For Ryan McGuire of ADEX Healthcare Staffing, the answer was simple: build something.

After COVID, ADEX went from more than 465 travelers on assignment and 50+ internal employees to navigating a dramatically smaller, more competitive market. Margins tightened. Advertising got more expensive. Competition intensified. Ryan knew doing more of the same wasn't going to be enough.

Then he started experimenting with AI.

Ryan wasn't a programmer. He didn't have a technical background. He didn't hire a development team or start by purchasing another expensive enterprise AI platform.

He taught himself.

What started with automating simple administrative tasks quickly turned into something much bigger. Ryan spent months obsessively testing, learning, reviewing conversations, and building an AI system specifically around the realities of healthcare staffing.

Today, that system is helping ADEX engage clinicians, reactivate its database, match candidates to jobs, create job-specific resumes, automate workflows, and handle recruiting conversations at a scale that would be nearly impossible for a human team alone. In just two months, Ryan says the system sent roughly 175,000 SMS messages, engaged in 70,000 conversations and identified 9,000–10,000 interested clinicians.

But this episode isn't about replacing recruiters with robots.

Ryan's vision is an AI-powered agency where technology dramatically increases what a great human team can accomplish.

We get into what worked, what failed, how his recruiters reacted, where AI still makes mistakes, what it actually costs to build something like this, and why Ryan believes the work he's doing today could position ADEX very differently when the healthcare staffing market eventually enters its next growth cycle.

This is one of the most fascinating AI stories I've heard in healthcare staffing — because Ryan didn't wait for someone to sell him the future.

He started building it himself.

Travel healthcare recruiting has changed.

During COVID, the market came to recruiters. Today, recruiters have to go out and win it.

In this live session from TravCon, Oliver Feakins breaks down The Modern Recruiter Playbook—a tactical look at what actually works in travel healthcare recruiting today.

The big idea? Recruiters need to speed up and slow down at the same time: respond to inbound clinicians faster than ever, but slow down once they connect to understand motivations, uncover flexibility, build trust, and create more opportunities instead of simply matching someone to the job they originally applied for.

We dig into the entire recruiting funnel—from inbound and outbound sourcing to submissions, interviews, offers, starts, and ultimately redeployment—and explain how to identify exactly where your pipeline is breaking instead of simply telling recruiters they need more placements.

You'll learn how to re-engage older candidates your competitors have stopped calling, replace "just checking in" with value-first outreach, use the S.E.N.D. framework for better recruiter texts, build a personal brand through social media, handle objections and redirect clinicians without creating pressure, and use microcommitments and pre-closes to build real commitment throughout the recruiting process.

And perhaps most importantly, they explain why the best recruiters aren't thinking about one placement. They're thinking about assignments two, three, four and beyond—starting the redeployment conversation almost as soon as a clinician begins their current assignment.

If you're a travel healthcare recruiter or agency leader trying to compete in a slower, more competitive market, this episode is packed with practical tactics you can put to work immediately.

Stop hoping. Start guiding. Build the pipeline.

Oliver welcomes Holly Bass, Executive Director of NATHO, for an honest conversation about what's happening behind the scenes across the staffing industry. From AI and recruiter performance to margin pressure, MSPs, redeployment, and the future of travel healthcare, this episode explores the trends every staffing leader needs to understand.

Whether you're running a healthcare staffing agency or leading a recruiting team, this conversation offers practical ideas you can implement immediately.

In this episode, Oliver Feakins sits down with Chris Sund of GQR and Uniti Med to explore the future of healthcare staffing and the evolving role agencies play in workforce management. Together, they discuss industry trends, MSP/VMS growth, changing clinician expectations, recruiter effectiveness, and the growing importance of data-driven decision making.

The conversation also dives into Nebula, GQR's AI-powered recruiting platform, and how organizations are using automation, intelligent candidate engagement, and large-scale talent discovery to uncover clinicians faster than ever before. Chris shares real-world examples of how AI can reactivate dormant talent pools, accelerate recruiting efforts, and help organizations solve staffing challenges at scale—while explaining why the human recruiter remains irreplaceable in building relationships, uncovering motivations, and guiding clinicians toward the right opportunities.

From workforce analytics and candidate engagement to AI recruiting and the future of travel healthcare, this episode offers a practical look at where the industry is heading and what agencies must do to stay competitive in the years ahead.

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Featuring insights from the latest industry research and benchmarking data, along with candid reactions from agency executives who are living these changes every day, this panel cuts through the headlines to explore what’s actually happening on the ground.

From margin compression and MSP/VMS expansion to direct business growth, M&A activity, recruiter productivity, and the rise of niche specialization, this conversation provides a practical snapshot of where the industry is—and where it may be headed next.

In this episode, you'll hear discussion around:

• Why many leaders are calling 2026 a year of stabilization rather than recovery
• The strategies separating high-performing agencies from those still struggling
• The continued shift toward niche markets, direct business, and diversification
• Margin pressure, hospital buying behavior, and the evolving MSP/VMS landscape
• The impact of AI, technology, and culture on agency performance
• Why accountability, execution, and perseverance matter more than ever
• The opportunities emerging from consolidation, market shifts, and changing client needs

More than just a market update, this session is a reality check—and a reminder that while the old playbook may no longer work, there is still tremendous opportunity for agencies willing to adapt, stay disciplined, and focus on what they do best. If you're a healthcare staffing executive, owner, or leader looking to benchmark your business against the broader market, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

Recorded live at TalentTrack 2026 in Omaha, this panel brings together founders and innovators from some of the industry's leading AI and technology companies for a candid conversation about how artificial intelligence is already reshaping recruiting, candidate engagement, and workforce operations.

Rather than focusing on far-off predictions, the discussion zeroes in on practical use cases agencies can implement today to improve speed, efficiency, and recruiter productivity without losing the human element that makes great recruiting work.

The panel explores:

• Why AI isn't replacing recruiters—it's reshaping the role
• The best AI use cases agencies are deploying today
• How AI can automate repetitive work while amplifying human relationships
• The truth about AI-powered candidate engagement and after-hours recruiting
• Common misconceptions and mistakes agencies make when adopting AI
• How to evaluate AI vendors, measure ROI, and avoid "AI for AI's sake"
• What the future hybrid workflow between recruiters and AI teammates really looks like

From AI receptionists and automated screening to personalized outreach and intelligent candidate matching, this episode cuts through the noise and offers a practical roadmap for agency leaders looking to leverage AI without sacrificing the candidate experience.

Whether you're just beginning your AI journey or already experimenting with automation, this session will help you separate the buzzwords from the business outcomes—and understand why the agencies that win the next decade won't be the ones that replace people with AI, but the ones that empower people through it.

Recorded live at TalentTrack 2026 in Omaha, this one-of-a-kind panel brings together senior leaders from some of the industry's largest MSP and VMS organizations for an honest, unfiltered conversation about the realities of today's vendor ecosystem. From supplier scorecards and conversion rates to communication, technology, and the future of workforce solutions, this session pulls back the curtain on how decisions are made—and what agencies can do to stand out.

You'll hear candid perspectives on:

• The biggest misconceptions agencies have about MSPs and VMS programs
• What separates top-performing suppliers from the rest of the panel
• Why quality and conversion rates matter more than submission volume
• How agencies can build stronger, more collaborative vendor relationships
• The truth behind rising MSP fees and tightening margins
• Where AI, technology, and changing hospital demands are taking the vendor model next
• Actionable strategies for earning more opportunities and expanding within MSP programs

If you've ever wondered what happens on the other side of the portal—or wished you could sit down with the people running your vendor programs and ask them anything—this is that conversation. Whether you're an owner, executive, recruiter, or account manager, this episode offers invaluable insight into how to become the kind of partner MSP and VMS leaders want to work with.

In this candid conversation, agency leaders share how they've built successful businesses in one of the toughest staffing markets in recent memory by staying nimble, relationship-focused, and relentlessly authentic. From turning limited resources into a competitive advantage to using technology strategically (without losing the human touch), this session is packed with practical lessons for agencies of every size.

The panel dives into topics like:

• Why smaller agencies often deliver a better candidate experience
• The power of authenticity over transactions
• Building a brand without a massive marketing budget
• Choosing service over the race to the lowest margin
• How nimble teams adapt faster to market shifts and new opportunities
• Using technology to enhance—not replace—the recruiter relationship
• Why direct business, community building, and value-first recruiting are helping underdogs outperform

Whether you lead a 5-person startup or a 500-person enterprise, this episode offers a fresh perspective on what truly drives growth in healthcare staffing today. Sometimes the biggest advantage isn't having more resources—it's having fewer layers, faster decisions, and a team that's close enough to the work to genuinely care.

Taken from our TalentTrack 2026 panel, Live in Omaha, Nebraska.

In a world where recruiters have more communication channels than ever before, one question continues to dominate: What's the right mix?

Should recruiters lead with a phone call? Is text messaging becoming the preferred first touch? How much automation is too much? And where does AI fit into the equation without sacrificing the human connection?

This panel brings together experienced healthcare staffing leaders to unpack the modern outreach playbook. The discussion explores how top-performing agencies are balancing calls, texts, email, social media, and emerging AI tools to create better candidate experiences while driving higher engagement and placement rates.

Whether you're trying to improve speed-to-lead, reduce recruiter burnout, or simply figure out where technology adds value (and where it gets in the way), this conversation offers practical strategies and real-world perspectives from the front lines of recruiting.

Topics include:

• The evolving role of phone calls versus text messaging
• How AI and automation are changing recruiter workflows
• Building authentic relationships in an increasingly digital world
• Finding the right cadence across email, text, social, and voice
• Common outreach mistakes agencies are making in 2026—and how to avoid them

If you're a healthcare staffing leader, recruiter, or agency owner navigating the next generation of candidate engagement, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

What unfolds is a grounded, real-world look at what’s actually happening inside travel healthcare recruiting right now—not from the boardroom, but from the recruiter on the front lines talking to clinicians every day.

We dig into why so many travel nurses are prioritizing money, flexibility, and lifestyle more than ever, and how that shift is changing recruiter behavior, job acceptance patterns, and candidate loyalty.

Sarah breaks down why job “backouts” and ghosting aren’t just a candidate problem—but often a reflection of broken recruiter workflows, weak follow-up, and transactional habits inside agencies.

At the center of the conversation is a powerful idea:

Recruiters who win in today’s market aren’t order takers—they’re career navigators.

We explore how top recruiters redirect candidates when jobs close, how they build “decision sets” instead of single-job pipelines, and why the strongest placements often come from long-game relationship building—not speed alone.

We also get into:

• The rise of local travel and cost-of-living pressures
• Why internal hospital programs struggle with flexibility
• How social media has changed recruiter-candidate relationships
• Where AI helps (and where it absolutely breaks trust)
• And what leadership consistently misunderstands about recruiters on the ground

This is a must-listen for staffing leaders, recruiters, and operators who want to understand where travel healthcare is really heading—and why the future belongs to relationship-driven recruiting, not transactional job matching.

Nora brings a rare dual perspective: she’s on the front lines with agency leadership discussing strategy, while also working closely with recruiters executing day-to-day placements. That top-down and bottom-up view reveals the real story behind today’s market—one that’s stabilizing, but still far from easy.

They dive into:

• Why 2026 feels different from the survival mode of last year—but still demands efficiency
• The truth about AI in recruiting (what’s working vs. what’s just noise)
• The growing pressure from MSPs and VMS platforms—and how agencies are adapting
• Creative strategies agencies are using to win contracts and stay competitive
• Why some agencies are expanding into new verticals (like locums) while others are doubling down on niche specialties
• The biggest red flags that signal whether an agency will succeed… or struggle
• The ongoing disconnect between leadership strategy and recruiter execution
• And why relationship-driven recruiting is still the ultimate differentiator—even in a tech-heavy world

This episode also pulls back the curtain on what separates high-performing agencies from the rest: mindset, follow-up discipline, and a willingness to actually use the tools and partnerships available to them.

If you're an agency leader, recruiter, or operator trying to navigate tighter margins, evolving tech, and a more competitive landscape—this conversation is packed with real-world insight from someone talking to hundreds of agencies every month.

Bottom line: The market is shifting. The agencies that adapt—strategically and operationally—are the ones that will win.

🎧 Tune in for an unfiltered look at where the industry is headed and what it really takes to succeed right now.

Jordan shares his journey from working out of a garage in IT staffing to launching Wayward during COVID and now scaling with a bold goal of hitting $100M by 2030. But this isn’t a highlight reel—it’s a deep dive into the real challenges of entrepreneurship in travel healthcare staffing.

Together, Oliver and Jordan unpack what most agencies are still getting wrong: transactional recruiting, broken communication between recruiters and nurses, and the growing gap between automation and true relationship-driven staffing. Jordan breaks down his “radical candor” approach with both travelers and facilities, and why honesty—not hacks—is what actually builds long-term success.

They also dig into the messy reality of growth: hiring missteps, losing a major MSP relationship overnight, rebuilding from near-zero cash flow, and the brutal lesson of scaling too fast without the recruiting engine to support it.

On the flip side, they explore what’s working—agile small agencies, high-touch recruiter relationships, smart use of job boards like TNS, and why smaller teams can outmaneuver the giants when they lean into speed, grit, and authenticity.

If you’re in healthcare staffing, recruiting, or building anything in a competitive marketplace, this episode is a candid look at what it really takes to survive—and win.

In this episode, Nora Frumento and Mo Fregia (aka “The HIPPIE Recruiter”) talk about something this industry doesn’t talk about enough:

👉 We’ve replaced real training with vibes, shadowing, and “figure it out as you go.”

And it shows.

Mo came into staffing by accident—but stayed because he realized something most agencies miss:

Great recruiters aren’t born. They’re trained. Reps, feedback, repetition.

Not:

• “Sit next to top biller and listen”
• “Here’s a script, go call”
• “Why aren’t your numbers up?”

Actual training.

The kind where:

• You practice conversations before they matter
• You break down calls right after they happen
• You run scrimmages, not just meetings
• You learn how to think, not just what to say

And maybe the biggest one…

If you sound like every other recruiter, you’ll get treated like every other recruiter.

In a world of automation, texts, and “quick touches” — the recruiters who can actually connect, ask better questions, and slow down… are the ones who are going to win when the market turns.

AI isn’t replacing recruiters.

It’s exposing the gap between average and great.

This episode is a must-listen if you care about:

• Improving close rates
• Building real relationships (not just transactions)
• Actually leveling up your team

Because the market will come back.

The question is—who’s ready when it does?

The boom is over. The dust hasn’t fully settled. And the rules of travel healthcare? They’ve changed—fast.

In this episode, Holly Bass and Kenny Kadar break down what’s actually happening in the travel healthcare staffing market right now—and where it’s headed next. From MSP dominance swallowing 70–80% of revenue, to margin compression, recruiter productivity struggles, and the quiet rise of offshoring and AI… this is the real state of the industry.

You’ll hear why “flat is the new up,” why jobs are still there but harder to close, and how the best agencies are adapting to survive (and even grow) in a down cycle. Plus: consolidation trends, shifting care delivery models, declining nurse quit rates, and the long-term supply/demand imbalance that still makes this space worth betting on.

If you're an agency leader, recruiter, or operator trying to figure out how to win in a tougher market—this is your playbook.

No fluff. Just what’s now… and what’s next.

From TalentTrack 2025 - After sitting in on a session with top creators in the travel healthcare space, one thing is crystal clear:

Most agencies don’t fail at influencer marketing because it “doesn’t work.”
They fail because they try to control it.

👉 Over-scripted content
👉 One-off partnerships
👉 Chasing vanity metrics
👉 Expecting $50K results on a $500 budget

That’s not strategy. That’s wishful thinking.

Here’s the reality:

• Creators don’t build trust by sounding like your brand guidelines
• Audiences don’t convert from polished perfection—they convert from truth
• And you don’t “control the message”… you borrow trust from someone who already has it

The agencies winning right now are doing a few things differently:

✔️ They treat creators like partners, not ad space
✔️ They invest in long-term relationships, not one-hit campaigns
✔️ They focus on community + connection, not just reach
✔️ They understand the difference between awareness and conversion

And maybe most importantly…

They let go.

Because the second your content feels like an ad—
the scroll wins.

If you’re in travel healthcare staffing and still ignoring this channel, you’re not being cautious…

You’re falling behind.

We just wrapped “Job Board Confessional: What We Wish Our Clients Knew” and here’s the uncomfortable truth nobody wants to say out loud 👇

🚨 Agencies aren’t losing because of job boards
🚨 They’re not losing because of lead volume
🚨 They’re losing in the last mile of execution

Here’s what actually came up:

→ 80% of inbound candidate calls go unanswered
→ 15–20% of nurses don’t show up to assignments
→ Most candidates get contacted… once (if that)
→ Recruiters are acting like marketers, not salespeople

And the kicker?

Everyone thinks their data is “good enough”… while making decisions on top of broken attribution, messy systems, and half-truth reporting.

Meanwhile, the agencies quietly winning right now are doing the unsexy stuff:

• Calling leads within minutes (not hours)
• Submitting candidates to 5–7 jobs, not 1–2
• Building actual relationships (not just texting sequences)
• Training recruiters to SELL, not just process
• Treating candidates like humans… not pipeline entries

And here’s the twist nobody saw coming:

In a world flooded with automation…

👉 Manual outreach is now the competitive advantage
👉 Authenticity is now the differentiator
👉 A real phone call is now the outlier

Let that sink in.

We spent years optimizing for speed and scale.

Now the agencies pulling ahead are optimizing for connection and execution.

Not revolutionary.

Just rare.

Featuring experts from Primetime Healthcare, OneStaff Medical, ARM Staffing, and beyond, this panel dives into the real strategies behind social recruiting that actually converts. From Facebook groups still dominating the game to the rise of video, influencers, and authentic content—this is a no-BS look at what’s working right now.

Inside this episode:

• The biggest mistakes agencies make when starting social recruiting (and how to fix them fast)
• Why “post and ghost” is killing your pipeline
• How to balance job posts with content that actually builds trust
• The role of authenticity—and why candidates can smell fake a mile away
• What metrics actually matter (hint: it’s not just impressions)
• Platform breakdown: where nurses actually engage (and why Facebook still wins)
• How to stand out without a massive brand or budget

Plus—real talk on what flops (giveaways ≠ quality candidates) and why consistency beats creativity when it comes to long-term results.

This isn’t about going viral.
It’s about building a recruiting engine that works while you sleep.

Because in 2025…
Your next placement is probably already scrolling.

In this high-impact session from Talent Track, industry leaders from Atlas Med Staff, Coast Medical Service, Thrive Staffing, and Orange Staffing break down what it actually takes to compete in today’s market. Spoiler: chasing “normal” is a losing strategy.

This episode dives deep into the uncomfortable truth—too many agencies are hiding behind tech, over-automating, and creating transactional experiences in a business that still runs on trust. From the rise of the “order-taker” recruiter to the illusion of AI replacing human connection, this panel pulls no punches.

You’ll hear:

• Why agencies stuck trying to “get back to normal” are already behind
• The real difference between tech that helps vs. tech that hurts
• How recruiter training (or lack of it) is quietly killing performance
• Why speed matters—but relationships still close deals
• The shift from recruiters to true candidate advocates
• How to balance automation without losing the human edge

If you’re running a healthcare staffing agency—or building one—this is your reality check.

Because the agencies that win next won’t just be more efficient…
They’ll be more human.

We break down:

• Why AI-first “no human recruiter” agencies may be missing the point
• The difference between speed tools vs trust-building tools
• Why emotional intelligence still wins deals (for now)
• How top recruiters actually control the sales process
• The real reason most deals die in text-based selling
• Why great recruiters don’t just “sell jobs” — they guide decisions

Andrew brings a frontline sales perspective from years in high-pressure environments, while Oliver challenges how recruiting, healthcare staffing, and automation are colliding in real time.

In this episode of The Talent Track Podcast, Oliver Feakins sits down with industry veteran Peter Leibowitz (37 years deep) to unpack what’s really happening beneath the surface—and why this cycle is unlike anything we’ve seen before.

They break down:

• The “fat and happy” COVID era—and the brutal reality check that followed
• Why recruiters who thrived during the boom are struggling in today’s market
• The shift from order takers back to true relationship builders
• How AI, automation, and outsourcing are helping—and hurting—agencies
• The growing divide between transactional vs. relational recruiting models
• Why speed alone isn’t enough anymore—and how “strategic patience” wins deals
• The uncomfortable truth: most agencies are still measuring the wrong things

This episode is a masterclass in what it actually takes to succeed right now—when volume is down, competition is up, and the margin for error is gone.

If you're a healthcare staffing leader, recruiter, or founder trying to figure out why your playbook stopped working… this one hits hard.

Aaron shares how Praos is rethinking the entire hiring lifecycle—from sourcing to submission to compliance—through a clinician-centric model built around its “digital briefcase.” Instead of outdated, static databases, Praos is building a living, breathing talent ecosystem where clinician data is always up-to-date, jobs are matched proactively, and speed-to-submit becomes a true competitive advantage.

The conversation dives deep into:

• Why the traditional ATS database is broken—and what “Database 2.0” looks like
• How private marketplaces outperform public job boards in speed and efficiency
• The hidden cost of compliance and how automation can save agencies millions
• The real role of AI in staffing today (and where it’s overhyped)
• Why smaller, tech-enabled agencies may have the upper hand over industry giants
• The future of recruiters as high-value talent advisors, not task managers

Aaron also shares his journey from building and scaling staffing companies to exiting to Bullhorn—and how that vision ultimately led him to Praos and the healthcare space.

If you’re a healthcare staffing leader trying to do more with less, reduce friction, and compete in a VMS-dominated world, this episode is packed with practical insights and forward-looking strategy.

This isn’t theory—this is what the next generation of staffing looks like.

This isn’t just a conversation about staffing—it’s a masterclass in evolution, leadership, and building something that actually lasts.

Shane takes us back to the roots of the industry, starting with his father’s groundbreaking work in physician placement in the 1970s, and walks through the founding of Jackson Healthcare at the dawn of the internet era. From there, we dive into the real story behind building a 25+ year powerhouse—what worked, what didn’t, and what most people still get wrong.

And in a deeper turn, we explore the thinking behind his latest book on purpose, fulfillment, and leadership—why today’s workforce is craving more than just jobs, and how leaders can meet that moment.

If you’re running, scaling, or rebuilding a healthcare staffing firm in today’s post-COVID market, this episode is required listening.

No fluff. No theory. Just hard-earned insight from someone who’s seen every cycle—and is still building through it.

Forget the hype around top-of-funnel AI. This conversation dives into where the real operational leverage is happening—compliance, credentialing, onboarding, VMS submissions, timecards, and invoicing. The stuff that slows agencies down, kills margins, and quietly caps growth.

Dries shares how “Dwight,” a 24/7 digital worker, is helping staffing agencies automate their middle and back office with deterministic precision—eliminating bottlenecks, reducing costs, and unlocking true scalability without adding headcount.

From rebuilding pipelines and reviving database gold to balancing automation with real human connection, Rich breaks down why agencies must return to the fundamentals: relationships, follow-up, and relentless execution. This is a no-BS conversation on why reactive recruiting is failing, how to actually build a sustainable talent engine, and where agencies are missing massive opportunities right now.

If your team is stuck chasing leads instead of building a business, this one hits home.

From hitting 3–6x returns in under six months to building a true sourcing engine that frees recruiters to focus on relationships, this conversation is a tactical look at how to scale without breaking your team—or your margins.