Top Producers: Attending TE Events = More Money

Back when we were promoting Top Echelon Connect Fall 2022 (oh, those many months ago), we featured a split placement between Network Preferred Members Michael Stuck of Gables Search Group and David M. Sgro of True North Consultants, Inc.

That’s because the duo made their first split together as a direct result of attending Top Echelon Connect 2022 in Las Vegas. They placed a Senior Network Administrator and split a fee of $30K. They’ve since made another split, sharing a $13K fee for placing an IT Service Desk Associate.

Both Michael and David are staunch believers in the value of attending Top Echelon recruiter networking events like the upcoming Connect 2023 convention in New Orleans. And both are among the most successful Preferred Members in the history of Top Echelon Network.

Michael, Top Echelon’s two-time defending Recruiter of the Year, has made 474 split placements in the Network, billing more than $3 million in the process. David, on the other hand, has made 136 TE splits totaling close to $1.2 million. (Keep in mind, of course, that all of these billings represent money that Michael and David would not have made if not for their Top Echelon Network Preferred Membership.)

Long-time Members of TE, Michael and David learned early in their Membership tenure that attending Network events could be instrumental in enjoying more split placement success.

“I was blown away by my first [event] back in 2005 and try to make them every year,” said Michael. “I always leave the conference with new trading partners who I go back to my desk and reach out to. Many times, we make splits right after the conference.”

“Attending the conferences is critical to my success in the Network,” added David. “I have directly attributed placements to each and every conference I’ve attended, which is pretty much all but one since I joined the Network.”

However, David and Michael met long before Connect 2022. As consistent attendees of Top Echelon events, their paths had crossed previously. In fact, they smoked cigars together at the 2007 Top Echelon Network National Convention in Charlotte. (David is a cigar aficionado.)

“Mike Stuck and I have known each other for a lot of years,” said David, “having met through the Network early on. We drifted apart a little bit over the last couple of years due to lack of personal interaction during the [COVID-19] pandemic. We saw each other in Vegas at Connect 2022 and instantly regained our synergy, and sure enough, we did a placement within a couple of months of that conference.”

In fact, David and Michael are more than just split recruiting partners. They’re also friends. According to Michael, this is another benefit of attending Top Echelon events, in addition to the opportunity to make more split placements.

“The beauty of the conferences is that you can build friendships from attending, too,” he said. “It’s hard to get to know someone over an email or phone call, but at the conferences you really get to let loose and have fun. Even at the roundtable [networking activities], you get to see a side of a recruiter you didn’t know before.”

Top Echelon hit the “pause button” on in-person networking events due to the COVID-19 pandemic. David, for one, is glad that the events have resumed and is eager to see his trading partners and other Network recruiters face-to-face.

“My split placements were down during the pandemic because of the lack of conferences,” he said. “The face-to-face interaction is vital to building trust, and most of my TE partners are not only business partners, but also good friends.”

There has been talk of a recession in the job market and the broader economy for the past six months. In fact, you almost can’t go through a single day without seeing the mention of a possible recession in the national news headlines. Regardless of such speculation, David continues to be laser-focused on the value that both his Top Echelon Network Preferred Membership and his attendance at TE events can bring him and his recruiting firm.

“There is a lot of recession talk these days and talk of a tough 2023,” he said. “I don’t normally pay too much attention to that kind of talk, but one thing I will say is if that should happen, it’s not the time to hunker down and hide. It’s all the more reason for me to get out and attend conferences and collaborate with my partners. When there is a contraction in the economy, it’s time to expand and increase our activity, and this includes taking positive action and attending conferences.”

With that in mind, Early Bird Registration for Top Echelon Connect 2023 ends this week. In fact, the last day that you can sign up at the Early Bird rate of $495 per person is Saturday, February 11. After that day, Regular Registration begins, which means the price will increase to $550 per person.

If you’re looking to leverage the value of your Top Echelon Network Preferred Membership and make more placements and more money in 2023, then you should definitely consider attending Connect 2023 in New Orleans.

But don’t take it from us . . . take it from a recruiter who has billed nearly $2.5 million through the Network during the past two calendar years.

“It’s the synergy of the conferences that works,” said Michael. “You go back with a feeling that you can make more splits, and it prompts you to work the Network even harder to have success with those you just met face-to-face.”

We hope to see you in New Orleans next month!