EP 28 Merry Christmas! At Twice the Speed While Watching Predator!
From our families to yours, Merry Christmas! The guys give you an insight into their personal lives by having their wives on the podcast. Does Steve sometimes leave off the true ending of the story? Why does Tony respond slower now instead of just saying the first thing that pops into his head? Listen to the podcast and find out. Get an insight into the cardinal rule of the podcast and where it came from.
A special thank you to Alicia Smith and Rachel Benjamin for joining the podcast and your support. We can't do this without you!
Get a ticket to see Steel Magnolias in Vernal, Jan 16 to 24 at: https://vernaltheatre.com/shows/steel-magnolias/
Learn more about Jack State at: https://www.jsu.edu/
Learn more about Tony Benjamin at: https://www.thegrangellc.com/
Learn more about Steven J. Smith at: https://thehiringtreebook.com/
Learn more about Pucks for Autism at: https://www.pucksforautism.com/
A special thank you to Alicia Smith and Rachel Benjamin for joining the podcast and your support. We can't do this without you!
Get a ticket to see Steel Magnolias in Vernal, Jan 16 to 24 at: https://vernaltheatre.com/shows/steel-magnolias/
Learn more about Jack State at: https://www.jsu.edu/
Learn more about Tony Benjamin at: https://www.thegrangellc.com/
Learn more about Steven J. Smith at: https://thehiringtreebook.com/
Learn more about Pucks for Autism at: https://www.pucksforautism.com/
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.
