Staffing has always been part of Alex Atwood’s DNA. His grandfather, parents, and extended family all built staffing businesses, and Alex grew up in the industry.

Instead of following the traditional path, he launched the Hospitality Training Institute, bringing in-person training to an industry defined by seasonal, shift-based work. That foundation became the springboard for GravyWork, his tech-enabled platform that reduces no-shows, onboards workers in minutes, and gives clients real-time transparency into every shift.

In this episode of Great Work, Alex and host Kirti Shenoy explore:

• Why hospitality staffing requires unique skills—and how in-person training drives loyalty

• The limitations of traditional staffing models vs. tech-enabled transparency

• How GravyWork balances people-first service with data-driven operations

• What industries most need flexible staffing—and how to sell them on the model

Whether you’re running a staffing company, leading a hospitality business, or simply curious how tech is reshaping shift work, this conversation offers candid insights from a founder who’s lived staffing across generations.

What happens when you bring an Uber-style labor marketplace to the dental industry? On this episode of Great Work, host Kirti Shenoy sits down with Ian Prendergast, co-founder of Toothio, to talk about how a chance golf course conversation led to building one of the fastest-growing staffing platforms in dentistry.

Ian shares why hygienist burnout is costing practices tens of thousands in hidden revenue, how Toothio scaled to 11 markets in just a few years, and the hard lessons he learned about honing in on the right ICP. From flexible work trends to the true cost of short staffing, this episode is packed with insights staffing leaders can put to work right away.

In this episode of Great Work, Kirti Shenoy sits down with Shane Brown, CEO of nurseIO — a healthcare staffing marketplace bridging the gap between facilities in need and clinicians seeking flexibility. Drawing on nearly 30 years in medical technology, Shane shares how his team is rethinking the traditional staffing model with AI-driven onboarding in under 24 hours, transparent market-based pay rates, and same-day pay that makes a real difference for caregivers.

They dive into the challenges hospitals and nursing homes face in balancing budgets, maintaining morale, and meeting growing patient demand — and how Nurse.io’s approach helps both sides win. Shane also talks expansion strategy, lessons from building a bootstrap company, and why supply-side quality matters most in staffing marketplaces.

If you want a candid look at how technology, AI, and empathy can reshape healthcare staffing, this conversation delivers.

Shane's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanebrown3/

nurseIO: https://nurseio.com/

In this episode, Gino Rooney shares his journey from co-founding BlueCrew, a trailblazing W-2 staffing platform, to launching Classet, an AI-powered recruiting assistant built for skilled trades and high-volume roles. Gino opens up about what it takes to build tech-first staffing infrastructure, why BlueCrew went all-in on W-2 employment early on, and how that decision helped land enterprise clients and ultimately an acquisition by EmployBridge.

He and host Kirti Shenoy dive into the operational realities of staffing in light industrial sectors, what legacy firms can learn from tech-forward challengers, and why AI isn’t replacing recruiters—but augmenting them. Whether you’re leading a staffing firm, building a platform, or investing in the future of work, this episode is packed with frontline lessons and practical frameworks.

⏱ Episode Breakdown

00:00 – Introduction to Gino Rooney

03:01 – The Evolution of BlueCrew

05:57 – The W-2 Model vs. 1099: A Strategic Choice

09:11 – Navigating Supply and Demand in Staffing

12:01 – Challenges in Light Industrial Staffing

14:52 – Embracing Technology in Staffing

18:05 – Advice for Staffing Companies on Technology Adoption

20:50 – Scaling for Acquisition: Lessons from BlueCrew

22:52 – Building for the Future of Staffing

26:47 – Revolutionizing Recruitment with Classet

30:20 – Leveraging AI in Staffing

34:04 – Lessons Learned in the Staffing Industry

🛠️ Topics Covered

• How BlueCrew challenged the 1099 norm with a W-2 model

• Operational playbooks for staffing high-volume shifts

• Scaling a tech-first staffing platform without burning cash

• The role of AI in streamlining recruiting workflows

• Advice for staffing leaders experimenting with digital transformation

• Why great customer service is still a competitive edge in staffing

🔗 Resources Mentioned

• Classet – AI Recruiting for Skilled Trades

• Zeal – Modern Payroll for Staffing Companies

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Great Work is the podcast about the people building the pipes and platforms that power the real economy. Subscribe and leave us a review if you’re enjoying the show.