In this episode of Recruitment Leaders. Unlocked, Paul Jacobs interviews Paul Goodman, Founder & Director of Goodman Masson, one of London's largest financial recruitment businesses with 150 employees and international offices.

Paul shares his remarkable 30-year journey building Goodman Masson from a basement startup in Bath Street to an award-winning organisation known for exceptional performance and outstanding employee culture. He discusses the difficult transition from billing manager to strategic leader, including navigating partnership dissolution and learning when to step back and trust others to run the business.

Key topics include:-

• The two foundational principles that drove their success
• Why trust should be given from day one, not earned over time
• How to use metrics as tools for success rather than weapons of control
• The reality that billing management is the hardest job in recruitment
• Building wealth-sharing schemes (EMI) that retain top talent
• Creating ultimate flexibility - including employees working from Bali
• Why great leadership is often about what you don't do
• The importance of sticking to your principles when others advise against them
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Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest

02:18 Paul Goodman's Journey into Recruitment

03:53 Leadership Principles and Business Growth

12:41 Challenges and Lessons in Leadership

23:26 The True Meaning of Trust in Business

24:03 Using Metrics for Success

27:51 Challenges and Leadership in Scaling a Business

32:35 Empowering and Supporting Your Team

Paul provides honest insights about leadership failures, the courage needed to hire people better than yourself, and how stepping back from day-to-day operations can accelerate business growth. He shares Sam Walton's simple but profound business wisdom and explains why "not being greedy" has been fundamental to their success.

In this episode of Recruitment Leaders Unlocked, Dave Pye interviews Craig Davies, CEO of Orbis Group, a global talent solutions partner specialising in tech, financial services, and life sciences recruitment across the UK, US, Europe, and Middle East.

Craig shares his remarkable 10+ year journey building Orbis Group from startup to a 100+ person organisation, including the challenges of rapid scaling during the post-COVID boom and the difficult but necessary transformation that followed. He discusses how the company implemented "The Orbis Way" - a structured operating model that focuses on performance per head rather than just headcount growth.

Key topics covered include:

- Trust-based leadership principles and when they can go too far

- The "no dickheads policy" inspired by the All Blacks' Legacy book

- Scaling from 30 to 100+ people and back to 50 with better foundations

- Building future leaders through formal development programmes

- Maintaining culture whilst making tough people decisions

- The importance of staying connected to the front line as a leader

- Creating challenge states vs threat states in high-performance teams

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest

01:10 Craig Davies Introduces Himself and Orbis Group

02:44 Leadership Principles and Trust

05:33 Challenges and Evolution in Leadership

11:54 Balancing Performance and Company Culture

17:58 Biggest Leadership Challenges and Overcoming Them

22:21 Post-COVID Business Transformation

22:59 Building a New Operating Model

23:56 Focus on Performance and Efficiency

26:37 Developing Future Leaders

29:27 Leadership and Succession Planning

32:36 Empowering the Senior Leadership Team

38:17 Reflecting on Leadership Journey

Craig provides honest insights about leadership mistakes, the real cost of keeping the wrong people, and how external leadership training transformed their senior team. This episode is essential viewing for recruitment leaders navigating growth challenges, building resilient teams, and developing the next generation of talent.

In this episode of Recruitment Leaders. Unlocked, Martin Ewings sits down with Chris Morrow, co-founder of Digitalent, a specialist AI and machine learning recruitment business that's been thriving for over seven years across multiple global locations.

Chris shares his powerful leadership philosophy built around humility and "extreme ownership" - a principle that transforms how teams handle mistakes and accountability. He reveals how taking responsibility for problems, even when they're not directly your fault, creates a culture where everyone steps up and owns their work.

The conversation explores the unique challenges of building and maintaining culture in a fully remote, globally distributed team - something Digitalent mastered years before COVID made it mainstream. Chris discusses their third-place finish in the recruitment industry's largest ever culture survey, competing against 300+ agencies.

Key topics include:

- Why humility is the number one leadership characteristic

- The "extreme ownership" principle and how it transforms team dynamics

- Building high-performance culture in remote teams across multiple time zones

- Balancing performance targets with genuine team engagement

- Leadership challenges during scaling, growth, and downsizing phases

- Practical succession planning and career development frameworks

- Time management strategies for startup founders

- Work-life balance lessons learned the hard way

Chris offers candid insights about the realities of startup life, from working 17-hour days for 18 months to the emotional challenge of letting go of talented people during tough economic periods. His practical advice on time management - dedicating Fridays to operations and focusing Monday-Thursday on fee-generating activities - provides actionable strategies for recruitment business owners.

This episode is essential viewing for recruitment leaders looking to build authentic, high-performing cultures while scaling their businesses sustainably.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast

01:26 Meet Chris Morrow: Co-Founder of Digi Talent

02:08 Chris's Leadership Journey and Principles

03:43 The Importance of Humility and Accountability

11:36 Balancing Performance and Culture

19:36 Remote Work and Maintaining Culture

24:57 Leadership Challenges and Succession Planning

34:15 Advice for Aspiring Leaders

38:10 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Chris offers candid insights about the realities of startup life, from working 17-hour days for 18 months to the emotional challenge of letting go of talented people during tough economic periods.

His practical advice on time management - dedicating Fridays to operations and focusing Monday-Thursday on fee-generating activities - provides actionable strategies for recruitment business owners.

In this episode of Recruitment Leaders Unlocked, we speak with Summer King, Director of Superyacht Crew UK, who shares her transformative three-year journey from solo entrepreneur to team-focused leader.

Summer candidly discusses her significant mindset shift from wanting to operate as a "one-man band" to building a culture-first recruitment business where people can thrive and feel supported.

Key Topics:

- The evolution from solo founder to culture builder

- Developing the "clear is kind" feedback philosophy

- Balancing performance expectations with a positive team environment

- Why personality and behaviour trump skills in the hiring process

- The challenges of stepping back from frontline activities

- Building sustainable business growth through authentic culture

- Leadership development as a continuous learning journey

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:09 From Solo Founder to Team Builder

03:24 The Friendly Boss Challenge

04:57 "Clear is Kind" Feedback Approach

08:12 Balancing Performance and Culture

10:06 Recognising Behaviours Over Results

14:09 Hiring for Cultural Fit

15:54 The Challenge of Stepping Back

19:32 Building a Scalable Business

21:20 Leadership Development and Self-reflection

23:50 Advice for New Recruitment Leaders

Perfect for recruitment entrepreneurs navigating the transition from individual contributor to team leader, particularly those wanting to build value-led organisations where both performance and wellbeing can flourish. Summer's journey illustrates how focusing on culture may take longer but creates stronger foundations for sustainable business growth.

#RecruitmentLeadership #CultureDriven #ScalingABusiness #AuthenticLeadership #TeamDevelopment #RecruitmentCulture #SuperyachtRecruitment #leadershipjourney

Recruitment Leaders Unlocked is the podcast that brings you candid conversations with successful recruitment entrepreneurs about the real challenges and opportunities in building and scaling recruitment businesses.

In this episode of Recruitment Leaders. Unlocked, Howard talks with Esme, Chief Executive of Affinity Workforce, who shares her remarkable 14-year journey from trainee consultant to group CEO. Overseeing 250 employees across 17 UK locations and four education recruitment brands, Esme reveals her strategies for maintaining culture across multiple brands, balancing immediate business needs with long-term vision, and retaining high-performing talent without sacrificing company values.

Key topics include:

• Managing growth while preserving brand identities

• Creating a flexible yet focused business plan

• Building a value-led hiring and retention strategy

• Why big billers don't get special treatment

• The role of technology in education recruitment

• Finding the balance between innovation and human connection

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction and Background

02:23 - Career Journey and Growth

04:57 - Company Culture and Values

06:38 - Strategic Planning and Flexibility

11:41 - Talent Management and Recruitment

20:11 - Technology and Innovation

26:22 - Brand Identity and Market Position

31:41 - Personal Development and Leadership

36:56 - Conclusion and Final Thoughts perfect for recruitment leaders managing multi-site operations or planning expansion through acquisition.

Esme's authentic leadership approach and commitment to ethical recruitment partnerships offer valuable insights for agencies of all sizes.

#RecruitmentLeadership #ScalingRecruitment #MultiBrandManagement #EducationRecruitment #TalentRetention

Gareth Jones a recruitment leader, shares his journey of leading a management buyout in 2016 and transforming a stable, well-established business into one focused on strategic growth. He candidly discusses the challenges of scaling while maintaining the culture and processes that made the business successful, including the critical lesson that "it's easier to grow out of debt than pay it off over time."

In this episode of Recruitment Leaders Unlocked, Dave Pye interviews Gareth Jones, Managing Director of Alexander Associates, a 35-year-old engineering recruitment business with a fascinating growth story.

Key Topics:

• Navigating the growing pains of rapid expansion after 35+ years of stable operations

• Maintaining consistent processes when integrating experienced hires

• Balancing cash flow management with sales objectives

• Developing a strategic approach to growth beyond simply adding headcount• Implementing competency-based recruitment to build high-performing teams

• Maximizing existing technology while carefully evaluating new solutions• Creating a marketing strategy that leverages heritage while entering new markets

• Building financial resilience to weather economic disruptions

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Overview

01:12 Meet Gareth Jones: Background and Company Insights

02:07 Challenges of Scaling a Business

03:39 Importance of Onboarding and Processes

07:41 Balancing Immediate Needs with Long-Term Vision

13:25 Recruitment Strategies and Retention

19:29 Balancing Work and Skills

21:03 Harnessing Technology for Growth

28:24 Strategic Marketing and Brand Differentiation

32:55 Leadership Insights and Resilience

36:52 Final Thoughts and Advice

This episode is essential viewing for recruitment leaders managing established businesses who want to accelerate growth without sacrificing the foundations that made them successful. Gareth's final advice—"if you're not growing, you're dying"—emphasizes the importance of continuous evolution in today's competitive recruitment landscape.

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Paul Jacobs interviews Leo Hewett, the Founder and Managing Director of Core3, an award-winning recruitment business that's redefining what success looks like in the industry.

In this episode of Recruitment Leaders. Unlocked, Leo shares his remarkable journey of building Core3 from scratch to an 11-person operation with offices in Bristol and London in just three years.

He explains their unique business model that donates 3% of revenue to social and environmental causes, which has resulted in £76,000 in charitable giving, 23,000 trees planted, and support for 6,500 disadvantaged children.

Key Topics:

• Creating a sustainable business model that donates 3% of revenue to social and environmental causes• Building a strong culture and maintaining standards during early growth stages

• Balancing cash flow challenges with investment in experienced talent

• Developing strategic planning through five-year visions and quarterly OKRs

• Leveraging personal branding for talent attraction and business development

• Selecting and integrating technology to maximize efficiency

• Maintaining founder wellbeing while scaling a values-led business

• Achieving B Corp certification and external recognition through awards

Chapters

:00:00 Introduction to the Podcast

01:16 Meet Leo Hewitt: Founder of Core Three

02:32 Leo's Journey: From Marketing to Recruitment

04:08 Core Three's Purpose-Driven Mission

06:25 Achievements and Awards09:51 Challenges and Growing Pains

13:05 Building a Strong Company Culture

20:14 Balancing Immediate Needs with Long-Term Vision

23:44 Granular Goals and Accountability

24:12 Tailored OKRs and Company Objectives

25:02 Instilling Company Values and Behaviors

25:37 KPIs and Measuring Success

28:20 Building a High-Performance Team

28:32 Employer Branding and Talent Attraction

31:29 The Role of Technology in Recruitment

35:26 Maximizing CRM and AI Integration

39:52 Personal Motivation and Business Growth

42:19 Standing Out in a Competitive Market

45:37 Final Advice for Recruitment Leaders

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#PurposeDrivenRecruitment #BCorpBusiness #StartupSuccess #RecruitmentLeadership #SocialImpact#RecruitmentLeadership #AgencyGrowth #StartupScaling #TechRecruitment

Callum Gray, co-founder of Provn, shares his journey growing a startup recruitment agency focused on Scottish tech recruitment to a team of four with ambitious growth plans.

Callum offers practical advice for recruitment business owners on implementing consistent hiring processes, creating engaging work environments, and setting clear growth milestones.

He discusses their approach to balancing consultant work with strategic business planning, their philosophy on technology adoption, and how they've differentiated themselves through partnership-focused client relationships and exceptional candidate experiences. Perfect for recruitment entrepreneurs and leaders of small agencies looking to scale efficiently while preserving their vision and values.

Key Topics:

• Building and maintaining company culture during the critical first hires

• Balancing consultant responsibilities with directorial vision

• Creating structured growth targets and hiring milestones

• Implementing technology while preserving the human touch

• Differentiating through partnership-focused client relationships

• Delivering exceptional candidate experiences

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Recruitment Leaders Unlocked

01:00 Meet Callum Gray: Proven Talent's Journey

02:23 Challenges and Growing Pains

04:03 Hiring the Right People

06:18 Balancing Immediate Needs with Long-Term Vision

09:41 Building and Retaining a High-Performing Team

15:22 The Role of Technology and Innovation

19:04 Standing Out in a Competitive Market

23:37 Reflecting on Proven's Journey

27:49 Final Advice for Recruitment Leaders

Welcome to Recruitment Leaders. Unlocked.

A podcast created for recruitment leaders by recruitment leaders. Brought to you by Jump Advisory Group, this series delivers practical insights across four key areas: growth, leadership, culture, and technology & AI.

Your hosts Howard Greenwood, Paul Jacobs, Dave Pye, Heather Salway, and Martin Ewings bring decades of experience from leadership positions at the UK's largest recruitment agencies including Adecco, Computer People, Office Angels, Spring, Manpower, Engage, Robert Half, and Outsource UK.

Many have also built & scaled their own recruitment businesses before forming Jump. Throughout this podcast series, we'll interview recruitment leaders from businesses of all sizes - from startups with 1-5 employees to large enterprises with 50+ staff.

Our goal is to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to build, grow & scale successful recruitment businesses at every stage. We'll uncover the common threads that unite all recruitment agencies regardless of size, while exploring the unique challenges leaders face at each growth stage. Join us as we unlock the insights that drive successful leaders, fulfilling Jump's mission to create a world of outstanding leaders who shape the future of modern recruitment.

Subscribe now to ensure you don't miss any episodes in this valuable series for recruitment professionals.