engage with our relationships, how effective we are in our work, and the impact of our business.
If you’ve been struggling with insecurity, poor body image, shyness, or struggling to find “your people” in this world, you’re going to enjoy this episode.
Miranda Jiggins is the Founder of GOALs Fitness where she helps entrepreneurs dial in their health goals with a diet and exercise that help them increase their energy, optimize performance, improve their relationship with themselves and give them the confidence to live their best lives.
Today, Suky and Miranda jump right in and talk about small-town life, being raised by good parents, and Miranda’s discovery of self-awareness. She references some challenges she had in 8th grade and how bouncing around from social group to social group left her feeling isolated and lonely. Miranda shares one process that changed the trajectory of her life.
What You’ll Learn:
- One sport Miranda’s brother introduced her to that she fell in love with
- How old Miranda was when she got her very first pair of gym shoes
- Who Matt Packer was to Miranda and why he’s so important in her life
- The 3 common traits most people want from working out
- Strategies you can use to combat the negativity that comes from people close to you when you go on your fitness journey
- How Miranda decided to become a Body Builder
- Why Miranda worked every single day for 4.5 years before she took a day off
- The effects of things happening in one part of your life and how they’re connected
- Suky shares a little about the situation at the time of her brother’s passing
- The benefits that come from using fitness as a coping mechanism
- One question Suky asks about the perceptions of women becoming “too masculine” when pursuing fitness
- How Miranda manages her diet when she travels
- Why fitness is an investment in yourself for the future
- The boundaries that have to be set before you go on your fitness journey
- And much more!
Connect With Miranda:
Goals Fitness
How To Get Involved:
High-performance staffing industry mastermind leader, Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Connect with Suky:
suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
At the end of July 2021, we hosted a live CEO panel of the top leaders in Global Recruitment. We had such a great turnout, we ran short on time for answering questions. At the time Suky made a commitment to invite each one of them back for a more intimate one on one discussing the future of 2022 in the Global Recruitment industry.
This is a replay of that hour and a half-long discussion with:
Bev White, The Harvey Nash Group
Janelle Bieler, Adecco-Canada
Craig Brown, Agilus Work Solutions
Mark Coetzee, Drake International
Travis Harouk, PLC
What You’ll Learn:
The difference between what was taking place based around the Global Recruitment Industry back in July of 2021, the effects of the pandemic, the new processes around attracting, engaging, and negotiating with candidates, and clients.
Each CEO’s approach as it pertained to keeping their current staff motivated and continuing to cultivate more impactful relationships with their clients, employees, existing, and prospective candidates.
In true fashion, Suky asks some pretty tough questions that are answered with brutal honesty based on long-standing experiences shared by each one of our Talent Titans on today’s episode.
You’ll leave with a better gauge and understanding of the contrasts that exist in today’s world of global recruiting compared to the past and moving forward into the future.
How To Get Involved:
High-performance staffing industry mastermind leader, Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Connect with Suky:
suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
At the end of July 2021, we hosted a live CEO panel of the top leaders in Global Recruitment. We had such a great turnout, we ran short on time for answering questions. At the time Suky made a commitment to invite each one of them back for a more intimate one on one discussing the future of 2022 in the Global Recruitment industry. This week’s guest is a powerhouse of a President who has taken the reigns of Adecco Canada and dove headfirst right when the pandemic hit plunging into the essence of addressing the elephant in the room…….company culture and mental health.
On today’s episode, Suky and Janelle dive into the reactive nature of everyone in the staffing industry when the pandemic hit. New lines had to be drawn to ensure that employees truly had the autonomy to take true time off. They talk about little adjustments that made huge impacts by empowering the team to focus on using technology to streamline processes and automate everything they could to make the new way of working easier. Janelle empowered her team to offer a crazy idea that just might work in a crazy world. Reinvention and purpose became the main focuses while battling “Zoom fatigue,” and hitting KPIs in a new environment. Janelle talks candidly about how PTO is viewed and why it’s important for people to truly have paid time off. Suky asks some pretty powerful, multi-layered questions anyone and everyone working in Executive Search has probably asked at one point or another as they make their way on the journey forward in this new age. This is a powerful recap and interview of one of Canada’s leading Executive Search Presidents. Bring your notepad and pen!
What You'll Learn:
- The importance of defining boundaries with employees when they’re on PTO or affectionately known as “Pretend Time Off”
- Why Executive Search is a non-stop process due to the nature of finding people an opportunity to work
- Strategies that were created during the pandemic that has changed the landscape of Corporate Recruitment with changing hours, rotational shifts, compensation structures
- How Janelle approached her new position in a new country with a new company as President
- The importance of using KPIs to your benefit and what to specifically analyze
- Empowering a team to offer a crazy idea that could work
- What happens when you encourage reinvention, purpose, and getting people excited about the impact they make with the work they do
- How many of Janelle’s colleagues she met face to face when she took the position in Canada
- Why 89% of employees hit burnout around the 18-month mark during the pandemic
- Working hybrid, versus remote and the proposed model coming towards the end of the pandemic
- How mental health became a huge focus during the pandemic and how Janelle created some hard and fast practices that included a formal approach and rules for engagement
- Avoiding employees, colleagues, and executives from burning out
- Using Tech to streamline processes and automate systems to make work-life easier
- The power of shorter hours and more flexibility
- Proposed compensation models
- Creating management groups based around remote workers, hybrid workers, and in-office
- And much more!
Connect with Janelle:
How To Get Involved:
High-performance staffing industry mastermind leader, Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Connect with Suky:
suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
At the end of July 2021, we hosted a live CEO panel of the top leaders in Global Recruitment. We had such a great turnout, we ran short on time for answering questions. At the time I made a commitment to invite each one of them back for a more intimate one on one discussing the future of 2022 in the Global Recruitment industry. This week’s guest is Mark Coetzee, Drake International, with 25+ years at the executive/board level constantly achieving excellent returns for shareholders with a proven track record of formulating, advising & assisting in the execution of chosen strategy, resulting in high impact performance improvement, business transformation & company turnarounds in multicultural environments.
Suky and Mark jump right into this recap episode as they discuss the ever-changing cultures inside of large companies and the challenges that face them in a post-pandemic landscape in the world of Executive search. Mark shares specific details about his journey from childhood and the circumstances that shaped what would become motivating factors to make a concerted effort to change the outcome of his life. Raised in a small mining town, there weren’t many options for Mark who came from meager beginnings. He moved every single year in high school until he finally graduated which took him straight into the military. Upon his return home, he was faced with getting a job or being homeless. A specific turn of events would build the foundation for Mark’s professional career that has taken him to work with people on 5 different continents and he shares the countless experiences and lessons from his 25+ year career in Executive Management. Put the popcorn on and tune in for an entertaining and insightful episode.
What You'll Learn:
- Who truly put food on the table in Mark’s home growing up
- Why he didn’t go to University after high school
- The very first leadership lesson Mark learned at Emmanuels Staffing Services
- How to identify toxic leadership and how Mark responded when he encountered it
- Who the amazing Bill Pollock is and why he is special to the Global Executive Search
- Marks’ nickname
- How to harness the power of your rebel leadership in an industry where’s it’s not encouraged
- Why it’s important to analyze how the industry is doing when it comes to transitioning Jr. leaders into Senior Executive leaders
- The two categories and the definitions of each when looking at attrition
- How to learn to play the game and a few key points to help you to do so without being devious
- The power of listening and watching to see who is listening
- The number one quality Mark looks for when he’s analyzing and assessing the make up of a company
- How Mark views people who work WITH him and not FOR him
- And much more!
Connect with Mark:
Favorite Quote:
"No matter how big the business is that you've ran, or how high up you go in an organization, never forget the small people because you were one of those small people yourself. It's the fundamental of how you transform a business."
-Mark Coetzee
How To Get Involved:
High-performance staffing industry mastermind leader, Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Connect with Suky:
suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
Through the pandemic, many companies failed and imploded due to the dire restrictions of Covid while many companies survived due to the diligence and hard work of their leaders like today's guest Craig Brown, CEO of Agilus Work Solutions.
Agilus serves companies by sourcing talent for Engineering, Information Technology, and Professional and Light Industrial roles.
Craig Brown
He is a Father, Husband, CEO, Tennis player, weekend warrior and Sudoku enthusiast.
Believer in Better Outcomes. Interested in the Future of Work, Leadership, Technology, Talent and Careers.
Proud leader of #teamAgilus as we lead a connected, forward-thinking work community.
A dynamic leader with over 25 years experience in building successful teams and delivering outstanding results.
Craig is an articulate communicator combining strategic and creative talent to link strategic vision with deliverable action plans. Bilingual (English/French) and has enjoyed living across Canada over the years and having worked and completed projects in Canada, the United States and Europe. Currently based in the Greater Toronto Area.
What You'll Learn:
Today, Suky and Craig have a candid discussion about the climate of the workforce and many of the challenges employers and recruiters are facing as they attempt to bridge the gap of difficulties with regards to employment and recruitment staffing.
Craig provides insights, solutions, and metrics to help you release the strangle-hold the pandemic has had on your company and that of your clients.
How to Connect with Craig:
Agilus
Email: futureofwork@agilus.ca
How To Get Involved:
High-performance staffing industry mastermind leader, Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Connect with Suky:
suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
At the end of July 2021, we hosted a live CEO panel of the top leaders in Global Recruitment. We had such a great turnout, we ran short on time for answering questions. At the time I made a commitment to invite each one of them back for a more intimate one on one discussing the future of 2022 in the Global Recruitment industry.
This week’s guest is Beverly White. She is the CEO of The Harvey Nash Group, a $1 Billion dollar a year company specializing in global technology recruitment for IT solutions and leadership services with 36 offices in the United States, Europe, and Asia.
In this episode, Suky and Beverly discuss the pivots made by the Harvey Nash Group during the pandemic, sharing some of the most impactful initiatives that ended up helping with client retention during unprecedented times.
What You'll Learn:
- Beverly’s main objective during the most impactful pandemic in human history
- The initiatives started by one of Beverly’s senior staff that has transformed the face of their brand
- A common attitude from most companies in the global recruitment industry
- How Beverly created a team-building opportunity by consistently hosting daily meetings with their branches around the world
- Why Beverly decided to take a different approach to enhance an already successful business
- One power move Beverly instituted during the pandemic that opened the flood gates to opportunity
- The cultural differences around the world and the unique approach to engaging clients to let them know they’re valued
- Why focusing on the data during the pandemic allowed the US acquisition to create an opportunity for rapid and implementable growth
- How Beverly and her team created a clear path to having genuine conversations, listening, and investing in research on how to move forward as a team despite the restrictions of the pandemic
- Gender diversity in the tech industry and what will make it stick
- The percentage of women who are Tech leaders as of today and the reasons behind
- And much more!
Connect with Bev:
How To Get Involved:
High-performance staffing industry mastermind leader, Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Connect with Suky:
suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
Have you taken a moment to define the core values you live and die by? They're the core princples of how we: Raise our children
Interact with others
Contribute to society
Conduct ourselves on a daily basis
You may look around and compare your core values to those around you.
This is not a fair assessment.
What they believe to be important to them does not make them wrong or less than just because they don't align with yours.
How you engage you r licents, how you hire, and engage with people is defined by your core values.
It's imperative to have personal core values and core values for your business.
They define how you will do anything and everything.
It's important to write them down and build your culture's foundation based on them.
Core values allow you to make the right decision.
Sometimes we know what we need to do, but we're too worried about upsetting others instead of addressing misalignments.
Bring your pen and paper and prepare to take notes. You've got homework on today's episode.
What You'll Learn:
- What core values are
- How to determine how to source and establish your core values
- A book you'll want to grab immediately to help you with establishing your core values
- Theories of why some core values and principles don't match up in larger companies
- Examples of core values listed on websites of large companies in Canada and the disconnect
- Ways not having your core values can come back and bite you
- How to hire better by doing one simple thing
- Other ways your core values will help your business
- And much more!
Connect with Suky:
suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
How To Get Involved:
High performance staffing industry mastermind leader, Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Her podcast, Talent Titans serves as a platform to share her research and findings with us, including best tips and practices to take your business to the next level.
If you enjoyed this episode, please tell us what you think so that we can create more content around this topic. Your feedback is key to help us grow!
Sometimes we think the stuff that's going to move the dial are the ones that will give us the biggest "ah-ha" moment. In reality, it's the simple things.
We have daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly tasks we have to get completed. We tend to have separate lists for the various parts of our lives including family and business.
I've always been taught that I had to have a "to-do" list, but in reality it's a "chore list," and they don't work.
Today, I'll do a deep dive into what I call "The Success List," sharing a different perspective, processes that lead to productivity, and the overall impact it can have in your life.
What You'll Learn:
- How to get a quick wins early in the day
- Why it's important to time-block your day for efficiency
- My love for highlighters and why I use them to this day, even with all the fancy pre-lit technology avaiable
- Why I stopped moving big hairy monsters on my task list to the next day
- How I used The Success List to launch my coaching program during the start of Covid
- 3 or 4 things you can do to move the dial in your business
- The #75Hard program and how it helped me hold myself accountable
- What Suky's success list looked like in one example
- The logic and psychology associated with using The Success List correctly
- How to take questions and turn them into objectives
- And much more!
Connect with Suky:
suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
How To Get Involved:
High performance staffing industry mastermind leader, Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Her podcast, Talent Titans serves as a platform to share her research and findings with us, including best tips and practices to take your business to the next level.
If you enjoyed this episode, please tell us what you think so that we can create more content around this topic. Your feedback is key to help us grow!
Welcome to the first episode of the Talent Titans Podcast with Suky Sodhi, Founder of Professional Selection and Elite Global Recruiters. About Suky
Suky is an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win, believing we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply cannot settle in.
For over 25 years, Suky has worked in the staffing industry, 15 of those working with global recruitment companies across 18 countries and successfully navigating them through “recession” cycles.
Her ability to help her clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture and bring both into alignment.
What You'll Learn:
- Who this podcast is for
- The main pillars Suky will be discussing in forthcoming episodes and how to solidify them in your business
- The types of content and guests appearing next month on Talent Titans
- How to attract the right talent during “The Great Recession.”
- More about what sets Suky apart from most in the global recruitment industry
- Her methods for integrating sales teams into conversations where they have a voice in the boardroom
- Suky shares her research and findings learned in her 25+ year career in the global recruitment industry
- How to source, secure, and retain a high-performance leadership team
- The true value of the investment made in recruits brought into Recruitment companies
- Mindset
- And much more!
Connect with Suky:
suky@eliteglobalrecruiters.com
Elite Global Recruiters
How To Get Involved:
High performance staffing industry mastermind leader, Suky Sodhi has always felt strongly about allowing the sales team within organizations to have a voice at the boardroom table. She has been working with global recruitment companies for almost 3 decades, helping them align their focus on both the bottom line and their people.
President and Founder of Professional Selection, a leading rec2rec agency, and Founder of Elite Global Recruiters, a community of staffing industry professionals from around the globe, she is helping recruitment businesses scale like never before.
Her podcast, Talent Titans serves as a platform to share her research and findings with us, including best tips and practices to take your business to the next level.
If you enjoyed this episode, please tell us what you think so that we can create more content around this topic. Your feedback is key to help us grow!