“We give people the opportunity to create their own path.”
Bret Cerasoli knew that one day he would be the leader of a dynamic organization. Competitive, ambitious, and keenly insightful, he’s devoted his career to the contract staffing industry. He never dreamed he’d end up leading the company that helped shape him into the person he is today. However, that moment arrived on January 1, 2022 when he officially assumed the role of president of Black Diamond Networks, only the second person to hold this role in the company’s 23-year history.
“Bret took a chance on us 16 years ago,” said Mike Sklar, chairman of the board and co-founder of Black Diamond. “A supremely gifted recruiter, he worked his way up from the desk level, forged his own path, and earned every step and accomplishment along the way.”
Fueled by a healthy competition
Staffing is a notoriously demanding field. But Cerasoli saw something appealing on his first day as a recruiter at Black Diamond: healthy competition. It’s something that continues to motivate the team today.
How does he define healthy competition at Black Diamond? It means you measure your own performance against that of your peers’. It’s a place where seasoned recruiters and account executives go out of their way to help more junior employees find their footing. It’s where people can find mentors and make lifelong friends. It’s also an environment that encourages growth in its team, where assistants are promoted into marketing and operations, recruiters become principals, directors, vice presidents, and even president.
“We foster an entrepreneurial spirit,” explains Cerasoli. “We go out of our way to tell people, ‘If you see a gap, let us know and help be a part of the solution. Take the lead, show us you can do it, and you’ll be rewarded.’ It’s a place where we treat people and their ideas with respect.”
A promising future
Cerasoli is leading the company at a time of unprecedented growth. The organization recently partnered with Tenex Capital Management, helping accelerate Black Diamond’s plans to expand into Europe and delve into new business lines.
Along with that comes a hiring boom.
“This year we will increase the size of our sales and recruiting team by at least 30%. That’s across our offices in Andover, Phoenix, Florida, and beyond. To prepare, we invested in our training and mentorship programs to give everyone the runway they need to succeed.”
He continues, “We give people the opportunity to create their own path, and because of that, unlike many other staffing firms, we don’t lose our top players and in-house experts. That’s also because of our tremendous culture. Our great commission plan and uncapped earning potential certainly help, too.”
“You want to surround yourself with people who are thought-provoking.”
Cerasoli is undaunted by his new role, but admits he’s humbled to be leading this team.
“While I’m the new president, it’s all about the people around me and what we’re able to accomplish together in the coming years.”
One of the advantages to advancing from within the organization is Cerasoli’s understanding of what makes the business tick, and what his team needs to succeed. He also invites them to challenge the status-quo.
“You want to surround yourself with people who are thought-provoking.”
As Cerasoli knows very well, today’s thought-provoking employees can become tomorrow’s leaders.
Join our Team
Take a look at Black Diamond’s current job openings or send us your resume and we’ll find a good fit for you.
