

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

Feb 3, 2022 • 32min
Episode 23 – Leading a Cleared Recruiting Team with James Dyson
In this exciting episode of The Elite Recruiter Podcast. We talk about what it takes to lead a team of Cleared Recruiters supporting Top Secret (and higher) work and how important recruiters are to supporting the customer's missions.
Some Highlights:
How James Dyson got into Cleared Recruiting and how he grew into a leader.The challenges of cleared recruiting The book that has had such an impact on himAdvice that he has on helping companies capture cleared talent
James Dyson: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesdysonjr/
Redhorse: https://redhorsecorp.com/
Redhorse’s LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/redhorse-corporation/

Jan 25, 2022 • 27min
Episode 22 – The Recruiting Mastermind with Dualta Doherty
In this first exciting episode of 2022, we have Dualta Doherty joining us for the Elite Recruiter Podcast. In this exciting episode, we talk about Rec2Rec Recruiting Space. His Recruiting Mastermind program that has helped 70 companies scale and what it takes to be successful in the recruiting game.
Exciting topics we cover:
How Dualta got into the recruiting industry.Rec2Rec industry and recruiting thereTalk about the Recruiters Mastermind ProgramHow he became successful in the recruiting industry
Dualta Doherty LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dualtadohertyr2r/
The Recruiters Mastermind: https://www.recwired.com/
RecWired: https://www.recwired.com/

Dec 21, 2021 • 44min
Episode 21 – The Future of Recruiting and HR Tech with CJ Tufano
In the last episode of 2021 of the Elite Recruiter Podcast, I speak with CJ Tufano who is a Accounting and Finance Big Biller based out of New York City. We talk about the future of Recruiting and HR Tech and what is needed for a tech focused company in our space to be successful and actually solve problems
Highlights that we talk about:
How CJ Tufano got his career started in recruitingWhy so many recruiting tech and companies fail The key pain points that a tech company needs to solve to be successful in the spaceHow he is building a tech company
CJ Tufano LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-tufano-2a137528/
Cherry Picker: www.getcherrypicker.com

Dec 15, 2021 • 30min
Episode 20 – What It Takes To Be a 7-Figure Biller with Rich Rosen
In this episode of the Elite Recruiter Podcast, I speak with Rich Rosen the founder of Cornerstone Search about what it takes and the mindset needed to become a 7-Figure Biller as a solo recruiter.
Highlights that we talk about:
How Rich Rosen got his career started in recruitingWhat his daily habits, schedule, and work ethic isSales and Business Development TipsThe Mindset of a 7-Figure Biller solo recruiterRecruiters should set a goal to join The Pinnacle Society and be around other recruiters making $500K-$1.5 Million a year
Rich Rosen LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cstone1/
Cornerstone Executive Search: https://cornerstonesearch.com/about/
The Pinnacle Society: https://pinnaclesociety.org/

Nov 23, 2021 • 32min
Episode 19 – How You Can Scale Your Firm 2-5X in record speed with David Stephen Patterson
In this episode of the Elite Recruiter Podcast, I speak with “DSP” David Stephen Patterson the founder of The Digital Headhunter, and the SAP Recruiter on how he helps search firms scale 2-5X in record speed. I am excited to host DSP because he is one of the individuals that helped me jump internal recruitment to our own search firm.
Highlights that we talk about:
How David Stephen Patterson got his career started in recruiting𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐝™ his revolutionary new marketing, prospecting, sales, and operations system.Sales and Business Development Tips How David Stephen Patterson helped me with the jump from internal recruitment to my own firm.His upcoming platform that he is building.
David Stephen Patterson LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dspatterson/
The Digital Headhunter: https://thedigitalheadhunter.com/
The Lighthouse Method 225 Page Book: https://thedigitalheadhunter.com/lighthouse/
The Headhunter and Executive Recruiter Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/510283102679137

Nov 19, 2021 • 35min
Episode 18 – How To Use Recruiting As a Tool to Build Wealth and a Real Estate Portfolio with Dandan Zhu
In this episode of the Elite Recruiter Podcast, I speak with Dandan Zhu the founder of DG Recruit a top Rec2Rec agency that helps Top Billers maximize their agencies careers. We also talk about how she is building wealth through her real estate portfolio.
Highlights that we talk about:
How she became a millionaire through recruiting and real estate.How recruiting is one of the highest income careers you can choose and you how you can use it to create wealth.How you can launch a successful career in recruiting what is the work that is needed to be a top biller.How she started in real estate investing and how she built a portfolio to create passive incomeHow she helps top billers find the perfect fit.
Dandan Zhu LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dandanzhu
DG Recruit: https://www.dgrecruit.com/
Dandan Zhu’s Business Insider Interview becoming a millionaire by 30: https://www.businessinsider.com/i-was-waitress-22-retired-28-and-millionaire-by-30-2019-7
DG Recruit Podcast: https://dgrecruit.libsyn.com/

Nov 9, 2021 • 27min
Episode 17 – What to do if a client is not paying your placement fee and how to still get paid if a client backdoors your candidates with Wilson Cole
In this episode of the Elite Recruiter Podcast, I speak with Wilson Cole the founder of Adams, Evens, & Ross a top credit and collections agency that focuses exclusively on US Staffing and Recruiting Firms and Back Door Hiring Solutions which is the easiest way for recruiters to find missed fees and backdoor hires.
Highlights that we talk about:
When you might help in collecting a placement feeHow they have helped over 3500 staffing and recruiting firms collect millions in fees that they were owedHow his team was able to find 6 backdoor hires over the last week for clientsThe craziest collection story that his team dealt with and was able to recover a fee forHow to set yourself up for success when working with new clients
Wilson Cole: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wilson-cole-eloc/
Adams, Evens, & Ross credit and collections agency for recruiters and staffing companies: https://www.staffingdebt.com/
Back Door Hire: https://www.backdoorhires.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/staffingdebt/

Nov 2, 2021 • 41min
Episode 16 – The Quest to Help 1 Million Americans With Criminal Records Land Employment with Richard Bronson
In this episode of the Elite Recruiter Podcast, I speak with Richard Bronson the founder of 70 Million Jobs and the Commissary Club about how he has already successfully helped thousands of Americans with criminal background land jobs and the quest to help 1 Million more. 70 Million Americans have criminal backgrounds and many have trouble finding employment, and he is actively working on a solution.
Highlights that we talk about:
His background and why he is passionate about work for people with criminal backgrounds.Starting in the non-profit sector and realizing how he could get more done by building a business.What its like going through Y CombinatorThe benefits of hiring someone with a criminal background The impact of Covid on his companies missionBuilding out a social network on top of a job board, staffing and direct placement businessCommissary Club’s social network app launching Scaling the organizations to help 1 million people with criminal records get jobs
Richard Bronson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-bronson-6b00675/
Richard Bronson richard@commissary.club
https://www.70millionjobs.com/
https://www.commissary.club/
https://www.70millionstaffing.com/

Oct 8, 2021 • 29min
Episode 15 – The Secrets of Cleared Recruiting with Katie Keller of ClearanceJobs.com
In this episode of the Elite Recruiter Podcast, I speak with Katie Keller with ClearanceJobs.com about the ins and outs of recruiting in the cleared space. We also cover what it takes to be successful in recruiting cleared talent.
Highlights that we talk about:
What the current market for cleared recruiting looks likeHow recruiters can win in the cleared space Some creative avenues that you have seen to land cleared candidatesHow ClearenceJobs is one of the most powerful platforms for cleared candidates. (I have personally been using them for over a decade)
Katie Keller: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-e-keller/
www.ClearanceJobs.com
www.news.clearancejobs.com
https://about.clearancejobs.com/employers/recruiting-resources/thefutureisflexible
National Security Book Club: https://news.clearancejobs.com/national-security-book-club/

Sep 27, 2021 • 25min
Episode 14 – Falling Into Recruiting And How to Become Successful with Joshua May
In this episode of the Elite Recruiter Podcast, I speak with Big Biller Joshua May on what it takes to be successful in recruiting.
Highlights that we talk about:
How Josh fell into recruitment by recruiting himself into the industryShifting his company from Contingency to RetainedFocusing on a Niche vs chasing multiple industriesHow to be successful in the recruiting spaceHow he has learned from his peers to keep growing
Joshua May: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuawilliammay/
Hire Strong Executive Search Firm: https://hire-strong.com/


