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Expert Advice + Resources
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Expert Advice + Resources
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Staffmark Lessons from the Road: Take the Meat, Leave the Bones
Welcome to Lessons from the Road where Staffmark leaders, visionaries, and go-getters share what they are learning in the field and on the road. Staffing is a business of movement, growth, and transformation. Whether at a client site, supporting local teams, making time for our communities, or joining industry events, we show up to learn, to help, and to share those lessons learned right here.
M
eet our Author: Victoria Torres
In this post, we hear from Victoria Torres a Staffmark Operations Manager and 2025 American Staffing Association (ASA) Women in Leadership Scholar who attended the ASA’s THRIVE and Staffing World this October. A brilliant professional who cares deeply about supporting Staffmark clients, Victoria shares her conference-going strategies for absorbing the meat that matters most, rising to meet change head on, and embracing who we are as individuals to connect and create impact. Enjoy the three lessons she shares from two of ASA’s premier annual events.
Leave the Bones. Refuse to Follow. Be True to You.
By Victoria Torres, Operations Manager – Employer of Record Payroll
After returning from the jam-packed, back-to-back days of ASA’s THRIVE and Staffing World, I had to sleep. A lot. My mind was so full of new people and lessons big and small.
Now that I am back and rested, three lessons from this incredible time of learning keep rising to the top of my mind.
- Lesson #1: Spit Out the Bones
Yes, really. There’s a saying I love: “Eat the meat and spit out the bones.” It’s about taking in what’s valuable and letting go of what isn’t.
I’ve spent most of my career in niche corners of the staffing industry: MSP, RPO, and now EOR. So, it wasn’t surprising that many presentations at ASA’s Staffing World didn’t directly apply to my day-to-day work. Still, I challenged myself to listen for the “nuggets of wisdom” hidden throughout the sessions.
For example, I attended a session led by Christine Sandman Stone titled “Getting Stuff Done: Building or Being a Modern Manager.” I’m not a manager (yet). My current team is just me, myself, and I.
But hearing Christine talk about the importance of building strong relationships between managers and employees gave me practical takeaways I can apply when supporting my clients.
- Lesson #2: Adapt to Thrive
While attending THRIVE, I listened to several women share pivotal moments in their careers. Moments where they faced a choice: stay the course or take a chance and change direction.
During the keynote by Angie Bastian, co-founder of Boomchickapop, she shared how her brand found success by doing the opposite of everyone else. Instead of the guilt-driven diet culture that dominated the 90s and early 2000s, she built a brand around joy, color, and confidence. Her message was simple but powerful: you can lead by refusing to follow.
That idea stuck with me. It reminded me of how we’re all responding to Artificial Intelligence in staffing. AI is a hot topic that sparks anxiety across the industry. Clients feel uncertain, talent feel threatened, and many of us struggle to predict what’s next. But like Angie, I chose to lean in. I spent most of Staffing World chasing every AI session I could find (even if it meant sprinting across a massive convention center in very cute but very uncomfortable shoes).
When change comes, we have two choices: resist it or rise with it.
- Lesson #3: You Have Something to Bring to the Table. Don’t Give Up Your Seat.
At THRIVE, surrounded by so many accomplished women, it was easy to feel small. My scholarship cohort alone was full of confident speakers and natural networkers. By day two of Staffing World, I was caught in my own thoughts and questioning whether I truly belonged.
Then, as I waited outside a session, an older gentleman tapped my shoulder. He was lost, spoke with a heavy Spanish accent, and said he approached me because of my El Sol de Jayuya earrings, a pair I almost didn’t wear because I wasn’t sure they looked “professional.” But that small choice made me instantly recognizable to him. He saw someone familiar. Someone safe.
That moment reminded me that authenticity is our greatest connector. Who we are at our core is what draws people in. Each of us brings something different to the table, and in an industry built on people, there’s room and a need for us all.
A big thank you to Victoria for sharing her knowledge and insights from this important industry event. Feel free to share Victoria’s ASA lessons to those you think would learn the from them, and watch for more from Staffmark Market Manager, Hayley Franklin, later this month.
