In this kickoff episode of a mini-series we are calling The Hiring Equation, Chris and Steve dive into one of the most painful—and costly—leadership challenges: hiring the wrong people. Why does it keep happening? And what if the problem isn’t your candidates... it’s you?

They explore the three most common ways hiring breaks down and how to fix it—starting with self-awareness, understanding the hiring market, and getting radically clear on who you’re actually looking for. Whether you're scaling a team or recovering from your last bad hire, this episode is packed with honest insights and practical wisdom to help you hire better and lead stronger.

🔑 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why hiring often goes wrong before the interview even starts
• How ignoring the hiring market puts your business at risk
• Why self-awareness is the foundation of every great hire
• The cost of chasing “good enough” instead of defining your “who”
• What Mr. Market can teach us about long-term ROI in hiring
• The difference between hiring for skills vs. values and culture
• Why treating hiring like dating (with a process!) matters

💡 Key Quote:

“You want to trust your gut—but not your gut alone.” – Steve Ciprani

📣 Call to Action:

Think about your last hire—did you have a process? Or did you just go with your gut? If you don’t have a clear, repeatable hiring system, now’s the time to build one. Start by identifying your own values and what kind of teammate actually fits them.