January 7, 2025 • 24 mins
Welcome to HeadHunters NW Podcast! I'm Shaylene Keiner, an executive recruiter with a passion for the global defense, small arms and shooting sectors. Join me as I sit down with top executives and industry leaders to dive deep into the world of global manufacturing, service companies, non-profits and more. Together, we explore the latest trends, innovations, and the inspiring stories behind the people who drive this dynamic industry forward. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just curious about what makes this world tick, you're in for engaging conversations that go beyond the surface. Let's uncover the fascinating stories and insights that shape the global defense, small arms and shooting sectors. Subscribe now and become a part of our community!
In this episode, Shaylene addresses a common question: how to hire the right recruiter and what they do. With over 30 years of experience, she explains the critical role of executive recruiters in driving profits, especially in the global defense, small arms, and shooting sectors. Shaylene discusses the importance of hiring the right people, the impact of recent political changes on the industry, and forecasts the most in-demand roles and company types for 2025. Tune in to learn how to leverage the right executive recruiter to maximize profits and stay ahead of industry changes.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Shaylene (00:00):
Welcome to 2025.
(00:02):
I have some notes here that I havewritten and welcome to the podcast.
I'm Shaylene with HeadHuntersNorthwest and I wanted to take this
opportunity to do a podcast to talkabout a question that I get a lot.
And that question is, how doI know how to hire the right
(00:24):
recruiter and what do they do?
Well, it's, it's a lot more than justrecruiting your position, but we're
going to, we're going to go into that.
So I'm calling this a recordinghow the right executive recruiter
drives profits, because honestly,that's what they should be doing.
If they're not making you a profit,then you're got the wrong recruiter.
(00:47):
Today is December 30th, 2024, and whenthis goes live, it'll be January 7th 2025.
So we turn these around really quick.
Thank you so much to the folks behindthe scenes that make this happen.
At the end of this recording I willbravely and maybe foolishly call
(01:09):
out my personal opinion of what Ithink we're going to see in 2025.
I'm going to put some predictions on thisrecording and I guess we'll know at the
end of the year if I was right or wrong.
But this is all based on my30 plus years of experience.
So let's hope I get atleast some of them right.
(01:29):
First, I want to thank you forlistening to the podcast and the
time that you're spending to do this.
You could listen to any number ofpodcasts, and I just want to thank you
so much for any suggestions that you haveor any comments, please don't hesitate
to reach out to me and let me know whatI could do to get you more information.
(01:52):
My goal here.
Is to help my industry.
So with that the audience that I'mintending to reach for this particular
podcast are, this is meant to be forboard members, C suite executives,
and anyone else that are leadersor future leaders for our industry.
(02:12):
This is all advice that I think you willfind helpful to help you make profits.
Okay, then.
So all of this is specific to the nichethat we focus on, which is the global
defense small arms and shooting sectors.
So you can make great choicesfor you and for your companies.
(02:34):
On to our topic.
How the right recruiter drives profits.
Profits are everything.
And I, I do mean everything.
And I'm sure, you know, that if you're oneof those people who are listening to this
right now, and you're afraid of money,or you're afraid it makes you look bad,
you should unsubscribe and not listen.
(02:56):
This is not the place for you.
So.
Turn your, turn your connection off.
Okay.
Now that those people aregone, we can get down to it.
Without great talent and the rightpeople in the right seats, you're
not going to make a profit and youcertainly won't continue to make a
profit, even if you're making one period.
It's the people, no matter what.
(03:19):
And the people, no matter how manyrobots, AI and automated things we have.
that make it all come together.
It's the people who create profits.
Human, we're humans.
We make mistakes.
We're not perfect.
And a lot of folks, especially those inHR and anyone who's, you know, putting
(03:42):
a job ad out there, you're gettingflooded with all sorts of people.
And how do we sort through that?
To find the right talent that will scalethe growth that we need in our companies,
while not driving us off the rails.
That's the age old question, isn't it?
So this isn't new information, itshouldn't be, but we have a lot of changes
(04:05):
going on, and some people might not thinkof it in the perspective that I think
of it, and the way I look at things.
President Trump's been re electedand will be sworn in shortly.
And in sweeping changesare already happening.
Look at the DEI initiatives and mandatesthat are being removed by publicly held
(04:27):
companies more and more every single day.
I just heard, heard about it again todaywhile I was watching the business news.
The priorities of the incomingadministration are going to include,
they say regulatory improvements,tax changes, mergers and acquisitions
are expected to increase rebuildingour military and increase the USA
(04:51):
manufacturing, just to name a few things.
And there's also many moreissues under scrutiny, including
lots of the tariffs topic.
I don't know.
Well, I know for me in my lifetime,there's never been this number of changes
that are our businesses are facing fasteror in greater force that we then we expect
(05:15):
in 2025, at least not in my lifetime.
I've never seen anything like this.
And I don't, I think we're all going tobe You know, bracing to try to keep up.
How do you control this change and takeadvantage of all these obvious and not
so obvious changes in your businessto capture profits like no other time.
(05:38):
You have to hire the right people.
Now, a lot of companies have been waiting.
We can't afford to wait.
We have to move quickly and be decisive.
In my 30 years of experience recruitingwith over 20 of that in the global
defense, small arms and shooting sectors.
Now is a time unlike any others in ourhistory to make money in our niche.
(06:03):
Now in the commercial firearmspace, I'm sure all of you are
pointing your finger and wagging it.
We all point to the pastpresident who we say was the best
gun salesman we've ever seen.
I totally agree.
This isn't going to be like that.
We're not, hopefully we'renot looking at mass insanity.
(06:23):
Holistically, which is what I'mreferring to, the global defense, small
arms, and even a lot of the shootingsectors who are diversified into
more than just the commercial marketsare poised for even greater growth.
We have already seen thisin our client customers.
Who are diversified.
Several of them are alreadyup 40 percent in 2024.
(06:49):
So I'm kind of getting ahead of myself.
So let's go back to people.
How can you identify and utilize anexecutive recruiter to drive profits?
Because that is all that matters.
It matters in my business andit matters in your business.
The type of recruiter you're looking for.
Here's what you're gonna keep track of.
(07:09):
There's gonna be a bunch of thingsthat I'm gonna say that I think real,
I really mean this, will be helpful.
You're looking for someone that'swell rounded, but niche focused.
The reason for this is becausethe relationship you want is
someone who can open doors foryou in a wide variety of areas.
(07:31):
The main most critical result ofan executive recruiter, of course,
should be talent choices for you.
But there's more than that.
Really, if you, if that's all you'regetting, then you're, you're not even
getting what you should be getting.
It's not just talent acquisition.
It's so much more.
I'm talking about individualrelationships here.
(07:53):
It doesn't matter one bit if the name,what the name of the recruitment firm is.
It doesn't matter if this firmclaims or has offices and all these
countries, it doesn't matter if they'republicly held, if they're a small
boutique firm, Or midsize us based.
It makes no difference becauseyou're hiring when you hire executive
(08:15):
recruiters, you're hiring that person.
So if you go to a big giganticfirm, unless you have an existing
relationship, the people doing thework are the junior executives that
you never see in the background.
They don't have the relationships andthe experience that you need to hire.
(08:36):
Really top talent and executives.
They just, they don't have it yet.
When you hire an executive recruitingfirm, you're, you're working with
a person, no matter who it is.
So the person is the, the individualrelationship you care about, not
the name or the plaque on the firm.
The important part to all this is thatyou get the best choices for you to
(09:00):
choose from for the talent that you need.
You want someone that can secure thetalent that you choose and give you really
great choices because you're the onewho's going to know what you need best.
A recruiter should be givingyou great choices of people you
never dreamed you could get.
If you found that That's step one.
(09:22):
So dig deeper.
This is the next steps arewhere the profits come in.
This may seem obvious, but trust me, I'vebeen doing this a long time and you would
be really shocked at how many peopledon't understand the basics of business.
So even if they've gone to collegeand have all their experience,
that does not mean they understandwhat it takes and what's important
(09:46):
to you to achieve your goals.
A recruiter that you choose, you want toknow they know what ERP systems are, PNLs,
balance sheets, EBITDA, manufacturing,distribution, ECOM, tariffs.
NATO, do they even know what NATO is?
Do they even know what NATOfriendly company countries are?
(10:07):
They need to know the difference inour niche about LEO, mil, gov, the
different branches within those acronyms.
And when the buying cycles are, thisperson needs to grasp and understand
the challenges across the span ofthe defense acquisition industry
and supply chain, production,technology, modernization, and more.
(10:32):
There's constantly changes going on thataffect the profits of our companies.
And if these recruiters don't know who'swho and how these pieces go together,
you're not maximizing your profits at all.
So even if your company is not involvedin every single area I mentioned,
and maybe not every single areais your focus of business, if your
(10:57):
recruiter doesn't understand thoseareas, and interact with them, you
are missing out on a huge portionof talent, networking, and profits.
The executive recruiter you wantis the one who is deep into the
industry niche, niche your company is.
(11:18):
The person, this person knows the buysell cycles of your business niche.
They have relationships with privateequity, angel investors, investment
bankers, and the people in politicswho are all focused on your niche.
Does this mean this said executiverecruiter only has reach into your niche?
(11:39):
No, I get asked that all the time.
So just because.
The recruiter is in a certainniche does not mean they're only
recruiting people in that niche.
You if you want someone from the outsideor you need fresh talent or whatever the
reason is you need to bring in the talentin a industry that is doing really well
(12:02):
in a certain skill set That's reallyimportant and the and that person Is
going to know how to secure that talent.
They will know how to recruit theoutside talent that will fit into
the niche because nothing it doesmore harm to companies than when we
(12:22):
recruit people and they don't fit in.
And it's just a bad apple.
Maybe they have the skill sets,but they don't fit into the niche.
So that is really valuable.
And you can get the best of allworlds You just have to be willing
to go work with the right person.
Most board members, C suite, investmentbankers, and investors are actually
(12:45):
still missing out on bigger profits.
My big tip here and what I've seenfirsthand and learned in my career
as an executive recruiter is Findthe recruiter that has all the things
I noted and here's the magic pill.
This is really important.
You must find the one thathas immense work ethic.
(13:09):
One who takes calculated risks, isaggressive, a visionary, hands on is
very important, willing to seek feedback,trustworthy, and most valuable of all,
the most important thing that drivesprofits for you, is the power to leverage
their relationships to benefit you.
(13:31):
They have to be willing, ideally,to introduce you around, to
help you make connections.
That's where all the profits come in.
That's where the extra firepower is.
If you want to secure the realpowerhouse talent that knows how to
scale your divisions and has a clearmission, Has a clear mission alignment,
(13:54):
drives big ideas into real action, andthinks in systems, not quick fixes.
Then you need to build relationshipswith the talent power brokers
in the niche you are in.
This, it does not have to bemy niche, it can be any niche.
Profits are achieved by peoplewho, these are the people that the
(14:17):
recruiters are going to find you.
The right recruiter knows how tofind the people that make companies.
infinitely scalable,create revenue streams.
And automate the impossible.
Understanding how to secure that talentis the difference between leading
the future and playing catch up.
(14:40):
So honestly, I've seen thiswork and I've seen it in my own
business and they're out there.
So if it's not me and we don't fitinto what you're doing, go find the
recruiter that will because they canmake all the difference in helping
you make profits for your company.
Okay, part two.
Now's the time for me tobe brave or be foolish.
(15:02):
Let's talk about my hiring predictionsfor 2025 for the global defense,
small arms and shooting sectors.
I'm going to break this into two sections.
First, I'm going to talkabout the companies that I,
or the types of companies.
I'm not going to name companies,types of companies that I believe
have the most opportunity for growth.
(15:23):
Now it's time for me to be brave.
Let's talk about my hiring predictionsfor 2025 for the global defense
small arms and shooting sectors.
I'm going to break this into two sections.
The first section will be types ofcompanies that I think will be very
successful in what they're doing.
And the second section will be typesof companies jobs that I think will
(15:45):
be very, very much in need in 2025.
Now, I can't possibly cover all jobs.
This is impossible.
So I just picked four kind of sectors.
So let's talk about the companies first.
The companies I picked threetypes of companies that I think
will be very successful in 2025.
(16:06):
The first one would be companieswho are diversified into more
than only commercial markets whosesales include military contracts.
Now I kind of already coveredthat earlier by accident.
Second of all, companies whose productsfocus is to help other companies
(16:26):
sell and manage government contractsthat meet regulatory requirements.
Think risk assessment, contractmanagement, market intelligence,
Their products help you domore based on their software.
The third type of companies, andthis is really broad, but it's, it's
(16:47):
not if you really think about it.
Companies that utilize andleverage mutually beneficial
partnerships with other companies.
No one does anything alone.
So what I mean by that is, If you havea great business development person
on your team, then you, you're alreadydoing this because great business
(17:07):
development people know how to buildpartnerships and relationships with other
companies that are mutually beneficial.
And if you don't have one of those, youmight want to think about getting one.
The second area that I wantedto talk about are jobs.
So these are positions, general areasof work that I think are going to be.
(17:33):
Pretty targeted areas for growth.
Okay.
So the first one are softwarerelated roles and more
specifically generative AI roles.
Now many of you may assume that thisdoesn't affect you, but it does touch
your company in one way or another.
If your product is software, thenyou're already in the thick of it.
(17:55):
So Just know that there are so manythings that can be affecting your company
and that can help your company grow.
Don't be, don't hesitate to go outon there and learn about new things.
And generative AI people if you loveyour job and you want a new one and
you love this industry, please call me.
(18:15):
Thank you.
Okay.
Manufacturing related roles.
Those would be the operationalcross functional positions.
People who are experienced in handson manufacturing environments that
also have people skills and that alsounderstand automation and robotics.
(18:37):
Those people that contain all threeof those types of things They are
going to be harder and harder to find.
They're going to be very soughtafter in my opinion, in 2025 and
2026 marketing roles, marketing this,I could talk just about marketing.
We should just do a podcast aboutmarketing and have a panel on.
(19:00):
That's one of the things,one 2025 now it's on tape.
So now I'm going to do it.
Digital and e com.
I know you've already heard about this,but this is while you may not sell
your products online, you undoubtedlyalready use forms of digital marketing.
The marketing professionals who knowhow to pull here's here's the data,
(19:21):
the data, analyze the data and convertthat into measurable and quantifiable
information are the true profit makers.
You Marketing is a profitcenter, not a cost center.
If you have the right people in place,this applies to both e comm and digital
(19:43):
marketing, but marketing, I know youmarketing people realize a lot of this,
but there aren't that many people whocan sit down and drill down and show
their, Their budget as a, as, as the,in the way that it ties to profits.
And that's what marketingpeople need to focus on.
(20:04):
You've got to be able tocommunicate to executives how your
expenditure is making them money.
And I get it.
It's hard, but I knowa couple who can do it.
So this is a very, very powerful role thatshould grow a lot in 25 and 26 sales Do we
(20:25):
still do business bellied up to the bar?
Or do we still do business outon the range testing products?
Yes, maybe yes, possible, but notall business has done that way.
And some say less than less.
So who's actually making the purchasingdecision that the people that you're
(20:47):
standing with, If they're not theones making the purchasing decision,
you need to make sure and thosepeople need to have the right data.
So I'm talking to you, executivesand board members, because this
is how important your marketingand sales executives are.
They're driving yourprofits in many, many ways.
(21:11):
The type of sales roles thatwe will see filled will be
people who present solutions.
In a style that relates to the customer,sales roles filled for mill gov le roles
will be the most successful when thoseindividuals dig deeper and know how
to serve their customers, not merelymake transactions and fill quotas.
(21:33):
And here is the pro tip that I thinkthat a lot of executives get and they
see the trouble is how to fix it.
It, it almost should be marketingand sales, not sales and marketing.
Because if I were in salesand here's my pro tip, Make
marketing your new best friend.
(21:53):
The most successful salespeople willinclude marketing from the beginning
and the entire way through the process.
Marketing is your key to success.
And I really believe that.
I really think that if you get the rightmarketing person and the right sales
people in place, at your executive level.
It permeates your organizationand equals profits.
(22:18):
Unheard of profits because marketingpulls in all kinds of people you never
would have even thought to approach.
So let's wrap this up.
I hope this has helped you toknow what to expect from a quality
executive recruiter because it is somuch more than filling an open rec.
It's so much more.
(22:39):
We are certainly invested, but we,we open up our database to our really
close customers that invest in us.
We invest in them.
We make mutually beneficialintroductions that have nothing to
do with us, but have to do with them.
And we help the talent we place scale sothat you can make the profits you need.
(23:04):
There's a lot of details that go intothese recruitments, but they don't need to
be long and drug out, contrary to what alot of these big firms think these, these
things do not need to take this long.
And I'm, I'm all for givingample time and making sure we
consider the right hire, but.
That's unnecessary.
(23:25):
I, I have never in my life met a boardmember or an executive or any stakeholder
that says to me, Whoa, we want to dragthis out and not get this person on board.
So we don't make money until later.
I mean, seriously, who says that?
So if you want the right people, theright connections, the right phone call
(23:46):
at the right time, you need to hire theright executive recruiter so that you
can net the profits fast and efficiently.
The most successful profitablecompanies we work with have a really
a decisive board and a decisive boardthat empowers their CEO to be decisive.
(24:06):
A decisive leadership team hires theexecutive recruiter who can make the
impact that they need to make profits.
And that's what we're all here for.
So welcome 2025.
Let's go make money.
Thanks for listening to thispodcast of HeadHunters Northwest.
I am really excited.
(24:28):
For the next podcast after me,everybody should tune in on Tuesday
the 14th because that is goingto be one of the most interesting
podcasts of the year I predict.
And that will be with Nate Pund, whois the global managing director for
Houlihan Lokey the investment banker thatis specialized in our industry niche.
(24:54):
So thank you again, have a wonderfulnew year, comment, give me suggestions,
reach out, let me know you heard this,and let me know maybe we had place in
bets on whether I'm right or not, Idon't know, I'm kind of scared about it.
Anyway, y'all have a great January,and I can't wait to talk to you.
Thanks!
Welcome to 2025.
(00:02):
I have some notes here that I havewritten and welcome to the podcast.
I'm Shaylene with HeadHuntersNorthwest and I wanted to take this
opportunity to do a podcast to talkabout a question that I get a lot.
And that question is, how doI know how to hire the right
(00:24):
recruiter and what do they do?
Well, it's, it's a lot more than justrecruiting your position, but we're
going to, we're going to go into that.
So I'm calling this a recordinghow the right executive recruiter
drives profits, because honestly,that's what they should be doing.
If they're not making you a profit,then you're got the wrong recruiter.
(00:47):
Today is December 30th, 2024, and whenthis goes live, it'll be January 7th 2025.
So we turn these around really quick.
Thank you so much to the folks behindthe scenes that make this happen.
At the end of this recording I willbravely and maybe foolishly call
(01:09):
out my personal opinion of what Ithink we're going to see in 2025.
I'm going to put some predictions on thisrecording and I guess we'll know at the
end of the year if I was right or wrong.
But this is all based on my30 plus years of experience.
So let's hope I get atleast some of them right.
(01:29):
First, I want to thank you forlistening to the podcast and the
time that you're spending to do this.
You could listen to any number ofpodcasts, and I just want to thank you
so much for any suggestions that you haveor any comments, please don't hesitate
to reach out to me and let me know whatI could do to get you more information.
(01:52):
My goal here.
Is to help my industry.
So with that the audience that I'mintending to reach for this particular
podcast are, this is meant to be forboard members, C suite executives,
and anyone else that are leadersor future leaders for our industry.
(02:12):
This is all advice that I think you willfind helpful to help you make profits.
Okay, then.
So all of this is specific to the nichethat we focus on, which is the global
defense small arms and shooting sectors.
So you can make great choicesfor you and for your companies.
(02:34):
On to our topic.
How the right recruiter drives profits.
Profits are everything.
And I, I do mean everything.
And I'm sure, you know, that if you're oneof those people who are listening to this
right now, and you're afraid of money,or you're afraid it makes you look bad,
you should unsubscribe and not listen.
(02:56):
This is not the place for you.
So.
Turn your, turn your connection off.
Okay.
Now that those people aregone, we can get down to it.
Without great talent and the rightpeople in the right seats, you're
not going to make a profit and youcertainly won't continue to make a
profit, even if you're making one period.
It's the people, no matter what.
(03:19):
And the people, no matter how manyrobots, AI and automated things we have.
that make it all come together.
It's the people who create profits.
Human, we're humans.
We make mistakes.
We're not perfect.
And a lot of folks, especially those inHR and anyone who's, you know, putting
(03:42):
a job ad out there, you're gettingflooded with all sorts of people.
And how do we sort through that?
To find the right talent that will scalethe growth that we need in our companies,
while not driving us off the rails.
That's the age old question, isn't it?
So this isn't new information, itshouldn't be, but we have a lot of changes
(04:05):
going on, and some people might not thinkof it in the perspective that I think
of it, and the way I look at things.
President Trump's been re electedand will be sworn in shortly.
And in sweeping changesare already happening.
Look at the DEI initiatives and mandatesthat are being removed by publicly held
(04:27):
companies more and more every single day.
I just heard, heard about it again todaywhile I was watching the business news.
The priorities of the incomingadministration are going to include,
they say regulatory improvements,tax changes, mergers and acquisitions
are expected to increase rebuildingour military and increase the USA
(04:51):
manufacturing, just to name a few things.
And there's also many moreissues under scrutiny, including
lots of the tariffs topic.
I don't know.
Well, I know for me in my lifetime,there's never been this number of changes
that are our businesses are facing fasteror in greater force that we then we expect
(05:15):
in 2025, at least not in my lifetime.
I've never seen anything like this.
And I don't, I think we're all going tobe You know, bracing to try to keep up.
How do you control this change and takeadvantage of all these obvious and not
so obvious changes in your businessto capture profits like no other time.
(05:38):
You have to hire the right people.
Now, a lot of companies have been waiting.
We can't afford to wait.
We have to move quickly and be decisive.
In my 30 years of experience recruitingwith over 20 of that in the global
defense, small arms and shooting sectors.
Now is a time unlike any others in ourhistory to make money in our niche.
(06:03):
Now in the commercial firearmspace, I'm sure all of you are
pointing your finger and wagging it.
We all point to the pastpresident who we say was the best
gun salesman we've ever seen.
I totally agree.
This isn't going to be like that.
We're not, hopefully we'renot looking at mass insanity.
(06:23):
Holistically, which is what I'mreferring to, the global defense, small
arms, and even a lot of the shootingsectors who are diversified into
more than just the commercial marketsare poised for even greater growth.
We have already seen thisin our client customers.
Who are diversified.
Several of them are alreadyup 40 percent in 2024.
(06:49):
So I'm kind of getting ahead of myself.
So let's go back to people.
How can you identify and utilize anexecutive recruiter to drive profits?
Because that is all that matters.
It matters in my business andit matters in your business.
The type of recruiter you're looking for.
Here's what you're gonna keep track of.
(07:09):
There's gonna be a bunch of thingsthat I'm gonna say that I think real,
I really mean this, will be helpful.
You're looking for someone that'swell rounded, but niche focused.
The reason for this is becausethe relationship you want is
someone who can open doors foryou in a wide variety of areas.
(07:31):
The main most critical result ofan executive recruiter, of course,
should be talent choices for you.
But there's more than that.
Really, if you, if that's all you'regetting, then you're, you're not even
getting what you should be getting.
It's not just talent acquisition.
It's so much more.
I'm talking about individualrelationships here.
(07:53):
It doesn't matter one bit if the name,what the name of the recruitment firm is.
It doesn't matter if this firmclaims or has offices and all these
countries, it doesn't matter if they'republicly held, if they're a small
boutique firm, Or midsize us based.
It makes no difference becauseyou're hiring when you hire executive
(08:15):
recruiters, you're hiring that person.
So if you go to a big giganticfirm, unless you have an existing
relationship, the people doing thework are the junior executives that
you never see in the background.
They don't have the relationships andthe experience that you need to hire.
(08:36):
Really top talent and executives.
They just, they don't have it yet.
When you hire an executive recruitingfirm, you're, you're working with
a person, no matter who it is.
So the person is the, the individualrelationship you care about, not
the name or the plaque on the firm.
The important part to all this is thatyou get the best choices for you to
(09:00):
choose from for the talent that you need.
You want someone that can secure thetalent that you choose and give you really
great choices because you're the onewho's going to know what you need best.
A recruiter should be givingyou great choices of people you
never dreamed you could get.
If you found that That's step one.
(09:22):
So dig deeper.
This is the next steps arewhere the profits come in.
This may seem obvious, but trust me, I'vebeen doing this a long time and you would
be really shocked at how many peopledon't understand the basics of business.
So even if they've gone to collegeand have all their experience,
that does not mean they understandwhat it takes and what's important
(09:46):
to you to achieve your goals.
A recruiter that you choose, you want toknow they know what ERP systems are, PNLs,
balance sheets, EBITDA, manufacturing,distribution, ECOM, tariffs.
NATO, do they even know what NATO is?
Do they even know what NATOfriendly company countries are?
(10:07):
They need to know the difference inour niche about LEO, mil, gov, the
different branches within those acronyms.
And when the buying cycles are, thisperson needs to grasp and understand
the challenges across the span ofthe defense acquisition industry
and supply chain, production,technology, modernization, and more.
(10:32):
There's constantly changes going on thataffect the profits of our companies.
And if these recruiters don't know who'swho and how these pieces go together,
you're not maximizing your profits at all.
So even if your company is not involvedin every single area I mentioned,
and maybe not every single areais your focus of business, if your
(10:57):
recruiter doesn't understand thoseareas, and interact with them, you
are missing out on a huge portionof talent, networking, and profits.
The executive recruiter you wantis the one who is deep into the
industry niche, niche your company is.
(11:18):
The person, this person knows the buysell cycles of your business niche.
They have relationships with privateequity, angel investors, investment
bankers, and the people in politicswho are all focused on your niche.
Does this mean this said executiverecruiter only has reach into your niche?
(11:39):
No, I get asked that all the time.
So just because.
The recruiter is in a certainniche does not mean they're only
recruiting people in that niche.
You if you want someone from the outsideor you need fresh talent or whatever the
reason is you need to bring in the talentin a industry that is doing really well
(12:02):
in a certain skill set That's reallyimportant and the and that person Is
going to know how to secure that talent.
They will know how to recruit theoutside talent that will fit into
the niche because nothing it doesmore harm to companies than when we
(12:22):
recruit people and they don't fit in.
And it's just a bad apple.
Maybe they have the skill sets,but they don't fit into the niche.
So that is really valuable.
And you can get the best of allworlds You just have to be willing
to go work with the right person.
Most board members, C suite, investmentbankers, and investors are actually
(12:45):
still missing out on bigger profits.
My big tip here and what I've seenfirsthand and learned in my career
as an executive recruiter is Findthe recruiter that has all the things
I noted and here's the magic pill.
This is really important.
You must find the one thathas immense work ethic.
(13:09):
One who takes calculated risks, isaggressive, a visionary, hands on is
very important, willing to seek feedback,trustworthy, and most valuable of all,
the most important thing that drivesprofits for you, is the power to leverage
their relationships to benefit you.
(13:31):
They have to be willing, ideally,to introduce you around, to
help you make connections.
That's where all the profits come in.
That's where the extra firepower is.
If you want to secure the realpowerhouse talent that knows how to
scale your divisions and has a clearmission, Has a clear mission alignment,
(13:54):
drives big ideas into real action, andthinks in systems, not quick fixes.
Then you need to build relationshipswith the talent power brokers
in the niche you are in.
This, it does not have to bemy niche, it can be any niche.
Profits are achieved by peoplewho, these are the people that the
(14:17):
recruiters are going to find you.
The right recruiter knows how tofind the people that make companies.
infinitely scalable,create revenue streams.
And automate the impossible.
Understanding how to secure that talentis the difference between leading
the future and playing catch up.
(14:40):
So honestly, I've seen thiswork and I've seen it in my own
business and they're out there.
So if it's not me and we don't fitinto what you're doing, go find the
recruiter that will because they canmake all the difference in helping
you make profits for your company.
Okay, part two.
Now's the time for me tobe brave or be foolish.
(15:02):
Let's talk about my hiring predictionsfor 2025 for the global defense,
small arms and shooting sectors.
I'm going to break this into two sections.
First, I'm going to talkabout the companies that I,
or the types of companies.
I'm not going to name companies,types of companies that I believe
have the most opportunity for growth.
(15:23):
Now it's time for me to be brave.
Let's talk about my hiring predictionsfor 2025 for the global defense
small arms and shooting sectors.
I'm going to break this into two sections.
The first section will be types ofcompanies that I think will be very
successful in what they're doing.
And the second section will be typesof companies jobs that I think will
(15:45):
be very, very much in need in 2025.
Now, I can't possibly cover all jobs.
This is impossible.
So I just picked four kind of sectors.
So let's talk about the companies first.
The companies I picked threetypes of companies that I think
will be very successful in 2025.
(16:06):
The first one would be companieswho are diversified into more
than only commercial markets whosesales include military contracts.
Now I kind of already coveredthat earlier by accident.
Second of all, companies whose productsfocus is to help other companies
(16:26):
sell and manage government contractsthat meet regulatory requirements.
Think risk assessment, contractmanagement, market intelligence,
Their products help you domore based on their software.
The third type of companies, andthis is really broad, but it's, it's
(16:47):
not if you really think about it.
Companies that utilize andleverage mutually beneficial
partnerships with other companies.
No one does anything alone.
So what I mean by that is, If you havea great business development person
on your team, then you, you're alreadydoing this because great business
(17:07):
development people know how to buildpartnerships and relationships with other
companies that are mutually beneficial.
And if you don't have one of those, youmight want to think about getting one.
The second area that I wantedto talk about are jobs.
So these are positions, general areasof work that I think are going to be.
(17:33):
Pretty targeted areas for growth.
Okay.
So the first one are softwarerelated roles and more
specifically generative AI roles.
Now many of you may assume that thisdoesn't affect you, but it does touch
your company in one way or another.
If your product is software, thenyou're already in the thick of it.
(17:55):
So Just know that there are so manythings that can be affecting your company
and that can help your company grow.
Don't be, don't hesitate to go outon there and learn about new things.
And generative AI people if you loveyour job and you want a new one and
you love this industry, please call me.
(18:15):
Thank you.
Okay.
Manufacturing related roles.
Those would be the operationalcross functional positions.
People who are experienced in handson manufacturing environments that
also have people skills and that alsounderstand automation and robotics.
(18:37):
Those people that contain all threeof those types of things They are
going to be harder and harder to find.
They're going to be very soughtafter in my opinion, in 2025 and
2026 marketing roles, marketing this,I could talk just about marketing.
We should just do a podcast aboutmarketing and have a panel on.
(19:00):
That's one of the things,one 2025 now it's on tape.
So now I'm going to do it.
Digital and e com.
I know you've already heard about this,but this is while you may not sell
your products online, you undoubtedlyalready use forms of digital marketing.
The marketing professionals who knowhow to pull here's here's the data,
(19:21):
the data, analyze the data and convertthat into measurable and quantifiable
information are the true profit makers.
You Marketing is a profitcenter, not a cost center.
If you have the right people in place,this applies to both e comm and digital
(19:43):
marketing, but marketing, I know youmarketing people realize a lot of this,
but there aren't that many people whocan sit down and drill down and show
their, Their budget as a, as, as the,in the way that it ties to profits.
And that's what marketingpeople need to focus on.
(20:04):
You've got to be able tocommunicate to executives how your
expenditure is making them money.
And I get it.
It's hard, but I knowa couple who can do it.
So this is a very, very powerful role thatshould grow a lot in 25 and 26 sales Do we
(20:25):
still do business bellied up to the bar?
Or do we still do business outon the range testing products?
Yes, maybe yes, possible, but notall business has done that way.
And some say less than less.
So who's actually making the purchasingdecision that the people that you're
(20:47):
standing with, If they're not theones making the purchasing decision,
you need to make sure and thosepeople need to have the right data.
So I'm talking to you, executivesand board members, because this
is how important your marketingand sales executives are.
They're driving yourprofits in many, many ways.
(21:11):
The type of sales roles thatwe will see filled will be
people who present solutions.
In a style that relates to the customer,sales roles filled for mill gov le roles
will be the most successful when thoseindividuals dig deeper and know how
to serve their customers, not merelymake transactions and fill quotas.
(21:33):
And here is the pro tip that I thinkthat a lot of executives get and they
see the trouble is how to fix it.
It, it almost should be marketingand sales, not sales and marketing.
Because if I were in salesand here's my pro tip, Make
marketing your new best friend.
(21:53):
The most successful salespeople willinclude marketing from the beginning
and the entire way through the process.
Marketing is your key to success.
And I really believe that.
I really think that if you get the rightmarketing person and the right sales
people in place, at your executive level.
It permeates your organizationand equals profits.
(22:18):
Unheard of profits because marketingpulls in all kinds of people you never
would have even thought to approach.
So let's wrap this up.
I hope this has helped you toknow what to expect from a quality
executive recruiter because it is somuch more than filling an open rec.
It's so much more.
(22:39):
We are certainly invested, but we,we open up our database to our really
close customers that invest in us.
We invest in them.
We make mutually beneficialintroductions that have nothing to
do with us, but have to do with them.
And we help the talent we place scale sothat you can make the profits you need.
(23:04):
There's a lot of details that go intothese recruitments, but they don't need to
be long and drug out, contrary to what alot of these big firms think these, these
things do not need to take this long.
And I'm, I'm all for givingample time and making sure we
consider the right hire, but.
That's unnecessary.
(23:25):
I, I have never in my life met a boardmember or an executive or any stakeholder
that says to me, Whoa, we want to dragthis out and not get this person on board.
So we don't make money until later.
I mean, seriously, who says that?
So if you want the right people, theright connections, the right phone call
(23:46):
at the right time, you need to hire theright executive recruiter so that you
can net the profits fast and efficiently.
The most successful profitablecompanies we work with have a really
a decisive board and a decisive boardthat empowers their CEO to be decisive.
(24:06):
A decisive leadership team hires theexecutive recruiter who can make the
impact that they need to make profits.
And that's what we're all here for.
So welcome 2025.
Let's go make money.
Thanks for listening to thispodcast of HeadHunters Northwest.
I am really excited.
(24:28):
For the next podcast after me,everybody should tune in on Tuesday
the 14th because that is goingto be one of the most interesting
podcasts of the year I predict.
And that will be with Nate Pund, whois the global managing director for
Houlihan Lokey the investment banker thatis specialized in our industry niche.
(24:54):
So thank you again, have a wonderfulnew year, comment, give me suggestions,
reach out, let me know you heard this,and let me know maybe we had place in
bets on whether I'm right or not, Idon't know, I'm kind of scared about it.
Anyway, y'all have a great January,and I can't wait to talk to you.
Thanks!
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