The Chad & Cheese Podcast - podcast cover

The Chad & Cheese Podcast

Evergreen Podcastswww.chadcheese.com
Everything people and workforce—recruiting, marketing, technology, talent management, and workforce economics—delivered with biting sarcasm and unapologetic snark. Industry misfits Chad Sowash and Joel Cheesman bring their no-holds-barred opinions to dissect news, trends, and the occasional dumpster fire. If you’re a hiring company, staffing firm, or vendor looking for insights (and a thick skin), these two won’t just tell you what’s happening—they’ll tell you why you’re probably doing it wrong. Buckle up, buttercup.
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Episodes

One-Page Talent Management with Marc Effron

In this episode of The Chad and Cheese Podcast, hosts Joel Cheesman and Chad Sowash roll out the welcome mat for Marc Effron, the big cheese at Talent Strategy Group and coauthor of One Page Talent Management. The trio dives headfirst into the wild jungle of talent management, where CEOs and HR are apparently playing a bad game of telephone. Marc dishes on why HR processes need a simplicity makeover—like swapping War and Peace-length forms for a Post-it note. He spills the tea on why companies f...

Jul 08, 202534 min

Indeed Shareholder Report

In this episode, the gang kicks off with Canada Day banter, praising poutine and noting its July 1 celebration. The trio plans to rock RecFest UK in Knebworth, with J.T. plotting to heckle the boys. The core discussion dives into Indeed’s aggressive moves to dominate hiring, forcing agencies to adopt APIs and share disposition data, reminiscent of old newspaper models, per Jim Durbin’s insights. Chad critiques Recruit Holdings’ push for a unified “HR matching market,” warning it’s a dated cost-p...

Jul 04, 202542 min

Indeed Feed Frenzy with Jim Durbin

In this episode, your loyal hosts roll out the red carpet for Jim Durbin, the industry's "Indeed Whisperer," who’s here to spill the beans on Indeed’s latest shenanigans. The trio dives into Indeed’s shiny new job posting policies, the corporate game of telephone gone wrong inside the company, and how this hot mess is shaking up agencies and recruiters like a bad TikTok dance. Jim drops some truth bombs about why quality candidates trump a flood of resumes, the nerdy allure of disposition data, ...

Jul 01, 202538 min

JobGet Buys Monster? Inside the CareerBuilder Fire Sale

In another lively episode of The Chad and Cheese Podcast, hosts Joel Cheesman, Chad Sowash, and J.T. O’Donnell blend humor with industry insights. The show tackles a grim industry shake-up: CareerBuilder and Monster’s job board business is being sold to JobGet amid Chapter 11 bankruptcy. JobGet’s gobbling distressed assets like Snagajob, but Chad questions the strategy, as these “misfit toys” boost revenue without growth. Unsecured creditors, like Jobverse ($2.7M) and TextKernel ($2.2M), are owe...

Jun 27, 202554 min

Welcome to Sintra's Jungle

Buckle up for another wild ride on The Chad and Cheese Podcast, where our hosts sling hot takes faster than a fast food drive-thru! This episode’s a global smorgasbord, kicking off with a shout-out to Portugal’s national football team, who’re apparently scoring goals like they’re auditioning for a Hollywood blockbuster. Olé! Then, the lads pivot to Taco Bell’s grand invasion of Ireland—because nothing says “Irish culture” like a Crunchwrap Supreme at 2 a.m.Next, they dive into the recruitment ju...

Jun 25, 202544 min

CNET's Katherine Watt: Tackling the Jobless Jungle

On this episode of The Chad & Cheese Podcast, the boys lasso CNET money maestro Katherine Watt to dissect the job market’s wild west. Watt spills the beans on why unemployment stats are about as reliable as a weather app in a hurricane, exposing the gritty reality job seekers face. They wrangle topics like the “Great Stay” snoozefest, where workers cling to jobs like life rafts, and the economic data that’s got everyone scratching their heads. Watt drops gold nuggets on crafting resumes that...

Jun 23, 202540 min

Meta vs. OpenAI: The Poaching Wars

This week, hosts Chad Sowash, Joel Cheesman, and Emi Beredugo sling zingers at the tech and policy chaos of today's work of work. First up, they cackle over OpenAI’s Sam Altman throwing shade at Meta, claiming Zuck’s crew dangled $100 million bonuses to poach his AI wizards. Altman, smirking on his brother’s podcast, scoffed, “Meta’s not exactly an innovation powerhouse,” betting OpenAI’s culture will outshine cash as they chase superintelligence—AI that’ll make humans look like dial-up modems. ...

Jun 20, 202555 min

Inside Apple’s China: Secrets, Supply Chains, and Geopolitics with Patrick McGee

In this episode of The Chad & Cheese Podcast, hosts Chad Sowash and Joel Cheesman interview Patrick McGee, a former Financial Times reporter and author of Apple in China: The Capture of the World’s Greatest Company. The discussion delves into McGee’s book, which explores Apple’s transformative relationship with China, its massive investments, and the unintended consequences for global tech and geopolitics. The interview covers McGee’s research process, Apple’s control over its narrative, the...

Jun 17, 202545 min

CareerBuilder + Monster: End of an Era?

In this lively Chad and Cheese podcast episode, our courageous hosts tackle the recruitment world with wit and sarcasm. They mourn the downfall of job board giants CareerBuilder and Monster, now on the clearance rack, as private equity bean counters strip them bare. Chad laments their lack of vision, while Joel predicts three fates: a ZipRecruiter roll-up, a Recruit Holdings acquisition, or an international player snagging a cheap U.S. foothold. J.T. scoffs, saying job seekers hate these brands ...

Jun 13, 202556 min

Builder.ai Dies & Parloa Lives

Fasten your tech-hipster bum bags—Chad, Lieven, and Emi globe-trot through HR mayhem, startup soap operas, and political facepalms. 🦄 Parloa’s riding high while Builder.ai’s IPO dreams crash-land like dad jokes at a startup open mic. 🚁 Ukrainian drone startups schooling old-guard giants in DIY warfare. 🇪🇺 Tesla’s getting ghosted harder than your last online date. 🥂 Emi toasts bottomless brunches; Lieven mourns EV glory days. Harmony achieved. 🦘 RecruitRoo bounces across Europe like a kanga...

Jun 11, 202548 min

Why HR Doesn't—Can't—Work with Jordan Birnbaum

Buckle up for a riotous romp through the HR jungle on The Chad and Cheese Podcast! Hosts Joel Cheesman and Chad Sowash, the dynamic duo of workplace wit, are joined by Jordan Birnbaum, the Glinda Group’s co-founder and resident HR wizard, who’s ready to zap some sense into the corporate chaos. Armed with his industrial-organizational psychology and behavioral science superpowers, Jordan dishes on why HR is stuck in a Dilbert cartoon, flailing under outdated structures. He’s calling for an HR glo...

Jun 09, 202531 min

Indeed Ejection

On this episode of The Chad & Cheese Podcast, it’s birthday hangovers, five liters of port, and one big "healthy budget" middle finger from Indeed. Maureen “Mo” Clough is back and just in time to witness Chris Hyams “decide” to leave his CEO chair... right before his old boss waltzes in and takes it. Coincidence? LOL. 👉 Indeed jacks up prices and slaps on a euphemism: Healthy Budget. Translation? Pay more, get less, and smile through it. 👉 Hyams gets the boot—my bad, gracefully exits stage...

Jun 06, 202554 min

Compliance Chaos in 2025 w/ Jeremy Mancheski

On this episode of The Chad and Cheese Podcast, the boys lasso in Jeremy Mancheski, the big kahuna at OutSolve, for a wild ride through the HR compliance jungle. Jeremy drops truth bombs about why HR compliance is the unsung hero of keeping companies out of hot water, all while juggling the chaos of ever-shifting regulations like a circus clown. They dive into the thrilling world of data collection—because who doesn’t love a good spreadsheet? The trio also tackles the nail-biting drama of poster...

Jun 03, 202526 min

Recruiting Disaster or Draft Slide?

Welcome to The Chad & Cheese birthday week! After 8+ years and damn near 1,500 episodes, we’ve earned some time poolside… or in my case, beer-in-hand, toes-in-sand. BUT—before we disappear into the SPF and piña coladas, we’ve got a little birthday gift for you. It’s a brand spankin’ new episode of Talent Chasing—the podcast where Moneyball meets Office Space... yeah, let that marinate. What does it mean? Hell if I know, but you’ll figure it out. This week, Brian, Jasper, and Chad dive into t...

May 30, 202545 min

Inside DEI Backlash with Dr. Poornima Luthra

In this episode of the Chad and Cheese Podcast, the boys interview Dr. Poornima Luthra, a TEDx speaker, associate professor at Copenhagen Business School, and author specializing in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Dr. Luthra discusses her upcoming book, Can I Say That?, which explores the backlash against DEI initiatives, rooted in her 18 years of academic research in talent management and HR. Key Points: Background and Motivation: Dr. Luthra’s interest in DEI stems from her PhD research...

May 27, 202536 min

Walmart's Eating AwardCo's Unicorns?

Get ready for a rollercoaster of HR drama and economic shade on this week's show as we unpack a can o' worms, starting with the wild corporate espionage feud between Rippling and Deel, with Rippling alleging Deel’s spying triggered a federal probe and Globalization Partners reporting similar shenanigans—Chad says Deel’s C-suite might need a total reboot. Klarna’s AI avatar-led earnings report screams IPO hype, but its predatory micro-loan model gets roasted, with J.T. warning job seekers to mast...

May 23, 202558 min

Where Did Equity Go? with Dr. Joel A. Davis

In this spicy episode of The Chad & Cheese Podcast, Joel and Chad sit down with Dr. Joel A. Davis Brown—lawyer, DEI guru, and human BS detector—to ask the big question: Is DEI really dying, or is corporate America just too chicken to say “diversity” out loud? Inside the episode: DEI isn’t dead, it’s just in hiding—like your CEO when reporters come calling. JP Morgan swaps “DEI” for “DOI” like it’s a secret menu item. Smooth move, Jamie. Dr. Brown breaks down why equity matters—using fire dri...

May 20, 202543 min

People Push Back Against AI-First Workplaces

Buckle up for a wild ride with Joel Cheesman and Emi Beredugo, where they sling HR hot takes with the finesse of a fast-food fry cook! This episode’s a rollercoaster of laughs and eye-rolls, diving into the AI-first workplace fiasco like it’s a soap opera. Klarna’s CEO got a reality check after ditching 700 customer service reps for AI, only to realize bots can’t sweet-talk angry customers. Now they’re on a hiring spree to bring back the human touch—oops! Duolingo, meanwhile, thought AI could te...

May 16, 202555 min

Money Can't Buy Me Love

If you think your employees are “fully engaged,” that thud you just heard was Dr. Beth Linderbaum falling out of her chair laughing. This week on The Chad & Cheese Podcast, we unpack the myth that money = motivation. Spoiler: it doesn’t. Turns out people want to grow, belong, and not dread Mondays. Who knew? Dr. Linderbaum schools us on why leaders are often the last to know when morale is circling the drain, how Gen Z wants feedback like it’s an IV drip, and why career development beats a 3...

May 13, 202530 min

Vegas Chaos Unleashed

Live from the Gem booth in Vegas at Unleash, the boys throw together one mess-of-a-show, featuring everything from Warren Buffett to StackOne raising big cash to confusing Appcast with Recruitics to bashing ZipRecuiter. Hell, Indeed makes it in, and they weren't even in the show notes. It's a sleep deprived mess, but a good time nonetheless. We promise to make up for it next week.

May 09, 202527 min

The Human Hiring Touch with Terry Baker

In this episode of The Chad & Cheese Podcast, Terry Baker, CEO at Daxtra, dishes on how AI is shaking up recruitment like a caffeinated barista on a Monday morning. With 23 years of AI street cred, he insists AI’s only as good as the data it’s fed—garbage in, garbage out, folks—while preaching the gospel of keeping hiring human, because no one wants a robot therapist when the job hunt gets rough. The convo takes a wild turn through resume validation (think CSI: LinkedIn Edition), with Baker ...

May 06, 202527 min
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