The Growth Game

Meritus Capital w Paul DeLuca
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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!

  1. APR 15

    S3: EP 7: Bigger Isn’t Always Better | Valerie Peer (Nixer Comp)

    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 than just an expense. ➡️ How claims and misclassification quietly impact margins. ➡️ The role of cash flow in managing insurance structures. ➡️ Why operational discipline becomes critical as companies grow. Connect with Valerie Peer (Nixer Comp) Website | https://www.nixercomp.com/ LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/valeriepeer/ Paul DeLuca LinkedIn |   / merituscapital Meritus Capital LinkedIn |   / meritus-capital-inc- Website | https://www.merituscapital.com Rostyr, Powered by Meritus Capital Website | ...

    18 min

  2. APR 1

    S3 EP 6: Growth Alone Is Not Enough | Sam Napoli (Peoplease)

    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, and risk management directly impact staffing operations, and why PEOs play a critical role in helping firms scale. They dig into: 💡 Why staffing is still growing, even in uncertain economic conditions. 💡 How margin pressure is shaping decisions across the industry. 💡 The role of partnerships in scaling operations and controlling costs. 💡 Why growth without efficiency can quickly become a problem. If you’re a staffing leader thinking about how to scale without putting pressure on your business, this conversation offers a clearer view of what actually drives sustainable growth. 👉 Subscribe for more conversations with operators building and scaling staffing businesses. Connect with Sam Napoli (Peoplease) Website | https://www.peoplease.com/ LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuelnapoli/ Paul DeLuca LinkedIn |   / merituscapital Meritus Capital LinkedIn |   / meritus-capital-inc- Website | https://www.merituscapital.com Rostyr, Powered by Meritus Capital Website | ...

    11 min

  3. MAR 18

    S3 Ep 5: Inside the World of Skilled Trades Staffing | Dave Kooiman (Arena Staffing)

    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 staffing.  🚀 Why relationships still sit at the core of the industry.  🚀 What clients are really looking for from staffing agencies today. If you work in staffing, no matter your role, this episode offers real examples of where the industry is heading, and what it will take to stay relevant in the next era of staffing. Connect with Dave Kooiman (Arena Staffing) Website | https://www.arenastaffing.net/ LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/dkooiman Paul DeLuca LinkedIn |   / merituscapital Meritus Capital LinkedIn |   / meritus-capital-inc- Website | https://www.merituscapital.com Rostyr, Powered by Meritus Capital Website | ...

    21 min

  4. MAR 4

    S3 E4: Luna the AI Recruiter Isn’t Tired Yet | Sammy Singh (WurkNow)

    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, and what they’ve seen as clients scale usage up, pull it back, and then reintroduce it more thoughtfully around compliance and cost. You’ll hear: 🤖 Where AI voice recruiting actually fits in the funnel (and where simple texting still wins) 🤖 Why some firms went “all in” on AI, then hit pause—and how they’re using it now 🤖 How to think about AI as a way to buy back recruiter time, not replace recruiters If you’re a staffing owner or operator trying to figure out what AI adoption looks like on the recruiting side, this episode gives you a grounded look at what’s working today, and where it’s heading. 👉 Subscribe for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of staffing, funding, and growth. Connect with Sammy Singh (WurkNow) Website | https://wurknow.com/ LinkedIn | linkedin.com/in/singhsammy/ Paul DeLuca LinkedIn |   / merituscapital Meritus Capital LinkedIn |   / meritus-capital-inc- Website | https://www.merituscapital.com Rostyr, Powered by Meritus Capital Website | ...

    14 min

  5. FEB 18

    S3 Ep 3: The Old Staffing Model Is Over | Tom Kosnik (Visus Group)

    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 ➡️ How offshoring, nearshoring, and automation are quietly reshaping demand ➡️ Where smart firms are moving: RPO, SOW, higher-value solutions ➡️ How owners can rethink their business model instead of just “waiting for the cycle” to turn If you’re a staffing founder or leader trying to decide what to build next, this conversation will give you data, language, and a clearer map of where the industry is going. 👉 Subscribe for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of staffing, funding, and growth. Connect with Tom Kosnik (The Visus Group) Website | https://www.visusgroup.com/  LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/tkosnik/  Paul DeLuca LinkedIn |   / merituscapital Meritus Capital LinkedIn |   / meritus-capital-inc- Website | https://www.merituscapital.com Rostyr, Powered by Meritus Capital Website | ...

    28 min

  6. FEB 3

    S3 Ep 2: Flipping the Temp Staffing Model | Darren Bolingbroke (X3)

    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 relationshipsA referral program that rewards the whole workforcPrioritizing worker growth and client accountability over short-term coverageThe episode explores a new way of approaching labor, especially in industries like construction. 👉 Subscribe for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of staffing and growth.   🔗 Learn more about: Darren Bolingbroke CEO, X3  LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrenx3/ Website | https://x3tradesmen.com/ Paul DeLuca LinkedIn | /merituscapital Meritus Capital  LinkedIn | /meritus-capital-inc- Website | https://www.merituscapital.com/ Paul DeLuca LinkedIn |   / merituscapital Meritus Capital LinkedIn |   / meritus-capital-inc- Website | https://www.merituscapital.com Rostyr, Powered by Meritus Capital Website | ...

    26 min

  7. JAN 26

    S3 Ep 1: How Niches Unlock Staffing Growth | Pat Peri (33 North Group)

    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 payroll funding, compliance, and workforce management. Pat shares how his background in construction, manufacturing, and entrepreneurship led him to build a specialized staffing company that helps U.S., Canadian, and Mexican businesses hire confidently across borders. By simplifying payroll, compliance, and insurance, 33 North enables staffing firms and direct clients to scale without turning away qualified talent. Pat also breaks down how he identified a major gap in the staffing market—one most firms don’t realize is costing them growth—and how niche focus, lean systems, and strong back-office support can unlock placements that would otherwise be missed. They dive into: 🌱 Why staffing firms say no to more placements than they think 🌱 How niche specialization creates leverage and defensibility 🌱 What Pat learned by calling 100 staffing agencies before launching 🌱 The operational realities of cross-border staffing and compliance 🌱 Why people-first values and smart systems fuel sustainable growth Meritus Capital is a financial technology company and is not a bank. Banking services are provided by i3 Bank, Member FDIC. The Meritus Capital Visa Debit Card is issued by i3 Bank pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used anywhere Visa cards are accepted. 👉 Subscribe for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of staffing and growth. Learn more about our Guest:  Pat Peri - Founder & CEO, 33 North Group LinkedIn | Paul DeLuca LinkedIn |   / merituscapital Meritus Capital LinkedIn |   / meritus-capital-inc- Website | https://www.merituscapital.com Rostyr, Powered by Meritus Capital Website | ...

    11 min

  8. 07/31/2025

    Bootstrapped to Millions: Daniel Hixon’s Staffing Tech Playbook

    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 actually get filled The real reason ghosting happens—on both sides Daniel’s toughest leadership lessons Why staying local and focused is key in staffing If you're a healthcare entrepreneur, recruiter, or just passionate about disrupting outdated systems, this conversation is gold. 👉 Subscribe for more insights from top leaders in staffing and growth. 🔗 Learn more about: MERITUS LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/meritus-capital-inc-/ Meritus Capital | https://www.merituscapital.com/ Paul DeLuca | https://www.linkedin.com/in/merituscapital/ Daniel Hixon | https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhixon/ #HealthcareStaffing #StartupJourney #JobBoardDisruption #StaffingAgency #TechForGood #EntrepreneurLife #GoodWorkApp #FutureOfWork #NurseStaffing #GrowthGamePodcast Paul DeLuca LinkedIn |   / merituscapital Meritus Capital LinkedIn |   / meritus-capital-inc- Website | https://www.merituscapital.com Rostyr, Powered by Meritus Capital Website | ...

    44 min
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About

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!

Information

  • Creator
    Meritus Capital w Paul DeLuca
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Growth Game
  • Show Website
    The Growth Game