Jenn Hahn: How A Humble Leader Built A National Recruiting Firm For Grocers

A chance encounter at a college career fair led Jenn Hahn into the Aldi training program, where she learned the store from the floor up and ran multiple locations at 22. That early trial by fire shaped a leadership style built on humility, directness, and full accountability—traits she later used to launch J Recruiting Services, a national search firm serving independent grocers, wholesalers, and CPG partners.We unpack how Jenn scaled from “laptop at the kitchen table” to a sophisticated team by refusing to post and pray, demanding premium candidate and client experience, and hiring for strategic thinking over bullet points. She shares the operating system behind balancing CEO life and motherhood: life-first calendars, clear role definition, and trusting a team empowered to tell the boss to step back. We also dive into why intentional networking through WGA, NGA, and peer communities is not optional—it is how opportunities, mentors, and great hires find you.On talent trends, Jenn flags where grocery is investing now: supply chain roles across food safety and logistics, the tech and AI layers that power them, and renewed focus on operations and the in‑store experience. E‑commerce matters, but connection at the register still wins loyalty, especially for Gen Z and millennials. The strongest candidates show resilience, business acumen, and comfort using AI and data to run better stores, not just better spreadsheets. Her closing advice is simple and sharp: stay open‑minded, take the intro calls, and let curiosity guide the next step. Subscribe, share with a friend who’s building their grocery career, and leave a review to help more leaders find these stories.www.jrecruitingservices.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/jrecruitingservices/?viewAsMember=trueDid you love the show - Text and tell us why.National Grocers Association FoundationWelcome to "Grocery From Her Seat," the WGA podcast offering a unique perspective on the independentDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showSign up for women leadership opportunities in the independent grocery industryJoin WGAJoin NGAF: https://www.facebook.com/NationalGrocersAssnL: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-grocers-association/Grocery From Her Seat, Insights for Independent Grocers has been selected as one of the Top 35 Independent Women Podcasts on the web.https://podcast.feedspot.com/independent_women_podcasts/Host: Kristin PoppProduction: Rachael Melot, SWA.Marketing