In this live special of RecTalk, filmed at the TEAM Network South Midlands Regional Meet Up, Nitin Sharma brings together a powerhouse panel of recruitment leaders to unpack the biggest lessons from 2025 and the strategies recruiters need to thrive in 2026.

Joining Nitin on the panel:

• Michelle Theuma – MD at Concept Onyx Recruitment & TEAM Regional Director
• Luke Pitkin – Co-Founder of Giig, a next-gen ATS/CRM
• Stewart Roberts – Managing Director at Mayachi
• Bethany Foley – Associate Director at Liquid Friday

This unfiltered panel digs deep into what the market really looked like in 2025 and what high-performing agencies did differently — with big insights you can roll straight into your 2026 strategy.

🔥 Key Talking Points

• Why “January optimism” is a trap and what actually drives performance
• Offshore resourcing (South Africa, Philippines) as a growth engine for agencies
• The truth about AI in recruitment: useful, but not the magic fix recruiters hoped for
• Old-school BD techniques making a comeback: door knocking, voice notes, video outreach
• Networking as the #1 differentiator — the power of genuine human connection
• How to rebuild trust with clients through transparency, testimonials, and data
• Umbrella market issues: compliance risks, dodgy models, and what agencies must look out for
• The rise of retainers, subscriptions, and engagement fees as scalable revenue models
• How clients are buying differently — and why recruiters must adapt how they sell
• Avoiding “rotten fruit” clients and valuing your time, expertise, and process
• Selling on process, not price — using visibility, structure, and transparency to win
• Why recruitment will never be replaced by tech
• How to use reviews, social proof, and authenticity to drive inbound business in 2026

Packed with practical advice, lived experience, and straight-talking honesty — this is one of the most insight-heavy RecTalk panels yet.

👥 Who This Episode Is For

• Solo recruiters wanting stability and predictable revenue
• Agency owners planning for growth in 2026
• Recruiters exploring retainers or subscription models
• Anyone thinking about offshore support or restructuring their BD
• Leaders wanting to improve processes, compliance, and client trust
• RecTech and umbrella providers seeking to understand market sentiment

Check out TEAM Network: https://www.theteamnetwork.co.uk/

🔗 Connect with the panel

Michelle Theuma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelletheuma/

Luke Pitkin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-pitkin-79060094/

Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/

Stewart Roberts: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stewartroberts78/

Bethany Foley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethanyfoley/

Discover recruitment tools and services: https://www.rectools.io/

New episodes of RecTalk, Founder Diaries and Talking Talent drop every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Look out for The Mixed Grill — the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club — dropping every Thursday.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/

Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/

🔗 Get in touch with these recommended suppliers

Carl Jones — Konquest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-jones-66093722/

Ben Fielding — Quinset: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benfielding/

Ross Thompson — Infinity Staff Global: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossnthompson/

Matt Fox — Exitus Advisory: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-fox-50b10311/

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