Unicorn Talent Hunter Krystal Speed

"Your first hire is your most integral, so create a thoughtful hiring strategy." - Keosha Gibbs-Lucas



This week's guest is Keosha Gibbs-Lucas, Chief Financial Officer for Smithsons Staffing Solutions. She is working to create positive disruption in the staffing industry as she spearheads the marketing, financial and human resources divisions of the organization.



In this episode we discuss: 




The basic things a CEO should have in place before coming to a staffing agency
Preparing candidates for success with clients
Tips and best practices that may be helpful to inexperienced interviewers
How DEI practices help CEOs build and grow great teams?



Listen in to gain tips and practical strategies to help you hire well and build the team your business needs to scale.



Learn more about Keosha Gibbs-Lucas and Smithsons Staffing Solutions at:

IG/FB/LI: @smithsonsstaffingsolutions

www.smithsonsllc.com


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Sometimes you just need a project done quickly. How do you find great talent, really fast, for a short-term commitment?



In this week's episode I chat with my friend, serial entrepreneur and side-hustler, Beverly Lwenya about how she sources for contract workers using Fiverr. This is a very practical guide on how to use the platform. She also shares the lessons learned using the platform to help you have a great experience on the platform.



The tips and strategies shared in this episode include:




The value of using Fiverr to fill your short-term gigs (4:14)
Understanding your own strengths so you can find people that compliment you/your team (9:__)
Identifying the type of person you need on your team (10:48)
Soft skills to look for when searching for talent for a role (18:33)
Tips about communicating with talent at the platform (24:06)
Keeping good people in your pipeline for future needs (30:40)
Using Fiverr as a resource when starting new client projects in your business (32:53)
Onboarding your hire onto the project and into your business (38:46)



Again, lots of great tips are jammed into this episode to help you confidently utilize this platform for hiring.



You can follow Beverly and learn more about her entrepreneurial journey on Instagram @beverly_______ (pssst - don't forget the _ or simply search for Beverly Lwenya on IG)




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In this week's episode, we get to hear firsthand the joys and struggles of growing a business that stretches your capacity. It was a pleasure to chat with Britt Parrish from Branding with Britt to discuss her rapid success that is making hiring help a real need.



You likely can relate - your business is begging to grow and you can't make it happen alone. So listen in to hear how Britt is navigating and preparing for the hiring journey. We'll discuss strategies to put in place well before you are ready to pull the trigger and hire new team members. It definitely will get you to thinking differently about how to prepare to hire and scale your business.


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"Is it time to hire?"

"Where do I find the right people?"

"How do I hire?"



These are some of the questions that solo and growing entrepreneurs have. I've invited some HR pros to join me for a roundtable where we tackle some of your most pressing questions around bringing on new team members.



You'll get some great insight from myself and three other HR professionals, each with a unique experience and skill set in the HR field and as founders building their own businesses. In this episode you'll learn:



When to Hire 


Indicators that it is time to hire (7:28)
Tips on how to prepare yourself to hire (19:54)

Who to Hire


Knowing what role(s) to hire (28:20) 

Where to Find Them


Strategies to find good people (40:51)



You will gain very practical strategies and tips to put in place immediately so you can confidently hire the help you need in your business. Not only do each of the HR pros bring years of experience as HR pros but also the lessons they've learned as they've built their own businesses.



My guests this episode are:



Tricia Sitemere

CEO & Founder of CTRL Alt Delete

Connect with Tricia on IG: @TriciaSiteremere or LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/triciasitemere-com



Courtney Underwood 

HR Alignment Strategist, Kassar Consulting

Connect with Courtney on FB and IG: @Kassarconsulting or LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/clunderwood

 

Donta Legette

Sr. Human Resources Business Partner at NACCHO and Independent HR Consultant

*This episode is in honor of my friend and colleague, Donta' Legette. He passed away unexpectedly just a few weeks before this episode launched. Yet, his contributions to the HR field and insights into building a successful small business are powerful and will live on. He will be greatly missed.


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A great business that you love, makes impact and changes lives is the your goal.



But how can you turn your baby business into a multi-million dollar enterprise that will have impact for generations? Why aren't you seeing the growth in your business? It is because you don't have a great team in place that can help make your dreams a reality.



So often as entrepreneurs, we don't get the right help to drive our business growth. Many times it boils down to one thing. Mindset. It is time to think differently so we can grow and scale these businesses!



In this week's episode I am holding no punches as I break down the truth around the limiting mindsets that are holding many entrepreneurs back. As I share about the lies associated with each of these 4 mindsets, I'll also share how you can reframe your thinking so you can move forward boldly and get the help you need in the form of a great team.



Listen in and get ready to shift your thinking!




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Is your employer brand attracting the right people?



Your employer brand (mission, vision, values, culture and reputation) can either attract or repel good team members. In this episode, I drop 5 tips on how to build and nurture your employer brand that will help you attract the right people onto your team.



I discuss:


Employer brand defined (2:19)




5 Steps for Building and Protecting your employer brand, by...

1) Getting clear on what makes your business unique and attractive to your ideal team member (7:09)

2) Do internal and external research to find out why people want to work for you (12:00)

3) Get visible and show off your business to your ideal team member (17:09)

*In this segment I mention a company that I follow on IG. I found their name! It is Freres Brachiaux Candle Co. Go check them out to see what I mean about showing off the behind-the-scenes and what it looks like to work with them.

4) Make sure your brand promise matches what it is really like working on your team. (23:30)

5) Measure how you are doing to understand the strength of your employer brand (25:06)




An example of employer brand by analyzing one of my favorite companies, Warby Parker, and how their employer brand attracts the right people to their team. (28:05)



This is a gem of an episode. Although I always say it, I mean it this week - bring your notebook because you're gonna want to take notes and put these things into action!


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