EP 217: How Every Chapter Builds the Next

EP 217: How Every Chapter Builds the Next

Author: James Mackey May 21, 2026 Duration: 52:40
Mary Price grew up as a first-generation American, learning early lessons in grit, integrity, and trust from her family and her uncle’s shoe repair shop. Today, as the founder of Penfield Talent, she brings that same people-first philosophy to talent leadership, executive search, and helping companies build high-trust teams. In this conversation, she shares how she balances empathy with high standards, what AI can and can’t replace in recruiting, and the inside story of leading GTM hiring at ...

Hosted by James Mackey, The Breakthrough Hiring Show: Recruiting and Talent Acquisition Conversations digs into the real work of building great teams. This isn't about abstract theory; it's a series of direct conversations focused on turning hiring from a constant challenge into a genuine edge for your business. You'll hear from leaders and practitioners who are in the trenches, discussing everything from the strategic shift needed to become a talent-first organization down to the granular details of process, technology, and metrics. Episodes move between high-level thought leadership and actionable advice you can use immediately, whether you're in a fast-moving SaaS startup, a growth-stage company, or an established firm. The dialogue here covers the full spectrum: effective onboarding and retention strategies, practical diversity and inclusion initiatives, navigating job boards and social media, and understanding the recruitment metrics that actually matter. Tune into this podcast for honest talk about empowering top talent and constructing a hiring engine that drives business forward. It's for anyone in recruiting, HR, or leadership who wants to move beyond just filling roles and start building a lasting competitive advantage through people.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

The Breakthrough Hiring Show: Modern Recruiting, AI, and Talent Strategy
Podcast Episodes
EP 220: Elephants, Lions & the Psychology of Talent Leadership [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:15
Growing up between Canada and East Africa, Michael Kieran’s childhood was shaped by international communities, close encounters with elephants and lions, and experiences that challenged the way he saw the world. He bring…
EP 219: Building Talent Programs at Hulu, Activision, and Take-Two [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:53
Jessica Wheeler went from growing up in Vancouver, Washington to building talent programs at some of the biggest names in entertainment and gaming, including Hulu, Activision, and Take-Two Interactive. Now VP, Global Hea…
EP 218: Don't Hire [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:04
Adam Spector’s path has never been conventional, from leaving DC for boarding school to pivoting from law school into tech and startups. Now Founder & CEO of Chore, he shares how building companies, learning from early s…
EP 215: Building Human-Centered Talent Acquisition in the AI Era [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:03
Kelsey Hersh grew up between two completely different worlds: one grounded in structure, the other filled with artists, Burning Man gatherings, and weekly fire dancing circles. Now Head of Talent Acquisition at Hometap,…
EP 214: Building TA Systems and Hiring Recruiters [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:02
Liam Naughton grew up in a hyper-competitive environment, from nonstop sports to a 35-day wilderness trip that pushed his limits early on. Now Head of Recruiting at Merge, he’s applying that same mindset to building scal…
EP 213: A Non-Traditional Path to a Ruthless Hiring Bar [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:01
Lauren Valencia grew up in a small town outside Seattle, where adventure, sports, and early problem-solving shaped a non-traditional path into recruiting. Now Head of Talent at Socket, she’s scaling teams quickly while r…
EP 212: Managing Expectations in a Job You Can’t Control [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:04
Mallory Planck started her career in the middle of the 2009 recession, figuring things out in real time without a clear path. That grind took her from door-to-door sales into talent acquisition, where she now serves as H…
EP 211: Where Intuition Meets Pattern Recognition in Hiring [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:57
Nyala Khan grew up on an orchard farm in Northern California before navigating diverse environments across the U.S., shaping both her independence and her ability to read people. Now leading People and Talent at Slang AI…