Candi Luciano is that rare and most perfect mix of brains, creativity, loveliness, leadership, and HEART! She is collaborative, genuine, and a cultivator of people and purpose. I recently had the opportunity to ask Candi some questions about her career path, her experiences, and how she and her clients have navigated these past few months. Step into her bubble for a few brief moments, and you will quickly see why she is a creative force, surrounded by a community of like-minded and heart-centric humans.

Q: Before we get into the heart of things, I’d like for our readers to understand more about what drives you to succeed at what you do. Can you give us a little background on yourself and what led you to work in this industry, and ultimately with Y Scouts?

Being blessed to have an amazing entrepreneurial father and caring leaders that lifted me with learning lessons on my professional journey, I learned I have a strong need for a clear purpose, shared values, freedom, and being surrounded by grateful humans.

I did not know this, until one day I did not have it. This was the spark I needed to start another creative agency. Having previously co-founded Cobalt Creative in 1999, I knew I could do it again and better with all I had learned. Today, Intentionalyze serves only purposeful brands. I help mission-driven leaders and brands create for the outcome and world they desire. Is your business ready for a brand refresh? Let’s chat!

Y Scouts is one of the brands I serve. We help leaders hire leaders so their businesses have the greatest possible impact. Through our Hiring on Purpose process, we help define our client’s success outcomes and connect aligned leaders with meaningful, impactful work.

Did I set out to be in leadership recruiting? No way! The term headhunter makes me cringe.

When Y Scouts’ CEO, Max Hansen, and I met for coffee to catch up, I did not realize it at the time, but he did what Y Scouts does exceptionally well. He was covertly listening and interviewing me to learn what I care about at my core—people, leadership, and creating success. The Y Scouts Way is unique, very human, and gets to the heart of the matter. One week later, I joined as their Creative Brand Architect. 3 years later, I still find great meaning in the work we do to connect people to work that matters. Whether you are looking to hire purpose-aligned, performance-proven leaders, or you are an executive looking for more meaning in your work, I invite you to join our Leadership Community.

Q: What fills your cup creatively and how do you bring that into the work you do?

I am fulfilled when my creative contribution is positively impacting people. For me, that is helping small businesses succeed, positively changing lives, and/or saving lives. I am driven to succeed by the people I serve, and I am grateful to be with people— on purpose.

Q: You have been in and around this industry for some time. How have you seen hiring and job placement evolve into what it is in 2020, and especially during these unprecedented times?

Before I answer, I choose to rebrand “unprecedented times.” This term is already exhausted! We are learning something new every day, and setting new precedents as we speak, on how we will move forward to recovery. Now back to your question on hiring evolution.

From my perspective, here are 3 ways the hiring experience is evolving:

  1. More personal communication. We are seeing a higher volume of video replies from candidates. Many are very personalized in the message and include the brand or website of the recipient. It feels more human and I hope this trend continues.

  2. People are seeking a deeper purpose in their work. They desire more than a paycheck, and to have a greater impact on the world. Companies are hiring by aligning people with their values and mission. The 2019 Workforce Purpose Index shares it is statistically impossible to be fulfilled in life if you aren’t fulfilled at work.

  3. It is an employer’s market. There is a great opportunity to tap into talent and leaders you may not have been able to previously.

Q: I understand that you recently had the honor of lending your talents to raising around $40,000 for a COVID-19 relief project. Can you tell us more about that?

My husband and I have been blessed to stay working and healthy. With so many impacted, I was seeking a way to give back, when a close friend asked me if I would help with a fundraiser to help those furloughed in their Indiana community.

While GoFundMe is a simple way to get one going, I felt this was an opportunity to design something incredibly personal. In under 2 hours, I created this digital Qwilr experience. Including community photos, video, and storytelling, we raised just under $40,000 in 2 weeks! Each week, in minutes, we added an update to this same link and sent a new email. There was no greater joy felt than when my friend shared his emotional experience delivering the monies each week to these people in need.

There is so much we can do to leverage our creativity and heart. I hope this inspires others to do just that.


Q: What would be your best piece of advice to companies and leaders looking to grow and stay on task during this “new normal?” How can they wade through the chaos and navigate their business to stay afloat, while keeping their leaders and teams inspired?

Great question. I am surprising myself as my answers have not changed much at all.

Be sure you have the right leaders and talent to support success. If your business is in recovery-mode, one of the most impactful things you can do is tap into the newly available exceptional talent. With so many furloughed or laid off, go get the best of the best. Consider their experience with turnaround situations. Y Scouts Interim Leadership is an immediate placement solution for a company’s most critical needs.

Believe you have the right leader, but not sure if you have the right talent? The Reveal app by Hiring Indicators is a simple way to ensure that you have the RIGHT PEOPLE in the RIGHT SEATS.

Be open to new places and ways of working to inspire your people. Studies show that over 43% of full-time American workers do not want to go back into an office as remote is working better for their lives. Show them you care by making your workplace work for them. Granted, it has to be of mutual benefit = good for the greater whole (company and team) and good for the person. But when you have that shared alignment and offer a level of autonomy and freedom, they will do more to drive your success.

If you are thinking that will never work, re-read #1.

At Y Scouts, we have a Work That Matters From Anywhere culture. When I share this with folks, I can sense a type-A-controlling-micromanager by their response. Those who are curious and ask me a ton of questions on how this could work – they have an open mindset to building the type of culture where the team fuels their success. These are the leaders of the future and leaders who will thrive.