Rising Tides Live: Hospitality Talent Acquisition

Interview Takeaways

Why Recruiting Is Really About Relationships – Recruiting isn’t just about filling open roles; it’s about building trust, understanding company culture, and forming long-term partnerships. As Lauren Hodges explains, the most successful placements happen when recruiters deeply understand both the candidate and the company—turning a transactional process into a transformational one.
How Operators Can Compete Without Big Budgets – You don’t need a massive talent acquisition team to attract top talent. From employee referral incentives to grassroots networking and clear communication, smaller operators can level the playing field by being more intentional, proactive, and strategic in how they approach hiring.
The Future of Hiring Is Personal – In today’s labor market, job seekers want more than just a paycheck—they want to feel connected, valued, and aligned with a company’s mission. Whether it’s through earned wage access, flexible scheduling, or mentorship opportunities, businesses that personalize the employee experience will have the edge in both recruitment and retention.

In this session, we dive into the world of hospitality recruiting and talent acquisition—what it takes to find, retain, and grow great people in today’s restaurant and hospitality industry. In this episode of Rising Tides Live, guest hosts Ian Hoxworth and Lauren Hodges of EHS Recruiting step in for Shawn Walchef to lead a practical and heartfelt conversation about hiring strategies, the evolving job market, and the human side of recruitment. From proactive outreach and employee referrals to job board challenges and the value of mentorship, the group shares insights and real-world stories that reflect the complexities of building great teams. At its core, this conversation reminds us that recruiting isn’t just about filling roles—it’s about relationships, culture, and creating opportunities that change lives.

Listen to the replay of the latest room where the participants discussed community service and follow Cali BBQ Media to keep up with the latest and join the rooms to tell your story and have your voice heard

Every Wednesday and Friday at 10am PT, Shawn Walchef hosts the Rising Tides Live room streaming with Riverside on YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, and more. Leading voices in hospitality, and otherwise, from near and far join to discuss all things business and much more.

The Big Quote

Homework Assignment

Ask someone in your network how they got their last job—then share the best (or weirdest) answer with us on Friday.

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Episode Links

Cali BBQ Media: https://content.calibbq.media/
Join Our Next Show: https://betheshow.media/rising-tides/
Ian Hoxworth LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-hoxworth/
Lauren Hodges LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-hodges1/
EHS Recruiting: https://ehsrecruitingcompany.com/

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About Cali BBQ Media

Digital Hospitality is an interview-based video podcast hosted by business owner Shawn P. Walchef (@shawnpwalchef) and produced by his Cali BBQ Media company. The weekly digital series explores the ways successful businesses and entrepreneurs have merged old and new with innovative digital strategies that harness the power of the Internet and social media. Shawn is the founder of Cali BBQ Media and creator of the Restaurant Influencers podcast on Entrepreneur Media.

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