Human Decency in the Age of AI: Recruiting, Relationships & Real Talk with Matt Mann

Buckle up, Crazy People Podcast fans—Russ Broomell and Maurice Hofmann are back, and this time they’ve brought along a familiar face with a wealth of wisdom (and a few zigzags on the career path). Episode 55 welcomes Matt Mann, the global recruiter who’s not only helped companies hire in over 60 countries but also placed Russ and consulted Maurice in their own careers.

Watch the episodes on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/u1BgeFwFPAE

This isn’t your standard recruiting chit-chat. Matt takes us behind the curtain of an industry that’s been through whiplash-inducing shifts—from employer markets to employee markets, from pre-COVID chaos to post-COVID booms, and now into the uncharted waters of AI and automation. Together, the guys dig into the hard questions: How do you keep the human in hiring when algorithms and ATS systems threaten to strip the soul out of the process? What does “fit” really mean beyond the resume? And why is closing the loop—actually calling candidates back—one of the simplest yet most ignored acts of professional decency?

Between the insights are plenty of laughs, sports analogies, and personal stories—like the recruiter who ended up on the phone with Russ’s wife to prove the job was real, or the Queen-inspired Wayne’s World sing-along that proves authenticity never goes out of style. From cultural travel dreams to industry frustrations, Matt, Russ, and Maurice remind us that every “transaction” in business is really just a chance for connection, and that the right match is about more than skills—it’s about people.

Whether you’re a job seeker, a hiring manager, or someone who’s been ghosted one too many times, this conversation will give you perspective, practical takeaways, and a smile.

#CrazyPeoplePodcast #RussAndMaurice #MattMann #RecruitingLife #HumanInHiring #AIandRecruitment #CareerFit #NetworkingMatters #PodcastInterview #BusinessWithHeart

On Episode 54 of the Crazy People Podcast, things get savory, smart, and just a little unhinged in the best possible way. This week, Russ Broomell and Maurice Hofmann sit down with Matt Wampler, co-founder and CEO of ClearCOGS, who went from slicing bread in the back of a Jimmy John’s to slicing up restaurant data for predictive insights—without ever losing his sense of humor, hustle, or humanity.

Matt is a former Jimmy John’s franchisee turned tech founder, but don’t let the suit fool you—he’s still got the restaurant grease under his fingernails and the entrepreneurial fire in his belly. In this episode, he opens up about his wild transition from running stores with overflowing toilets and no-shows on shift, to building a B2B SaaS company that’s helping restaurants across five countries predict exactly how much pulled pork to prep—or when to expect a mob of cupcake-loving book club moms.

From building his first startup with nothing but a co-founder, some code, and a pandemic-induced side hustle, to now raising half a million dollars to close his seed round, Matt takes us behind the scenes of what it’s like to blend data science, AI, and pure gut instinct into something that actually helps real humans make fewer mistakes and sleep a little better at night.

He talks candidly about the brutal difference between managing real-time chaos in a restaurant and the long, slow feedback loops of tech startup life. He shares the frustrations of learning to code (and unlearning the idea that everything has to be urgent), and the very real lessons he’s picked up from venture capitalists, including why you should always test your internal champion early in a sales process.

Along the way, we cover everything from Taylor Swift and Springsteen to Magic Johnson’s Starbucks empire, the logistics of Japanese trade shows, the trials of Harvard’s data science courses, and why raccoons on meth might be a perfect metaphor for your next dishwasher-loading strategy.

If you’ve ever worked in hospitality, dreamed of launching a tech company, or just love hearing how far curiosity, hustle, and a bit of calculated chaos can take you, this episode is for you. It’s fast-paced, full of unexpected wisdom, and—like any great dish—best served with a story.

So tune in, learn something new, and maybe next time you order a sandwich, you’ll wonder: Did AI help make this happen?

Join the conversation and share your thoughts using #CrazyPeoplePodcast #RestaurantTech #ClearCOGS #StartupStories #HospitalityAI #MattWampler #SmartKitchens #PredictiveData #AIinRestaurants and #StayCrazy.

Welcome back to another unforgettable episode of the Crazy People Podcast. In Episode #53, hosts Russ Broomell and Maurice Hofmann dive headfirst into a conversation that will leave you rethinking how we define talent, inclusion, and what it truly means to hire the right person. Their guest this time is Ron Fish—head of Talent Acquisition at software company Ivanti and a full-time advocate for accessibility and disability inclusion in the workplace.

Watch Crazy People Podcast episode #53 here: https://youtu.be/SKSNXC6Zy-4

Ron brings a fresh and deeply personal perspective to the world of hiring. With a background shaped by family experiences and a professional path forged in both global corporations and fast-moving tech firms, he’s on a mission to shift how companies view disability—not as a charitable checkbox, but as a powerful and often overlooked component of real diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. His stories are engaging, honest, and at times hilariously revealing (yes, someone really did show up to an interview in a full cow-print suit).

Throughout the conversation, Ron shares what sparked his obsession with accessibility, how his company discovered their own website was inadvertently excluding applicants with disabilities, and what it means to go from being “knee-deep” in DEI to being “all in.” Russ and Maurice explore everything from the biases hidden in interview processes to the surprising superpowers of Starbucks baristas, and the sobering truth that many DEI programs still fail to account for disability altogether.

They also cover the growing use—and misuse—of AI in hiring, what it’s like to build programs that don't require budgets but demand intention, and how hiring junior talent can open the door to entirely new ways of thinking. Ron’s passion is infectious, and his message is clear: if we truly want to build inclusive, innovative workplaces, we need to stop hiring people who look and think like us—and start recognizing the unique value that different perspectives bring to the table.

With humor, warmth, and a killer dad joke to close things out, this episode is a heartfelt reminder that being different isn’t a limitation—it’s an asset. And as always, Russ and Maurice keep it real, curious, and just crazy enough to make you want to hear more.

So tune in, share it with your hiring manager, and remember: the food on the moon may be great, but there’s no atmosphere—just like a workplace without true inclusion.

Don’t forget to follow along using hashtags like #CrazyPeoplePodcast, #DisabilityInclusion, #InclusiveHiring, #DEIwithPurpose, #RonFishTalks, #NeurodiversityAtWork, #AccessibleWorkplace, #IvantiInclusion, #CrazyGoodGuests, and #StayCrazy. #DEI #RussBroomell #MauriceHofmann