Rob Levin is a serial entrepreneur helping small businesses win the talent game, co-founding Work Better Now to deliver exceptional Latin American talent and drive growth, innovation, and competitive advantage for hundreds of businesses.

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Guest Resources

The New Talent Playbook: The Ultimate Guide for Building your Dream Team – Get a copy of Rob’s book on Amazon. Use the QR code to access the free workbook and build your own talent playbook step-by-step.

Glassdoor – Check out Glassdoor today and read what employees say about your company; your culture transformation begins there.

Work Better Now – High-performing near shore talent at a fraction of the cost.

3 Value Bombs

1. Your long-term success is not about your product; it’s about your team and how well you lead, manage, and develop them.

2. Cultural fit outweighs skills every time; hire for attitude and alignment with core values, then upskill for capability.

3. Global remote talent unlocks stronger teams, higher margins, and a wider talent pool; it’s now a competitive necessity, not an outlier.

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode.

Today’s Audio MASTERCLASS: The New Talent Playbook : The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Dream Team

[1:30] – Rob shares something he believes about becoming successful that most people disagree with.

True success is driven more by your team than by your product or strategy.
Most entrepreneurs treat team as an afterthought; the opposite of what creates sustainable growth.

[2:35] – Rob talks about the talent crisis no one sees coming.

Businesses are experiencing a hidden crisis without realizing it.
The pace of change (AI, marketing shifts, customer expectations) requires stronger teams than ever.
Baby Boomers are leaving the workforce; younger generations have different work habits and expectations.
Small businesses are holding on to mediocre performers undermining high performers and shrinking their future goals.

[5:27] – Rob talks about hiring like the best without a Fortune 500 budget.

Culture matters more than compensation for younger top performers.
Culture must be designed, not accidental.
Flexibility, internal mobility, remote options, and treating people like humans are now baseline expectations.
Market your company to candidates the same way you market to customers.

[7:33] – Rob talks about culture as the ultimate competitive advantage.

Your culture is already public through sites like Glassdoor; candidates see it before applying.
Strong culture is built on mission, empowerment, and results-focused leadership (not micromanagement).
KPIs reviewed weekly help create a culture of consistency and clarity.
Fun + growth opportunities + autonomy = magnet for top performers.

[11:07] – A timeout to thank our sponsors.

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Thrivetime Show: This is your year to transform your business! Start your transformation by attending the world’s highest rated business growth workshop at ThrivetimeShow.com/EOFire!
HighLevel: The ultimate all-in-one platform for entrepreneurs, marketers, coaches, and agencies! Learn more at HighLevelFire.com!

[14:45] – Rob talks about the secret hiring formula that is beyond resumes.

Cultural fit > skills; core values must drive hiring decisions.
Assess fit by asking candidates what they liked/disliked about past roles.
Look for ownership mentality and comfort with change.
Upskilling is essential: training (internal or external) ensures teams evolve with the pace of change.
Upskilling boosts retention, promotes internal mobility, and fuels innovation.

[18:56] – Rob talks about remote and global talent: your hidden goldmine.

The #1 challenge small businesses report is finding strong applicants.
Remote + offshore talent dramatically widens your talent pool.
Exceptional talent exists across the Philippines, Latin America, and other regions with strong English and great attitudes.
Work Better Now’s own team: 80% in Latin America, including half its leadership.
Cost savings are a bonus. The real value is capability, quality, and reliability.

[22:37] – Rob talks about turning talent into your growth engine.

It all starts with mindset: recognizing talent as your #1 competitive edge.
Core values must be active, lived, and slightly aspirational.
Upskilling + internal mobility = long-term retention and capability building.
Recognize great performers publicly; it drives motivation and models expectations.
Address poor performance quickly — either misaligned values or inability to meet role expectations drag the entire culture down.

[26:57] – Rob talks about his book: The New Talent Playbook.

Rob wrote the book because he once led teams the wrong way; micromanaging, working nonstop, lacking culture.
Work Better Now was built intentionally with talent-first principles and is now a 2-time Inc. 5000 company.
The book distills the new rules of leadership and modern talent management.

[28:37] – Call to action.

The New Talent Playbook: The Ultimate Guide for Building your Dream Team – Get a copy of Rob’s book on Amazon. Use the QR code to access the free workbook and build your own talent playbook step-by-step.
Glassdoor – Check out Glassdoor today and read what employees say about your company; your culture transformation begins there.
Work Better Now – High-performing near shore talent at a fraction of the cost.

[31:00] – Thank you to our Sponsors!

Thrivetime Show: This is your year to transform your business! Start your transformation by attending the world’s highest rated business growth workshop at ThrivetimeShow.com/EOFire!
HighLevel: The ultimate all-in-one platform for entrepreneurs, marketers, coaches, and agencies! Learn more at HighLevelFire.com!

Killer Resources!

1) The Common Path to Uncommon Success: JLD’s 1st traditionally published book! Over 3000 interviews with the world’s most successful Entrepreneurs compiled into a 17-step roadmap to financial freedom and fulfillment!

2) Free Podcast Course: Learn from JLD how to create and launch your podcast!

3) Podcasters’ Paradise: The #1 podcasting community in the world!