I say what
no one will
tell you about your people problems.
Most companies know what's broken. But nobody wants to be the one to name it. I'm the one who will and then I'll show you how to fix it.
Featured on 100+ podcasts and stages
Ryan asked excellent probing questions and made me think deeply about various things. He identified the root cause of problems, and we enjoyed those conversations.
Lauren Atwell
President & COO, Petticoat-Schmitt Civil Contracting
Ryan's show is a fantastic example of how intentional leadership yields incredible impact. I've learned a ton and added numerous books to my reading list already. We just wrapped up recording and his professionalism and personality are two things that stood out for me. 10/10 recommendation from me.
Josh Vitale
Founder, Project BUILT
Ryan is a phenomenal host who brings a ton of energy and passion to helping owners in the trades. Definitely worth a listen!
Paul Maskill
Founder, Blue Collar Business Advisors
What surprised me most was the level of engagement with our roughly 200 person audience. He did a really good job at energizing them, engaging them.
Tyler Sinsabaugh
Vice President of Talent, ColonialWebb
See the energy
I don't do boring keynotes.
Whether it's a mainstage keynote, a podcast mic, or a workshop full of skeptical owners, I show up with real stories, honest answers, and the kind of energy that makes people actually do something when they get home.
165+
Episodes
100+
Stages
2
Books
The quiet part, out loud
Your best people are already interviewing somewhere else.
And they won't tell you until they have an offer in hand.
You don't have a hiring problem. You have a reputation problem.
The best candidates already know which companies to avoid.
Nobody is coming to save your culture. That's your job.
You built it. You broke it. You're the only one who can fix it.
If your employees don't know where the company is headed, they'll find one that does.
Clarity isn't a nice-to-have. It's the reason people stay.
More microphones, same mission.
My dad was an owner/operator, working long days and even longer weekends. I grew up watching him lose sleep over hiring. Not because he didn't care, but because nobody taught him how to compete for talent the way big companies do. That stuck with me.
I spent years in corporate recruiting, then walked away to build Core Matters, a company that helps blue collar businesses stop losing their best people to competitors who figured out employer branding first. I wrote a book about it too: Hire Better People Faster.
Now I host Titans of the Trades, speak at industry events, and keep building tools like FieldCon to make the trades a better place to work.
The book
Hire Better People Faster
The playbook for small and mid-size companies that are done losing great candidates to bigger competitors. It covers everything from employer branding to interview strategy — the stuff nobody teaches you until you've already made the expensive mistakes.
Get the book →In the conversation
100+ guest appearances
When people want someone who won't sugarcoat the workforce conversation, they call me.