From martial arts champion to global recruitment leader, Ed Glover's remarkable career journey demonstrates how early discipline shapes professional success. Raised by a special forces father with a "if you're not first, you're last" mentality, Ed channeled that competitive spirit into multiple high-performance careers across three continents.

Ed's candid conversation reveals pivotal moments that shaped his path – from watching his father receive a medal from the Queen, to moving out at 15 and supporting himself through university, to being shown a £47,000 monthly payslip that convinced him to enter recruitment. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to launch his own agency after just two years in recruitment, navigating the challenges of rapid growth and cash flow management during the GFC.

The discussion offers fascinating insights into recruitment across different global markets. Ed shares how he transformed Michael Page's approach in San Francisco, abandoning pinstripe suits when meeting hoodie-wearing startup founders, and learning to "expand everyone's expectations" to create successful placements. His later roles at LinkedIn and Gartner taught him valuable lessons about enterprise sales and understanding that only two things truly matter in any deal: power (decision-makers) and urgency.

Now as Business Director at XRecruiter, Ed helps recruiters launch and scale their own agencies with the support he wishes he'd had. His perspective is refreshingly honest – addressing both the incredible rewards of independence and the challenges that held him back. For anyone considering their next career move, Ed's story demonstrates that success isn't linear but comes from continuously challenging yourself and recognizing when you're at your happiest.

Support the show

· Our Website is: xrecruiter.io