[Stage] Stop Wasting Your Days! (featuring Joanie Bily)

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Sep 15, 2025

Joanie Bily, CEO of Dress for Success Worldwide and a noted thought leader in staffing and women’s leadership, discusses transformative strategies in leadership. She emphasizes ruthless prioritization for achieving balance and the necessity of 'protected time out' for personal growth. Bily also highlights the importance of innovation in the staffing industry, arguing that smaller firms can outpace giants through adaptability. She encourages a shift from victimhood to accountability and stresses that progress is key in navigating challenges.

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ADVICE

Invest In Innovation Now

Innovate now: build a tech and strategy plan that increases efficiency and aligns with future job demands.
Prioritize investments in AI and digital tools even if budgets are tight to avoid obsolescence.

INSIGHT

Tech Lag Created An Urgency

Staffing historically underinvested in tech due to thin margins, creating today’s urgency to catch up.
CEOs now must rethink digital strategy or risk being unable to compete in coming years.

ADVICE

Small Firms Can Move Faster

Small and mid-size firms should leverage speed and flexibility to pilot tech and outpace larger competitors.
Use consultants, pilots, and prioritized investments to modernize your tech stack incrementally.

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In this episode of Take the Stage, Brad Bialy sits down with Joanie Bily to explore how ruthless prioritization, balance, and innovation can reshape leadership and the staffing industry’s future.

About the Guest

Joanie Bily is CEO of Dress for Success Worldwide, a board member and past Chair of the American Staffing Association, and a widely recognized thought leader in staffing, labor market insights, and women’s leadership. With three decades of executive experience at firms like Employbridge, Monster, Randstad, and Adecco, Joanie is also the author of Dive In D.E.E.P. and a sought-after speaker on workforce trends and transformation.

Key Takeaways

Ruthless prioritization drives balance and clarity.
Protected time out is non-negotiable for growth.
Progress matters more than perfection.
Strategy without execution is just hope.
The future belongs to firms that innovate fast.

Timestamps

[00:14] – Mastering ruthless prioritization for true balance

[02:44] – How to start deploying "Protected Time Out"

[05:02] – How movement and mindset fuel professional success

[07:27] – Shifting from victimhood to accountability in leadership

[09:24] – Restarting after failure without losing momentum

[13:10] – Stop waiting—how to act powerfully in tough markets

[16:35] – Why innovation, not tradition, defines the future of staffing

[19:25] – How smaller firms can outpace industry giants

[21:54] – Where old-school leaders should begin with tech

[24:59] – The marathon mindset every staffing leader needs

[31:45] – Preparing for automation, reskilling, and workforce gaps

[35:42] – Joanie’s best advice for building a lasting staffing career

About the Host

Brad Bialy is a trusted voice and highly sought-after speaker in the staffing and recruiting industry, known for helping firms grow through integrated marketing, sales, and recruiting strategies. With over 13 years at Haley Marketing and a proven track record guiding hundreds of firms, Brad brings deep expertise and a fresh, actionable perspective to every engagement. He’s the host of Take the Stage and InSights, two of the staffing industry’s leading podcasts with more than 200,000 downloads.

Sponsors and Offers Heard

Take the Stage is presented by Haley Marketing. The old way of selling staffing is dead. Let’s fix it – with smarter strategies and HUGE DISCOUNTS on modern lead gen tools: https://bit.ly/Bialy20

Book a 30-minute business and marketing consultation with host, Brad Bialy: https://bit.ly/Bialy30

For 30 years, Benefits in a Card has delivered benefit plans designed specifically for the staffing industry—over 140 unique options with immediate coverage, unique perks like FreeRx, and solutions that reduce turnover while improving ACA compliance. Give your workforce benefits they’ll actually use and give your staffing firm a competitive edge. Learn more at https://www.BenefitsInACard.com.