The Resilient Recruiter

How do you prep your business to be growth-ready? What are the key factors you must consider when adapting your business model and processes and hiring the right people when building your business? What would be the biggest challenge when scaling your recruitment business?

We had Amanda Brandenburg as a guest three years ago to share her winning formula for growing her firm to $2M in three years. This time, you'll hear a realistic and relatable story of how Amanda has grown her practice from a small team of three to a growing team of six.

Amanda Brandenburg is the Founding Principal at OpusLex Partners, a legal recruiting boutique servicing law firms and corporate legal departments throughout the country. For over a decade, she was a top producer at two of the country’s largest legal staffing firms, where she provided interim solutions and direct-hire placements for law firms and corporations within the continental U.S.

Episode Outline and Highlights

• [02:27] What is new for Amanda and her team in the last three years?

• [08:10] How OpusLex enhanced its business model to align with EOS.

• [16:30] What processes have been working well with Amanda’s team?

• [21:47] The practical applications of E-Myth.

• [27:54] Discussion on things that Amanda and her team are most proud of.

• [34:40] Learning to grow the team and hire the right people.

• [42:22] Effective collaboration tools and tech stack.

• [50:47] Why should working from home be balanced with working together physically?

• [53:07] Amanda shares what could be the biggest challenge when upscaling your team.

Systems and Process for Upscaling Your Recruitment Firm

Since we last had Amanda as a guest, she has doubled her team to six. She has adapted his business model to align with the EOS - Entrepreneurial Operating System for Businesses. She shared some of the highlights and changes in how she runs things differently. To adapt her business to EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System), Amanda has been implementing several key changes:

• Formalized Planning and Goal Setting: She’s following EOS's structured annual planning, setting a clear mission, vision, and values, and assigning "rocks" (specific goals) to both the company and individual team members.

• Shift from Traditional to Team-Based Roles: Amanda moved from a traditional "full desk" model (where each person handled all aspects of recruitment) to segmented roles. This structure now includes designated roles for business development, recruiting, sourcing, and administrative support, allowing each team member to specialize and master their area.

• Client Engagement and Differentiated Service: They established a high-touch approach to client relationships by requiring direct conversations with clients before working on any job order, enhancing service depth and client understanding.

• Enhanced Communication and Automation: Amanda addressed the complexity of coordinating multiple specialized roles by setting up communication workflows using tools like Monday.com and integrating them with Slack for task updates and real-time notifications, which minimized the risk of inefficiencies.

• Systematized Processes for Consistency: Amanda implemented process templates in Crelate for both candidate and job intake to ensure consistency and efficiency. This provides essential information gathered upfront, reducing repetitive follow-ups and training time for new hires.

These adjustments reflect Amanda’s commitment to EOS principles, enhancing her team's efficiency, communication, and service consistency as they scale.

Critical Elements When Hiring to Upscale Your Team

When growing your recruitment business, hiring the right person to fill critical roles can be challenging. Do you go for a full 360-degree or 180-degree model? I wanted to pick Amanda’s brain about her learnings as she started to hire and grow her team. 

Amanda prioritizes understanding how a potential team member aligns with their values. “I think going back to those core values in terms of some of our core values, intellectual curiosity, earnestness, relationships first. And so really trying to stay quality over quantity, really trying to imbue those values throughout our hiring process.”

Rather than adhering to a rigid “full desk” model, she has implemented a flexible, team-based structure that allows employees to specialize and focus on specific roles, attracting diverse skill sets and reducing turnover by placing people where they can excel. Her model also enables creating specialized, replicable teams that can focus on distinct practice areas or client needs, such as intellectual property law or retained searches, allowing team members to build practices around their interests and expertise. Additionally, Amanda’s focus on transparent, day-to-day communication enhances team alignment, with updates to revenue and compensation models supporting this collaborative framework. She shared the tech stack they use to collaborate effectively and consistently.

What is the Biggest Challenge In Growing Your Recruitment Business?

What will be the biggest challenge if you set your business up for scale? For Amanda, “I think giving new ideas and systems time to work is challenging. And not having. Or you know, and also like giving myself some grace.”

Amanda’s greatest challenge in building her business is balancing the patience to allow new ideas and systems time to prove their effectiveness with the need to make strategic adjustments if things aren't working. She acknowledges that this uncertainty—knowing when to persist and when to pivot—can be especially difficult. To overcome this, we acknowledge the importance of resilience and an unwavering commitment to the long-term goal, alongside the willingness to assess whether issues stem from the process, the people involved, or just the natural time required for new initiatives to take hold. Cultivating patience and maintaining a mindset focused on progress over perfection are key practices she uses to navigate the uncertainty and keep pushing forward.

Amanda Brandenburg Bio and Contact Info

In 2018, Amanda founded OpusLex Partners to bring a hands-on, customized, and personalized approach back to legal recruiting. At OpusLex, which translates to “legal body of work,” our body of work includes finding the very best for every search.

Amanda is passionate about her work and enjoys the challenges and competitive nature of the business. When she’s not sourcing top legal talent for her clients, you can find her spending time with her husband, their three children, and two rescue dogs at home in Atlanta. She is a graduate of the University of Georgia.

• Amanda on LinkedIn

• Opus Lex Partners website link

• Opus Lex on Facebook

• Opus Lex on Instagram

People and Resources Mentioned

• Traction: Get A Grip On Your Business, by Gino Wickman

• Monday.com

• Crelate

• The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It by Michael Gerber

• Asana

• Zapier

• Leopard Solutions

• Ring Central

• Allan Fisher on LinkedIn

Related Podcast You Might Enjoy

• TRR#108 The Winning Formula: How to Grow a Recruiting Firm to $2 Million in 3 Years

• Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call

• Mark on LinkedIn

• Mark on Twitter: @MarkWhitby

• Mark on Facebook

• Mark on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach

Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter

If you’ve been enjoying the podcast, please take two minutes to leave a review. Your review is greatly appreciated because it helps us attract a bigger audience and help more recruiters.

Going smaller to go bigger might sound counter-intuitive, but this mindset helped Tyler Rossi transform his newly launched recruitment business from zero to $250k revenue! 

In this episode, you will hear Tyler’s approach to niching down and the strategies that helped him win the majority of inbound clients and establish himself as one of the leading authorities in the metals and steel recruitment industry.

Tyler is the President of American Dream Search and Host of The Recruiter of Steel podcast. He's one of the top headhunters in America for sales talent in the Steel and Metals Industry.

Tyler's story is one of determination and success in the face of adversity, and I’m excited to dive into his experiences and insights today.

Episode Outline and Highlights

• [01:55] How Tyler got into recruitment and why he chose metals as a niche.

• [08:07] Tyler’s story of resilience - getting laid off from a six-digit sales job while his wife was 32 weeks pregnant.

• [12:44] Difficulties of the first six months of a recruitment business and how niching down became a game-changer.

• [17:37] Getting the first client via LinkedIn Automation - Tyler shares his tech stack.

• [20:17] Turning it around from zero to $250k - discussion on business development.

• [23:53] How to establish yourself as the go-to authority in your niche.

• [30:57] Podcasting is an effective engagement tool to go above and beyond.

• [38:39] A creative way of using videos to promote your client and strengthen relationships.

• [43:55] Work and life integration: How many hours does Tyler work a day to take care of their daughter?

• [46:01] What is next for Tyler and American Dream Search?

Go Smaller to Go Bigger - Top Benefits of Niching Down to a Specific Industry

When Tyler attempted to broaden his scope as a sales recruiter - he felt overwhelmed and things did not work out. He recalled how he already established his network in the steel industry and decided to focus on this niche. It was indeed a game-changer for Tyler! 

His conclusion is “The riches are in the niches!” He highlighted below benefits and how niching down worked for him:

• Reduced Competition: By focusing on the steel industry, he reduced his competition from 26,000 recruiters in the US to only around five competitors in the same industry in his domain.

• Authority Building: It was easier for Tyler to add value to the industry and be an established figure in the steel industry through continuous sharing of content and podcasting.

• Higher Demand: Targeting a specialized industry can lead clients to view you as a high-value resource, as you bring industry-specific knowledge and connections. Even if you only place 10 candidates in a year with an average of $25k fee, you already have substantial revenue.

• Efficient Networking: Focusing on a niche simplifies networking efforts. Tyler concentrates on key decision-makers and candidates via targeted marketing and MPC.

How to Establish Yourself as the Go-To Expert in Your Niche

Tyler's reputation grew as he focused on the metal and steel sector, allowing him to generate trust and recognition in the metals industry. He started his podcast, The Recruiter of Steel, to bring added value to the industry. He also utilized LinkedIn by consistently posting content related to the industry which has gained traction, especially to decision-makers. Out of his 7000 connections, around 75% are in the metal and steel industry.

Consistency in these actions made Tyler a recognizable authority in his niche. As he shared, “As far as an ROI … I would say the majority of my business now, I would say is inbound. Most of it is coming inbound to me. I haven't run an MPC campaign in probably three, or four months because all of this is coming to me and I have enough business with it. It's because I've established myself as that authority. It's brought in multiple six figures for me just doing posting and just interacting on LinkedIn.”

Other Action Items That Turned Around His Business

The first six months of Tyler’s business brought in no revenue. However, he had a breakthrough that transformed it from zero to a $250k profit. That is niching down, and establishing himself as an authority. However, there are also other action items he shared that helped him, which I am sure a lot of listeners can relate to:

Full Commitment and Resilience: When Tyler was laid off, he committed entirely to his recruitment business, even though it took six months of effort without income to gain traction.

Mentorship and Continuous Learning: Seeking guidance, Tyler connected with Scott Tuttle, a successful recruiter who provided critical advice on areas like contract terms and marketing strategies. This mentorship helped Tyler refine his approach, close deals, and streamline his operations.

Effective Use of Technology: Tyler used a tailored tech stack, including LinkedIn automation through Skylead, Sales Navigator, Apollo for marketing, and Crelate for CRM management. These tools allowed him to be targeted and efficient in his outreach, helping him reach the right clients and candidates without resorting to mass emails.

Tyler Rossi Bio and Contact Info

Tyler Rossi is the President of American Dream Search and Host of the Let's Talk Talent podcast (now rebranded as The Recruiter of Steel podcast). He is one of the top headhunters in America for sales talent in the Steel/Metals Industry.

But it wasn't always this way. 

For the longest time, Tyler put off going into business full-time. While he had his LLC on the side, Tyler never had the guts to go all in. He had the six-figure tech sales job and the job security and benefits that came with it.  He had the house, and the marriage, and his daughter was soon on the way. 

Fast forward to September of 2023, Tyler was forced to take the leap of faith he was putting off for so long. He was abruptly laid off from his job. There was no warning, no severance…nothing. 

Six-figure paycheck? Poof 💨 

Oh, and his wife was 32 weeks pregnant 😳 

That next Monday, he fired up his laptop and dove full-time into his recruiting business. 

The first 6 months were brutal he made $0. 

Rejection after rejection. Set back after set back. 

But he never gave up. 

Fast forward to now and Tyler has scaled American Dream Search to over 10 clients and has billed multiple six-figures in its first year. He has established himself as a premier recruiter in the Metals Industry and he's just getting started.

• Tyler on LinkedIn

• American Dream Search website link

• The Recruiter of Steel podcast

People and Resources Mentioned

• Scott Tuttle on LinkedIn

• Alec Borlin on LinkedIn

• Sarah Englade on LinkedIn

Related Podcast You Might Enjoy

• TRR#230 How to Achieve Rapid Success in a New Recruitment Market

• TRR#232 How to Leverage Video Content to Boost Your Recruiting Business

• Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call

• Mark on LinkedIn, 

• Mark on Twitter: @MarkWhitby

• Mark on Facebook

• Mark on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach

Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter

If you’ve been enjoying the podcast, please take two minutes to leave a review. Your review is greatly appreciated because it helps us attract a bigger audience and help more recruiters.

As a recruitment business owner, have you considered how to tap into overlooked talent pools while meeting corporate diversity demands? Our special guest, Emma Freivogel, shares how she built two successful organizations - a charity (Radical Recruit) and a profit-for-good consultancy (B Radical) - focused on placing candidates from non-traditional backgrounds into corporate roles. 

If you're interested in combining social impact with business success, Emma's insights on structuring support services and creating sustainable revenue through corporate sponsorship could transform your approach to recruitment.

Emma is the Founder and CEO of Radical Recruit, a pioneering charity that supports companies in recruiting talent from diverse backgrounds, including individuals with prior contact with the criminal justice system, victims of domestic violence, and those facing barriers to work. She is also the co-founder of B Radical, a profit-for-good consultancy that supports businesses in implementing inclusive recruitment practices and developing diversity strategies.

Episode Outline and Highlights

• [02:06] The history of how and why Emma founded Radical Recruit and B Radical.

• [05:01] Insights on candidates' backgrounds being advocated for hiring by B Radical.

• [16:33] Emma expounded on her philosophy of giving people second chances - knowing about Chan’s story.

• [22:23] Interesting story of how Emma got into her field.

• [24:39] B Radical’s business model.

• [30:11] How receptive are companies to partnering with Radical Recruit?

• [32:43] Malcolm’s powerful and inspiring story.

• [36:44] What is next for B Radical and Radical Recruit?

• [39:00] Emma’s learnings as a business leader can applied to all business owners and leaders.

The Philosophy Behind Radical Recruit’s Advocacy

Recruitment is challenging in general, but for Radical Recruit, it presents additional difficulties. They focus on supporting marginalized individuals often excluded from the traditional labor market. Emma and Radical Recruit advocate for people from underrepresented communities—those who face barriers related to ethnicity, gender, disability, and past adversities such as homelessness, criminal records, addiction, or domestic violence. 

You will hear inspiring stories shared by Emma about Channel - a woman who grew up in extreme poverty and violence, with 47 convictions by her early twenties, and how she is now a head Chef in a restaurant.

You will also know about Malcolm - who fell into homelessness as his life turned upside-down when his father passed and how he was able to turn it around.

These stories exemplify Radical Recruit's approach: to show employers the potential in unconventional candidates and advocate for fair hiring practices that embrace diversity. 

What This Means for Recruitment Business Leaders & Owners

Emma is doing something fascinating and incredible. Giving second chances to underdogs and advocating for them in the labor market not only gives businesses and individuals mutual benefits but also contributes to a much bigger value to society. Since Emma has been running non-profit and profit-for-good business models for both Radical Recruitment and B Radical, are there transferable learnings that conventional recruitment businesses can apply from a leadership perspective? I echo Emma’s response below:

“I think from a diversity perspective, if we treated diversity as seriously as we do things like financial resilience and mitigating the risk of cyber-attacks and this sort of thing, then we would not have a problem filling roles at any level… I think that leaders could just be more human-centric generally, not, not with regard to the way they view and interact with radical talent, but just people in general. We're all looking for the same things. We all benefit from the same things.”

Would You Consider Diversity Recruitment Services?

A key discussion topic was Emma's emphasis on how recruitment agencies can build sustainable revenue through diversity recruitment services. She reveals an untapped market opportunity that most traditional agencies overlook.

"Unless the executive sponsors this diversity work, unless it's properly resourced, unless there is thoughtful, considered approach unless people are measuring impact and linking it to the business case, the work's probably not going to get done."

Market Opportunity Emma highlights a massive untapped talent pool in the UK: 11 million people with criminal convictions, 14 million with disabilities, and 230,000 homeless individuals. With every executive prioritizing diversity, there's strong corporate demand but few agencies are equipped to deliver effectively.

Revenue Streams The business model combines traditional recruitment fees with innovative revenue streams. Corporate sponsorship packages start from £3k, supplemented by DEI training, recruitment audits, and comprehensive post-placement support services. This creates multiple recurring revenue opportunities beyond standard placement fees.

Success Metrics A client demonstrates the model's effectiveness with a 92% retention rate for diverse hires. Successful placements range from entry-level to £80k senior roles across multiple sectors. The comprehensive support model drives long-term partnerships and repeat business from corporate clients.

The key takeaway is that while many recruiters shy away from diversity recruitment, there's a significant business opportunity for those willing to develop expertise in this area. As Emma notes, "Every executive has diversity on their agenda" - the challenge is turning that commitment into action through proper resourcing and support.

Emma Freivogel Bio and Contact Info

Emma Freivogel is the founder and co-CEO of Radical Recruit, a pioneering charity that assists businesses in recruiting entry-level talent from diverse backgrounds, including individuals with prior contact with the criminal justice system, domestic violence, or homelessness among other barriers to work. She is also the co-founder of B-Radical, a profit-for-good consultancy that supports job seekers from similar communities in securing more senior and skilled appointments, often within the same companies. B-Radical assists businesses in laying the foundations for success or reimagining their usual ways of working through workshops, training, strategy sessions, audits, advisory services, and early career recruitment. By collaborating with the Radical brands, businesses not only diversify their talent pipelines and teams but also enhance their social value and ESG initiatives. Emma's leadership is driven by a commitment to equality and social justice, aiming to create inclusive opportunities in the labor market and transform recruitment practices so they are both welcoming and fair.

• Emma on LinkedIn

• Radical Recruit website link

• B Radical website link

• Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call

• Mark on LinkedIn

• Mark on Twitter: @MarkWhitby

• Mark on Facebook

• Mark on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach

Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter

If you’ve been enjoying the podcast, please take two minutes to leave a review. Your review is greatly appreciated because it helps us attract a bigger audience and help more recruiters.

As a new recruitment business owner, how much do you invest in marketing and personal branding? Is the ROI worth it?

Our special guest, Sarah Englade, explained how she scaled to $1.5m in revenue in 18 months with the help of LinkedIn personal branding. She shared her strategies and how she overcame struggles when creating content, which can be helpful if you also find value in content creation.

Sarah Englade is the Owner & Founder of Monarch Talent Solutions, a boutique executive search firm specializing in senior roles in accounting, finance, and human resources throughout Houston, TX. 

Before launching Monarch Talent Solutions in 2020, Sarah gained nearly a decade of recruiting and leadership experience at two global recruiting firms. Between 2012-2020, she successfully placing over 2,800 candidates and generating millions in revenue. 

Now, Sarah is focused on humanizing the recruiting process, driven by her firm’s core values. 

Episode Outline and Highlights

• [02:42] How Sarah got into recruiting by accident and how she excelled before launching her firm.

• [08:15] Understanding contributing factors to burnout in staffing and how to mitigate it early.

• [11:11] Keys to Sarah becoming a top producer.

• [13:15] The remarkable story of Monarch's launch during the pandemic.

• [20:17] Three action items kept Sarah going during the first 6 months of Monarch.

• [24:27] Sarah’s book recommendations.

• [26:24] Journey and strategies in building a personal brand through LinkedIn.

• [36:33] Are you intimidated to do video content? Sarah shares her process.

• [41:48] What is the ROI in content and personal brand marketing?

• [48:21] Other elements that contribute to Monarch’s successes on top of personal branding.

• [54:30] “You always have to be a student of learning”

• [56:16] Quick fire questions: Tech Stack and Metrics that matter for Sarah, and keys to resilience.

Three Steps That Keep Monarch On-Track in the First Six Months

When Sarah launched Monarch during the pandemic, things were not as smooth sailing as expected. Most people would think that the first three months would get them positive traction, but for Sarah, it had already been around six months, and still, not much was happening. She started the company without a book of business and minimal business development experience.

If you are a new recruitment business owner, Sarah’s insights on the three things that kept her going can be helpful. Sarah focused on three key things to keep her business going for the first six months:

• Self-development and mindset: Sarah dedicated herself to reading books, listening to podcasts, and staying disciplined to work on her mindset and conquer her feelings of inferiority. She focused on personal growth and overcoming self-doubt.

• Metrics and consistency: She believed in using metrics to track her progress and committed herself to hitting her numbers. Sarah stayed consistent by posting her goals on a board, reviewing them daily, and compounding her activity to build confidence.

• Seeking mentors: Despite facing challenges finding local mentors, Sarah sought out mentors in business and recruiting from other parts of the United States. She leaned on their support and advice to navigate challenges and stay motivated in her entrepreneurial journey.

Strategies for Building a Personal Brand Through LinkedIn

A key discussion topic that resonated with me was Sarah's emphasis on personal branding and her strategies for building a brand through LinkedIn.

“As a new business owner you have to really be very smart with your money. But I always say this to people that scared money doesn't make money. As you know you have to spend money to make it. Like part of my budget and part of what's worked for me and my business model over the years has 100% been investing in marketing.”

Sarah was not a LinkedIn expert, as she had just explored it as recently as she started her business. She also is not as fond of being in videos as many of us are. She even gets a lot of bashers and trolls. Nevertheless, it doesn’t stop her from consistently posting meaningful content! 

Here are some takeaways shared in terms of strategies and processes Sarah used for creating and posting LinkedIn videos:

• Quarterly video shoots with 20 videos created each time.

• Videos based on real conversations with her network to provide value.

• Content sourced from suggestions and personal experiences as a recruiter.

• Daily preparation: Early morning content creation on the day of recording by reviewing notes and conversations.

• Consistency in content creation: Maintaining a positive and helpful tone in videos.

• Continuous improvement: Embracing feedback and learning from each video to boost confidence and quality over time.

Long-term ROI from Content and Personal Brand Marketing

How much Sarah invested in marketing and building her personal brand benefited her business tremendously. It leads to client relationship building and trust from candidates that the best headhunter in their niche is handling them. Beyond that, Sarah and I believe personal branding has a more long-term ROI than you can measure. I think that Sarah explained it well:

“I think it varies on what you look at as the return on that investment. So for me, I'm a new business owner. I'm just coming up to four years. You know, many people think there's overnight success when you start any kind of company, especially in terms of staff and space, especially if you have experience. And I'm telling the truth about, you know, branding, you have to have the brand now because the first thing we all do is when we're looking up anything, whether it's a doctor, a restaurant, whatever it is, we google things, right? So we google to see credibility and that builds trust when we start seeing the reviews and people and all that good stuff. So in the very beginning, it is going to seem exhausting. You're going to be like, what is this even bringing to me?  Over time, it's going to help people find you. So that's the return. So it's not overnight. There is literally no elevator here to success. You have to take the stairs and this is part of that now. So I can honestly say that in the very beginning, I saw the return almost immediately and then it started to go like this a little and then it started to blow up again. And that's recruiting. It's like this. So the biggest thing for me is the reason why I continue and commit to creating this content. It's because we're in a down market, and we're not staying here. So when the market goes like this, I want them to remember my face, my name, my brand, and my company. And hopefully, with putting out as much content as I'm putting out, they do. So that's the whole return on it, which is making sure that you're staying front and center, no matter what kind of market we're actually in. “

Sarah Englade Bio & Contact Info

Sarah Englade is the Owner & Founder of Monarch Talent Solutions, a boutique executive search firm specializing in senior-level and mid-executive-level direct-hire roles in accounting, finance, and human resources throughout Houston, TX. Sarah serves as an executive headhunter within the firm, partnering with local high-performing companies to grow their teams. She also offers candidates career resources, including resume, interview support, job market trend updates, local continuing education opportunities, and more. 

Before launching Monarch Talent Solutions in 2020, Sarah gained nearly a decade of recruiting and leadership experience at two global recruiting firms. In her roles, she was regularly recognized as a top producer, successfully placing over 2,800 candidates between 2012 and 2020 and generating millions in revenue. Now, Sarah is focused on humanizing the recruiting process, driven by her firm’s core values. 

Sarah volunteers at Dress for Success Houston, is a Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce (GHWCC) member and has been a nominee for Houston Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 from 2022-2024. Sarah has also been featured in several media outlets, including Shoutout HTX, Voyage Houston, GoSolo, CanvasRebel Magazine, Houston Made, Forbes Magazine for Houston’s Extraordinary Women in Business, and LFN Network’s Breaking The Silence Talk Show.

• Sarah on LinkedIn

• Monarch Solutions website link

• Monarch Solutions on YouTube

• Monarch Solutions on Instagram - @monarchtalenthtx

People and Resources Mentioned

• The Compound Effect - Darren Hardy

• Fanatical Prospecting - Jeb Blount

• Relationships First - Emily Frisella

• Claude.ai

• Rusty Gates Media

• Bullhorn

• Dripify

• Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call

• Mark on LinkedIn

• Mark on Twitter: @MarkWhitby

• Mark on Facebook

• Mark on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach

Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter

If you’ve been enjoying the podcast, please take two minutes to leave a review. Your review is greatly appreciated because it helps us attract a bigger audience and help more recruiters.

As a billing manager, managing your billings and supporting your team and their individual billings can be overwhelming. Our special guest will explain how this can be achieved and what he learned from his decades of experience in recruiting.

In this episode, Mike Stirton discussed two key factors in building a high-performing team: clear expectations and delegation.

Mike is a seasoned recruitment leader who has led high-performing teams within Scotland's Financial & Professional Services sectors. 

Mike has excelled in producing some of the best and high-performing recruiters within his sector while running a personal desk of £1m+. 

He has recently joined forces with Be-IT and is currently working on launching their new professional and financial services recruitment business.

Episode Outline and Highlights

• [02:06] How Mike got into recruiting and why he could adapt quickly.

• [06:21] Building high-performing teams: leading a £3M team of 5 consultants.

• [15:40] Overcoming the lows - why Mike at one point hated recruitment.

• [20:10] Specific best practices on how to format a great CV.

• [27:05] Effective approach to developing other top billers.

• [31:02] Mike shares his business model and placement niche.

• [37:46] What is a recruitment leader’s greatest achievement?

• [41:01] Why sometimes under-projecting works.

• [44:20] How Billing Managers should use delegation when supporting and mentoring their top-billers.

• [48:40] Redesigning back office operations to provide innovative solutions.

• [53:59] The five steps in mapping out your recruitment process.

Key Ingredients to Build High-Performing Teams

A remarkable achievement Mike shared is creating a £3M + team of recruiters (5 consultants) in a niche market. This is amazing considering he is a billing manager creating at least £1m+. I wanted to pick Mike’s brains and hear his insights on what are the key ingredients when building a high-performing team. Mike mentioned at least seven key factors:

• Trust: Establishing mutual trust between you and your team is fundamental. This foundation allows team members to feel secure and perform at their best.

• Clear Expectations: Be very clear with the expectations for each task. Clearly communicate what is the minimum required performance, ensuring there’s no ambiguity.

• Tailored Management: Every team member is unique, and you need to manage them according to their individual strengths and personalities, not a one-size-fits-all approach.

• Empowerment and Autonomy: Give your team the space to work independently, stepping back when they meet or exceed expectations. Encourage entrepreneurial spirit and avoid micromanaging.

• Skill Development: Focus on developing your team from trainees or junior staff into experts. Break down complex concepts into simpler terms to make learning approachable.

• Team Diversity in Skills: Build a team where each member brings a unique skill set to the table, so they complement each other. This helps tackle any challenge effectively.

• Learning from Mistakes: Mike highlights that making mistakes is part of the growth process. Learning from errors is crucial to long-term success in leading teams.

Effective Approach to Developing Top Billers

For Mike, his getting big billings is not the best achievement, but rather, when his team members are starting to bill like him:  “The best achievement was actually when, you know, some of my other team members were also starting to get to those numbers as well.”

An effective billing manager does not always translate into a good mentor or sales coach. So, what steps should you take if you want to develop your team members to be like you and bill significantly? Mike emphasized the importance of clarity and respect.

“And it's pretty much the way I parent my children as well, so it's no different. So, yeah, that's kind of been the cornerstone. It's just treat people with respect, be very clear with them, be very honest, and take the pressure off them when they're.”

Scottish recruiters tend to use football analogies a lot, so I am sure you will enjoy how Mike described his approach to team development as the same way football coaches approach their teams.

The Power of Delegation

It is not easy to guide a team of big billers while you yourself need to ensure you are producing—that is why many billing managers find it challenging to maintain consistent team performance.

Mike shared his secret: delegation.

He uses delegation thoughtfully and strategically. Here’s how he approaches it:

Delegate for Development: Mike views delegation as providing team members with learning experiences. He emphasizes that delegation is a win-win because it allows others to gain experience while easing their workload.

Match Tasks to Strengths: Mike assigns tasks based on his team members' strengths and preferences when delegating. He selects the right person for each job, ensuring that the task aligns with the individual's skills and mindset. For example, he delegates a report task to someone who enjoys working with spreadsheets, not to the more social team members.

Motivation: He incorporates positive reinforcement by motivating the team members when delegating. This boosts their confidence and makes them feel valued and capable.

Clear Expectations: Mike is very clear about his expectations when delegating, especially regarding deadlines. He sets the task, communicates the deadline, and ensures the person knows exactly what is required.

This approach ensures that delegation is effective, motivational, and aligned with the strengths and capacities of his team members.

Mike Stirton Bio and Contact Info

Mike is a seasoned recruitment leader who has led high-performing teams within the Financial & Professional Services sectors in Scotland. Mike has excelled in producing some of the best and high-performing recruiters within his sector whilst at the same time running a personal desk of £1m+. He has recently joined forces with Be-IT and is currently working on launching their new professional and financial services recruitment business.

• Mike on LinkedIn

• BE IT website link

People and Resources Mentioned

• Bullhorn

• Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call

• Mark on LinkedIn

• Mark on Twitter: @MarkWhitby

• Mark on Facebook

• Mark on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach

Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter

If you’ve been enjoying the podcast, please take two minutes to leave a review. Your review is greatly appreciated because it helps us attract a bigger audience and help more recruiters.

How does a recruiter go from new to market to Champions Club in just two years? For Alec Borlin, the answer lies in the power of disciplined planning and relentless consistency.

Alec is a CPA turned recruiter. He started with one of the world’s largest recruiting & staffing companies, where he did extremely well before starting his own firm BGC Search in 2022. 

He places accounting and finance professionals with privately held middle-market companies in the Greater Cleveland Area. 

Alec recently launched The Recruiter’s CPA which provides bookkeeping and tax services for recruiting and staffing companies.

In this episode, you will hear how Alec structures his day with daily habits and strategies that result in consistent billings. He also shared the concept of having an ideas bank, how to utilize AI when enhancing content, and why LinkedIn is still his trusted platform for lead generation.

Episode Outline and Highlights

• [01:00] How Alec got into recruiting.

• [05:36] Early successes in agency recruiting.

• [09:58] Discipline and daily actions for success.

• [16:42] Launching BGC search - Alex walked us through what motivated him to launch.

• [21:19] How Alec achieved $100k revenue in Q1 from inbound leads alone via LinkedIn.

• [27:49] Trusting LinkedIn as a relevant platform to get results.

• [34:05] Consistent posting by having an ideas bank and how to enhance your content with AI.

• [39:11] Alec discusses Recruiter CPA  and how it helps staffing and recruiting firms in accounting.

• [44:10] The challenges of being a solo recruitment business owner in terms of tasks and time management.

• [48:38] What is next for Alec and his team?

Planning and Strategies That Set Alec Apart

In his second full year as a recruiter, Alec became part of the “Champions Club” for two consecutive years despite being new to the market. What sets him apart is his work ethic which includes consistency in planning. Alec sets himself apart by maintaining a consistent and disciplined approach to daily activities. His early career success was rooted in structured habits, such as waking up early, exercising, planning his day the night before, and following a rigorous schedule that included conducting at least 10 interviews and 3 client meetings per week.

Here are the key takeaways from Alec's approach as a successful recruiter:

• Consistent daily routine: Early mornings, exercising, and being in the office by 7 AM helped set a productive tone for the day.

• Proactive planning: End-of-day planning allowed Alec to focus on specific goals for the next day, ensuring efficiency.

• Structured activity targets: Conducted at least 10 interviews and 3 weekly client meetings, keeping himself accountable to those numbers.

• Learning from high performers: Alec absorbed successful habits early in his career by observing and emulating top billers.

• Breaking tasks into manageable steps: Rather than being overwhelmed by big goals, he breaks them into smaller tasks, which keeps him focused and motivated.

• Prioritization and time-blocking: He allocates specific time slots for high-priority activities, ensuring he tackles important tasks first.

• Using productivity tools: Leveraging tools like Asana and calendars to track tasks, organize workflows, and stay on top of both personal and professional goals.

• Accountability and follow-through: Alec holds himself to a high standard, consistently executing his plans and commitments.

Trusting LinkedIn as a Relevant Tool in Generating Leads

How much do you invest in LinkedIn as a lead-generating platform? Alec shared an interesting case study about how they were able to build more than $100k from inbound leads in the first quarter of this year using LinkedIn.

“Twelve months of consistently posting on LinkedIn and not seeing a result. Right. So that was, it was posting videos, it was posting copy. So just words, just word posts, posting images, carousels, and constantly trying to interact with my audience and give them the insights that they're looking for… All you can do is continue to post and try to provide value to the people that are in your network and then eventually you'll get this random, beautiful message, hey, we have this need.” What was his thought process that made him persistent?

“So I just, I think it's, it's the belief that LinkedIn is a place that will continue to be very important. We see Fortune 500 companies starting to develop their LinkedIn presence and marketing, if you will, on platforms like that. So just kind of trusting that there are people smarter than me investing their time and resources into the platform.”

I encourage you to visit Alec’s LinkedIn profile to see the type of posts and content he shares with his audience.

Do You Have an Ideas Bank?

Somehow related to the topic of consistent posting and content creation, I wanted to pick Alec’s brain on how he can always come up with fresh ideas. He mentioned the concept of an ideas bank. He also shared how he utilizes AI when translating these ideas into content or posts. To summarize:

Alec draws a lot of his content ideas from the conversations he has during the day or moments of inspiration, such as while at the gym. He captures these ideas quickly by emailing them to himself or storing them in Asana or Google Docs. He then organizes these ideas by different content pillars like sales, marketing, and operations. On uninspired days, he revisits these ideas for fresh content.

When it comes to using AI such as ChatGPT, Alec envisions creating a personal "copywriter" by training AI on his best-performing content, allowing it to generate new posts or ideas based on his style and tone. He believes that AI is a starting point and not a replacement. Hence, personalizing AI-generated content by avoiding generic languages and creating a unique tone by adding personal context is necessary so that your content does not sound artificial.

Alec Borlin Bio and Contact Info

Alec Borlin is a CPA turned recruiter.  He got his start with Parker + Lynch, now LHH before starting BGC Search back in 2022.  He places accounting and finance professionals with privately held middle-market companies in the Greater Cleveland Area. 

As a multi-award-winning Senior Executive Recruiter with a Global Fortune 500, Alec has used his passion for recruiting and accounting to place over 100 candidates throughout the United States with large publicly traded companies and smaller privately held businesses, ensuring a sound match for both parties.

• Alec on Linkedin

• BGC Search website link

• Recruitment CPA website link

People and Resources Mentioned

• Asana

• Loom

• Trello

• Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call

• Mark on LinkedIn

• Mark on Twitter: @MarkWhitby

• Mark on Facebook

• Mark on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach

Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter

If you’ve been enjoying the podcast, please take two minutes to leave a review. Your review is greatly appreciated because it helps us attract a bigger audience and help more recruiters. 

As the recruitment industry rapidly evolves, it is crucial to stay on top of the trends shaping its future. In this episode, we talk with Trinette Cunningham and Teresa Delibert about shifts in candidate engagement, social media strategies, and the growing importance of wellness in hiring.

Trinette is the President of NAPS, the National Association of Personnel Services. She has held that office for 9 years and has been with NAPS for 23 years. 

Teresa is on the board of NAPS, and she’s here to add her perspective as a recruitment business owner with over 20 years of experience in the industry. 

I’m keen to get Trinette and Teresa’s perspective on the recruitment industry from her vantage point as the president of the oldest recruiting association in the United States.  Working with their membership of thousands of recruiters, want to explore the trends, challenges, and opportunities they’re seeing in the market.

Episode Outline and Highlights

• [01:39] Trinette shared an overview of NAPS.

• [07:23] Teresa’s role within NAPS and how she started in the recruiting industry.

• [14:41] Discussion on the current economic and recruitment climate and how NAPS supports its members.

• [21:01] Enabling diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

• [25:26] The size of NAPS membership and the value of their certification process.

• [29:06] Emerging trends of opportunities and challenges in the recruitment industry.

• [42:53] Shifting from a candidate-driven to a client-driven market.

• [45:20] Know about the upcoming NAPS conference.

Emerging Trends - Opportunities and Challenges in the Recruitment Industry

Being with NAPS for 23 years, Trinette’s insight into emerging trends in the recruitment industry is invaluable. As a recruitment leader or business owner, do you want to focus on capturing upcoming opportunities or mitigating future challenges? Below are some takeaways on the emerging trends that Trinette and Teresa shared:

1. AI Integration: AI significantly improves recruitment by automating tasks like job description writing, reducing unconscious bias, and aiding in candidate screening and interviews. AI helps recruiters become more efficient and data-driven, allowing faster decision-making.

1. Automation and Asynchronous Video: Automation is streamlining recruitment processes, particularly through technologies like asynchronous video interviews. 

1. Data-Driven Strategies: With immediate access to metrics, recruiters can be more strategic and proactive, leveraging data to enhance decision-making and performance with artificial intelligence.

1. Passive Candidates: Building long-term relationships with passive candidates (those not actively looking for jobs) is becoming increasingly important across various job levels, not just for executive roles.

1. Social Media Shift: Recruitment is moving beyond LinkedIn. Companies use platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and even Snapchat to attract younger candidates, particularly Gen Z, reflecting changing social media habits.

1. Wellness and Mental Health Benefits: Post-COVID, companies are expanding their benefits packages to include mental health and wellness programs, responding to a growing emphasis on holistic employee wellbeing.

Enabling Equity and Inclusion

Trinette and Teresa also shared how they enable equity and inclusion by working with WBC (Women Business Collaborative). 

NAPS and Trinette support DEI by fostering collaboration with industry groups focused on addressing gender inequality and promoting women in the recruitment industry. They actively engage in partnerships to provide opportunities for women, including initiatives like pairing women seeking capital with potential investors. NAPS conducts surveys and research across its membership base, sharing valuable insights on workplace diversity and DEI issues within the staffing and recruiting industry. They also work to raise awareness of gender pay disparity and the underrepresentation of women in C-suite roles, while advocating for progressive changes in the industry.

This has been an important topic for me and many of this podcast's guests. Fostering DEI and advocating equity not only brings about more talent and growth options but is also the direction most progressive organizations take.

How NAPS Supports Their Members in a Challenging Business Climate

The National Association of Personnel Services has existed since 1961 and enjoys the reputation as the oldest industry association. I wanted to hear from Trinette and Teresa how NAPS can support its members, especially in some industries where recruiters encounter challenges. 

Trinette emphasized the importance of obtaining their certification programs. “So to give specifics on what NAPS can do, we're here to help you navigate that ever-changing landscape. We do offer, like I said, the certification program. That is an in-depth program. And I encourage everybody, everyone who's listening, if you do not have your certification, get it 'cause it will pay in dividends.” Both Trinette and Teresa shared their personal experience in obtaining these certifications and how shocked they were by how much there is to know about the industry.

They also mentioned another benefit of being a NAPS member: keeping them updated through different resources, ATS, and research partners. 

In this call, Trinette also shared a conference they will hold next month. She outlined the speakers, topics, and other things attendees can look forward to.

Trinette Cunningham Bio and Contact Info

Trinette is a non-profit & event management professional with more than twenty-five years of combined association development, event operations, and sales experience. In 2005, after a six-year tenure as the Executive Director of the Corporate Event Marketing Association (CEMA), Trinette founded the non-profit and event management consulting company, TR2 Consulting.

Trinette specializes in financial management, membership/attendance growth, social media marketing communications, exhibit/sponsorship sales, and event logistics.

Through her leadership, NAPS has grown our membership, expanded our member benefits, and streamlined management operations.

She is a member of the Pennsylvania chapter of MPI, The American Society of Association Executives, ASAE, and was recently appointed to the Advisory Council of the Women's Business Collaborative Alliance based in Washington D.C.  

Her proudest accomplishment though is raising her 21-year-old daughter, Maggie, who starts med school next month!

• Trinette on LinkedIn

• National Association of Personnel Services (NAPS) website link

Teresa Delibert Bio and Contact Info

Since 1998 Teresa has been recruiting in Rochester, New York for businesses of all sizes and industries such as; Insurance, Financial Services, Mortgage Services, Real Estate, Human Resources, Auto Dealers, and Medical. Currently, she partners with small to mid-sized businesses in the Rochester area to add to their bottom line through customized recruiting solutions. Although recruiting is her second career, she has been responsible for hiring and retaining talent for 20+ years. Her first career as a Merchandise Manager for a large corporate retailer taught her how to run a business and prepared her for her career in recruiting and business ownership. She is a native of Rochester, NY, and has strong ties to the community. She has a BS in Business Management from RIT.

• Teresa on LinkedIn

• Delibert Employment website link

• Delibert Employment on Facebook

People and Resources Mentioned

• Recruiter’s Ultimate Guide to Maximize Billings with AI 

• Helen McGuire on LinkedIn

• Jon Krohn on LinkedIn

• Danny Cahill on LinkedIn

• Matt Walsh on LinkedIn

Related Podcasts You Might Enjoy

• TRR#153 Meet The Recruiter Who Survived And Thrived Through Four Recessions, with Gail Audibert

• TRR#220 How Purpose-Driven Business Models Help a Female Founder Achieve Acquisition Success, with Helen McGuire

• Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call

• Mark on LinkedIn

• Mark on Twitter: @MarkWhitby

• Mark on Facebook

• Mark on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach

Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter

If you’ve been enjoying the podcast, please take two minutes to leave a review. Your review is greatly appreciated because it helps us attract a bigger audience and help more recruiters.

“We spend 50% of our lives working… What is crazy is that 8 out of 10 people in today’s workforce say they don’t even feel a connection to their jobs or their employer. Which means that most of us are probably half of our lives feeling disengaged and maybe feeling unfulfilled.”

This is how Charlie Saffro opened her TEDx talk on prioritizing people in your business. As the CEO of a recruiting firm, she gives insightful takes on how a people-first culture can positively impact you and your client’s retention and long-term revenue.

Charlie is the CEO of CS Recruiting, which specializes in the Supply Chain, Logistics, and Transportation industries. The company is based in Chicago and recruits nationally. Charlie founded CS Recruiting over a decade ago and has built it from the ground up into a multi-million dollar organization.

She leads a team of 28 talented recruiters, emphasizing a people-first culture. 

Episode Outline and Highlights

• [02:55] How Charlie fell into recruiting and eventually put up her recruitment firm.

• [10:46] Winning and completing a project involving hiring 50 people in the first year of business.

• [14:32] Milestones within the 10-year journey as a founder and CEO.

• [21:41] Fostering a People-First Culture and its long-term benefits to retention and revenue.

• [33:58] The four magnets in building a people-first culture.

• [36:25] Transitioning to and embracing the full CEO role by learning to delegate.

• [43:47] Keys to developing a strong brand.

• [53:33] Charlie’s perspective on the current market environment and how she responds as a leader.

The Four Magnets in Building a People-First Culture

From a business point of view, a people-focused culture benefits employees and contributes to the organization's long-term success and resilience. Charlie gave very specific and pragmatic initiatives that they implement to engage with their employees. What strategies can you implement to foster a people-first culture in your recruitment firm? 

Charlie explains that culture acts like a magnet in attracting the right talent while repelling those who don't align with the company's values. She breaks down this concept into four key "talent magnets":

• Walk the Talk: The company should live its values daily, celebrating employees who embody these values, like recognizing "value winners" quarterly.

• Beyond the Paycheck: This magnet offers more than just a salary; it offers flexibility, benefits, and other tangible and intangible perks.

• Intentional Connection: This is about fostering genuine relationships within the team, getting to know them beyond their work roles, and maintaining regular check-ins to gauge team happiness.

• Growth Takes Two: This emphasizes collaboration between employees and leadership on career development, ensuring promotions align with employees' personal goals and conducting "evolution meetings" to discuss future aspirations.

Charlie believes that these magnets help attract and retain the right talent while ensuring a strong and aligned company culture.

Practical Steps to Enhance People Engagement

What steps do you currently take to enhance your team's engagement? Does it need a big budget? I wanted to know the actual actions that Charlie implements from a leadership perspective to further a people-centric environment. 

A notable takeaway is how Charlie initiates small, personal gestures of appreciation, like handwritten notes or small gifts, regardless of whether there is no budget allocation for these gestures. These small acts of recognition made a significant impact on employee morale and engagement. Over time, this evolved into a formal appreciation and recognition program within her organization.

The program includes a budget for recognizing milestones such as new hires, promotions, anniversaries, and personal achievements like buying a house or having a baby. There's also a "petty cash" fund for impromptu recognition, where any team member can submit a form to acknowledge a colleague who might need a pick-me-up, whether it's sending a gift card, treating them to lunch, or something as simple as giving them their favorite candy (a part of their onboarding process is asking members to share favorite foods or places).

These small, thoughtful gestures cost very little and can significantly boost employee morale and foster a strong, people-centered culture. She advocates for sharing these practices with clients, especially those in small businesses, to help them retain their talent by showing genuine appreciation for their employees. Would you apply the same for your team?

How to Develop a Strong Brand

While the topic of an engaging culture is certainly most interesting, I also wanted to pick Charlie’s brains on building a strong brand and online presence. Charlie is excellent at leveraging her voice through social media and building her brand. She became a recruiter back when LinkedIn was not yet a thing, and she is now utilizing various platforms to build her brand.

You may find the following action items helpful when building your brand:

1. Start Posting Consistently: Initially, Charlie used LinkedIn like many recruiters—sourcing candidates and building projects without much focus on content creation. However, she began posting content regularly, even though her early posts were generic and received little engagement.

2. Experiment with Content: After years of posting expected content, such as interview tips and salary negotiation advice, Charlie noticed that her posts weren't resonating with her audience. Inspired by a viral TikTok video her son created, she experimented with more personal and relatable content. This shift in approach proved to be a game-changer.

3. Share Personal Stories: The viral success of a family-related post gave Charlie the confidence to open up more about her personal life, including her experiences as a mother and leader. This authenticity helped her connect with her audience on a deeper level and drove business opportunities in unexpected ways.

4. Engage with Your Audience: Charlie found that sharing personal content led to increased engagement, with people reaching out to her with business inquiries and personal messages. This interaction helped her build a community and strengthened her brand's presence.

5. Post Regularly and Stay Inspired: Charlie developed a routine of posting five days a week, always looking for inspiration in her daily life that she could share with her audience. She emphasized the importance of staying consistent and adapting content based on what resonates with her followers.

Charlie Saffro Bio and Contact Info

Meet Charlie, a recruitment expert with a passion for human leadership, talent acquisition, employee engagement, company culture, and retention. She founded CS Recruiting over a decade ago and has built it from the ground up, managing a multi-million dollar organization and leading a team of talented recruiters with an emphasis on a people-first culture.

As CEO and Founder, Charlie's mission is to create meaningful connections that empower others to discover their full potential. She is a recognized expert in the Supply Chain, Logistics, and Transportation industry and her firm has worked with a diverse range of clients nationwide.

Charlie's goal is to develop long-lasting relationships with clients and candidates, making appropriate and timely career matches for all levels of positions. Beyond her work, Charlie is also a dedicated yogi and encourages her clients and team to practice mindfulness in the workplace and beyond. She believes that personal development and self-care are crucial to achieving success and fulfillment in all areas of life. Charlie is also a proud mother of three teenage boys and actively volunteers with local organizations to support and empower women in the workforce.

• Charlie on LinkedIn

• CS Recruiting website link

• Charlie’s TEDx talk: Business IS Personal - Prioritizing People Pays Off | Charlie Saffro | TEDxWilmette

People and Resources Mentioned

• Amy Cuddy TED Talk - Fake it Till You Make it

• Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call

• Mark on LinkedIn, 

• Mark on Twitter: @MarkWhitby

• Mark on Facebook

• Mark on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach

Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter

If you’ve been enjoying the podcast, please take two minutes to leave a review. Your review is greatly appreciated because it helps us attract a bigger audience and help more recruiters.

When he started his search firm, Vince was told that you would make 100 grand in year one if you're lucky. In his first year, he did more than $600k in revenue! Was that just a lucky year? Definitely not. He would not even consider his 12 years in business his best year. What are Vince’s key strategies in achieving this phenomenal result? In this episode, he shares two things: his belief system and his hard work.

Vince Dunne is the President of Dunne Search Group, an executive search firm based in South Carolina. For the last 12 years, he’s specialized in recruiting salespeople for the biotech industry and has helped build some of the most important companies in cancer testing.

Episode Outline and Highlights

• [01:56] How Vince got into recruiting and how he was able to shorten his learning curve.

• [10:26] Transitioning from a top recruiter to a recruitment business owner.

• [14:27] Overcoming the scarcity mindset: would you be friends with a close competitor?

• [16:34] Pulling off $600k in his first year of business. 

• [25:51] How Vince set up 210 interviews to land 70 monthly placements.

• [35:10] Discussion on Retain vs Contingent?

• [36:53] Vince reveals his team size and structure.

• [42:10] How to pitch an exclusive search arrangement with your client.

• [45:25] Topic on tech stack and approach to reaching out to clients and candidates.

• [56:03] How to “make a name for yourself.”

• [59:12] The biggest adversity Vince faced in his career.

Pulling off $600k Revenue in His First Year

Vince and I talked about his motivation to transition from being a top recruiter to launching his search group. “But I noticed I was getting my clients. Nothing was handed to me, and I thought it was because ‘Vince will figure it out. You know, he's. He's doing well. He's rookie of the year.’ I'm hitting all my numbers every quarter… So I was getting my clients anyway. So why am I splitting my business? And so I felt like I was ready. I've got enough clients out there of people that want to do business with me.” Knowing that he was ready, he took on the challenge of becoming a recruitment business owner, leveraging the skills he learned and the relationships he built over the years. Remarkably, he was able to make more than $600k in revenue in his first year!

I wanted to dive deep into the causal factors of this phenomenal success. Vince believed that he was just lucky. But you will find out as we continue our conversation that there are two main ingredients for his secret sauce: his belief system & hard work. Vince was really competitive and strictly adhered to his no-fail mindset. He would reach out to ten people before 9:00 AM daily to generate leads. These traits enabled him to shorten his learning curve when he was just a rookie and surely contributed to his success as a business owner.

How to “Make a Name” For Yourself

Another topic that resonates with me is Vince’s emphasis on building a reputation and making a name for yourself. Vince’s niche is in the Biotech industry, a very competitive circle, which means that your reputation is a huge deal. Vince shared insights on how he makes a name for himself and that people know him within the sales biotech world.

• Reputation Through Results: Vince builds a strong reputation by consistently delivering results, making successful placements, and ensuring client satisfaction.

• Client Focus: He emphasizes the importance of caring for his clients, going above and beyond, and even working late hours to meet their needs.

• Referrals: Vince actively asks for referrals during and after a project to expand his network and connect with more potential clients and managers.

• LinkedIn Recommendations: He sometimes asks clients for LinkedIn recommendations to build credibility and visibility.

• Personal Connections: Vince maintains relationships by sending personalized gestures, like Christmas gifts, and ensuring that he remains in his clients’ minds for future opportunities.

Building Relationships is Always Better in the Long Run

Vince shared an insightful take on building relationships versus burning bridges. If you have been unfairly treated by a client before, you will most likely relate to his story. I asked Vince about the biggest adversity in his career, and he shared that it was learning not to burn bridges.  His aggressive, competitive nature sometimes led to conflicts with clients, particularly when he felt he wasn’t fairly compensated or recognized for his work.

Vince acknowledges that, in hindsight, there were times he should have taken the high road instead of standing his ground, which ultimately damaged relationships with some clients. He overcame this challenge by realizing the importance of choosing his battles wisely and maintaining long-term relationships, even if it meant compromising on smaller issues. He now prioritizes staying loyal to clients who treat him well, even if it means turning down business from competitors. 

A key takeaway is that maintaining a positive image and strong relationships is crucial in the long run. Vince balances his competitive nature with a more strategic approach, focusing on clients who value and respect him while still holding onto the principles that have made him successful.

Vince Dunne Bio and Contact Info

A graduate of the Coles College of Business, Vince Dunne brings his keen business acumen and 12 years of accomplished biotech search experience placing the most qualified candidates in both established corporations and start-up companies. Vince utilizes his proven, unique business model to conduct his search to locate and refer the ideal candidate(s) to meet the tailored, strategic needs of an organization, conserving their company resources and increasing corporate efficiencies.

Vince has helped build out some of the most important companies in cancer testing.   Having focused on many areas in biotech, the oncology and women's health space is where we spend most of our time.   We pride ourselves on being very well-known and trusted in the market.  

• Vince on LinkedIn

• Dunne Search Group website link

People and Resources Mentioned

• Craig Picken on LinkedIn

• Rich Rosen on LinkedIn

• Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call

• Mark on LinkedIn

• Mark on Twitter: @MarkWhitby

• Mark on Facebook

• Mark on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach

Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter

If you’ve been enjoying the podcast, please take two minutes to leave a review. Your review is greatly appreciated because it helps us attract a bigger audience and help more recruiters.

How did a Certified Public Accountant launch and scale his recruitment business from the ground up? In this episode, you will hear about Troy’s journey in starting and growing his search business! Troy shares the hurdles he faced and his strategies to overcome them and thrive.

Troy is the President of Benchmark Search Group in Dallas. He founded the company in 2018 after working at one of the Big Four accounting firms and more than a decade with one of the largest national recruiting firms. 

Troy has built Benchmark’s reputation as a trusted advisor for sourcing and recommending the right accounting talent, specializing in direct hire placement, executive search, and temporary staffing for accounting and finance professionals. 

Episode Outline and Highlights

• [02:02] How Troy got into recruiting and was almost fired in his first 90 days.

• [08:00] Winning Best Place to Work for Working Parents.

• [11:57] Key challenges in Troy’s journey of building his own business.

• [21:44] Time tracking exercise to improve efficiency while focusing on value-adding activities.

• [24:00] Hiring a VA and fostering an environment where your team members are proactive.

• [33:09] Doing things differently to improve the training component.

• [42:40] Troy shares insights on what he had learned while running his search firm.

• [50:01] Troy’s three most important metrics in running a search firm.

Overcoming Showstoppers When Launching a Search Firm

How a successful search firm owner started his journey is always interesting. Most often, launching your recruitment business can be extremely challenging! Even if you are an excellent recruiter, running your own business is a different ball game; nothing can fully prepare you for it. Troy shared his journey from being a solo entrepreneur to building his own team. Below are the takeaways from the challenges he had, and I am sure you will be able to relate if you are already running your own recruitment business:

• Starting as a solo entrepreneur: Troy knew he needed to hire, but it took him nine months to hire his first employee.

• Slow initial growth: His hiring process was slow, which resulted in impediments. However, Troy focused on hiring top producers from other firms who were looking for a better culture fit, enabling him to build a core team over time.

• Lack of infrastructure or processes in place: When he started to scale, Troy realized he didn’t have enough infrastructure or processes to support his growth. He established SOPs and initiated training programs to create a more scalable structure.

• Trying to do everything: Troy became a bottleneck as he felt he needed to get involved in everything. He struggled with the need to control all aspects of the business. He eventually learned to delegate and focus on higher-level activities.

Fostering a Proactive Team Environment for Virtual Team Members

A good sign of a great team is when your members come to you and ask to take stuff off your plate rather than you having to reach out and delegate the tasks. This behavior describes Troy’s team, especially his virtual assistants. How do you foster a proactive team environment with a virtual team? 

Troy fosters a proactive team environment, even with onboarding virtual assistants, by treating them as integral members of the team rather than just freelancers. He emphasizes the importance of full integration, where the VAs are not just completing tasks but are actively involved in the business. An example is when his first VA quickly took on leadership responsibilities and even helped onboard a new marketing VA while he was away, demonstrating trust and empowerment.

Another approach is to ensure that the VAs are involved in the company's operations and goals, which fosters a sense of ownership and commitment. This approach allows them to proactively take on tasks and support the team, contributing to a strong and cohesive work environment despite the physical distance and different time zones.

Troy’s Top Three Metrics in Running a Search Firm

Metrics and KPIs are not there to micro-manage your team but rather guide them in ensuring that they are prioritizing tasks that contribute to your organization’s bigger objectives. I wanted to know Troy’s take on the three most important metrics to measure his team’s success. He gave a straightforward response: “Recruiters have to have at least, ten interview screens... And then six client interviews in a week... If you end up with three a week, you're going to end up with one to two placements a month. And so there's a scaling factor to that. Then, on the client side, there are at least two meetings with clients every single week. And then that will be five to eight also interviews a week.”

Troy Ashby Bio and Contact Info

Troy Ashby, President and Founder of Benchmark Search Group, founded the company in 2018 after working at one of the Big Four accounting firms, in addition to more than a decade of experience working with one of the largest national recruiting firms. With more than 20 years of professional service experience, Troy has built Benchmark’s reputation as a trusted advisor for sourcing and recommending the right accounting talent, specializing in direct hire placement, executive search, and temporary staffing for accounting and finance professionals. Troy is responsible for overseeing business development and talent acquisition along with P&L responsibility, marketing, and operations.

Troy’s greatest joy comes from encouraging and helping others, personally and professionally. He has a genuine passion for people, developing long-term relationships while working to make a lasting impact in the Dallas Fort Worth community – Troy takes a servant leader attitude to heart and delivers excellence every day. He has a proven track record of building teams, creating culture, and empowering associates, clients, and candidates to win!

He has a passion for developing long-term relationships in both business and his community. He has been actively involved in various professional and civic organizations around DFW chairing committees or serving on boards including the Richardson Family YMCA, The Family Place, the Dallas Regional Chamber, and the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce. He is a graduate of Leadership Dallas and Leadership Richardson and has also been an active volunteer in March of Dimes, Genesis Women’s Shelter, and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. He has been a guest speaker for multiple professional associations including the Risk Management Association (RMA) Young Risk Management Association (YRMA) and the Dallas Society of CPAs. Troy has also been cited in industry publications such as the Journal of Accountancy as an expert source

Troy received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from Oklahoma State University. He is a Certified Public Accountant and previously worked in public accounting at Ernst & Young, Arthur Andersen, and Whitley Penn. He and his wife Cayce have two children, Owen and Claire. Troy places a strong emphasis on family which is why he has built a strong internal corporate culture for his employees, centered around a workplace that has been designated as a Best Place to Work for Working Parents for multiple years.

• Troy on LinkedIn

• Benchmark Search Group website link

• Benchmark Search on Facebook

• Benchmark Search on X (Formerly Twitter)

• Benchmark Search on Instagram

• Benchmark Search on YouTube

People and Resources Mentioned

• Clockify

• Asana

• The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday

• Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call

• Mark on LinkedIn

• Mark on Twitter: @MarkWhitby

• Mark on Facebook

• Mark on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach

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