In this episode of InSights, Brad Bialy sits down with Hailey Birkner (Account Manager with Haley Marketing) to unpack why retention is built between deliverables and how intentional account management drives deeper relationships, stronger loyalty, and more revenue from the clients you already have.

Hailey Birkner is an Account Manager at Haley Marketing, where she helps staffing firms turn strategy into sustainable momentum. With a background in automation and client experience, she lives at the intersection of service, clarity, and trust—coaching clients toward consistent, long-term success.

Retention is earned between the wins.

Consistency beats intensity—every time.

Silence is not success; feedback fuels growth.

Automation supports relationships, it doesn’t replace them.

Authenticity is your only real competitive advantage.

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. For a limited time, we're offer 50% off of a brand new staffing website. Just message Brad Bialy on LinkedIn and mention the Crazy Website Promo.

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

This episode is brought to you by FoxHire. If you’re looking for an Employer of Record partner that helps recruiters confidently grow contract placements and build recurring revenue without taking on extra risk, FoxHire is perfect for you. Learn more at FoxHire.com/Haley

In this episode of Take the Stage, Brad Bialy sits down with Nicole Krensky to break down how AI is separating the leaders from the laggards in staffing and what firms must do now to stay competitive.

Nicole Krensky is Director of Product Marketing at Bullhorn, where she leads go-to-market strategy for Amplify, Automation, and Search & Match. With nearly a decade in tech marketing and deep exposure to AI adoption across staffing firms, Nicole works directly with companies navigating the shift toward AI-powered recruiting.

AI adoption is no longer optional—it’s operational.

The pack is already separating.

Automation amplifies recruiters; it doesn’t replace them.

Database depth is a competitive weapon.

Curiosity with action beats hesitation.

[00:39] – How AI is reshaping staffing firms

[02:25] – The evolving role of the modern recruiter

[05:12] – Leading AI adoption without team resistance

[09:26] – Using AI to drive recruiting firm growth

[12:10] – Why AI creates competitive advantage

[13:11] – Best first step for AI in recruiting

[16:10] – Eliminating the resume black hole with AI

[18:30] – Improving candidate experience through automation

[23:53] – Quick-win AI tools for recruiter productivity

[28:35] – Increasing recruiter output with AI workflows

[31:57] – Cleaning and leveraging your staffing database

[35:44] – Advanced AI strategy for staffing leadership

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. For a limited time, we're offering 50% off a brand new staffing website. Just message Brad Bialy on LinkedIn and mention the Crazy Website Promo.

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

Benefits in a Card helps staffing firms offer meaningful benefits to their entire workforce through flexible, unbundled plans designed for high-turnover environments—making it easier to control costs, improve retention, and stay competitive. https://www.BenefitsInACard.com

TRICOM partners with staffing firms as an asset-based lender and full-service back-office provider, helping owners scale confidently by reducing risk and easing the operational strain of payroll, cash flow, and administration. https://www.tricom.com

In this episode of Take the Stage InSights, Brad Bialy sits down to interview ChatGPT (yes...the AI-powered LLM) to unpack the real state of staffing, the rise of AI, and what firms must do now to stay relevant in a rapidly shifting talent market.

For sake of this conversation, ChatGPT was primed to be an AI strategist and staffing industry analyst specializing in the intersection of talent markets, technology, and future disruption. With a data-driven lens and objective insights, ChatGPT explores how automation, workforce trends, and evolving recruiter roles are reshaping the future of staffing.

Transactional recruiting is dying; consultative partnership is winning.

AI will eliminate tasks, not the need for trust.

Specialization builds authority; dilution breeds confusion.

Data is no longer optional—it’s your competitive edge.

Speed matters, but humanity closes the deal.

[00:01] – Resetting the staffing narrative

[01:52] – The uncomfortable truth about talent shortages

[03:34] – Why recruiters must become career architects

[06:32] – Specialize or slowly disappear

[07:49] – Selling roles vs. solving business problems

[08:22] – Designing candidate experience that actually wins

[12:02] – When AI becomes a gatekeeper (and how to stop it)

[14:26] – The legacy mindset killing growth

[17:43] – The questions that elevate you to strategic partner

[21:53] – What AI will automate first — and fast

[25:48] – Fewer recruiters. Bigger results. Here’s why.

[29:35] – The AI blind spot redefining success

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. For a limited time, we're offer 50% off of a brand new staffing website. Just message Brad Bialy on LinkedIn and mention the Crazy Website Promo.

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

This episode is brought to you by FoxHire. If you’re looking for an Employer of Record partner that helps recruiters confidently grow contract placements and build recurring revenue without taking on extra risk, FoxHire is perfect for you. Learn more at FoxHire.com/Haley

In this episode of Take the Stage, Brad Bialy sits down with Paul Petersen to unpack why the candidate black hole still exists in recruiting and how human-centered, tech-enabled recruiting can finally fix it.

Paul Petersen is a fractional CHRO and executive workforce strategist with more than 30 years of experience helping organizations modernize talent acquisition, HR technology, and workforce strategy across global enterprises. He’s known for blending deep HR tech expertise with a relentless focus on the human experience for both talent and hiring managers.

Speed without intention creates invisible talent.

Screening out is easier than building trust—but far less effective.

Communication is the real differentiator in modern recruiting.

Technology should amplify recruiters, not replace them.

Great recruiters act like agents, not gatekeepers.

[00:23] – Why the candidate black hole still exists

[02:54] – Screening out versus screening in explained

[05:16] – When “speed to hire” becomes the wrong metric

[06:48] – The two personas that actually matter

[08:35] – Can AI really fix the candidate experience?

[10:33] – The Domino’s pizza tracker analogy for recruiting

[14:02] – Why talent pools are massively underutilized

[16:26] – Predicting talent needs before jobs open

[20:53] – Paul’s 300-application job search story

[25:11] – Why recruiters should think like sports agents

[30:37] – The hiring manager’s missing voice in HR tech

[35:27] – Integrity as a long-term recruiting advantage

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. For a limited time, we're offering 50% off a brand new staffing website. Just message Brad Bialy on LinkedIn and mention the Crazy Website Promo.

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

Benefits in a Card helps staffing firms offer meaningful benefits to their entire workforce through flexible, unbundled plans designed for high-turnover environments—making it easier to control costs, improve retention, and stay competitive. https://www.BenefitsInACard.com

TRICOM partners with staffing firms as an asset-based lender and full-service back-office provider, helping owners scale confidently by reducing risk and easing the operational strain of payroll, cash flow, and administration. https://www.tricom.com

In this episode of InSights, presented by Haley Marketing, Brad Bialy sits down with David Searns, Co-CEO of Haley Marketing, to unpack why staffing firms must build a true growth engine—one that aligns marketing, sales, and buyer enablement to win in a more skeptical, competitive market.

David Searns is the Co-CEO of Haley Marketing and one of the most experienced voices in staffing industry marketing. With more than 25 years helping firms clarify differentiation and drive demand, David brings a deep, practical understanding of what actually fuels sustainable growth.

Marketing is a sales advantage, not a creative expense.

Buyers decide long before sales ever gets the call.

Differentiation starts with customer problems, not company features.

Nurturing beats chasing when markets tighten.

If you don’t define your aisle, you compete on price.

[02:20] Why staffing penetration is collapsing

[04:55] Buyers are skeptical, busy, and informed

[06:45] The danger of selling without buyer enablement

[09:20] The six-layer growth engine framework

[13:15] Why most differentiators don’t actually differentiate

[17:10] Escaping the “staffing aisle” trap

[19:00] How owners should pressure-test their messaging

[23:40] Making sales drop-bys actually work

[27:25] Why nurturing is the most ignored lever

[31:30] Buyer enablement without giving away secrets

[34:20] Why fewer employers are using temps

[35:50] Learning how to learn in a changing market

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. For a limited time, we’re offering 50% off a brand new staffing website. Just message Brad Bialy on LinkedIn and mention the Crazy Website Promo.

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

This episode is brought to you by FoxHire. If you’re looking for an Employer of Record partner that helps recruiters confidently grow contract placements and build recurring revenue without taking on extra risk, FoxHire is perfect for you. Learn more at https://www.FoxHire.com/Haley

In this episode of Take the Stage, presented by Haley Marketing, Brad Bialy sits down with Noah Yosif to break down what staffing leaders must understand about today’s labor market and how economic uncertainty, AI, immigration, and policy shifts are reshaping opportunity for firms willing to adapt.

Noah Yosif is Chief Economist and Head of Research at the American Staffing Association, where he leads economic and policy research supporting staffing firms nationwide. A frequent voice in major financial media, Noah helps the industry translate complex economic signals into practical insight.

The labor market rewards preparation, not prediction.

Uncertainty exposes who truly understands their niche.

Staffing’s real superpower is insight, not inventory.

AI changes tasks faster than it changes demand.

Waiting for recovery is not a growth strategy.

[00:59] – Why orders are harder to win today

[03:35] – When staffing demand still exists

[06:15] – Blue-collar work’s unexpected comeback

[08:56] – Staffing’s real competitive advantage

[11:38] – Immigration’s hidden labor impact

[13:36] – Do we have enough workers long-term?

[16:29] – The four forces shaping hiring decisions

[18:25] – What lower rates mean for staffing

[19:24] – Why “wait and see” is a mistake

[22:33] – New revenue models changing staffing

[25:54] – The smartest 2026 focus for owners

[30:32] – Early signs of a staffing recovery

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, presented by Haley Marketing, Brad Bialy sits down with Brad Smith to unpack why selling staffing services is harder than ever—and how tightly integrated sales, marketing, and AI-driven buyer enablement are becoming the real competitive advantage heading into 2026.

Brad Smith is Chief Strategy Officer at Haley Marketing, bringing more than 20 years of experience helping staffing firms turn digital marketing, technology, and strategy into predictable growth. A Certified Inbound Marketing professional, Brad is a frequent industry speaker and contributor to leading staffing publications.

Selling got harder—but avoidance won’t fix it.

Activity beats hope when markets tighten.

Buyer education now happens before sales conversations.

Specialization creates leverage in crowded markets.

AI amplifies systems—it doesn’t replace them.

[01:10] – Why sales feels harder than ever

[02:35] – The real reason leaders avoid quotas

[04:45] – When inbound stopped being enough

[05:10] – The shocking truth about 72 touches

[07:00] – Why reps quit before momentum starts

[09:15] – Turning marketing into sales leverage

[10:45] – How buyers decide before calling you

[12:40] – What buyer enablement actually includes

[15:10] – A $1.1M lesson in control and scale

[18:05] – Why marketing can’t fix broken sales

[21:00] – Focus beats doing everything for everyone

[26:20] – How AI shifts from advantage to necessity

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

In this episode of Take the Stage, Brad Bialy sits down with Ashley Andersen to reframe stress as a signal—not a setback—and explore how leaders can build mental strength, stay grounded in uncertainty, and keep showing up without burning out.

Ashley Andersen is the Founder & CEO of EzraSage, where she helps high-performing professionals and leadership teams build the mental strength to handle stress and pressure without burning out. With a clinical background in social work and psychology and experience as a certified executive coach and Dare to Lead™ facilitator, Ashley has worked with organizations ranging from family-owned businesses to Fortune 100 companies.

Stress is a signal, not a failure.

Awareness comes before intention.

Pause creates power.

Purpose buffers pressure.

Progress requires showing up.

[00:02] – Redefining stress beyond “good” and “bad”

[02:10] – Why the brain defaults to danger mode

[06:24] – The caveman brain at work meetings

[08:04] – The invisible guest mindset shift

[09:32] – Stop taking reactions personally

[12:13] – The power of the pause

[14:07] – Building accountability into team culture

[17:37] – Alignment beats agreement

[18:55] – Purpose as a stress buffer

[23:18] – Finding purpose through lived experiences

[28:09] – Why celebrating wins builds resilience

[32:09] – Keep showing up when it’s hard

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.

Book a 30-minute business and marketing consultation with host, Brad Bialy:

In this highlight reel from 2025, we bring you the BEST moments from the first 11 episodes of Take the Stage.

Learn from the following industry experts:

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

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