(00:00:00) Introduction from Helsinki
(00:01:58) Discussing paternity leave and supporting new parents
(00:04:51) Navigating misinformation and building confidence
(00:08:00) Brice's career journey: From Florida State to Tungco
(00:17:00) NCAA regulations and intentional touchpoints
(00:25:02) Starting recruitment early (age 12-13!)
(00:27:03) Comparing Tungco's recruitment to Florida State
(00:28:39) Predictors of success in tungsten operations
(00:31:29) Closing thoughts and gratitude
What does recruiting elite basketball players have in common with building a world-class tungsten recycling team? More than you'd think.
In this episode of Cliff's Notes, CEO Cliff Nance sits down with Brice Littlepage—Tungco's North American Managing Director and former Associate Head Coach for Operations at Florida State University—for a conversation about recruitment strategy, company culture, and what the tungsten industry can learn from Division 1 athletics.
Recording from Helsinki, Finland during a business trip, the conversation covers Brice's systematic approach at Florida State used to identify and recruit top basketball talent—and how those principles could transform hiring practices in the metal recycling industry.
IN THIS EPISODE:
🏀 How college basketball programs identify prospects as young as 12-13 years old
• Building relationships over 4+ years before commitment
• The systematic process of nurturing thousands of prospects down to 5-15 final candidates
• Why being "first" to connect matters in recruitment🔧 Translation to the Tungsten Industry
• How Tungco's current recruitment compares to D1 athletics
• The difference between transactional hiring and relationship-based talent acquisition
• Creating intentional, multi-touchpoint recruitment processes
• Why you're recruiting an "ecosystem," not just a candidate
📊 Predictors of Success in Tungsten Operations
• Why military veterans excel in tungsten recycling operations
• The "multi-hat" challenge: identifying who can handle diverse responsibilities
• The importance of personality assessments and practical evaluations
• Building better screening tools before making offers🏢 The Campus Visit Strategy
• How Florida State created orchestrated official visit experiences
• Applying the same intentionality to manufacturing facility tours
• Recruiting the whole person: family, relocation, community considerations
• Making your tungsten operation shine for top talent
👶 Supporting People Through Life Transitions
• Discussion of Tungco's paternity leave policy
• The connection between supporting employees' personal lives and professional performance
• Why "if your home's good, family's good, then you can be a good employee too"
💡 KEY INSIGHTS:
"Without the people, you're nothing. You are a brand. You have an operation, but really you're nothing." - Brice Littlepage
"Florida State does it way earlier in comparison, more intentionally. I mean, you might have four or five visits before you ever commit."
"Every time we get someone that's got military experience, they are almost excited to rip out SOPs or update SOPs."
"At the end of the day, the decision needs to be theirs in a way. But some people are just going to make a decision with their family. And so if you're not pleasing everybody and you're not winning everybody over, you're probably not getting them."Theme song written and performed by Adam Howell.
ABOUT THE GUESTS:
Cliff Nance is CEO of Tungco, a global leader in tungsten carbide reclamation and raw feed supply. As the son of Tungco founder Steve Nance, Cliff has filled many roles over 24 years—from the plant floor to VP of Operations to his current position. His passions are faith, family, and community.Brice Littlepage serves as Managing Director of North America at Tungco. He previously spent eight years at Florida State University, progressing from video coordinator to Director of Basketball Operations to Associate Head Coach for Operations. He brings Division 1 talent acquisition expertise to the tungsten recycling industry. Brice and his wife are expecting their first child in late 2025.
ABOUT TUNGCO:
Tungco isn't just processing tungsten—they're reclaiming it, refining it, and giving it a second life, just like they've done with the company itself, generation after generation. Built in backyards and barns by hands that understood both hard work and heavy metal, Tungco has grown into a global supplier operating locally.Tungco specializes in tungsten carbide reclamation and raw feed supply to tungsten carbide suppliers and consumers. As a global leader in the tungsten recycling industry, Tungco supplies truckload quantities of material to consumers who recycle and produce new tungsten products. The company serves oil and gas, machining, thermal spray, aerospace, energy, healthcare, automotive, and manufacturing industries worldwide.
Mission: Provide exceptional service and deliver high-performance tungsten products through abiding relationships, sustainable global sourcing, and robust financial practices.
Philosophy: "Whatever it Takes" - We weigh every pound of material with care, settle every quote with integrity, and pick up the phone when others hide behind emails. We're global suppliers who operate locally, relationship builders who play the long game, and metal movers with soul.
CONNECT WITH TUNGCO: Website: www.tungco.com
Email: [email protected]
SUBSCRIBE to Cliff's Notes for weekly insights from the tungsten recycling business, featuring conversations with industry experts, team members, and business leaders exploring topics relevant to the tungsten industry, company culture, and relationship-driven business practices.
Theme song written and performed by Adam Howell.
TOPICS: Tungsten carbide recycling, tungsten scrap reclamation, talent acquisition, recruitment strategies, metal recycling industry, Division 1 athletics, Florida State basketball, hiring best practices, employee retention, company culture, manufacturing careers, industrial recruiting, paternity leave, work-life balance, predictive hiring, relationship-based business, team building, leadership development
Hosted by Cliff Nance of Tungco — where hard work meets honest talk about leadership, innovation, and what it takes to build something that lasts.
