Steven Meisels: From WhatsApp Groups to 50-State Staffing | Out of Line Ep. 9

Two Decades of Staffing and Recruiting Secrets Packed into One Conversation | Staci Epstein

Stepping away from a corporate career that feels like your entire identity isn't easy, but building a legacy from scratch demands a total leap of faith. In this episode, I’m sitting down with serial entrepreneur Staci Bender Epstein as she opens up about pivoting from marketing into the unpredictable world of executive staffing, managing a high-stakes business alongside her husband, and learning to stay resilient in a wildly cyclical industry. From navigating high-impact professional milestones to overcoming deep moments of imposter syndrome and personal struggles, Staci proves why staying authentic is the ultimate business superpower. In this episode of Out of Line with Tiffany Scott, Staci Bender Epstein breaks down the shift from metric-driven to passion-driven sales, the mechanics of scaling a modern staffing firm, and why the hybrid contingent model is redefining industry standards. We also dive deep into real strategies for flexing your ask muscle, shifting goals between your 30s and 40s, balancing professional accountability with a romantic partnership, and why we as women must take radical ownership of our value and stop apologizing in executive spaces. ⏱️ CHAPTERS: * 00:13 — From LinkedIn Stalking to Best Friends * 02:57 — Transitioning from Corporate Marketing to Executive Staffing * 06:27 — The Dynamic Duo: Dividing Responsibilities with Your Spouse * 09:05 — Passion-Driven vs. Metrics-Driven Business Development * 12:09 — How to Scale and Find Growing Clients in an AI World * 15:36 — Leveraging Humor, Sora Videos, and AI in Marketing * 19:05 — The Shift to Hybrid Contingent Models and Vested Partnerships * 24:13 — Succession Planning and Looking Toward Be Group 2.0 * 32:30 — Tackling Imposter Syndrome and the "60,000 Thoughts" Trap * 37:00 — Hard Lessons from the Lows: Calling Off a Wedding to Rebuilding Life * 38:58 — Self-Awareness, Accountability, and Radical Resiliency * 58:23 — Moving out of Corporate: Advisory Boards and "Doing It Scared" * 01:02:36 — Why Women Need to Stop Apologizing and Claim the Boardroom * 01:07:52 — Ownership in the Workplace: Asking for the Raise You Deserve 💬 KEY TAKEAWAYS: * "In a world of copycats, be an original because authenticity is your superpower." * "If you never ask, the answer is always no. Flex your ask muscle and ask for help." * "We learn and grow by more of the tougher moments and harder things in life than the things that go right." * "If we're 1% better every day, we will do good things, be successful, and come out on top." 🔗 CONNECT WITH STACI BENDER EPSTEIN: 🌐 Website: begroupconnects.com [http://begroupconnects.com] 🔗LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/shanice-ellis-617434194 🎙️ OUT OF LINE WITH TIFFANY SCOTT: 🌐 Website: outoflinepod.com [http://outoflinepod.com] ▶️ Subscribe:   @outoflinepod [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1lhtBKkbdfAC0tSMgWoPiw] 🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/out-of-line-with-tiffany-scott/id1882144516 💚 Spotify: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbVBpc0VHWUs5UWhIa0lOOHJJSndiU0wxZ1Rwd3xBQ3Jtc0tsTHo2VXRjR0IxeVhOMVB6ZDRKWEdSWk1IMDdkX2tTV2otU3dob29xV2VQbXBsamhsdWVxMWhsUXhOSHBXT1NMOWo5RFBrUjAxT0lBVFozazRKWXhpc3pIQWZJdjVJeTl1aEVueGlweVZwLUY3dmtzdw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fopen.spotify.com%2Fshow%2F2LnreneFTLjy1vFXVLnv9N&v=v1Jg_x9A7JYhttps://open.spotify.com/show/2LnreneFTLjy1vFXVLnv9N #OutOfLine #TiffanyScott #StaciBenderEpstein #BeGroupStaffing #FemaleEntrepreneurs #StaffingIndustry #BusinessGrowth #WomenInBusiness #ExecutiveRecruiting #NoApologies #AuthenticLeadership

The Hidden Reason Great Candidates Never Get Job Offers and Why Veterans Struggle To Get Hired with Sheridan Hall

After twenty-five years inside the most coveted recruiting seats in the world, including powerhouse brands like Google, Apple, Amazon, Meta, and Nike, most people would be planning a comfortable corporate retirement. But Sheridan Hall saw a glaring, frustrating injustice that he couldn't ignore: the corporate world's massive failure to effectively translate military resumes and integrate transitioning veterans into the workforce. Chasing purpose over corporate safety, Sheridan walked away from the Big Tech net to co-found Operation Hired alongside his brother, Lieutenant Colonel Matt Hall, not just to raise awareness, but to fundamentally fix a broken hiring system for the people the corporate machine continually leaves behind.In this episode of Out of Line with Tiffany Scott, Sheridan Hall breaks down the intense red tape of enterprise-level corporate hiring, the critical communication gaps between military veterans and civilian hiring managers, the launch of their free AI-powered resume generator built specifically to decode military experience, and why true job security lies in the power of networking.⏱️ CHAPTERS01:42 — How Tiffany and Sheridan Met in the Staffing Sandbox03:44 — Sheridan’s Journey: From Hertz Manager Trainee to Silicon Valley Recruiter05:52 — Enterprise Hiring Secrets: The Rationale Behind the Salary Bands07:12 — The Extreme Bureaucracy of Big Tech Offers10:19 — Facebook vs. Apple: Corporate Support for Veteran Initiatives11:42 — The Pandora’s Box of Unreadable Military Resumes16:33 — The Dynamic of Running a Business with Your Brother18:00 — Harsh Startup Truths: Admitting What You Don’t Know20:10 — Rebranding "Sales" into Authentic Consultation24:08 — Navigating the Commercial and Higher Education Staffing Spaces28:07 — Creating a 100% Free AI Resume Generator for Veterans33:57 — Current Staffing Demands and Project-Based Recruiter Hiring35:48 — The 5-Year Vision and Legacy Goals for Operation Hired42:00 — The Brutal Reality of "Blending" Single-Dad Life with Entrepreneurship47:54 — Work-Life Balance Matrix: Crystal Moments vs. Rubber Moments52:40 — How to Scale a B2B Staffing Strategy Across Modern Industries59:00 — Childhood Adventures in Alaska and Adapting to Extreme Changes01:01:30 — Final Entrepreneurial Advice: The 2-Year Financial Safety Runway01:03:55 — Networking is Your Ultimate Job Security Strategy💬 KEY TAKEAWAYS• "There’s a million recruiters like me who look at military resumes, say 'I don't understand what you did,' and move on. Meanwhile, they're probably the most qualified candidates in line." • "Instead of trying to sell, it's just about having a conversation. Dive into what's going on in their world, offer free advice, and see where you can actually help." • "With AI, people are easy to find nowadays. But how do you get them to actually speak with you on the phone? That's still the human touch of recruiting." • "Life has rubber moments and crystal moments. Drop a rubber ball, it bounces back. Drop a crystal ball, it shatters forever. Balance is knowing which one you're holding." • "I have applied for one job in 15 years." — the undeniable ROI of keeping good relationships and constantly networking 🔗 CONNECT WITH SHERIDAN HALL🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheridanhall/🌐 Website: https://operationhired.com/🎙️ OUT OF LINE WITH TIFFANY SCOTT🎙️ Out of Line with Tiffany Scott — real conversations with leaders who don't sugarcoat it.▶️ Subscribe: @outoflinepod🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/out-of-line-with-tiffany-scott/id1882144516💚 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2LnreneFTLjy1vFXVLnv9N#OutOfLinePodcast #VeteranHiring #CorporateRecruiting #OperationHired #MilitaryTransition #SkillBridge #TechHiring #StaffingAgencies #entrepreneurship #worklifebalance

Steven Meisels: From WhatsApp Groups to 50-State Staffing | Out of Line Ep. 9

He didn't come from the staffing industry. He saw friends coming out of college with no job offers and no one helping them — so he started creating WhatsApp groups to connect people with opportunities. Then it became something bigger. Steven Meisels is the Founder of SM Staffing, which now operates nationally across all 50 states. Their model is built around culture fit over credential matching, they don't charge job seekers, and they stay in touch with candidates even when a deal doesn't close. Steven also coaches recruiters and early-stage business owners 1:1 and actively writes about what companies get wrong when building teams. In this episode, we cover: * How WhatsApp groups turned into a national staffing firm * The moment he realized he wasn't just doing favors — he was running a business * What culture fit actually means and why most firms get it wrong * Why SM Staffing doesn't charge candidates — and how that shapes everything * Staying community-first as you scale to 50 states * Coaching recruiters and giving away the playbook publicly * What he'd do differently if he was starting over today Connect with Steven: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shlomo-meisels-smstaffing/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shlomo-meisels-smstaffing/] Website: https://smstaffingjobs.com [https://smstaffingjobs.com] Out of Line with Tiffany Scott — real conversations with leaders who don't sugarcoat it. Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OutOfLinePod [https://www.youtube.com/@OutOfLinePod] Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/out-of-line-with-tiffany-scott/id1882144516 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/out-of-line-with-tiffany-scott/id1882144516] Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2LnreneFTLjy1vFXVLnv9N [https://open.spotify.com/show/2LnreneFTLjy1vFXVLnv9N]

Out of Line Ep. 8 | From Microbiology to a Multi-Company Staffing Empire | Ronnie Hollis

He walked into staffing with a microbiology degree, a pregnant wife, and zero industry connections — and built an Inc 5000 company that's still standing 20+ years later. In Episode 8 of Out of Line, Tiffany sits down with Ronnie Hollis, founder of Prestige Staffing, Monza Cloud, and Talinaq. Ronnie breaks down surviving the dot-com bust and the Great Recession, the real difference between being a founder and a CEO, how he picked expansion cities with a ratio formula, why he rebuilt his company culture twice, and the mindset shift that came out of a prostate cancer diagnosis. Also in this one: the Mike Willis escalator story, the "A-time / 9:30 PM" rule for founders still carrying a book, and why AI isn't replacing what great recruiters actually do. Connect with Ronnie Hollis: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronnie-hollis-a9655815/ Prestige Staffing: https://www.prestigestaffing.com/ Prestige on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/prestige-staffing/ Out of Line with Tiffany Scott: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OutOfLinePod Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/out-of-line-with-tiffany-scott/id1882144516 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2LnreneFTLjy1vFXVLnv9N Book Tiffany: https://tiffany-scott.zohobookings.com

Out of Line Ep. 7 | From Music Teacher to Staffing CEO | Alex Martin

Alex Martin went from teaching 4th grade music in Harlem to running her own boutique recruiting firm in under a decade. In this episode she breaks down how she hit $1.2M in new business in 10 months as a cold start at PlanetHealthcare, why most recruiters are stuck in transactional mode, and what made her finally bet on herself and launch Amaya Staffing Consultants in June 2024. We get into the early Yankees community outreach gig, the jump into healthcare staffing sales at Barton, scaling from Account Manager to Group Manager on a $3M book, the $100K first quarter at Cura Search, and the People Matter philosophy that drives Amaya's work across healthcare, legal, executive, tech, HR, accounting and finance. If you've ever felt like the straight path wasn't built for you, this one will hit. Chapters 00:00 Cold open 01:30 Meet Alex Martin 06:45 Teaching music at Harlem Children's Zone 12:10 The Yankees pivot 18:20 Breaking into healthcare staffing 26:00 $1.2M in 10 months at PlanetHealthcare 34:15 Why transactional recruiting is dying 41:30 Launching Amaya Staffing Consultants 49:00 Know your why 55:20 Advice for anyone betting on themselves Guest Alex Martin, Founder and CEO, Amaya Staffing Consultants LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-martin-61140761/ Web: https://amayastaffing.com Follow Out of Line with Tiffany Scott YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OutOfLinePod Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/out-of-line-with-tiffany-scott/id1882144516 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2LnreneFTLjy1vFXVLnv9N Instagram: Tiffisoutofline Web: https://outofline.show #OutOfLine #TiffanyScott #AlexMartin #AmayaStaffing #HealthcareRecruiting #FoundersStory #WomenInBusiness