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Lessons from the Road: Finding New Fire and New Friends
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.
Meet our Author: Hayley Franklin
This edition of Lessons from the Road welcomes Hayley Franklin, Staffmark Market Manager, ultramarathoner, Miss Florida for America, and Chair of the Health and Wellness Alliance for Staffmark Group. As busy and sought after as Hayley is, she is well known always taking time to help others. We are grateful she is taking time for us again to share what she learned on the road and with industry leaders this conference season.
New Fire & New Friends: How ASA’s THRIVE & Staffing World 2025 Delivered
When you return from a high-energy event teeming with people like ASA’s THRIVE and Staffing World, part of you wants to pause and relive it all. To slow down and reflect. But staffing is a busy, bustling industry. The moment you’re back at your branch (for me that here in Tampa, FL) there are eager candidates to place, valued clients to serve, and amazing, hardworking team members to support. It is a never stop, never stopping kind of world that I absolutely adore.
But, when the days move fast, it’s easy to jump right into the next task or client request without processing and leveraging the lessons we’ve been given. But what I saw and gained at THRIVE and Staffing World deserves to be carried forward, which is why I wanted to document my biggest takeaways from this unforgettable experience.
- Keep the Circle Growing
This year, I was honored to be one of eight recipients of the Women in Leadership Award, and that recognition still feels surreal. To be surrounded by women who are incredibly intelligent, accomplished, humble, and kind is something I will never forget. Each of them brought unique expertise and energy, and I am so grateful they are now part of my circle. We have already set up monthly coffee chats to stay connected, and I am thankful for the community that has come from this experience.
- Leadership Is about Learning, from Hallways to Main Stages
The panels, sessions, and hallway conversations left me feeling empowered, challenged, and reenergized. The women who shared their stories on stage did not just talk about success. They talked about resilience, balance, and what it means to lead with authenticity. They left me feeling like I could take on the world, and I intend to bring that same energy every day to my team in Florida.
- Excellence is a Daily Decision
One of the highlights of my trip was meeting Katie Ledecky, the most decorated female Olympic swimmer of all time. Standing in the presence of someone who has achieved that level of success was a reminder that excellence does not happen by accident. It is a choice you make every single day, even when no one is watching.
Now, I am not comparing my story to Katie Ledecky’s. She has gold medals, and I have blisters, but I feel the decision to choose excellence still applies. I recently completed my first ultra marathon. It was equal parts excitement and exhaustion. That experience taught me that success is built on consistency: showing up on the days you do not want to, trusting the process, and keeping promises to yourself.
That same mindset of consistency and excellence drives me professionally. In staffing, just like in running, consistency beats intensity. It is not about sprinting once and calling it a day. It is about staying steady, showing up again and again, and finding joy in the challenge.
- Lift Others Along the Way
What makes events like these so powerful is not just what you learn but what you do with it afterward. My Staffmark colleague and fellow scholarship winner, Victoria Torres, demonstrated this in the lessons she insightful shared our time at THRIVE and Staffing World. In this industry, collaboration is essential to success. It takes many people to keep the world of work running. When we share insights, support each other’s growth, and celebrate one another’s wins, we all rise together. That sense of community and shared purpose is what keeps me motivated every single day.
Thank you to Hayley for sharing her story and reminding us what it looks like to lead with heart, humor, and determination. If these lessons inspired you, share them with someone who could use a little motivation today. After all, success is better when we grow together.
