In this episode, I sit down with Terry Payne to unpack how he rebuilt Aspire from the brink of administration into an 8-figure, employee-owned success story.

Terry shares what it was like to inherit a loss-making, headcount-heavy agency, lead it through survival mode during the pandemic, and transform it into a profitable, global business.

We dive into the tough calls, the importance of being sales-led, and why giving employees ownership changed everything.

If you’re leading a recruitment business through turbulence, Terry’s journey is a masterclass in resilience, leadership, and rebuilding the right way.

You can connect with Terry here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terry-payne-09722856/

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Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/sYtT52RPsxQ

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Sponsors - Claim your exclusive savings from our partners with the links below:

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Extra Stuff:

Learn more about our online skills development platform Hector here: https://bit.ly/47hsaxe

Join 5,000+ other recruiters levelling up their skills with our Limitless Learning Newsletter here: https://limitless-learning.thisishector.com/subscribe

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Get in touch:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hishemazzouz/

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In this episode, I sit down with Genie, founder of We Are Refyne, to unpack the hard truths from her first year running a recruitment business.

From launching with no logo and limited experience, to turning over £364K and building a six-person team, Genie shares both the highs and the brutal lows, losing staff, unpaid invoices, and moments of doubt.

We dive into the resilience it takes to keep going, the tactical wins that worked (like WhatsApp BD and SourceWhale), and why vision and culture matter even in year one.

Connect with Genie here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/genie-burgess-a1342487/

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Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/SHuIcTRWYfA

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Sponsors - Claim your exclusive savings from our partners with the links below:

Sourcewhale - Check Out Sourcewhale & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.

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Extra Stuff:

Learn more about our online skills development platform Hector here: https://bit.ly/47hsaxe

Join 5,000+ other recruiters levelling up their skills with our Limitless Learning Newsletter here: https://limitless-learning.thisishector.com/subscribe

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Get in touch:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hishemazzouz/

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In this episode, I sit down with Conor from Quest Personnel to unpack the hard lessons from every stage of building a recruitment business.

Conor started at just 23, completely self-funded, and went from scraping by in a WeWork to leading a £1.4M agency.

We walk through the scrappy early days, the lifestyle-business trap, and the mindset and leadership shifts that brought clarity and growth.

Connect with Conor here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/conor-boland-81555284/

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Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/cxNfpwj6AYU

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Sponsors - Claim your exclusive savings from our partners with the links below:

Sourcewhale - Check Out Sourcewhale & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.

Raise - Check Out Raise & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.

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Extra Stuff:

Learn more about our online skills development platform Hector here: https://bit.ly/47hsaxe

Join 5,000+ other recruiters levelling up their skills with our Limitless Learning Newsletter here: https://limitless-learning.thisishector.com/subscribe

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Get in touch:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hishemazzouz/

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In this episode, I sit down with Jack Procter, Regional Director at Opus, to unpack what it really takes to master contract recruitment.

Jack shares how he scaled from fast-paced “ones and twos” deals to building predictable, project-based client partnerships.

We dive into his playbook for hitting £17K weekly GP, the systems behind scaling beyond ad-hoc wins, and the leadership lessons he’s learned along the way.

Connect with Jack here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-procter-a20439a3/

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Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/e_8p6fknMbU

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Sponsors - Claim your exclusive savings from our partners with the links below:

Sourcewhale - Check Out Sourcewhale & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.

Raise - Check Out Raise & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.

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Extra Stuff:

Learn more about our online skills development platform Hector here: https://bit.ly/47hsaxe

Join 5,000+ other recruiters levelling up their skills with our Limitless Learning Newsletter here: https://limitless-learning.thisishector.com/subscribe

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Get in touch:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hishemazzouz/

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Sponsors - Claim your exclusive savings from our partners with the links below:

Sourcewhale - Check Out Sourcewhale & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.

Raise - Check Out Raise & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.

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Extra Stuff:

Learn more about our online skills development platform Hector here: https://bit.ly/47hsaxe

Join 4,000+ other recruiters levelling up their skills with our Limitless Learning Newsletter here: https://limitless-learning.thisishector.com/subscribe

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Get in touch:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hishemazzouz/

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In this episode, I sit down with Marc Cohen and Graeme Hubert, the founders of ConSol Partners, who achieved an 8-figure exit and have since advised over 40 recruitment founders.

We unpack why most recruitment companies never scale beyond 20 heads, the common blind spots that stall growth, and the hard truths founders need to face if they want to build something valuable.

You can connect with them both here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/graeme-hubert-a0a140/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcdcohen1/

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Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WBJbolWeIkA

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Sponsors - Claim your exclusive savings from our partners with the links below:

Sourcewhale - Check Out Sourcewhale & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.

Raise - Check Out Raise & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.

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Extra Stuff:

Learn more about our online skills development platform Hector here: https://bit.ly/47hsaxe

Join 5,000+ other recruiters levelling up their skills with our Limitless Learning Newsletter here: https://limitless-learning.thisishector.com/subscribe

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Get in touch:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hishemazzouz/

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Sponsors - Claim your exclusive savings from our partners with the links below:

Sourcewhale - Check Out Sourcewhale & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.

Raise - Check Out Raise & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.

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Extra Stuff:

Learn more about our online skills development platform Hector here: https://bit.ly/47hsaxe

Join 4,000+ other recruiters levelling up their skills with our Limitless Learning Newsletter here: https://limitless-learning.thisishector.com/subscribe

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Get in touch:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hishemazzouz/

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Nick shares how his weekly GP dropped from £16K to £5.5K, the strategies he used to bounce back to £8.5K, and the mindset shifts that made the difference.

We dive into the client and candidate journeys that actually work, the power of community in contract recruitment, and how to turn a dip into your biggest growth phase yet.

Connect with Nick here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-chambers-4aa60114b/

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Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Qr4dK0AjM6I

-------------------------

Sponsors - Claim your exclusive savings from our partners with the links below:

Sourcewhale - Check Out Sourcewhale & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.

Raise - Check Out Raise & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.

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Extra Stuff:

Learn more about our online skills development platform Hector here: https://bit.ly/47hsaxe

Join 5,000+ other recruiters levelling up their skills with our Limitless Learning Newsletter here: https://limitless-learning.thisishector.com/subscribe

-------------------------

Get in touch:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hishemazzouz/

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Sponsors - Claim your exclusive savings from our partners with the links below:

Sourcewhale - Check Out Sourcewhale & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.

Raise - Check Out Raise & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.

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Extra Stuff:

Learn more about our online skills development platform Hector here: https://bit.ly/47hsaxe

Join 4,000+ other recruiters levelling up their skills with our Limitless Learning Newsletter here: https://limitless-learning.thisishector.com/subscribe

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Get in touch:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hishemazzouz/

-------------------------

Alex Woodhead helped scale Strativ Group to 120 people, £13M NFI, and £3.5M EBITDA in just four years then walked away.

In this episode, we unpack why he made the bold move to start again with Apera, his $1B vision, and the systems, culture, and strategy he’s building from day one.

If you’re thinking about starting over or building something big, this one’s for you.

Connect with Alex here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderwoodhead/

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Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/XG6P4meBBY0

-------------------------

Sponsors - Claim your exclusive savings from our partners with the links below:

Sourcewhale - Check Out Sourcewhale & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.

Raise - Check Out Raise & Claim Your Exclusive Offer Here.

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Extra Stuff:

Learn more about our online skills development platform Hector here: https://bit.ly/47hsaxe

Join 5,000+ other recruiters levelling up their skills with our Limitless Learning Newsletter here: https://limitless-learning.thisishector.com/subscribe

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Get in touch:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hishemazzouz/

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