Zenith Search Partners

The most dangerous phrase in business might be:

"We've always done it that way."

Not because tradition is bad.

Some things should stay exactly the same.

But I've spent enough time in the chemical industry to know that customer expectations, technology, supply chains, and markets don't stand still for very long.

The companies that seem to navigate change the best aren't necessarily the biggest or the fastest.

They're usually the ones that stay curious.

They keep asking questions.

They challenge assumptions.

They pay attention when the market starts telling them something new.

A lot of successful businesses were built by people willing to do things differently.

It's worth remembering that from time to time.

What's something you were convinced would never change in your industry... that eventually did?

Every company has one.

The person everyone calls when something goes sideways.

A customer issue.

A delayed shipment.

A process that suddenly stopped working.

A question nobody can answer.

They're not always the owner.

They're not always the manager.

And they're often not the loudest person in the room.

But somehow, they know who to call, what to do, and how to keep things moving.

I've noticed that some of the most valuable people in an organization don't necessarily show up on an org chart. They show up when everyone else needs an answer.

If you're lucky enough to have one of those people on your team, make sure they know they're appreciated.

And if you happen to be that person, there's a good chance you're getting more phone calls than you deserve.

Who's the person everyone calls in your organization when things get interesting?

The May Jobs Report wasn't interesting because of the number.

It was interesting because of what it suggests.

I was reading a New York Times recap of the report this morning, and the theme felt familiar: despite all the uncertainty, the labor market continues to show a surprising amount of resilience.

Employers added 172,000 jobs in May, well above expectations.

That doesn't mean every industry is thriving.

It doesn't mean every company is hiring aggressively.

And it certainly doesn't mean uncertainty has disappeared.

What it does suggest is that many organizations are still finding reasons to invest, grow, and add talent despite the headlines.

From my perspective, that's the most important takeaway.

The companies that continue to move forward thoughtfully during uncertain periods often put themselves in a much stronger position when conditions improve.

Curious what others are seeing.

Has your organization's hiring outlook changed over the past few months, or does this report simply reinforce what you were already experiencing?

You can check out the article here, if you'd like: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/business/jobs-report-economy

Jobs Report Live Updates: U.S. Employers Added 172,000 Jobs in May Unemployment remained steady at 4.3 percent.

One thing I’ve noticed over the past few years in the chemical industry:

The conversation is changing.

A while back, most discussions centered around traditional manufacturing demand, supply chain pressures, and commodity pricing.

Those conversations still matter.

But now you’re also hearing more about:
AI infrastructure
Data centers
Semiconductors
EVs
Specialized materials
Digital sales channels

And it’s changing what companies need from both their teams and their leaders.

The industry still runs on relationships and technical expertise.

I don’t think that changes.

But the environment around those relationships is evolving faster than many people expected.

Honestly, that’s part of what makes this industry interesting. It keeps reinventing itself while still relying heavily on experience, trust, and problem-solving.

Curious what others in the space are seeing right now.

What changes feel the most significant to you?

Early in my career, I walked into a customer meeting with what I believed was an absolutely elite spreadsheet.

Color-coded. Forecasts. Pricing comparisons. Margin analysis. Probably a pie chart no one asked for.

I was prepared.

Or so I thought.

About ten minutes into the meeting, the customer looked at me and said:

“Yeah, but can you actually help us solve the problem?”

That was a humbling moment.

Because he wasn’t looking for another presentation. He was looking for someone who understood the pressure his team was under and could help make his life easier.

I’ve thought about that conversation a lot over the years.

Especially in technical industries, it’s easy to assume expertise is about having the most information.

But the people who build the strongest relationships usually do something simpler:

They listen well.
They understand the business problem.
And they follow through consistently.

Also, for the record, I still love a good spreadsheet. Let’s not get carried away.

What’s a moment in your career that changed how you approached customers or leadership?

Some hiring problems don’t really show up until summer.

That’s when vacations start overlapping, key people disappear for a week, and suddenly everyone realizes just how much institutional knowledge lives inside one person’s head.

A lot of teams can operate lean for a while.

Summer tends to test whether they can operate resiliently.

Not a crisis. Just a useful reminder that bandwidth, cross-training, and succession planning matter more than most people think.

Also a reminder that the phrase “I’ll have limited access to email” has become one of the great works of fiction in modern business.

Hope everyone finds a little time to recharge this summer.

As we ease back into reality after Memorial Day weekend…

A few observations:

1. Nobody fully remembers what day it is yet.

2. “I’ll follow up after the holiday” has officially come due.

3. The inbox has somehow been both quiet and aggressive at the same time.

4. And despite all of that… some of the best ideas seem to happen during these slightly slower weeks.

Hope everyone had a meaningful holiday weekend. Whether it was spent reflecting, remembering, resting, or simply being around people you care about, I hope it was time well spent.

Most Mondays start with strategy.

By Thursday, most of us are just trying to protect the original intent.

The calendar looked reasonable when we built it. The priorities made sense. The plan had structure.

Then reality showed up with a few edits.

A client need.
A team issue.
A decision that took longer than expected.
A “quick call” that was neither quick nor just a call.

I’ve learned the goal isn’t to keep the week perfectly on track.

It’s to keep the important things from getting buried under the urgent ones.

That’s true in leadership, hiring, and probably inbox management, although I’m still conducting research on that last one.

Curious how others handle it.

What helps you protect the important work when the week starts negotiating back?

One of the biggest misconceptions in specialized hiring is that the best candidates are actively looking.

Sometimes they are.

More often, they’re doing good work somewhere else.

They’re leading teams, solving problems, managing customers, keeping plants running, growing revenue, or quietly becoming indispensable.

Which is inconvenient, frankly. Life would be easier if every great candidate woke up on Tuesday and decided to update their resume.

But in technical and chemical markets, the strongest people often need a reason to listen before they ever consider a move.

That’s where the search becomes less about “finding applicants” and more about understanding the market, earning trust, and knowing how to start the right conversation.

Curious how others approach this.

What have you found most effective when trying to reach candidates who are not actively looking?

The April Jobs Report finally gave us something we haven’t seen much lately:

A little breathing room.

115,000 jobs added. Unemployment holding at 4.3%. Not exactly “economic boom” territory… but also not the collapse some people were bracing for.

Honestly, most business leaders I talk to aren’t looking for perfect conditions right now anyway.

They’re looking for signs that they can plan again.

Hire carefully.
Invest selectively.
Move forward without feeling like the ground is shifting every 15 minutes.

What I found interesting is that the report felt… steadier.

Not euphoric. Not disastrous. Just steadier.

And after the last few years, steady has become a pretty underrated word.

Curious what others are seeing.

Does this report change how you’re thinking about hiring over the next few months?

Here's an article to check out: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/08/jobs-report-april-2026.html

U.S. payrolls jump more than expected, but the report had several red flags for the economy Nonfarm payrolls were expected to increase by 55,000 in April, according to the Dow Jones consensus.