After relocating from Dubai to the U.S. with two young children, Karolina Willis found herself having to rebuild her recruitment business from scratch. Facing overwhelming personal and professional challenges, she reached a breaking point—when walking away felt like the only option.

But instead of giving up, Karolina doubled down. What followed was a period of six months of explosive growth.

In this episode, Karolina shares the mindset shifts, business decisions, and key differentiators that helped her scale Intercare Recruitment into a thriving international healthcare staffing firm. From winning retained contracts to building a remote team and offering full immigration support, Karolina’s story is filled with practical insights and inspiration for recruiters who want to build something global, resilient, and values-led.

🎯 Episode Highlights:

[01:53] Karolina’s journey from Poland to the UK, Dubai, and the U.S.

[07:27] The mindset shift that helped her bounce back after hitting a wall

[10:16] Hosting live events to build a pipeline of quality candidates

[13:39] Starting over solo—and the early challenges of launching a firm

[28:02] Relocating to Florida and facing a pivotal breaking point

[37:23] Her U.S. go-to-market strategy and how she built credibility fast

[40:34] What helped her win retained business in a competitive market

[46:30] Managing and growing a fully remote, international team

[51:59] How she identifies and mentors recruiter talent

[57:35] What she’d do differently if starting all over again

Scaling Across Borders with Heart and Strategy

Karolina built Intercare Recruitment to specialize in placing top-tier talent in nursing, allied health, and executive healthcare roles. What sets her apart is a blend of deep industry knowledge, personal investment, and standout service.

She shares the importance of:

Hiring former nurses as recruiters to ensure empathy and insight

Offering full immigration support for international candidates

Staying hyper-focused on relationship-building, not just transactions

From Survival Mode to Sustainable Growth

Karolina opens up about the emotional toll of moving countries, raising kids, and starting a business from the ground up. But what kept her going was her purpose and a deep belief in service-driven recruiting. Within months of recommitting to the business, she began to see results—securing retained contracts, expanding into new regions, and building a global team.

Her story is a masterclass in:

Personal resilience

Strategic positioning

Building credibility in a new market

Leading with empathy and authenticity

👤 About Karolina Willis

Karolina is the CEO and Founder of Intercare Recruitment, with 19 years of experience in global healthcare recruiting. She launched Intercare in 2011 and has placed top healthcare professionals across the UK, Middle East, and U.S. She’s known for her hands-on leadership, mentorship, and ability to scale teams across borders.

She holds a Bachelor’s in Human Resources Management, is PHR-certified, and is based in Greenville, South Carolina, where she’s also a proud mom to two daughters.

🔗 Connect with Karolina:
LinkedIn: Karolina Willis
Website: Intercare Recruitment

🎙️ Connect with Mark Whitby:
LinkedIn: Mark Whitby
Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach
Twitter: @MarkWhitby
Facebook: Mark Whitby

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