In this episode of The Growth Game, Paul DeLuca, CEO of Meritus Capital, sits down with Daniel Hixon, the founder of GoodWork, a new job board platform aiming to revolutionize healthcare staffing. Daniel shares his journey from building a fast-growing staffing agency to taking on giants like Vivian and Indeed.

They dive into:

Why most job boards are incentivized to fail

How GoodWork only profits when jobs actually get filled

The real reason ghosting happens—on both sides

Daniel’s toughest leadership lessons

Why staying local and focused is key in staffing

If you're a healthcare entrepreneur, recruiter, or just passionate about disrupting outdated systems, this conversation is gold.

👉 Subscribe for more insights from top leaders in staffing and growth.

🔗 Learn more about:

MERITUS
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/meritus-capital-inc-/
Meritus Capital | https://www.merituscapital.com/

Paul DeLuca | https://www.linkedin.com/in/merituscapital/
Daniel Hixon | https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhixon/

#HealthcareStaffing #StartupJourney #JobBoardDisruption #StaffingAgency #TechForGood #EntrepreneurLife #GoodWorkApp #FutureOfWork #NurseStaffing #GrowthGamePodcast

Andy Kohler, VP at Marsh McLennan, joins The Growth Game Podcast live from the SIA Executive Forum in Miami. In this episode, Andy breaks down the most common insurance mistakes staffing firms make—and what you need in place to scale safely.

🎯 You’ll Learn:

• What most staffing firms overlook in coverage
• Why brokers aren't asking the right questions
• Key insurance terms staffing owners must understand
• Risk management strategies to scale with confidence

🔗 Learn more about:

MERITUS
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/meritus-capital-inc-/
Meritus Capital | https://www.merituscapital.com/

Paul DeLuca | https://www.linkedin.com/in/merituscapital/
Andy Kohler | https://www.linkedin.com/in/andybkohler/

🔔 Subscribe for more expert insights on staffing, finance, and business growth!

#staffingindustry #salesstrategy #staffinggrowth #recruitingtips #staffingsuccess #leadgeneration #staffingleadership #businessgrowth #lightindustrialstaffing #croinsights

Jennie Dede, Head of Sales at LinkedIn, joins The Growth Game Podcast live from SIA Executive Forum in Miami to reveal exactly how staffing firms are scaling faster with the power of LinkedIn.

In this episode, Jennie shares:
✔️ The 3 key tools staffing companies should be using on LinkedIn
✔️ Why content posting is your #1 branding advantage
✔️ How change management drives tech adoption (and growth)
✔️ Why 10-year recruiters are getting left behind
✔️ What successful staffing leaders are doing with AI right now
✔️ How to build a talent strategy that evolves with the industry

Whether you’re running a local agency or managing 10,000+ clients, Jennie brings real strategies, straight from the source, to help you compete in 2025 and beyond.

🔗 Learn more about:

MERITUS
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/meritus-capital-inc-/
Meritus Capital | https://www.merituscapital.com/

Paul DeLuca | https://www.linkedin.com/in/merituscapital/
Jennie Dede | https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniedede/

🔔 Subscribe for more expert insights on staffing, finance, and business growth!

#staffing #LinkedIn #recruiting #staffingagency #growthstrategy #talentsolutions #changemanagement #AIinStaffing #TheGrowthGame #JennieDede

What’s the one growth move most staffing firms overlook? Legal strategy. Ben Ebbink, partner at Fisher Phillips and head of their staffing practice, joins The Growth Game Podcast live from the SIA Executive Forum in Miami.

In this episode, Ben shares critical insights on:
✔️ Why proactive compliance saves money and drives long-term growth
✔️ The top legal risks facing staffing firms in 2025
✔️ What AI, DEI, and data privacy laws mean for your business
✔️ California workers' comp reform and the future of regulatory clarity
✔️ How legal structure supports diversification and scaling

Whether you’re running a startup or a national firm, this conversation is packed with essential takeaways for protecting and scaling your staffing business.

🔗 Learn more about:

MERITUS
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/meritus-capital-inc-/
Meritus Capital | https://www.merituscapital.com/

Paul DeLuca | https://www.linkedin.com/in/merituscapital/
Guest | https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminebbink/

🔔 Subscribe for more expert insights on staffing, finance, and business growth!

#staffing #compliance #employmentlaw #legalstrategy #DEI #AIregulations #privacylaws #workerscomp #riskmanagement #TheGrowthGame #podcast

In this episode of The Growth Game Podcast, Kyle Cobb of Gallagher shares how staffing companies can scale faster—and safer—through smart risk management, laser-focused strategy, and industry-specific insurance planning.

Live from the SIA Executive Forum in Miami, Kyle discusses:
✔️ The current state of the staffing market heading into 2025
✔️ Workers comp challenges (and solutions) in California
✔️ Why vertical and geographic focus drives long-term growth
✔️ How staffing firms can avoid major insurance pitfalls
✔️ The wildest workers comp fraud story you’ll hear all year

Whether you're a staffing startup or a seasoned operator, this episode offers tactical insight into protecting and growing your firm in a shifting market.

🔗 Learn more about:

MERITUS
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/meritus-capital-inc-/
Meritus Capital | https://www.merituscapital.com/

Paul DeLuca | https://www.linkedin.com/in/merituscapital/
Guest | https://www.linkedin.com/in/kcobb-ajg/

🔔 Subscribe for more expert insights on staffing, finance, and business growth!

In this special Growth Game Podcast episode, Greg Moore and Larry Carnahan of Meritus Capital reflect on how real connections, the right tech stack, and trusted partnerships can make or break a staffing business. Recorded live at the SIA Executive Forum in Miami, this candid conversation dives into how conferences drive long-term brand awareness, the evolving role of technology, and why funding partners are critical for startups and scaling firms alike.

You’ll learn:
✔️ How to get real value from staffing conferences
✔️ The importance of consistency and presence in brand building
✔️ Why your tech stack and funding partner can make or break your business
✔️ What staffing startups need to survive and scale in 2025

Whether you’re launching a firm or leveling up your infrastructure, this episode delivers practical insights from two industry veterans who’ve seen it all.

Plus: Get personal with Larry and Greg as they reveal what they'd be doing if they weren't in the funding business and their unique conference "must-dos" (including beach souvenirs for family!).

🔗 Learn more about:

MERITUS
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/meritus-capital-inc-/
Meritus Capital | https://www.merituscapital.com/

Paul DeLuca | https://www.linkedin.com/in/merituscapital/
Greg Moore | https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregmerituscapital/
Larry Carnahan | https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrycarnahan/

#staffing #conferences #businessgrowth #recruitment #staffingtech #startupfunding #networkingtips #TheGrowthGame #SIA2025 #podcast

From launching her first staffing firm in the '90s to opening an international operation in Colombia, Gwen Gordon has done it all—and then some. In this episode of The Growth Game Podcast, live from the SIA Executive Forum in Miami, Gwen shares her journey from burnout to bold entrepreneurship, including how she's using offshore talent to grow smarter and stay lean.

Hosted by Paul DeLuca of Meritus Capital, this episode covers:
✔️ The mindset needed to launch and sustain a staffing business
✔️ How Gwen built a trusted offshore team in Medellín
✔️ The real value of boutique outsourcing for staffing firms
✔️ How offshore recruiters can support U.S. growth

Whether you’re looking to expand, outsource, or find inspiration from a true industry vet, Gwen’s story offers both strategy and heart.

🔗 Learn more about:

MERITUS
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/meritus-capital-inc-/
Meritus Capital | https://www.merituscapital.com/

Paul DeLuca | https://www.linkedin.com/in/merituscapital/
Gwen Gordon | https://www.linkedin.com/in/gwen-gordon-292a30/

🔔 Subscribe for more expert insights on staffing, finance, and business growth!

#staffing #outsourcing #entrepreneurship #womeninbusiness #recruitment #offshorestaffing #businessgrowth #remotehiring #TheGrowthGame #podcast

Chad Ware joins The Growth Game Podcast live from SIA in Miami to talk about the power of strategic partnerships and how performance-based staffing models are changing the game. With a background in logistics and supply chain, Chad now leads growth at A1 Quality Logistics—bringing a client-first, data-driven approach to labor solutions.

In this episode hosted by Paul DeLuca of Meritus Capital, you’ll learn:
✔️ How to build a formal partnership strategy that scales
✔️ Why internal customer feedback loops drive smarter growth
✔️ How pay-for-performance staffing models increase productivity and accountability
✔️ Why value prop clarity is essential for strategic expansion

Whether you're a staffing leader, founder, or operator, this episode delivers fresh strategies for scalable, relationship-driven growth.

🔗 Learn more about:

MERITUS
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/meritus-capital-inc-/
Meritus Capital | https://www.merituscapital.com/

Paul DeLuca | https://www.linkedin.com/in/merituscapital/
Guest | https://www.linkedin.com/in/chad-ware/

🔔 Subscribe for more expert insights on staffing, finance, and business growth!

#staffing #partnerships #growthstrategy #supplychain #payforperformance #recruitment #scaling #businessgrowth #TheGrowthGame #podcast

Can outsourcing be the secret to scaling your staffing firm without sacrificing quality? Dylan Hale of Penbrothers joins The Growth Game Podcast to break down how U.S. staffing agencies are leveraging international talent to boost productivity, reduce costs, and build flexible operations.

In this episode, hosted by Paul DeLuca from the SIA Executive Forum in Miami, you’ll learn:
✔️ The real value of outsourcing to the Philippines
✔️ How to overcome communication and cultural barriers
✔️ Which roles staffing firms should outsource first
✔️ The step-by-step process of hiring international talent

This episode is a must-watch for staffing leaders navigating labor costs, growth demands, and operational efficiency.

🔗 Learn more about:

MERITUS
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/meritus-capital-inc-/
Meritus Capital | https://www.merituscapital.com/

Paul DeLuca | https://www.linkedin.com/in/merituscapital/
Dylan Hale | https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-s-hale/
Penbrothers | https://penbrothers.com/

🔔 Subscribe for more expert insights on staffing, finance, and business growth!

In this episode of The Growth Game Podcast, Larry Carnahan and Adam Forbes of Meritus Capital explore what it takes to build, scale, and support successful staffing firms in today’s market.

Live from the SIA Executive Forum in Miami, the conversation covers:
✔️ Building staffing companies from the ground up
✔️ Why people matter more than tech (but both are key)
✔️ Strategic partnerships that fuel sustainable growth
✔️ The role of payroll funding and risk management in scaling

Whether you’re launching a staffing firm or leveling up your operations, this episode offers grounded advice from two industry insiders who’ve lived it.

🔗 Learn more about:

MERITUS
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/meritus-capital-inc-/
Meritus Capital | https://www.merituscapital.com/

Paul DeLuca | https://www.linkedin.com/in/merituscapital/
Larry Carnahan | https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrycarnahan/
Adam Forbes | https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-c-forbes/

🔔 Subscribe for more expert insights on staffing, finance, and business growth!

#staffing #payrollfunding #businessgrowth #finance #riskmanagement #invoicefactoring #recruitment #strategicpartnerships #TheGrowthGame #podcast