Swipe Right on Talent: How AI is Ending the Recruitment "Black Hole"

In this insightful episode of Leaders, Innovators, and Big Ideas (LIBI), host Rea Hailley sits down with Terri Davis, the visionary founder of Profound Talent and oolu. With 25 years of recruitment expertise, Terri shares her journey of transforming a traditionally manual, labor-intensive industry into an agile, AI-driven experience. The conversation dives deep into the rise of the "fractional workforce"—senior-level experts who provide strategic leadership without the full-time price tag—and how Terri’s new platform, oolu, is bridging the gap for scaling companies. Beyond the tech, Terri offers a candid look at the hurdles of being a non-technical founder, from managing international development teams to the financial grit required to fund a dream. It is a masterclass in resilience, market pivoting, and the courage to "work differently."

Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast where we showcase fascinating people who are Leaders, Innovators, and have Big Ideas! Host: Rea Hailley Driven by a deep-seated belief in the power of entrepreneurship, Rea leads New Idea Machine in empowering businesses with innovative digital solutions. Having witnessed the grit and triumph of her parents building a business from scratch, Rea is passionate about enabling significant revenue growth and seamless operations for startups and Small/Medium Businesses, ensuring their dedication translates into tangible success.

Guest: Terri Davis is a connector at heart—of people, purpose, and possibility. As the founder of ProFound Talent Inc. and oolu, she brings over 25 years of executive recruitment experience in helping businesses scale by finding the right talent to lead their growth.

A disruptor, Terri is redefining the future of work through oolu—a one-of-a-kind, AI-assisted platform that not only matches businesses with fractional leaders but manages contracts, payments, and support services in one seamless solution. It’s a disruptive shift in how we hire, how people work, and how organizations access critical leadership, faster and smarter. Think, swipe right to find your next leader.

With a Bachelor of Commerce and an MBA, she’s combined deep business acumen with a genuine passion for helping people thrive—whether through traditional executive search or transformative tech. Her legacy is about more than placements; it's about building strong organizations and better lives through meaningful work.

Show Links:

• oolu.ai

Show Quotes:

"I want you to dream big, be extraordinary, and be profound. Know you can do it. You are amazing as a human being, so go build your dream."

"Fractional is a part of the changing workforce that's happening. You get an executive leadership level experience that can hop in, work at the level you need, and take it off your plate as a founder so that you can move your business forward."

"Being an entrepreneur is not for the faint of heart, but it's also incredibly invigorating. You definitely have to be dedicated, you have to have a vision, and you have to have resilience."

Credits... This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea Machine Episode Music: Tony Del Degan Creator & Producer: Al Del Degan