In this episode of Take the Stage, presented by Haley Marketing, Brad Bialy sits down with Julie Ann Bittner to unpack the truth about staffing funding: why it’s not a weakness, how the right partner fuels growth, and what smart owners must understand before cash gets tight.

Julie Ann Bittner is the President and CEO of TRICOM, a staffing-industry–specific funding and back-office partner with over 36 years of experience. Known for her high energy and deep industry insight, Julie Ann has spent decades helping staffing owners scale responsibly while navigating volatility, growth cycles, and uncertainty.

• Funding is a strategic growth tool, not a sign of weakness.

• The right partner scales with your business—not against it.

• Waiting until cash is tight limits your best options.

• Industry-specific expertise beats generalist solutions.

• Proactive communication prevents reactive decisions.

• [00:15] – Reframing funding as strength, not weakness

• [01:40] – Why banks struggle with staffing growth cycles

• [03:15] – Asset-based lending vs. factoring explained

• [05:16] – Funding realities for staffing startups

• [06:07] – Questions every owner must ask lenders

• [07:51] – The risk of client concentration

• [09:20] – Why waiting too long costs you options

• [11:14] – The danger of non-industry lenders

• [13:38] – Where staffing rebounds next year

• [16:02] – Industries quietly turning the corner

• [17:12] – AI’s real role in staffing today

• [23:53] – What true funding partnership looks like

Brad Bialy is a trusted voice and highly sought-after speaker in the staffing and recruiting industry, known for helping firms grow through integrated marketing, sales, and recruiting strategies. With over 13 years at Haley Marketing and a proven track record guiding hundreds of firms, Brad brings deep expertise and a fresh, actionable perspective to every engagement. He’s the host of Take the Stage and InSights, two of the staffing industry’s leading podcasts with more than 200,000 downloads.

Take the Stage is presented by Haley Marketing. The old way of selling staffing is dead. Let’s fix it – with smarter strategies and HUGE DISCOUNTS on modern lead gen tools: https://bit.ly/Bialy20

Book a 30-minute business and marketing consultation with host, Brad Bialy: https://bit.ly/Bialy30

This episode is brought to you by MJA & Associates. For over 20 years, they’ve helped staffing firms save money by securing federal and state tax credits like the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC). With performance-based pricing, you only pay when you save—no setup costs, just real results. Learn more at https://mja-associates.com

In this episode of Lunch with Haley, Brad Bialy sits down to reflect on the biggest lessons, mindset shifts, and industry insights he gained from a transformative year in staffing, recruiting, leadership, and personal growth.

Brad Bialy is a senior marketing strategist at Haley Marketing and the host of both Take the Stage and InSights. With seven years of podcasting and thousands of conversations with staffing leaders, he brings a rare blend of industry expertise, curiosity, and real-world experience.

• “The storm isn’t coming — it’s already here.”

• “Systems create repeatable wins.”

• “Happiness lives in the process, not the milestone.”

• “Curiosity builds relationships; pressure breaks them.”

• “Your service must live up to your story.”

• [00:27] Warming up the room and the question that sparks reflection

• [02:14] Why 2025 was a “hell of a year” for staffing

• [05:13] Inside the threats creating a perfect storm for staffing

• [13:23] Competing with Amazon, DoorDash, and Spotify

• [18:44] The happiness trap and the marathon moment

• [24:58] Topical authority and why content density wins

• [28:41] Systems over goals: the Uber ride epiphany

• [31:37] Why you’re not reaching prospects nearly enough

• [36:29] Personalized automation and the GNC postcard lesson

• [38:31] Stop selling like the ’80s

• [41:09] Stay curious: winning the relationship, not the deal

• [55:21] The Gen Z wake-up call and the danger of declining satisfaction

Brad Bialy is a trusted voice and highly sought-after speaker in the staffing and recruiting industry, known for helping firms grow through integrated marketing, sales, and recruiting strategies. With over 13 years at Haley Marketing and a proven track record guiding hundreds of firms, Brad brings deep expertise and a fresh, actionable perspective to every engagement. He’s the host of Take the Stage and InSights, two of the staffing industry’s leading podcasts with more than 200,000 downloads.

In this episode of Take the Stage, Brad Bialy sits down with John Klymshyn to explore how sales professionals can reclaim humanity, curiosity, and authentic connection in an AI-driven staffing world.

John Klymshyn is a renowned speaker, coach, and author who has spent more than 27 years helping staffing organizations unlock creativity, sharpen their message, and elevate leadership through authentic communication. His work blends business practicality with creative play, empowering teams to sell with curiosity and conviction. Amazon Author Page

• Authenticity is a competitive advantage.

• Curiosity moves conversations forward.

• Precision of language shapes outcomes.

• Consistency beats urgency.

• Practice makes prepared.

• [00:34] – Why AI can’t replace human connection

• [02:14] – The mindset shift sellers must make

• [04:04] – Bringing your authentic self into sales

• [07:47] – Asking better questions that invite the next step

• [09:37] – How to remove “commission breath”

• [12:36] – Leading with curiosity instead of pressure

• [13:55] – Selling through down markets without fear

• [17:33] – The real math behind modern follow-up

• [21:24] – Why personalized video still disrupts

• [24:19] – Honor your commitments and keep showing up

• [29:23] – Practice makes prepared, not perfect

• [38:16] – A five-year mindset for new sales reps

Brad Bialy is a trusted voice and highly sought-after speaker in the staffing and recruiting industry, known for helping firms grow through integrated marketing, sales, and recruiting strategies. With over 13 years at Haley Marketing and a proven track record guiding hundreds of firms, Brad brings deep expertise and a fresh, actionable perspective to every engagement. He’s the host of Take the Stage and InSights, two of the staffing industry’s leading podcasts with more than 200,000 downloads.

Take the Stage is presented by Haley Marketing. The old way of selling staffing is dead. Let’s fix it – with smarter strategies and HUGE DISCOUNTS on modern lead gen tools: https://bit.ly/Bialy20

Book a 30-minute business and marketing consultation with host, Brad Bialy: https://bit.ly/Bialy30

In this episode of InSights, Brad Bialy sits down with Steve Gipson to explore why great marketing must align with great service—and how modern staffing firms can blend both to win more business.

Steve Gipson is a 15-year recruiting industry veteran and the Director of Sales and Operations at Recruiters Websites. His team has helped more than 700 recruiting and staffing firms elevate their digital presence through modern websites, SEO, and marketing strategy.

• Marketing can never exceed the quality of the service it promotes.

• Hype without delivery destroys trust faster than no marketing at all.

• Many firms avoid marketing because they’re unsure their product is strong enough.

• Sales and marketing work best as a unified system—not competing functions.

• Negative experiences travel fast in tight-knit recruiting communities.

• Strong marketing amplifies great salespeople by warming the path before contact.

• [00:42] – When hype outpaces service delivery

• [03:11] – The danger of over-marketing an average product

• [05:55] – Why firms delay marketing until assets match reality

• [07:47] – Fixing the gap between leads and delivery

• [09:58] – How one bad experience can ripple through a niche

• [11:24] – Building a signature solution that stands apart

• [13:10] – Vegas, overpricing, and customer expectations

• [14:54] – Does great marketing replace the need for sales?

• [16:23] – Why service industries still require human closers

• [21:03] – Marketing’s real job: warming the conversation

• [23:52] – The unified system: sales and marketing

• [25:30] – How strong marketing amplifies a single salesperson

Brad Bialy is a trusted voice and highly sought-after speaker in the staffing and recruiting industry, known for helping firms grow through integrated marketing, sales, and recruiting strategies. With over 13 years at Haley Marketing and a proven track record guiding hundreds of firms, Brad brings deep expertise and a fresh, actionable perspective to every engagement. He’s the host of Take the Stage and InSights, two of the staffing industry’s leading podcasts with more than 200,000 downloads.

InSights is presented by Haley Marketing. The old way of selling staffing is dead. Let’s fix it – with smarter strategies and HUGE DISCOUNTS on modern lead gen tools: https://bit.ly/Bialy20

Book a 30-minute business and marketing consultation with host, Brad Bialy: https://bit.ly/Bialy30

This episode is brought to you by MJA & Associates. For over 20 years, they’ve helped staffing firms save money through federal and state tax credits like the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC). With performance-based pricing, you only pay when you save—no setup costs, just real results. Learn more at mja-associates.com.

In this episode of Take the Stage, Brad Bialy sits down with Lia Taniguchi to unpack Bullhorn’s 2025 Grid Talent Trends Report and explore how data, AI, and human connection are reshaping the candidate experience in staffing and recruiting.

Lia Taniguchi is the Senior Research Manager at Bullhorn, leading global market research that drives data-informed strategy for the staffing industry. With an MBA from Simmons College and a forthcoming MPH from Boston University, Lia brings a rare mix of analytical depth and human-centered insight to her work.

• Only 26% of Gen Z candidates are actively using a recruiter—showing an urgent need for better engagement and support for younger talent.

• 54% of candidates stopped working with a recruiter due to slow or unclear communication, proving that speed and transparency are now table stakes.

• 88% of candidates rated their voice agent interview as as good as or better than speaking with a person, signaling growing comfort with AI-driven screening.

• Overall candidate satisfaction declined across every stage of the recruitment process in the past year, with speed and responsiveness dropping by 20%.

• Candidates want instant acknowledgment—most expect confirmation within minutes and status updates within one week, mirroring Amazon-style service expectations.

[00:45] – Introducing the Grid 2025 Talent Trends Report [03:20] – Why Gen Z is least satisfied with recruiters [06:30] – Setting higher expectations in a digital-native world [10:25] – The power of intergenerational mentorship in recruiting [13:40] – Can AI fix the application black hole? [17:10] – What candidates really mean by “speed and communication” [20:15] – Remembering the human impact behind every resume [24:00] – Using AI to give feedback to the “silver medalists” [28:15] – 88% of candidates rate voice agents as good as people [33:20] – Why candidate satisfaction is declining—and how to fix it [37:45] – Secret shopping your own candidate experience [46:20] – Specialization as the new superpower for staffing firms

Brad Bialy is a trusted voice and highly sought-after speaker in the staffing and recruiting industry, known for helping firms grow through integrated marketing, sales, and recruiting strategies. With over 13 years at Haley Marketing and a proven track record guiding hundreds of firms, Brad brings deep expertise and a fresh, actionable perspective to every engagement. He’s the host of Take the Stage and InSights, two of the staffing industry’s leading podcasts with more than 200,000 downloads.

Take the Stage is presented by Haley Marketing. The old way of selling staffing is dead. Let’s fix it—with smarter strategies and HUGE DISCOUNTS on modern lead-gen tools: https://bit.ly/Bialy20

Book a 30-minute business and marketing consultation with host, Brad Bialy: https://bit.ly/Bialy30

For 30 years, Benefits in a Card has delivered benefit plans designed specifically for the staffing industry—over 140 unique options with immediate coverage, unique perks like FreeRx, and solutions that reduce turnover while improving ACA compliance. Give your workforce benefits they’ll actually use and give your staffing firm a competitive edge. Learn more at https://www.BenefitsInACard.com

In this episode of InSights, Brad Bialy sits down with Shaun Chojnacki to uncover the eight most common—and easily fixable—mistakes holding staffing and recruiting websites back from driving better visibility, engagement, and conversions.

Shaun Chojnacki is a Senior Marketing Strategist at Haley Marketing, specializing in SEO, paid media, and content strategy. With more than a decade of experience spanning SaaS and eCommerce, Shaun combines data-driven marketing with creative execution to help staffing firms turn their websites into high-performing lead generation engines.

• Your website isn’t outdated—it’s underperforming.
• If your homepage talks to everyone, it converts no one.
• Fresh, relevant content is your new SEO currency.
• Trust signals aren’t vanity—they’re validation.
• Small website fixes can create massive marketing wins.

• [00:35] – Why 50 staffing websites revealed the same hidden issues

• [02:34] – Outdated messaging: confusing visitors and search engines

• [05:11] – Creating clear client journeys for your ideal audience

• [07:34] – The power of service pages for SEO and conversions

• [09:21] – Location pages: how to win local search (and clients)

• [12:11] – Segmenting your blog for stronger topical authority

• [16:07] – Building trust through Google Business and external reviews

• [20:19] – Why weak calls-to-action kill great marketing

• [22:46] – Footers that actually convert: making the last scroll count

• [25:42] – Bonus #1: The secret structure behind great headers (H1–H3)

• [28:47] – Bonus #2: Internal linking—the forgotten SEO goldmine

• [29:58] – Rapid-fire recap: eight fixes to implement this week

Brad Bialy is a trusted voice and highly sought-after speaker in the staffing and recruiting industry, known for helping firms grow through integrated marketing, sales, and recruiting strategies. With over 13 years at Haley Marketing and a proven track record guiding hundreds of firms, Brad brings deep expertise and a fresh, actionable perspective to every engagement. He’s the host of Take the Stage and InSights, two of the staffing industry’s leading podcasts with more than 200,000 downloads.

InSights is presented by Haley Marketing. The old way of selling staffing is dead. Let’s fix it—with smarter strategies and HUGE DISCOUNTS on modern lead gen tools: https://bit.ly/Bialy20

Book a 30-minute business and marketing consultation with host, Brad Bialy: https://bit.ly/Bialy30

This episode is brought to you by MJA & Associates. For over 20 years, they’ve helped staffing firms save money by securing federal and state tax credits like the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC). With performance-based pricing, you only pay when you save—no setup costs, just real results. Learn more at mja-associates.com.

In this episode of Take the Stage, Brad Bialy sits down with Dr. Gustavo to unpack how culture—built on accountability, transparency, and intentional communication—drives consistent performance across in-office and remote teams.

Dr. Gustavo is a leading expert and keynote speaker on organizational culture, helping companies of all sizes engineer behavior change that lifts performance and profits. With 2,500+ presentations and two decades of consulting, he brings research-backed, practical frameworks in both English and Spanish.

• Culture controls behavior more reliably than personality.

• Accountability means transparency, not punishment.

• Separate the problem from the person.

• Flexibility is earned through performance.

• Feedback is a gift—thank you or tell me more.

• [00:01] – Defining culture as context that drives behavior

• [00:35] – Reframing accountability as transparency, not punishment

• [01:04] – Building momentum with “good → mediocre → bad” sharing

• [04:53] – Four pillars: beliefs, rules, traditions, rituals

• [06:12] – Leaders as chief gardeners of culture

• [07:22] – Coaching assertive communication across teams

• [08:19] – “Attack the problem, not the person” in practice

• [10:22] – Naming silos as culture’s biggest threat

• [12:53] – Creating “temporary Zoom rooms” for organic collaboration

• [16:24] – Future of work: flexibility over hybrid

• [18:58] – Using team KPIs to unlock autonomy

• [22:01] – Making feedback safe: “Thank you” or “Tell me more”

Brad Bialy is a trusted voice and highly sought-after speaker in the staffing and recruiting industry, known for helping firms grow through integrated marketing, sales, and recruiting strategies. With over 13 years at Haley Marketing and a proven track record guiding hundreds of firms, Brad brings deep expertise and a fresh, actionable perspective to every engagement. He’s the host of Take the Stage and InSights, two of the staffing industry’s leading podcasts with more than 200,000 downloads.

Take the Stage is presented by Haley Marketing. The old way of selling staffing is dead. Let’s fix it – with smarter strategies and HUGE DISCOUNTS on modern lead gen tools: https://bit.ly/Bialy20

Book a 30-minute business and marketing consultation with host, Brad Bialy: https://bit.ly/Bialy30

For 30 years, Benefits in a Card has delivered benefit plans designed specifically for the staffing industry—over 140 unique options with immediate coverage, unique perks like FreeRx, and solutions that reduce turnover while improving ACA compliance. Give your workforce benefits they’ll actually use and give your staffing firm a competitive edge. Learn more at https://www.BenefitsInACard.com.

“Goals are for people who care about winning once. Systems are for people who care about winning repeatedly.” - James Clear

In this episode of Take the Stage, Brad Bialy sits down with Keely Flood to uncover how staffing leaders can replace random acts of selling with systems that drive predictable, repeatable growth.

About the Guest

Keely Flood is the founder of The Systematic Recruiter and author of The Honest Salesperson newsletter. He helps boutique recruiting agencies build scalable revenue engines by installing repeatable sales systems, sharpening positioning, and coaching teams to execute with clarity and consistency.

Key Takeaways

Systems create repeatable success where goals alone cannot.

• Success is hidden in the boring basics.
• Relevance beats personalization in modern sales.
• Always be conversing, not just closing.
• Great firms win with playbooks, not luck.

Timestamps

[00:56] – Systems vs. goals: why James Clear was right

[02:13] – Nick Saban and trusting the process

[05:09] – Why most sales teams resist building systems

[07:36] – What top staffing firms are doing differently

[09:11] – The trap of shiny new tools vs. core processes

[12:44] – Always be conversing: redefining ABC in sales

[14:41] – Outworking 90% of competitors with persistence

[16:45] – Shifting focus from closing to understanding

[19:46] – Relevance over personalization in prospecting

[21:21] – Can cold calling still win in 2025?

[23:26] – Lessons staffing leaders can steal from sports

[25:50] – Why success lives in the boring basics

About the Host

Brad Bialy is a trusted voice and highly sought-after speaker in the staffing and recruiting industry, known for helping firms grow through integrated marketing, sales, and recruiting strategies. With over 13 years at Haley Marketing and a proven track record guiding hundreds of firms, Brad brings deep expertise and a fresh, actionable perspective to every engagement. He’s the host of Take the Stage and InSights, two of the staffing industry’s leading podcasts with more than 200,000 downloads.

Sponsors and Offers Heard

Take the Stage is presented by Haley Marketing. The old way of selling staffing is dead. Let’s fix it – with smarter strategies and HUGE DISCOUNTS on modern lead gen tools: https://bit.ly/Bialy20

Book a 30-minute business and marketing consultation with host, Brad Bialy: https://bit.ly/Bialy30

For 30 years, Benefits in a Card has delivered benefit plans designed specifically for the staffing industry—over 140 unique options with immediate coverage, unique perks like FreeRx, and solutions that reduce turnover while improving ACA compliance. Give your workforce benefits they’ll actually use and give your staffing firm a competitive edge. Learn more at https://www.BenefitsInACard.com . #salesadvice #salestips #sales