The Level Up Podcast w/ Paul Alex

Episode: From His Mom’s Garage to a National Agency — How Drew Lutzke Built ADL Search from Nothing
Date: November 27, 2025
Host: Paul Alex Espinoza
Guest: Andrew "Drew" Lutzke

Overview

In this episode, Paul Alex sits down with Andrew (Drew) Lutzke, founder and managing director of ADL Search and Staffing. Drew shares his journey from sitting in his mom’s garage to building a national, virtual recruiting agency specializing in accounting and finance. The conversation delivers hard-earned lessons, practical startup advice, the power of team culture, and the pivotal role of faith and relentless drive. The duo also touches on the entrepreneurial mindset, leveraging LinkedIn and AI, and building products that solve everyday problems.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Drew’s Origin Story & Early Career ([02:22]–[05:35])

• Background: Drew started as a collegiate baseball athlete and coach.
  • "I started my career off right after college… did a lot of recruiting for the university… someone suggested, did you ever think about recruiting as a profession?" — Andrew [02:44]
• Early Confusion: Prior to entering recruiting, he considered coaching as a lifelong path but recognized a deeper desire to help people and be part of a team.

2. The Shift to Recruiting & Birth of ADL Search ([05:35]–[07:00], [10:59]–[11:41])

• Pivot Moment: Inspired by a friend's suggestion in 2017, Drew entered recruiting, learning the ropes at a firm in Kansas City.
• Founding in Mom’s Garage: After a major life change and move back to California during COVID, Drew started ADL Search from scratch, literally at a desk in his mother’s garage:
  • "Sitting at my mom's garage, I'm like, what am I gonna do right now?... I started working out of my mom's garage from the ground up. Just started grinding, building my own brand." — Andrew [00:52], [11:10]
• Business Focus: Specializes in accounting and finance placements; now operates in three markets: LA, Las Vegas, and Kansas City, fully virtual with national aspirations.

3. Building a Recruiting Agency: Tools, Strategy, and Mindset ([07:00]–[08:56], [11:41]–[13:53])

• Startup Tips: Drew’s mini masterclass for beginners:
  • Invest time in understanding niche markets—identify what need you can fill.
  • Get a coach or mentor: "Have a coach that can teach you a specific niche within recruiting." — Andrew [07:55]
  • Invest in CRM and tech tools from the start.
• Client Acquisition via LinkedIn:
  • Consistency is key: "Be consistent posting...not just, 'I can provide this service for you,' but sharing stories and testimonials." — Andrew [12:05]
  • Upgrade to LinkedIn Sales Navigator or Recruiter for targeting.
• Leveraging AI:
  • Drew highlights cutting-edge tools that can source, grade, and even call candidates with AI-driven processes.
  • "There's tools...that grade candidates for you...It'll auto-generate and give you a scale one to five stars." — Andrew [13:16]
  • Balancing tech with a personal touch is vital.

4. Agency Vision, Team Building, and Faith-Based Culture ([14:38]–[16:43])

• National Vision: Plans to build fully remote teams in every major city.
  • "I want to, you know, build out the LA team...Kansas City department...two or three other major cities, teams of three or four individuals." — Andrew [15:41]
• Faith and Values: ADL Search has a Christian-based culture:
  • Begins the workday with prayer and scripture study, paid time included.
  • Values alignment and genuine care for candidates outweigh pure profit motives.
• Hiring Philosophy: Seeks relentless, self-motivated individuals with strong people skills.

5. Entrepreneurship—The Real Stakes and Mindsets ([16:43]–[21:29])

• The Grind and the Highs/Lows:
  • Success requires a “relentless” spirit: "You absolutely have to be relentless and grind... someone who can just take the initiative and have a vision in mind." — Andrew [17:15]
• Biggest Challenges:
  • Drew nearly quit during tough times; credits plugging into smarter mentors, learning online, and ongoing self-education as critical to perseverance.
  • "Plugging into people that are smarter than you... and plugging into all the resources that are online...so many great resources." — Andrew [18:07], [18:47]
• Risk vs. Reward:
  • On choosing career vs. entrepreneurship:
    • "If you're okay with someone telling you what to do for a career and being okay with a fixed income, then be an employee. But if not...go be an entrepreneur...just know there’s gonna be a lot more risk involved." — Andrew [20:35]
  • Risks are mainly time and money.

6. Side Project: Solving Real Problems with Pocket Step ([21:37]–[23:55])

• Product Genesis: Drew and his wife invented the Pocket Step—a foldable, purse-sized footstool—after his wife’s discomfort at restaurants.
  • “We have two patents pending for a concept called the Pocket Step...it fits into a pocket or a small purse.” — Andrew [22:41]
• Entrepreneurial Instinct: The idea was validated in real life and encouraged by a restaurant server.
• Shark Tank Aspirations: The couple jokes about pitching on Shark Tank.
• Story Matters: Paul emphasizes, “It’s always the story that’s attached to the service or the product.” — Paul [24:04]

7. Words of Encouragement & Closing Thoughts ([24:50]–[25:09])

• Drew’s Advice:
  • "Just don't be afraid. You're only given today. Always try and know that God will always lead you to where you need to go." — Andrew [24:59]
• Contact Info: Find Drew on Instagram @ADLsearch and LinkedIn (ADL Search and Staffing LLC).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "There’s a certain energy with coming together and, you know, getting to an outcome at the end of the day. ... There's just something so special about that. ... You kind of have that drive to want to do it again and again and again."
  — Andrew [05:13]
• "Be consistent posting [on LinkedIn]... but like, hey, this is what happened with somebody that I worked with. ... Just sharing stories, I think is really huge."
  — Andrew [12:05]
• "You absolutely have to be relentless and grind. You have to be someone that... isn’t being checked up on. Someone who can just take the initiative and have a vision in mind of, like, here's the end goal. Let's go get it."
  — Andrew [17:15]
• "Just don't be afraid. You're only given today. Always try and know that God will always lead you to where you need to go."
  — Andrew [24:59]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:22] – Drew’s background and first entry into recruiting
• [07:55] – How to start a staffing agency: mentorship, finding a niche, essential tech tools
• [11:41] – Launching from his mom’s garage; building a brand on LinkedIn
• [12:05] – LinkedIn marketing strategy for agency growth
• [13:16] – Cutting-edge AI in recruiting
• [15:22] – Faith-based culture at ADL Search
• [17:15] – The attitude and skills needed to succeed in recruiting
• [18:07] – On plugging into smarter people and ongoing learning
• [20:35] – Choosing traditional career vs. entrepreneurship
• [22:41] – Invention of the Pocket Step and entrepreneurial opportunity
• [24:59] – Drew’s advice for aspiring entrepreneurs

Episode Tone

• Candid, motivational, and practical
• Emphasis on real-world, actionable inspiration without sugarcoating the difficulty of entrepreneurship
• Warm, down-to-earth banter with strong undercurrents of faith and community

For aspiring entrepreneurs or current business owners, this episode offers a unique blend of tactical advice, mindset shifts, and genuine real-life inspiration—showing that the leap from a garage to national agency is rooted in relentless action, faith, and learning from mentors.