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The People Whisperer: Susan Levine's Rise from Underachiever to CEO of Career Group Companies
šļø From Underachiever to Industry Leader: Susan Levine's Journey Building Career Group Companies
In this inspiring episode, Susan Levine, Founder and CEO of Career Group Companies, shares her remarkable transformation from college dropout to building one of America's most recognized recruiting firms. With nearly 44 years in the industry and 225+ employees across multiple offices nationwide, Susan reveals how personal challenges, unwavering discipline, and an intuitive understanding of people fueled her journey from placing her first candidate at Caesar's World to creating a multi-division empire spanning administrative, creative, fashion, events, and executive search. Through candid stories of early struggles, economic recessions, and the drive to never give up, Susan demonstrates how authentic leadership and genuine care for people can transform both careers and companies.
āØ Key Insights You'll Learn:
Falling into the recruiting industry by accident at minimum wage ($3.35/hour)
Building boutique high-touch recruiting before it was mainstream
Surviving early recession by slashing fees from $3,000 to $300 (newspaper ad cost)
Creating specialized divisions: administrative, creative, fashion, events, executive search
Placing thousands of workers for major events like Super Bowl and Lollapalooza
Reading people instantly: "I know who they are before they sit down"
Growing from college dropout shame into entrepreneurial superpower
Managing 225 full-time employees across multiple states
Expanding into Canada within 30 days for major client opportunity
Navigating AI's impact on creative and staffing industries
š Susan's Key Influences:
- Work Ethic from Day One: Susan developed an unwavering work ethic from an early age, embracing the belief that thereās no such thing as idle timeāif youāre not working, youāre falling behind.
- Survival Mindset: The early days of building her businessāamid a recessionāsparked a lasting survival mechanism rooted in positivity, grit, and staying calm under pressure.
- Motivated by Adversity: Not having a four-year degree didnāt hold Susan backāinstead, it lit a fire in her to work harder and prove what she could build on her own terms.
- Finding Purpose in the Process: Ten months into working at another recruiting firm, Susan discovered a sense of purpose and clarity about her future. That experience laid the groundwork for building a company that would redefine industry standards.
- Resilience Through Crisis: From the dot-com crash to the pandemic, Susan credits her ability to lead through uncertainty to a deep fear of failureāand an even deeper refusal to give up. Her āland the plane safelyā mentality kept her focused and steady, no matter how turbulent things became. In a crisis, unraveling is not an option.
š Don't miss this powerful conversation about turning personal setbacks into professional superpowers, the art of people reading, and building authentic business relationships that span decades.
š Connect with Susan Levine:
Phone: 310-277-8188
Website: careergroupcompanies.com
LinkedIn: Susan Levine, CEO at Career Group Companies
Company Address: 10100 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 900, LA 90067
š Transcript Available: The People Whisperer: Susan Levine's Rise from Underachiever to CEO of Career Group Companies
šŗ Watch on YouTube: Inspired Stories Podcast by AddBack Benefits Agency
š Our Website: The Inspired Stories Podcast
š Special Thanks to Anthony Codispoti & AddBack Benefits Agency:Ā
AddBack Benefits Agency - Providing innovative employee benefits solutions that improve employee well-being while optimizing your bottom lineĀ
Website: addbackbenefits.com
#RecruitingIndustry #StaffingAgency #WomenEntrepreneur #BusinessTransformation #CareerDevelopment #TalentAcquisition #ExecutiveSearch #EventStaffing #CreativePlacement #BoutiqueRecruiting #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #BusinessGrowth #CrisisManagement #WorkEthic #InspiredStoriesPodcast
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By Anthony Codispotišļø From Underachiever to Industry Leader: Susan Levine's Journey Building Career Group Companies
In this inspiring episode, Susan Levine, Founder and CEO of Career Group Companies, shares her remarkable transformation from college dropout to building one of America's most recognized recruiting firms. With nearly 44 years in the industry and 225+ employees across multiple offices nationwide, Susan reveals how personal challenges, unwavering discipline, and an intuitive understanding of people fueled her journey from placing her first candidate at Caesar's World to creating a multi-division empire spanning administrative, creative, fashion, events, and executive search. Through candid stories of early struggles, economic recessions, and the drive to never give up, Susan demonstrates how authentic leadership and genuine care for people can transform both careers and companies.
āØ Key Insights You'll Learn:
Falling into the recruiting industry by accident at minimum wage ($3.35/hour)
Building boutique high-touch recruiting before it was mainstream
Surviving early recession by slashing fees from $3,000 to $300 (newspaper ad cost)
Creating specialized divisions: administrative, creative, fashion, events, executive search
Placing thousands of workers for major events like Super Bowl and Lollapalooza
Reading people instantly: "I know who they are before they sit down"
Growing from college dropout shame into entrepreneurial superpower
Managing 225 full-time employees across multiple states
Expanding into Canada within 30 days for major client opportunity
Navigating AI's impact on creative and staffing industries
š Susan's Key Influences:
- Work Ethic from Day One: Susan developed an unwavering work ethic from an early age, embracing the belief that thereās no such thing as idle timeāif youāre not working, youāre falling behind.
- Survival Mindset: The early days of building her businessāamid a recessionāsparked a lasting survival mechanism rooted in positivity, grit, and staying calm under pressure.
- Motivated by Adversity: Not having a four-year degree didnāt hold Susan backāinstead, it lit a fire in her to work harder and prove what she could build on her own terms.
- Finding Purpose in the Process: Ten months into working at another recruiting firm, Susan discovered a sense of purpose and clarity about her future. That experience laid the groundwork for building a company that would redefine industry standards.
- Resilience Through Crisis: From the dot-com crash to the pandemic, Susan credits her ability to lead through uncertainty to a deep fear of failureāand an even deeper refusal to give up. Her āland the plane safelyā mentality kept her focused and steady, no matter how turbulent things became. In a crisis, unraveling is not an option.
š Don't miss this powerful conversation about turning personal setbacks into professional superpowers, the art of people reading, and building authentic business relationships that span decades.
š Connect with Susan Levine:
Phone: 310-277-8188
Website: careergroupcompanies.com
LinkedIn: Susan Levine, CEO at Career Group Companies
Company Address: 10100 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 900, LA 90067
š Transcript Available: The People Whisperer: Susan Levine's Rise from Underachiever to CEO of Career Group Companies
šŗ Watch on YouTube: Inspired Stories Podcast by AddBack Benefits Agency
š Our Website: The Inspired Stories Podcast
š Special Thanks to Anthony Codispoti & AddBack Benefits Agency:Ā
AddBack Benefits Agency - Providing innovative employee benefits solutions that improve employee well-being while optimizing your bottom lineĀ
Website: addbackbenefits.com
#RecruitingIndustry #StaffingAgency #WomenEntrepreneur #BusinessTransformation #CareerDevelopment #TalentAcquisition #ExecutiveSearch #EventStaffing #CreativePlacement #BoutiqueRecruiting #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #BusinessGrowth #CrisisManagement #WorkEthic #InspiredStoriesPodcast