The Retained Search Show

Personal branding gets talked about a lot in recruitment but very few people explain what actually works… and what quietly destroys your credibility.

In this episode of The Retained Search Show, we’re joined by David Wolstenholme, founder of BrandMeBetter and one of the earliest voices in personal branding for recruiters.

We go deep on:

• Why personal branding is now a must, not a “nice to have”
• The biggest mistakes recruiters make on LinkedIn (including engagement pods 👀)
• Why most recruitment content fails to stand out and what the top 1% do differently
• How strong personal brands actually support business development and retained search
• The real relationship between cold calling, branding, and trust
• Where AI fits (and where it absolutely doesn’t)
• Why great recruitment hasn’t changed and never will

This is an honest, funny, occasionally brutal conversation about visibility, credibility, and how recruiters can stop blending in online and start being trusted before the first call even happens.

If you’re serious about retained search, influence, and long-term client relationships, this one’s a must-listen.

Connect with Dave on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandmebetter/

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

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

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

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LinkedIn

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

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

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

In this episode, Louise sits down with Sean Mallapurkar, Founder & CEO of Recruit CRM - one of the highest-rated ATS/CRM platforms in recruitment - to unpack what actually drives product love in a crowded market.

Sean shares why most vendors obsess over features while overlooking the real differentiator: customer success and onboarding. We dig into how Recruit CRM built a sub-1-minute support experience (human response averaging ~40 seconds), how AI is now handling a large portion of support tickets, and why “built post-AI” is often more marketing than reality.

We also zoom out into what Sean is seeing across markets (US, UK, Germany), why recruitment is increasingly splitting between automated/offshored delivery vs high-value retained work, and what it really means to move up the value chain.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why customer success beats feature warfare in recruitment tech
• How AI is changing ATS workflows (and what’s hype)
• What’s happening in US/UK/EU recruitment markets right now
• Why the “move up the value chain” conversation matters more than ever
• Practical ideas to reduce admin drag and scale delivery

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

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

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

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LinkedIn

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

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

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

Search interest in retained and executive search has exploded, but most recruiters still don’t really understand the difference.

In this episode, we unpack:

• Why searches for retained and executive search have quadrupled and what’s driving the shift
• The real difference between retained search and executive search
• Why calling everything “executive search” can quietly kill opportunities
• What actually changes in delivery, assessment, and rigour at senior levels
• How recruiters are moving from contingent → retained → C-suite without burning bridges or blowing up their pipeline
• Why trying to jump straight to six-figure mandates usually backfires
• The mindset, behaviours, and client conversations that unlock bigger fees over time

This is an honest, experience-led conversation about what it really takes to move up the value chain without pretending to be something you’re not.

If you’re a recruiter asking:

• “How do I win higher-value work?”
• “How do I break into executive search without faking it?”
• “Why does retained feel easier once you get it right?”

…this episode is for you.

🎧 Subscribe, share with someone who needs to hear it, and start 2026 with a clearer path to bigger, better search work.

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

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

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

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LinkedIn

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

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

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

In the final episode of 2025, Louise sits down with RecConnect founder Simon Lewis to unpack what’s really coming for the recruitment industry in 2026 and why traditional contingent perm is on a slow, silent death march.

Simon shares his unconventional journey from Sunday Times journalist to IT recruiter, to job board owner, to community builder for recruitment leaders. Drawing on conversations with hundreds of agency owners and economists, he explains why this moment is the most radical shift recruitment has seen in decades and why those clinging to “business as usual” are in trouble.

They dive into:

• Why contingent perm is shrinking fast (and what will replace it)
• How retained, project and subscription models create space for real consultancy
• Why human connection, not automation, will be your competitive edge in 2026
• The power of communities and shared experiences in transforming leaders, not just businesses
• Old-school tactics that are suddenly working again (think handwritten notes and real-life lunches)
• The one word Simon says should define your strategy next year: collaboration

If you’re a recruiter or recruitment leader wondering how to evolve, protect your margins and actually enjoy the next cycle, this episode is your roadmap.

🎧 Listen now, share it with a recruiter who needs a wake-up call for 2026, and hit subscribe so you don’t miss what’s coming next.

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

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

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

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LinkedIn

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

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

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

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

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

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

You’ll learn:

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

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

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

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

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

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LinkedIn

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

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

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

We sit down with Jordan Shlosberg, founder & CEO of Atlas, to unpack how an AI-native, memory-driven CRM is changing the way executive search firms win work and deliver. Jordan shares the journey from building an expert network to architecting Atlas’s “remember-everything” engine, why retrofitting old CRMs with AI won’t cut it, and how features like Magic Search and BD signal tracking turn every conversation into a competitive edge.

You’ll learn:

• Memory as a moat: Why storing everything your firm hears, says, reads, and writes becomes your most defensible advantage and how it powers evidence-rich pitch decks and shortlists.
• Magic Search in action: Find “a CEO who loves Pearl Jam” and surface context from calls, emails, and chats without leaving your database.
• Zero-admin BD: Automated tracking of outreach, replies, and next steps with daily “what to focus on” guidance and dynamic heat scoring.
• Exec search vs. contingent: Building for white-glove depth and speed -  present like an exec search firm, even on contingent timelines.
• Adoption playbook: Practical ways to drive AI usage (yes, incentivise it), and why your team should be in ChatGPT/Claude as a bare minimum.
• Migration truths: What it really takes to move CRMs, why the pain is overblown, and why waiting gets costlier when competitors go AI-native.
• Compliance posture: Legitimate interest, consent controls, and one-click deletion - designing flexible workflows for GDPR-sensitive environments. (Not legal advice.)
• Revenue per head lens: How Atlas prioritises features that measurably increase billing beyond shiny demos.
• Team & build philosophy: Why a larger engineering org (and ruthless feedback loops: “tell us what you hate”) shapes a better product, faster.

About Jordan Shlosberg
Founder & CEO of Atlas. Previously built an expert network business from scratch to significant scale; early to applied AI in search and knowledge retrieval; product thinker obsessed with turning conversations into searchable, reusable firm intelligence.

If you’re pitching major mandates in the next quarter, this conversation might change how you prep your deck and run your search. Subscribe, share with a fellow search leader, and tell us what you want covered next: [email protected]

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

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

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

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LinkedIn

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

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

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

What if the best path to growth is doing more with less?

We sit down with James Ward, founder of Clarity R2R, to unpack how a leadership-focused, values-driven R2R firm can scale in the United States without chasing headcount. From Manchester beginnings to a Miami base, James explains why a less saturated US market - with around 25,000 staffing firms serving 350 million people - creates space for specialist search across technology, life sciences, and financial services.

We get candid about hiring mistakes, the cost of premature ops hires, and the moment a management coach forced a hard reset on vision and values. James breaks down his operating spine - outbound searches for billing manager to board level, principals placed by referral, not volume. He shares how he qualifies clients for retained work, when exclusive beats contingent, and how to decide when a full search process is truly needed.

Expect practical insights on:

• Building a lean A-team that outbills larger firms
• Using deposits to protect focus and forecast revenue
• What top recruiters want from employers today
• Why being on the ground still matters in US expansion

If you’re exploring retained search or considering a US move, this is your playbook on client selection, capacity management, and building a high-performance culture.

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

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

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

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LinkedIn

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

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

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

Want to know why retained search works in one of the toughest arenas - search-to-search - and how boutique firms are turning that challenge into a competitive moat?

We sit down with Candice Bourne, Director at Bourne Consulting to unpack the real mechanics of retained search for recruiter-to-recruiter hires: from patient sourcing of passive originators to brand signals that actually move the needle.

Candice traces her pivot from a contingent background to a partnership-first model, showing how trust, process, and precision outperform volume when candidates are high-performing and time-poor. We explore what’s selling in today’s market - and what’s not - after a year that’s pushed delivery roles to the background while keeping demand for true originators front and center.

You’ll hear how SME boutiques can compete with global names through sharper storytelling, credible client rosters, and genuine cross-sell support - and how adjacent revenue lines like interim, leadership advisory, and mapping can smooth cycles and deepen client relationships.

Then we go tactical: two standout retained wins, from building a financial services practice in the UAE from a cold start to placing a CFO-practice consultant who later launched a New York office. Along the way, we talk sourcing BD talent, engaging passive candidates without breaking trust, and why informal first conversations often outperform formal interviews when the stakes are high.

We wrap with a look at where the action is next - the US and Middle East - and the recurring themes shaping the future of search, from AI’s impact on research to the evolving role of the researcher.

If you’re a recruiter considering the shift from contingent to retained—or already partway there - you’ll take away practical advice, global insights, and plenty of inspiration from someone who’s done it.

Follow the show, share it with a colleague debating retained vs. contingent, and leave a quick review to help more recruiters find us.

Got a story or question from the field? Email [email protected]
or connect with us on LinkedIn.

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

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

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

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LinkedIn

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

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

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

Louise Archer, Sophie Robertson, David Wolstenholme and Adrian Byra come together to announce their exciting Sydney Masterclass Event taking place on October 23rd at the Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel, designed to help Australian recruiters navigate changing market conditions with innovative strategies.

You'll Learn

• How to win exclusivity and commitment in cautious markets, avoid costly delivery pitfalls, and guarantee fill rates that keep clients coming back.
• How to uncover hidden temp opportunities, avoid margin-draining mistakes, and create the stability your business needs in uncertain times.
• How to leverage offshore teams and AI to cut costs, boost productivity, and keep margins healthy when revenue is under pressure.
• How to stand out with content that addresses clients’ biggest fears, builds authority, and wins trust when budgets are tight.

Join us at the Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel on Thursday, October 23rd for a full-day masterclass that will transform how you approach recruitment in today's changing market. 

Book now to secure your spot. Spaces are limited: https://recruitment-masterclass.vercel.app/

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

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

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

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LinkedIn

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

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

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

Pete Watson, founder of Mint R2R and Recruitment United, offers a refreshingly honest look at the realities of Australian recruitment today. With over 21 years building Australia’s longest-serving Rec to Rec business, Pete brings a unique perspective on how the industry is evolving and why community might be the secret ingredient most recruiters are missing.

Pete's journey from running pubs in Manchester to becoming a recruitment entrepreneur began with a simple phone call from a friend boasting about an £11,000 monthly bonus. That call sparked a career spanning two decades and continents, culminating in multiple successful ventures designed to bring recruiters together. His most passionate project, Recruitment United, was born from a personal realization while on the treadmill - that the isolation of running a small recruitment agency was taking a toll. "My life was somewhat isolated, dare I say, lonely," Pete admits, describing the moment he decided to create something that would connect independent recruiters across Australia.

In this episode, Pete shares:

• Why the Australian recruitment market remains resilient-though uneven-across verticals
• How community and collaboration can transform an industry built on competition
• The untapped opportunity of retained search, including the story of one regional recruiter who trebled his revenue by converting contingent jobs to retained searches
• Why AI should be seen as an opportunity, not a threat, for relationship-driven recruiters
• His advice for navigating market slowdowns: “Now is the time you raise your game. Now is the time you be way more visible.”

Whether you’re thinking about starting your own agency, shifting towards retained search, or simply craving connection in an often-isolated profession, Pete’s insights provide both inspiration and practical guidance. His message is clear: the future of recruitment isn’t about fighting competition, it’s about putting an arm around each other.

If you're interested in joining Recruitment United or learning more about Pete's ventures, connect with him on LinkedIn or call him directly at 0432 666 701.

Find out more about our upcoming Recruitment Masterclass in Sydney: https://recruitment-masterclass.vercel.app/

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

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

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

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LinkedIn

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

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

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