EP 22 Eating the Otter Pops, Setting Up The New HR Department, Big Deal Recruiting, and Why People Leave
In this episode Tony and Steve attack how to take over a dysfunctional HR department or start a department of one. They coin a new phrase, "Eat the Otterpops", discuss how to build recruiting on a solid foundation, and have a lot of fun along the way. Steve gives some incredible new insights into what demotivates employees with some new research from iSolved, and explains why employees refer their friends to work for the company. Nothing or nobody is out of bounds in this episode.
Link to the iSolved Research the guys discuss: https://www.isolvedhcm.com/resource-center/collateral/sapient-insights-group-survey-voice-of-the-customer-payroll-systems-2024-2025
Learn more about Tony "Two Weeks' Notice" Benjamin at: https://www.thegrangellc.com/
Learn more about Steve "Big Deal" Smith at: https://thehiringtreebook.com/
Learn more about our Sponsor at: https://www.megastarhr.com/
A link to the books we've referenced on the podcast: https://thehiringtreebook.com/hr-life-podcast
The guys encourage support of The Thrive Life Project: https://www.thrivelifeproject.org/
Link to the iSolved Research the guys discuss: https://www.isolvedhcm.com/resource-center/collateral/sapient-insights-group-survey-voice-of-the-customer-payroll-systems-2024-2025
Learn more about Tony "Two Weeks' Notice" Benjamin at: https://www.thegrangellc.com/
Learn more about Steve "Big Deal" Smith at: https://thehiringtreebook.com/
Learn more about our Sponsor at: https://www.megastarhr.com/
A link to the books we've referenced on the podcast: https://thehiringtreebook.com/hr-life-podcast
The guys encourage support of The Thrive Life Project: https://www.thrivelifeproject.org/
Creators and Guests
Host
Steven "Big Deal" Smith
Steve will be the first to tell you that recruiting is marketing. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Finance at Brigham Young University and started his career in recruiting in Feb 2005. In 2008, he took a risk during a recession to help start a new company with Ryan Kohler, called ApplicantPro, a full suite HR platform for small to mid-sized businesses. In March 2025, ApplicantPro became iSolved Talent Acquisition, now serving 177,000 clients and close to 9800 employees. Before the merger, ApplicantPro made the Inc 5000 list 12 years in a row, Top Places to work in Utah 3 years in a row, and Steve was named the Small Business Utah HR Achievement Award winner in May 2024. iSolved was also named an Indeed Platinum Partner in 2023, 2024, and 2025 and is one of only ten ATS platforms in the country to obtain that designation. SHRM-CP & PHR certified, Steve currently volunteers on the Utah SHRM State Council as the immediate past State Executive Director. His book, The Hiring Tree: Laws of Applicant Attraction, was released in early 2023, and has helped thousands of organizations across the country rethink their approach to hiring. If you need help understanding the principles and role of SEO, marketing, and AI when it comes to attracting job seekers, Steve provides a solid framework for hiring effectively.
Host
Tony "Two Weeks Notice" Benjamin
I am a unique HR leader with more than 20 years’ experience working for some of Utah’s oldest, fastest growing, and most well-known companies. My experience includes Superior Drilling Products, Air Medical Resource Group, Control4, Ovivo USA and Deseret Book. I am a regionally recognized authority on building successful cultures and am an alumni speaker at DisruptHR SLC and DisruptHR St. George. I have earned an MBA from the University of Phoenix, a Bachelor’s degree from Utah State University, and am a certified Professional of Human Resources (PHR). I'm married to a woman out of my league, have three brilliant kids I doesn’t deserve and, although I travel a lot, live in Vernal, Utah.
