Fresh off a round-the-world sprint (and a brutal back recovery), Louise Archer and Jordan Taylor tackle the biggest myth in retained search: that taking a fee upfront means you’re guaranteeing a fill. 

They reframe retained as a governed process that delivers certainty, not luck-especially on those “nightmare” briefs everyone avoids. You’ll hear the surgeon analogy that flips risk on its head, where retained doesn’t make sense, and the exact moves to close stalled projects without becoming a nag.

Plus, real wins from the community-first retainers, repeat mandates, and pipelines built on trust, not chance-and a reminder to apply the same discipline to self-care as you do to delivery.

You’ll learn:

• How to sell retained without promising an outcome you can’t control
• The delivery governance clients actually pay for (and how to show it)
• When to avoid retainers 
• How to diagnose “do they really need this now?” and close stalled deals
• Why diligent recruiters who care win most in a retained model
• The mindset and self-care rituals that keep founders sharp and decisive

If this episode hits home, share it with a recruiter who’s still gambling on contingent-and hit follow so you never miss the strategies that actually move the needle.

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Want to know more about our retained search training? Talk to us: https://retrainedsearch.com/book-a-demo/

Check out our reviews: https://retrainedsearch.com/reviews/

Join our upcoming masterclasses: https://retrainedsearch.com/webinars/

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LinkedIn

Connect with Louise: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-archer-48612844/

Connect with Jordan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/retainedsearchcoach/

Follow Retrained Search: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retrained-search/