Benjamin Mena

Need to hire? We can help! - Headhunter - Managing Partner

🎯 Having a tough time hiring for your Government Contracting Executive Team or GovCon AI teams?  There are way more openings than there are people to fill.  The top level talent your team needs are not even looking at your jobs ads. 🎯
** CLICK BELOW TO SEE MORE **

We understand how competitive the market is for top talent and how your career as a leader is impacted by the ability to attract and retain top talent.  

My name is Benjamin Mena, and for 15 years, I've built Data Science and Cyber Security teams for global Top Secret National Security programs.

Finding and attracting top-level people for our commercial sector is mission-critical. I know how right hire at the right time is vital for your team's growth and success.

SERVICES FOR CLIENTS AND CANIDATES 
💥 Executive Retained Search (C-Level, VP, Director)
💥 Direct Hire Search
💥 Employer/Candidate Value Proposition Development

Myself and my team are ready to help you 

🎯 To book a no-obligation, 15-minute Client Strategy or Candidate Career Call: https://calendly.com/benjaminmena
🎯 Email: Benjamin@selectsourcesolutions.com 
🎯 Phone: 703-297-8574

The Elite Recruiter Podcast Host

The Elite Recruiter Podcast is the number one podcast for recruiting professionals.

This is where the top recruiters share: How they got there. What kind of work did it take. Tips, Tools, and Tricks. The Mindset needed to get them to where they are. What they are doing with their success. Goals and visions for the future. So please join me on this journey as I interview some of the best in our industry

https://pod.co/the-elite-recruiter-podcast

In our first full year, we reached just 2,361 total downloads, a simple start that taught me the value of every single listener. 

Fast forward to 2025, and we crossed 212,000 downloads this year alone between Apple and Spotify (not including YT)

When I launched The Elite Recruiter Podcast, I never imagined how far it would come. In our first full year, we reached just 2,361 total downloads, a 

Open article: Reflecting on The Elite Recruiter Podcast’s Humble Beginnings by Benjamin Mena • 18 min read

Reflecting on The Elite Recruiter Podcast’s Humble Beginnings

It's time to find out who won The Elite Recruiter Awards!

Congrats to the Winners and the Finalists! 

Thank you, guys, for listening to The Elite Recruiter Podcast this year! 

2026 is going to be even bigger!!!

See you guys at the Recruiter Sales and BD Summit kicking off Jan 26th!

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Elite Recruiter Awards

2025 Elite Recruiter of The Year Awards.   
The Results are in! 

Before we dive in.   I can't wait to see you guys at the Sales and BD Recruiter Summit kicking off Jan 24-Feb 2nd.  Registration is FREE for all the live sessions to see 30+ Speakers. Links below.

Elite Recruiter of the Year
Winner: Mike Williams
Finalists: Brent Orsuga, Chris Relth

Most Impactful Recruiter
Winners: Chris Relth and Caitlin Burke
Finalist: Danny Cahill

Best Recruiting Leader/Founder
Winner: Dante Nino 
Finalist: Aaron Opalewski

Recruiter You’d Want on Your Team
Winner: Abby Creager 🌊 
Finalist: Danny Cahill

Recruiter Who Influenced Me the Most
Winners: Brent Orsuga, Matt Walsh, and Greg Benadiba 
Finalist: Danny Cahill

Recruiter I’d Want as a Mentor
Winners: Julia Arpag, Rich Rosen, and Randee Staats Jr. 
Finalist: Kortney Harmon, Brian Fink

Best Recruiting Team/Firm
Winners: Artemis, Carnegie Search, and Tiello 
Finalist: Coastal

Coach of the Year
Winner: Clark Willcox 
Finalists: Donnie Gupton 🦅, Keely Flood, Mark Whitby, Mike Anderson

Best Recruiting Tech Tool
Winner: LinkedIn 
Finalist: Pin.com - AI Recruiting

Elite Recruiter Podcast Episode of the Year
Winner: “The Art of Strategic Headhunting” featuring Chris Relth 
Finalist: “From Athlete to Top Recruiter: How Mindset, Grit, and Drive Helped Caitlin Burke Overcome Cancer and Paralysis”

Congrats everyone!!!

Recognition from your peers just hits different. In the recruiting world, the highest compliment isn’t a trophy on your shelf or a quota smashed – it’

Open article: Elite Recruiter Awards Winners & Finalists 2025 by Benjamin Mena • 7 min read

Elite Recruiter Awards Winners & Finalists 2025

I failed a podcast guest recently and had to cut the recording short.

The story was to good and I just wasn't pulling it out them and that is my fault.  

I knew that if I did it right.  

It not only would change someone's life.

But it could actually save it.

Yeah... I honestly believe that with a recruiting podcast.  Make fun of me, I don't care.

But that story would have.

Its been bugging me every day on how I failed that guest...

I have not been as good with returning guest as I have with a laying out the origin story with a new guest.

With a new guest.  Its the origin story...  The Arc..  The Breakthroughs.  But its hard to do the second time back...   (Maybe I am just constantly to hard on myself)

But I think I finally figured it out tonight. 

And it was alot of homework to try to make it good...

Had a returning guest today...  

Mike Anderson

I think you guys will like the episode when it comes out.

Not going to lie...

Having a returning guest is much harder than a first time guest.

But I keep on learning..

I keep trying to be better...

What a FREAKING AWESOME WEEK!!!!!!!!!   We ARE NOW ON DAY 5!!!!!
Sales and BD Recruiter Summit is under way! 

Jordan Taylor and Sarah Chester-Nelson sharing AI secrets for Executive and Retained Search.

Greg Fischer, CPP sharing how to hit $1 Million in profit for your recruiting desk.

Josh Kirkham on building your pipeline with AI.

Diane Prince is wrapping up the week with the Keynote How to create irresistible content that converts to new customers.

Don't miss today!!!

Going out of my comfort zone is attending a conference in a language I don't know. Hoping that AI will get me through the day.

And wow!!!  It did.

Apple's new AI translations through the AirPods....

I was able to understand abour 90% of what was spoken from each stage...

The only time I really couldn't hear anything.  

Was when there was energetic back and forth in the crowd and when it was loud in the lunch area.

A few months ago I saw Adrien Moulias share about a recruitment event he was hosting...

I thought.... That would be a cool group to learn from! 

You never know where you can pick up an idea that can change the game.

I told my wife... well its in Paris.  

Do you want to go to Paris for the weekend so I can go to this conference and learn?

Well, that was a simple answer....

Who would turn down a weekend in Paris, she said...

Anyways it was such a great event with about 150 other people.

Adrien Moulias and Kemra JAAFAR did an amazing job putting it together.

It was also cool to see some people that I really respect in the recruiting industry in person.   Nicolas Greppo, Gavin Johnston, Laurent Brouat, Dorothée de Calan, David Kieffer, and so many more.

Even with the language barrier...  

It's cool to sit back and see what's happening in another country and how those recruiters are crushing it!

Today is going to be LEGENDARY!!!! 

Sharon Hulce is sharing her playbook so you can level up and be a million-dollar biller just like her by learning how to sell at a higher level.

Steven Farrell, CSP is going to share how they have added TENS OF MILLIONS to their firm while many others are going backwards.

Rob Reznick is teaching you how to tap into your network.

And the OG Snoop Dog of the Industry himself.  David Stephen Patterson is going to explain to you why your pipeline is empty and how to change that.

You can still join us for any session.  All the live sessions are FREE.

20 years ago to this day.... I got my offer letter to become a recruiter... 

I really think we underestimate.

The decisions early in life have on you..

And where that career can take you.

Tons of downs...

But even more ups! 

Time has felt slow...

But looking back its gone by so fast!!!

Ready to elevate your Sales & BD Recruiting game in 2026? Join 36+ top experts live for free insights, strategies, and systems that will transform how you win clients, build pipeline, and scale your business. Register now to secure your spot! 👇 

⭐ Featured Speakers & Sessions: 
 📍 Jan 26
 • Julia Arpag — 7-Figure BD Sales Strategies
 • Jon Davis & Dawson Merry — Sell Contract Staffing to Current Clients
 • Sarah Englade — Build a 7-Figure Recruiting Biz w/ Small Tech Stack
 • Sharon Bondurant 🔎 The Finders — Own the Room & Your Feed
 • Clark Willcox — LinkedIn Inbound: Automation + Content
📍 Jan 27
 • Jordan Shlosberg CFA — AI + BD: Win More Work in 2026
 • Mike Mello — High-Intent Buyer Lists (Live Demo)
 • Conor Kline & Jacob Price — Blueprint to $1M
 • Tom Erb — 4 Mindsets for Sales Success
 • Keely Flood — 3-Phase System for Territory Growth
📍 Jan 28
 • Rob Reznick — Why Referrals Beat AI
 • Steven Farrell, CSP — Scaling Staffing Firms by Tens of Millions
 • Sharon Hulce — Selling Retained
 • David Stephen Patterson — Close the Execution Gap
📍 Jan 29
 • Sam Kuehnle — Predictable Pipeline w/ ABM Prospecting
 • Kortney Harmon — Sell Less, Win More Revenue
 • Brad Bialy — Sell When No One Responds
 • Alexis Albright Meschi — Stop Relying on Legacy Clients
📍 Jan 30
 • Jordan Taylor, Sarah Chester-Nelson & Louise Archer — AI BD for Retained Search
 • Greg Fischer, CPP — Generating 7-Figure Profits Internationally
 • Josh Kirkham — Predictable Recruiting Pipeline w/ AI
 • Diane Prince — Create Sales Content That Converts
📍 Feb 2
 • Laurie Guillodo — Predictable Client Acquisition Systems
 • Steve Gipson & Emily Blattel — Same Day. Different Outcome
 • Rebekah Brown - Scaling Your Book
 • Josh Nix, Matt Miller- Systems for Top Producers
 • Tom Rauch - Build Your AI Tools
🤝 Sponsored by:
 Atlas - the Recruitment Platform · Crelate · SourceWhale · Pin.com - AI Recruiting · Signature Back Office Solutions · Juicebox · SeekOut · Zyve 
👉 Register now and get ready to finish Q1 strong 💥
https://lnkd.in/erupSzN5

This has gotta be one of the best quotes from Isaac James!

Talk about an incredible first day of the Sales and BD Recruiter Summit! 

The speakers just crushed it!!!!

She went 6 months without a paycheck.
In two weeks, she’ll be on stage teaching recruiters how she built a 7-Figure firm.

When Sarah Englade started her recruiting business, she had:
 • No book of business
 • No real BD experience
 • A pandemic market
 • And zero guarantees

So instead of doing what most recruiters do…
She stopped chasing clients.

She focused on candidates.
Resume help.

 LinkedIn clean-ups.
 Interview prep.
Offer coaching.

No invoices.
No shortcuts.
Just showing up.

Six months in? Still nothing.

Then the flywheel kicked in.

Those candidates landed roles.
They became Controllers, HR leaders, hiring managers.

And guess who they called first?
One former candidate alone turned into nearly $200K in fees.
That pattern repeated.

Sarah went from $0 to $1.5M in 18 months, not by pitching harder, but by playing the long game.

Her line that stuck with me:
“People will never forget how you made them feel.”

If business development feels heavier than it used to…

This episode will completely change how you think about growth.

🎧 New episode of The Elite Recruiter Podcast is live.
 🎤 And in two weeks, Sarah breaks this down live at the Sales & BD Recruiter Summit.

Comment SUMMIT or DM me and I’ll send you the episode + registration link.

Thank you Atlas - the Recruitment Platform for sponsoring this episode!

Honest question for agency recruiters 👇

Which excuse do you hear the most?
1️⃣ “There are no new clients”
 2️⃣ “Clients won’t pay retainers”
 3️⃣ “BD is dead”
 4️⃣ “AI doesn’t apply to recruiting”
 5️⃣ “Personal brand doesn’t matter”
 6️⃣ “I’m stuck where I am”

I smashed all six on camera today.
Because none of them are true —

 and every one of them is holding recruiters back.

That’s exactly why I built the Sales & BD Recruiter Summit.
Free. Virtual. Built for agency recruiters who want leverage, not excuses.

👇 Watch the video + grab your spot
 https://lnkd.in/erupSzN5

Don't miss Brian Fink, Sarah Englade, Clark Willcox and soooo many more today and later this week!

Days 1, 2, and 3 have been Epic!!!!  You don't want to miss the rest of this week.

Over 1100 Recruiters have signed up for this week because they know that 2026 is THEIR YEAR!!!!

We are about to start day 4! 

Sam Kuehnle has seen behind the scenes for thousands of recruiting firms and shares the playbook of building a predictable pipeline.

 Kortney Harmon is sharing how to build more intentional revenue in 2026

Brad Bialy is helping you sell when no one wants to talk to you.

Alexis Albright Meschi is helping you stop relying on just referrals and legacy clients.  

You don't want to miss this....  

2026 is your year!!!!

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What do Julia Arpag, Sarah Englade, Sharon Bondurant 🔎 The Finders, Clark Willcox, Dawson Merry, CPC, and Jon Davis all have in common?

They’re not teaching theory.

They’re teaching what’s working right now to win business as a recruiter.
And that’s exactly why Day 1 of the Sales & BD Recruiter Summit looks different this year.

Each of these speakers is attacking a problem recruiters are quietly struggling with:
 • Clients pushing back on fees
 • Slower deal velocity
 • Over-reliance on direct hire
 • BD tactics that worked in 2021… and don’t anymore

So instead of “motivation” or “top of funnel noise,” Day 1 is built around revenue decisions.

How to:
 • Sell contract staffing to existing clients
 • Build a 7-figure desk without a bloated tech stack
 • Turn LinkedIn into inbound conversations
 • Position yourself so clients think of you first

Here’s the part that matters:
Most recruiters don’t need more information.
They need better positioning and better conversations.

That’s what Day 1 sets up.

The summit starts in 2 weeks.

If you’re serious about how you sell and grow in 2026, Day 1 is where you should be.

What’s one BD tactic you’re questioning heading into this year?
👇👇👇

Most recruiters think business development means selling.

Katharine Wilcox never bought that.

She’ll tell you straight up:
“If I had to sell widgets, I’d be terrible at this job.”

And yet…
She’s been a top biller year after year.
Built deep client relationships.
And eventually bought the firm she helped build.

Not by pitching.
Not by scripts.
Not by grinding cold calls all day.

But by doing something most recruiters overlook 👇

She treats every conversation as a relationship, not a transaction.

Candidate calls.
Catch-up conversations.
Career check-ins that don’t turn into placements.

She shows up curious.
She listens.
She gives real advice, even when there’s no deal on the table.

And months (sometimes years) later?

Those same candidates become hiring managers.
Those casual conversations turn into retained searches.
Those relationships turn into full team builds.

On this week’s episode of The Elite Recruiter Podcast, I sat down with Katharine Wilcox to unpack:
• Why “selling harder” actually hurts most recruiters
 • How recruiting is business development when done right
 • The mindset shift that turns candidate calls into future clients
 • Why thinking like a talent agent changes everything

This episode is a reminder that the best BD strategy isn’t louder…
It’s more human.

🎧 Why Top Recruiters Win Clients Without Selling
 (Link in comments)

Curious — what’s been your best client relationship that didn’t start as a sales call?

Thank you Atlas - the Recruitment Platform for helping this episode come together.

Make sure to also sign up for the Sales and BD Recruiter Summit kicking off Jan 26, Registration is FREE! 

This is YOUR Year!

What does it take to build a $20M recruiting firm AND be the leader others want to follow?

First of all have you subscribed to the The Pinnacle Society Podcast?  
If not do that now! 

David Bradley could have coasted, but instead, he chose to be the “standard bearer” for his 60-person team, showing up every day and leading by example.

Some keys from this episode:
- Culture isn’t an afterthought: Incentive trips, tournaments, and real camaraderie are the glue for high performers.
- Team-first mindset: 70% of their placements are split deals—everyone wins when the whole team gets involved.
- Consistency is king: “You can’t pay someone to do your push-ups.” David’s mantra for staying at the top year after year.

Want practical strategies and a shot of inspiration from someone who’s scaled and sustained success? 

This is the episode for you.

Ready to raise the bar for yourself or your team? 

Hit play below.

I get asked a lot....  Do you every see a recruiter doing something so different from everyone else it has surprised you?     Yes.... Yes I have...  

And his episode is dropping tomorrow....  

Stay tuned.

Sarah Englade explains how consistently showing up for candidates, even when there is nothing to gain, builds trust, reputation, and long-term impact.

Tune in to the latest episode of The Elite Recruiter Podcast, sponsored by Atlas - the Recruitment Platform!
Now streaming on all podcast platforms! Links are in the comments!

My why: Because doing right by clients and candidates should never be compromised.

Too often revenue goals come at the expense of thoughtful work and doing the right thing. I started my
own search firm to prioritize quality over being transactional, because that’s how lasting partnerships are built.

I'm known for doing hands-on executive recruiting that is targeted and thorough, where relationships and reputation matters. I mainly focus on technology leadership positions. I launched Distinguished Search to create a firm aligned with my core values of transparency, empathy, doing great work, long term thinking, and building great companies we believe in. I'm all about combining process with grit and perseverance, and matching journeys versus titles. I have a bestselling book about demystifying executive search on Amazon, a podcast, and a video series. I stay in touch with people for years. My network is extensive and the multiplier effect to find and attract great candidates is powerful. You can read client testimonials here at the bottom of my profile page. 


Speaking engagements: 
- McCombs School of Business - University of Texas at Austin
- Harvard AMP
- Kellogg Northwestern
- Stanford LEAD
- various executive job seeker communities 

Author, "Search in Plain Sight: Demystifying Executive Search" May 2022. Check it out on Amazon or Audible.  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ZS2P7J2

somer@distinguishedsearch.com

Somer Hackley

How do you develop trust with someone you just met? 

Maybe this sounds strange, but I love being older. I don’t love the newish grey hairs or the obvious ad targeting by Instagram, but there’s so much to celebrate. I have perspective. I love having the reps. Every year that passes, we all have more experiences. 

Moving jobs or making a big hire comes down to one main thing: evaluating risk.  

The older I get, the more I can listen and relate. It’s critical, now more than ever, not to interview via checkbox. “Do you do this?” “Yes.” “Tell me about a time when you’ve done this other thing.” “Great. What are your comp expectations?” And we could move on. The real fit is determined by truly listening, and often between interviews in understanding people’s emotions, drivers, and being able to truly empathize with them.

Candidates and I chat about relationships, parenthood, loss, illness, travel, relocating, failures, and wins. Often candidates ask me about risk; after all, they’re about to leave a job for another one. We talk about running to something versus running away from something. I can talk about this because in 20+ years I’ve seen some version of this story before, and how it played out. More importantly, I’ve lived it myself. 

Until recently I’ve moved every few years across the East coast and now Austin, my forever home. I’ve worked since I was able to: catering, cleaning cabanas, a cashier at The Rye Beach Pharmacy, and as a bank teller at the Bank of NY by the train station. If you want to learn about people, just deal with their money and their prescriptions. I moved from contingency recruiting to placing seven figure CTO/CIOs and everything in between. I’ve worked for a large public company, a boutique, and in 2020 went off on my own to start my own brand. That’s just the work side of my life! 

There are so many qualities that make a great recruiter, but I can’t help but think that building trust and relationships comes from both one’s 10,000(+!) hours and having lived experience. It’s not about oversharing a life story with everyone; it’s a matter of being able to truly listen and react appropriately, with authenticity.  

Here’s to getting older, and to being human!

Executive Recruiter | Technology, Product, Security | C-level, VP & Senior Director | Author: Search in Plain Sight

What is one trait that every hiring leader I have partnered with in 2025 looked for in candidates, hands down?

Humility.

My advice? Be humble! Easier said than done. It can be hard to display humility and confidence at the same time. 

Interviewers pick up on the little things that showcase ego: name dropping, making assumptions, or taking control of the conversation. 

Something to implement right away: instead of answering questions in a vacuum, be the translator of how your stories may or may not map to the journey ahead at this new company. For example, when you say "Yes, I did a huge transformation like that 3 years ago; here's what I walked into, here were the roadblocks, here's what I did, here were the results..." 

Now to tie it up, here's where your humility can kick in. Instead of saying "and I know I'd be successful doing that here because I've seen it all!" You can end it with "but if I were to do that here at XYZ company, I would take the first 90 days to understand your culture and environment because driving change like this isn't a one size fits all type of solution." See the difference?

If you're already a humble person, that's great! Take credit for what you've done. There's a flipside to all of this. 

----

One of my goals for 2026 is to have a more structured cadence around my writing (no AI). Introducing: Thursday Tips! Let me know what's on your mind and I'll write about it next week. 

Want more behind the scenes of executive search? Check out my book Search in Plain Sight on Amazon & Audible.

After recording the Art of Search podcast (posted yesterday), I asked Priya Reddy to stay on and share her "why," in two minutes. 

Hear how Priya is driven by improving systems, helping others, making an impact, and leading with integrity.

The link to this video and to subscribe to the Two Distinguished Minutes channel is posted in the comments below!

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The Battle

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Somer Hackley

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