Welcome to Aspire Hire Conversations, the podcast where recruiting meets real talk.
Hosted by Chelsea Leon, founder of Aspire Hire, each episode dives into what’s really happening behind the scenes in the consumer goods world from beauty and personal care to apparel, food & beverage.
Hear from founders, hiring leaders, and top performers as we unpack how high-growth brands build powerhouse teams, navigate hiring challenges, and scale with intention.
Whether you’re a CPG founder, hiring manager, or ambitious professional looking to grow your career, you’ll walk away with insider insight
A candidate can seem great and still be the WRONG hire.
That’s why I wanted to record this episode.
I’m certified in Lou Adler’s Performance-based Hiring™ methodology, and one of the best rules from that framework is incredibly simple:
On a scale of 1-5: No 2s.
Not in motivation. Not in fit. Not in comparable results. Not in the areas your team absolutely needs to win.
In this episode, I walk through how this rule works, why leaders ignore it, and how it can make your hiring process a lot less stressful.
Want the scorecard I reference in the episode? Comment scorecard.
2 Apr 2026
Ep. 09: Networking (Reconnecting)
Take the Ick Out of Networking: How to Reconnect Without Making It Weird
Have you ever wanted to reach out to a former mentor, manager, or colleague but stopped yourself because it felt… awkward?
In this episode of Aspire Hire Conversations, we unpack why reconnecting often feels uncomfortable and how to do it in a way that’s authentic, respectful, and not transactional.
You’ll learn:
• Why we think reconnection needs a “reason” (and why that belief holds us back)
• How to reconnect without asking for anything
• What to say when “it’s been too long”
• How gratitude can reopen doors more powerfully than any pitch
This episode is for:
✔️ Professionals who value relationships
✔️ Anyone who hates traditional “networking”
✔️ People who want to lead with humanity, not hustle
If networking has ever given you the ick, this one’s for you.
👍 Like
💬 Comment
🔔 Subscribe for more conversations about careers, hiring, and building meaningful professional relationships
1 Feb 2026
Ep. 07: Hiring for Potential - How Startups Win With Smart Bets
In Episode 7 of Aspire Hire Conversations, “Hiring for Potential: How Startups Win With Smart Bets,” I break down the hiring mistake I see early-stage CPG brands make constantly:
They hire “big-brand resumes” for a startup environment… and then wonder why the hire struggles in the chaos.
In this episode, we talk about:
🌀 Why “hiring for potential” is not hiring for hope (or vibes)
📈 The achievement patterns that predict who can stretch, adapt, and build fast
🌪️ How to assess environment fit (storm vs sunshine) in interviews
🎯 The Performance-Based Interview questions that expose real capability
✅ Why defining 6–12 month performance objectives changes everything
If you’re building in ambiguity, limited resources, and fast pivots…
You don’t need the most polished candidate.
You need the storm-survivor. The builder. The one who’s done it without a machine behind them.
If you’re a founder, operator, or hiring leader in early-stage consumer brand this one’s for you.
13 Jan 2026
Ep. 08: Inside the Interview - The Questions That Separate Good from Great
Episode 8 | Inside the Interview: The Questions That Separate Good from Great | Aspire Hire Conversations
If you’ve ever walked out of an interview thinking “…did I actually learn anything?” …this episode is your new playbook.
In today’s conversation, we’re going inside the interview to break down the questions, strategies, and mindset that separate good candidates from great ones. Whether you’re a hiring manager at a scrappy founder-led CPG brand or a candidate preparing for your next big move in beauty, personal care, food & bev, or apparel - this episode gives you the tools to win.
✨ What you’ll learn:
Why most interviews rely on surface-level questions that don’t predict performance
The biggest pitfalls hiring managers don’t realize they’re making
How Performance-Based Hiring (Lou Adler’s method) transforms your ability to evaluate talent
The “Achievement Gap” framework that instantly reveals a candidate’s true impact
The single most important interview question I ask every time
How candidates can tell powerful, results-driven stories using STAR
Why great interviewing builds great culture, not just great teams
🧠 For hiring managers:
Learn how to structure an interview that uncovers real results, reduces gut-feel bias, and attracts A-players who thrive in fast-paced CPG environments.
💡 For candidates:
Discover how to communicate your accomplishments clearly, confidently, and impactfully. Even if you don’t have the “perfect” background on paper.
About Aspire Hire Conversations
Hosted by Chelsea Leon, CPG recruiter and founder of Aspire Hire, this podcast breaks down what it really takes to hire, grow, and retain high-performing teams across beauty & personal care, food & beverage, apparel, and lifestyle brands.
If you’re building a team or building your career, these conversations will help you get there.
Visit: AspireHire.net (https://aspirehire.net)
12 Jan 2026
Ep. 06: How to Attract A-Players (Without Competing on Salary Alone)
How to Attract A-Players (Without Competing on Salary Alone)
If your job post sounds like every other job post… you’re fishing in the same pond as everyone else and wondering why you keep catching the same fish.
In this episode of Aspire Hire Conversations, I’m pulling back the curtain on what actually catches the attention of high-performing, passive CPG talent: the ones who are not scrolling job boards, not chasing the highest salary, and definitely not responding to bland job descriptions that read like tax forms.
Inside this episode, you’ll learn:
✅ What A-players really care about (hint: it’s not salary)
✅ How to make your role irresistible through storytelling, clarity, and purpose
✅ Why employer brand is your most underused recruiting tool
✅ How Performance-Based Hiring turns job descriptions into magnets for top talent
✅ The small shifts that make CPG founders and hiring managers stand out instantly
If you’re a Beauty, Personal Care, Food & Bev, Apparel, or Wellness brand competing in a saturated talent market, this episode will give you the playbook that your competitors aren’t using.
✨ Ready to hire A-players the right way? Let’s talk.
If you’re tired of candidate ghosting… tired of generic resumes… tired of interviewing the wrong fits…
You don’t have a hiring problem. You have a positioning problem.
I can fix that.
👉 Book a call with me here: aspirehire.net (https://aspirehire.net)
About Aspire Hire
Aspire Hire helps founder-led and scaling CPG brands recruit top-tier talent through a high-touch, performance-based, relationship-driven approach.
Zero spray-and-pray.
Zero spammy outreach.
Just strategic, targeted recruiting for brands that want the top 10%.
12 Jan 2026
Ep. 05: The Truth About Candidate Ghosting (And What It’s Really Telling You)
If you’ve been ghosted by a candidate lately… pause.
It’s not personal. But it IS a signal.
In this episode of Aspire Hire Conversations, I break down what candidate ghosting actually means, why it’s happening more often, and what top talent is really communicating when they quietly disappear.
You’ll learn:
✅ The real reasons candidates disengage (it’s not because they’re flaky)
✅ What ghosting reveals about your hiring process
✅ How timing, brand reputation, and communication shape candidate experience
✅ The silent signals A-players send when something feels off
✅ How Aspire Hire prevents ghosting through clear expectations, transparency, and true relationship-building
Whether you’re a CPG founder, a hiring manager, or someone building a scrappy team in beauty, personal care, apparel, or food & beverage, this episode gives you the inside look at what’s really going on behind the scenes.
🎧 Listen in, learn the signals, and strengthen your hiring process.
Subscribe for more episodes on building powerhouse CPG teams.
12 Jan 2026
Ep. 04: What Recruiters Actually Do (...and how Aspire Hire is different)
🎙 What Recruiters Actually Do (…and how Aspire Hire is different)
I’ve talked to a few hiring managers recently who admitted something surprisingly common:
👉 They’re not actually sure what recruiters do.
And honestly? That’s fair.
Most of what happens behind the scenes is a complete mystery — especially if your only experience is those “Hey, saw your profile…” mass DMs.
So in Episode 4 of Aspire Hire Conversations, I’m pulling back the curtain.
Here’s what I’m covering (without giving it all away 😉):
✨ The real reason “spray-and-pray” recruiting fails
✨ What actually goes into a high-touch, low-volume search
✨ How Performance-Based Hiring changes who you hire and how fast they ramp
✨ What makes an A-player… well, an A-player
✨ And why partnering with the right recruiter saves you time, money, and a whole lot of headache
If you’ve ever wondered what GREAT recruiting looks like (or why my approach at Aspire Hire feels different!), this episode will answer all of it.
🎧 Watch Episode 4 now! You’ll never look at recruiting the same way again.
4 Nov 2025
Ep. 03: 🔥 Why Q4 Is the Secret Weapon for Smart Hiring in CPG
Podcast Ep 03: 🔥 Why Q4 Is the Secret Weapon for Smart Hiring in CPG | Aspire Hire Conversations with Chelsea Leon
Q4 isn’t a slow season for hiring—it’s your secret weapon. 💥
While most companies hit pause for the holidays, smart CPG brands are quietly securing top talent before the new-year rush. In this episode, I break down:
✅ Why end-of-year hiring gives you an edge
✅ How to attract passive talent while competitors are asleep
✅ The best Q4 recruiting strategies for CPG founders and hiring managers
✅ What candidates can do NOW to land dream roles before January
Whether you’re in beauty, personal care, food & beverage, or apparel, this episode shows you how to build momentum when everyone else is slowing down.
4 Nov 2025
Ep. 02: The Hidden Cost of a BAD HIRE
Ever felt the sting of a mis-hire on the team?
We’ve all been there. The new hire that looked great on paper… but wasn’t the right fit. In CPG, those mistakes don’t just sting... they’re expensive.
It’s not just wasted payroll. It’s:
⚠️ Slowed growth
⚠️ Damaged culture
⚠️ Lost market opportunities
In fast-moving CPG, the wrong person in the wrong seat can derail everything.
We're sharing what every CPG leader needs to know (and what no one is talking about!) when it comes to hiring 👀
4 Nov 2025
Ep. 01: The SHIFT in CPG HIRING
CPG is transforming. So is hiring.
✨You’re not imagining it. In 2025, the rules of hiring are changing.
The best candidates? They’re not scrolling job boards - they’re busy building iconic brands.
That’s why it isn't about waiting for talent.
It’s about FINDING them.
We're highlighting how smart CPG companies will win the talent race this year.
Reach and audience
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
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