Episodes

Rob Levin argues that growth requires choosing to be "rich," not "king": a founder has to give up control, build a strong hiring process, invest in culture, and stop being the bottleneck. He frames this as a leadership decision with real tradeoffs: more growth and leverage, or more control and a natural cap on scale. Key Takeaways "Rich" means growth, shared decision-making, and a business that doesn't revolve around the founder. "King" means control and comfort, but it limits growth. To ...

In this episode, Chris Cornelison breaks down how leaders build stronger teams by praising what they want repeated, writing culture down, and making accountability part of the system. He argues that recognition is not fluff; it is a practical lever for retention, performance, and focus. The conversation also covers the neuroscience behind praise, why specific recognition matters, and how to turn praise into a daily habit. Key Takeaways Culture starts with the leader. If you do not define it c...

Rob Levin makes the case that remote work is becoming a talent requirement, not a nice-to-have. Using commute data and hiring trends, he argues that SMBs need to widen their talent pool, manage through KPIs, and build culture intentionally across distributed teams. Key Takeaways Remote is a talent strategy: Commute friction is pushing candidates away from on-site roles. Location should not limit hiring: Nearshore and offshore are natural extensions of remote. Manage by outcomes: KPIs r...

In this episode, Rob Levin explains why offshore hiring is becoming a major topic for business owners right now. He points to four main drivers: it is harder to find great people locally, engagement and productivity are trending the wrong way, owners are increasingly unwilling to tolerate disengaged team members, and more peers are finding success with offshore talent. His message is practical: offshore should not be treated as a shortcut or a cheap labor play, but as an opportunity to raise tal...

In this episode of The New Talent Playbook Podcast, host Rob Levin argues that hiring decisions should be driven by outcomes, not hourly price. The cheapest hire can be the most expensive mistake when it creates rework, constant follow-up, and missed customer value. His core point: start with the opportunity a great person creates, then evaluate price in that context. Key Takeaways Great talent is an investment, not a line-item to minimize: Stop optimizing for the cheapest hire and start ask...

In this episode, Rob Levin sits down with Don Gregori, COO of First Factory, for a conversation about what it really takes to scale a company across locations without losing the culture, clarity, and trust that make it work. They dig into the operational side of growth, why people still drive every outcome, how leaders can build systems that stay sustainable, and what it means to keep adapting in an AI-shaped world. Key Takeaways Growth does not just add headcount: it changes how leaders nee...

In this episode Bones Ijeoma has a practical conversation with Rob Levin about how leaders should think about AI inside a business. Bones Ijeoma does not frame AI as a magic shortcut or a replacement for leadership. Instead, he shows how to evaluate where AI fits, which work should stay human, and how to use automation and AI to improve an existing operating system rather than disrupt it. The discussion is especially relevant for founders and operators who want leverage without losing judgment, ...

In this part 2 episode with Jeff Hyman, Rob Levin about what it really takes to hire better people. The conversation centers on candidate experience, authenticity, project-based interviews, the true cost of mishires, and why leaders need a clear hiring process instead of relying on instinct alone. Key Takeaways Treat hiring like a system, not a reaction: Build a repeatable process so every hire is deliberate, not rushed. Design the candidate experience to match the actual job and culture:...

In this episode Rob Levin sits down with Jeff Hyman. The conversation centers on why people remain the biggest differentiator in business, even as AI makes technology easier to copy. Jeff explains why most leaders overestimate their hiring ability, why culture matters as much as role fit, and why interviews are a weak predictor unless they are structured and disciplined. For founders and business owners, the message is clear: hiring is not a side task: it is a core lever for performance. List...

Rob Levin makes a clear case that the challenge for founders and CEOs is not simply change itself, but the number of simultaneous changes hitting the business at once: buyers are buying differently, talent expectations have shifted, regulations are moving, and AI is reshaping how work gets done. The leaders who win will review strategy more often, protect time for high-value thinking, and decide quickly what capabilities the company needs next. Key Takeaways Audit what's changing across buye...

In this episode, employment attorney Joel Greenwald explains why compliance works best when it reinforces culture instead of feeling like a penal code. For founders and operators, the message is simple: strong values, clear policies, trained managers, and fast escalation pathways reduce legal risk and help teams perform better. Joel shares practical systems leaders can put in place now, especially for remote teams and growing companies navigating more complex state and local rules. Key Takeaw...

Rob Levin argues that the old model of annual planning is broken. In a fast-changing market, founders and business owners need to spend more time on strategy, culture, and leadership, the work that compounds, instead of getting trapped in firefighting and administrative work. Key Takeaways Audit where your time is going: Make sure you're spending time on strategy, not just firefighting. Delegate low-value work: Get out of the work that pulls you away from your unique ability. Set clear...

Artificial intelligence is everywhere, but many business owners are still asking the wrong question. Instead of wondering "What can AI do?", they should be asking "What business problem are we trying to solve?" In this episode, Rob Levin sits down with brand strategist, author, and Bornstein Group CEO Gal Borenstein to discuss why AI should be viewed as a force multiplier, not a replacement for people. They explore how leaders can use AI to improve decision-making, strengthen trust, and create m...

In this episode, Rob Levin makes the case that hiring cannot be passive if you want to grow. Hope is not a strategy. If your business is hitting a people bottleneck, you need to stop waiting for the "perfect" person to appear and start building a faster, more intentional hiring process. Rob explores why owners often stay stuck in their comfort zone, how that slows growth, and what a CEO should actually be focused on: strategy, the right people, resources, and culture. He also shares the common ...

Most businesses think marketing drives growth. Shawn Busse argues that it starts much earlier, with your culture. In this episode, Rob Levin sits down with the founder and CEO of Kinesis and author of Marketing From the Inside Out to discuss why brand and culture are inseparable, how a strong employer brand attracts better talent, and why mission, vision, and values should shape every hiring decision. If you're struggling to recruit great people or differentiate your business, this episode is yo...

Rob Levin argues that small and midsize business owners need to act now: get hands-on with AI, intentionally improve culture, and carve out time to think strategically. He points to a growing economy with inflation pressure, a setup he describes as "profitless prosperity", and says the owners who win will be the ones who adapt faster. Key Takeaways AI is no longer optional. Owners should take a course, experiment, and build with AI personally. Block 2 hours this week to learn one AI workflow...

Scott Mesh explains how strong leadership starts with listening, solving the right problem, and building a culture where A players feel valued. He shares why appreciation, peer recognition, and treating remote or offshore teammates like full team members are essential for retention. He also introduces Opportunity Focus: a practical way to reframe problems as opportunities, surface blind spots, and improve through deliberate feedback. Key Takeaways Effectiveness comes before efficiency. If yo...

Rob Levin breaks down key findings from SmarterX's 2026 State of AI for Business report and translates them into a practical roadmap for founders and SMB leaders. The big message: AI is no longer optional, and the companies that start building skills, workflows, and a culture of experimentation now will outpace those that wait. Key takeaways Most employees believe AI will eliminate more jobs than it creates, but only 20% are worried about their own role, a sign that awareness is lagging behi...

Most business owners are too busy working IN their business to ever work ON it. After 30 years running Frieda's Specialty Produce, Karen Caplan knows exactly what that costs. She now coaches CEOs and leaders of companies from $10M to $200M in revenue. In this episode, Karen breaks down the three patterns keeping business owners stuck, why really wanting a shift is non-negotiable, and the four coaching questions that redefine the annual performance review forever. About the Guest Karen Caplan ...

Most business owners face a paralyzing choice: leap into AI or wait until it's proven. Rob Levin cuts through the false binary. The cost of waiting isn't just competitive lag, it's cultural stagnation and missed efficiency gains happening right now. In this solo episode, he walks you through a practical, risk-managed framework that separates owners who'll thrive from those who'll get crushed: starting with secure infrastructure, building something yourself to demystify AI's power, then scaling a...

What separates leaders who scale from those who hit a ceiling? Damon Gersh, founder and former CEO of Maxons Restorations, has navigated both, building a team that stayed calm and effective during 9/11 and Superstorm Sandy, then evolving from operator to strategist. In this episode, he breaks down the counterintuitive moves that unlock growth: delegating authority before you need it, maintaining non-negotiable standards that attract top talent, and fundamentally shifting from working in your bus...

In this episode, Rob Levin breaks down nine foundational practices that separate thriving companies from stuck ones: from leveraging your unique strength to building accountability systems that empower rather than micromanage. If you're frustrated by growing your business but feeling drained in the process, this episode cuts through the noise to show you where the real leverage is. Episode Highlight " If you take care of your talent, they will take care of your clients." Actionable Insight...

Over 80% of business owners can't find qualified people. But 15–25% are thriving, hiring, retaining, and growing at the same time. The difference isn't luck or budget; it's strategy. Rob Levin breaks down the three fundamental shifts that separate winners from everyone else: designing culture instead of hoping for it, competing for talent with the same intensity you compete for customers, and expanding your talent pool beyond local markets. Episode Highlight "Talent deserves the same strategi...

Alan Pentz, AI investor and operator, cuts through AI hype with a clear framework: we're entering the era of "multiplayer AI," where individual productivity gains transform into company-wide business transformation. AI success isn't about replacing people—it's about shifting from doing work to managing AI agents. This structural change in how businesses operate will separate forward-moving founders from the rest. Episode Highlight "The reality is the opportunities on the table right now, ever...