

The Elite Recruiter Podcast
Benjamin Mena
The Elite Recruiter Podcast is where top recruiters go to get better.
Hosted by executive recruiter Benjamin Mena, this show dives deep into the stories, strategies, and mindsets of the most successful people in the industry — from $1M solo producers to 8-figure agency founders.
Each episode delivers real, tactical insights for high-performance recruiting:
How elite recruiters build and scaleTools, tech stacks, and sourcing strategiesDaily habits and workflows that drive million-dollar desksLessons from failure, breakthrough wins, and mindset shiftsWhat the best are doing next — and how they’re changing the game
If you’re in agency recruiting, staffing, or executive search — this is your new secret weapon.
No fluff. No recycled advice. Just the unfiltered playbook of the top 1%.
🎧 Subscribe now — and start leveling up like an elite.
Hosted by executive recruiter Benjamin Mena, this show dives deep into the stories, strategies, and mindsets of the most successful people in the industry — from $1M solo producers to 8-figure agency founders.
Each episode delivers real, tactical insights for high-performance recruiting:
How elite recruiters build and scaleTools, tech stacks, and sourcing strategiesDaily habits and workflows that drive million-dollar desksLessons from failure, breakthrough wins, and mindset shiftsWhat the best are doing next — and how they’re changing the game
If you’re in agency recruiting, staffing, or executive search — this is your new secret weapon.
No fluff. No recycled advice. Just the unfiltered playbook of the top 1%.
🎧 Subscribe now — and start leveling up like an elite.
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 11, 2021 • 26min
Episode 10 – Launching a Successful Recruiting Firm in France with Emilie Ornon
In this exciting episode of the Elite Recruiter Podcast, I get to interview Emilie Ornon who after a few years of starting a new desk for the company she worked for decided to make the jump and launch her own successful firm.
We talk about:
What it's like to launch a firm after a successful agency recruiting career What it takes to win new business as you are just starting outCreative Recruiting avenues that are helping her team place, candidates What the recruiting world is like in FranceWhat the plans are to keep scaling and growingThe top things that you need to do if you want to grow your recruiting firm.
Emilie Ornon’s Company AGILEMATCH: https://www.agilematch.fr/
Emilie Ornon’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilie-ornon/
Team Member: Gaetan Ornon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ga%C3%ABtan-ornon/
Emilie Ornon’s Bio:
After more than 10 years of professional experience, I discovered the world of recruitment 3 years ago.
I am proud to have succeeded in taking up a major challenge: to create an IT pole within the first Manpower firm in France.
It was after 2 years of growth and success (Top 5 Region for the year 2020) that I made the decision to stand on my own feet by creating AGILEMATCH.
I want to continue to exercise my passion, the “hunting” of penury profiles, to help companies find their future employees.
It is thanks to my knowledge of the market and my experience that I will be able to develop AGILEMATCH's activity on a daily basis according to developments in the IT world.
You will understand, the idea is to keep a maximum open mind. I like to renew my practices according to the innovations that I identify in the world of recruitment. Also, I am on constant watch of what is done on the European and US market.
Hence the choice of AGILEMATCH: adopt an “agile” daily operation in order to create a perfect “matching”!

May 4, 2021 • 35min
Episode 9 – Million Dollar Biller in Europe with Gavin Johnston
In this episode of the Elite Recruiter Podcast, we speak with our guest Gavin Johnston about being a top biller in Europe and what it took for him to get there.
We talk about:
How he was able to bill over $1 million with less 7000 LinkedIn ConnectionsHow he is hyper focused on his candidates and how that’s one of the secrets to his successHow most recruiters fail because they never started their careers with the right trainingDay in and day out what it took to be a top billerHow he is able to still bill over $200K working part time.
Gavin Johnston’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavinjohnston1/

Apr 16, 2021 • 29min
Episode 8 – The Impact of Digital Marketing Growth for Staffing + Recruiting Firms with Kelli Schutrop
In this exciting episode of the Elite Recruiter Podcast our guest Kelli Schutrop the CEO & Founder of Thoughtful Resound talks about the impact of Digital Marketing for Staffing and Recruiting Firms.
We talk about:
How some executive search firms and tech search firms are bringing in up to 50% of their business with digital marketing Things that you need to start preparing for as digital marketing has an increased role in the staffing and recruiting industryDigital Marketing Steps that you can take today to increase business The book that has had the largest impact on her careerHow taking control of your calendar each day multiplies the amount of work she can get done
Kelli Schutrop is the CEO & Founder of Thoughtful Resound – a thought leadership activation firm that unlocks new revenue streams for growing B2B companies through sales, marketing, and thought leadership strategies. As an experienced sales and marketing leader, she has a passion for accelerating business growth, and has 15 years of expertise spanning digital marketing, brand marketing, consultative selling, on-camera hosting, and speaking. Kelli’s career highlights include scaling start-ups, growing marketing functions, establishing sales structures, and consulting business leaders globally on their growth strategies.
She regularly hosts fireside chats with industry leaders, conducts speaking engagements, sits on boards and committees, and partners with growth-minded B2B organizations. She studied Public Relations & Marketing at the University of Northwestern–St. Paul, and currently resides in Minneapolis, MN. Kelli has an unreasonable love for ice cream, is always looking for the best new foodie spots, and enjoys traveling the world with her family on new adventures.
https://www.thoughtfulresound.com/
Kelli Schutrop - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellischutrop/

Mar 29, 2021 • 37min
Episode 7 – How Helping Companies Grow has Lead to $150 Million in Sales with Aaron Opalewski
In this episode of the Elite Recruiter Podcast, we Interview Aaron Opalewski the CEO and Founder of Spark Talent Acquisition.
We talk about:
What it took to get to $150 Million in SalesThe journey from Agency Recruiter to CEO of his own firmThe daily habits that have led to his successLeading his team through the last year of Covid ImpactsThe road to 100,000 Opportunities per year with his teamThe book that has had the largest impact of his career
This has been one of my favorite Podcast Episodes to date! Check it out!
Aaron Opalewski Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaronopalewski/
Aaron Opalewski LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-opalewski-3596891a/
Spark Talent Acquisition: https://www.sparktalentinc.com/
With your Host Benjamin Mena with Select Source Solutions: http://www.selectsourcesolutions.com/
Benjamin Mena LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminmena/
Benjamin Mena Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benlmena/
Benjamin Mena TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@benjaminlmena
Benjamin Mena Twitter: https://twitter.com/benjamin_l_mena
The Elite Recruiter Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theeliterecruiter/

Mar 11, 2021 • 35min
Episode 6 – How Recruiters can use Content to Attract Clients with Joel Lalgee
Content is King… I know we have all heard about how we need to create more content for our organic marketing channels, but is it worth it?
In this episode of The Elite Recruiter Podcast we speak with Joel Lalgee who not only used content creation to change the game in inbound marketing but is now teaching other recruiters to bring in more sales by doing the same.
Joel Lalgee - https://www.linkedin.com/in/recruitmentmarketing1/
https://linktr.ee/Joellalgee
With your Host Benjamin Mena with Select Source Solutions: http://www.selectsourcesolutions.com/
Benjamin Mena LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminmena/
Benjamin Mena Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benlmena/
Benjamin Mena TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@benjaminlmena
Benjamin Mena Twitter: https://twitter.com/benjamin_l_mena
The Elite Recruiter Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theeliterecruiter/

Feb 21, 2021 • 30min
Episode 5 – How the Sprint Recruiting Mythology is an absolute Game Changer for Talent Acquisition with Trent Cotton
As a Talent Acquisition or Recruiting Director are you tired of putting out the flames of every fire day in and day out? Are you looking to stock knocking down the current openings? If so you are in luck because in this episode of the Elite Recruiter Podcast I speak with Trent Cotton on the game-changing mythology of Sprint Recruiting and how it’s a game-changer on internal recruiting.
Trent Cotton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trentcotton/
Sprint Recruiting: https://sprintrecruiting.com/
Sprint Recruiting the Book: https://amzn.to/2NMh2Em

Feb 9, 2021 • 33min
Episode 4 - Going Deeper into the data for better quality hires and jumping into your own firm with Michael G. Cox
Michael G. Cox is a leading Executive Sales Recruiter based out of San Antonio, TX.
In this episode, we talk about how he successfully climbed the corporate recruiting ladder into a leadership position.
Using data to not only increase the quality of hiring but maximize organization revenue.
Jumping from the corporate ladder to owning his own successful firm.
Michael G. Cox Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikerecruiter/
The Sales Career Leveling Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sales-career-leveling-podcast/id1535712306
http://www.zagworx.com/

Jan 19, 2021 • 25min
Episode 3 - How copywriting can level up your sales and recruiting with Henna Merchant Pryor
Henna Merchant Pryor was a top recruiter for years at K-Force before starting her Executive Coaching and Copy Clinics.
She learned early on that the proper messages not only increased her response rates, but helped to become a Big Biller.
We talk about how she got to the top of the industry. How she used copy to become highly efficient and productive and how important Copy is going to be moving forward in the recruitment industry.
Henna Pryor LinkedIn Profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/hennapryor/
The Recruiters Copy Clinic - https://recruiterscopyclinic.teachable.com/p/recruiterscopyclinic
Like it or not, people will instantly judge you (and your company), and whether or not they want to work with you, based on the words you use.
Sales Messaging (or Copywriting) is no longer a “nice-to-have” skill in sales.
It’s a non-negotiable. The sales process can’t start without it.
This has little to do with spelling, grammar, or punctuation. Sales Copywriting is anything intended to persuade the right reader or viewer to take a specific action.
You need to understand the psychology and the words that make people respond to you and work with you.
https://pryoritygroup.com/ - Executive Coaching
YouTube: https://youtu.be/Ts2uSZ2C534

Jan 15, 2021 • 22min
Episode 2 - With Adam Meekhof on what its takes to be successful in recruiting year after year
Adam Meekof is one of the best recruiters that I have known for years. We both started around the same time at Aerotek and I have watched his career grow since. He has had nonstop success because of the fundamentals that he stays focused on.
Join us as we talk about some of his secrets to success year after year.
Adam Meekof’s LinkedIn Profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/adammeekhof/
YouTube: https://youtu.be/RIWBL4b4IxI

Dec 23, 2020 • 33min
Episode 1 - Leadership Lessons From The Last Recession with Jay Veniard
Speaking with Jay Veniard of VenTech Search Group America’s leading Automation and Robotics Search Firm about the challenges that he faced in the last economic downturn and the lessons that he is using for his team in this potential economic cycle.
Youtube: https://youtu.be/OjXXiumOh3M