The Elite Recruiter Podcast

Ever wondered what it really takes to scale a recruitment agency from the ground up—and have the guts to walk away at the top? In this episode, Benjamin Mena sits down with Gregory Fischer, who built AMI Network to over $4M in gross margin and $1.4M EBITDA—then left it all to build a new agency his way, powered by offshoring, smarter processes, and AI. 🎯 2026 Sales and BD Recruiter Summit: https://bd-sales-recruiter-2026.heysummit.com/ 🚀 Sponsorship: Atlas – AI-first ATS & CRM Atlas combines your ATS and CRM in one AI-powered platform. It automates tagging and admin, syncs resumes and emails, and uses AI to create polished profiles and reports—so you can focus on relationships, not data entry. Centralized outreach, reporting, and analytics keep you fast and efficient. Try it free or book a demo → https://recruitwithatlas.com Inside the Episode Gregory opens up about the raw, unfiltered reality behind scaling and leading a multimillion-dollar agency—then choosing to start over. From burnout and purpose to AI and offshoring, this episode dives deep into the lessons most recruiters never hear. You’ll hear how Gregory broke a four-year revenue plateau by fixing niche problems, building inclusive offshore leadership, and blending AI with human talent. He shares what worked, what failed, and why redefining success beyond commission was his biggest transformation. What You’ll Learn How to break the $1M ceiling in direct hire revenue through niching and strategic account management.Gregory’s blueprint for offshoring that actually works—role clarity, KPIs, cultural integration, and incentives.Real talk on burnout, fulfillment, and purpose—and how to reignite your drive beyond money.When AI and offshoring work together (and when they don’t).The unfiltered truth about equity, ownership, and walking away—what to know before making your own leap. Key Takeaways Scaling Up the Right Way: Growth comes from freeing senior recruiters for high-value work and empowering offshore teams.Offshoring That Delivers: Success depends on structure, communication, and cultural alignment.Purpose Over Paychecks: Your “why” sustains you long after commissions fade.AI vs. Offshore Talent: AI enhances people—it doesn’t replace them.The Exit Playbook: If you’re considering equity, partnership, or leaving, plan both emotionally and strategically. Ready to rethink your recruiting business, team strategy, or personal definition of success? 🎧 Hit play, subscribe, and take notes—this is your roadmap to scaling smart, leading better, and finding meaning in your work. 👉 Subscribe to The Elite Recruiter Podcast for weekly actionable strategies. 👉 Connect with Benjamin Mena and Gregory Fischer on LinkedIn for more insights. 👉 Share this episode with your team and start conversations that move your business forward. Links & Sponsors 🎯 2026 Sales and BD Recruiter Summit: https://bd-sales-recruiter-2026.heysummit.com/ 🚀 Atlas – AI-first ATS & CRM: https://recruitwithatlas.com ⚡ Free Trial – PeopleGPT: https://juicebox.ai/?via=b6912d ⚡ Free Trial – Talin AI: https://app.talin.ai/signup?via=recruiter ⚡Free Trial of Pin: https://www.pin.com/ 📩 Subscribe for podcast updates: https://eliterecruiterpodcast.beehiiv.com/subscribe ▶️ YouTube: https://youtu.be/-LtafFz9z8A 🔗 Follow Gregory Fischer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/offshoreisasuperpower/ 🌐 Host – Benjamin Mena, Select Source Solutions: http://www.selectsourcesolutions.com/ 💼 Benjamin Mena LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminmena/ 📸 Benjamin Mena Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benlmena/ Hit play, subscribe, and share—this is your moment to scale smarter, lead better, and truly thrive in recruiting.

Alexis Albright-Meschi, founder of a marketing agency for recruiters and LinkedIn branding expert, dives into modernizing recruiting strategies. She reveals how to create authentic, human-centered content that builds trust and engages networks. Discover the importance of defining your ideal client, optimizing your LinkedIn profile, and consistently sharing valuable stories. Alexis stresses the significance of personal branding over outdated tactics, ensuring that recruiters attract opportunities instead of chasing them. Tune in for actionable insights on growing your brand!

Are you a seasoned recruiter wondering if it’s time to move on from agency life? Maybe you’re itching to branch out but feel stuck by golden handcuffs—or curious about starting your own firm but unsure where to begin. This episode of The Elite Recruiter Podcast is your roadmap to clarity. 🎯 2026 Sales and BD Recruiter Summit: https://bd-sales-recruiter-2026.heysummit.com/ 🚀 Sponsorship: Atlas – AI-first ATS & CRM Atlas combines your ATS and CRM in one AI-powered platform. It automates tagging and admin, syncs resumes and emails, and uses AI to create polished profiles and reports—so you can focus on relationships, not data entry. Centralized outreach, reporting, and analytics keep you fast and efficient. Try it free or book a demo → https://recruitwithatlas.com Host Benjamin Mena sits down with Zack Cress, former agency leader and founder of Catalyst, who’s helped over a dozen recruiters launch successful firms. Zack breaks down exactly how to evaluate your next career move—whether it’s doubling down as a top biller, joining a boutique agency, or building your own recruiting business from scratch. Inside the Episode Get real-world insight into what it takes to transition from recruiter to entrepreneur. Zack shares: Climbing (and outgrowing) the corporate recruiting ladderThe real triggers behind deciding to leave a stable agency jobThe first steps to launching a recruiting firm—what to nail and what to avoid This episode dives deep into business development, back-office setup, compliance, and picking the right tech stack. Zack also gets candid about entrepreneurship’s pros and cons—what he wishes he’d known earlier and how to prepare for risk, finances, and family balance. Key Takeaways Career Clarity: Learn the signs it’s time to stay, switch, or leap into your own venture—and why comfort can stunt long-term growth.Launching a Firm: Nail the fundamentals—niching down, winning clients, and staying compliant while “building the plane mid-air.”Smart Tech Stack: You don’t need legacy agency tech; tools like ZoomInfo and Dripify can empower solo recruiters.Back Office & Partnerships: Avoid common legal, financial, and operational mistakes new founders make.Is It Worth It?: Zack gets real about the upside of owning your firm and the realities of risk, runway, and freedom. Feeling the itch to level up your recruiting career? Hit play now to learn how to know when it’s time to make your move. 👉 Subscribe to The Elite Recruiter Podcast for more industry insights. 👉 Connect with Benjamin Mena and Zack Cress on LinkedIn to expand your recruiting network. Sponsors & Links Atlas – AI-first ATS & CRM: https://recruitwithatlas.com2026 Sales and BD Recruiter Summit: https://bd-sales-recruiter-2026.heysummit.com/Subscribe to The Elite Recruiter Podcast: https://eliterecruiterpodcast.beehiiv.com/subscribeFollow Zack Cress: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zackcress/YouTube: Host – Benjamin Mena, Select Source Solutions: http://www.selectsourcesolutions.com/Benjamin Mena LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminmena/Benjamin Mena Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benlmena/ ⏩ Don’t just recruit—recruit smarter. Listen now, share with your team, and connect with us for a competitive edge in your recruiting journey.

Kent Depwe, a high-flying recruiter who achieved seven-figure billings by 25, shares his journey from rookie to top performer. He discusses the importance of mindset and the drive to improve, while identifying common pitfalls that slow down many recruiters. Kent emphasizes the value of mentorship, leveraging technology and AI for efficiency, and maintaining competition in a remote environment. He also touches on the future of recruiting as more talent becomes represented like elite sports figures. A goldmine of actionable insights for aspiring recruiters!

Struggling to scale your recruiting desk, close bigger deals, or turn your agency into a powerhouse? This episode of The Elite Recruiter Podcast is your playbook for becoming a $500k+ biller and doubling down on the exact tactics powering the fastest-growing remote firms today. Host Benjamin Mena sits down with Dante Nino, co-founder of TLO, to unpack the uncompromising frameworks and high-conversion business development strategies behind his team’s explosive growth (and their unstoppable recruiter mindset). If you want to make Q4 your best ever or simply operate at elite standards, don’t miss Dante’s systems, templates, and the proven deal box strategy that’s redefining recruiting success.  🎯 Finish The Year Strong 2025 Summit – Register here: https://finish-strong-2025.heysummit.com/ 🚀 Sponsorship: Atlas – AI-first ATS & CRM Atlas combines your ATS and CRM in one AI-powered platform. It automates tagging and admin, syncs resumes and emails, and creates polished profiles and reports—so you can focus on client relationships. It also centralizes outreach, reports, and analytics with speed and simplicity. Try it free or book a demo → https://recruitwithatlas.com  🚀 The Elite Recruiter Community Weekly roundtables, summit replays, The Billers’ Club, and a Split Board. Join for $49/month → https://elite-recruiters.circle.so/checkout/elite-recruiter-community  Dante shares how his team cracked the "big biller code" in a fully remote structure, building a culture anchored in fierce competitiveness, unmatched subject-matter expertise, and relentless consistency. From optimizing LinkedIn profiles for client magnetism, to mastering AI recruiting tools like Loxo and Atlas, to deploying 7-step BD frameworks and scalable recruitment automations—this episode is packed with step-by-step playbooks for recruiters and agency owners craving huge results.   Picture yourself: Breaking down your annual billing goals into actionable, daily metrics.Creating a laser-focused "Recruiter Deal Box" that guarantees client relevancy and shortens your sales cycle.Leveraging AI and automation (think Atlas 2.0, Loxo, LinkedIn alerts, custom dashboards) so you spend 80% less time on admin and 10x your candidate flow.Converting more job posts—including those without advertised openings—into exclusive, long-term client partnerships.Nurturing relationships that turn 1-time wins into million-dollar accounts, all while building a recruiter brand your market can’t ignore.   Key Takeaways: Deal Box Domination: Nail down your niche, client ICP, and candidate profiles for repeatable 6-figure results.Systemized BD & Outbound: Use cold outreach, pro-market candidates, and multi-touch sales processes—consistently.Client Magnetism: Optimize your LinkedIn and outbound campaigns to stand out, become the subject-matter expert, and drive exclusive inbound business.AI Recruiting Tech Stack: Integrate platforms like Atlas, Loxo, LinkedIn, and ZoomInfo—but don’t forget, relationships trump tech.Scaling the Right Way: Invest in high-value tools, but double down on foundational work: hard calls, urgent follow-ups, and next-level client care. 🔥 Ready to turn today’s insights into deals on your desk? Listen now to discover Dante Nino’s step-by-step blueprints, start building your $500k+ pipeline, and fuel your talent acquisition growth with proven systems.  Sponsors & Links Atlas – https://recruitwithatlas.com🎯 Finish The Year Strong 2025 Summit – https://finish-strong-2025.heysummit.com/Free Trial – Juicebox: https://juicebox.ai/?via=b6912dSignup for podcast emails: https://eliterecruiterpodcast.beehiiv.com/subscribeYouTube: https://youtu.be/rhkFAcXY3KEFollow Dante Nino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dante-nino/Host Benjamin Mena – http://www.selectsourcesolutions.com/Benjamin Mena LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminmena/

Are you ready to break past your recruiting plateau and become a true recruiting leader? In this episode of The Elite Recruiter Podcast, host Benjamin Mena sits down with industry powerhouse Brent Orsuga to share strategies, mindset shifts, and tactical moves top recruiters need to crush it in 2025. If seven-figure years and becoming a recruiter of influence are on your vision board, this is required listening.   🎯 Finish The Year Strong 2025 Summit – Register here: https://finish-strong-2025.heysummit.com/   🚀 Sponsorship: Atlas – AI-first ATS & CRM Atlas combines your ATS and CRM in one AI-powered platform. It automates tagging and admin, syncs resumes and emails, and creates polished profiles and reports—so you can focus on client relationships. It also centralizes outreach, reports, and analytics with speed and simplicity. Try it free or book a demo → https://recruitwithatlas.com   🚀 The Elite Recruiter Community Weekly roundtables, summit replays, The Billers’ Club, and a Split Board. Join for $49/month → https://elite-recruiters.circle.so/checkout/elite-recruiter-community   Inside the Episode Brent pulls back the curtain on what it takes to elevate from transactional to transformational. From AI recruiting tools and LinkedIn brand-building to business development and authority in your niche, his firsthand experience as a $2M+ biller delivers a masterclass in modern recruiting. He reveals: Why demand for sharp recruiters is peaking—clients want bullseye hires more than ever.The difference between being an “influencer” and a true “person of influence.”How to be so market-savvy that companies seek your advice and candidates trust you implicitly. This isn’t about quick wins—it’s the playbook for building a legacy reputation, commanding top fees, and outpacing your competition.     Key Takeaways Elevate Your Brand: Focus on high-value market insights, compensation data, and intel—not likes.Be the Trusted Advisor: Know your niche, attend industry events, and become the SME companies rely on.Pipeline of A-Players: Your brand equals your candidates—always show “nines and tens.”Play the Long Game: Build authentic relationships, provide ongoing value, and leave contacts better.Adopt AI Recruiting Tools: Platforms like Atlas 2.0 eliminate admin, accelerate shortlists, and free time for growth.   Don’t miss this opportunity to level up your career. 🎧 Listen now, subscribe, leave a review, and connect with Benjamin and Brent on LinkedIn for more recruiting strategies and industry leadership.   Sponsors & Links Atlas – https://recruitwithatlas.com🎯 Finish The Year Strong 2025 Summit – https://finish-strong-2025.heysummit.com/Free Trial – PeopleGPT: https://juicebox.ai/?via=b6912dSignup for podcast emails: https://eliterecruiterpodcast.beehiiv.com/subscribeYouTube: https://youtu.be/la109aH-6fwFollow Brent Orsuga: https://www.linkedin.com/in/topfreightrecruiter/Host Benjamin Mena – http://www.selectsourcesolutions.com/Benjamin Mena LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminmena/Benjamin Mena Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benlmena/ Ready to crush 2025? Hit play, subscribe, and let’s go!

Ready to close your strongest quarter ever and build a seven-figure recruitment business—even if you’re facing setbacks? In this episode, host Benjamin Mena welcomes Julia Arpag, CEO & Founder of Aligned Recruitment, who shares how she went from being laid off postpartum to building a $900K recruiting agency in just 18 months. 🎯 Finish The Year Strong 2025 Summit – Register here: https://finish-strong-2025.heysummit.com/ 🚀 Sponsorship: Atlas – AI-first ATS & CRM Atlas combines your ATS and CRM in a single, AI-powered platform. It automates tagging and admin, syncs resumes and emails, and uses AI to create polished profiles and reports—so you can focus on relationships, not data entry. It also centralizes outreach, reports, and analytics with speed and simplicity. Try it free or book a demo → https://recruitwithatlas.com 🚀 The Elite Recruiter Community Weekly roundtables, summit replays, The Billers’ Club, and a Split Board. Join for $49/month → https://elite-recruiters.circle.so/checkout/elite-recruiter-community Julia’s Story Julia’s journey is about more than recruiting tactics—it’s about the mindset, habits, and daily practices that fueled her explosive growth. She shares how executive coaching, affirmations, and even sleep hygiene became key drivers of her performance. Whether you’re a solo recruiter, agency owner, or TA leader, Julia’s framework offers actionable tools for scaling without burnout. Are you stuck in repetitive admin work or worried about market uncertainty? Julia’s roadmap blends mindset and strategy to help recruiters build sustainable success. She breaks down the exact rituals that transformed her career and helped her lead with confidence. Top Key Takeaways Mindset Over Mechanics: Daily rituals (affirmations, meditation, gratitude) create lasting performance (00:09:17).Embrace Fear & Action: Don’t wait for perfection—start, iterate, and adjust (00:04:47).Executive Coaching Matters: Mentorship and coaching shorten the learning curve (00:21:10).Money Mindset: Reframe your relationship with money—“Money in the hands of good people is a gift to the world” (00:14:34).Balance, Not Burnout: Scale without hustle culture—keep family and well-being at the center. Action Ready to future-proof your recruiting career with proven, high-performance habits? 👉 Listen now and turn your desk into a revenue powerhouse. 👉 Subscribe, leave a rating, and join our recruiter community—implementation is the real difference maker. 👉 Connect with Benjamin and Julia on LinkedIn for insider recruiting tips and inspiration. Links & Sponsors Atlas – https://recruitwithatlas.com🎯 Finish The Year Strong 2025 Summit – https://finish-strong-2025.heysummit.com/ Free Trial – PeopleGPT: https://juicebox.ai/?via=b6912dSignup for podcast emails: https://eliterecruiterpodcast.beehiiv.com/subscribeYouTube: https://youtu.be/iilS7TYHCXIFollow Julia Arpag on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-arpag/Host: Benjamin Mena – http://www.selectsourcesolutions.com/Benjamin Mena LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminmena/Benjamin Mena Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benlmena/ Level up your recruiting—press play and make these strategies YOUR edge!

Are you ready to discover what truly drives top recruiting teams and firm owners in 2024? This episode of The Elite Recruiter Podcast goes deep with Justin Bellante, a healthcare recruiting firm owner, on the real tactics and mindsets that turn average recruiters into extraordinary leaders. Whether you’re a recruiter hungry for your next breakthrough or a firm owner on the edge of scaling up, this episode is your blueprint for success! 🚀 Sponsorship: Atlas – AI-first ATS & CRM Atlas combines your ATS and CRM in a single, AI-powered platform. It automates tagging and admin, syncs resumes and emails, and uses generative AI to create polished profiles and reports—so you can focus on relationships, not data entry. It also centralizes outreach, reports, and analytics with speed and simplicity. Try it free or book a demo → https://recruitwithatlas.com 🎯 Finish The Year Strong 2025 Summit – Register here: https://rock-the-year-2025.heysummit.com/ 🚀 The Elite Recruiter Community – Weekly roundtables, summit replays, The Billers’ Club, and a Split Board. Join for $37/month before Sept 30 (price rises to $49). Join here → https://elite-recruiters.circle.so/checkout/elite-recruiter-founder-member  Justin takes us behind the scenes of his meteoric rise from humble beginnings to building Titan Placement 20-person powerhouse serving healthcare nonprofits and FQHCs. We discuss the secrets of business development, market mapping, nurturing underdog talent, and the real power of daily consistency. If you’ve ever wondered what most leaders get wrong (and how to fix it in your firm), this conversation is packed with unfiltered insights and actionable recruiting strategies you can use right now. How do you choose a niche and map your entire market to dominate client relationships?Why is the phone a recruiter’s #1 BD tool in the age of AI and automations?What does it take to build a mission-driven recruitment team—and actually change lives?Where are recruiting leaders screwing up the partnership conversation (and how to avoid it)?What are the real, day-to-day activities that set winning recruiters and teams apart?  If you’re serious about leveling up your desk, team, or agency, you can’t afford to miss how Justin blends grit, tech, and leadership. Hear the play-by-play of how he: Built a world-class org chart and talent pipeline with nothing but hustle and smart techCreated training systems that help even first-time recruiters smash their goalsUses market mapping and competitive intelligence to build long-standing client partnershipsOvercame self-doubt and imposter syndrome through ownership and daily promises kept 👉 Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform. 👉 Connect with Benjamin Mena, Justin Bellante, and our vibrant recruiting community.  📌 4 Key Takeaways Niche Domination: Laser focus on FQHCs & market-mapped every target organization—game-changer for BD and placements.Phone First BD Wins: Cold calls & personalized emails are outperforming AI-generated campaigns for real recruiter-client connections.Consistent Training Culture: Daily huddles, live role play, and expert coaches keep the Titan team sharp and productive.Mission-Led Leadership: Giving opportunistic, hungry new recruits a shot, paired with real development, drives retention and impact. Sponsors & Resources  AI Recruiting Summit 2025 – Registration: https://ai-recruiting-summit-2025.heysummit.com/ Finish The Year Strong 2025 – Registration: https://rock-the-year-2025.heysummit.com/ Signup for future emails from The Elite Recruiter Podcast: https://eliterecruiterpodcast.beehiiv.com/subscribe YouTube: https://youtu.be/UMFzzXhRStA Follow Justin Bellante on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinbellante/ With your Host Benjamin Mena with Select Source Solutions: http://www.selectsourcesolutions.com/ Benjamin Mena LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminmena/

In this engaging discussion, seasoned recruiter Brian Fink shares insights from his 20-year career in talent acquisition. He tackles the pressing question: Is AI really 'killing sourcing?' Brian emphasizes the need for recruiters to adapt instead of resist, detailing how AI can automate candidate sourcing, freeing up time for relationship-building. He shares creative sourcing stories and urges the importance of upskilling for an AI-driven future, advocating for a blend of technical skills and emotional intelligence to stay relevant in the evolving landscape.

Are you ready to break free from the “average recruiter” grind and join the ranks of million-dollar billers? If you’re a recruiter, search firm owner, or ambitious TA pro, this episode is your backstage pass to the playbook that’s built one of Texas’ highest-billing recruiting teams. Host Benjamin Mena welcomes back Jeremy Jenson (Encore Search Partners) to uncover the exact strategies that have multiplied fees, modernized recruiter development, and created a talent magnet operation.  🚀 Hoxo’s Personal Brand Bootcamp AI is already replacing recruiters—not next year, but now. The safe ones? Recruiters who are known, trusted, and visible in their niche. That’s where Hoxo comes in—their Bootcamp helps founders turn a few hours a week on LinkedIn into inbound leads and real business growth, powered by their proven 3X System. 🎯 Free Masterclass → https://hubs.ly/Q03rqpf-0 ⚡ Listener Bonus: Mention The Elite Recruiter Podcast and get £500 off.  🚀 The Elite Recruiter Community Is Live Private, growth-focused community for recruiters featuring: • Weekly recruiter roundtables • Summit replays & exclusive trainings • The Billers’ Club to share wins • Split & Opportunities Board to partner on reqs and candidates 👉 Join for $37/month before Sept 30 (price rises to $49 in Oct). Join here → https://elite-recruiters.circle.so/checkout/elite-recruiter-founder-member  Inside the Episode Jeremy’s journey—from childhood poverty to leading a multimillion-dollar contingency firm—is invaluable for anyone scaling a recruiting business. Discover why Encore’s model defies old-school thinking, how their average contingency fee hit $70k+, and why investing in managers, L&D, and wellbeing delivers outsized results. You’ll learn how to: • Elevate your recruiter brand beyond automation • Attract and mold high-performing recruiters (even outside staffing) • Build cohesive teams with L&D, marketing, EOS, and accountability • Develop a limitless, logic-driven relationship with money and growth • Scale confidently—stepping out of day-to-day billing to drive expansion  5 Key Takeaways Riches Are in the Niches – Specializing in PE/VC-backed firms catapulted fees from $49k to $70k+.Systemize > Hero Culture – Hiring managers, L&D, and marketing enables sustainable scaling.Demand Generation Wins – Authentic branding builds inbound interest: “the best recruiters found us.”Prioritize Personal Growth – Investing in mindset coaches and well-being drives loyalty and results.Step Out to Level Up – Top leaders don’t bill; empower managers and focus on strategy.  Ready to become an elite recruiter or build a million-dollar practice? 🎧 Listen now for strategies, insider stories, and candid mindset advice. Subscribe so you never miss these growth-packed episodes, and connect with Ben & Jeremy for more insights!  Resources & Links • Hoxo’s Personal Brand Bootcamp – Free Masterclass: https://hubs.ly/Q03rqpf-0 • The Elite Recruiter Community: https://elite-recruiters.circle.so/checkout/elite-recruiter-founder-member • Finish The Year Strong 2025 – https://rock-the-year-2025.heysummit.com/ • Free Trial – PeopleGPT: https://juicebox.ai/?via=b6912d • Signup for podcast emails: https://eliterecruiterpodcast.beehiiv.com/subscribe • YouTube: https://youtu.be/H79-iX7y5xQ • Follow Jeremy Jenson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyjenson/ • Host – Benjamin Mena, Select Source Solutions: http://www.selectsourcesolutions.com/ • Benjamin Mena LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminmena/ • Benjamin Mena Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benlmena/  Level up your recruitment agency, placements, and mindset—press play now!