The Speed to Hire Show

Hiring doesn’t improve by doing more. It improves by doing the right things — better. When you can’t compete on compensation, every part of your hiring process matters more. Speed, structure, and transparency aren’t nice-to-haves — they’re how you compete. In this episode, Josh Tolan (CEO of Spark Hire) sits down with Nicole Elder, Director of Human Resources at East Bay Innovations, to break down...

Scaling a company doesn’t just test your systems. It tests your culture. As organizations grow, especially through acquisition, it becomes harder to maintain what made them successful in the first place. Processes change. Teams expand. New leaders join. And without intention, culture can drift. In this episode, Josh Tolan (CEO of Spark Hire) sits down with Erin McAuley (Chief People Officer at Spr...

Recruiting isn’t just about filling roles. It’s about driving outcomes. But too often, recruiting is treated like a support function — taking orders, moving candidates through a process, and reacting to urgency instead of shaping it. In this episode, Josh Tolan (CEO of Spark Hire) sits down with Sabrina Sanchez (Head of Talent Acquisition) to talk about what changes when recruiting is treated as a...

Hiring doesn’t succeed or fail based on effort alone. It comes down to how well people work together. Hiring managers are balancing competing priorities. Recruiters are managing process and expectations. Candidates are navigating uncertainty. And the outcome is shaped by how aligned those groups are throughout the process. In this episode, Josh Tolan (CEO of Spark Hire) sits down with Juliette Dup...

Hiring didn’t become more challenging because recruiters stopped caring. The environment changed. Remote work expanded reach. Application friction dropped. AI made resume tailoring effortless. Applicant volume increased. But recruiter capacity didn’t automatically expand with it. In this episode, Josh Tolan (CEO of Spark Hire) sits down with Beth Wolfe, Senior Director of Recruiting at Daxko, to u...

Trusted by more than 100,000 businesses to protect their data, 1Password is an integral layer of the Identity and Access Management (IAM) stack, protecting all employee accounts and giving employees secure access to any app or service. In this episode of The Speed to Hire Show, Amber White discusses how she blends her unique knowledge of and experience in psychology and data, and a human-first min...

Supabase is an open-source Firebase alternative, making it easier for developers to build and scale with Postgres. With tools for databases, authentication, backend functions, and storage, Supabase takes the infrastructure headaches out of building so developers can focus on shipping great products. In this episode of The Speed to Hire Show, Michaela Burpoe discusses the unique challenges of hirin...

Melissa Grabiner is a highly experienced HR and Talent Acquisition professional with over two decades in the field. Today, she is a prominent LinkedIn thought leader and is currently ranked as a top female and HR creator. Her expertise includes building talent acquisition functions, managing teams, overseeing large-scale hiring, and leading HR activities through organizational changes. In this epi...

In this episode of The Speed to Hire Show, Shaun Rohrich, the Founder of Build More Leaders and a leader in the talent acquisition space for more than a decade, delves into what led him to create Build More Leaders and The Leadership Accelerator program, beginning with a deep desire to help organizations and enterprise businesses better equip and grow their leaders. As this relates to hiring, Shau...

Merit America is a nonprofit organization that is closing the opportunity gap at scale by preparing talented workers in low-wage roles for well-paying careers. Further, its mission is to break the cycle of poverty and build a new pathway to the middle class for tens of millions of Americans. In this episode of The Speed to Hire Show, Katie Rakusin, the Senior Director of Talent Acquisition at Meri...

Operating internationally, with its research and development team distributed throughout the United States, Canada, and Israel, Semperis stands at the forefront of cybersecruity as a premier identity-driven cyber resilience and threat mitigation platform, catering to both cross-cloud and hybrid environments. As a distributed people-driven organization with a learner talent acquisition team, Semper...

An operationally focused professional services firm, MERU is a values-driven, impact-oriented team dedicated to helping companies. MERU is united by a culture that values excellence, collaboration, and success in all its forms for our clients and our people, which translates into its hiring process. As a people-driven organization with a learner talent acquisition team, MERU places a significant e...

Concurrency, a leading technology consulting firm with over thirty years of experience, sets a benchmark for people-first talent acquisition by emphasizing cultural fit and authenticity. Its hiring process includes value-focused interview questions and requires comprehensive feedback before making offers, ensuring candidates align with core values and excel in a client-driven environment. On this...

Melanie Scheer is the Director of People Operations at Accelerated Digital Media, a top-notch performance marketing agency. With over twelve years of recruitment experience, Melanie excels in talent acquisition and HR strategies aligning with business goals. At ADM, she skillfully manages a fully remote team, implementing innovative HR practices and fostering a collaborative and inclusive company...

In this insightful episode of The Speed to Hire Show, host Josh interviews Phil Strazzulla, the Founder of Select Software Reviews. Phil is an expert in helping organizations navigate the complex world of HR technology. Join us as Phil shares invaluable tips on selecting the right hiring tools, discusses the importance of stakeholder buy-in, and explores the latest trends in HR tech, including AI...

In this episode of The Speed to Hire Show, host Josh Tolan sits down with Jen Paxton, Senior Director of People and Talent at Roofr, to discuss her impressive journey in the world of rapidly growing startups. With over fifteen years of experience, Jen shares her insights on leading successful teams, navigating acquisitions, and founding her own employer branding video content platform. Jen delves...

Knox County Schools provides ongoing support for teachers and school staff through continuous development initiatives, competitive compensation and benefits, and avenues for career advancement, but where it really stands out in the competition for talent in K-12 hiring is its focus on speed, efficiency, and the candidate experience. Alex Moseman, Executive Director of Talent Acquisition at Knox Co...

Submittable is an innovative cloud-based platform designed to streamline the submission and review process for organizations across various industries. Catering to the needs of publishers, academic institutions, nonprofits, and businesses alike, Submittable offers a user-friendly interface that facilitates the seamless submission of applications, manuscripts, artwork, and more.  Its comprehensive...

Worldly is leading the way in advancing sustainable business practices through its innovative solutions, prioritizing social responsibility by offering invaluable insights and tools to assist businesses in navigating the intricate landscape of sustainable development. Utilizing data-driven decision-making, businesses can employ Worldly's solutions to synchronize their operations with global st...

Hive Talent Partners is an innovative recruiting consulting firm making waves for its forward-thinking methodologies. Harnessing state-of-the-art technology and data-driven insights, Hive Talent Partners assists organizations spanning diverse sectors in refining their workforce strategies. With an in-depth comprehension of the dynamic talent landscape, CEO Jamie Hichens and her team of specialized...

Magnificent Differences Consulting stands out as a dynamic and innovative firm that redefines the landscape of HR consulting services with its unique approach and comprehensive offerings. Specializing in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategies, Magnificent Differences Consulting goes beyond traditional consulting models by recognizing and celebrating the diverse strengths and perspective...

At the forefront of customer experience and marketing automation, ActiveCampaign offers a comprehensive platform that transforms how businesses engage with their audience. Born with the vision to empower companies of all sizes, ActiveCampaign seamlessly combines intuitive automation, robust email marketing, and an integrated customer relationship management (CRM) system.  Empowering businesses wit...

Parabol is a forward-thinking company that specializes in collaborative software solutions, empowering teams to enhance communication, coordination, and productivity. With a focus on facilitating effective retrospective meetings, Parabol's platform is designed to support agile methodologies, enabling teams to reflect on their work and continuously improve processes. Kendra Dixon, Head of Opera...

Coro takes cybersecurity seriously, employing robust measures to safeguard sensitive information and ensure the utmost security for its clients. With the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats, Coro invests in cutting-edge technologies and employs stringent protocols to protect data integrity and user privacy. Their dedicated cybersecurity team continuously monitors for potential vulnerabilities...

Zapier is a powerful automation tool that helps users automate processes quickly and efficiently. With Zapier, users can connect two or more applications and create automated workflows that enable them to get tasks done faster and without manual intervention. By eliminating the need for manual tasks, Zapier streamlines processes and empowers businesses to do more with less. With an intuitive user...