Branded Recruitment in Action: The Early Wins from Shoshoni Schools’ Only Co. Original Docuseries

‍The Strategy: Values in Action Through Storytelling

At Only Co., we believe that recruitment isn’t just a hiring problem—it’s a branding problem.

Most organizations—whether a school district or an industrial company—default to the same ineffective tactics:

• Posting job openings and hoping for applicants.
• Hiring recruiters who lack a deep understanding of the culture.
• Relying on salary increases to lure people in.

And when that doesn’t work? They often blame the talent pool instead of repositioning their brand to attract the right people.

This is exactly why we developed Branded Recruitment™—a strategy that doesn’t just solve hiring challenges but turns them into a competitive advantage.

Shoshoni Schools in Wyoming faces a major workforce challenge—attracting and retaining great teachers in a rural district. Instead of competing on desperation, they decided to compete through story.

We built an Only Co. Original Docuseries that didn’t just show job opportunities—it brought their Values in Action to life.

And the results? They’ve been powerful.

A Small-Town School With a Big Hiring Problem

Shoshoni, WY, is not necessarily an easy place to recruit teachers. It’s a small town, in a rural district, competing against larger schools with perhaps more money and resources.

Traditional recruiting methods weren’t working.

They needed a different approach—one that would position Shoshoni Schools as a place where the right teachers wouldn’t just take a job… they’d want to stay.

That’s where Branded Recruitment™ came in.

The Docuseries: Freedom to Teach

Instead of another job campaign, we launched an Only Co. Original Docuseries—because showing your story beats telling it every time.

• December 2024 – The trailer launched, setting the stage for what was to come.
• January 2025 – Five episodes rolled out, each highlighting what makes Shoshoni Schools special.
• February 2025 – The full docuseries launched, capturing the complete story of Shoshoni’s culture, mission, and why it’s a place teachers want to be.

The Five Episodes

1. The Heart of Shoshoni – More than a school, Shoshoni is a family, where teachers, students, and the community are deeply connected.
2. Built to Thrive – State-of-the-art facilities, personalized learning, and innovative programs that set students up for success.
3. Grow Your Own – A powerful apprenticeship program, training the next generation of teachers within the district itself.
4. A Place to Belong – A culture where teachers and staff don’t just work here—they stay.
5. A Higher Purpose – Teaching isn’t just about education. It’s about legacy, purpose, and impact beyond the classroom.

This wasn’t a pitch—it was an invitation to be part of something real.

The Early Wins: 300,000+ Views and Counting

We’re still in the early days, but the momentum is undeniable:

• 127,000 views on the full docuseries (and growing).
• Over 300,000 total views across the trailer, episodes, and full documentary.
• Hundreds of comments, shares, and interactions—not just from the community but from educators, parents, and professionals who deeply resonated with the message
• 3,000+ clicks to the Shoshoni Schools website.

This isn’t just a one-time campaign—it’s changing how people see Shoshoni Schools.

And the best proof? The comments:

“I love this. They are competing, not complaining. I think that is going to be more and more important.”

“Shoshoni Schools truly embodies the spirit of being ‘one school, one community, one family.’

“It makes me want to teach there… oh wait, I do!”

“I’ve heard great things about education and the school culture in Shoshoni. Congratulations!”

This is Branded Recruitment™ in action—not gimmicks, not desperation, but truth, identity, and differentiation.

Branded Recruitment™: The Four-Part Framework

This isn’t about recruiting in the traditional sense. It’s about positioning your brand so that the right people are drawn in.

1. Dream Bigger

Most companies (or schools) don’t think big enough about hiring. They treat recruitment as a transaction, not an opportunity to define their brand.

We challenge clients to reimagine hiring as a strategic advantage—one that makes them the clear, undeniable choice.

2. See & Define your Story

Every company has a culture, but most don’t tell it well.

We uncover the real story inside the business—the one that makes the right people say, “I belong here.”

3. Live your Story

You can’t fake culture.

Branded Recruitment™ only works when the story is real.

Shoshoni wasn’t just claiming to be a great place to work—their Values in Action showed it. That’s why their story resonated so deeply.

4. Tell your Story

This is where storytelling becomes your most powerful hiring tool.

Not with boring job postings. Not with corporate recruitment videos.

But with real, human-centered, emotionally compelling narratives—like the Freedom to Teach docuseries.

What’s Next: Competing Through Story, Not Desperation

Shoshoni Schools is still in the early stages of seeing how this plays out.

But one thing is already clear:

They’re no longer struggling to be seen. They’re standing out.

If you’re facing hiring challenges, ask yourself:

• Are you competing, or just complaining?
• Are you showing your Values in Action, or just listing job descriptions?
• Are you positioning your brand in a way that makes A-Players want to join?

The talent war is real. But recruitment is no longer just about hiring—it’s about branding.

And those who understand that will win.

Now what?

This isn’t a theory—it’s happening right now.

Branded Recruitment™ is reshaping hiring in real-time, and we’re here to help.

And this is just the beginning.