The Resilient Recruiter

Rich Rosen is having a strong year. But he's quick to point out that it hasn't come easily. In his words, he's working twice as hard for those results.Rich has completed more than 1,200 placements, been recognized by Forbes as one of America's Top 50 Recruiters for seven consecutive years, and continues to bill over $1 million annually. He also spends more time testing recruiting technology than almost anyone in the industry.Yet despite all the AI tools available today, Rich still spends four to six hours a day speaking with clients and candidates.His concern is that many recruiters are approaching AI the wrong way.Either they use it as a distraction, spending core hours building automations instead of talking to people. Or they save time with AI and then fail to reinvest that time into the activities that actually generate revenue.Rich's view is simple: AI should help recruiters become more productive. The real question is what you do with the time it gives back.In this conversation, Rich shares how he runs his desk in 2025, what's in his tech stack, why disciplined phone time still matters, and what he's learned from producing results in a market he describes as genuinely tough.In this episode:Why are many recruiters getting distracted by AI rather than becoming more productive because of itThe one question every recruiter should ask after saving time with automationRich's current tech stack: Pin.com, Ren Systems, Cluely, Gemini Deep Research, and moreHow he plans his day the night before, so he's calling from minute oneWhy does he fire bad clients even in a difficult market and what happens when he doesHow to identify the clients worth keeping and the ones worth walking away fromWhat the Pinnacle Society conference revealed about where the market really is right nowEpisode highlights: [10:03] Why perseverance was the dominant theme at Pinnacle Miami [11:46] Rich's take on AI hype and what companies are actually doing with it [17:57] Why recruiters burn out from underappreciation, not hard work <p class="te

Sam Johnstone has never worked for a recruitment agency.He spent three and a half years selling video technology to agency owners. Then he decided to go and do it himself.Four years in, he has a portfolio of repeat clients and inbound leads from LinkedIn. All built from a cabin on the Scottish coast with a few thousand pounds in the bank.Sam is the founder of Real Recruit, a specialist sales recruitment firm based in Glasgow. He built his entire business around video - using it to prospect for new clients, market roles, screen candidates, and deliver shortlists. It's his single biggest differentiator for winning clients over every other agency they're talking to.In this episode, Sam breaks down his complete video process from first outreach to final shortlist. He explains how a 30-second personalised video and a five-minute callback rule consistently gets prospects to take his call. He explains how filming video job adverts inside client offices builds relationships that standard agencies can't match. And he shares the hiring day model that compresses weeks of interviews into a single afternoon.Sam also covers the harder lessons. A hiring day that cost him money. A client who took 180 days to pay. The payment term changes he made after that. And the monthly recurring revenue model he built to create more predictable income.In this episode you'll discover:The 30-second video formula that gets cold prospects to pick up the phoneWhy Sam sends personalised videos to multiple decision makers at the same company on the same dayHow filming a video job advert on-site at a client's office wins repeat businessThe hiring day model and how to run oneWhy a client who haggles on your deposit is a red flagHow Sam rebuilt his payment terms after a client took 180 days to payHow Clay, SourceWhale, and Claude Cowork replaced LinkedIn Recruiter in his tech stackEpisode highlights: [1:18] What a video-first recruitment agency actually means [15:15] The BD routine: personalized videos, watch notifications, calling within five minutes [17:54] The 30-second video formula [22:29] How a Rangers fan story turned into Sam's first big retainer [25:16] Why Sam works on deposit - and what clients receive in re

Recruitment business owners are being pitched new tools every single day. Most of it gets bought based on fear of missing out, not because there is a real problem that needs solving.Nitin Sharma is the founder of Rectools IO, an independent directory of recruitment technology, and the host of Rectalk, the most followed recruitment podcast on YouTube with over 100,000 subscribers. He speaks to more recruitment technology companies than almost anyone in the industry while staying completely independent.Before all of that, Nitin built a recruitment agency to 15 people and close to 5 million pounds in revenue. Then it failed. Sitting with an insolvency practitioner, being asked why he did not know the answers to basic questions about his own business, was the moment that shaped everything he does now.In this episode, Nitin shares why most recruitment businesses are buying technology in the wrong order, how to work out what you actually need, and the one question every business owner should ask before spending anything on new tools.You will hear why your business finances almost always mirror your personal finances, the three conversations to have before buying any new tool, how to audit what you already own before spending anything new, and why a CRM with strong back office functionality is the one thing every recruitment business genuinely needs, regardless of size or model.Nitin also breaks down where AI will genuinely replace recruitment work first, how to spot a GPT in a wrapper before you buy it, and why legacy recruitment software is under more threat than most people realize.Episode highlights: 2:19 Building to close to 5 million pounds in revenue and the collapse in December 2023 6:17 The real reasons the agency failed 15:56 Why business finances mirror personal finances 25:47 How Rectools IO and Rectalk became the industry's biggest YouTube channel 31:13 What recruitment business owners should be doing on LinkedIn 46:47 Why legacy recruitment software is under threat 48:10 The recruitment work AI will automate first 49:06 How to spot a GPT in a wrapper 50:53 The one question to ask before buying any recruitment tool 53:38 How to check what you already have before spending anything new 59:48 Why a CRM is the one non-negotiableConnect with Nitin: LinkedIn: Nitin Sharma Website: rectools.io YouTube: Rectalk PodcastConnect with Mark: Free strat

Adding more people is how you grow a recruitment firm.Michelle Lownie spent years believing it. Then she watched it go wrong.Michelle is the CEO and co-founder of Eden Scott, one of Scotland's leading recruitment firms. She started in recruitment in 1989, filing documents and making tea at Melville Craig on a six-week summer contract. She stayed 15 years. In 2003, she co-founded Eden Scott alongside Guy Martin and Chris Logue.Today, Eden Scott generates approximately £25 million in annual revenue with 38 consultants across Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and Glasgow. At its peak, the business had nearly 70 people.In this episode, Michelle talks through what it took to rebuild around a smaller, higher-performing team - and how that decision changed everything about how the business runs today.She covers the hiring process Eden Scott uses to find recruiters who don't need managing, why they've stayed on the 360 model for 23 years while everyone else splits desks, and what keeps recruiters at Eden Scott for years in an industry known for high turnover.She also shares what the last 18 months have looked like on the ground in Scotland - and why relationship-led recruitment still matters more than ever.In this episode, you'll learn:How Eden Scott rebuilt from 70 people down to 38 - and what changedHow COVID became an opportunity to rebuild around the right peopleThe hiring process - including why interviewers never discuss candidates between stagesWhat Michelle is actually looking for when she makes a hiring decisionHow their commission and retention structure works, including sabbaticals at 5, 10, and 15 yearsHow the 360 full-desk model still produces a £25 million businessWhat consistent business development actually looks like in practiceEpisode highlights: [13:39] How COVID forced a complete rethink of the business [17:51] Why Michelle has no interest in scaling back to 70 people [26:29] Why Eden Scott has stayed on the 360 model while others split desks [35:30] The hiring process - and why interviewers don't discuss candidates between stages [45:11] The retention strategies that keep consultants at Eden Scott for years [52:18] Why good recruit

Sourcing frustration is usually diagnosed as a volume problem. Not enough candidates in the funnel. Not enough searches. Not enough outreach.Steven Lu thinks it's the opposite problem.Steven is the co-founder and CEO of Pin.com and the founder of Interseller, a recruiting outreach platform that helped place over 40,000 candidates before being acquired by Greenhouse in 2021. After two years inside Greenhouse studying the top of the recruiting funnel, he launched PIN to solve a specific, persistent problem: the candidates most worth finding are the ones current sourcing tools miss.In this episode, Steven explains why 30% of top talent is essentially invisible in LinkedIn searches. He breaks down how PIN's shadow resume technology rebuilds candidate profiles from external data to surface people who've never described themselves online. He also shares the outreach approach that generates 30 to 40% response rates, the exact sequence he recommends (3 emails and 2 LinkedIn touches), and the four most common mistakes that quietly destroy deliverability.The bigger picture matters for every recruiter working in an increasingly noisy market. The era of high-volume outreach is coming to an end. Email providers are measuring engagement signals. Spam filters are getting sharper. The recruiters who win over the next two or three years will be the ones who source fewer candidates, make each one count, and treat every outreach like it's going to the one person who can fill the role.This is a practical conversation about what's changing in sourcing and how to address it.In this episode, you'll learn:Why the most qualified candidates rarely appear in standard keyword searchesHow PIN's shadow resume makes unfindable candidates findableWhat PIN's autopilot mode does and how to set it up with just two inputsWhy you should cap your outreach sequence at five stepsThe four most damaging outreach mistakes recruiters makeWhy including a Google Doc link beats pasting the job description every timeHow to structure omnichannel outreach across email and LinkedInWhy the top 1% of billers operate from a very short candidate RolodexEpisode highlights:[3:49] From Interseller to Greenhouse to PIN - Steven's jo

What does it take to build a search process that has a VP of HR saying they've never seen anything like it?Darwin Shurig built a $2.5 million medtech recruiting firm with $1.2 million in personal production. Then in one quarter, eight of his nine top clients stopped using external recruiters. Revenue collapsed. His team disappeared. His 17-year marriage ended in the same period.What he built on the other side changed how he runs every search.His process replaces the standard job description with a short video interview between the recruiter and the hiring manager. Qualified candidates see the role in the manager's own words before a single formal interview is scheduled. On the hiring side, the manager receives the candidate's personal why on video, written samples, and personality profiling. Both sides walk into the first conversation already informed.A VP of HR, after seeing it, told Darwin his firm had just paid $97,000 for an executive search and received resumes and scheduling. "We didn't get anything like this."In this episode, Darwin breaks down the collapse, the lessons, and the process he built from scratch — including two specific things every recruiter can use this week with no software required.In this episode, you'll discover:Why eight of nine clients can vanish in one quarter and what it exposes about your business modelThe three root causes of underperformance most agency owners never diagnoseWhy personal why has to match company why when hiring, or it breaks when things get hardHow a hiking idea became a platform that's changing how retained search is deliveredThe hiring manager video that replaces the job description and why candidates respond differently"How Darwin's process consistently delivers results that clients say they've never experienced beforeTwo things you can apply this week with whatever tools you already haveEpisode highlights:0:00 Intro1:41 How Darwin built a $2.5M firm, then lost it5:43 Eight of nine clients stop overnight11:16 What the collapse taught him22:05 The hedgehog lesson: too many projects, not enough oxygen28:15 Why misaligned values break down when things get har

He nearly quit after 7 months.Zero placements. Nothing working.He packed his things into a cardboard box, walked toward the door, and heard his colleagues talking about him behind his back.What they said stopped him.He turned around, sat back down, and made two placements by the end of that week.That was 1982. He never left.In this episode, Rich breaks down the daily habits behind 44 years of consistent billings.He’s used the handwritten planner for nearly 40 years.Why does he track talk time instead of call volume?And the old-school business development strategy most recruiters have abandoned.Rich is the founder of Team Bradley and a Pinnacle Society member for nearly 30 years. He’s billed $28 million personally. At 67, working solo alongside his wife, he’s still going strong.This isn’t about talent.It’s about cadence, commitment, and building a career you actually want to keep.If you’re wondering whether you can sustain this long term, this episode will change how you think about the business.Resources Mentioned👉 Find out exactly where your recruitment business is getting stuck. Take the free 7-Figure Freedom Scorecard in under 10 minutes: https://recruitmentcoach.com/scorecardSponsors👉 Same team, same market — but 30% more productive. Recruiterflow is an AI-first ATS and CRM built for recruitment agencies and search firms. Book a demo: https://recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflow👉 One 30-minute session per month gives you 30 days of LinkedIn video content — fully edited and ready to post. Built for busy recruiters: https://recruitmentcoach.com/videoWhat You'll LearnChapters00:00:00 Introduction00:00:59 44 years in recruiting and $28 million billed — he nearly quit after 7 months00:05:10 Growing up with abusive, alcoholic parents and running away from home at 1500:06:21 The voice that drove him for years: "You're never going to amount to anything."00:17:08 Six months with no placements, and the manager who refused to let him quit00:19:38 The cardboard box moment, what he overheard walking out the door00:21:33 Two placements in one week and what total commitment actually looks like00:25:15 Success is cadence, not luck, the daily planning habit he's used for 40 years00:32:09 Filling jobs versus placing applicants: the philosophy behind a client-driven business00:39:02 Why he measures talk time, not call volume, and his daily target00:42:22 Why reference checks are his primary business development strategy00:53:25 Polite, professional, persistent, and why that's enough00:56:18</str

Rich Bradley has been recruiting since 1982. He’s billed $28 million. He’s been a Pinnacle Society member for nearly 30 years. And at 67, working solo alongside his wife, he has no intention of stopping.In his first seven months, he made zero placements.He packed his things into a cardboard box, walked toward the door, and heard his colleagues talking about him behind his back. What they said stopped him.He turned around, sat back down, and made two placements by the end of that week.That was the moment everything changed.This episode is about what sustained success actually looks like across four decades in recruiting.Rich breaks down the daily planning habit he’s used for nearly 40 years, why he tracks talk time instead of call volume, and why reference checks remain one of his most reliable sources of new business long after most recruiters abandoned them.He also talks candidly about growing up with abusive, alcoholic parents, surviving cancer twice, and how those experiences shaped both the recruiter and the person he became.In this episode, you’ll learn:The cardboard box moment that changed his careerThe handwritten planner system he’s used for nearly 40 years and why skipping it derails his dayWhy he targets three to four hours of talk time dailyHow reference checks generate clients, candidates, and referralsWhy he won’t work with clients he wouldn’t want to work forHow two cancer diagnoses reshaped his business and prioritiesWhat polite, professional, persistent looks like over a 44-year careerEpisode Highlights[0:59] 44 years in recruiting, $28 million billed and he nearly quit after 7 months[19:38] The cardboard box moment, what he overheard walking out the door[25:15] Success is cadence, not luck - the daily planning habit[42:22] Why reference checks drive his business development[56:18] The cancer diagnosis that reshaped everything[1:10:28] Still targeting $600K–$700K a year, working solo, at 67About Rich BradleyRich Bradley is the founder of Team Bradley, a boutique IT and technology recruiting firm based in the Chicago area. He started in recruiting in 1982, has billed $28 million over a 44-year career, and has been

Carol Ann Wentworth lost her business, her home, and nearly everything she owned in 2008. Within 10 days of clarifying her next step, three recruiting firms reached out. She had a job offer in two weeks.That same clarity is what built Wentworth Executive Recruiting into a ten-year retained practice with a 94% retention rate. She made 48 placements with one Silicon Valley client and supported their growth through to IPO. She works with five core clients. Two keep her consistently busy. That's the model.In this episode, Carol Ann breaks down the exact process behind her retention rate, the mindset framework she used to rebuild after losing everything, and what a sustainable recruiting practice actually looks like after 35 years in executive search.This is a different way to build a recruitment business. If you're building one and wondering whether scaling is the only path to success, this is worth your time.What you'll learn:• Why Carol Ann sends three candidates per search instead of thirty, and what that demands upfront• The two-hour candidate interview process that produces a 94% retention rate• How she uses social media screening to assess candidates beyond the CV• The clarity, commitment, and consistency framework she used to rebuild after the 2008 crash• The difference between ego and confidence — and why it matters when everything falls apart• What a sustainable retained practice looks like after ten years• Why scaling isn't the only model for a successful recruiting businessTimestamps:Chapters00:00:00 Intro00:03:54 From international modeling agency founder at 26 to executive search00:06:00 Relationships and curiosity: the foundations of early success00:14:40 The mindful recruiting methodology and what real listening looks like00:15:39 A 94% retention rate and the process that produces it00:17:00 The two-hour candidate interview: what she asks and what she's listening for00:21:01 Social media screening: what Carol Ann looks for and why00:26:15 Ten-year anniversary of Wentworth Executive Recruiting and the 2008 crash that came first00:35:14 Losing a business, a home, and nearly everything and landing a job in two weeks00:38:50 Ego vs. confidence: why the distinction matters in a crisis00:41:04 Clarity, commitment, consistency the framework she used to rebuild00:55:36 A Mindful Career: how the book came aboutListen to the full episode: https://recruitmentcoach.com/podcast/Resources Mentioned👉 Take the 7-Figure Recruitment Business Scorecard — get a clear snapshot of where you are today and what to focus on next:

In 2008, Carol Ann Wentworth lost her business, her home, and nearly everything she owned. Within 10 days of clarifying her next step, three recruiting firms reached out. She had a job offer in two weeks.That same clarity is what built Wentworth Executive Recruiting into a ten-year retained practice with a 94% retention rate.Carol Ann has 35 years of experience in executive search. She sends three candidates per search, not thirty. Her interviews run an hour, sometimes two. She made 48 placements with one Silicon Valley client and supported their growth through to IPO. She works with five core clients. Two keep her consistently busy.This is a different kind of episode. Not about scaling fast or billing millions in year one. It's about what it actually takes to build a recruiting practice that lasts, clients who stay, placements who stay, and a business that works for your life.Carol Ann breaks down the process behind her retention rate, the mindset framework she used to rebuild after the 2008 crash, and why going deeper with fewer clients has been more powerful than chasing volume.In this episode, you'll discover:Why Carol Ann sends three candidates instead of thirty — and what that demands upfrontThe two-hour candidate interview: what she asks and what she's really listening forHow she uses social media screening to assess candidates beyond the CVThe clarity, commitment, and consistency framework she used to rebuild after losing everythingThe difference between ego and confidence — and why it matters in a crisisWhat a sustainable retained practice looks like after ten yearsWhy scaling isn't the only model for a successful recruiting businessEpisode highlights: [3:54] From an international modeling agency founder at 26 to an executive search [14:40] The mindful recruiting methodology and what real listening looks like [15:39] A 94% retention rate and the process that produces it [17:00] The two-hour candidate interview: what she asks and what she's listening for [21:01] Social media screening: what Carol Ann looks for and why

What if your next placement paid $100,000……but took two years to close?Most recruiters, especially in contingency recruiting or running a recruitment agency, wouldn’t go near that model.Darci Smith built her entire business around it.She specializes in moving financial advisors between firms, often transferring hundreds of millions in assets. These are high-stakes, long-cycle deals where trust matters more than speed.In this episode, Darci breaks down how she makes it work. From charging a $5,000 upfront fee, to building a social following that generated $150K in year one, to positioning herself so clients find her through AI search.This is a different way to build a recruitment business. Slower deals. Bigger fees. Stronger relationships.What You’ll LearnChapters00:00:00 Why $100K placements take years to close00:04:09 How Darci got into recruiting00:09:01 Becoming a top biller through in-person meetings00:14:25 Choosing a niche with no prior experience00:18:43 Starting her business with cold calling00:24:49 How financial advisor transition fees work00:31:01 Building a 300K+ social following00:32:16 Making $150K from career coaching00:44:35 The power of niching down00:47:35 How she gets found on ChatGPT00:49:49 The $5K upfront “contained” model00:55:39 Staying involved after the placementThis episode is brought to you by:Recruiterflow — an AI-first ATS and CRM that monitors your database and alerts you when contacts change jobs. Book a demo: https://recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflowTrusted Voice Video — a done-for-you video service that helps you create 30 days of content in just 30 minutes a month. Book a free strategy call: https://recruitmentcoach.com/videoConnect with Mark Whitby:* Free 30-minute strategy session: recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session* Free scorecard: recruitmentcoach.com/scorecard* Mark on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/markwhitby* Follow on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach👍 If you found this episode useful, subscribe for weekly interviews with top recruitment business owners and search firm leaders.#recruitment #recruiter #executivesearch #recruitmentbusiness #staffing #recruitmentpodcast #recruitmentcoach #sales #b2b

What if one placement paid $100,000... but took two years to close?Few recruiters would touch that model. Darci Smith built her entire business around it.Darci is the founder of Roklyn, a wealth management recruiting firm based in California. She specializes in financial advisor transitions — moving established advisors between firms, often transferring hundreds of millions in assets. These aren't quick wins. Sales cycles run one to two years. Fees are paid in tranches across twelve months. Her first deal took two and a half years to close and paid $133,000.In this episode, Darci explains how she makes the model work.How she stayed solvent in year one by building a career coaching business on TikTok that generated $150,000.How she charges a $5,000 non-refundable deposit on most searches and why clients don't push back.How she niched down to California-only wealth management for five years and is now expanding nationally.And how she engineered her visibility on ChatGPT so new clients find her without her having to chase them.This is a different way to build a recruitment business.Fewer placements. Bigger fees. Stronger relationships.In this episode, you'll discover:How financial advisor transition fees work and why the sales cycle runs 1-2 yearsWhy a $5,000 non-refundable deposit changes the client relationship from day oneHow Darci built 300,000 TikTok and 100,000 Instagram followers posting from her phoneHer 30-minute AI-assisted video workflow for creating content consistentlyHow she engineered visibility on ChatGPT and the exact approach she usedWhy niching to one state and one industry for five years set up her national expansionHow staying involved through onboarding turns single placements into long-term partnershipsEpisode highlights: [4:09] How sport led Darci into recruiting and her first role at Cybercoders [9:01] Becoming a top biller at Athletes to Careers through in-person relationship building [14:25] Choosing wealth management with no industry background [18:43] First contract: a national wirehouse and 300 cold calls to get started <p clas

He built a $4M recruitment firm. Then chose not to scale it.Seb Sharpe grew Inventure to $4 million in seven years. Profitable every quarter. Retained and exclusive from day one. A clear niche in renewable energy.Then he made a move most agency owners avoid.Instead of hiring more recruiters and scaling headcount, he started building a platform for what comes next.In this episode of The Resilient Recruiter, Seb breaks down the KPI that made revenue predictable, how to qualify roles so clients stay accountable, and why he believes the recruitment industry is shifting toward more independent, entrepreneurial recruiters.If you own a recruitment agency or executive search firm and want to build more predictable revenue, win more retained clients, and understand where the recruitment industry is heading, this conversation is worth your time. Seb covers how to grow a recruitment business sustainably, the retained search strategy behind Inventure's consistent profitability, and how AI is reshaping recruitment agency operations right now.*What You'll Learn in This Episode* Chapters00:00:00 Intro00:02:38 How Seb built a $1M business in year one00:09:33 Why niching into renewable energy changed everything00:13:34 The imposter syndrome behind early growth00:15:05 The academy model for hiring and training00:22:44 Landing a $30K retainer on day one00:31:29 The KPI that predicts your revenue00:33:51 How to calculate the value of a first-time interview00:36:27 Why most recruiters lose control of searches00:44:06 Why Seb is building Generate00:53:26 The EXP Realty model and the future of recruiting00:58:27 How AI is changing mid-funnel execution01:09:57 Mark's key takeawaysSubscribe for weekly interviews with top recruitment leaders.*Resources and Links* Not sure what's slowing your agency's growth? Take the free Recruitment Scorecard: https://recruitmentcoach.com/scorecard Recruiterflow (Sponsor): The AI-first operating system for recruitment agencies and executive search firms. https://recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflow Trusted Voice Video: Build stronger candidate pipelines and improve screening with video. #recruitment #recruiter #executivesearch #staffing #recruitmentbusiness #recruitmentagency #aiinrecruitment #headhunting #recruiterlife

Seb Sharpe built a $4 million recruitment firm in seven years, profitable every quarter, working exclusively on retained and permanent placements.Then he made a decision most agency owners avoid.Instead of scaling headcount and doubling down on the traditional model, he stepped back and started building for where he believes the recruitment industry is heading next.Seb is the co-founder of Inventure, a specialist renewable energy search firm based in Los Angeles. He launched the business in 2018 with his co-founder Charlie Rawlings, starting with no clients, no track record, and an office above a subway line in a WeWork. Within a year, they billed $1 million. In year two, $2 million. The business has remained profitable every quarter since.More recently, they launched Generate, a platform designed for what they see as the next era of recruitment: more independent, more entrepreneurial, and built around the individual recruiter rather than the traditional agency structure.In this conversation, Seb shares the systems that drove Inventure's growth, including the one KPI that made revenue predictable, how to properly qualify vacancies so clients stay accountable, and why most recruiters are focusing on the wrong part of the funnel. He also explains why he believes recruitment is structurally overdue for change, how the shift toward independent recruiters is already happening, and where AI is genuinely adding value inside a modern recruitment business.If you're building a recruitment agency or executive search firm and want more consistent revenue, stronger client relationships, and a clearer view of where the industry is going, this one is worth your time.Episode Highlights [2:38] First year: $1M. Second year: $2M. Profitable every quarter [9:33] Why niching into renewable energy changed everything [13:34] The imposter syndrome behind early agency growth [15:05] The academy model for hiring and training [22:44] Landing a $30K retainer with no brand or track record[31:29] The KPI that predicts your revenue [33:51] How to calculate the value of a first-time interview [36:27] Why most recruiters lose control of searches [44:06] Why Seb is building Generate [53:26] The EXP Realty model and the industry shift [58:27] Where AI is changing recruitment [1:09:57] Mark's top two takeawaysGuest Bio and Contact Info Seb Sharpe is the co-founder of Inventure, a renewable energy executive search

From $400K to Zero.Then nothing for six months.Harrison Wright launched his recruitment business and billed nearly $400,000 in his first six months.Then the market turned.Hiring froze. Searches disappeared. He was burning $30,000 a month just to stay afloat.Most recruiters would respond by doing more.More calls. More CVs. More pressure.He did exactly that.It didn’t work.So he rebuilt the business.Today, he runs a retained model with an interview-to-placement ratio of over 2:1 and clients worth more than $350,000 over time. After shifting into institutional crypto, he’s on track for $1.2M to $1.6M in 2025.In this episode, we break down:* What actually changed after the crash* Why more activity wasn’t the answer* How he qualifies candidates before a CV gets sent* The process behind a 2:1 interview-to-placement ratio* Why he doesn’t pitch the job on the first call* How positioning attracts retained clientsTimestampsChapters00:00:00 Intro00:01:06 From zero to $400K in six months00:01:21 The crash: no revenue and $30K monthly burn00:09:26 Why the craft of recruiting has been lost00:13:17 The 2.16-to-1 interview-to-placement ratio00:15:14 The 90-minute candidate interview00:21:37 Why pitching first creates problems later00:27:14 Front-loading vs back-loading00:35:42 Building positioning from scratch00:45:50 Choosing the right clients00:49:10 The institutional crypto pivot01:00:46 What a retained proposal looks likeNot sure what's slowing your agency's growth? Take the free Recruitment Scorecard:👉 https://recruitmentcoach.com/scorecardSponsorsRecruiterflow is the AI-first operating system for recruitment agencies and executive search firms. It combines a powerful ATS and CRM with AI built directly into your workflows, helping your team focus on conversations and decisions while the system handles the heavy lifting.👉 https://recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflowTrusted Voice VideoTrusted helps recruitment firms build high-quality candidate pipelines using video. If you're hiring or placing at scale, video can improve engagement, screening, and conversion.👉 https://recruitmentcoach.com/videoListen to the full episode:https://recruitmentcoach.com/podcast/👍 Don’t forget to subscribe for more interviews with top recruitment leaders every week.#recruitment #recruitmentagency #executivesearch #recruitmentbusiness #recruitmentpodcast #recruitmentstrategy #staffing #recruiterlife

Harrison Wright built his recruitment business to nearly $400,000 in billings within six months.Then the market turned.Hiring froze. Searches disappeared. For six months, nothing came in while he was burning $30,000 a month to stay afloat.Most recruiters would respond by doing more.More calls. More CVs. More pressure.He did exactly that.It didn’t work.Harrison is the founder of The Blockchain Recruiter, a search firm specialising in crypto and Web3 talent. After the crash, he rebuilt the business around retained search, tighter positioning, and a more deliberate recruitment process.Today, he runs a retained model with an interview-to-placement ratio of 2.16 to 1 and has won clients worth more than $350,000 in lifetime value through inbound alone. After shifting into institutional crypto, he’s on track for $1.2M to $1.6M in 2025, despite a difficult market.This conversation gets into what actually changed.Why he treats recruitment as a sales process. Why he doesn’t pitch the job on the first call. And how doing more work upfront changes what happens at offer stage.In this episode:Why more activity doesn’t fix a broken recruitment modelHow Harrison qualifies candidates before a CV ever gets sentThe thinking behind a 2.16-to-1 interview-to-placement ratioWhy he avoids pitching the job early in the processHow positioning led to higher-value retained clientsThe shift into institutional crypto and why it changed his pipelineWhat most recruiters get wrong about deliveryEpisode highlights:[1:06] From zero to $400K in six months[1:21] The crash: no revenue and $30K monthly burn[13:17] The 2.16-to-1 interview-to-placement ratio[15:14] The 90-minute candidate interview[21:37] Why pitching first creates problems later[49:10] The institutional crypto pivot[1:00:46] What a retained proposal looks likeAbout Harrison WrightHarrison Wright is the founder of The Blockchain Recruiter, one of the OG search firms in crypto and Web3. As an avid student of business and the craft of recruiting, Harrison built his business by prioritizing tight positioning, exceptional delivery, and retained client partnerships in a market whe

A 12-month guarantee on every placement. That's almost unheard of in recruitment.Most agencies offer three months. Some stretch to six. Lewis Waitt and Jessica Multhauf guarantee their hires for an entire year, and more than 90% of their placements are still in the role after 12 months.That level of confidence doesn't come from luck.It comes from a recruiting process built very differently from most agencies.Aliniti didn't start as a recruitment firm. It began as an HR and organizational development consultancy working closely with privately held and family-owned businesses. Recruiting came later, growing naturally from long-term advisory relationships with clients who needed help hiring.That consulting-first approach changes everything, from how they define the role, to how they run the search, to what happens after the candidate starts.In this episode, we break down:* Why Aliniti offers a 12-month guarantee on every placement* How their consulting background changed the way they recruit* The 90-minute role clarity session they run before every search* Why recruiters should stay involved long after the candidate starts* How multiple service lines create stability in a recruitment business* How long-term advisory relationships turn into consistent search workIf you want to differentiate your recruitment firm and build deeper client partnerships, this episode shows how.*Timestamps* Chapters00:00:00 Intro00:03:09 How Aliniti started and why recruiting grew out of HR consulting00:06:37 Lewis joins the firm as the founder's son-in-law00:09:29 Jess's path from opera singer to recruitment leader00:13:30 The "four-leg chair" business model00:15:52 The retained HR model that stabilised the business00:19:31 Why deep client knowledge improves search outcomes00:28:24 The role clarity process before every search00:33:49 Handling unrealistic salary expectations and "purple squirrel" briefs00:38:56 Why Aliniti offers a 12-month guarantee00:45:37 The onboarding process that improves retention00:57:57 Vision for the next three years01:01:00 Why the firm uses profit sharing instead of commission*Not sure what's slowing your agency's growth?* Take the free Seven Figure Freedom Scorecard: 👉 https://recruitmentcoach.com/scorecardTrusted Voice Video – build authority through consistent short-form content: 👉 https://recruitmentcoach.com/video*Sponsor* Recruiterflow – the AI-first operating system for recruitment agencies and executive search firms. Recruiterflow combines a powerful ATS and C

A 12-month guarantee on every placement.That’s not something you hear often in recruitment.Lewis Waitt and Jessica Multhauf built their firm, Aliniti, around the idea that the placement is only the beginning of the relationship. Because of the way they run their searches — and the way they support both the client and the new hire after the hire — more than 90% of their placements are still in the role after one year.Aliniti didn’t start as a recruitment firm. It began as an HR and organisational development consultancy working closely with privately held and family-owned businesses. Recruiting came later, growing naturally from long-term advisory relationships with clients who needed help hiring.That consulting background shapes everything about how they approach recruitment today.They define the role properly before the search begins, challenge unrealistic expectations, and stay closely involved with both the client and the new hire long after the placement.The result is stronger hiring outcomes, deeper client relationships, and a recruitment business built on long-term partnerships rather than one-off transactions.In this episode of The Resilient Recruiter, Lewis and Jess explain how their model works and why it produces better results for both clients and candidates.What You’ll Learn in This Episode• Why Aliniti offers a 12-month guarantee on every placement• How their consulting background shapes their recruiting approach• The role clarity process they run before every search• Why unrealistic job briefs lead to failed searches• How staying involved after the hire improves retention• Why multiple service lines create stability in a recruitment business• How long-term advisory relationships generate repeat recruiting workTimestamps00:00 Introduction03:09 How Aliniti started and why recruiting grew out of HR consulting06:37 Lewis joins the firm as the founder’s son-in-law09:29 Jess’s path from opera singer to recruitment leader13:30 The “four-leg chair” business model15:52 The retained HR model that stabilised the business19:31 Why deep client knowledge improves search outcomes28:24 The role clarity process before every search33:49 Handling unrealistic salary expectations and “purple squirrel” briefs38:56 Why Aliniti offers a 12-month guarantee45:37 The onboarding process that improves retention57:57 Vision for the next three years1:01:00 Why the firm uses profit sharing instead of commissionSponsorThis episode is sponsored by Recruiterflow, the AI-first

One placement can be a transaction.Or it can be the start of a long-term enterprise relationship.Most recruiters treat it like the first.Brendan Thomas built his career on the second.He started recruiting at 36, got fired after his first $60,000 placement, and joined a new agency six months later with two clients.By the end of that year, he had built over $600,000 in billings.Six years later, he has generated more than $5 million in lifetime billings, averaged $1 million per year, and qualified for the CEO Club every quarter.In this episode, we break down:• How to win enterprise clients that most recruiters avoid• How to approach hiring managers before HR blocks you• The three responses you’ll get from Talent Acquisition - and how to handle each• How to expand one placement into long-term recurring revenue• What discipline actually looks like on a $1M deskIf you want to move beyond one-off transactions and build strategic client relationships, this episode gives you the framework.Timestamps00:00 IntroChapters00:00:00 The $60K placement that got him fired00:01:01 Restarting and billing $600K in six months00:03:25 Starting recruitment at 3600:10:53 Ignoring advice to avoid enterprise00:23:16 Why enterprise accounts are harder and worth it00:28:15 Going to hiring managers before HR00:35:38 The three HR responses00:54:15 Expanding accounts the right way01:03:23 What "uptime" really meansNot sure what’s slowing your agency’s growth?Take the free Seven Figure Freedom Scorecard:👉 recruitmentcoach.com/scorecardRecruiterflow – the AI-first operating system built for recruitment agencies:👉 recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflowTrusted Voice Video – build authority through consistent short-form content:👉 recruitmentcoach.com/videoResources MentionedHow to Get Access to Hiring Managers Without Alienating HRhttps://recruitmentcoach.com/how-to-get-access-to-hiring-managers-without-alienating-hr/Recruiterflow - AI-first operating system for recruitment agencieshttps://www.recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflow👍 Subscribe for weekly conversations with elite recruitment business owners, search leaders, and top billers.Your follow helps us reach more recruiters who want to build smarter, more profitable businesses.#RecruitmentPodcast #RecruitmentAgency #RecruiterTraining #ExecutiveSearch #EnterpriseRecruiting #RecruitmentBusiness #MillionDollarBiller #RecruiterGrowth #BusinessDevelopment #RecruitmentStrategy

One placement can be a transaction. Or it can be the start of a long-term enterprise relationship.Most recruiters treat it like the first. Brendan Thomas built his career on the second.He started recruiting at 36, got fired after his first $60,000 placement, and joined a new agency six months later with two clients. By the end of that year, he had built over $600,000 in billings.Six years on, he has generated more than $5 million in lifetime billings, averaged $1 million per year, and qualified for CEO Club every quarter.He did it by ignoring the advice nearly every experienced recruiter gave him. When he asked million-dollar billers how they did it, the one piece of advice he kept hearing was to avoid enterprise accounts. He ignored it.In this episode, Brendan breaks down exactly how he cracks major enterprise accounts, navigates HR and Talent Acquisition without getting blocked, and earns the kind of deep access - hiring manager calendars, ATS logins, long-term contracts - that turns one deal into recurring revenue.This episode is brought to you by RecruiterflowRecruiterflow is the AI-first operating system built specifically for recruitment agencies and executive search firms. It combines a powerful ATS and CRM with AI embedded directly into your recruiting process.Less admin. Smarter follow-up. More time spent on revenue-generating conversations.Request a demo: recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflowIn this episode, you'll discover:Why Brendan ignored the advice to avoid enterprise accounts - and what happened when he didHow to lead with a real candidate to get hiring manager buy-in before HR enters the pictureThe three responses you'll get from Talent Acquisition - and how to handle each oneWhen to walk away from an account and the red flags that tell you it's timeHow to expand one placement into a long-term enterprise relationshipWhy Brendan never asks for referrals until the candidate has had at least a week in the roleHow to earn direct access to hiring manager calendarsWhat discipline actually looks like on a million-dollar deskEpisode Highlights:<ul

I can’t keep making $40,000.That’s what Larissa Gerlach told her manager in year one of recruitment.She was making 200+ calls a week.Hitting the activity metrics.Doing everything she was told to do.And still unsure whether she would make it.Three years later, she was President’s Club.Soon after, the CFO of a private equity-backed recruiting firm emailed her:“What are you doing — and how do we replicate it across 25 offices?”That question became a national recruiter training programme.And it reveals a bigger truth:Most recruitment agencies believe in training.Very few build a system that consistently produces top billers.This episode answers one critical question:Why do most recruiter training programmes fail — even when activity is high?In this conversation, Larissa breaks down:• The 200-calls-per-week discipline that changed her trajectory• Why knowledge doesn’t translate into live performance• What a real training playbook looks like — from binder to LMS• Why daily role plays accelerate billings• The three reasons founders struggle to build structured training• Why cohort-based learning outperforms one-to-one onboarding• How to reduce ramp-up time and build $2M+ billersIf you’re building a recruitment agency and want consultants billing faster, progressing quicker, and performing consistently, this is a masterclass in building performance systems.ChaptersChapters00:00:00 Introduction00:03:56 From fashion sales to recruitment after the 2009 recession00:08:37 The $40,000 first year and the meeting where she nearly quit00:12:35 Why most recruiters struggle in year one — and what actually starts to click00:22:15 The 200-calls-per-week discipline that separated her from everyone else00:25:25 “You always heard Larissa’s voice” — building momentum through visible activity00:26:07 The CFO email that led to building a national sales training programme00:28:17 What the playbook actually looked like — from three-ring binder to full LMS00:35:51 Why daily role plays create elite performers00:41:38 Why role plays aren’t just for new starters — they should run your entire career00:44:14 The deliberate moves she made before launching her own firm00:47:41 Why Vibrant Talent works retained and RPO only from day one01:05:49 The three reasons most founders struggle to train their teams01:10:29 Why group cohorts outperform one-on-one onboardingResources & Tools MentionedWant a structured 18-week recruiter training system

Most recruitment agencies believe in training.Very few build a structured system that consistently produces top billers.Larissa Gerlach experienced the hard version first. In year one, she earned $40,000 and questioned whether she would make it in recruitment at all. By year three, she had reached President’s Club. Soon after, the CFO of a private equity-backed recruiting firm asked her to replicate her results across 25 offices.That request became the foundation of a national recruiter training programme.In this episode, Mark Whitby and Larissa unpack what actually drives recruiter performance, why activity metrics alone don’t create top billers, and how recruitment business owners can build scalable training systems that reduce ramp-up time and increase recruiter billings.If you are serious about recruitment agency growth, search firm leadership, and building consistent performance inside your team, this conversation goes beyond theory.It’s about systems.What You’ll Discover• Why 200+ calls per week worked — and why most recruiters still fail at high activity• The difference between knowledge and live desk performance• How to turn individual billing success into a national training framework• Why daily role plays accelerate recruiter revenue• The three structural reasons founders struggle to implement training• Why cohort-based onboarding produces stronger long-term performance• How to build recruitment agency systems that scale beyond one top performerEpisode Highlights[03:56] From fashion sales to recruitment after the 2009 recession[08:37] The $40,000 first year and the meeting where she nearly quit[12:35] Why most recruiters struggle in year one — and what actually starts to click[22:15] The 200-calls-per-week discipline that changed her trajectory[26:07] The CFO email that led to building a national sales training programme[28:17] What the training playbook looked like — from binder to LMS[35:51] Why daily role plays create elite performers[1:05:49] The three reasons most founders struggle to train their teams[1:10:29] Why group cohorts outperform one-to-one onboardingAbout Larissa GerlachLarissa Gerlach is the founder of Vibrant Talent Group, an executive search firm specialising in marketing, product, and design roles across New York and San Francisco. She has over 15 years of experience across billing, business development, national learning and development, and agency leadership. At a private equity-backed recruiting firm, she became the fastest-growing salesperson in company history before leading national recruiter training initiatives.<h2 class

AI in recruitment was supposed to make hiring faster, smarter, and more efficient.Greg Savage believes it has made recruitment harder.Fraud at scale. Inflated CVs. AI screening tools producing just 14% shortlist overlap. And automation that speeds up broken recruitment processes instead of fixing them.In Episode 300 of _The Resilient Recruiter,_ we break down AI in recruitment, the future of recruitment agencies, retained vs contingent recruitment, and what recruitment agency owners must do to stay relevant in an AI-driven market.Greg was my very first guest back in 2019. In 2023, he made a series of bold predictions about how AI would reshape recruitment.Two years later? Those predictions were “scarily accurate.”But in some areas, things have accelerated even faster than expected.Greg has built four recruitment businesses. He’s the author of _The Savage Truth_ (20,000+ copies sold). He’s spent five decades watching the recruitment and executive search industry evolve.His view?AI hasn’t simplified recruitment.It has raised the bar.Episode Timeline00:00 IntroChapters00:00:00 The biggest threat — and opportunity — in decades00:02:14 Why the contingent, multi-listed perm model is under pressure00:06:34 The 14% shortlist overlap test in AI screening00:08:32 What “automating dysfunction” really means00:26:20 The highest ROI AI opportunity for recruitment agencies00:30:43 Four questions to ask before buying any AI tool00:54:04 The rise of the “techno-empath” recruiterWhat You’ll Learn About AI in RecruitmentThis is a strategic conversation about recruitment agency growth, retained search, executive search, and how to scale a recruitment business in an AI-driven environment.Why AI Is Making Recruitment Harder• The 14% shortlist overlap between major AI screening tools• Research suggesting around 40% of tech candidates have inflated resumes• What “automating dysfunction” looks like in recruitment agencies• The four questions every recruitment business owner should ask before investing in AIWhich Recruitment Models Will Survive• Why the contingent, multi-listed recruitment model is under pressure• Why retained search and executive search are positioned to grow• The recruitment business models likely to thrive over the next five years• Why recruiters must sell decision-making, not just placementsWhat Recruitment Leaders Must Master Next• The highest ROI AI opportunity: activating and cleaning your recruitment database• Why “techno-empath” recruiters will win• The moments of truth in recruitment that must never be automated• The skills that will define high-performing recruiters in an AI-driven market

Six years ago, Greg Savage was the very first guest on The Resilient Recruiter.For episode 300, he returns to discuss the biggest shift our industry has faced since the rise of the internet: artificial intelligence.And he doesn’t hold back.“The contingent, multi-listed perm market… I think that is over.”Greg has built four recruitment businesses. He’s the author of The Savage Truth (20,000+ copies sold). He’s spent five decades watching this industry evolve.His view?AI hasn’t made recruitment easier.In many ways, it’s made it harder.Two years ago, Greg outlined a series of predictions about how AI would reshape recruitment. In this episode, we revisit those predictions and assess what’s proving true — and where the pace of change has accelerated.But this isn’t a doom-and-gloom conversation.It’s about where recruitment agencies win next.If you lead a recruitment agency or executive search firm, this episode will challenge how you think about AI, positioning, and long-term relevance.Episode Highlights00:33 The biggest threat and opportunity Greg has seen in decades02:14 Why the contingent, multi-listed perm model is under pressure06:34 AI shortlisting chaos and the 14% overlap test08:32 What “automating dysfunction” really means26:20 The highest ROI AI opportunity right now30:43 Four questions to ask before buying any AI tool54:04 The rise of the “techno-empath” recruiterWhat You’ll LearnWhy AI Is Making Recruitment HarderWhy AI screening tools produced only 14% overlap in shortlistsResearch suggesting around 40% of tech candidates have inflated their resumesWhat “automating dysfunction” looks like in practiceThe four questions every recruitment leader should ask before investing in AIWhich Recruitment Models Will SurviveWhy the contingent, multi-listed perm model is under pressureWhy retained search and executive search are positioned to growThe business models most likely to thrive over the next five yearsWhy

Why do some recruiters close retained work in a single meeting while others pitch for weeks and still lose to contingent competitors?In this episode of *The Resilient Recruiter,* Mark Whitby sits down with *James O’Brien,* Managing Director and COO at i-intro, to unpack what really separates recruiters who win retained and exclusive work from those stuck chasing job orders.James has been in recruitment since the late 1980s and has spent the last decade helping agencies transition from contingent recruitment to retained search. His clients consistently outperform the market, achieving *96% one-year retention* and *93% of placements still in role after two years.*This conversation isn’t about pitching harder or discounting fees. It’s about changing the _dynamic_ of the client conversation by reframing hiring around risk, retention, and accountability.If you’re tired of competing with multiple agencies for the same role and want clients to see you as a trusted advisor rather than a supplier, this episode will change how you run client meetings.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:* Why recruitment isn’t the real problem — retention is* The three questions that expose hidden hiring failure* How to justify higher fees by measuring retention* Why most recruiters lose retained work in the preparation, not the pitch* How to show value instead of describing your process* What accountability really looks like beyond the placement* Why retained work is won before you walk into the meetingTimestamps:00:00 Why most recruiters struggle to win retained workChapters00:00:00 Why transactional recruitment is dying00:10:13 Recruitment’s not the problem. Retention is00:13:34 How to measure retention and monetize better outcomes00:18:00 The three questions that reveal a 20–30% hiring failure rate00:32:23 Why “wow” should be your standard in client meetings00:36:35 The preparation process that wins retained work00:45:00 Why proposals still matter (and when to send them)00:59:03 Accountability beyond the placement and why guarantees work*Listen to the full episode:* https://recruitmentcoach.com/podcast/SponsorThis episode is brought to you by *Recruiterflow* — an end-to-end, AI-first recruitment platform that helps recruiters run and scale their business. Recruiterflow combines ATS, CRM, sequencing, data enrichment, marketing automation, and AI agents in one streamlined system.Learn more or request a demo at recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflow👍 *If you found this episode helpful, don't forget to subscribe for more interviews with top recruitment leaders every week.*Your follow helps us reach more recruiters who want to grow thei

Why do some recruiters win retained work in a single meeting while others pitch for weeks and still lose to contingent competitors?My guest, James O’Brien, knows exactly why. And it has nothing to do with fee structure.James is the Managing Director and COO at i-intro. He’s been in recruitment since the late 1980s and has spent the last decade helping recruitment firms move from transactional, contingent work into retained and exclusive assignments. His clients consistently outperform the market, with 96% one-year retention and 93% of placements still in role after two years.In this episode, James delivers a practical masterclass on consultative selling. He explains why most recruiters lose retained work before they even walk into the meeting, how to reframe hiring conversations around risk and retention, and what it really means to position yourself as a management consultant who specializes in talent acquisition.This conversation is for recruiters who are tired of pitching, discounting, and competing with five other agencies for the same role.You’ll hear the exact questions James uses to expose hidden hiring failure, why “wow” should be the standard for every client meeting, and how preparation, not persuasion, is what wins retained work consistently.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why recruitment isn’t the real problem and retention isThe three questions that reframe hiring failure for clientsHow to measure retention and use it to justify higher feesWhy most recruiters lose retained work in the preparation, not the pitchHow to show value instead of just describing your processWhat accountability really looks like beyond the placementWhy retained fees feel fair when clients understand the true cost of hiring failureEpisode Highlights:[03:56] Why transactional recruitment is dying[10:13] Recruitment’s not the problem. Retention is[13:34] How to measure retention and monetize better outcomes[18:00] The three questions that reveal a 20–30% hiring failure r

Why do some recruiters get ghosted while others hear: *“I never respond to recruiters, but I had to respond to you”?*In this episode of *The Resilient Recruiter,* Mark Whitby is joined by *Theresa Nordstrom,* founder of Talent Company, to break down what _actually_ makes candidates respond in today’s noisy recruitment market.Before launching her own search firm, Theresa spent nearly 20 years as an HR leader. At one company, she cut agency spend by over $700,000 by building creative employee referral programs and filling roles in-house. Then she crossed to the agency side.Her biggest insight?*Job descriptions don’t recruit talent. Stories do.*In this conversation, Theresa explains why messaging beats volume, how video cuts through candidate noise, and how recruiters can get better responses without being pushy, salesy, or sending more messages. If you’re tired of candidates ignoring your outreach, this episode will change how you think about recruiting.🎧 *Listen to the full episode on the podcast:*https://recruitmentcoach.com/podcast/What You’ll Learn in This Episode* Why candidates ignore most recruiter outreach* How storytelling outperforms job descriptions* How to get candidates to self-select early* Why proof of progression beats vague culture claims* How recruiters can use video without being polished* What most employee referral programs get wrong* Why detailed submittals increase interview ratios* How to use AI to elevate quality without losing judgmentTimestamps00:00 IntroChapters00:00:00 Why Theresa left a 20-year HR career to start her own search firm00:06:41 The Harley Davidson referral program that saved hundreds of thousands in agency fees00:09:22 How to elicit the story behind a role candidates actually care about00:12:32 Why progression examples close candidates better than culture claims00:17:09 The key to employee referral programs that actually work00:23:21 How to partner with HR without getting blocked00:32:26 Theresa’s lean team structure and why she avoids the typical VA model00:38:26 Why results-driven work beats traditional business development00:44:20 The video outreach approach that makes candidates stop and respond00:55:03 Why detailed submittals win more placements00:58:34 Mixing retained, exclusive, and selective contingent workSponsor: RecruiterflowThis episode is brought to you by *Recruiterflow.*Recruiterflow is an AI-first ATS and CRM built specifically for recruitment agencies and executive search firms. It combines ATS, CRM, sequencing, data enrichment, marketing automation, and

Why do some recruiters get ignored while others hear, “I never respond to recruiters, but I had to respond to you”?Theresa Nordstrom has spent her career on both sides of the hiring table. Before launching her own search firm, she spent nearly 20 years as an HR leader. In one role, she cut agency spending by over $700,000 by building creative employee referral programs and filling roles in-house.Then she crossed to the agency side.In this episode of The Resilient Recruiter, Theresa explains why most recruiter outreach fails and what actually gets candidates to respond. Her answer isn’t more messages or better templates. It’s storytelling, relevance, and clarity.Theresa shares why job descriptions don’t recruit talent, how she uncovers the real story behind a role, and how video helps her cut through candidate noise without being pushy or salesy. She also breaks down why detailed submittals matter, how she uses AI to save time without sacrificing quality, and when it genuinely makes sense for companies to use external recruiters.Sponsor: RecruiterflowThis episode is brought to you by Recruiterflow.Recruiterflow is an end-to-end, AI-first ATS and CRM built specifically for recruitment agencies and executive search firms. It brings together ATS, CRM, sequencing, data enrichment, marketing automation, and AI agents in one clean, intuitive platform.Several recruitment leaders in our coaching community use Recruiterflow to execute faster, onboard new hires more easily, and spend more time on what actually matters: conversations with clients and candidates.You can learn more or request a demo at recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflowIn this episode, you’ll learn:Why candidates respond to stories, not job descriptionsHow to get candidates to self-select early (and save time on both sides)Why progression examples outperform vague culture claimsHow video outreach cuts through noise without needing polishWhat most employee referral programs get wrongWhy detailed submittals increase interview ratiosHow to use AI to elevate quality, not replace judgmentEpisode highlights:[3:01] Why Theresa left a 20-year HR car

Why do some recruitment agencies collapse when the market turns, while others keep growing?Gerard Koolen has lived through three major crises: the 2008 financial crash, COVID-19, and the war in Ukraine. Each time, his recruitment business didn’t just survive. It grew.In this episode of _The Resilient Recruiter,_ Gerard explains why growth in tough markets has nothing to do with working harder. It comes down to how your agency is built.Gerard is the founder of Lugera, a recruitment agency with 11 offices, over 500 employees, and €243 million in annual revenue. Instead of relying on a single service line, he built what he calls an *“all-seasons service portfolio”* with eight revenue streams. When permanent hiring slowed, outplacement surged. When clients froze recruitment, other services took over.We break down exactly how the model works, why most agencies monetise only 0.2% of their candidate database, and how technology allowed Gerard to replace the work of 30 people with one part-time role.If you’re a recruitment agency owner or search firm leader who wants a business that can grow in any market, this episode will challenge how you think about revenue, systems, and resilience.What you’ll learn in this episode:* Why Lugera grew 20% during the 2008 recession* What an “all-seasons service portfolio” looks like in practice* Why most agencies monetise only 0.2% of their candidates* How eight revenue streams reduce risk and smooth cash flow* Why your ATS may be limiting your growth without you realising* How automation replaced 30 staff with one part-time role* Why outplacement becomes powerful when hiring stopsTimestamps:00:00 Why some agencies grow in any marketChapters00:00:00 Growing through the 2008 financial crisis00:05:53 The all-seasons service portfolio00:08:01 Monetising the 99% of candidates you never place00:14:34 The real cost of building the technology00:19:42 Why most ATS platforms restrict growth00:27:02 Doubling placements without doubling effort00:31:33 Turning outplacement into a €1M revenue stream00:45:25 Automated outreach that converts job ads into leadsSponsorThis episode is brought to you by *Recruiterflow.*Recruiterflow is an AI-first ATS and CRM built to help recruitment businesses run and scale more efficiently. It combines ATS, CRM, sequencing, data enrichment, marketing automation, and AI agents in one platform. Many leaders in our coaching community rely on Recruiterflow to streamline operations and improve execution.Learn more or request a demo at *recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflow*👍 *Don’t forget to subscribe* for more interviews with top recruitment leaders every week.

Why do some recruitment agencies collapse during recessions while others keep growing?Gerard Koolen has watched his business expand through three major crises: the 2008 financial collapse, COVID-19, and the war in Ukraine. Each time, Lugera grew. Not by working harder, but by building the business differently.Gerard is the founder of Lugera, a recruitment agency with 11 offices, over 500 employees, and €243 million in annual revenue. Operating across a region tested by economic downturns and geopolitical instability, his firm has been forced to adapt repeatedly. Instead of relying on a single revenue stream, Gerard built what he calls an “all-seasons service portfolio.”Over time, Lugera developed eight distinct revenue streams. When permanent hiring slowed, outplacement surged. When clients froze recruitment, other services stepped in. One stream compensated for another, keeping the business resilient when markets turned.That approach created a new problem. Managing eight revenue streams manually nearly broke the company. Gerard invested 10 years and €2.2 million in building technology to automate work that once required a team of 30 people. Today, one part-time employee handles what used to take an entire department.In this episode, Gerard breaks down how the model works. He explains how to monetise the 99% of candidates most agencies never place, why traditional ATS systems quietly limit growth, and how outplacement can become a counter-cyclical revenue stream.If you want to build a recruitment business that grows through uncertainty instead of being crushed by it, this conversation will change how you think about revenue, technology, and resilience.What you’ll learn:Why Lugera grew 20% during the 2008 recessionWhat an “all-seasons service portfolio” looks like in practiceWhy most agencies monetise only 0.2% of their candidate databaseHow eight revenue streams reduce risk and smooth volatilityWhy your ATS may be capping your growth without you realisingHow automation replaced 30 staff with one part-time roleWhy does outplacement generate revenue when hiring stopsEpisode highlights:[03:30] Growing during the 2008 recession[05:53] The all-s

Why do some recruiters stay stuck on contingent work while others quietly shift a large part of their business to retained without pitching harder or sounding salesy?James Cairns found the answer the hard way.James left a stable corporate finance career to start a boutique search firm with no agency experience, no local network, and just $30,000 in savings. His first year was brutal. Three placements. Borrowed money. Serious doubts about whether he’d made a huge mistake.Then one summer night, sitting on his back porch, James made a decision that changed everything. He eliminated Plan B.From that moment on, momentum followed.Today, James runs The CSP Group, a highly respected finance and accounting search firm in St. Louis. He places senior talent up to CFO level, consistently beats national firms, and now operates with roughly 40% of his work on retained or contained terms.In this episode, James explains what actually drove that shift. Not better sales tactics. Not scripts. But commitment, process, and the confidence to walk away from the wrong work.If you’re a recruiter who wants to stop competing on volume and start building a calmer, more controlled business, this conversation will resonate.What you’ll learn in this episode:* Why eliminating “Plan B” unlocked consistent momentum* How James moved from 3 placements to 40% retained work* The candidate profiling system that generates a third of his placements* Why local specialization beats national firms* How to position retained search without pressure or pitching* Why walkaway power matters more than persuasionTimestamps:00:00 IntroductionChapters00:00:00 Starting a search firm with zero recruitment experience00:06:31 Quitting with $30K, a pregnant wife, and no local network00:08:46 First-year reality: three placements and borrowed money00:10:04 The back porch moment that eliminated Plan B00:18:41 The candidate process that transformed responsiveness00:21:51 Talent profiles and how they drive a third of placements00:38:02 Why local specialization beats national firms00:43:27 The CFO placement that changed everything00:50:04 “This is how we work”: James’s retained positioning00:59:06 Why walkaway power leads to more retained workConnect with James:Website: https://thecspgroup.com/LinkedIn: James Cairns https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-cairns-062a5b7/Connect with Mark:Book a free 30-minute strategy session:https://recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session*This episode is brought to you by Recruiterflow.*Recruiterflow is an AI-first ATS and CRM built to help recruitment businesses run and scal

Why do some recruiters stay stuck on contingent work while others shift a large portion of their business to retained without pitching harder or sounding salesy?James Cairns found the answer the hard way.James is a CPA who left a stable corporate finance career to start a boutique search firm with no agency experience, no local network, and just $30,000 in savings. His first year was brutal. Three placements. Borrowed money. Serious doubts about whether he'd made a huge mistake.Then one summer night, sitting on his back porch, James made a decision that changed everything. He eliminated Plan B.From that point on, momentum followed. Today, James runs The CSP Group, a highly respected finance and accounting search firm in St. Louis. He regularly beats national firms, fills senior roles up to CFO level, and now operates with roughly 40% of his work on retained or contained terms.In this episode, James breaks down what actually drove that shift. Not better sales tactics, scripts, or pressure. But commitment, process, and the confidence to walk away from the wrong work.This conversation offers a clear look at what changes when a recruiter stops competing on volume and starts choosing the right work.In this episode, you'll learn:Why eliminating "Plan B" unlocked consistent momentumHow James moved from 3 placements to 40% retained workThe candidate profiling system that generates a third of his placementsWhy being local and specialized beats national firmsHow to position retained search without pitching or pressureWhy walkaway power matters more than persuasionEpisode highlights:[3:44] Why a CPA with zero agency experience started a search firm [6:31] Quitting with $30K, a pregnant wife, and no local network [8:46] First-year reality: three placements and borrowed money [10:04] The back porch moment that eliminated Plan B [18:41] The candidate process that transformed responsiveness [21:51] Talent profiles and how they drive a third of placements [38:02] Why local specialization beats national firms[43:27] The CFO placement that changed everything [50:04] "This is how we work": James's retained positioning <p class="

You’re posting on LinkedIn.You’re showing up consistently.And yet… the meetings aren’t coming.This episode explains why.Mike Mello spent 10 years in staffing sales and built what most recruiters would call a dream run: 1,300 placements, more than $100 million in revenue sold, and nearly 140 contractors on billing as an enterprise salesperson.Then he walked away.Not because staffing stopped working.But because buyer behaviour had changed, most recruiters were still relying on volume instead of context.In this conversation, Mike breaks down why LinkedIn content on its own rarely converts, how video builds trust before the first call, and why outbound works far better when prospects already recognise you.You’ll hear why pain-point content beats ROI messaging, why senior buyers often watch your content without ever liking or commenting, and why most real meetings don’t happen on email one or two.If you’re creating content but not seeing it turn into a pipeline, this episode will help you understand what’s missing and how to fix it.What you’ll learn in this episode00:00 IntroChapters00:00:00 How Mike made 1,300 placements and sold $100M before launching Simple Side AI00:09:05 The LinkedIn video that changed everything and grew one account to 50 contractors00:10:36 Why fear of judgement stops recruiters from posting video00:12:04 The analytics that proved LinkedIn video beats cold calling00:13:56 Why senior clients watch your content but never like it00:19:02 Why LinkedIn content and outbound must work together00:23:11 Pain-point content vs ROI content and what actually converts00:26:42 Why unscripted video builds more trust than polished AI content00:34:44 Three simple frameworks for structuring video content00:43:53 The observation–problem–solution–CTA email structure00:52:19 Turning video viewers into warm sales calls00:56:01 Why reactivating past accounts often beats cold outreachGuestMike Mello is the founder of Simple Side AI, helping staffing agencies turn LinkedIn content and outbound automation into real sales conversations. Before launching Simple Side AI in 2024, Mike spent 10 years in staffing sales, making over 1,300 placements and selling more than $100 million in revenue.Connect with Mike Mello on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-mello-7884b059/Simple Side AI website - https://simplesideai.com/Get your free 30-minute strategy session with Mark: recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-sessionConnect with Mark Whitby on LinkedInFollow on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach👍 Don’t forget to subs

Why do some recruiters post content every week and still struggle to book meetings? While others quietly turn short LinkedIn videos into real sales conversations that actually close.Mike Mello has lived both sides of that question.After 10 years in staffing, Mike had built what most recruiters would call a dream run. Over 1,300 placements. More than $100 million in revenue sold. Nearly 140 contractors are billed as enterprise salespeople.Then he walked away.Not because staffing stopped working. But because buyer behaviour had changed, and most recruiters were still relying on volume instead of context.In this episode, Mike shares how he used LinkedIn video alongside outbound automation to warm up prospects before sales conversations ever happened. The insight that changed everything was simple but powerful: senior decision-makers were watching his videos quietly, building familiarity and trust long before replying to an email or taking a call.Today, Mike is the founder of Simple Side AI, where he helps staffing agencies combine content and outbound in a way that creates better conversations, shorter sales cycles, and higher-quality meetings.This conversation goes well beyond tools. It’s about how buyers actually decide, why pain-point content consistently beats ROI messaging, and why most meaningful meetings don’t happen on email one or two.If you’re posting content but not seeing it turn into a pipeline, this episode will help you know what’s missing.In this episode, you’ll learn:• Why visibility now matters more than outbound volume• How LinkedIn video builds context before the first conversation• Why senior buyers watch content without ever liking or commenting• The difference between pain-point content and ROI content• Why unscripted video outperforms polished AI content• How long do outbound sequences really need to run in staffing• Why Mike’s best meetings happen around email six or seven• Why sales skill still matters more than any tool or platformEpisode highlights[05:40] How Mike made 1,300 placements and sold $100M before launching Simple Side AI[09:05] The LinkedIn video that changed everything and grew one account to 50 contractors[10:36] Why fear of judgement stops recruiters from posting video[12:04] The analytics that proved LinkedIn video beats cold calling[13:56] Why your best clients watch your content but never engage publicly[19:02] Why content and outbound must work together[23:11] Pain-point content vs ROI content[26:42] Why imperfect video builds more trust[43:53] The observation–problem–solution–CTA ema

Ever find yourself hitting a brick wall when it comes to developing engaging content? Don't despair! Recently, I was invited as a guest speaker on the Retained Recruiter Show, which is a weekly LinkedIn live hosted by our good friends at i-Intro. The topic was How to Get More Clients with Content Marketing. i-Intro told me that this was one of the most popular live streams that they'd ever produced, and they've given me permission to share the recording with you on this podcast.You will hear me discuss with James O’Brien and Jo Gregory strategies to effectively and consistently post original content and how it will attract your target audience. You will know how content marketing can position you as a trusted authority instead of being just a vendor. Episode Outline and HighlightsChapters00:00:00 Intro00:03:52 How content marketing transformed many recruitment businesses.00:06:05 Mark shares the easiest way to get started with content marketing.00:10:00 Authenticity is the key - leveraging AI platforms while keeping it original.00:15:11 How much time do you need to put aside for content marketing?00:18:30 How long would you give it to see engagement results?00:23:26 The powerful returns of consistently posting content and sharing to your community.00:30:27 How to measure and track your ROI from content marketing?

Why do some recruiters command premium fees while others compete on speed and price? It's not talent or experience. It's whether they've packaged their service as a product.Andrea Hoffer learned this lesson the hard way.Before launching her consulting business, Andrea spent 10 years running a Massage Envy Spa franchise. She led a team of more than 30 employees. Her therapeutic staff stayed. Her front-desk hires didn't. Turnover was constant. She hired fast, hoped for the best, watched people struggle in a sales-driven role, then repeated the cycle.Eventually, she stopped and asked herself one question: "I've been trained better than this."That question changed everything.Andrea rebuilt her hiring approach from scratch and turned it into a branded, repeatable system she now calls the Dream Hire framework. It worked so well that other franchise owners began asking for help.Today, Andrea runs AHA Talent Consulting, where she helps business owners build "hiring machines" that consistently attract the right people. She charges $10,000+ for setup and $3,000+ monthly subscriptions. No placement fees. She's not selling placements. She's selling a system.In this episode of The Resilient Recruiter, we break down how to package your recruitment process as a signature solution, why story-based discovery reveals what job descriptions never will, and where AI creates real value without replacing human judgment.If you're a recruiter or agency owner who wants to differentiate, defend premium fees, and stop competing on speed alone, this episode will give you a practical blueprint.👍 Don't forget to subscribe for more interviews with top recruitment leaders every week.*Timestamps*Chapters00:00:00 Intro00:04:10 The hiring nightmare that forced a complete rebuild00:07:38 Why changing job posting language repelled the wrong candidates00:09:31 The 90-minute group interview where candidates self-select out00:12:24 The Dream Hire framework explained: Define, Reach, Engage, Assess, Motivate00:13:23 Why most recruiters skip the Define stage and pay for it later00:19:10 Why hiring doesn't end when the offer is accepted00:30:20 How to assess culture fit by asking for stories, not descriptions00:32:20 Why one specific story reveals more than any job description00:36:08 The CAR technique for behavioral interviewing00:39:58 Where AI creates real value in hiring (and where it doesn't)00:41:02 Using AI chatbots to screen minimum qualifications00:52:20 How Andrea uses AI to extend reach without extending hours01:05:15 Mark's key takeaways for recr

Why do some recruiters command premium fees while others compete on speed and price? It’s not talent or experience. It’s whether they’ve packaged their service as a product.Andrea Hoffer learned this lesson the hard way.Before launching her consulting business, Andrea spent 10 years running a Massage Envy Spa franchise. She led a team of more than 30 employees. Her therapeutic staff stayed. Her front-desk hires didn’t. Turnover was constant. She hired fast, hoped for the best, watched people struggle in a sales-driven role, then repeated the cycle.Eventually, she stopped and asked herself a simple question:“I’ve been trained better than this.”That question changed everything.Andrea rebuilt her hiring approach from scratch and turned it into a branded, repeatable system she now calls the Dream Hire framework. It worked so well that other franchise owners began asking for help.Today, Andrea runs AHA Talent Consulting, where she helps business owners build “hiring machines” that consistently attract the right people. She charges $10,000+ for setup and $3,000+ monthly subscriptions. No placement fees. She’s not selling placements. She’s selling a system.In this episode of The Resilient Recruiter, we break down how to package your recruitment process as a signature solution, why story-based discovery beats traditional intake calls, and where AI genuinely adds leverage without replacing human judgment.In This Episode, You’ll Learn:Why packaging your process matters more than speed or experienceHow the Dream Hire framework works and why Define is the most skipped (and costly) stageWhy asking for stories reveals more than job descriptions ever willHow to assess culture fit without relying on gut feelWhere AI creates real value in hiring and where it doesn’tHow to use technology to scale insight without losing trustEpisode Highlights[4:10] The hiring nightmare that forced Andrea to rebuild her entire process[7:38] Why changing the job posting language repelled the wrong candidates[9:31] The 90-minute group interview where candidates self-select out[12:24] Breaking down the Dream Hire framework: Define, Reach, Engage, Assess, Motivate[13:23] Why most recruiters skip defining and pay for it later[30:20] Assessing culture fit by asking for stories, not descriptions[36

There’s a lot of noise around AI in recruitment.Some people are selling it as a silver bullet. Others are predicting a job apocalypse for recruiters.Neither is true.In this episode of The Resilient Recruiter, Mark Whitby sits down with Rebecca Hastings to talk about what’s actually happening inside businesses using AI right now and what recruiters are getting wrong.Rebecca advises CEOs, boards, and AI leaders on strategy, governance, and implementation. She’s reviewed hundreds of real-world AI transformation case studies and brings a grounded perspective most recruiters never see. Alongside that, she’s built a retained-only executive search firm focused on senior AI leadership and a sales system that consistently books high-quality meetings without volume-driven hustle.This conversation isn’t about tools or tactics. It’s about judgment, trust, and process.You’ll hear why AI doesn’t make work faster unless human capability is already in place, how weak sales systems are exposed when automation is added, and why recruiters who can explain how they use AI will earn more trust, not less.Rebecca also breaks down how she thinks about sales as a system, from market focus and listening time to multichannel outreach and AI-supported preparation. The result is fewer calls, better conversations, and more consistent meetings.If you want to understand where AI genuinely helps recruiters and where it quietly causes damage, this episode will change how you think about it.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why there won’t be a job apocalypse for recruitersHow AI shifts bottlenecks instead of removing themWhy trust and psychological safety matter in AI adoptionHow to build market expertise AI can amplifyThe sales system Rebecca uses to book more meetings with less effortEpisode highlights:[3:42] How Rebecca billed £360,000 in her first year[14:08] Lessons from market downturns[32:17] Why listening time beats talk time[59:37] What actually happens when AI is introduced[1:15:26] The multichannel sales system behind consistent meetingsGuest bio:Rebecca Hastings is the founder of Lucent Search, specialising in senior AI leadership appointments globally. She works with CEOs, CTOs, heads of AI, and boards on AI strategy, governance, and transformation, and is an AI and systems coach with Recruit

This episode brings together the ten most listened-to conversations of 2025.They weren’t popular by accident. These episodes resonated because they spoke directly to the challenges recruiters were dealing with day to day. Planning your time. Building pipeline. Positioning retained search. Recovering from burnout. Staying relevant as the market and LinkedIn both shifted.If you missed any of these conversations the first time around, consider this your shortlist for heading into 2026 with a clearer plan and stronger focus.In this episode, you’ll hear insights on:How to plan your day so you stay out of reactive workHow to build business development into your week without burning outHow to position retained search with confidenceWhy systems create more consistency than chasing placementsHow relationship-building compounds over timeWhy LinkedIn's reach dropped and what actually matters nowEpisode timestamps:00:01 Introduction02:30 Allicia Birch – The 15-minute planning system09:15 Rachel Filby – One BD day per week14:20 Carol Wenom – Positioning retained search21:05 Stuart Barnes – The three-bucket BD model28:40 Jenny Diaz – Writing your plan by hand34:10 Deedee Doke – Differentiation and innovation39:45 Jessica Hamilton – Systems over placements45:30 Brandon Glyck – Relationship compounding52:00 Karolina Willis – From breakdown to breakthrough58:15 Richard van der Blom – Why LinkedIn reach droppedIf you want to future-proof your recruitment business without burning out, this episode is a must-listen.

Tonya Leadman went nine months without a single placement.Seven searches were put on hold. Two offers fell through. Cash flow tightened. And her accountant called to check if she was okay.Tonya is the owner of Leadman & Associates, a national executive search firm serving the food, beverage, and CPG manufacturing industries. After building her career as a top performer in the MRI Network and later moving in-house as a Fortune 500 talent acquisition leader, she launched her own firm in 2022.Then the market turned — and placements stopped.In this episode of The Resilient Recruiter, Tonya shares what actually keeps a recruitment business alive during a prolonged downturn — without dropping fees, spamming clients with resumes, or compromising standards.She also breaks down the candidate presentation system behind her 92% interview rate, why she only submits the top two or three candidates, and the activity that kept her visible when most recruiters disappeared.This is a real conversation about resilience, discipline, and leadership when placements stop.You’ll learn:What to do when your recruitment business goes months without a placementHow Tonya maintained standards during a nine-month droughtWhy submitting fewer candidates builds more trust with clientsThe candidate presentation process behind a 92% interview rateHow staying visible during a downturn pays off when the market turnsWhy Tonya fired a client when cash flow was tightHow career services helped stabilise revenue without losing focusHow fast recruiting can turn around when momentum returnsEpisode timestamps:00:00 Nine months without a placement01:40 Returning from maternity leave to a layoff03:10 The habits that shaped Tonya’s early success14:35 The candidate presentation system behind a 92% interview rate18:19 Why Tonya submits only the top 2–3 candidates30:33 Launching a firm during a tough market39:00 Seven searches on hold and the drought begins43:02 The activity that kept her business alive44:30 Firing a client during a downturn49:17 Career services as a stabiliser51:05 How recruiting can turn around fastGuest: Tonya LeadmanOwner,

For years, Matt Rooney did what a lot of capable recruiters do. He stayed busy. Took the work that came in. Said yes more often than he should have.Inside private equity, that turned him into what he later called a "utility recruiter". Useful, but reactive. Some years were strong. Others weren't. And it never quite felt like a real partnership with clients.Two decisions changed the direction of his business.Matt narrowed his focus to one role inside private equity: business development and deal origination. Then he made the shift from contingent to retained.Today, Matt is the founder of Coastal Partners. He's gone from closing 3–4 retained searches in his first year as a specialist to being on track for 10 retained searches this year, with the majority of his work now retained.In this episode of The Resilient Recruiter, Matt breaks down what actually made that transition possible. Not theory. Not scripts. Real decisions, real resistance, and what changed once clients started committing up front.This conversation is especially relevant if you run a recruitment agency, lead a small firm, or feel stuck in feast-or-famine despite working hard.What you'll learn:Why being a "utility recruiter" keeps agencies reactiveWhat changed when Matt stopped taking every jobHow he handled the "no retained experience" objectionWhy specialisation built confidence and credibility fastHow original market data helped him become a trusted partnerWhy predictability mattered more than volumeEpisode timestamps:[00:33] Why does contingent feel reactive [03:02] How Matt fell into recruitment [07:11] Feeling stuck as a utility recruiter [12:44] Resisting the idea of niching down [15:18] Why specialisation changed client relationships [19:03] Making the move to retained [20:39] First retained searches and predictability [27:40] Mapping the market and building authority [34:16] Publishing hiring reports and compensation data [35:25] Launching the Deal Sourcery podcast [50:31] Hosting a live panel at a PE conference [55:56] Why Matt would specialise sooner<p class="tex

AI is accelerating at a rate faster than at any point in recruitment history. New tools are emerging monthly. Employers are experimenting without clear guardrails. And agency owners are left wondering which developments will matter - and which are just noise.In this episode, I sit down with Matt Alder, talent acquisition futurist and host of Recruiting Future, to cut through the hype and focus on the realities of AI in recruitment today. With more than 25 years tracking technology's impact on talent acquisition, Matt brings a long-term perspective few others can match.We explore the shift from experimentation to adoption, including real examples of employers using AI to conduct live voice interviews with candidates. Matt breaks down where AI is already delivering value, where it's still falling short, and why trust has become the most important currency in recruitment.He explains the three human skills that will keep recruiters indispensable - networks, relationships, and influence - and why agencies who double down on these strengths will rise above the noise. We also discuss the two competing futures unfolding right now: Recruiting Utopia vs Recruiting Dystopia.Matt closes with a prediction about agentic AI - a future where candidate agents and employer agents negotiate autonomously. It sounds futuristic, but Matt believes it's entirely feasible and may reshape the industry faster than people expect.If you're a recruitment leader looking to stay ahead of technological change, this episode offers clarity, direction, and a practical roadmap for the years ahead.TAKEAWAYS- Why the pace of AI innovation is unlike anything the recruitment industry has seen- How employers are already using AI to conduct voice interviews- Why trust is eroding - and how recruiters can rebuild it- The three human skills that keep recruiters relevant- Why outreach automation isn't effective yet- How candidate-facing AI may disrupt faster than employer tech- The two competing futures: Recruiting Utopia vs Dystopia- What agentic AI could mean for hiring and recruiter influenceTIMESTAMPS4:23 Matt's background and the evolution of TA tech7:19 What HR/IT convergence reveals about the future10:29 AI hype vs practical reality14:18 Where AI is already improving recruitment processes21:14 Why AI in

For 20 years, Maria Sinclair watched other people get promoted while she stayed stuck in her own head. She questioned whether she belonged, worried about how she was perceived, and doubted nearly every decision she made.Then Covid hit, and everything changed.Cobalt furloughed 45 of its 55 UK staff, leaving only ten people working. Maria picked up multiple desks, supported clients across new specialisms, and kept the operation steady during one of the most challenging periods the industry had ever seen. That moment revealed a capability she had never fully recognised in herself.Today, Maria is the Managing Director of Cobalt, ranked 49th in the UK’s Hot 100 list based on GP per employee. After 23 years with the business, she has worked her way up from recruitment consultant to MD while helping build a culture known for tenure, trust, and consistent performance.In this conversation, Maria explains how she built confidence later in her career, why she focuses on job quality over call volume, how openness about challenges like perimenopause strengthens team culture, and how Cobalt hires for work ethic and trains for market expertise.If you have ever doubted whether you are ready to lead, this episode shows what becomes possible when you start backing yourself.You’ll learn:• How Maria entered recruitment after being rejected eight times• Why confidence took decades to develop• How she navigated the 2009 crash, Brexit, and Covid• Why the COVID-19 crisis became the turning point in her leadership• The cultural principles that support performance• Why job quality matters more than call volume• How Cobalt assesses work ethic and validates billings• The patience required to train recruiters from other sectors• Why expertise beats activity in the built environmentTimestamps:[6:00] Breaking into recruitment after eight rejections[18:29] The confidence struggle[24:09] Navigating economic shocks[25:36] The Covid moment[28:49] The promotion that shifted everything[30:44] Being open about perimenopause[36:17] Culture and retention[41:37] KPIs that matter[50:18] Hiring for work ethic[54:29] Training recruiters from other sectors[58:13] Becoming an industry expert[1:01:06] Closing rate problems and what they meanGuest Bio:Maria Sinclair is the Managing Director of Cobalt, operating across the built environment with offices in the UK, Germany, and the US. Cobalt ranks 49th in Recruiter Magazine’s Hot 100 list based on GP per employee. Maria has been with Cobalt for 23 years and was appointed UK MD in January 2024.

What does it take to raise your fees, win better clients, and rebuild your recruiting business from the ground up?In this episode, I speak with Randee Staats, founder of S4 Search Partners, who went from losing everything — $250K in debt and $500 left — to rebuilding a seven-figure desk within the following year.Randee explains the decisions that nearly destroyed his business, the turning point that pushed him to rebuild, and the systems that rebuilt his confidence, his pipeline, and his profitability.He also breaks down the daily discipline, fee structure changes, and point-based productivity system that helped him win better clients and finally charge what he is worth.In This Episode, You'll Learn:How Randee launched his firm from his parents' basementThe moment he landed a billion-dollar clientThe scaling mistake that cost him $250KWhy he walked away from a $600K accountHow he raised his fees to 20 to 25 percentThe script he uses to convert email replies into meetingsThe daily BD rhythm that rebuilt his pipelineThe point system that keeps him consistentHow he broke seven figures the year after rebuildingEpisode Highlights02:49 Discovering recruiting05:04 Launching from the basement09:35 The Jim Carrey check13:15 Early success and hidden risks14:18 The scaling mistake17:16 The turning point23:10 The weekly client call script42:00 The wake-up call44:14 New rules for pricing46:47 The $30K placement50:21 Daily planner51:22 BD rhythm1:03:09 The point system1:07:33 Breaking seven figuresGuest BioRandee Staats is the founder of S4 Search Partners, based in New Jersey. He launched the firm in 2015, scaled a major national account to $600K, and later rebuilt his business from $500 and $250K in debt to seven-figure billings using a disciplined daily system and a new fee structure.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randee-staats/Connect with Mark WhitbyFre

Why do some recruiters struggle for traction while others build demand engines that bring clients to them? My guest, Tom Froggatt, made that shift after three days of calling 600 people with no results.Tom is the founder of Singular, a biotech search firm and one of Europe's leading specialists. Six months after launching the business, he hit a breaking point that changed everything. Instead of doubling down on cold calls, Tom built a system that creates predictable client demand. Today, a £4,000 campaign can generate £55,000 in revenue, and his business runs on consistent inbound opportunities.In this conversation, Tom explains how he replaced cold outreach with a system, how he uses content and insight reports to convert strangers into six figure clients, and why the volume required for effective marketing is far higher than most recruiters expect.In this episode, you'll discoverWhy Tom realised he did not have a BD problem but a systems problemHow three days of rejection created a turning pointHow podcasting connected him with senior biotech leadersWhy each client is worth £55,000 in 12 monthsHow his insight report converts inbound retained workWhy most recruiters underestimate the required volumeHow thinking like a tech founder beats thinking like a traditional recruiterEpisode Highlights[6:44] Starting Singular in a windowless office and the six-month reality check [19:16] Three days, 600 calls, zero results. The moment everything changed [21:22] Launching "Careers in Discovery" and building relationships with senior biotech leaders [22:05] The podcast guest who walked Tom straight to HR and introduced him on the spot [36:44] The mindset shift from "winning clients" to building revenue-generating systems [42:16] Why each client is worth £55,000 in 12 months and what that means for ad spend [49:30] The exact funnel. Free insight reports that convert strangers into six-figure partnerships [54:14] Why Tom gives away £2,500 worth of market data for free and why it works [58:47] How to identify real client pain points without guessing [1:03:09] Why reverse engineering problems to fit your service always fails [1:10:27] The volume truth. Why 200 outreach attempts are not nearly enoughIf you want to build predictable client demand without relying on cold o

Why do some recruitment founders build seven-figure businesses while others plateau despite working just as hard? My guest, Ollie Scott, discovered growth doesn't come from hustle alone. It comes from strategic bets.Ollie is the founder of Unknown, a talent growth consultancy that's worked with over 500 brands including Nike, Apple, and Disney. Six years ago, he started with £13,000 on a credit card and one mission: build the opposite of every recruitment company he'd ever seen.In this episode, Ollie shares his journey from rebellion to revenue. You'll hear why differentiation always beats trying to be the best, how scaling from 8 to 18 people nearly destroyed his business, and the three strategic bets he used to rebuild.You’ll Learn:• Why trying to be the “best” agency is a losing strategy• How Unknown defined a point of view clients cared about• What went wrong scaling from 8 to 18 people• Why profit is the safety net that enables innovation• How to build a productized recruitment offering• Why freelance talent pools are the future of recurring revenue• How recruiters can monetise M&A intelligence• How to price buy-side advisory at six-figure feesEpisode Timestamps:[4:05] Selling suits to James Caan’s recruitment firm[10:23] Launching Unknown with £13,000 on a credit card[15:36] Naming strategy and brand distinctiveness[18:26] Writing a breakup letter to recruitment companies[21:44] Why rebellion works early but can’t scale[36:36] Productizing around three ICPs[44:03] Scaling to 18 people destroyed profit margins[48:34] Profit as psychological safety[53:20] Building recurring revenue through freelance talent pools[58:25] Why recruiters have more M&A intelligence than M&A firmsGuest Bio:Ollie Scott is the founder of Unknown, a £3 million talent growth consultancy specialising in the global creative industry. Before launching Unknown, Ollie spent six years at Gemini People, joining the board in his early twenties. Unknown now operates across executive search, freelance talent pools, and M&A advisory for creative agencies.Connect with Ollie:LinkedIn: Ollie ScottWebsite: unknown.mediaConnect with Mark:recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-sessionlinkedin.com/in/markwhitbyInstagram: @RecruitmentCoach

Why do some recruitment business leaders triple their revenue while others plateau despite working twice as hard? My guest, Martin Herbst, discovered the answer the hard way. After hitting rock bottom with burnout, he rebuilt his leadership philosophy from the ground up — and within five years, JobAdder tripled its revenue and client base.Martin is the CEO of JobAdder, one of the world’s leading recruitment technology platforms. Under his leadership, the company has achieved record growth while helping recruiters work smarter without losing the human touch.In this episode, Martin opens up about his personal experience with burnout and shares how he transformed that crisis into a leadership breakthrough. You’ll learn how he built a healthier, more effective approach to scaling a recruitment business one that’s rooted in purpose, values, and vision rather than constant hustle.He also breaks down the exact leadership frameworks that helped JobAdder grow sustainably: how to align your team around a clear long-term strategy, why empathy drives innovation, and how to balance big-picture vision with daily execution.Beyond leadership, Martin dives into how technology and AI are reshaping recruitment. He explains where automation genuinely creates value for recruiters, how to avoid the “AI hype trap,” and why human connection will always be the most powerful differentiator in this business.If you’ve ever struggled with overwhelm, exhaustion, or inconsistent growth, this conversation is a must-listen. Martin’s story is proof that scaling your business doesn’t require sacrificing your health or your values.In this episode, you’ll discover:How burnout became the catalyst for a breakthroughThe daily habits that keep stress and anxiety in checkWhy swimming is Martin’s secret weapon for clarity and focusThe strategy process behind JobAdder’s 5-year growth storyWhy most recruitment leaders underinvest in long-term planningHow to use vision and values as your ultimate growth leversThe fundamental role of AI in recruitment (and where it adds true value)Why the best BD technology is still the telephoneEpisode highlights:[6:44] The burnout story: high anxiety and insomnia that led to stepping away completely[11:17] Morning an

How does a professional touring musician go from the recording studio to building a $1.2M recruiting firm without ever making a single cold call?In this episode of The Resilient Recruiter, Justin Levinson, founder of Coming Up Creative, reveals how he blended creativity, authenticity, and smart systems to grow a seven-figure recruitment business serving the world’s top entertainment and gaming brands.Justin’s story is proof that success in recruitment isn’t about grinding harder - it’s about thinking differently. You’ll hear how he built a global team, automated outreach without losing the human touch, and turned every conversation into an opportunity.Listen to discover:How creative thinking helped Justin scale to $1.2M in billingsThe “anti-campaign” approach that fills his calendar with warm leadsWhy branding and design matter more in creative industriesHow to build trust, credibility, and inbound clients without cold callsThe diversification strategy that kept his firm thriving through Hollywood strikesIf you’ve ever wondered whether it’s possible to grow a high-performing recruiting business without endless prospecting, this episode is your blueprint.Connect with Justin LevinsonLinkedIn: Justin LevinsonWebsite: Coming Up CreativeConnect with Mark WhitbyFREE strategy session: www.recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-sessionLinkedIn: Mark Whitby

The hardest part of business development isn't effort, it's consistency. Most recruiters know what to do, but struggle to do it every day while juggling clients, candidates, and placements. You know you should be reaching out to prospects daily, but between managing active searches, candidate interviews, and client meetings, your pipeline suffers. The solution? Build automated systems that generate leads while you focus on conversations that close deals.Giorgio Zanella is a go-to-market engineer who's built hundreds of automation workflows for recruiters and founders. Working out of Clay's New York office, he's spent three years mastering the platform and helping recruitment professionals scale their outbound without losing the personal touch. In this behind-the-scenes episode of The Resilient Recruiter, we break down the exact infrastructure, tools, and strategies you need to automate your outbound without sacrificing personalization or sounding like spam.This isn't theory. Giorgio has analyzed thousands of campaigns and knows exactly what separates automation that works from automation that gets ignored. You'll learn why Clay.com has become the number one platform for scaling outreach, how to choose the right tools for email and LinkedIn automation, what infrastructure you actually need (domains, inboxes, and warming protocols), and how to achieve 3-5% response rates on cold email when most people can't break 1%.We cover the complete tech stack: Clay for workflow automation and data enrichment, Instantly for email sequencing, HeyReach for LinkedIn automation, and how these tools work together to create synchronized multichannel campaigns. You'll discover how Clay's "waterfall enrichment" replaces expensive tools like ZoomInfo (saving you $15K+ per year), why LinkedIn outreach gets higher response rates than email (and its hidden limitations), and how to build email infrastructure that protects your domain reputation while scaling to hundreds of sends per day.Giorgio shares the exact formula for safe, sustainable outreach: 3-4 alternate domains, 2 inboxes per domain, 12-15 emails per inbox per day, and the two-week warming process you can't skip. He explains why most recruiters wreck their deliverability by sending from their main domain, how to set up synchronized campaigns where email, LinkedIn, and phone calls happen in coordinated sequences, and why relevance (right person, right time, right message) beats volume every single time.You'll learn what "good" response rates actually look like (spoiler: they're lower than you think, but the ROI is massive), how to calculate return on investment for cold outreach campaigns, and why even a 1% response rate can generate huge returns when your infrastructure costs are minimal. Giorgio breaks down why personalization and timing are more important than blast volume, how to track real-time

Why do some recruiters struggle to break $300K while others hit seven figures in their third year? My guest, Tito Caceres, spotted a $160 billion industry that most recruiters have never even thought about. And he built a thriving business there with nothing but a credit card and relentless hustle.Tito grew up in his family's landscaping business and swore he'd never work in that industry. Ironically, that's exactly where he found his million-dollar niche. After building a career in sales and recruitment, he recognized an opportunity that others had completely missed.In 2021, he launched Bloom Talent Solutions and went all-in. First year? $600K in billings working solo with no agency pedigree. This year, he's on pace for $1.6 million.In this episode, you'll hear how Tito scaled fast by going retained-only, building a transparency system that keeps clients loyal, and creating new income sources beyond placement fees. You'll also hear why he fired clients to achieve clarity, how he packages candidates better than any resume ever could, and what it really takes to dominate a niche market. If you've ever wondered how far focus and follow-through can take a solo recruiter, this is your playbook.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:How Tito went from despising the landscaping industry to building a million-dollar recruiting business in itFirst year billings: $600K working solo with no pedigreeWhy Tito walked away from contingent work in year two (and never looked back)The transparency system that keeps clients coming back: weekly reports, bi-weekly meetings, and QBRsPerformance sheets: the mandatory tool that packages candidates better than any resumeHow Tito built AI-driven recruiting systems that put him miles ahead of other recruitersThe subscription model that turns relationships into reliable income before placement fees even come inHiring misfires, family challenges, and the painful lessons that led to clarityRevenue share partnerships with industry consultants that generate referrals on autopilotCONNECT WITH TITO CACERES:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tito-caceres/<p class="