“It’s not always about dollar signs on your forehead. The more you invest in relationships, the more you build a legacy.” – Kelsi Cory

When Kelsi Cory launched her own executive recruiting firm, she wasn’t looking for short-term wins. She was trying to build a business with roots and that meant rejecting the transactional model most staffing firms rely on. Her firm, Cory Exec Recruiting, is designed around a different thesis: the best hires are the result of long relationships, deep trust, and a two-sided marketplace approach where the talent is just as important as the company.

“You can’t just show up with a candidate and expect it to work. That’s like setting up your friend on a date with someone you don’t even know.” – Kelsi Cory

Kelsi’s story starts with a golf cart and a leasing tour, but it was the chaos of fast-paced staffing work that taught her what she didn’t want: filling seats without meaning. So she flipped the script. Instead of racing to fill jobs, she decided to deeply vet both sides – employers and candidates. What struck me most was her insistence that recruiting at the executive level isn’t sales. It’s matchmaking with lives, careers, and reputations on the line. In fact, she often turns clients away if their expectations are misaligned or their urgency isn’t real. That kind of discipline is what makes a hell yes business.

“The higher up you go, the more stealth mode it becomes. People can’t even be seen talking to you at Starbucks.” – Kelsi Cory

This was a turning point in our conversation. Kelsi explained that executive recruiting exists not because hiring is hard (it is), but because executive hiring is confidential, strategic, and sensitive. People in the C-suite aren’t uploading resumes to job boards. They’re calling Kelsi behind closed doors. And companies, too, are often making changes quietly, sometimes replacing key leaders without alerting the org. Recruiting at this level isn’t about finding talent. It’s about knowing how to handle power, discretion, and timing.

“We don’t sell resumes. We help leaders play chess, not checkers.” – Kelsi Cory

At every stage of our conversation, Kelsi emphasized strategy. Her approach to both job seekers and employers starts with a tool she calls the 4 Cs: Commute, Compensation, Culture, and Challenge. If two or more are misaligned, it’s time to make a change. That framework hit me hard. It’s not just about hiring; it’s about making intentional career moves. I’ve already started using it in my own conversations not just with candidates, but with people in transition. It’s simple, clear, and actionable. And it reflects something bigger: good recruiters don’t push, they align.

“If you’re just taking orders, you’re a vendor. If you’re leveling with them, you’re a partner.” – Kelsi Cory

Kelsi doesn’t compete on speed or price, she competes on trust. And that means being a straight shooter, even when it’s uncomfortable. She’ll walk away from a deal if the client won’t prioritize the hire or isn’t ready to make tradeoffs. That’s what separates her from the order-takers. In a world where talent is your most expensive and impactful asset, having someone who’s willing to say “no” or “not yet” is exactly what most companies need but rarely get.

Here’s what I’m taking from this conversation:

• The best hires start long before the job is posted. They start with relationships.
  
• Recruiting is not sales. It’s matchmaking where trust, discretion, and timing are everything.
  
• Buyers (employers) and sellers (candidates) both need to be qualified. Hell yes doesn’t happen if either side is faking urgency.
  
• Culture isn’t fluff. It’s the hardest and most critical part of every executive placement.
  
• If you’re not willing to challenge a client, you’re just another vendor.
  

In Kelsi’s world, getting to “Hell Yes!” is never accidental. It’s built on clarity, conviction, and years of investment in people. And that might be the real secret to recruiting and to leadership.