Why do good employees leave and what are executives getting wrong about hiring, leadership, and employee retention?

In this episode of The Hiring Confessional, recruiting expert Michael Hayes sits down with Mary Collum of Arizona Growth Advisors to discuss what business leaders often overlook when hiring, developing, and retaining their people.

Mary shares her perspective on working with mid-market business owners and C-suite executives, explaining why companies can succeed despite lacking clear systems, leadership alignment, and succession plans. Together, Michael and Mary explore the hiring mistakes that drive great candidates away, the importance of setting realistic job expectations, and why a poor onboarding experience can damage an employee's relationship with a company from day one.

The conversation also examines why good employees sometimes leave while underperforming or toxic employees remain, how company culture influences retention, and why leaders need to make faster, smarter hiring decisions. Mary explains how employee ownership, profit-sharing, leadership development, and a strong internal culture can help businesses build teams that want to stay and grow.

Michael and Mary also discuss private equity, the challenges of retaining skilled tradespeople, the role of fractional CFOs, and how executives can create a confidential environment where business leaders can address problems and become more effective.

In this episode:

• Why good employees leave and what leaders often miss
• The biggest hiring mistakes businesses make
• Why long, unrealistic job descriptions drive candidates away
• How AI screening can overlook qualified candidates
• Why recruiting should focus on people, not just resumes
• How poor onboarding can damage employee retention
• Why setting clear expectations before hiring matters
• How toxic managers can weaken company culture
• Why businesses need to make hiring decisions faster
• How employee ownership and profit-sharing can improve retention
• What executives should know about leadership development and succession planning
• Why company culture matters when hiring for fit
• How private equity can affect employees and business operations
• Why growing companies need the right financial leadership
• How behavioral interview questions can reveal more about candidates
• How leaders can improve employee engagement and accountability
• Why businesses should treat employees as importantly as customers
• How executive advisory groups help business owners grow

🔗 Connect with Our Guest:
🎙 Guest: Mary Collum – Arizona Growth Advisors
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marycollum/
🌐 Company: Arizona Growth Advisors

🔗 Connect with Our Host:
🎙 Host: Michael Hayes – Recruiting Expert and Founder of Momentum Hiring Solutions
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhayes100200/
🏢 Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/momentum-hiring-solutions
🌐 Website: https://mtm2recruit.com/

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💬 What's the biggest reason good employees leave a company: poor leadership, lack of opportunity, or a better offer somewhere else? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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