Everyone says they want "top talent." But most recruiters look for it in all the same places. The same résumés, the same titles, the same predictable career paths.

And now, with LinkedIn doing most of the heavy lifting, many recruiters have forgotten how to actually recruit. They inbox, keyword search, and wait for the algorithm to serve up the same recycled profiles, and then wonder why their placements feel interchangeable.

Talent rarely looks the way you expect it to. Sometimes it's the Ivy League grad working as an accountant for a supermarket chain; a role most recruiters would scroll right past. Or it's the veteran executive who's been at the same company for twenty years, quietly waiting for someone to show him what's possible beyond his comfort zone. Sometimes it's the former trader who rebuilt his life from scratch after the market changed overnight.

A résumé is just a piece of paper; what matters are the intangibles that reveal how someone will perform, lead, and grow when the next challenge comes.

That's the philosophy that drives Northbound Executive Search. For managing partners Jay Kondrup and Justin Brower, recruiting isn't about taking orders or chasing volume; it's about reading people. They don't waste time shuffling candidates that "might fit." They educate clients, challenge assumptions, and bring them the one person who will actually change their business.

How did they end up in the recruiting business? What drives the success of Northbound Executive Search?

In this episode, Jay and Justin talk about how real recruiters think beyond résumés, keywords, and LinkedIn algorithms, how they uncover talent in unexpected places, and why the future of this business belongs to those who combine new tools with old-school instincts.

Guest Bio

Jay Kondrup and Justin Brower are managing partners at Northbound Executive Search. Northbound Executive Search offers a genuine, hands-on approach to recruiting. They provide both Permanent and Temporary/Consulting recruitment services to companies looking to hire high-performing professionals in the NYC metro region. Northbound Executive Search has been consistently recognized as the premier recruitment firm servicing a variety of industries, including Private Equity, Hedge Fund, Asset Management, Investment Banking, Trading, Brokerage, Real Estate, Technology, Media, Entertainment, Insurance, and more. Their proven approach, developed over many years of best-in-class recruiting, continues to deliver exceptional results for a select group of clients and candidates we serve. They are a team of dedicated professionals motivated by providing a much higher level of commitment, expertise, and service to the companies and professionals they partner with. Connect with Jay on LinkedIn and Justin on LinkedIn.

About Your Host

Vince Holt is the founder and CEO of Management Recruiters of Mercer Island. With 35+ years of industry experience, he is the only MRINetwork team member to win CSAM of the Year, Person of the Year, and Lifetime Achievement Awards. In addition to spending time with his wife, children, and grandchildren, Vince has raced motorcycles for over 50 years, winning 5 National Championships.

Check out this episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm, so our show reaches more people. Thank you!

In manufacturing, people are always talking about innovation. But very often, the focus on automation, robotics, and AI leaves out the real key to performance and progress.

The frontline workers who make everything run.

For decades, the frontline workforce has been managed like machinery: interchangeable, replaceable, and measured only in hours worked or units produced.

But if you've ever walked a plant floor, you know the truth: one great employee can change the entire rhythm of production. The right people aren't just cogs in a process; they are the process.

The challenge is that most systems don't make it easy to see or support them. Supervisors are promoted for technical skill, not leadership ability. HR teams are buried in compliance. And the best workers often go unnoticed, until they leave.

What if we could bring clarity, accountability, and real-time recognition to the people driving performance on the floor?

That's the question Mike White set out to answer when he founded Secchi.io, a platform designed to make invisible work visible.

What mistakes do companies make with their frontline talent?

In this episode, we talk about what most manufacturers miss when it comes to frontline performance, how recognition can transform daily operations, and why clarity, not control, is the foundation of effective leadership on the floor.

We also explore what's next for American manufacturing and how focusing on the human element might be the key to unlocking the next wave of productivity and retention.

Guest Bio

Mike White is a speaker, thought leader, subject matter expert, and the founder and CEO of Secchi. Mike is passionate about revolutionizing how companies manage their frontline teams. With a focus on streamlining operations and fostering deeper human connections, his mission is to help businesses optimize team performance while minimizing paperwork. By leveraging technology and actionable insights, Mike enables companies in food and beverage, grocery, and manufacturing to empower their people and drive real results. As an HR Leadership and Business Partner with the responsibility of 60+ manufacturing facilities globally (including Fortune 500 brands), Mike has led a human resource team, including managers, supervisors, generalists, recruiters, trainers, coordinators, and operations managers. Every day, Mike works to ensure that Secchi delivers solutions that not only meet but exceed the expectations of their clients, providing real value and making an impact on their business. To learn more, go to https://secchi.io/, and connect with Mike on LinkedIn.

About Your Host

Vince Holt is the founder and CEO of Management Recruiters of Mercer Island. With 35+ years of industry experience, he is the only MRINetwork team member to win CSAM of the Year, Person of the Year, and Lifetime Achievement Awards. In addition to spending time with his wife, children, and grandchildren, Vince has raced motorcycles for over 50 years, winning 5 National Championships.

Check out this episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm, so our show reaches more people. Thank you!

Businesses everywhere are facing the same challenge: trying to meet financial goals, production goals, and staffing needs, all at once.
Budgets are tightening, teams are shrinking, and hiring has become a constant uphill climb. The pressure to "do more with less" isn't just a slogan anymore, it's reality for nearly every organization.

That's the landscape where a new partnership between HPS, a 75-year-old member-owned group purchasing organization, and HireQuest is taking shape.

It's arriving at a moment when organizations need more than contracts. They need collaborators who can help them operate smarter, faster, and with more confidence.

When demand spikes or key people leave, most organizations don't have the luxury of time. They need qualified support fast. In that kind of environment, having a partner who can respond rapidly and reliably isn't just helpful, it's essential..

What do HPS and HireQuest aim to accomplish together? What can organizations learn from a model built on collaboration rather than competition?

In this episode, HireQuest's Director of National Accounts, Matt Wilkerson, and HPS's Director of Clinical and Ancillary Contracting, Nathan Stock, talk about this exciting new partnership; how it began, the challenges it's designed to solve, and why collaboration and trust are becoming the most valuable currencies in business today.

Guest Bio

Nathan Stock is the Director of Clinical and Ancillary Contracting at HPS. HPS is a member-owned group purchasing organization (GPO) providing member-focused solutions to over 5,000 Members across 37 states. Nathan plays a key role in developing National and Regional vendor relationships and contracts. He manages over 130 contracts and business partnerships, sales data and marketing communications coming in from vendors. Nathan develops new processes to improve both internal and external systems and communications for the sales team and members. He also develops training manuals, conducts staff training sessions, and leads a team of contract analysts helping bring solutions and savings to HSP's members. Connect with Nathan on LinkedIn.

Matt Wilkerson is the National Accounts Director at HireQuest. With over 15 years of experience in the staffing industry, he's built his career helping businesses solve one of their toughest challenges - finding dependable, high-performing people. Nathan leads strategic partnerships with organizations across the U.S., delivering workforce solutions through the network of brands including: HireQuest Direct, Snelling, and TradeCorp. The National Accounts program provides clients with a single point of contact for flexible, scalable staffing across multiple locations. Matt and his team design programs that align with business goals, improve efficiency, and ensure consistent service whether supporting a national construction firm, a logistics network, or a manufacturing operation. Connect with Matt on LinkedIn.

About Your Host

Vince Holt is the founder and CEO of Management Recruiters of Mercer Island. With 35+ years industry experience, he is the only MRINetwork team member to win CSAM of the Year, Person of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Awards. In addition to spending time with his wife, children and grandchildren, Vince has raced motorcycles for over 50 years, winning 5 National Championships.

Check out this episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more people. Thank you!