Blue Signal Summit 2023 Recap

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In mid-January, we hosted the fourth annual Blue Signal Summit 2023. About 60 Blue Signalers from across the country came to Phoenix, Arizona to celebrate the momentous year that was 2022. To kick off the event, some Blue Signalers met for activities Monday morning, including golf and a spin class. Later, the team met at Revolu Taqueria for a welcome dinner reception. For many of our team members, it was the first time being face to face with their remote colleagues! New connections were made, laughs were shared, and a ton of Mexican food was eaten.  

The next day, Blue Signalers joined together at The Newton to commence a day’s worth of learning, connecting, and networking. The day included curated sessions covering topics from motivation and leadership to failure and compassion. The speaker lineup was stacked with industry professionals, Blue Signal leadership, and some of our very own recruiting team members. Ultimately, the sessions stirred up a lot of new ideas on client management, navigating your own desk, and personal growth.  

Summit 2023 signage

Speakers Featured at the Blue Signal Summit 2023

Sumona de Graff – Summit 2023 Keynote

As an organizational psychologist specializing in motivation and what drives people, Sumona de Graff spoke about unleashing the potential of leaders to achieve their goals. Sumona’s knowledge as a prior Fortune 300 Chief Human Resources Officer and expertise in social science provided helpful insights to apply to our recruiting practice techniques. Our team was grateful to hear from her at the Summit 2023 and received valuable takeaways from her session.  

Learn more about Sumona and her advisory firm, Idealis, by visiting her website. 

Sumona de Graaf speaking

Brent Stokes – “Distance Running: A Talk on Achievement, Learning, & Compassion” 

Next, Blue Signalers listened to a session led by Sr. Recruiting Manager, Brent Stokes. In “Distance Running: A Talk on Achievement, Learning, & Compassion,” Brent spoke about his journey with running, and how adopting habits can impact your life both professionally and personally. Brent’s session was motivating and provided tangible steps to avoid burnout and set yourself up for success in recruiting. 

Brent Stokes speaking at the Summit 2023

Alex Bolan – “Leadership & Overcoming the Fear of Failure”

After Brent’s session, Sr. Executive Recruiter Alex Bolan presented on “Leadership & Overcoming the Fear of Failure.” Alex captivated the audience with engaging stories about his time as a teenager, EMT, and military personnel, and the lessons he learned from overcoming the fear of failure. Alex highlighted what makes a great and not-so-good leader, and how to recognize those attributes. He inspired the audience to not fear failure, whether that occurs at home or in the office, but to rather to focus on the growth that comes from failing.  

Alex Bolan speaking at the Summit 2023

Claudia Barraza – Laughter Yoga 

In the afternoon, Blue Signalers had the chance to participate in laughter yoga, led by Claudia Barraza. Laughter yoga is a modern exercise involving a series of movement and breathing exercises to promote prolonged voluntary laughter. The practice of laughing yoga is intended to help lift your mood, reduce stress, increase energy levels, improve your quality of life, and help you better manage hardship. Earlier in 2022, members of Blue Signal Women of the Workplace participated in a virtual laughing yoga session. The positive feedback received from this session  inspired incorporating laughter yoga into the Blue Signal Summit 2023. 

Claudia did a fantastic job encouraging vulnerability and authenticity with colleagues throughout the activity. While it took Blue Signalers out of their comfort zone, many had incredible results afterwards. A few of the team members claimed they had more energy, felt less stressed, and had a better mood than when they started. We appreciate Claudia coming to lead this activity – it will be a memory our team never forgets!  

Claudia is a certified yoga instructor with over 500 teaching hours, and owner of Corazon Prem Yoga & Wellness in Phoenix, Arizona.  

Claudia Barraza laughing

Bo Scott – “Reflections on Ramping”

Following laughter yoga, the recruiting team listened to Sr. Executive Recruiter, Bo Scott, speak on his “Reflections on Ramping.” Bo shared his insights on the “ramp up” period of recruiting, AKA the first couple months in the role. In addition to sharing his experience, he emphasized the importance of adopting a “yes,” “next,” and “detached” mentality to be successful. His session provided immense value to the recruiting team. 

Bo Scott speaking at the Summit 2023

Jonathan Lee – “The Missing Piece of the Puzzle” 

While the recruiting team was hearing from Bo, the Blue Signal Specialists (Marketing, Operations, Finance, People & Culture) joined a session led by Jonathan Lee, Director of Operations. In “The Missing Piece of the Puzzle,” Jonathan shared personal stories of weakness and how it has led to his success at Blue Signal. Equal parts insightful and vulnerable, his session left the Specialists motivated and inspired. 

Jonathan Lee speaking at the Summit 2023

Pacesetter Panel 

Later in the afternoon, the 2022 Pacesetters held an open forum for questions from their recruiting colleagues. At Blue Signal, Pacesetters are equivalent to what other companies use as their President’s Club. Typically, the Blue Signal Pacesetters are the top performing recruiters of the company. Different from years past, this panel was made up of first-time Pacesetters. The panelists answered questions on their journey to achieving Pacesetter and what it took to get there. At the end, recruiters left with the insight and steps to achieve Pacesetter for 2023. 

Pacesetter Panel at Summit 2023

Summit 2023 State of the Signal Recap 

The Blue Signal Summit 2023 was concluded by the 2023 State of the Signal, led by Blue Signal CEO Matt Walsh. The State of the Signal presentation serves to showcase the company’s growth, achievements, and outlook for the following year. In addition, we try to measure against our core values of helping others, doing the right thing, and being excellent. 

Company Growth 

2022 was an enormous year of growth for Blue Signal, as both a recruiting firm and an employer. We took our expertise to all corners of the nation, by more than doubling our workforce. We now have recruiters in 20+ states nationwide and the Dominican Republic. Additionally, we surpassed 2,000 total placements, translating to 2,000 stronger teams. As we look forward to 2023, we hope to match this growth and impact even more lives. 

Launch of Resume and Career Services

Last year, Blue Signal launched our sister company, Resume and Career Services. This candidate-driven service helps job seekers gain the empowerment needed to secure their next great role. By bringing this new partnership to our arsenal of candidate support, we hope to forge a path ahead that turns qualified professionals into exceptional prospective hires.    

Awards

2022 was an amazing year for the Blue Signal team. At the Summit 2023, Blue Signal recognized 35 team members for going above and beyond – that's an outstanding 50% of our team! 13 recruiters were named as Pacesetters, and 22 individuals were awarded based on metrics, milestones, and upholding Blue Signal’s core values. We are so proud of everyone who was recognized, as their efforts do not go unnoticed. 

Blue Signal Gives Back

The winner of our 5th annual philanthropy initiative, Blue Signal Gives Back, was also announced during the awards ceremony at the Summit 2023. Each year, Blue Signal donates to a nonprofit charitable organization on behalf of the winner of a metrics-based, company-wide contest. The winner of Blue Signal Gives Back 2023 was unveiled as Kevin Smith, Sr. Executive Recruiter. As a result, $2,280 will be donated to the International Justice Mission on behalf of Kevin. The International Justice Mission is a global organization that protects people in poverty from human trafficking, modern-day slavery, violence, and police abuse of power. Blue Signal is proud to support this cause with our donation. 

Goals for 2023

The State of the Signal wrapped up with an outlook of the upcoming year and what the team can expect. In 2023, we are aspiring for more growth by expanding our national footprint while growing an international team. We are striving to optimize processes, including remote training and onboarding. Matt shared exciting opportunities for professional development, skills development, and leadership training. After another successful year at Blue Signal, we are ready to accomplish these mighty goals in 2023! 

Matt Walsh presenting awards during the State of the Signal

Summit 2023 Conclusion 

After the State of the Signal, Blue Signalers enjoyed dinner at Lylo Swim Club and toasted to 2023 on the rooftop of Don Woods’ Say When. Upon reflecting, the Blue Signal Summit 2023 was an incredible time to connect with colleagues, dive into topics like leadership, failure, and growth, and review our 2022 performance. The Summit left Blue Signalers inspired for what’s ahead in 2023. We appreciate all that made the journey to Phoenix to celebrate with us, and hope to see you back again next year!  

Not a Blue Signaler? Not a problem! We’re always looking to expand our team. If you’re interested in joining a company well on its way to becoming the best recruiting firm on the planet, contact us today to discover an exciting new path.  

A Recap of Blue Signal’s 3rd Annual Summit

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Last month, Blue Signal hosted our 3rd annual Summit. The BSS Summit tradition began back in 2019 as a way for our team to get together and celebrate our wins from the past year, as well as look forward and plan for the next! It’s a special sort of company holiday party and sales kickoff meeting all rolled into one. In typical 2022 fashion, however, the event had to be postponed. Luckily, the team was able to rally and make the event happen, if not at the beginning of the year.  

Employees from all over the US came to celebrate. With around 40 Blue Signalers in attendance, it turned into quite the event. Despite many of us working together for years, this was the first time several of us actually met in person! This conference was packed with opportunity for learning and team building.   

What We Learned at the 2022 BSS Summit   

At this year’s Blue Signal Summit, we had panels, guest speakers, and brainstorming sessions that will surely propel us to excel in the coming months. By leveraging the expertise both internally and externally, we were able to share ideas and learn about more industry best practices to make Blue Signal the best recruiting firm for years to come.   

Matt Walsh – Insights & The Heart of the Brand  

Starting off, our very own CEO and Founder Matt Walsh imparted some wisdom. Coming together as a community, he knew that everyone had come to the BSS Summit to hone their craft. However, several of the lessons given were applicable to all aspects of life. Discussing the challenging recruiting industry, he encouraged the team to strive to be the best. Recruiting demand is at an unprecedented rate, and now more than ever, we must focus on Excellence.  

Next, Matt discussed how the Blue Signal brand came to be. “Blue,” he explained, “symbolizes trust, honor, integrity. Everything that makes a good recruiter, but also everything that makes a good person.” As a business, the “Signal” is our way of being able to communicate those key tenants to people. By dialing into the meaning behind our brand, and setting the stage for the opportunity at hand, Matt set the tone for the lessons that followed.   

Matt Walsh - BSS Summit 2022

Pacesetter Panel   

2021’s Pacesetters gathered to answer questions from the team about various recruiting approaches, how to manage their desk, and how to stay in the game mentally when it comes to that recruiting grind. At Blue Signal, Pacesetters are similar to what other companies use as their President’s Club. For us, it’s generally the top performing recruiters of the company. Who better to learn from than the movers and shakers of our own team! Some hot topics of discussion were about taking risks, commitment, knowing when to say no, consistency, and heart – all of which are some very important principles when it comes to business, and life.   

Pacesetter Panel - BSS Summit 2022

Joe Rice – What Happened in 2020?   

The BSS Summit welcomed guest speaker Joe Rice as he spoke about What Happened in 2020? Joe Rice is the Founder and Managing Partner of Joseph David International (JDI), a search and consulting organization catering to the hospitality, senior living, real estate, construction, and civil engineering industry verticals. With over a decade as a player in the market, they have been recognized by Forbes as a Top Recruiting Firm.   

Joe began his career in executive recruiting in 2005, and has become a speaker, trainer, and thought-leader in executive recruitment, talent acquisition, and leadership. He has been a member of the Pinnacle Society since 2012, The Premier Consortium of 75 Industry-Leading Recruiters in North America. While Joe has shifted his focus toward the growth of JDI, he was still able to achieve $1.8M in billings working a solo desk in 2021. Meanwhile, his 3 solo recruiters billed $400K, $600K, and $800K.   

Joe provided incredible insights to the team. His segment focused on humility, perseverance, and flexibility – all things that were key not only to surviving the events in 2020, but also lessons that are sure to prove valuable as we move forward. We were able to learn from someone who not only leads some of the top producers, but also works a full desk, just as many at Blue Signal do each day.   

Joe Rice - BSS Summit 2022
Tim Pachasa - BSS Summit 2022

Tim Pachasa – Leadership at Any Level   

Additionally, we were incredibly excited to learn more about leadership from the expert himself, Tim Pachasa. Chief Master Sergeant (Retired) Timothy “Chachi” Pachasa is the owner and CEO of CAPE Lead LLC. Chief Pachasa created CAPE Lead to capture the lessons learned from nearly 25 years of calling in air strikes for army units, and translating those experiences into a tangible, repeatable communication formula that facilitates mission success.   

CMSgt Pachasa entered the Air Force in August 1994. His background includes two tours as a Command Chief, as well as having various duties in Army and Air Force echelons, including Special Operations Forces, NATO formal training schools, and MAJCOM Staff. Throughout his career, he has filled a myriad of roles including additional-duty First Sergeant and is a master rated parachutist with over 200 static line and military free fall jumps. His assignments include bases in North Carolina, Colorado, Texas, Kansas, Hawaii, and New Jersey. Chief Pachasa also served overseas in Germany, South Korea, and Kuwait, and has deployed in support of Operations Southern Watch, Iris Gold, Joint Forge, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, Spartan Shield, and Inherent Resolve. Prior to his retirement in 2019, CMSgt Pachasa served as the Squadron Superintendent, 9th Air Support Operations Squadron, Fort Hood, Texas.  

Through in-depth analysis of the philosophical understanding of leadership application, and leveraging his extensive and impressive military leadership background, Chachi has created a communication mechanism that allows for human error, while building a foundation for interpersonal communication. These fundamentals are sure to support Blue Signal’s leadership groups to excel as we continue to grow.   

What the BSS Summit Accomplished   

In addition to all the knowledge gained, the BSS Summit helped teams bond. As stated, this was the only time since joining that many remote Blue Signalers met their colleagues in person! They were finally able to shake their teammates' hands. They were able to mingle cross-departmentally, speaking with and getting to know coworkers that they may otherwise never have direct communication with. Although it may seem like an initial introduction on the outside, when looking around, the event felt like a reunion. Laughs were shared, and memories made.   

We learned a lot, but possibly most importantly, we built camaraderie. At Blue Signal, we work to make the remote lifestyle less lonely on a daily basis – through virtual team meetings, strategy sessions, search kick-off meetings, contests, and more. We do all we can to help support and rally our team. The whole event, covered completely by the company, was intended to acknowledge and reward the team’s hard work. It gave them the opportunity to unwind, learn, enjoy some good food, and connect outside their normal routine.  

Wrapping up 2021, Setting Sights on 2022 and Beyond!  

Blue Signal has quite an exciting year ahead. Employees left the BSS Summit feeling refreshed, recharged, and armed with new knowledge to better tackle recruiting tasks. In the end, the value will extend to better service for clients and candidates, too! As a company, we seek to continually prioritize the well-being of our employees. The BSS Summit is a testament to that mission.   

If you are interested in joining a company on its way to becoming the best recruiting firm in the world, visit our website and contact us today to discover an exciting new path. As for our employees, we can’t wait to see you at our next BSS Summit in 2023!   

Blue Signal Team - BSS Summit 2022