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S2 E5, PR recruitment, and changing the world with tiny actions, with Dean Connelly, Founder, Latte.
Meet Dean Connelly, founder of Latte - a specialist PR and social media recruitment agency working across London, Sydney and Melbourne, at the sharp end of the communications job market.
Latte is one of three recruitment agencies globally to have pledged against recruiting for agencies with fossil fuel clients, instead championing roles that use comms as a force for good.
Dean shares what it’s like to run a recruitment business in a volatile sector, where demand shifts quickly and hiring trends give an early read on the wider agency market - and why things are starting to look more positive again.
But the heart of the episode is values. Dean explains how Latte became involved with Clean Creatives, the movement encouraging agencies not to support fossil fuel clients. What began as a team conversation has become a clear line in the sand.
We explore what that means in practice - turning down work, ending client relationships, and building a framework for navigating grey areas like networks and less visible client connections.
Dean is honest about the tensions involved. This is not abstract ethics. It’s real revenue, real trade-offs, and moments where a small business owner chooses between short-term income and long-term principles.
The conversation opens up a wider view of recruitment’s role in driving change. Dean argues recruiters are not neutral - they shape talent flows, influence agency choices, and can apply pressure by refusing to work with organisations that conflict with their values.
We also discuss the ripple effects - from educating candidates to the idea that working on certain accounts could become a genuine career constraint.
There’s a thoughtful reflection on how values evolve inside a business. Latte wasn’t founded as climate-focused - that perspective grew over time, shaped by the team and a sense that business should stand for more than profit.
Finally, Dean looks ahead - from the rise of AI roles in agencies to a future where recruiters need to offer more strategic value as transactional models come under pressure.
A candid episode on recruitment, values, climate accountability, and what it takes for a small business to back its principles when money is on the line.
For more about Latte visit https://www.wearelatte.com/
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By Ned WellsMeet Dean Connelly, founder of Latte - a specialist PR and social media recruitment agency working across London, Sydney and Melbourne, at the sharp end of the communications job market.
Latte is one of three recruitment agencies globally to have pledged against recruiting for agencies with fossil fuel clients, instead championing roles that use comms as a force for good.
Dean shares what it’s like to run a recruitment business in a volatile sector, where demand shifts quickly and hiring trends give an early read on the wider agency market - and why things are starting to look more positive again.
But the heart of the episode is values. Dean explains how Latte became involved with Clean Creatives, the movement encouraging agencies not to support fossil fuel clients. What began as a team conversation has become a clear line in the sand.
We explore what that means in practice - turning down work, ending client relationships, and building a framework for navigating grey areas like networks and less visible client connections.
Dean is honest about the tensions involved. This is not abstract ethics. It’s real revenue, real trade-offs, and moments where a small business owner chooses between short-term income and long-term principles.
The conversation opens up a wider view of recruitment’s role in driving change. Dean argues recruiters are not neutral - they shape talent flows, influence agency choices, and can apply pressure by refusing to work with organisations that conflict with their values.
We also discuss the ripple effects - from educating candidates to the idea that working on certain accounts could become a genuine career constraint.
There’s a thoughtful reflection on how values evolve inside a business. Latte wasn’t founded as climate-focused - that perspective grew over time, shaped by the team and a sense that business should stand for more than profit.
Finally, Dean looks ahead - from the rise of AI roles in agencies to a future where recruiters need to offer more strategic value as transactional models come under pressure.
A candid episode on recruitment, values, climate accountability, and what it takes for a small business to back its principles when money is on the line.
For more about Latte visit https://www.wearelatte.com/