Richie Lampani
Fractional Head of Talent for Series A-C startups and defense contractors. Author. Builder of recruiting systems that actually work. I'm not a recruiter – I'm boots on the ground for strategy and talent capture. I build the infrastructure that makes great hires inevitable.
Open to brand partnerships that fit my mission and ethics.
Book Me for Training & Appearances
Looking for talent acquisition training, team assessments, or speaking engagements? I bring real-world talent infrastructure knowledge to your organization – from half-day sessions to intensive 2-week programs.
The Story
I didn't start in talent acquisition. I came from music venue management – a world where you either deliver or you're done. That mindset stuck with me when I transitioned into building talent systems, and it's why I built Rebel Talent Systems the way I did.
Most firms are playing the same tired game: contingency placements, transactional relationships, spray-and-pray tactics. I saw the gap between what startups and defense contractors actually needed (strategic talent infrastructure and operational execution) and what they were getting (glorified job board spam).
What I Actually Do
As the Founder of Rebel Talent Systems, I provide fractional Head of Talent services to companies that need strategic talent leadership and operational execution without the full-time overhead. I don't just fill roles – I build the entire talent acquisition infrastructure from zero and execute on it.
Currently contracted as Lead Talent Consultant with EarthDaily Federal through 2026, where I've delivered 200%+ ROI by closing critical hires (Controller, Backend Engineer, Geospatial Scientists) and building comprehensive talent systems including ATS migration planning, AI-powered screening, fraud detection, and standardized interview processes.
I also help Amy run Underground Admins as the execution arm – an agency partner for when clients need boots-on-the-ground sourcing and placement work. The strategy and operations live in Rebel Talent. The recruiting execution lives in Underground Admins. Both exist to solve different problems.
Head and Heart: Winning the AI Recruiting War
My framework for combining strategic thinking (the head) with authentic human connection (the heart) in an industry that's increasingly automated and transactional.
The head builds systems, processes, and infrastructure. The heart remembers that talent acquisition is ultimately about people making life-changing decisions. You need both. Too much head and you're a robot. Too much heart and you're ineffective. I balance them.
Unfinished Rooms: Why Great Employees Keep One Foot Out the Door
I wrote Unfinished Rooms: Why Great Employees Keep One Foot Out the Door — a psychological framework for understanding how incomplete workplace interactions leave lasting emotional residue that drives turnover and disengagement.
Backed by research and 14 years of hands-on experience building talent systems, this framework explains why great employees mentally check out and how organizations can close these psychological gaps before losing their best people. We tried to call it quiet quitting. That's not really what it was.
Release: March 31, 2026 — Available online or at select Barnes & Noble locations worldwide
The concept is simple but powerful: every unresolved conversation, every unclear expectation, every abandoned project creates an "unfinished room" in someone's mind. They keep returning to it. It festers. It drains engagement. Smart companies close these rooms. Great companies never open them in the first place.
This framework is already becoming the backbone of my employer branding and people operations work, combining team building with AI-powered early detection to identify and address these gaps before they cost you talent.
Credentials & Expertise
I specialize in building talent acquisition blueprints for complex hiring challenges: cleared positions, geospatial scientists, backend engineers, defense contractor talent, startup scaling. If it requires strategic sourcing, systematic process, and operational execution, I've built the framework for it.
Let's Work Together
I take on a limited number of fractional Head of Talent engagements at any given time. Monthly retainers range from $12K-30K depending on scope and complexity. If you're a Series A-C startup or defense contractor that needs real talent infrastructure and operational execution – not just warm bodies in seats – let's talk.
I also offer team assessments ($8K-20K), corporate training programs, and speaking engagements. If you're looking for someone who will tell you what you need to hear instead of what you want to hear, you're in the right place.
Open to brand partnerships that align with my mission and ethics. I don't promote garbage tools or bad advice.