Taking the Leap: How Pat Corrigan Transformed from a Solo Recruiter to Team Leader

[00:01:31] Journey from college to recruiting industry success.

[00:04:03] Seeking control, exploring new opportunities after 40.

[00:07:56] Enjoy risk management industry, follow publications, podcasts. Value in every relationship, explore niche. Recruiters can switch industries, done construction, aviation.

[00:11:34] Started company, hired employees, focused on growth.

[00:17:39] Prioritize internal hiring like a VIP client.

[00:20:48] Importance of clear profile for recruiting team.

[00:25:40] Be humble, adaptable, and grateful in your career. Reflect on your work and appreciate the industry. Recommended books: Man's Search for Meaning, Think and Grow Rich, Atomic Habits, Miracle Morning. Follow a morning routine for a productive day.

[00:28:09] Unbelievable story of coping with suffering, finding meaning in life; favorite tech tools: Superhuman, Evernote, Creelate; thoughts on AI in recruiting.

[00:33:42] Trusting the journey, seizing opportunities, rebounding.

[00:36:18] Powerful book mentioned in podcast; be aware.

Intro [00:00:00]:

Welcome to the elite recruiter podcast with their host, Benjamin Mena, where we focus on what it takes to win in the recruiting game. We cover it all from sales, marketing, mindset, money, leadership, and placements.

Benjamin Mena [00:00:18]:

This is gonna be a great episode of the lead recruiter podcast. Because have you ever thought about being going from a solo recruiter to actually having a team and what it takes to make that jump, I have my special guest with me, Pat Corrigan from Palladium Point to talk about 1 the explosive growth that they've had, just starting the firm and that pivotal shift from what he decided to go from, you know what? It's just me to let's build a team and scale. So, Pat, welcome to the recruiter podcast.

Pat Corrigan [00:00:49]:

Benjamin, thank you so much for the invitation. Nice intro. And before getting in, I I just wanna share, like, how much your podcast and others that I listen to, how much They mean to me and the community out there. I know everybody says it, but they were premium community special. Like, how much people share and this kind of platform. I mean, I've learned so much before starting my business and everyday doing it. Always checking out all the podcasts. I appreciate what you do. Well, definitely welcome, and excited to have you share with the listeners.

Benjamin Mena [00:01:20]:

So before we get started talking about the explosive growth from starting your firm going from solo to a team, how did you even end up in the recruiting space?

Pat Corrigan [00:01:31]:

Yeah. Love reflecting on on this journey. This is back. I go back into my college days, and being honest, didn't have a ton of direction. Didn't really know what I wanna do. I got a business degree in psychology, you know, kind of just trying to figure it out and, you know, take some chances and explore some things and got into a it's kinda random path, but I got into an internship out of college. I just needed some experience to figure out, like, hey. I gotta get a resume going. I gotta figure out what what am I good at? I knew I like dealing with people and interacting with people, but, you know, I wasn't a math guy. I wasn't a finance guy. I wasn't a engineer. You know? So I just had to kinda saw skills and people skills. So I got into hospitality. I joined a a Marriott corporation down in Clearwater, Florida. Didn't know anybody moved there. I made 2 dollars an hour, 75 bucks a week. Just yeah. I had a bartender at night to kinda get by, but just enough to get some experience. And, you know, we are recruiting you know, basic hospitality and hotel staff, but it was enough to get going. Enough to, like, say, okay. I I kinda like this. But I realized quick, I'm not an HR person. So I moved back to Saint Louis. I was living with a couple buddies at the time, and 1 of my friends worked at a IT staffing company. Okay? So I was recruiting hotel people, he'd come home with, like, a case of beer on a Friday and was celebrating some commission checks and some placements and stuff. And I started thinking, well, I could do that. I want that. Like, I I want more than what what I'm doing, and I knew the ceiling in my industry. It just wasn't what I wanted financially. So finally said, hey. Tell me more about this. We live together. I gotta know what's going on. And so he got me an interview and really quickly got hired, moved up to Chicago, helped open the office for this IT staffing company, and that was 12 years ago. So that was the the journey. So shout out to Joe. Been my wedding, and always been a close friend since high school and kinda got me into into the game. So didn't necessarily stumble into it like I hear a lot, but, you know, I it just needed some exposure to what's out there, what I really wanna do. And And luckily, I'd have somebody in my inner circle doing it at a high level. Said, I wanna learn about this and pursued it. And here we are. There's a lot of twists and turns on the way, but That was that was the entrance. It's kinda funny. It's, like, recruiting is, like, the secret industry that nobody knows about until you know about. Hundred percent. Totally agree. And it's 1 industry that, like,

Benjamin Mena [00:03:50]:

it touches every single person's life, which is just phenomenal. It is absolute. So before we talk about, like, going solo and stuff, what was the point of you starting your own firm?

Pat Corrigan [00:04:03]:

Yeah. So this goes back. I got I yeah. I think I've evolved a lot as a person, and I turned 40 last year. And I started getting more, I don't know, philosophical, and I think COVID, the pandemic may have forced some of these thoughts. But I started just thinking, like, what what do I want the second chapter to be? Like, is is where I'm at. I was doing really well. It's taking care of. I work for a great organization. But it there was something something missing, and it it was it was the the thought of, like, creating something, building something having control of my schedule and what I do and who I impact. The more I thought about that, the more it just started picking up organic kind of momentum in my head. Nice I'm a I'm a planner. We're leading up to it. I and I'll get into some of the people that impacted me going back to the intro. Talked to so many people and just gathered opinions and advice. And it just got to the point, like, okay. I have this idea. I think this is what I wanna do, but how do I execute it? Leaned on a lot of Pinnacle society members and coaches and your podcast and others to say, you you know, kinda gain the confidence to say, alright. I think I can take this risk and do this. I'm married, got 3 young kids. My wife is a part time nurse. There's a huge leap, but it was something where it just, like, again, over reflecting and thinking is, like, I got to a point, like, I can't imagine not doing it. So I wanted that second chapter to be, like, on my, you know, my control and and what I wanna do and not necessarily dictated by an organization or an employer that, you know, that first chapter, if you will, was. So it just came a lot of thinking, and got real intentional about, like, I'm every day, I'm gonna focus and talk to somebody, listen to somebody, read a book, read a blog, learn about it to get to that point where the jumping off point was like, I'm fairly confident I'm gonna make a bet that I can I can do this? And luckily, it all came together, and it's, you know, a great a great move that I we can get into later in the conversation would encourage anybody kinda kicking it around, you know, think about it. I think because of 1 year planner,

Benjamin Mena [00:05:59]:

2, you did a lot of research. You talked to a lot of people, but you you had explosive growth coming out of the gate. Do you wanna talk about that?

Pat Corrigan [00:06:09]:

Definitely. I think a lot has to do with we'll talk about more, I think, in in the niches, but I became, over the past 6 years, an absolute student of the commercial insurance brokerage industry. So that's our our expertise. And I think everybody talks about how important it is to have have a niche, but mine was, like, hyper defined from an industry perspective, but then even down from a functional perspective working with producers and sales professionals and sales leaders, like, we get down very micro. So I, you know, got to know that space really well, had a lot of success in my past chapter. And built a very big network in that space, knew it really well. And so when I launched, you know, I had a lot of connections in the industry and you know, again, I'm grateful every day to for the people that believe in me out the gates when it's just me. But I think it just comes down to really understanding the industry you operate in and who you serve And that that allowed for the success quickly to at least have some opportunities to showcase what we can do and who we can bring to our clients and what problems we can solve. So you know, I again, I operate a great industry that I love. It's my tribe. It's booming right now. I understand not every industry is like that. So I feel for those kind of people, that are in there right now. But just where I'm at in in the industry, we're working. It's on fire, and we're not capitalizing on it and making big investments. And getting up there every day and trying to make a difference with the the clients that we work with. Well, let let me kinda take a step back. So, like, you started off HyperNiche.

Benjamin Mena [00:07:39]:

I know a lot of people when they're looking at starting their firm, it's their I don't wanna say, like, whatever client signs is, like, is happy to sign, they jump on that. Do you think that niching down and becoming a student of that industry really helped that success?

Pat Corrigan [00:07:56]:

Hundred percent. And I I think I think it also goes back to it's something that I I enjoy. So, like, III really enjoy the risk management industry. Like, I I enjoy studying it. I enjoy following publications. I enjoy listening to industry related podcasts. So I always think, like, if you like tech. It's developing software. Be an IT person. Be an IT recruiter. If you're a bit more blue collar, be a like, chase that. If you're a numbers person, finance, accounting, you know, health care, there's so many different industries. But I think sometimes you like, you gotta truly believe and enjoy you know, what you're doing and who you're working with. I think I know others in there. It's like sometimes it feels like you're going through the motions because you're recruiting in a space that you're not really interested in or or passionate about. But, you know, luckily in my field, any single person I talked to other client, a candidate, a center of influence, there's some sort of value, hopefully, that I can bring them and they can bring me. So every single person I'm talking to throughout the course of the day, there's some value that we can bring. Whether they could be a future client or I can help them in their career, that, like, real defined niche, it that's that's what it's all about. It's every touchpoint, every relationship. There's there's something there that we can explore. So I know it doesn't work for everybody in every industry. I'm in 1 that's just, like, real specific. So I don't want it to come across as, like, too easy. It's just sort of like how it's been for me over 6 years, and I I just keep on that path. And and I know it's it's taken us in the right direction. And I will say for recruiters listening, like, you know, the industry that you are often. Doesn't have to be the industry that you that you stay in for the rest of your recruiting career. Hundred percent. You know, I've done construction management. I've done aviation.

Benjamin Mena [00:09:34]:

And I fell I personally fell in love with GovCon

Pat Corrigan [00:09:37]:

just for what you what I do in the recruiting space, like, either protects national security or you see it on the news. So, like -- Yeah. -- it is so important to believe that you have and the passion that you have for your industry to help you become successful. So I love how you just love that go. I mean, a hundred percent agree. Yeah. I mean, I started in IT. I mean, we were placing software developers and project managers and business analysts, and I didn't know that space when I started, but I learned it and got really good at that. And then decided, you know what? I think I'm ready for a new chapter. And so the classic shift from IT to business insurance happened, and here we are. So you just again, you just gotta follow the journey and learn new things, take some risks, and go all in. So you're you've kind of mentioned earlier in the podcast about

Benjamin Mena [00:10:20]:

the second chapter. Like, where'd you come about this idea of a second chapter of your life?

Pat Corrigan [00:10:27]:

Yeah. I think it came from we always ask about books, so we won't go to books yet. But there was you know, I'm I I like stoicism, you know, Manzo for Meaning. Some some of those, like, I get it. I got little deeper, I think, when I turn 40 and I just start thinking, like, again, my I gotta really clearly define why of of what drives me. And so again, III wanted that second chapter to be fulfilling that why and and do everything I'm doing to kinda channel towards that. So I look back on the first chapter, if I think of just, like, the first 40 years and the the next 40, that's just the simple sort of, like, how I broke it out. There were moments in the first chapter. It's like, you know, like I said earlier, sort of distracted, didn't have a ton of focus, didn't have a ton of direction. Like, I don't want chapter 2 to be like that. So it's like I got super specific on what I wanted and why I was doing everything I was doing. And, you know, that's led to, I think, some some risky decisions in terms of starting the business, but ones that, you know, I wouldn't change anything that's happened throughout my journey.

Benjamin Mena [00:11:28]:

Okay. So, yeah, you started off. How long were you just a solo recruiter yourself in your company?

Pat Corrigan [00:11:34]:

So I started the company on August first last year, and I hired my first employee on January first. So did the first 4, 5 months solo, and there was a lot of business development, bringing in clients, figuring that out, making some placements, driving some revenue, and then got to a point where it became, like, a capacity thing. Whereas, like, I had there's so much opportunities, and I'm always so grateful for this opportunity in front of me. But there were so many there's so much opportunity there. Like, I can, as a solo person, deliver the level of service that I want to for my clients and really capture everything. On my own. So my first hire was more of an operations person. I I'm a good producer, client developer, relationship guy, but there were some things in the business where I was not good at, you know, setting up processes, workflows, like technology, all all, you know, managing virtual systems and stuff. That that wasn't my my thing. So my my first hire is actually in in ops, and she did some recruiting, plugged in some places, had worked at startups. The force is a really good fit that she understood the you know, kind of ups and downs and, you know, just a little bit of gray area at times so she could come in and really help add some consistency and processes and stuff, kind of the e Myth kind of infrastructure. So she's been a phenomenal addition, and we hired a recruiter a bit ago. We have the offshore sourcer and researcher, so we could kinda go on how how I plotted that out. But it was for me, it was when going from solo to scaling, it was like, I had to think deeply of, like, what do I want? Do I wanna be the solo person, which I think awesome too. If you're good at that and that's your jam, go for it. I thought that was gonna be me. But then, again, the opportunity that popped up and said, okay. I do I wanna build a legitimate business, create opportunities for my future employees, and really get to the next level. If so, then I gotta I gotta double down and invest. So

Benjamin Mena [00:13:24]:

I many times, like, when recruiters start building a team, they just lots higher recruiter, lots higher recruiter, lots higher salesperson, lots higher salesperson. Yep. From what I've actually spoken with on guest on this podcast, people that have sold their companies, have scaled very large companies, they've talked about the importance of building that foundation. And it sounded like that was your ops person.

Pat Corrigan [00:13:46]:

It was. Yeah. Why? I yeah. Have you ever read the book Traction? Do you know EOS? I've seen it, but I haven't read it. Yeah. So it's it's I'm not all in yet on EOS. It's an entrepreneurial operating system, but the book traction is about a visionary and an integrator. So these are 2 roles. It's really interesting. I'll check it out. Whereas I'm kind of the visionary as the owner leader, but the integrator is somebody who helps the visionary, like, stay on track. Stay sort on their path because I'm by the tendency to chase new ideas and, like, get caught up in technology and stuff. So the integrator, I think, is a it's a it's a great role for somebody who wants to scale. You gotta find that person who can compliment some areas where you're maybe a little week. And where I'm more the, you know, the outside sales and producer, she wasn't she's not good at the operation stuff and really good at putting together processes and and, you know, keeping consistency and accountability and stuff like that internally. So I would say, yeah. There's no playbook. It doesn't have to be, hey. Start this and I hire a senior recruiter, then I hire a junior recruiter, and the senior's gonna train the junior. And then hire a salesperson, like, sort of like whatever your whatever your skill set is, whatever your weaknesses are and strengths, you gotta figure out what that looks like. I've heard others hire a marketing person early on. That's gonna be on our road map of how do I get better at marketing. And so it's always just figuring out what are some gaps, and how can I how can I invest in areas that you know, leverage my strengths and

Benjamin Mena [00:15:11]:

vice versa for that that other person? That actually I I the question that I was gonna ask was just, like, why did you not hire a recruiter

Pat Corrigan [00:15:18]:

with all the work coming in, and why did you hire an ops person? But I think you just did a good job answering that. Yeah. I knew the recruiter was shortly after. It was, like, it was never a it was more of a when, not if kind of deal. And and so it took a process of, like, alright. What are we really looking for? What what's important in a recruiter. Like, I I had to absolutely nail that hire, but I really wanted to get that person, whoever the first recruiter was gonna be have the right platform, have the tech, have everything built out. So when they started, it was like, okay. You guys are legitimate. Is that just like a 1 man band in Missouri. You know? So there was a little bit of thought behind and planning behind what I was doing. If I give myself enough credit for it. It's kinda, like, luckily, I'm not Adora, and and she's here, but but we're we're building something that can now scale, and any future team member has access to, like, a an actual business, not just sort of a free for all search firm.

Benjamin Mena [00:16:12]:

I I actually love that because when I was coming out of college, I ended up taking a job with AeroTech, but I actually had another offer for another recruiting company that actually was a higher salary, a higher commission, and I got to work from home. Mhmm. But it was just, like, you know, talking with a few mentors, and they were just, like, there's no structure. It was just a you're now a recruiter. Yeah. Yep. And I'm, like, so like, you know, at that point in time, I was just, like, kinda, like, come on. It attacks, like, a such a pay difference compared to this 1. They're, like, You need structure. You need a place. Like, if you walk into somewhere where there's nothing,

Pat Corrigan [00:16:49]:

you are going to fail. I was like, I guess you're right. And, you know, so grateful I took that advice back then. So I love that you're not just setting somebody up to fail. Definitely. Yeah. That was the plan. Because, again, when it came down to, like, alright, solo or scaling, when we when I went all in on, we're gonna build a a business. Then it became, okay. What is that? What does that really mean? What do I need to do that? And that's when it became clear. We gotta have an actual, like, solid foundation to to build upon. I can't just hire recruiters and say, alright. Here we go. Go get them. Here's your login to your ATS or whatever. Like, we we need a lot more thought process behind that. Training,

Benjamin Mena [00:17:25]:

videos, and and all that that we've we've put together over the past, you know, 5, 6 months. So where did you find this awesome ops person? And, like, more of the question for other people that are looking at this idea, like, where do you find this per type of person?

Pat Corrigan [00:17:39]:

Totally. I had honored mean, I I treated the role, like, it was the highest priority client requirement that that I had at the time. So got out there on LinkedIn, I, you know, put together job descriptions. I I crafted personalized outreach, and I did that for the recruiter too. And it's I I think if you're trying to hire the best internally, you have to treat it. Like, it's a VIP client. You gotta find the time. I know it's always like, oh, god. I got this wreck, and we gotta we gotta get more candidates. But you if you if you don't prioritize the internal, you're you're just never gonna get out of that. Rat race, I feel like, that that I would have been on if I didn't buckle down and say, alright. I gotta do this. And then so it's coming up with what's a compelling story? What's my vision? What's in it for this person? Why would they leave a gig and come over to a brand new start up where they're the first employee. There's gotta be something there for them to, you know, ultimately wanna be a part of this. And so took a lot of prep and crafting the message. And, again, just treating it just like it's a a new job order from a client. I ran through the whole process myself and managed it. I created the role in the my ATS and managed the interviews and stuff. So I would highly advise others if you're thinking about scaling, like, truly treat it like it's a it's an important position for your client.

Benjamin Mena [00:18:56]:

So kinda talking about advice for scaling, Do you have any advice for somebody looking at making the jump from being a solo recruiter to actually building out a team?

Pat Corrigan [00:19:06]:

Yeah. I mean, I think it's it takes that self reflecting that I've talked about a couple times. I mean, it comes down to the individual and, like, what brings you energy? It brings you if bringing your energy is doing deals, and being a 03:60 guy, that is great. Like, I think that's I think the world of those people, I know a bunch of them who absolutely kill it every day. You've had many on your podcast, And that's that's, like, their thing, and that is awesome. But then on the flip side, if you if what brings you energy is impacting people, creating opportunities you know, scaling and and doing something bigger, then then that's you gotta figure out that path too. But I think a lot of it just comes down to taking the time to think about what is it that you truly want and what brings you that energy. Like, for me, it used to be it still is. I'll always be a producer. No matter what always gonna be run a desk. I can never get away from it. It's what brought me in the industry. I'm you can't peel me away from from that aspect forever. You have to wheel me out at some point, but now what brings me energy is, like, helping my team and creating opportunities for them, giving them the platform to, like, go kill it. And do something new and get the freedom and autonomy to do it. Like, you got my back. I'll help you develop you, give you access to everything you need, and be the coach and the inspirator and the the mentor, but, you know, that's now is what's what's awesome is watching. Adora will sit in any future employees, like, get out there and really start to make an impact for themselves professionally, for our clients. Like, everybody wins when that that happens, but it starts with a person. Not there's not, like,

Benjamin Mena [00:20:35]:

1 way you have to do it. It's it's what's, you know, what's important to you? And what what what do you wanna do? I love that. I love that. So before we move over to the quick fire questions, is there anything else that you would love to share about, you know, going solo and scaling a company?

Pat Corrigan [00:20:48]:

I would think yeah. When when you think of the profile, if you opt for the scaling, really nail down what you're looking for, and and what are the key, like, at beets and characteristics of those employees that you want on your team, I think it's super important. So I upfront knew, like, the must haves Like, I I knew I wanted somebody who was a builder. Like, somebody entering a startup, like, you have to be comfortable in that. If you've worked in a jumbo company, coming over here, it's gonna be a massive shift. And you gotta either I'm okay with that, but you gotta know intrinsically, like, can I handle that, or do I need the structure And do I need the kind of organizational chart that big companies have? Because we obviously just don't have it. So I got crystal clear on being able to vet that with people. We did post the job, and it was crazy. The response we got for the recruiter. We got, like, 506 hundred applicants and, like, was getting applicants on Meta and, like, Instagram, Tesla. I'm like, what is happening? This is, like, Walmart, the biggest organization in the world. And I'm like, at the time where 2 people, you know, based out of St. Louis, Missouri. But, like, those people no. I'm sure they're great recruiters, but that just would not it's it wouldn't it wouldn't work. Going from that that to this. So we got crystal clear on the profile, and I wanted somebody who's super curious. All the recruiter DNA, you know, disciplined, consistent knew what I was looking for there, but you had to have that kind of startup energy to you and wanna be a bit of an entrepreneur alongside of me. So I would say in addition to, like, treating it like it's a VIP client, like, know really what you want and know how to how to sell it and create that vision for somebody that if they say, alright. I believe in you, What's in it for me? You you gotta you gotta have that road map. Awesome. So real quick, you mentioned the recruiter DNA. What is that? Yeah. For me, it's somebody who is Extremely competitive. You're very disciplined, very competitive, and and consistent in what they do. They're super driven. You know, have big goals. I think, you know, anyone growing up in the staffing world, like, you didn't, like, I did. You you just sorta, like, you got that. Like, you you got it. You got that hustle. And the ability to control really what you make of yourself. It's 1 of the it's just such a great industry to be in that. 1 of the few that you you truly control what success looks like. So if you've got that fire in that energy and saying every day I wake up, I I know if I work hard, I'm consistent and I follow through with what I wanna do and say I'm gonna do, then good things gonna come my way. So you just gotta embody that that that overall profile. I'm sure there's characteristics I missed, but those are ones that come to mind. It's just that super driven person that wants to deliver for people, make an impact, make a difference. I think you -- Awesome. Love that. -- you get it.

Benjamin Mena [00:23:31]:

So moving him over for to the quick fire questions. Let like, What advice would you give to a brand new recruiter that's just starting off in this industry in 20 23?

Pat Corrigan [00:23:41]:

Yeah. I would say be yourself. Like, be authentic. It sounds Sounds kinda basic, but I reflect back when I started. I always felt like there were, like, talk tracks and there were scripts and there was And and I believe you you should have a sort of road map of what to say and why to say it, but you gotta have your own your own voice, your own personality, put your own spin on things. Like, if you're getting trained up, you're just getting started, like, take that, follow that, but also have your own style. I always think I get so many emails from salespeople and stuff where it's like, you know, hope you hope this email finds you well. Hope this now. Like, would you talk I don't talk like that to a friend. So when I talk to clients, I talk to candidates, I talk to my team. I'm very casual, and I talk like just like you and I are talking. So I I just communicate that way, and I would advise him, I just don't feel like a a robot or, like, you know, hey. You got the script. Just go say that. You gotta be curious. You gotta know why am I sit why am I asking this question? What if somebody responds? What does that mean? What do I do with that information? How do I connect dots? Like, so just be very aware. Have your be have your own personality, your own style, and just be aware of everything that's happening around you because everything means something. But if you're not, like, conscious about what's happening while you're doing stuff, I think you're missing the whole the whole point of recruiting.

Benjamin Mena [00:24:56]:

I love that. I I love that because, like, I know when I first started out, you got that script, and they're like, you have to stick by the script. And -- Yeah. -- like, this this sounds dumb. Like, I have trouble actually reading out loud. Like, if I'm reading, like, reading something out loud, it's, like, it's weird. It's dumb. Like, I I don't get it, but, like, early on, that just, like, impacted me. And as soon as I I start adding my own words to everything, it started clicking. Yeah. I've heard you mention on other episodes where you Yeah. He reached out to other people, the the company that we're doing well. I'm like, hey. What's working? Alright. Cool. Take that. Put your spin on it, and go get them. There's a lot of recruiters that have been in the game for a long time. Like myself, I'm coming in up on actually 2 decades. What advice would you give to recruiters to have continued success?

Pat Corrigan [00:25:40]:

Yeah. I love that question. I would say be humble. I know everybody says be adaptable. And and learn new things. I do I do agree with that. But for me, it's like I've been in it now 8 months on my own, 9 months, and and I'm realizing every day it's about gratitude. I think being grateful I think if you've been in this a long time, it just becomes second nature. If you just, like, crush it every year or, like, you have your ups and downs, you just get caught up in the in the kind of, you know, hamster wheel of it. But, hopefully, you can take a step back and realize how awesome this industry is and how unique it is to have the opportunity to to do what you do every day. I think if you've been at it for a while, you might lose that. So whether that's you know, you you go for a walk and you reflect on stuff. You you do a off-site to yourself and just think and plan and stuff. You you gotta you gotta pull yourself out of the weeds sometimes and and just realize how awesome this is. Like, not every sector and business has the opportunity to do what we do, whether you're an entrepreneur starting something or you're part of a firm that's growing and you're you're killing it and making a difference on people's lives and companies that you serve and work with and helping them think through challenges. Like, it's a great industry. And so I would just say reflect on stuff, push pause, and and think about how how lucky you are that you're in in the kind of spot that you're in. Awesome. Great advice. Has there been a book that's had a huge impact on your entire career? Yeah. Funny with the chapter thing. I started reading a whole lot more than the past few years. So some that come to mind Some of the timeless ones, like Man's Search for Meating by Viktor Frankl, Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich. I think it's a those are just timeless books. Some of the more tactical stuff, like Atomic Habits, everybody talks about that. I I love that book, Miracle Morning, actually by Hal Elrod. I don't follow the the miracle morning kinda thing exactly right. But it when I read that, it got me thinking, and now I'm up at 5AM every day. I have exactly the same morning routine every day. And it made a huge difference with how I I set set the day and, like, plan what I'm gonna do and get the energy, exercise, read, So, really, that book was that book was cool. It got me thinking, like, wow. Like, if I just get up before my kids get up before I hear dad, I need at least an hour. Preferably an hour and a half. Before I hear the word dad, then I love my kids. But I I need that time in the morning, and that Miracle Morning Book got me got me to create that that morning routine that's really helped me helped me out a lot.

Benjamin Mena [00:28:01]:

I love that. You mentioned a a Man's Search for Meaning. I that that's the book where he survived the Holocaust. Right?

Pat Corrigan [00:28:09]:

Yeah. So it's just a unbelievable story of how you can cope with and and thrive through, like, unimaginable, like, suffering that everybody went through that. So it's broken up into 2 parts. Part 1 is just his sort of story of what he went through, and then part 2 is more of, like, you know, his low because of logo therapy about how he, you know, views, like, finding meaning in in life. It's it's it's super deep. It's super powerful. Just got you thinking, like, oh my god. Can you imagine what some people suffering that people have gone through and puts in perspective, like, some of the stuff that sets people off these days and and gets you frustrated, Mike. Well, can you imagine that? And so it helps to sort of ground you a little bit and keeps things in perspective around, like, gratitude and stuff for what you have. Awesome. Is there a favorite tech tool that you love right now? Can you do plural? Tools or does that equate to it? Because my team knows I'm I I love this stuff, and I gotta I gotta be reeled in some time Chase and stuff. I think you're probably the same way. I've pinged you a couple of times on LinkedIn. Hey. Have you heard of this? But, say, start with nonrecruiting stuff. I love I love super human. For email. It's crazy I spend, I think, 25, 30 bucks a month on an email client, but it's I I'm in email a lot. It's super fast. It's about 0 inbox and stuff. So really, really cool email client that sits on top of Outlook or Gmail. Like, Evernote, I'm always capturing ideas and stuff. So use an Evernote quite a bit. On the recruiting side, tried every ATS and CRM in the world. I think we land on Creelate, and I love Creelate. I think it's awesome, super powerful. Tool, source well for automation is really cool and helps scale outreach personal like, personalized Starting to dabble, like, dripify for some LinkedIn outreach and stuff. So always always kinda messing around with what's out there, but I I think we're at a point like, alright. We got we wanna have the best tools in the industry, build that platform, and then just then just scale. So I'm trying to hold myself accountable to that. Awesome. But it's hard. So what are your thoughts on on the future of recruiting and artificial intelligence. Yeah. I mean, I know it's a hot a hot topic. I have not wrapped my arms on quite AI yet. Like, I am kind of, like, observing, trying out different use cases with chat and stuff, but I don't know. I mean, I I just hope that it doesn't water down the industry. And, you know, I just think of my my own focus and the kind of talent that we go after. If I were to ask Chad DPT to write me a email sequence, and I just copied and pasted that and threw it in Outreach tool, I would get 0 percent replies. Literally 0. I don't think a single person replied because I need that human element. It has to be personalized. I have to show that I've done a ton of research. I know who you are. We should know each other. Here's why. But that that that can't come through in AI. Maybe some AI expert challenge me and say, no. You gotta input it the right way, and Yeah. I don't know if I'd have have that debate because I just you know, for me, it's like I just love the human element and the relationship aspect of recruiting. That's why I'd gone back to where I started and found this path. It's just fits me and my style. So I guess my hope is that that doesn't, you know, ever get diminished. You find little pockets where it can add efficiency, and that could be transcribing notes. It could be, you know, little things here and there. But, you know, if you're just pushing out content or writing blogs through chat, I I don't know. For me, that just doesn't necessarily jive, but I'm also sort of the observer mode right now. I'm not I'm not I'm not all in on it yet. I'm kinda feeling it out and seeing what other people are doing, trying to learn from others, and then take maybe what works for me. But, again, there's no prescription of, like, hey. You gotta do it this way. I know this is probably people who kill it using it, and and I'm just not quite there yet. And, again, it's a beauty of the industry. You do what works for you. What fits your style, what fits your audience, and and that's that should be, you know, what you what you follow.

Benjamin Mena [00:31:56]:

Is there is there anything that you can attribute to

Pat Corrigan [00:31:59]:

you you reaching your success and where you're at today? Yeah. I mean, I've said it so many times. I think I think I think it's such a relationship industry. I mean, I'm I'm so grateful for the relationships I've built over the years that trust me, believe in me, So it's at the core. It's that. I mean, I think if you're a transactional person who's kinda popping in and out of different clients, trying to get some opportunities, and fill some fill some jobs in rolling on. Can you get there doing that? Yeah. But it's gonna take a whole lot of more grinding and and and reps and stuff. But if you focus on being a real adviser and a consultant, then a extension of their business, which is that's what we do. I mean, we wanna be we wanna represent our clients at the highest level in the market, and they gotta trust me. And they gotta that starts with a relationship. It doesn't happen from a cold email in 1 discovery call and say, alright. We're let's do this. I mean, these are these are people I've known for for a long time. So just it takes time. I think people starting out. Like, you gotta plan. You gotta really vet. Who do I know? Who would take a call from me? Would they can I get their trust and their commitment to say, hey? If I start this, would you be my first client? Like, I had that conversation. And it turned out to be my first client. But I I had that proactively because I want to say, like, alright. If I'm gonna do this and I've got all this at risk, what can I control to my best of my abilities to at least get a shot at at success? And so it all just starts with relationships. I've it's been kind of the theme of this call, but

Benjamin Mena [00:33:27]:

That's what it's all out for me. Awesome. And this is actually 1 of my favorite questions. Everything that you've you've learned, everything you've done, you've experienced, If you can go back and talk to Pat at the very beginning of his career, what would you tell yourself?

Pat Corrigan [00:33:42]:

Yeah. I love that question too. It would be to to trust the journey, trust the process that everything that's happening around you is leading you somewhere because when I got when I got into staffing, went up to Chicago, we did we did some great work. We we we expanded the team, I was I was doing deals, making placements, helping others. I actually got I got let go. And and I was not at the time, I was like, I'm not I'm not that that guy. How did this how did this happen? And so is is that a moment in my life? I'm like, oh my gosh. How do I rebound from this? And then there's a sequence of events that if they didn't happen, I wouldn't be talking to you. I wouldn't be I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing. And so I a company believed in me, relocated me back to Saint Louis, I had the opportunity had a really fast start, end up getting into leadership with them and into kind of a player coach role. That was opportunity for me to get back to Saint Louis. We're at that's home. So that was a massive deal. If it wasn't for them saying, hey. We believe in you. We think you can be a great addition to our Saint Louis, so you can get you get you back home. I would still be in Chicago kinda grinding it out and doing who knows what. But they brought me to St. Louis. And then I got a call from a headhunter about my previous role, about the opportunity. If I didn't take that call, I wouldn't be here. You know? I just you know? But I luckily took the call, and they caught me at the right time and had a really awesome opportunity. I was in the business insurance world. I met those guys for 6 to 8 months, and met some unbelievable people, had incredible mentors, people that I just had the highest level of respect for, but III dial it back to if I didn't pick up that call. That simple cough. They didn't call me if that if I wasn't if they didn't see my LinkedIn profile, would they have even known who I was? And now the owner of that search firm is a good friend of mine. We share ideas and stuff. And and then, you know, so just, like, you you kinda get punched in the nose sometimes and stuff happens and you're like, well, that sucks, but I just believe and everything happens for a reason. You gotta just sort of trust it. You gotta you gotta just be aware of people around you situations that are popping up experiences and saying, what can I take from that? How can I learn from that? How can this person help me? How can I rebound from this bit of adversity that that comes your way because there are times that were sort of dark where it's like, I don't know what I'm gonna do now? But, you know, fast forward a decade later and in a great chapter that I'm having the best time of my professional career and but it's all the steps that it took to get there. Didn't happen overnight.

Benjamin Mena [00:36:12]:

I I love how sometimes life can change with a simple call or a simple conversation.

Pat Corrigan [00:36:18]:

Right. It's the book somebody mentioned on 1 of your podcasts, Ed Mylett, The Power 1 More. Like, I love his story of his dad, whose alcoholic, and got sober by just 1 guy at a bar, helping him out. I think it I think there's so much to that. It's just there's little situations that pop up here and there. It could be a call. It could be a meeting. It could be your next client. You might bump into them. At a coffee shop, and there you go, like or that person might encourage you to go take a risk and do something. But if you're just not aware of who's around you and what's happening, I think you miss out. Well, Pat, before I let you go, is there anything else that you'd love to share with the listeners? I don't think so. We covered so much. And I and, again, thanks so much for this platform and and for doing what you're doing. If anybody wants some some wisdom or wants to pick my brain. Like, connect me on LinkedIn. If you're considering starting it up, I I was in your shoes and probably, we're thinking all the same things you're thinking. So

Benjamin Mena [00:37:08]:

happy to share some ideas and and connect with that adds value. So wanna try to get back just like you do. So thanks for all you do. Thank you. Well, thank you for coming on. I I love the conversation that, you know, you were able to share. It just So many people, like, deal with the, should I say, stay so low? Should I grow? Should I start my own firm? Or should I make that leap? Or, you know, even, like, I got laid off, and you talked about how your life changed and going to, like, back to Saint Louis. You know, so many people are going through those exact same circumstances. So I'm so glad that you're able to share a pat with podcast. Yeah. I appreciate it. Happy to happy to do that. So thanks for the time. Awesome. And for the listeners, until next time. Thanks for listening to this episode of The Elite Recruiter podcast with Benjamin Mena. If you enjoyed, it's subscribe and leave a rating.

1. What industry does the speaker work in and what is their passion?
Answer: The speaker works in the risk management industry and is passionate about studying and following it.

2. How does the speaker value the people they work with?
Answer: The speaker believes that every person they interact with, whether a client, candidate, or center of influence, brings some sort of value that they can explore.

3. What career advice does the speaker give to recruiters?
Answer: The speaker encourages recruiters to not feel confined to one industry and mentions their own experience in construction management and aviation.

4. How did the speaker build their team and why?
Answer: The speaker started their company in August last year and hired their first employee in January. They reached a point where they had a lot of opportunities but couldn't handle it all on their own, so they decided to invest and build a legitimate business to create opportunities for future employees and reach the next level.

5. What qualities does the speaker look for when hiring employees?
Answer: The speaker values individuals who have the hustle and energy to control their own success and make a difference in their work. They mention wanting someone who is comfortable working in a startup environment and can handle the lack of structure and organizational chart.

6. How does the speaker reflect on their personal and professional growth?
Answer: The speaker reflects on their personal growth and turning 40, expressing a desire to create something, have control over their schedule, and make an impact. Through intentional daily focus and learning, they gained the confidence to pursue their idea.

7. What books and resources does the speaker recommend for personal growth?
Answer: The speaker recommends reading books such as "Man's Search for Meaning," "Think and Grow Rich," and "Miracle Morning" for personal growth and development.

8. How did the speaker get involved in the recruiting industry?
Answer: The speaker initially obtained a business degree in psychology and got into an internship to gain experience. They then worked in the hospitality industry before being inspired by a friend in IT staffing to pursue a career in recruiting.

9. What tech tools does the speaker find helpful in their work?
Answer: The speaker mentions using Superhuman for email, Evernote for capturing ideas, Creelate for recruiting, and Sourcewell for automation.

10. What are the speaker's thoughts on the future of recruiting and artificial intelligence?
Answer: The speaker acknowledges the potential for AI to enhance efficiency in certain areas but expresses reservations about relying solely on AI for content creation and relationship-building. They prefer the human element and personalized approach in their work.

Topics covered in this audio session:

- The importance of enjoying and believing in the work and people in the risk management industry
- Finding value in every person, whether a client, candidate, or center of influence
- Exploring different industries, including construction management and aviation
- Self-reflection and determining what brings energy
- Different approaches to recruitment: being a "360 guy" or focusing on impacting people and scaling
- The speaker's transition from being a solo recruiter to building a team and scaling the business
- Defining the profile and key characteristics of potential employees
- Trusting the journey and being open to opportunities and learning from experiences
- Personal growth and reflections on turning 40
- Recommend books for personal growth and development
- Expertise in the commercial insurance brokerage industry and building a network
- Reflections on starting a new chapter in their career
- Personal journey from college to IT staffing and 12 years in the industry
- Coping with suffering and finding meaning in life
- Favorite tech tools for productivity and automation
- Reservations about the future of recruiting and artificial intelligence
- The speaker's openness to incorporating AI while emphasizing individual style and audience.