The Growth Game
Hosted by Paul Deluca, each episode of "The Growth Game" features conversations with top CEOs, Owners, and Executives from Staffing Companies across the USA and Canada. Whether you're in the trenches of startup challenges or steering a mammoth corporation, this podcast is your compass to all things business. Expect a holistic journey with business strategies, leadership philosophies, and life lessons, all shared with a diverse lineup of guests each week!
Episodes
Staffing firms that track KPIs and financial data are outgrowing the ones that don't. Here's what 70% of staffing-focused accounting work actually reveals.
In this episode of The Growth Game Podcast, Paul DeLuca sits down with Tom Sena, CPA and Tax Advisor at UHY, to break down what the financials of hundreds of staffing firms reveal about growth, tax strategy, and operational clarity.
With a background that includes ...
In this episode of The Growth Game Podcast, Paul DeLuca sits down with Andy Kohler, Staffing Insurance Broker at Marsh McLennan. They predict where the staffing industry is actually heading - and why the path looks different depending on who you are and how you're built.
Andy works with staffing companies across the country on insurance, risk management, and workers' comp. He sees inside hundreds of firms, including the expo...
In this episode of The Growth Game Podcast, Paul DeLuca sits down with Mike Bartels, Chief Development Officer at Becker LLC, to break down what actually enables a staffing firm to scale, and what causes it to stall.
With over 20 years of experience in business development and working closely with staffing firms on growth and M&A, Mike brings a practical perspective on what needs to be in place before growth can happen.<...
In this episode of The Growth Game, Paul DeLuca sits down with Dave Meyercord, CEO of Buffalo Run Advisors, to unpack why so many firms stop growing and what it takes to break through to the next level.
With a track record of driving growth through stronger culture, tighter operations, and better execution, Dave brings a practical perspective on what actually moves a business forward.
They talk about:
📈 Why growth...
As staffing firms scale, the real pressure often shows up behind the scenes.
In this episode of The Growth Game, Paul DeLuca sits down with Valerie Peer, Executive Vice President of Nixer Comp, a provider of workers’ comp solutions built for staffing firms, to unpack the four hidden costs that come with growth and why they matter more than most operators think.
They dig into:
➡️ Why workers’ comp is more th...
Staffing firms are still growing but margins are becoming the real focus.
In this episode of The Growth Game, Paul DeLuca sits down with Sam Napoli, SVP of Sales & Marketing at Peoplease, to unpack what’s really driving growth in today’s staffing market, and why profitability is becoming the deciding factor.
With nearly 20 years in the PEO space, Sam brings a deep understanding of how payroll, margins,...
In this new episode of The Growth Game Podcast, Paul DeLuca sits down with Dave Kooiman, Founder and President of Arena Staffing. Dave specializes in placing skilled trade workers across construction projects.
Together, they talk about how staffing firms can evolve from simply filling jobs to becoming true partners for their clients.
You’ll hear:
🚀 How Arena Staffing built a niche in skilled trades staffin...
Reintroducing: the AI recruiter who never sleeps.
In this episode of The Growth Game Podcast, Paul DeLuca sits down with returning guest Sammy Singh, CEO of WurkNow, to revisit the hot topic of AI voice recruiting in staffing workflows—and what his team has observed since the first launch.
Sammy breaks down how their AI recruiter (“Luna”) calls, texts, and qualifies candidates in multiple languages, ...
What happens to staffing after 40+ consecutive months of decline and a complete break from GDP trends?
In this episode of The Growth Game, Paul DeLuca sits down with Tom Kosnik, president of The Visus Group and leading staffing consultant, to unpack what’s driving the downturn and what opportunities are hiding inside it.
They dig into:
➡️ Why the traditional hourly, transactional staffing model is sunsetting<...
X3 only staffs three trades, and that’s exactly why it works.
In this episode, X3 CEO Darren Bolingbroke breaks down why specialization—coined “workforcing” by the X3 team—and a referral model that actually pays are helping flip the traditional temp staffing model on its head.
Topic highlights
- Staying trade-lean means faster placements and stronger relationships
- A referral program that rewards the whol...
Are you a staffing founder or operator looking to grow without adding unnecessary complexity—or leaving revenue on the table?
In this episode, Paul DeLuca sits down with Pat Peri, Founder & CEO of 33 North Group, to unpack how niche focus and cross-border staffing unlock growth. Pat is also an early Rostyr client of Meritus Capital’s—using the staffing industry’s first operating system to unify pa...
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 actua...
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 strat...
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-yea...
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, an...
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 ...
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 an...
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 episod...
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:
✔️...
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 t...
Popular Podcasts
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Betrayal Weekly is back for a new season. Every Thursday, Betrayal Weekly shares first-hand accounts of broken trust, shocking deceptions, and the trail of destruction they leave behind. Hosted by Andrea Gunning, this weekly ongoing series digs into real-life stories of betrayal and the aftermath. From stories of double lives to dark discoveries, these are cautionary tales and accounts of resilience against all odds. From the producers of the critically acclaimed Betrayal series, Betrayal Weekly drops new episodes every Thursday. If you would like to share your story, you can reach out to the Betrayal Team by emailing them at betrayalpod@gmail.com and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.